Gästebuch » he saw from his teammates.Tonight was effort,

Oregon coach Dana Altman is preparing his team for the high expectations that have come with last seasons success.Oregon won a school-record 31 games while claiming the Pac-12 regular-season and tournament titles. The Ducks earned a first-ever No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and they advanced to Elite Eight for the first time since 2007.The Ducks finished the season ranked No. 5 in the nation and theyre likely to be high in the APs preseason poll. Oregon was already selected to finish atop the league in the Pac-12s annual media poll for the first time in school history.I think its something that our guys will have to learn to adjust how hard people are going to come after them. Not only within the league, but the projections on a national scale. Well have our non-conference opponents fired up to play against us, Altman said about the expectations. So, it will be an adjustment our team will have to make. Im interested to see how theyll handle it.Guard Tyler Dorsey, who averaged 13.4 points and 4.3 rebounds in 35 starts as a freshman last season, said the key will be preparation.We have to take one game at a time, be mentally prepared and focus on the opponent were going to play that night, and just come in prepared, Dorsey said. We are going to have a target on our back, so we have to be ready.The Ducks are certainly in good shape to handle the pressure. They return four of five starters from last seasons team, including junior forward Dillon Brooks, who led the team with 16.7 points per game. The only regular starter to graduate was Elgin Cook.I like our depth, Altman said. So those are the kind of things that can help you meet expectations because even if one or two players is off, we have players that have the ability to step up.FEET AT THE FOREFRONT: Brooks is expected to miss a few games at the start of the season following offseason foot surgery. Hes champing at the bit, Altman said. Hes ready to go. If it were up to him, hed be practicing right now. But well listen to the doctors.The Ducks expect to have senior guard Dylan Ennis, who missed all but two games last season because of a stress fracture in his left foot. The NCAA approved his waiver for an extra year of eligibility this summer. A transfer from Villanova prior to last season, Ennis had already used a redshirt year.GOING SMALL: Because of Brooks absence, the Ducks could go with a three-guard lineup early in the season, Altman said. But I think our guys will look at that as a challenge. Weve got good depth at the guard spots, and I think those guys will look at that as a challenge to pick up the areas that Dillon would generally do, he said.HIGH PRAISE: Arizona coach Sean Miller was complimentary of the Ducks at the Pac-12s media day in San Francisco earlier this month.There is no question with who they have returning and Dana as a coach and the success they had one year ago. We have gone through that. When you get to that level in March, you are hungry to return and get a lot of confidence. I think Oregon has all the pieces to be one of college basketballs brightest teams this year, Miller said.TOUGH NONCONFERENCE SCHEDULE: Oregon opens the season at home against Army on Nov. 11, then plays Baylor (ranked No. 21 at the end of last season) and Valparaiso before heading off to the Maui Invitational, where the Ducks join a field that includes North Carolina (No. 3 last season), Wisconsin, UConn, Georgetown, Tennessee, Oklahoma State and host Chaminade. 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The 21-year-old has three goals, four assists and a plus-5 rating in 24 games with the American Hockey Leagues Oklahoma City Barons this season. WASHINGTON -- For the first time since his knee surgery in May, John Wall played in back-to-back games, and the result was a rare win for the Washington Wizards.Wall scored 23 points and had 11 assists and Otto Porter added 21 points as the Wizards won for just the third time in 11 games, beating the New York Knicks 119-112 on Thursday night.Wall sat out games in the first two Washington back-to-backs this season, and the Wizards lost both times.After Wednesday nights disheartening loss to the 76ers where Wall played 24 minutes, Washington coach Scott Brooks felt his star guard was ready to go again.There was going to be a time during the season where he was going to have to play back-to-back, Brooks said. The way he was progressing during the last four or five weeks, we felt that it was a good time.Brooks didnt want to play Wall more than 32 minutes, and when the Wizards opened up a 27-point lead late in the third quarter, it looked as if Wall could play much less than that.But New York scored 47 points in the fourth quarter, and Brooks put Wall back in the game in the final minutes.Once the Knicks went on a 12-0 run to cut the lead to 108-98 with 2:37 to play, Wall secured the win with two late baskets and four free throws.New York was led by Derrick Rose with 27. Carmelo Anthony scored 19, and Kristaps Porzingis, who had a career-high 35 against Detroit on Wednesday night, was held to 16. Brandon Jennings had 15 of his season-high 17 points in the fourth quarter.WHAT WALL BRINGSBrooks liked much about Walls game.He had a major impact in the first half, and I think he only had two points, Brooks said. There are a few pllayers in the league that can impact a game with passing and defense, and hes one of them.ddddddddddddWall had been eager to test himself, and was confident he passed the test.I dont like to miss games. I felt like I could have played earlier, but it was just part of what the doctors plan was, Wall said.LACK OF EFFORTDespite the late fourth quarter charge, Rose didnt necessarily like what he saw from his teammates.Tonight was effort, Rose said. When we see someone down or we see someone where things are not clicking, thats when weve got to come together as a team. So its still early in the year. Weve still got a lot more games to play. It just takes time.DEFENSE LACKINGNew York allowed a season high in points and Washington shot 54.3 percent.Some of that is guys are wide open. Theres a few of them that were contested, but we looked like we were a little tired from last night and we werent getting all the way up on the guys. And to win on the road, youve got to play good defense, coach Jeff Hornacek said.TIP-INSKnicks: F Lance Thomas missed his third straight game with a sore left ankle. ... C Joakim Noah was assessed a technical foul midway through the third quarter. . Have lost 10 of last 11 to Washington.Wizards: Made a season-high 15 3-pointers. . G Bradley Beal returned after missing three games with a right hamstring injury and had 18 points.UP NEXTKnicks: Host Atlanta on Sunday. The Hawks have won six straight.Wizards: Host Miami on Saturday. Its the second of three consecutive home games. ' ' '