2022
The Las Vegas Aces clinch their first WNBA title with a 78-71 victory over the Connecticut Sun in game four of the WNBA Finals. Chelsea Gray finishes with 20 points and is named Finals MVP. The Aces had re-located from San Antonio just four years prior, and go on to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001 and 2002.
1923
Ephraim “Red” Rocha is born in Hilo, Hawaii. He started his collegiate playing days at the University of Hawaii before transferring to Oregon State, then returned to his native islands to coach the Rainbow Warriors during arguably the best stretch in program history in the ’60s and early ’70s.
1952
Rick Pitino is born in New York City, New York.
1954
Dennis Johnson is born in Los Angeles, California.
1968
Toni Kukoc is born in Split, Croatia (then Yugoslavia).
1974
Ticha Penicheiro is born in Figueira da Foz, Portugal.
1984
Travis Outlaw is born in Starkville, Mississippi.
1988
The United States men’s team opens up group stage play at the Olympics in Seoul with a 97-53 victory over Spain. The U.S. gets 16 points and 11 rebounds from David Robinson, who was active duty in the U.S. Navy at the time. Also on the first day of competition, Drazen Petrovic drops 25 points to lead Yugoslavia to a 92-79 victory over the Soviet Union.
1989
Serge Ibaka is born in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo. In 2009, he became the first Congolese player in NBA history, when he debuted with the Thunder.
2011
Spain clinches its second consecutive EuroBasket title by defeating France 98-85 in the Final in Kaunas, Lithuania. Juan Carlos Navarro scores 27 points and is named tournament MVP. Russia wins 72-68 in the third place game over Macedonia, who made a surprise run to the tournament semifinals, upsetting Greece, Croatia, and the host Lithuanians along the way.
2022
Spain defeats France 88-76 in the EuroBasket Final in Berlin. Juancho Hernangomez leads the Spaniards with 27 points, while his brother Willy finishes with 14 points and eight rebounds and is named tournament MVP. It’s Spain’s fourth EuroBasket title, all of which came in a span of the last six tournaments. Germany defeats Poland 82-69 to finish in third place.
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