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As Sean Payton’s offseason plan for Broncos comes into focus, one takeaway: It’s nothing like Nathaniel Hackett’s

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:30 GMT

PHOENIX – As Sean Payton made the media rounds in the week leading up to the Super Bowl here in the Valley of the Sun, he sounded in interview after interview like a coach who knew exactly what he was getting into in his return to the NFL as the Broncos’ new head coach.And why wouldn’t he? Payton had done extensive research on the organization. He came away thoroughly impressed by the Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group and the feeling was mutual. He developed a quick enough connection with general manager George Paton in their four-plus hour mid-January meeting in Los Angeles to constitute a starting point. He knew enough about Russell Wilson based on a decade facing him and a couple of stints coaching him at the Pro Bowl to at least come away with the baseline impression that the quarterback is competitive and willing to work.Most jobs don’t come available if everything is hunky dory, he figured, and of the five that did open up this offseason, the Broncos had quite a bit to work...

The Denver Post’s 2023 All-Colorado girls basketball team

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:30 GMT

Sienna Betts, GrandviewSo. | F | 6-4Stats: 21.4 points, 16.5 rebounds, 3.8 blocks, 3.3 assists, Class 6A state championMs. Colorado Basketball leapt out of the shadow of her older sister, Lauren, who is now at Stanford. Sienna averaged a double-double and put Grandview on her back with 22 points and 22 rebounds in the title game.All Colorado selection Sienna Betts of Grandview poses for a portrait at East High School on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, in Denver. Betts dominated both ends of the court en route to back-to-back state titles for the Wolves averaging 21.4ppg, 16.5rpg, 3.3apg and 3.8 bpg in her sophomore campaign. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)Brihanna Crittendon, Riverdale RidgeFr. | G | 6-2Stats: 31.2 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.9 steals, 2.0 blocksThe freshman phenom, who already has dozens of Division I offers, led all classifications in scoring while pacing the Ravens to the Class 4A Great 8. She scored 30 points or more 17 times, and the show’...

Nuggets Journal: Christian Braun, even as a rookie, is ready for the playoffs

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:30 GMT

Brandon Ingram tried to go baseline. Christian Braun cut him off at the pass.Sensing the moment, and the supposed mismatch, the crowd started buzzing. Seven dribbles later, the Nuggets’ rookie forced the 6-foot-8 flamethrower into a contested fadeaway that rimmed out. Nuggets fans showered the rookie in applause at the stop.Since becoming a fixture of the Nuggets’ second unit several weeks ago, Braun’s added defensive versatility, athleticism, and energy. On more and more frequent occasions, Denver’s bench has exited the court to ovations.It was one instance (albeit of an ever-growing reel) from Thursday’s loss to New Orleans that underscored why Braun is going to play a vital role once the Nuggets get into the postseason. Yes, with the No. 21 pick in last year’s draft, Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth unearthed a prospect who’s going to play rotational minutes on a team with title aspirations. That’s a significant win for a GM making his first-ever draft pick.But Br...

How Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. became “more than a pretty jump shooter”

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:30 GMT

Two weeks ago, Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. was in the midst of one of his torrid 3-point shooting streaks when he flashed the latest tool in his ever-growing arsenal.Having already buried five 3-pointers against the Raptors, he caught the ball on the wing late in the third quarter and flashed by one of Toronto’s many long-limbed defenders. With two decisive dribbles, Porter split the Raptors’ defense and finished, uncontested, at the rim with his left hand.The conviction that Porter showed in attacking a seam left Raptors forward Chris Boucher on his heels. In seasons past, Porter might’ve settled into a jumper that, given his height and pristine mechanics, still might’ve dropped. But within the context of Porter’s development, that would’ve been a concession.Through 77 games, this has arguably been the most complete season Porter’s had as an NBA player. Defensively, teammates and coaches have remarked on his commitment, and offensively, he’s back to the player he...

Roosevelt’s Enoch Miller is All-Colorado girls coach of the year after leading Rough Riders to school’s first basketball state title

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:30 GMT

All Colorado girls coaching selection Enoch Miller of Roosevelt poses for a portrait at East High School on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, in Denver. Miller led the Roughriders to the class 5A state title in his first season. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)Enoch Miller was sitting on a Florida beach during spring break when it all sank in.“I’m watching my wife play in the ocean with my kids, and I was thinking to myself, ‘Literally a year ago, she was on oxygen to walk to the bathroom,'” said Miller. “And I was wondering about my coaching future. But there I was, sitting and watching her healthy and play with my kids. And on Monday when I got back, I had a meeting to pick out our rings.”Those rings are for Roosevelt’s girls’ team, which won the school’s first basketball title in Miller’s first year as the coach. The Rough Riders ran the table to the Class 5A championship despite not having a senior on the roster — a ...

Mr. Colorado Basketball D’Aundre Samuels, Denver East’s “LeBron James,” led Angels on Class 6A title run few saw coming

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:30 GMT

D’Aundre Samuels’ season could’ve gone the opposite direction.Denver East was never supposed to win the Class 6A title. Samuels wasn’t projected to be the star of the tournament. And on top of long on-court odds, there was tough real-life stuff: A shooting in Colorado Springs at midseason that took the life of Samuels’ friend. Another shooting the next week outside East which resulted in the death of a peer.Samuels just kept hooping, despite all the chaos in his life, and despite a sprained ankle he sustained early in the season and re-aggravated in the title game. The 6-foot-3 Angels senior averaged 21.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 4.9 steals as the catalyst to the school’s record-tying 12th state championship, cemented by 25 points in the Class 6A title win over Fossil Ridge.For that, Samuels is the clear choice for 2023 Mr. Colorado Basketball.“Midway through the season was definitely the toughest,” Samuels said. “An...

Kiszla: Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson doesn’t need fixing. He needs smart coaching. For a change.

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:30 GMT

Through the eyes of Sean Payton, Broncos Country will fall in love again with quarterback Russell Wilson.There has been much talk and more than a little consternation about how Payton is going to fix Wilson, or if the $245 million contract extension the Broncos hastily handed their veteran quarterback already needs to be written off as a bad investment.Fix?That’s the wrong word, if you ask me.Yes, Wilson stunk during his first season in Denver, when he threw only 16 touchdown passes and several head-scratching interceptions while dragging the Broncos into last place in the AFC West with him.At age 34, maybe Wilson ain’t the quarterback he used to be, and he might never play MVP-caliber football again. But to be a quarterback capable of guiding the Broncos back to the playoffs, he doesn’t need to be fixed.Wilson needs to be coached.A foolish, almost inexplicable reluctance to coach up Wilson is why Nathaniel Hackett got dumped after 15 games on the Denver sideline.Hackett allowed Wil...

Ms. Colorado Basketball Sienna Betts stepped out of sister’s shadow, carried Grandview to Class 6A title as double-double machine

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:30 GMT

All Colorado selection Sienna Betts of Grandview poses for a portrait at East High School on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, in Denver. Betts dominated both ends of the court en route to back-to-back state titles for the Wolves averaging 21.4ppg, 16.5rpg, 3.3apg and 3.8bpg in her sophomore campaign. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)Don’t you dare call her Lauren’s little sister anymore.Grandview sophomore Sienna Betts, now a phenom basketball player in her own right, willed the Wolves to another championship this year. The 6-foot-4 Betts led all classifications with 26 double-doubles while averaging 21.4 points and 16.5 rebounds, including a 20/20 effort in Grandview’s win over Monarch in the Class 6A title game.For that, Betts is no longer “Lauren’s little sister.” She stepped out of the shadow of her sibling, now at Stanford, and with her dominance became the clear choice for 2023 Ms. Colorado Basketball.“My whole life, people were con...

Alonso sees race for F1’s 2nd-best behind Red Bull heat up

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:30 GMT

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Beaten by a rival other than Red Bull for the first time this season at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso believes Formula One is about to become far more competitive.The veteran finished on the podium for the third time in as many races when taking third behind Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in Melbourne.The 41-year-old Spaniard had previously finished third behind Red Bull’s Verstappen and Sergio Perez as that pair exchanged victories in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, respectively, in March.While Hamilton said the podium finish was an unexpected bonus given Mercedes’ struggles in the first two races, Alonso was less surprised by the improvement.The Aston Martin driver cited his battle with Hamilton’s teammate George Russell in Jeddah as an indication that Mercedes would be competitive in Melbourne and coming races this year.After qualifying second in Melbourne, Russell briefly led the Australian GP before misfortune...

Northeastern University student injured in fall from second-floor window

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:30 GMT

A Northeastern University student was rushed to the hospital Saturday night after falling from a second-floor window in Boston.Officers responding to a 7:30 p.m. report of a woman who fell from a home at the intersection of Judge and Iroquois streets found the woman suffering from life-threatening injuries, according to Boston police.Neighbors say there was a party going on at the time of the incident.In a statement, a school spokeswoman said, “We can confirm that a Northeastern student was involved in what appears to be a tragic accident Saturday evening. We are awaiting confirmation from the hospital on the student’s current condition. Because this incident is the subject of a police investigation, we cannot comment further at this time.” No additional information was immediately available.This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.