The Rock Chalkboard

KU basketball ramping up interest for 2022 forward
I spoke to 2022 forward Braeden Moore tonight. His recruitment has exploded, as he's up over 20 offers. He told me KU basketball held a Zoom call with him and his family. Bill Self and Jerrance Howard were on the call. Moore said they made it clear that they're going to be ramping up their recruiting efforts on him, and he's been texting Howard daily the last few days.

ESPN's BPI ranks college basketball's best teams entering Week 8
While the 2020 college football season winds down with a national championship matchup set for an 8 p.m. ET matchup between Alabama and Ohio State, the 2020-21 college basketball season is in full swing. To get a further idea of the sport's best teams, ESPN's Basketball Power Index provides a closer look.

Preview: KU basketball prepping to face versatile lineups at OSU
The Cowboys come into the game with an 8-3 record, including a mark of 2-3 in conference play. The Cowboys have the third-ranked scoring offense in the Big 12, averaging 77.3 points per game. On KenPom, the Cowboys grade out with the No. 52-ranked offense and No. 28-ranked defense nationally.

Bryce Thompson (back) day-to-day, KU coach Bill Self says
“Yeah, he practiced yesterday,” Self said on Monday morning. “It was limited, but he did practice [with] contact. He may be available tomorrow. You know, he hadn’t practiced since the 28th of December. So, yesterday, in a 15-minute contact situation, I don’t know [if that’s] enough time to give you an idea if he’s [in] rhythm and ready to go. But I know he’s trying to get back as soon as possible.”

New Phog.net Crystal Ball pick for 2021 quarterback
The Jayhawks originally offered Hawley in late November, but they had been recruiting him for a long while. Hawley has spoken plenty to KU offensive cooridnator Brent Dearmon. He also is close with Kansas WR Luke Grimm, who he went to high school at Ray-Pec with.

Bill Self impressed by dynamic OSU freshman Cade Cunningham
Cade Cunningham had plenty of high-profile suitors. The usual suspects when it comes to the blue bloods of college basketball — Kansas, Kentucky, Duke and Carolina — all offered, and Cunningham had long-time suitors who had been on him for years by the time he announced for Oklahoma State.

AP basketball top 25 rankings updated for Jan. 11
Watch out for the Texas Longhorns. Another week sees Texas impress and rise up the polls with the latest updated AP top 25 college basketball rankings. The majority of top-ranked teams took victories this season, however a handful of upsets still shook up the polls with conference play underway.

Top performers after 7-on-7 tryouts in South Florida
The high school football offseason is here, at least in South Florida. Over the past few weeks a number of 7-on-7 organizations in both the Miami and Fort Lauderdale metro areas have held their tryouts as they prepare for their upcoming seasons, which start the weekend of Jan. 23 with tournaments in different parts of the Sunshine State. Below, 247Sports has assembled a list of some top performers after attending tryouts for the South Florida Express, Defcon and Miami Immortals.

Top 30 combo guard Jalen Hood-Schifino updates his recruitment
Montverde Academy guard Jalen Hood-Schifino had a very productive weekend at the St. James NIBC Invitational. The top 30 combo guard excelled at helping lead his team while getting it done on the defensive end. While Schifino was once a Pitt commit, he is still considering them and is also hearing a lot from Indiana, Illinois, and Kansas from time to time.

Bits o Chalk

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick won't 'move forward' with Presidential Medal of Freedom from Donald Trump
"Recently I was offered the opportunity to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which I was flattered by out of respect for what the honor represents and admiration for prior recipients. Subsequently, the tragic events of last week occurred and the decision has been made not to move forward with the award.

University of Kentucky backs men's basketball players, John Calipari amid local backlash over kneeling
University of Kentucky president Eli Capilouto and athletic director Mitch Barnhart on Monday supported the men's basketball team, which has faced backlash after players and coaches, including John Calipari, knelt before Saturday's win at Florida to protest social injustice days after rioters stormed the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Alabama QB Mac Jones - This Crimson Tide team best to ever play
"There's no team that will ever play an SEC schedule like that again," Jones said. "At the same time, we're just so happy to have won this game and kind of put the icing on the cake."

Eraser Dust

Sheldon Adelson, billionaire Trump backer and Las Vegas Sands CEO, dead at 87 | Fox Business
Sheldon Adelson, the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Las Vegas Sands Corp., has died following a battle with cancer. He was 87.

Lisa Montgomery: First US execution of female inmate in 67 years halted
Judge Patrick Hanlon granted the stay late Monday, citing the need to determine Montgomery’s mental competence, reported the Topeka Capital-Journal. Lisa Montgomery faced execution Tuesday at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana, just eight days before President-elect Joe Biden, an opponent of the federal death penalty, takes office.

Deutsche Bank won't do any more business with Trump - CNN
Deutsche Bank will no longer do business with President Donald Trump, a move that will cut off his business from a major source of loans that once helped fund his golf courses and hotels.

Why Dave Grohl Won't Sing Nirvana Songs in Concert
The result has been a series of reunions with ex-bandmate Krist Novoselic and former Nirvana touring guitarist Pat Smear featuring various guest singers – notably at the band's 2014 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction. "I wouldn't feel comfortable singing a song that Kurt sang," Grohl told Louder, adding that he doesn't even return to Nirvana while jamming at home.

Seoul’s Advice to Pregnant Women: Cook, Clean and Stay Attractive - The New York Times
Before giving birth, check that your family has sufficient toilet paper. Prepare ready-made meals for your husband, who surely “is not good at cooking.” Tie up your hair, “so that you don’t look disheveled” even as you go without a bath. And after the baby arrives, keep a “small-size” dress in sight — you’ll need motivation not to take that extra bite.

9-year-old Maverick Bench of Kila passes away after battle with rare disease
A 9-year-old from a small rural town outside of Kalispell who touched the hearts of thousands of supporters lost his long and courageous fight.

Kalispell’s Scott Osterman Tabbed to Lead Commerce Department - Flathead Beacon
Gov. Greg Gianforte on Jan. 11 announced his choice of Scott Osterman as head of the Montana Department of Commerce, citing the Kalispell business executive’s experience in high-tech manufacturing, including at the Flathead Valley’s Applied Materials, as key bona fides qualifying him for the top cabinet position.