Die Macht » Gregory Polanco (facial bruise) sat out a day after bei

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Herb Sendek walks across Santa Claras campus from his Leavey Center office to the iconic Mission church and stops for a moment at his favorite landmark. Its a special spot for a brief respite from the fundamentals-focused basketball preparation with his Broncos.While Sendek is busy rebuilding mens basketball at Santa Clara, Damon Stoudamire and Terry Porter have brought some serious NBA pedigree to coaching in the mid-major West Coast Conference trying to get their programs on track. Add to the list of new faces first-year San Francisco coach Kyle Smith, fresh off an impressive six-year run at Columbia.The league, still largely unheralded despite its decades-long run of postseason success, is suddenly boasting some high-profile coaching names to go along with the old staples of No. 14 Gonzagas Mark Few and Randy Bennett at 17th-ranked Saint Marys, which might have one of its best teams yet after a 29-win season . The Zags and Gaels shared the WCC regular-season crown last season and are picked by the coaches to go 1-2.I have a very healthy respect for the West Coast Conference and I really believe its on the verge of exploding, said Sendek, back on the bench following a year away after his dismissal at Arizona State . Clearly you have the top tier that has been dominant for the last many years but you also sense a renewed commitment from the other schools to be even more competitive. Its a terrific basketball league.In Portland, Porter sometimes points to examples of NBA players emerging from the WCC to make big impacts at the next level.Smith, who went 101-82 at Columbia with a Collegeinsider.com Tournament title and 25-10 record last season, is hardly new to the WCC yet now takes on a storied program determined to be a regular contender again. A former top assistant under Bennett at Saint Marys who also worked at San Diego, he has connections to several programs and most of the other coaches.I coached in the league for 17 years and Ive always thought its really the one league I know, so I think its a great time, Smith said. Over the last five years youve had three programs that have emerged and theyve been good, theyve kind of gotten to the top, and it looks like some other programs are really trying to regain some of their past glory and make it interesting. I think they will, and I think it will be healthy for the league with these new coaches. Its a big investment trying to make the league better.Porter rarely speaks of his own playing experiences while chuckling and noting, theyre so young and wont remember him anyway. Rick Adelman has stopped by Pilots practice to provide another set of eyes on things, and Porter speaks to his former coach with the Spurs, Gregg Popovich, on occasion for any tips on starting something new and building a system -- and family atmosphere.Its personal core values and me being on championship-caliber teams sharing what do we hold true and what helped us be successful, Porter said.Smiths ties to Bennett are just a start in the close-knit conference.Porters son, Franklin, played for Bennett in the suburban East Bay hills of Moraga.Bennett is thrilled to see the WCC generate more attention with all the change.I knew Terry because of Franklin. Hes just a class act, Bennett said. Ive known Damon Stoudamire since he was about 15 and always considered him a really good guy, and a guy thats a friend. Ive known Herb and have a lot of respect for him as a coach. Weve gotten to know each other because hes been out West. Obviously Kyle, I have a long history with and a really good friend.All four of them I know, its pretty cool that way ... good, talented people. Its going to help the league. The leagues going to get stronger.Sendeks own coaching tree is strong: He has watched 12 of his former assistants or other staff members become Division I head coaches. He has found a good fit.I do feel refreshed, he said.All of the new coaches are realizing challenges with starting fresh.Porter accepted the job right before his players took finals, then they went their separate ways for the summer. So he has spent much of the preseason finding a groove.Being around them and talking about some of our team identities and trying to build some of those things, it was something weve had to get into a little bit later, he said. The guys have really embraced it.New Golden State Warriors top assistant Mike Brown played at San Diego for Bennett and also knows Smith, Few, Porter and Stoudamire. Browns allegiances will stay in Southern California with the Toreros and coach Lamont Smith, an ex-USD player and another former Saint Marys assistant.Brown is eager to watch Bennett -- who has been turning up at Golden State practices this fall -- face off with good friend-turned rival Kyle Smith.This is a big-time conference, Brown said. This conference is not an easy conference. It will be interesting to see how both those guys do. Im sure theyll do great. Im glad Im so close to be able to pop in and catch a game. Its going to be a fun year for the West Coast Conference.The WCC sent three of its then-eight teams to the NCAA Tournament in 2008 for the first time then again in 2012 once BYU joined the 10-team league.The coaching and the turnover this year has changed dramatically but you still have the two major staples in Mark and Randy, Porter said. Its going to be fun to see the conference get after it.Vapormax Femme 2020 . Pierce was ejected in the third quarter of Indianas 103-86 win Monday. George Hill stole a bad pass and was going in for a layup, and Pierce hustled back and appeared to be trying to wrap him up. Basket Vapormax Blanche . PETERSBURG, Fla. http://www.vapormaxsolde.fr/ . Louis Blues absence from top spot in the TSN. Vapormax Flyknit Vente . -- The plastic that was taped across the lockers in Oaklands clubhouse came down and the champagne that was on ice went back into the cooler. Vapormax 2020 . Down by seven with 90 seconds left in regulation, thats where they looked comfortable.PITTSBURGH -- Jayson Werths wide grin belied the fact that the Washington Nationals right fielder is an old hand at clubhouse celebrations, having played on eight division-winning teams during his 14-year big league career.Werths latest crown came Saturday night when the Nationals clinched their third National League East title in five years, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-1 behind 5 1/3 scoreless innings from rookie reliever Reynaldo Lopez.Its never gets old, Werth said. Never.Stephen Drews two-run single capped a three-run first inning for the Nationals, who return to the postseason after a one-year absence. Their win ensured a playoff berth, and they won the division about 20 minutes later when the second-place New York Mets lost to Philadelphia.Its such a hard thing to accomplish, Werth said. You spent six months trying to do it. Its why you go to spring training early, so you can do everything possible to put yourself in positon to win the division.The Nationals won the division in Dusty Bakers first season as manager. He replaced Matt Williams, who fired following a 2015 season that began with high hopes of Washington reaching the World Series for the first time in franchise history.Baker had been out of the game for two years after being fired by the Cincinnati Reds following the 2013 season, four days after they lost to the Pirates in the NL wild card.Thats what I came here for, Baker said, standing in a corner of the clubhouse and watching his players celebrate. Im telling you -- let these young men have a great time tonight, back to work tomorrow. First step in a four-step process. This step is the hardest to get. Im just so happy for these guys. I love them. I love this team.Lopez (4-3) came on to the start the bottom of the fourth inning with a 6-1 lead and allowed three hits while striking out five and walking one. He was removed a runner on first and one out in the ninth inning.He was really impressive, Werth said. We still have some questions about our roster going into the postseason. Hes a great talent and if he pitches like he did tonight he can really help us.Marc Rzepczynski and BBlake Treinen got one out each to end the game, and a pocket of Nationals fans behind the visiting dugout cheered.ddddddddddddJoe Ross allowed one run and five hits over 2 2/3 innings in his second start since missing 2 1/2 months with right shoulder inflammation.Drews single came after Bryce Harpers sacrifice fly. Harper also drove in a run with a grounder during a three-run fourth that included three errors and increased the Nationals lead to 6-1. Jayson Werth hit into a run-scoring forceout and Anthony Rendon had a sacrifice fly.Wilson Ramos had three hits for the Nationals, and Drew and Werth added two each.Pittsburgh lost for the just the third time in 10 games but fell four games out of the second NL wild card with eight games remaining.Rookie Josh Bell homered in the third.Ivan Nova (12-8) lost his second straight start, giving up six runs -- three earned -- and eight hits in four innings. He had gone 5-0 in his first eight starts after being acquired from the New York Yankees on Aug. 1 in a trade.I thought he was getting into a nice spot going into the fourth inning and we more or less took him out of the game with our defense, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said.TRAINERS ROOMNationals: Drew was taking the place of 2B Daniel Murphy (strained glute), who did not start for the sixth game in a row.Pirates: RF Gregory Polanco (facial bruise) sat out a day after being injured while running in the fence while chasing a fly ball. . LF Starling Marte (back strain) was not in the starting lineup for the 17h time in the last 18 games. . SS Jordy Mercer (right forearm discomfort) did not start for a third consecutive game.UP NEXTNationals: Rookie RHP A.J. Cole (1-2, 4.68 ERA) will start Sunday in the finale of the three-game series.Pirates: RHP Tyler Glasnow (0-2, 4.11) will make his third career start and first since July 23. The rookie was placed on the disabled list the following day with shoulder inflammation and has made three relief appearances since being activated Aug. 28. ' ' '