On weekday mornings, Nevada Sports Net will recap three big headlines of the day in its Morning Download. Read below for today’s topics.
1. NIAA unveils new state football playoffs with just seven 5A/4A South teams
The NIAA on Wednesday unveiled a new state football playoff system after 30 Clark County School District members voted to play an independent schedule that makes them ineligible for the postseason. The NIAA will move forward with a state playoff that includes a three-team Southern 5A and four-team Southern 4A teams. The Northern region will remain the same except for McQueen moving from the 4A to the 5A and Galena dropping to the 4A from the 5A. The 5A South will include only Bishop Gorman, Faith Lutheran and Losee, with the winner of the No. 1 versus No. 2 game playing the No. 3 team in an Open Championship. The loser of the No. 1 versus No. 2 South regional game will play the North regional champion for the Class 5A state title. The 4A South includes Pinecrest Academy, SLAM Nevada, Cadence Academy and Mater East. The winner of that regional will play the Northern 4A regional champion in the state title game.
2. NBA approves exploration into Las Vegas expansion team
The NBA Board of Governors approved exploring expansion into Las Vegas and Seattle, although it does not guarantee either city will receive an expansion teams in the near-future. The vote only allows the league to explore opportunities in those cities. Said Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo in a statement: “I’m very excited to see the NBA advance this process toward a Las Vegas expansion team. Today’s vote by the NBA Board of Governors is a testament to the incredible growth we’re seeing in Southern Nevada and our state’s business-friendly environment. Las Vegans have already shown unwavering support for our professional sports franchises, and a new NBA team will provide even more entertainment, more jobs, and more small business growth for the region. I look forward to continuing conversations with Commissioner Silver and league officials to ensure this expansion delivers lasting benefits for the state of Nevada.”
3. Nevada to hold introductory press conference for women’s basketball coach
The Wolf Pack is expected to hold an introductory press conference for new Nevada women’s basketball coach Kelly Sopak at 11 a.m. Friday on campus. Sopak was announced as the Wolf Pack’s head coach Tuesday after a long and successful high school and travel-ball career in Northern California where he won more than 500 games at the prep level. We spoke to Sopak on Wednesday morning for a Q&A, which you can read here.