The Seawanhaka Sports Rundown is a weekly roundup of five stories that examine developments in sports news at the local, state, national, and international levels.
BY: COOPER ALBERS / CHIEF SPORTS EDITOR
New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart Takes Home 2023 WNBA MVP Award
Breanna Stewart makes history in her first season with the New York Liberty.
On Tuesday, Liberty forward Breanna Stewart was announced as the 2023 WNBA MVP. She captured the award for the second time in her career and became the first MVP in New York Liberty franchise history.
"It's definitely an honor to be able to say this is my second and to be able to do it in a Liberty jersey for the first time ever,” Stewart noted.
The 2016 No.1 overall pick adjusted quickly to life in the Big Apple, averaging 23 PTS, 9.3 REB, 3.8 AST, 1.5 STL, and 1.6 BLK while playing all 40 regular season games. She set single-season records for 40-point games (4) and games with 40 points and 10 rebounds (3).
Stewart pulled away in a historically close MVP race. She led runner-up Alyssa Thomas by just seven points, the second smallest margin ever. A’ja Wilson, coming in third, only trailed Stewart by 13 points, marking the narrowest margin between the top three vote-getters in WNBA history.
"A tight MVP race is amazing for this league because that means multiple players are being talked about that can do a lot of different things," Stewart said.
Gerrit Cole Cements Cy Young Case
The Yankees may not be playing this October, but Gerrit Cole’s final start of the season placed an emphatic exclamation point on his Cy Young campaign.
On Wednesday, Yankees Ace Gerrit Cole tossed a complete-game shutout in a 6-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. He allowed just two hits in his final start of the season, setting him up to win his first Cy Young award.
“He’s the best pitcher in the game,” noted Yankee Captain Aaron Judge. “This is Gerrit Cole’s era, that’s for sure. He’s the benchmark for what an ace is supposed to be like on and off the field.”
Cole finished his fourth season with the Yankees at 15-4, the second-most wins in the American League. Cole ranks at the top of nearly every pitching category, leading the AL in ERA (2.63), starts (33), IP (209.0), WHIP (0.98), and opponent batting average (.206).
A two-time Cy Young runner-up, Cole is the clear frontrunner to receive this year’s honors. While winning his first, he will become the sixth New York Yankee to take home the award.
When asked if he’s allowed the Cy Young case to sink in yet, Cole joked:
“I’m on my second Labatt’s, so …”
Damian Lillard Traded to Milwaukee Bucks
The city of Milwaukee has officially shifted from Central to Dame Time.
On Wednesday, the Portland Trail Blazers traded Guard Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of a three-team trade with Milwaukee and the Phoenix Suns. The deal sends Lillard to the eastern conference, where he will team up with fellow star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
"Today is an exciting day for Milwaukee," Bucks president Peter Feigin and general manager Jon Horst said in a statement. "When you have the rare opportunity to pair one of the premier NBA players with a highly versatile roster that has lofty goals, you go for it. And we're thrilled to welcome seven-time All-Star Damian Lillard to the Bucks.”
The 33-year-old devoted the first 11 seasons of his career to the Trail Blazers. During that time, he was a seven-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, and 2013 Rookie of the Year. Last season, he boasted 32+ PPG and scored a career-high 71 points in a game.
Despite his production, the Blazers failed to reach the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time in his career. The team elected to retain their draft picks following both disappointing seasons, and Lillard requested a trade shortly after.
Detailing the trade, Portland receives a package headlined by Jrue Holiday (who has since been dealt), Deandre Ayton, and Toumani Camara, while Phoenix welcomes Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nasir Little, and Keon Johnson.
Colorado Shows Promise Despite Second Straight Loss
The Buffaloes weren’t going down without a fight.
Colorado suffered their second straight loss on Saturday after falling 48-41 to No. 8 USC at home. Despite the loss, the Buffaloes showed resilience in a second-half surge that fell just short of a comeback victory.
"Overall, I'm really proud," noted coach Deion Sanders. "Not only of the young men, (but) the coaches, the fan base, the student body. I'm truly proud of the way we represented Boulder today."
The Buffaloes (3-2) quickly fell behind 34-7, giving flashbacks of last week’s blowout loss to Oregon. The Trojans (5-0) found early success through 2022 Heisman Winner Caleb Williams, who tied his career-high six touchdowns in just three quarters.
However, the Buffaloes refused to let the game become a rehash of the previous week. Colorado outscored USC 27-14 in the second half and 14-0 in the fourth quarter. The comeback was powered by QB Shadeur Sanders, who threw out four touchdown passes and rushed in one of his own.
The Buffaloes had all the momentum, but there just wasn’t enough time. Down a score with 1:43 left on the clock, USC recovered an onside kick and kneeled three times to win it.
After the game, Coach Prime expressed his positive outlook on the future of Colorado football.
"If you can't see what's coming with CU football, you've lost your mind," Sanders said. "You're just a flat-out hater if you can't see what's going on and what's going to transpire over the next several months. Something's wrong with you."
Canelo Alvarez Defeats Jermell Charlo via Unanimous Decision
And still…
On Saturday, Canelo Alvarez defeated Jermell Charlo via unanimous decision at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The lop-sided victory saw Alvarez defend his undisputed super-middleweight championship for the third time.
"Nobody can compete with this Canelo," said Alvarez, ESPN's No. 4 pound-for-pound boxer. "Two months in the mountains [training near Lake Tahoe] without my family. I still love boxing… Boxing is my life. Boxing made me the person I am today."
Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) dominated Charlo for most of the fight, landing a devastating overhand right in the seventh round to knock the challenger down for just the second time in his career. However, Charlo’s unwillingness to engage halted Canelo’s search for a knockout, and the champ had to settle for the unanimous decision.
At 33-years-old, Alvarez shut down rumors of decline and reassured doubters of his status as the face of boxing.