Joe Harris, 32, one of the stars of Tony Bennett’s early years as coach of the Virginia Cavaliers, has announced his retirement after 10 NBA seasons.
After playing 504 NBA games, Harris ranks fifth all-time in 3-point shooting at 43.6 percent and has the best percentage among players with at least 1,000 3-pointers.
During the 2019 All-Star weekend, he beat Golden State legend Stephen Curry while winning the 3-point shooting contest. (Curry is 12th in accuracy and first all-time in 3-pointers made.)
Harris was selected 33rd overall in 2014 by Cleveland and spent a season and a half there, but he played for the Brooklyn Nets from 2016-23 and is the franchise’s all-time leader in 3-pointers made.
He grew up in Washington state and had plans to play for Bennett at Washington State, but when the coach moved to Virginia, Harris came along. He was a first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference player in 2013 and a second-team All-ACC player in 2014, when he earned ACC Tournament MVP honors and led UVA to its first conference tournament title since 1976.
BASEBALL
Party Animals sells out tickets for ‘Banana Ball’ series in Norfolk
Ahead of the second of three sold-out shows at Norfolk’s Harbor Park, the Party Animals evened their “Banana Ball” series with the Savannah Bananas by beating them 5-2 on Saturday night.
These were the first games the Barnstorming team played in Virginia, although the first iteration of the Bananas was part of the Coastal Plain League, which included the Peninsula Pilots.
The first match of the three-match series, which is part of the Banana Ball World Tour, is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday.
Amid constant music, impromptu dancing and choreographed dances, the teams performed 28 trick plays, setting an all-time record. Starting shortstops Chase Achuff of the Party Animals and Ryan Cox of the Bananas tied the single-game record by performing six trick plays each.
Fittingly, the Party Animals ended the game with a behind-the-back forced play on a grounder to shortstop in the ninth inning.
Under the “Banana Ball” rules, fans recorded outs by catching foul balls in the stands.
According to Bananas TV, Savannah has a 42-24 record on the year, including 30-21 against the Party Animals. The Party Animals have a 30-33 record on the year.
HORSE RACE
Gallardo wins twice at Colonial Downs
Jockey Antonio Gallardo won two races Saturday at Colonial Downs in New Kent County.
Lazio, a 3-5 favorite, won the fourth race with Gallardo at his side. Lazio is trained by Mary Lightner and owned by Shooting Star Thoroughbreds LLC.
Gallardo won the eighth race again, this time in a photo finish. At odds of 6/1, he was on Echo Lane, trained by Rohan Crichton and owned by Anthony Rogers.
For Flying won Saturday’s opening race, winning at 2-1 odds. Victor Carrasco rode the winner, who is owned by Newstead Stables LLC and trained by Graham Motion.
Ready for Peace won the second race with a score of 8-5. Horacio Karamanos, trained by Ignacio Correas and owned by Ikhana Farm, took the victory.
On Friday, Ben Curtis raced on the dirt and rode the first two winners of the day. Thrilla, an even-money favorite owned by Brad Allshouse and trained by Keith Desormeaux, won the first race. Continuity, trained by Eddie Kenneally, won the second race at 7-2 odds.
Augustin’s As Catch Can won the seventh race as a 4-5 favorite. Vincent Cheminaud was riding a horse trained by Jonathan Thomas.
Cap’n Dusty, owned by Big Lick Farm and with Jorge Ruiz, started as a 3-1 favorite in race six. Sarah Nagle trains the winner.
Binnie, owned by Morgan’s Ford Farm and ridden by Jevian Toledo, won the third race. Brittany Russell trains the 9-2 winner.
