Josh and Alex Newspaper

When a Derrick Williams dunk off a Ricky Rubio lob made ESPN's top 10 plays, Kyrie Irving was one of the first to send a word of congratulations. When Irving made the list Tuesday with his chase-down block of D.J. Augustin, Williams tweeted back: Good job, keep working.So yes, they are keeping track of each other.

Williams is the Timberwolves rookie forward, the second pick of the draft. He's a 6-8, athletic, versatile player who vaulted onto the national stage with his performance against Duke in the NCAA's Sweet 16 last spring. You remember it -- a 93-77 shocker of the No. 1-seeded Blue Devils led by Williams' 32-point, 13-rebound performance, one that put him up the NBA draft lottery ladder."That game, right there, probably moved me from going seven to 10 into the top three," Williams said.

Irving is the rookie point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the fellow who, despite an injury-shortened 11-game freshman season at Duke, was taken with the top overall pick by Cleveland.

So there must be some maybe less than good-natured competition between them, right? After all, they went 1-2 in the same draft. There was that quote Williams put out there, as the draft approached. He was asked if he was the best player available. Yes, he said. But what else was he going to say?

MPLS- Kevin Love is one of the best, if not the best, rebounder in the NBA – that’s no secret. But this season, Love is also one of the league’s elite scorers.

Love is averaging 25.4 points per game – the fifth-highest average in the NBA, putting the Minnesota Timberwolves forward in the company of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant.

Scoring Leaders (through Jan. 8)

1)LeBron James, MIA: 30.1

2)Kobe Bryant, LAL: 27.6

3)Carmelo Anthony, NYK: 27.1

4)Kevin Durant, OKC: 25.7

5)Kevin Love, MIN: 25.4

Love is continuing his hot streak from three-point range. Coming off a 2010-11 season in which he shot 41.7 percent from three-point range, Love is making 40.5 percent of his three this season.

The big different in 2012? Love is upping the quantity, while maintaining the quality. Through eight games he’s made 17 threes, putting him on pace for 140 threes in the abbreviated 2012 season.

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/

Love 5th in NBA Scoring

Francisco Liriano believes the success he had in winter ball during the 2010 Dominican League playoffs helped propel him to a big season that year with the Twins.

Standing on stage with the bright lights on and the cameras rolling, Vikings coach Leslie Frazier expressed his unwavering support of the team's decision to promote Rick Spielman into the role of general manager.

The Wild has tripped headfirst into the midseason -- the latest being Wednesday's 3-0 loss in which the team was again a step slow all night.

MINNESOTA SPORTS

MINNESOTA/STAR TRIBUNE

MINNEAPOLIS - Sophomore Jack Jablonski is a rising hockey star at Benilde-St. Margaret's. The JV star got a chance to prove himself when he played varsity against Totino-Grace earlier in the month. Now he is struggling to stand up after being checked from behind. Jack was checked from behind by two Wayzeta players with just 9 minutes left in the game. He hit the boards and fell to the ice.

"When your son goes down in that type of situation you say okay, get up and you count to five," Mike Jablonski, Jack's dad, said.

But Jack never got back up. Now, he's in the ICU at Hennepin County Medical Center, unable to move his legs and arms though he does have some feeling back in his shoulder.

Dr. Tina Slusher, who is treating Jack, said he will undergo surgery this week to fuse his spine but she warned there are no absolutes when it comes to recovery.

"This is a very serious spine injury," Slusher said.

is helping the 16-year-old stay hopeful. Hockey legend Lou Nanne stopped by for a visit and more than two dozen teammates lined up outside his door to say hello. Some of them have not seen Jabby, as his friends like to call him, since the hit on the ice.

"He was good. He was making jokes and taking with us and he sounded good," Austin Polson-McCannon, a teammate who was at the game, said after his visit with Jack.

Leslie Jablonski, Jack's mother believes the outpour of love and support will help her son will recover, some way, somehow.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: MARK

Apple Valley 8th grader Mark Hall leads the Eagles to an impressive 2nd place finish behind national power St Edwards of Ohio. Watch him get the pin in this match earlier in the tournament. He proved his worth as one of the best wrestlers in the nation. But for Mark, it's all about team.

Hall has an 18-0 record with12 pins this season. Mark won state last year as a 7th grader.

St. Louis Park 7-2-1

Totino-Grace 5-3-0

BSM 7-3-0

Irondale 3-5-1

St. Francis 3-8-1

Spring Lake Park 3-5-1

Robbinsdale-Cooper 5-5-0

JACK JABLONSKI

Jack Jablonski injury has triggered both an outpouring of support for the teen, as well as a stern reminder of injury prevention in all levels of

The parents of Benilde St. Margaret’s hockey player Jack Jablonski say their 16-year-old son won’t be able to walk again.

North Suburban High School Hockey Standings

The Minnesota Vikings are sending another player to Honolulu for this year's Pro Bowl.Linebacker Chad Greenway was named to the NFC team Monday.Greenway collected a personal-best 174 tackles in 2011, his fifth year in the league. Greenway also set a career-high for single-game tackles with 22 against Oakland.Greenway has led the Vikings in tackles in each of the last four seasons.The Vikings leading tackler will replace Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs who is unable to play due to injury.Jared Allen was named a starter for the NFC.