Junior guard Justin Edwards paced three players in double figures in helping Athletes in Action to an 80-76 win over Klaipeda Nafta in the first game of their international tour at Nafta Gym in Klaipeda, Lithuania on Saturday.

Edwards plays for Kansas State.

Edwards scored a team-high 15 points on 6-of-13 field goals, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range, to go with four rebounds, one block and one steal.

Also from Kansas State, Brando Bolden scored eight pints on 3-of-5 shooting to go with one rebound, one assist, and one steal.

The experience was the first for Edwards and Bolden after both sat out the 2013-14 season after transferring to Kansas State.

 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – James Shields threw a four-hitter and Alex Gordon homered as the Kansas City Royals won their sixth straight, beating the San Francisco Giants 5-0 on Saturday night.

The Royals have won nine of 10 to move with 1 1-2 games of AL Central-leading Detroit. The Royals, who have not made the playoffs since beating St. Louis in the 1985 World Series, are in second place in the AL wild card standings.

Shields (11-6) gave up three singles in the first four innings. He allowed only two Giants to reach second base. He walked Joe Panik in the fifth and he moved to second on a wild pitch with two outs, but was stranded. Panik doubled in the eighth.

It was Shields’ ninth career shutout, his first since Sept. 9, 2012.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Depending on which part of the Chiefs’ preseason opener Andy Reid chose to watch, he could have come away thrilled about the prospects for the upcoming season or deeply depressed.

There were two touchdowns by the defense – and many more blown coverages. There were three-and-outs and fumbles by the offense – along with long touchdown passes and dynamic runs. On special teams, there was an electrifying punt return touchdown but several boneheaded decisions.

The Chiefs wound up beating Cincinnati 41-39 on Thursday night, but the result was mostly a moot point. Reid said there were positives and negatives from the preseason opener, and plenty of work to do before the Chiefs visit Carolina on Aug. 17.

 

Odds and ends from K-State football Media Day.

–Bill Snyder reported Wednesday that four community college transfers to Kansas State are not at KSU yet..

“It is my understanding that they should be here and should qualify. They are finishing up academic issues. It is my understanding that all four of them have or will make it. They are not on campus yet. the expectation is that they will be here this week.”

–According to the KSU Media Guide the Wildcat coaching staff includes four coaches with a combined 32 years of head coaching experience. And Kansas State and Texas Tech both have five former players from their respective schools on their full-time coaching staffs. That ties for tops in the nation for most full-time coaches at their alma mater ( among the 65 most visible schools ).

–The Wildcat team captains for the 2014 season will include Ryan Mueller, Jonathan Truman, Tyler Lockett, Jake Waters, and B. J. Finney.

–K-State will host seven home games at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in 2014. They include: Stephen F. Austin on Aug. 30 , Auburn Sept. 18, UTEP Sept. 27, Texas Oct. 25, and the Kansas Jayhawks Nov. 29. There will be road games at Iowa State Sept. 6th ( conference opener ), Oklahoma Oct. 18, TCU Nov. 8, West Virginia Nov. 20, and Baylor Dec. 6.

 

The quarterback who helped lead Kansas State to a Big 12 championship

two years ago, Collin Klein,  is back in Manhattan working with the Wildcat program.  That should be an asset for current quarterback Jake Waters.

During Media Day on Wednesday Waters explained that Klein can offer direction on how to do specific things such as doing  or throwing the football a certain way on specific pass routes. “It definitely helps getting on the same page, and then coming out here and kind of perfecting it. That’s kind of what we’re trying, we’re hoping is going to take us to the next level.”

Waters returns for his senior season already holding the top career passing efficieny rating ( 156.8 ) in school history, and ranking fifth in passing yards per game ( 189.9 ).  He has been named to the Athlon and Phil Steele preseason All-Big 12 teams, and the best quarterback in the Big 12 under pressure by Sporting News.

K-State opens the season by hosting Stephen F. Austin on August 30.

 

K-State football coach Bill Snyder said Wednesday he’s pleased with the effort of the 105 young guys out on the practice field….for the most part.

Snyder’s assessment came on Media Day at Kansas State.

“We’re a work in progress. The retention level I think has been very good, meaning that and we put in an awful lot. We don’t put it all in, in one day but we implement our entire offense, defense, and all of our special teams stuff, which is quite a bit throughout the first four or five days.”

Snyder stated the team had done a nice job of retaining the information they’re receiving, the execution on the field from an assigned standpoint has been good, and the fundamental standpoint has not been great, but has been good.  The coach stated the Wildcats are making headway.

Kansas State has just over three weeks remaining to prepare for the season opener August 30 against Stephen F. Austin in Manhattan.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) – Bill Snyder ripped the big-time nature of college athletics as Kansas State opened fall camp Wednesday, lamenting the way universities have “sold out” in search of the almighty dollar.

During a lengthy oratory in which the 74-year-old coach discussed the upcoming season, Snyder argued that TV has assumed too much control of college sports; education has been relegated to a second thought; and that the entire endeavor “distorts” the values of young people.

Snyder voiced his thoughts one day before the NCAA board of directors is to vote on a proposal giving the five wealthiest college football conferences the ability to make rules and pass legislation without the approval of the rest of Division I schools.

The autonomy proposal is expected to pass.

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) – Arizona will face Missouri in the opening round of the Maui Invitational.

The Wildcats bring back another strong team after just missing the Final Four last season.

Purdue will meet Kansas State in the other game in that part of the bracket announced Wednesday.

Pittsburgh meets Division II host Chaminade and BYU faces San Diego State in the other bracket of the 31st annual tournament that will be held at the Lahaina Civic Center from Nov. 24-26.

Along with the games played on Maui, four regional teams will participate in the tournament at campus sites from Nov. 14-18: Cal State Northridge, Arkansas-Little Rock, Missouri-Kansas City and Samford. Those schools will play in doubleheaders in Little Rock, Arkansas, on Nov. 22-23.

K-State football fans will be able to get their first look at the 2014 Wildcats on Saturday, August 16 during the Academy Sports + Outdoors Fan Appreciation Day at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Fans are asked to park on the west side of the stadium and enter through Gate B for the event, which begins at 5 p.m.  Seating will be open on the west side in Sections 1-9, and fans can watch the final hour of practice. Concessions as well as merchandise from the K-State Super Store at the Stadium will be available.

Following practice, head coach Bill Snyder and the 2014 team captains will address the crowd prior to a one-hour autograph session on the field with players and coaches. Those participating are asked to limit the number of autographed items to one per person and are encouraged wot provide their own item to be signed.

The West Stadium Center ticket office will be open for fans wishing to purchase single game tickets. A limited number of single seats remain for Texas Tech ( Oct. 4 ), Texas ( Oct. 25 ), Oklahoma State ( nov. 1 ) and KU ( Nov. 29 ) contests. Standing-room only tickets are available for games against Stephen F. Austin, UTEP, Texas, Oklahoma State, and Kansas.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) – Pro Bowl safety Eric Berry and starting cornerback Marcus Cooper are practicing again at training camp following minor injuries.

Berry missed time with a sore right heel. Cooper tweaked a hamstring.

Their return Sunday was the first positive injury news in a while for the Chiefs. They have been struggling with injuries, especially in their suspect secondary.

Backup safety Sanders Commings is out after surgery for a severe high ankle sprain and fractured fibula. Reserve defensive backs David Van Dyke, DeMarcus Van Dyke and Phillip Gaines also have missed time with various injuries.

Linebacker Dezman Moses left Sunday’s workout after hurting his elbow.