KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Kansas City Chiefs general manager John Dorsey defended the club’s handling of Pro Bowl linebacker Justin Houston, who underwent surgery on his ACL last month and could miss the upcoming season.

In his first comments since news of the surgery became public, Dorsey said the Chiefs’ medical staff and renowned surgeon Dr. James Andrews worked in concert in diagnosing and treating Houston’s injury.

Houston hurt his left knee against Buffalo in November, and at the time he was diagnosed with a hyperextension. He returned for the playoffs but was so limited that he was rendered ineffective.

He ultimately had surgery to repair the ligament in mid-February.

The Junction City Lady Jay soccer team defeated Highland Park 2-0.

The teams played at Al Simpler Stadium.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Senior Justin Edwards will get an opportunity to expose his game to professional scouts from around the world, as he participates in the third annual Gotham Hoops Invitational set for on Saturday, April 9 at St. Francis College in Brooklyn, N.Y.

 

The one-day tournament will showcase 36 top college seniors, includingTavon Allen (Drexel), Aaron Brown (St. Joseph’s), Trahson Burrell(Memphis), Laimonas Chatkevicius (South Carolina), Ryan Rhomes(Fordham), Justin Sears (Yale) and Isaiah Williams (Iona). Four teams will compete for the inaugural Championship Cup.

 

A 6-foot-4, 200-pound guard from Whitby, Ontario, Edwards spent two seasons at K-State after transferring from Maine, where he played two seasons for the Black Bears from 2011-13. He scored more than 1,500 points in his college career, including 621 as a Wildcat, connecting on 42.8 percent (544-of-1272) from the field to go with 613 rebounds (5.1 rpg.), 342 assists (2.8 apg.) and 191 steals (1.6 spg.) in 121 games played with 98 starts.

 

Edwards was impressive across the board for the Wildcats in 2015-16, as he ranked either first or second in 11 statistical categories, including tops in scoring (12.7 ppg.), double-figure scoring games (26), field goals made (145) and attempted (328), rebounding (5.9 rpg.) and steals (1.8 spg.). He was one of only six players in the Big 12 to rank in the Big 12’s Top 15 in both scoring (14^th) and rebounding (10^th), along with Kansas’Perry Ellis, Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield, Iowa State’s Georges Niang, Baylor’s Taurean Prince and West Virginia’s Devin Williams.

 

Edwards earned all three of his career double-double in his senior season with all three coming in the last 20 games, including a 23-point, 10-rebound effort vs. No. 1/1 Kansas in his final college game on March 10. In his last 11 games of his senior season, he averaged 15.1 points on 45.7 percent (58-of-127), including 40.4 percent (19-of-47) from 3-point range, with 6.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.6 steals in 34.4 minutes per game.

 

More information on the Gotham Hoops Invitational can be found atgothamhoops.com/invitational.

 

–www.kstatesports.com–

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TOM GILBERT
Associate Director for Athletics Communications | K-State Athletics

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah announced his retirement after seven seasons on Monday, adding his name to the growing list of players who have walked away from the NFL because of health concerns.

Husain said on Instagram that he sustained his fifth concussion this past season, which sidelined him for five weeks. He said there were many factors in his decision with “personal health being foremost.”

Abdullah joined the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Washington State, and spent four productive seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. He walked away in his prime to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, then returned after one season to earn a roster spot with the Chiefs.

He proved to be a dependable safety for Kansas City the past three seasons.

MESA, Ariz. (AP) – Jed Lowrie and Chris Coghlan hit home runs and Kendall Graveman pitched seven solid innings in the Oakland Athletics’ 10-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.

Danny Valencia had two hits and drove in a pair of runs and Yonder Alonso added two hits for the A’s. Josh Reddick, Khris Davis and Billy Butler also drove in runs.

Tony Cruz homered in the seventh for the Royals. Chris Young pitched 4 1-3 innings, giving up five earned runs and nine hits.

Joakim Soria, who gave up his first earned runs of the spring in his last appearance, pitched a perfect seventh for the Royals.

Graveman took a shutout into the seventh. He allowed four hits, struck out six and walked one.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – The No. 1 seeded Kansas Jayhawks will not be going to the Final Four. Kris Jenkins made two free throws with 13.3 seconds remaining, Jalen Brunson added two more with 3.5 seconds left and second-seeded Villanova upset top-seeded Kansas 64-59 on Saturday night in the NCAA Tournament South Region. The loss ended Jayhawks’ 17-game winning streak. Devonte’ Graham had 17 points, and Frank Mason III and Wayne Selden Jr. added 16 each for Kansas.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) – Johnny Cueto pitched six innings and singled against his former team and Brandon Belt hit a three-run homer as the San Francisco Giants beat the Kansas City Royals 8-5 on Friday.

Conor Gillaspie also homered, Denard Span drove in a pair of runs and catching prospect Trevor Brown added a run-scoring double.

Travis Snider and Cory Decker each hit a two-run homer and Paulo Orlando drove in a run for the Royals. Omar Infante went 3-for-4 and scored twice.

Ian Kennedy allowed five runs on six hits in his four innings. He walked a pair and struck out six.

Giants reliever Sergio Romo struck out the side in the ninth.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – Perry Ellis scored 27 points, Wayne Selden Jr. added 19 and and top-seeded Kansas topped No. 5 Maryland for a 79-63 NCAA Tournament South Region semifinal victory Thursday night. The win put the Jayhawks back into the Elite 8 for the first time since 2012.

It took time for the Jayhawks (33-4) to get going, but once they finally seized the lead late in the first half everything else fell into place for their 17th straight victory. They emerged from the break to make their first six shots and steadily take control behind senior forward Ellis, who made 10 of 17 from the field.

Selden was right there with 7-of-16 shooting to help Kansas earn a berth in Saturday’s regional final against Villanova.

The Terrapins (27-9) dictated the early tempo and briefly engaged in a back-and-forth game with the Jayhawks before eventually falling behind the tournament favorite. Rasheed Sulaimon led Maryland with 18 points.