Bedlam on Baltic Avenue

And Then I Shot, Shot, Shot A Hole Through Everything I Loved...

In a season like no other, it's been a day like no other: The first as the reigning champions of England. The reigning champions of England.
How's it been for you? Here's our composite version of an extraordinary day in the life of a Leicester City fan.

by Taboola

I Want To Hold The Line. I'll Bring The Cheese And Wine.

A few hundred privileged City fans glimpsed their heroes drop into an Italian restaurant for a slap-up meal this afternoon.

The 2016 Premier League champions made time for a visit to San Carlo in Granby Street, in the city centre shortly after 1.30pm.

A coach dropped off the players outside the restaurant and into a throng of delirious and chanting supporters.

They were whisked inside and the windows blocked out to afford them some privacy.

Rumours that something special was on the cards began to circulate around 1pm when a small team of police officers arrived in the street.

The crowd swelled to the hundreds as more and more people cottoned on.

David May, 64, was one of the first to arrive – complete with a City flag.

Mr May, whose company May's Electrical has a long association with the Foxes, said: "I'd booked at San Carlo for today but they rang me and apologised that they would have to cancel because there was a special party coming in.

"I put two and two together and came down from Knighton to see if I was right – and I was.

"I've been waiting all my life for this, it's been an amazing season.

"I went to the Man United game at the weekend and, although we didn't win it there, it was amazing.

"The United fans applauded City of the pitch.

"I watched the Spurs v Chelsea game in the pub and people were saying at 2-0 that we were going to have to wait for the next game, but I always believed it would finish 2-2 and that we'd be champions.

"The whole thing is crazy. We've had some successes over the years and some trips to Wembley, but this is on another plane."

Sally Frazer, of Market Bosworth, chanced on the impromptu street party as she and her family walked through the city centre.

She said: "We walked into town from the King Power Stadium – where the atmosphere was amazing.

"We saw people standing around outside the restaurant and wondered what was going on.

"Someone said they'd heard that the players were coming for a meal, so we had to stay to find out if it was true – and it was.

"The atmosphere is wonderful, everyone is so happy.

"What the team have achieved is a one-off and we won't see anything like it again."

Construction worker Jay Harbin, 44, of Ashby, was also one of the first people at the happy scene.

He said: "We saw a police car pull up and made a joke about them getting a ticket if they parked there.

"It was our break so we came out and there must have 10 or so people waiting around.

"Then it just grew and grew as the word went around that the players were going to be coming. It was brilliant."

I Long For Brighter Days Like In The Month Of May...

It is completely mad that Leicester City have become only the sixth team to win the Premier League title, midfielder Danny Drinkwater has said.

Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Blackburn are the only other clubs to have ever lifted the title, and Drinkwater admitted it was an astonishing feat to join that select band of clubs.

Drinkwater and his City team-mates were watching on from Jamie Vardy's house as Tottenham threw away a 2-0 lead against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge to confirm the title was heading to Leicester.

Drinkwater said it was unbelievable to think they had become champions.

However, he said the City players now wanted more success.

"It is mad isn't it," he said. "It doesn't sound right but we have done it.

"We are here to stay, we are not going to drop off there from now.

"We are going to push on. But when you think of the players who have not won it, it is mad, it is crazy.

"I will be looking back at this for years, it will be something I can tell my kids about. I am happy my family have got to feel this as well.

"It is a special moment, it is so hard to put into words what it is going to do for people at this club. I think they deserve it, so well done."

Drinkwater said it was an amazing time to be a City player and to share the amazing experience of becoming champions together, watching the Tottenham-Chelsea game at Vardy's house.

"I think the rest of the lads would answer the question the same, it is a brilliant time to be involved with the club," he said. "It is a special moment for us lot.

"When the final whistle went it was like four hours of madness. It was brilliant, it was good, all the lads were together and it sums us up as a group of lads."

Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill has hailed the success of City as "truly remarkable".

Having been involved with a Tigers set-up that has won the English league title on 10 occasions, Cockerill knows a thing or two about winning championships.

And he was full of praise for their cross-city counterparts.

"I am trying to think of a better achievement," he said.

"I am delighted for the city and the club. It's great news for all concerned. I probably won't have to explain where Leicester is any more because it puts Leicester on the map once and for all."

Leicester City: The Real-Life Harchester United

As Leicester City fans awoke yesterday with throbbing heads, but joyous hearts, they must have been asking themselves one question – was that all just a dream?

Even as they rubbed their bleary eyes and turned on the TV to endless news reports about how City, the club that had been bottom of the Premier League for more than 140 days of the previous season and were 5,000-1 to become champions, had defied the odds to claim the title, they must have thought they were either still asleep or in some bizarre parallel universe.

When they saw the empty champagne bottle on the kitchen table, flashbacks of the huge party the night before, sparked by Eden Hazard's amazing late equaliser against Tottenham at Stamford Bridge, may have followed, but it was still too surreal to be true.

But it is. It is all true. Leicester City are Premier League champions. Even now, as you read these words, you are probably shaking your heads in wonderment. You and the rest of the world.

How has a team of players who have all been rejected or passed over by other clubs been able to come together to defy the odds and pull off the greatest sporting shock in history?

How has a manager who was sacked after just four games in charge of Greece been able to pull together the same set of players who had faced what seemed to be certain relegation the season before and turned them into champions?

How has a club that has won just three League Cups in its 132-year history been able to break the dominance of English football's elite, to claim the ultimate prize and become only the sixth team to lift the Premier League trophy?

It is an astonishing achievement which has left everyone scratching their heads in bewilderment and clapping their hands in admiration at the same time.

The scenes outside the King Power Stadium on Monday night and yesterday were amazing. City fans descended on their stadium to worship their club and celebrate what many would admit was the greatest moment of their lives. The party is set to continue for quite some time.

People from all walks of life, from different faiths and cultural backgrounds have all been brought together by one amazing achievement.

The people of Leicester have puffed up chests and heads held high because their football team has put the city on the map.

The world's media has camped out for weeks in the city waiting for the moment when the fairytale would come true. The Leicester City story has captured the imagination because it is the greatest rags to riches underdog story in sporting history.

Less than 15 years ago, City were a club on its knees. The very future of the club was in doubt. The thought of challenging for a Premier League title in future years seemed ridiculous. There was the danger of there not being a future.

Then there was relegation to League One for the first time in the club's history in 2008, another dark time. It is fair to say there have been more downs than ups.

That is why the rest of the football community will not begrudge City this incredible moment. City fans, who wear their shirts with pride, have been applauded as they walk down the street. The travelling fans and Ranieri's incredible team have been given standing ovations by rival fans at grounds around the country, including at Old Trafford last Sunday.

Football supporters have cast aside the usual tribalism because they recognise that what City have achieved is extraordinary.

It can potentially change the landscape of the Premier League. The elite clubs must now reflect on their approach and raise their game, while the clubs of City's ilk now have belief that they can aspire to follow their lead.

They can dream as well.

When the Thai owners came to the club in 2010 there was some scepticism.

Previous foreign ownerships at English clubs had gone spectacularly wrong. They had been disasters.

The Srivaddhanaprabha family have been astonishing. Not only have they committed their substantial wealth, writing off £103million of loans into equity, they have cherished the history and traditions of the club.

They may not come from an English football culture but they have shown great respect to the supporters.

Even when their judgement was being questioned last summer as they replaced Nigel Pearson – who deserves an immense amount of credit for turning the club around – with Ranieri, they have been proven right. They are shrewd operators.

As for Ranieri, finally the bridesmaid has become the bride and on Saturday, when the Premier League trophy is presented to captain Wes Morgan he will have his big day.

Four times he has been in a title race and four times he has finished second, in Italy, France and England. Finally, Ranieri, the man who has entertained everyone this season with his genial, lovable antics, colourful turn of phrase and warmth, is a champion.

After the departure of Esteban Cambiasso, City's player of the year last season, Ranieri sat before the media and tried to raise spirits. "Cambiasso is a great champion and now we have to find another," he said. He had 24 of them right under his Roman nose.

To a man they have been magnificent. From Kasper Schmeichel in goal to Jamie Vardy scoring 22 goals and leading the attack, from the skipper Wes Morgan to the longest-serving player Andy King, who has been with City through their League One, Championship and now Premier League title triumphs, from the mercurial winger Riyad Mahrez, the greatest £400,000 signing in the modern game, to the veracious predator that is N'Golo Kante. Every single one of them has played a huge part.

They have all shown a burning desire, a hunger that has been the driving force behind their success. They have all faced disappointment and rejection but have had the character to keep going. That is why they didn't buckle during the season.

Those dark moments provided an inner strength that has proved so crucial. While their rivals seemed to wilt under pressure, City were able to stay strong.

Around the stadium there are now poster pictures of each player hanging from the lampposts, but the memory of what these players have achieved will live on long after those flags are pulled down. As Gary Lineker has said, they will now be immortals.

Finally, the supporters. The Blue Army. They have played their role. When City have been behind in games they have roared even more.

When the players have needed their help, they have been there. The sight of them remaining in the away ends singing long after their rivals have gone will live long in the memory.

The secret to Leicester City's success is easy. It has just been one glorious team effort by everyone.

Leicester City: 2015-16 Premier League Champions!

Chelsea came from two goals down to rescue a 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge and crown Leicester City as Barclays Premier League champions.

Mauricio Pochettino's men needed victory to retain hope of stopping Leicester's astonishing march towards glory and Harry Kane's 25th BPL goal of the season, along with a clinical finish from Son Heung-min, gave them a healthy half-time advantage.

In a feisty encounter played at a pulsating pace, Gary Cahill reduced the arrears in the 58th minute and Eden Hazard, who schemed menacingly as a half-time substitute, scored his first league goal at Stamford Bridge since last season's title-clinching win over Crystal Palace to ensure a new and unlikely name would be etched on the trophy.

Former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri will hoist that silverware at a raucous King Power Stadium after Saturday's match against Everton, no doubt thrilled by the help from his former employers.

Cahill and John Terry were reunited at the heart of the Chelsea defence, with the former heading a fourth-minute corner wide as the hosts applied early pressure.

Cesc Fabregas, the former Arsenal midfielder, was picked out by Costa and dragged wastefully wide in the 27th minute.

Spurs spurned a similarly inviting opening with Son, in for the suspended Dele Alli, lashing past the near post but Pochettino's side crafted a fine opener 10 minutes before half-time.

Christian Eriksen combined with Erik Lamela for the Argentina international to pick out Kane's perfectly timed run, with the England striker able to coolly round Asmir Begovic and slot into an unguarded net.

Costa engineered space on the edge of the box to fire over as Chelsea sought a response but they were left with a mountain to climb by a blistering Spurs counter-attack.

Kane intercepted a stray pass from Branislav Ivanovic and Eriksen expertly slid a pass through to Son, whose aim was true this time.

The half ended an altercation after Danny Rose rashly fouled Willian, and both players were booked for their troubles and renewed acquaintances early in the second half as the Brazil winger crashed into his opponent before Son clipped the loose ball wide from the edge of the box.

Chelsea grasped a lifeline in the 58th minute as Spurs midfielder Eric Dier missed an attempted clearance from Willian's corner and Cahill pounced with an emphatic left-footed volley.

The complexion of the contest changed entirely, Hazard to the fore for the hosts, and Willian shot too close to Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris from a Costa pass.

Spurs right-back Kyle Walker was grateful to see Hazard's low cross spin off his shin and wide in the 74th minute, while substitute Ryan Mason shot tamely at Begovic when he should have restored the two-goal cushion.

Despite his misfiring campaign, Hazard showed why he has a more renowned eye for goal from midfield as he darted towards the area, exchanged passes with Costa and found the top corner to break Spurs hearts and spark celebrations in Leicester.

The Chelsea faithful delighted at their team’s fightback, and will now offer a guard of honour to Leicester on the final day.

In The End, I'm Taking The Train Because My Lady Won't Let Me Greyhound.

I had to listen to Akatsuki. I was a fool to think I could get away with riding the Greyhound to head to Canada without having a ride from hell. In a vision, so the story goes, Lady Akatsuki, in her experience, unbeatable state with a conduct worthy of a heavy cruiser or battleship, told me this, and I quote...

"You need to back my sister ship Inazuma. She'll take you there. She's done it before. As a train called the Coast Starlight, she can take you to Seattle and let her sister Ikazuchi carry you the rest of the way to Vancouver as a bus. Going Greyhound," she says, "is wasted money and is a ride for fools and plebs who steal a living being talentless autistes on the lam. Besides, you always wanted a peachful ride, right? Destiny awaits you at Union Station. I know this for a fact. If you choose to be stubborn, I have an anchor that I can put to use on someone other than...you know who.

"Commander! I'm making you take the train, and you'll love me for it so much that you'll never want to let me down ever again...in fact, when you come home fully refreshed, you'll let me do whatever I want with you so you can enjoy my company more!!! And...I'll even let you pat my head. Ufufu..."

That's what she told me in my vision. The sweetener at the end closed the deal, big. And the person she referred to, if you already figured, is her ladyfriend Hibiki, or Verniy. A bilingual phoenix that plays the foil, the fool, the uke...I had to change my choice once the funds were available. I leave on Oct. 5, return on Oct. 11, four nights of lodging, and now, an itinerary to build.

I never wanted to do Greyhound, anyway. What the hell was I thinking, brushing with the possibility of taking the hound to Vancouver and back? What's up with that? Actaully, the Amtrak Thruway Coach is all the Greyhound I really need. And I have never ridden Coast Starlight, ever. This train is too important and is akin to melting all over Inazuma as an admiral in KanColler. I need a long-distance train ride in my life so that I can realize how important America and Canada are to me. I want to melt all over the amazing scenery and slices of life.

So I am extremely pleased that I made the right choice and reserved the train. It is my hope that I can muster enough money from my work to cover for lodging, foot, and visiting a few other towns, like, perhaps, Nanaimo. Something like that.

Thus, to Lady Akatsuki, I offer you my thanks for pointing me in the right direction. In the end, Amtrak was what I always wanted to use. Richie Havens was right all along: "There's something about a train that's magic. All Aboard America. All Aboard Amtrak." And Akatsuki simply is unbeatable.

Les Dogues Days Are Over!

29 TROPHIES IN 45 SEASONS
By winning their sixth Coupe de la Ligue trophy on Saturday, Paris Saint-Germain came the most decorated mens team in the history of French football! An incredible trophy haul for a club that celebrated its 45thanniversary at the beginning of the season… far behind Marseille (founded 117 years ago), Monaco, Saint-Etienne and Bordeaux (97 years) and Lyon (66 years).

NASSER AL-KHELAÏFI THE PRESIDENT WITH THE MOST TITLES
The current Paris Saint-Germain CEO and Chairman is now ahead of his illustrious predecessor Michel Denisot (eight trophies), with 11 titles won since his arrival in 2011. Under the direction of Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, the capital club has won four Ligue 1 titles, one Coupe de France, three Coupes de la Ligue and three Trophées des Champions… with a chance to make it 12 titles when Paris take on Marseille in the Coupe de France final on Saturday, 21 May at 21:00 at the Stade de France.

LAURENT BLANC THE MOST DECORATED COACH
He was already the most decorated coach in the club's history, after last season's historic quadruple, but on Saturday he claimed his tenth title with Paris even though he has only been in charge of the team since June 2013. The coach with four Ligue 1 titles with Paris now has four Coupe de la Ligue titles to his name after winning in 2009 with Bordeaux and in 2014 and 2015 with Paris, equalling Didier Deschamps' record (Monaco 2003, Marseille 2010, 2011, 2012).

THIRTEEN PARISIANS GO DOWN IN HISTORY
Nicolas Douchez, Salvatore Sirigu, Maxwell, Thiago Silva, Gregory van der Wiel, Lucas, Blaise Matuidi, Javier Pastore, Adrien Rabiot, Thiago Motta, Marco Verratti, Ezequiel Lavezzi (who left for Hebei China Fortune in January) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic became the most decorated players in Parisian shirts. These thirteen players lifted the 11th title since their arrival at the club (four Ligue 1 titles: 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016; one Coupe de France, in 2015; three Coupes de la Ligue: 2014, 2015 and 2016; and three Trophées des Champions: 2013, 2014 and 2015)! They pulled ahead of current assistant coach Zoumana Camara, who won ten titles as a Paris player (three Ligue 1 titles: 2013, 2014 and 2015; two Coupes de France: 2010 and 2015; three Coupes de la Ligue: 2008, 2014 and 2015; and two Trophées des Champions: 2013 and 2014).

*The two most decorated French clubs:
1. Paris Saint-Germain / 29 titles: Cup Winners' Cup (1), Ligue 1 (6), the Coupe de France (9), the Coupe de la Ligue (6), the Trophée des Champions (5), the Intertoto Cup (1), Ligue 2 (1)
2. Olympique de Marseille / 28 titles: Champions League (1), Ligue 1 (9), the Coupe de France (10), the Coupe de la Ligue (3), the Trophée des Champions (2), the Champions Challenge (1), the Intertoto Cup (1), Ligue 2 (1)

I Decided To Make A Big Sacrifice Today Ahead Of A Big Journey.

I have to decided to say so long to Pangya until September. After doing a run which saw very little yield in terms of Gacha rares, the choice was made by me to leave the game, uninstall the client, and forward the money from my work to my trip to Vancouver. It's a long-awaited trip, and a trip that I have chased for months but now, I am ready to finally work towards this journey to Canada.

To me, Canada is a very, very wonderful place. It's got knowledgeable people, the food is supposed to be pretty good, poutine is everywhere, and finding a Tim Horton's is not that difficult. I've decided to start my spending on the first phase, and that is transportation. In the past, I took the Crucero and the Greyhound to visit Hayward and the Bay Area, and I took those buses to go to San Diego. This time, with the Coast Starlight being too expensive for my taste, I have chosen to go Greyhound again, Economy class, round trip to Vancouver.

Because of this, spending on Anime Expo will have to be in the diminutive. If I need to spend anything, it has to only be on food. I don't need to get Rainbow Dash or Pinkie Pie via plushies. I don't need to buy shirts or other plushies, especially if there is no plushie of Fubuki from Kancolle. I already have Akagi anyway, she's a sweetie pie. I still have to do my work for AX and the Access Control department. If I become selected as a Ranger, I'll do my work cause I already have one year of experience down.

I also have to renew my Flickr membership. More money that has to be channeled away. I am very dependent on my performance with The Stoppage Time. I need to publish my articles constantly and consistently so that I meet the salary requirement. There will be times where I just focus on my writing, where I focus on my nonprofit work, where I focus on my sister's work, stuff like that. With Pangya not taking away my money until September, my funds are now freed up to finance this trip.

I am excited about getting my travel plans started. I don't need to be a big spender, I just need a ride and a place to stay when it comes to visiting Canada for what will be the first time in my life. I need to do this now, because next year, I expect to have to make payments on my college loans that are being consolidated. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity so I want to make this visit something I will never forget. I just hope my mom, my dad, my sister, and everyone I know understands my decision to commit to this trip.

So I decided to make a big sacrifice today ahead of a big journey. I may have to make some more in the future. In fact, the Christmas bonus check at the Bar Foundation, assuming I am still on the books there by then, will go to my parents, all of it, to make up for all the grocery runs I couldn't do in April, May, June, July and August for them. This is how much I am hedging everything towards this visit, and I will do my best to get this done.

Rangers Are Back In The Scottish Premiership!

Rangers may have rubber-stamped their rise from the ashes on Tuesday night but Mark Warburton knows only too well the phoenix is yet to take full flight. The champagne, which remained on ice after Raith Rovers’ late equaliser on Saturday, was no doubt swigged once Dumbarton were beaten 1-0 at a packed Ibrox but not savoured for too long and it is unlikely the Scottish Championship trophy will be paraded at the front of a cabinet that contains 54 top-flight titles

The scars of the past four years, the financial meltdown in 2012 which led to a tumble down the divisions, the trips to Alloa, Elgin and Berwick and the indignity of a Ramsden Cup final defeat by Raith Rovers in 2014 are permanent and while a sense of relief among supporters greets Rangers’ return to the Premiership, inevitably thoughts immediately turn to bridging the gap to Celtic, who drew 0-0 at Dundee, and are closing in on a fifth successive title.

That may seem ambitious but after a four-year journey that has included 104 wins, 26 draws and 16 defeats, that accounted for Ally McCoist after nearly three years of laying the foundations for last night’s achievement, Warburton has no interest in smelling the roses.

He knows the importance of thinking ahead and doing so while showing the frugality in the transfer market that has reaped reward this season. And he appreciates there is more at stake than a place in the final when Rangers face Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final on Sunday week, not least after Neil Lennon recently questioned whether the former Brentford manager is ready for his first taste of the Old Firm derby which provoked a defiant response: “If you can’t deal with that, don’t be in the business.”

Indeed, even before Rangers’ promotion was confirmed Warburton was asked whether his side would provide a credible challenge to Celtic next season and, his response to Lennon aside, he chose his words carefully. “My expectation is that we have to go into that league and be highly competitive. I view highly competitive as that we’ve got to be a very, very tough team to beat and to break down and that we go into games expecting to win them. I’m not going to sit here and say we’re not going to challenge for the league. I’m not going to sit here and say we’re going to win the league.”

What is clear is that Warburton’s recruitment over the summer will be fundamental to meeting expectations. Relying on his Football League knowledge his signings of Martyn Waghorn, James Tavernier and Wes Foderingham have proved successful, as has Harry Forrester, prolific under Warburton during their time together at Brentford and set to commit his long-term future at Ibrox after arriving in January.

Financially, Rangers may be in far calmer waters compared with 2012 but the cost of returning to the Premiership was apparent, as was the supporters’ boycott of the previous board, when reporting operating losses increased by 11% to £9.04m for the financial year to June 2015 last month.

Warburton is confident, however, that he will received funds to strengthen a squad, adding that “the board haven’t said no. Far from it. They have been really supportive”, but it was perhaps telling that he chose to use his programme notes for Tuesday’s match highlighting the widening gap in spending power between Scottish clubs and those in England, stating before the match: “If we keep ignoring it, we are going to keep on paying the price.”

Rangers may be back among Scotland’s elite but, as a former city trader in London, Warburton knows the real value of a bargain.

Villanova Wildcats: 2015-16 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Champions

HOUSTON -- One good shot deserved another.

Kris Jenkins of Villanova wasn't about to be outdone.

Jenkins overcame the shock of watching North Carolina's Marcus Paige hit a double-clutch 3 to tie it by spotting up behind the right side of the arc and draining a 3 of his own at the buzzer to lift Villanova to a 77-74 victory and the national championship Monday night.

What a shot -- and what a game.

The second-seeded Wildcats (35-5), had a six-point lead with 1:52 left, but watched it slowly trickle away. It disappeared when Paige jumped -- and with Ryan Arcidacono running at him -- double clutched and pumped one from beyond the arc to tie the game at 74 with 4.7 seconds left.

After a timeout, Arcidacono worked the ball upcourt and got it to Jenkins, who swished it from about two steps behind the 3-point line.

"Kris told him he was going to be open, Arch made the perfect pass," Villanova coach Jay Wright explained. "Kris lives for that moment."

Jenkins' range is anywhere in the gym, as he showed earlier in the tournament by nonchalantly draining a shot from the edge of the midcourt logo.

He never had a doubt.

"I think every shot's going in, and this one was no different," he said.

After being thrown to the floor by his teammates, he got up, leaped over press row, hugged his family and shouted: "They said we couldn't, they said we couldn't, they said we couldn't."

Oh yes, they could.

It's Villanova's first title since 1985, when Rollie Massimino coaxed a miracle out of his eighth-seeded underdogs for a victory over star-studded Georgetown.

Hard to top this one, though.

Jenkins, who was adopted by the family of North Carolina guard Nate Britt, now has a spot with Keith Smart, Lorenzo Charles and anyone else who ever made a late game-winner to win the whole thing.

Paige finished with 21 for the top-seeded Heels (33-7), who came one agonizing shot short of giving coach Roy Williams his third national title.

Instead, this one belongs to Villanova, a team full of scrappers, grinders and also-rans, who proved you don't have to have a roster full of NBA-bound one-and-dones to win a title.

Before Jenkins did his thing, it was Phil Booth -- one of the many unheralded players on that Villanova squad -- pouring in a career high 20 points to give the Cats their late six-point lead.

Booth's force turnaround jumper with the shot-clock blaring and a free throw from Josh Hart gave Villanova a 70-64 lead with 1:52 left.

But Carolina never quits. Paige sandwiched a 3-pointer and a putback around Brice Johnson's bucket to help the Tar Heels stay within striking range. Then, he tied the game and the Carolina fans went wild.

It looked like overtime.

Thanks to Jenkins, it wasn't.

"Every kid dreams about that shot," Arcidacono said. "I wanted that shot, but I just had confidence in my teammates and Kris was able to knock down that shot."

Nevada Wolf Pack: 2016 College Basketball Invitational Champions

RENO, Nev. -- Nevada's Tyron Criswell has won several individual awards since he started playing basketball in his youth.

But it took until his last college basketball game to win his first team championship after Nevada's 85-82 win against Morehead State in the ninth College Basketball Invitational on Friday night.

"It feels good to win an individual award, but when you win a big one with your team it feels so much better, especially when you know you're team's been through so much," said Criswell, who scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.

Nevada freshman Cameron Oliver added 20 points and 10 rebounds. Senior guard Lyonell Gains led Morehead State with 17 points, shooting 8 of 13 from the field.

Winning the clinching game of the best-of-three series wasn't easy for Nevada.

Morehead State's Xavier Moon nearly tied the game with a last-second half-court shot in overtime that bounced off the rim.

"With the half-court shot, from my vantage point, I said, `Here we go: double overtime," Nevada coach Eric Musselman said.

Criswell helped erase Morehead State's lead and put Nevada (24-14) in position to win with 13 seconds left in overtime.

After Nevada guard D.J. Fenner's pass to guard Lindsey Drew was deflected under the basket, Criswell grabbed the loose ball and made a layup to put the Wolf Pack up 83-82.

On the Eagles' next possession, DeJuan Marrero missed a layup and Fenner grabbed the rebound. He converted both free throws before Moon's last-second shot missed and the game ended.

"Mission accomplished: send our seniors out the right way," Musselman said. "For our freshman (they) can sit back and think about all the experience they got ... to springboard us into next year ... all those guys got better obviously with all these extra games and extra time together. Even myself, I know I'll be a better coach coming back next year getting these extra games."

Nevada's ability to get to the free-throw line was vital. The Wolf Pack shot 37.5 percent from the field, but converted 39 of 45 shots from the line. Morehead State (23-14) shot 46.7 percent from the field, but only converted on 6 of 13 free throws.

Nevada's crowd of 9,043, far surpassing the season average (6,416), proved important for the Wolf Pack as it did throughout the CBI tournament. Home teams were 13-3 in the tournament.

Nevada led by as many as 12 points with 15:06 left in regulation, but Morehead State rallied.

"That's what we did all year," Morehead State coach Sean Woods said. "We don't stop playing. We are going to play until the final buzzer and that's what we did tonight."

With six seconds left in regulation and the Eagles down two points, Marrero went to the free-throw line and banked his first shot off the glass. He made the second free throw.

Oliver missed a 3-pointer to win the game in regulation.

They're Getting Desperate, I Know It. And That's Fine.

So I have noticed that parts of the Madoka Magica Collab is now a permanent addition to Pangya Global as a result of Korea still not getting their act together. (The only ones missing are the cut-ins and backgrounds.) And a number of other popular RNG boxes are permanent, including Lucia Hair Kits, Arin Gift Boxes, 2015 Lucky Pouches and 2016 Papel Boxes. The Fro Comet is now a permanent addition to the Pangya Shop. And now people can smack Kyuubey all they want and they have unlimited time to get the Ultimate Madoka Set and/or Madoka Magica Club Set.

This is great news for new players and for veterans who didn't get a chance to have the RNG in their favor. Pangya Team should know that they are losing their players to Winning Putt and how do you get them back? Make some of the limited-time content permanent. So this is a nice touch but I am not going to go after the Madokami right now but I will at some point.

What I am satisfied about is the drop rate for the Hana Grand Prix that is taking place as of this post. I finally got not one, but two rares, in 35 special coins. It only took me 35 on my main account to finally get a couple of rares, albeit they are Ancient Dark Wings and WT-PEP, and on my alternate account I got the 2012 Swimwear. As of this post, I have a rate of 3/125. So about evert 40-50 attempts I get something, although the rates might be nerfed later on, since I have already won something from this event.

Last year, I only won once out of over 100 coins on my main account, the Blue Lagoon Set. RNG was not friendly to me last year. This year, it's changed a bit, and now I have won three rares across both accounts. Hopefully I can win a few more as Hana remains my main character while playing the game.

Another great thing about the Madoka collab being permanent: both my accounts can now have all of the normal clothing sets for Hana, Lucia, Arin, Kooh and Nell. However, they need to also bring back the cut-ins and backgrounds to complete things. So the shop could actually use another update to ensure that there is a wide variety of stuff that can be purchased.

For now, I am very relieved that some of the timed RNG items are now permanent and I got three Hana rare items in the Event Grand Prix, but room for improvement is exactly that, and they will need to bring back some more items from the past and make it permanent. Pangya Team is getting desperate, I know this for a fact, and that is completely fine by me.

George Washington Colonials: 2016 National Invitation Tournament Champions

NEW YORK -- George Washington coach Mike Lonergan held his young daughter in his arms near center court at Madison Square Garden, waiting to climb a ladder and cut down the net.

Now he can replace that one his buddy sent him weeks ago for good luck.

"It was in the locker room tonight," Lonergan said after the Colonials beat Valparaiso 76-60 on Thursday for the school's first National Invitation Tournament championship. "I'm not a big motivation guy, but I'll tell you, I felt that net before every game. And I told those guys, `We win, I'm wearing one of those nets. I don't care what we do with the other one."

Kevin Larsen scored 18 points, Patricio Garino added 14 and fourth-seeded George Washington (28-10) set a school record for wins in a season with a dominant performance in the second half.

The Colonials won their fourth straight game against a higher-seeded team and sent three senior starters out with a tournament trophy, softening the sting of being rebuffed by the NCAA selection committee.

"It makes it feel a whole lot better," Larsen said. "Like we said, we'd rather win the NIT than get bounced one-and-done in the NCAA Tournament. That's been the mindset."

Larsen, Garino and point guard Joe McDonald, part of Lonergan's first full recruiting class at George Washington, walked off winners in their final college game. They arrived with the Colonials coming off a 10-21 season, but made the NCAA Tournament as sophomores.

"These guys, I wanted (them) to leave a legacy. We didn't make the NCAAs (this year) and we were all heartbroken and it's hard to bounce back, but they bounced back," Lonergan said. "We played our best basketball end of March. I told them I wanted, instead of senior night, I wanted it to be senior month. And that's what it was."

Junior forward Tyler Cavanaugh, the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, scored 12. He averaged 19.4 points and nine rebounds in five NIT games.

McDonald had 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists with no turnovers for George Washington, which extended a one-point halftime lead to 19 late in the game. The Colonials went 22 for 26 at the foul line, compared to 6 of 6 for Valpo.

"We're not there yet. I want to get to NCAAs and make a run, but this is a great stepping stone," Lonergan said, with one of the two nets his team cut down draped around his neck.

"We're an up-and-coming program that has great history," he added. "So this is a big deal for our university, our players and our program, and I'm proud of these guys that helped put our program back on the map. But we are not where we want to be yet. We want to keep this thing growing."

George Washington, which started players from Argentina, Denmark and Japan, used its 1-3-1 zone to hold Valparaiso star Alec Peters to two points in the second half. Peters finished with 15 and was the only double-figure scorer for the top-seeded Crusaders (30-7), who went 8 for 28 from 3-point range.

"It's going to stick with us throughout the offseason," Peters said.

The second unit helped GW rip off a 16-4 run early in the second half that pushed the advantage to 13. Valparaiso never got within single digits again.

"We made them look bad, so I give our guys credit, but that's a heck of a team," Lonergan said.

It was the first title in a national postseason tournament for the Colonials, who enjoyed much of the fan support among the crowd of 7,016. The school is located four blocks from the White House in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, D.C., and New York City is about a 225-mile trip up I-95. Some trains take less than three hours.

"NCAAs is always the goal, but we proved this year that you can make a lot of memories in this great tournament," Cavanaugh said.

Neither team had reached the semifinals of the NIT before, and this was the first meeting between the schools.

"I told our guys, one game doesn't define your season," Crusaders coach Bryce Drew said. "We just seemed like we couldn't really get a rhythm going."

ON POINT

Both senior point guards played through injuries in their final college game. McDonald was able to start after twisting his ankle during Tuesday night's semifinal rout of San Diego State. Crusaders sparkplug Keith Carter sprained his right foot with about 6 minutes to go in the first half, hitting the floor after jostling with Cavanaugh underneath. Carter initially stayed in the game, keying an 8-0 run with five points and an assist on Peters' fast-break 3 that tied it at 24. But at the 5:21 mark, Carter came out and missed the rest of the first half. He returned to start the second.

TIP-INS

George Washington: Larsen, Garino and McDonald joined Cavanaugh on the all-tournament team. ... It was GW's sixth trip to the NIT. ... Besides the Colonials, lower-seeded teams struggled in the NIT. They finished 6-25, including the four wins by GW. ... Cavanaugh, a Wake Forest transfer who reached double figures in every game this season, didn't score until converting a three-point play with 7:34 left in the first half.

Valparaiso: The Crusaders, who shot 39 percent from the floor, fell to 10-15 against teams from the Atlantic 10. ... Before this week, Valpo had not played at Madison Square Garden since the 1940s. ... Peters, who made the all-tournament team, had at least 20 points in seven consecutive games before scoring 15 in the semifinals.

UP NEXT

George Washington: The Colonials lose their three senior starters, but Cavanaugh is back.

Valparaiso: Peters, who shot 6 for 14 and grabbed 10 rebounds, returns next season.

Augustana Vikings: 2015-16 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Champions

FRISCO, Texas A 14-point lead with 14 minutes left put Augustana on the road to its first NCAA Division II men’s basketball championship. Lincoln Memorial, though, made sure the ride had a few rough spots.

But every time the game got close Saturday afternoon at the Dr. Pepper Arena, Augustana made a clutch play that paved the way for its 90-81 victory in front of an energetic crowd.

“I don’t know if there is one word to do it justice, to be honest,” said Augustana senior Alex Richter, “but I am just so happy to be a part of this team and a part of the coaching staff.

“We thank the fans for coming out. Whether it was Tarleton, Western Oregon or today, we felt we were at home. We are extremely happy to be in this situation.”

Augustana, which led the entire second half, finished the season 34-2.

“It really helps when you have three seniors like this,” said Augustana coach Tom Billeter as he looked at Richter, Daniel Jansen and Casey Schilling at the postgame press conference. “To be honest, nothing works if you don’t have the players. I have such a special group. I am so proud of them.”

Richter led the Vikings with 26 points, Jansen scored 25 and Schilling added 20.

Lincoln Memorial also has a special group of players, who carried a 24-game winning streak into the championship game and finished the season 34-3. Four players scored in double figures for the Railsplitters, led by 21 from senior Gerel Simmons and 15 apiece from sophomore Emanuel Terry and senior Jalen Steele.

“We knew we had to play our best game of the season to have a chance,” Lincoln Memorial coach Josh Schertz said. “We missed free throws like we did and shot the ball poorly from the three-point line. Give credit to Augustana because they continued to make shots and plays down the stretch.”

Twice in the opening minute of the second half, Lincoln Memorial closed to two. The last time was at 45-43 on two free throws by Simmons.

“We tried to come out of the half with more energy, and we tried to make a run,” said Simmons, who finished with 21 points. “We made a little run, but they made a run back and that was how it was throughout the whole time.”

Back-to-back baskets by Schilling gave the Vikings a 49-43 lead. Sophomore Jordan Spencer followed with a basket, increasing the lead to 51-43, prompting Schertz to call timeout with 17:20 remaining in the game.

Over the next three minutes, Augustana built its lead to 62-48. It was a position Lincoln Memorial had not been in over the last two months. But the Railsplitters kept battling and got to within six at 69-63 with nearly 9 minutes left.

At this point, the Vikings showed their clutch gene, making plays to maintain a lead of seven to 10 points.

Lincoln Memorial didn’t go away and with under 5 minutes left, the Railsplitters closed to five at 82-77 on field goal by junior Luquon Choice.

Perhaps the biggest basket of the second half came next when Richter drilled a three-pointer, giving Augustana an 85-77 lead.

“We were right in business, a five-point game and 3 minutes to go for a national title,” Schertz said. “That was the biggest shot of the game, Richter’s three-pointer from the corner. They just stepped up and made big shots.”

If it wasn’t for a shoulder injury that forced Richter to sit out the 2013-14 season, he wouldn’t have been on the team this season. He definitely came up big in the championship game. His last three-pointer in a Vikings uniform will be one Richter and many followers of Augustana basketball will remember for a long time.

“That shot is up there,” Billeter said of some of the big baskets made in his 13 years at Augustana. “If he doesn’t hit it and all of a sudden it gets down to two, you don’t know what would happen. That was a huge basket.”

The dagger came with 2:12 left and the Vikings leading 85-78. The shot clock was near zero, when junior Adam Beyer had the ball. He was off-balanced on the baseline, but he managed to put up a fall-away shot that went in, making it 87-78.

“Beyer hits one later with the shot clock expiring and at the same token, we miss a couple of good looks,” Schertz said. “It is simplified, but sometimes it is a game of makes and misses.”

Every point in the championship game is important, so when Schilling knocked down a mid-range jumper at the halftime buzzer to give Augustana a 43-38 lead, the Vikings received a late boost.

It was a nice way for the Vikings to end a half that had several momentum swings. Augustana controlled the early portion of the game, building a 15-6 lead.

“We needed to set the tone because we had such great respect for them defensively,” Billeter said. “They are so long and they really attack. You got three guys coming at you as fast we have ever seen.”

After Jansen’s basket, shots stopped falling for Augustana and the Railsplitters took advantage. They went ahead 18-17 on a basket by Dorian Pinson. Augustana went right back in front on a field goal by Richter.

Pinson tied the game at 23-23 on a three-point play and then Lincoln Memorial went ahead with a basket by Simmons.

Over the next several minutes, the lead changed a few times. At 36-36, Augustana had the last little offensive swing in its advantage, starting with a three-point play from Jansen and a basket by Richter, giving the Vikings a 41-36 lead.

“The difference between last year’s team and this year is last when we were up and a team went on a run, we kind of cracked a little bit,” Jansen said. “I think this year, we showed our maturity as a team as a whole. If a team goes on a run and we have a lead of eight and they cut it to two or one, we are going to stay a tight knit group, and say, they threw their punch, now it is our time to throw our punch.”

The Vikings showed that mentality in all three of their Elite Eight games and that is why they stood Saturday afternoon in Texas as the 2016 NCAA Division II men’s basketball national champions.

St. Thomas Tommies: 2015-16 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Champions

Taylor Montero and Ryan Saarela made sure their final college basketball games were memorable ones.

The St. Thomas senior forward and center combined for 53 points and 21 boards and propelled No. 8-ranked Tommies to an NCAA Division III championship with Saturday's 82-76 win over previously-unbeaten Benedictine (Ill.) in Salem, Va.

The Tommies (30-3) won their second national crown in six years but first under fifth-year head coach John Tauer.

UST built a double-digit lead in each of their contests during a 6-0 run through the Division III playoffs. St. Thomas eliminated the Nos. 18, 11, 1, 4 and 2 ranked teams over the last 15 days.

In Saturday's victory, St. Thomas sank 50 percent from the floor, had only seven turnovers, knocked down 27 of 36 free throws and had a 36-32 rebunding edge. That offset Benedictine's 24-3 advantage in 3-point scoring.

Taylor Montero scored a season-high 27 points -- one off his career high -- and added 11 rebounds while logging 37 minutes.

Ryan Saarela's 26 points were his career high, and he added 10 rebounds for his 13th double double of the season. UST went 23-0 in games this season when Saarela scored in double figures.

Junior guard Grant Shaeffer added 14 points and played all 40 minutes.

The Tommies led 37-32 at halftime and built the advantage to 12 points during the second half. Benedictine (31-1) pulled as close as 73-71 with 1:33 to go on Lucas Johnson's dunk.

Montero answered at the other end with a layup, then rebounded a missed BU shot. UST sank 7-of-10 free throws in the final 42 seconds to secure the NCAA title.

St. Thomas made only three field goals in the last 8:30 but held off Benedictine with nine points at the foul line.

Johnson led Benedictine with 21 points and 11 boatds. BU, playing in its first Final Four, shot 48 percent from the floor and had only 10 turnovers.

The victory is St. Thomas' 16th national team championship, including two in men's hoops. In the 2000s alone (last 17 seasons), St. Thomas has two NCAA crowns each in the sports of men's basketball, baseball and softball, plus one in volleyball.

Columbia Lions: 2016 College Insider Tournament Champions

NEW YORK -- Columbia coach Kyle Smith showed his team a photo of the empty trophy case in front of his office before the game.

He told them it was about time they put something in there.

The Lions responded.

Grant Mullins scored 20 points and Columbia rallied to beat UC Irvine 73-67 on Tuesday night to win the CollegeInsiders.com Tournament.

The Lions became the first New York City school to win a postseason title since St. John's won the NIT in 2003. The Red Storm later vacated that championship.

"It's great," said senior Maodo Lo, who was the tournament MVP. "We were talking about that earlier. Only a handful of teams that play at this time of year. ... It's a good moment right now."

Columbia also became only the second Ivy League school to win a postseason crown.

Trailing 53-48 with 7:20 left, Columbia (25-10) scored 17 of the next 21 points. Mullins hit a 3-pointer and then on the next possession made an incredible shot, flipping the ball over his head as he was fouled on the drive. That three-point play gave Columbia a 54-53 advantage. Lo's 3-pointer made it 63-57.

The Anteaters (28-10), who had won 18 of their past 22, could only get within four the rest of the way.

As the final buzzer sounded, the Lions celebrated the school's first postseason title. Confetti came down on them and the team cut down the nets in their home gym.

"It's really special, only four or five teams that get to cut down nets every year and we were one of those," senior Alex Rosenberg said. "It's something I'll always remember. It's been a tough road, we came from a 12-16 team to 25-10. If that's not changing the culture, I don't know what is."

Jeff Coby finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Lions, who had the most wins in school history, including 15 non-conference victories.

Lo added 13 points and finished third on the school's all-time scoring list, 12 short of breaking the school record.

Trailing 20-14 with 8:52 left in the first half, Columbia used a 17-6 run to close the half and take a 31-26 lead at the break. Lo hit a 3-pointer to get the run started and Luke Petrasek's 3-pointer made it 29-22.

Mamadou Ndiaye, the Anteaters 7-foot-6 center, then had consecutive dunks where he barely had to leave the ground to make it a five-point game at the half.

Mike Best scored 17 points to lead the Anteaters. Ndiaye finished with 14 points and eight rebounds.

TIP-INS:

UC Irvine: The Anteaters set a school record with 15 non-conference wins and 13 road victories. ... Alex Young became the first player in school history to record 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists in his career.

Columbia: The CIT could stand for the Columbia Invitational Tournament as the Lions hosted all four of their games in the tournament. ... Buck Jenkins is the school's all-time leading scorer with 1,767 points. Jim McMillian is second with (1,758). Lo has 1756. ... The only other Ivy League team to win a postseason tournament was Princeton, which won the 1975 NIT. ... Smith has won 101 games in five seasons at Columbia. It's the most wins in a five-year span for Columbia since the team won 106 games from 1950-55.

3.27.2016

Happy Easter

From the Bedlam on Baltic Avenue.

Finally, I Have Captured The Chicken!

Though this wasn't among my priority wants among Memorial Gacha, I ended up capturing the elemental mascot Ember on a random Memorial Premium Coin off Scratchy Cards after going 1/15 on another Premium batch (the rare won was Kooh's Fairy Tale set). Ember resembles a floating chicken so it is fair to say that I have captured the chicken in Pangya, and I love fried chicken. Ember is essentially a cross of WT-PEP/Sporty Pippin plus the default Mascot Bonus plus Cadie SC. Throw in the Cadie SR card equipped on Classic Hana's bonus caddie slot to go with the animal ring, and hitting Pangya becomes more straightforward. That's the power of the chicken.

I ended up ranking up a few clubs, unlocked about 10 more achievements over a week across both my accounts and on my main, I am now sitting at 9430 Achievement Points. Oh yes, and on two Premium batches prior to the 1/15 I went 7/20. So there is some game balance among the Premium Coins, but the fact that the Super Rares I wanted didn't drop and Black Papel didn't drop after 5,000 spinning cubes opened leaves me wondering.

I also got to work on clearing some club recovery point achievements, which I didn't get to work on for months. When my next paycheck from Azteca Soccer arrives, I expect that it will go towards my next move to rank up another club set to S-rank. Spika's Voice Club set has been in A-5 limbo for months and I believe it's about time I got her signature clubs to S-rank, or Spika rank, if you will. This way I can focus my next S-rank efforts to my Ruby Air Knight Set, which is on 11,000 club mastery but may go down to accomodate getting the Spika clubs to S-rank.

I am completely mystified by two things this weekend: going 1/15 on Premium Memorial Coins and Jurgen Klinsmann's handling of the game plan for the USMNT against Guatemala away. The premium rates should not be nerfed, period. That's the Normal/Special Coins' responsibility. It is astounding how for a high batch of Premium Coins, the drop rate is abysmal. Complaints regarding this game are warranted, but for me, I have to accept it because on my Dolfini's Locker, I have 67 pages of rares. I have to sell items from my locker only if I am in desperate need of pang to upgrade my clubs or otherwise improve stats. I am also short of Abbot Crystals. I had to spam Abbot Mine a few times just to get the 25 I need to secure a Card Remover that would allow the impact zone of Madoka (a.k.a. Classic Hana) to be bigger.

Secondly, we haven't lost to Guatemala in decades, so if this result is repeated, Jurgen Klinsmann should be sacked immediately. It's not easy being a manager of a team representing a sports-proud nation like the United States. The ramifications of being eliminated early in World Cup Qualification can have long-term effects regarding the game's future. I don't miss coaches who don't do a good job managing the teams I care about. That's my schtick.

In any case, I have captured the chicken.

Call Me.

Call me when you’re down
Call me when you need someone
Call me when it’s rough
And you think that there’s no one…
Call me when you’re down.

Love just for the understanding
Things that love carries, what we’re demanding
Listen to the heart that’s beating
Forget about lust and all misleading

Love, talk about me and you
My love just makes everything come true
Questions lies in the heavens and ground
It’s up to me and I’ll call you when I’m down

I will be true, too many ups and downs with you
I know what to say to you, so here’s what I tell you

Call me when you’re down
Call me when you need someone
Call me when it’s rough
And you think that there’s no one

But ‘till you need someone to love
I will be searching for my love
I will, but I will be there for you.

Sitting at a park, holding hands at the dark
With a love so strong to break my heart
This is your heart that’s beating
Forget about fuss and all misleading

Love, summer, winter, spring or fall
Love is wishing that we had it all
Questions lies in the skies and ground
It’s up to me and I’ll call you when I’m down

I will be true, too many ups and downs with you
I know what to say to you, so here’s what I tell you

Call me when you’re down
Call me when you need someone
Call me when it’s rough
And you think that there’s no one

But 'till you need someone to love
I will be searching for my love
I will, but I will be there for you
I will be there for you
I will be there for you
I will be there for you

If you need someone
Call me when you’re down
If you need someone
Call me when you’re down…

Call me when you’re down.

Call me when you’re down
Call me when you need someone
Call me when it’s rough
And you think that there’s no one

But 'till you need someone to love
I will be searching for my love
I will, but I will be there for you…