State Snapshots

By The Montana Standard News Services - 11/18/2008

MSU Billings guard shares GNAC award BILLINGS (AP) — Montana State-Billings guard Alira Carpenter has been named the co-GNAC player of the week.

Carpenter, a 5-foot-8 senior from Lewistown, had 33 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, a steal and a blocked shot in MSU-Billings' 91-81 win over Colorado State Pueblo on Saturday. Carpenter made six 3-pointers and all nine of her free throws.

Carpenter tied a career high for points and set a career high for rebounds.

Carpenter shares the Great Northwest Athletic Conference award with Jessica Summers of Western Washington.

Griz basketball signs California guard MISSOULA (AP) — Will Cherry of West Oakland, Calif., has signed a letter of intent to play basketball at the University of Montana, coach Wayne Tinkle said Monday.

The 6-foot-1 Cherry plays both point and shooting guard. He averaged 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals per game at McClymond's High, which posted a 33-0 record last season and was ranked eighth in the nation.

Last season, McClymond's upset Dominguez High School 73-54 to win a state championship. Fellow Griz recruit Thurmon Woods of Compton, Calif., was on the Dominguez team that posed a 30-3 record.

Cherry had 19 points and 14 rebounds in the title game.

"He is a very athletic guard who can really go from end-to-end, and he can get into the paint and cause some havoc, and he also plays relentless defense," Tinkle said. "He is another kid who comes from a high school program that is historically very successful. He is a proven winner." Tinkle says the signing of Cherry is his last during the early signing period.

Reds bring back Mustangs' staff BILLINGS (AP) — Manager Julio Garcia and coaches Tom Browning and Tony Jaramillo will return for another season with the Billings Mustangs.

The announcement was made by the Mustangs' parent organization, the Cincinnati Reds.

Last season was Garcia's first year in Billings. He led the Mustangs to a 42-32 record and a Pioneer League playoff berth. Next year will mark Garcia's 15th season as a Minor League manager.

Garcia is 48. He joined the Reds last season after spending seven years in the Cubs organization.

Tom Browning is a Casper, Wyo., native. He returns as the team's pitching coach.

Tony Jaramillo returns as the hitting coach.

The Reds also announced that Charles Leddon will be back for a third season as the Mustangs trainer.

UM students line up for Cat-Griz tickets MISSOULA (AP) — Hundreds of University of Montana students waited hours in line for tickets to Saturday's Cat-Griz football game.

Sophomore Cody Putzier was the first in line, settling in just before midnight on Saturday. Two others joined at 4 a.m. Sunday.

By mid-afternoon, students seeking the 3,000 student tickets and 400 guest passes were sprawled on the first and second floors of the three-floor University Center. Students passed the time by watching videos, playing guitars while some even did their homework.

The 108th meeting between the Montana and Montana State football teams takes place at Washington Grizzly Stadium on Saturday. Kickoff is at 12:05 p.m. General admission tickets are sold out.

Kalispell's Iverson signs with UW golf KALISPELL (AP) — Two-time Class AA champion Larry Iverson of Kalispell's Glacier High School has signed a letter of intent to join the University of Washington golf team.

Iverson also represented Montana in the Junior America's Cup and played in the Callaway Jr. World Championships and Jr. PGA Championships.

Washington coach Matt Thurmond says Iverson's focus, discipline and determination are remarkable. Thurmond says he's anxious to see how well he will do when he can golf year-round.