NewsBite

Joe Ingles sets a new Utah Jazz benchmark, Aussie pitcher’s million-dollar pay day and Mitch Wishnowsky enhances NFL hopes

Three-point supremo Joe Ingles has smashed a Utah Jazz record. Plus, an Aussie baseball star earns a million-dollar payday and gun college punter Mitch Wishnowsky and James Smith enhance their NFL credentials.

Ben Higgins and Michael Randall
5 min read
November 21, 2018 - 9:28AM
Joe Ingles drives past Kyle Lowry and Danny Green.
Joe Ingles drives past Kyle Lowry and Danny Green.

After being bashed in the face against the Memphis Grizzlies, a mere mortal might have been rubbed out for the game.

Not Aussie Joe Ingles and the silky shooter has set a new Utah Jazz record in the process.

Ingles reached 500 three-pointers a huge 89 games faster than any player in Jazz history.

It took Ingles just 332 games, leaving Utah legend John Stockton a ridiculous 597 games in his wake.

CODE HOP: MAILATA GIVES HOLMES SEAL OF APPROVAL

TROUBLE: SIXERS SEASON TAKES A BIZARRE TURN

TRADE: WHAT LeBRON REALLY THOUGH OF KYRIE MOVE

TACKLE: AUSSIE EAGLE STUNS NFL WITH BIG HIT

As if he wasn’t already a cult figure in Utah, earlier in the week a bloodied Ingles had to leave the game to have his head bandaged before returning to pour in a team-high 19 points against Memphis.

But it was his salute to the headband after hitting a late three that put the 96-88 win to bed that has been immortalised in Jazz history.

Hell, there are even ‘Headband Joe’ T-shirts.

“I didn’t realise it,” Ingles said of the hit from MarShon Brooks.

“I just felt like a hand in the face kind of thing, then he was yelling at the referee saying I was bleeding.

“I just wanted to win the game.

“We were playing well and I just wanted to go back in.”

Ingles needed four stitches after the game to close the cut and won praise from his running mate Donovan Mitchell.

“Headband Joe, he’s a trooper, he’s going through a lot of stuff, but he’s a fighter, that’s why I respect him,” Mitchell said.

“He doesn’t miss a game literally, so it’s very impressive, and he’s just a dog and he willed us to that victory, too.”

Even partner Renae Ingles got in on the act.

JONAH INJURED

WHILE most of the news in Philadelphia is positive, not so for Aussie Jonah Bolden.

The athletic big man has a crack in his right leg after being injured while playing for the Sixers’ G-League affiliate Delaware.

Sixers vice president of athlete care Dr Daniel Medina confirmed Bolden had an MRI, revealing “a small cortical crack in the proximal fibula of his right leg”.

The 22-year-old will be re-evaluated in 10 days, but looks set for a lengthy stint on the sidelines.

After limited opportunities with the Sixers, Bolden had been dominating in three games for the Blue Coats, producing 17.3 points, 15.7 rebounds 3.3 assists and 1.3 blocks.

Thon Maker tries to stop Zach LaVine.
Thon Maker tries to stop Zach LaVine.

JAZZ ISSUES, AUSSIE BUCKS STRUGGLE FOR TIME

Despite Joe Ingles record-breaking efforts, it wasn’t smooth sailing for the Jazz last week.

In fact, they produced their worst performance since moving to Utah in 1979, held to just 22 second-half points in a 50-point loss to the Dallas Mavericks, 118-68.

Neither Ingles (8), nor Dante Exum (3) had an impact, but the blow out did allow Aussie rookie Ryan Broekhoff some extended minutes for the Mavs.

The Frankston boy played a career-high eight minutes, recorded a career-high five points and drained a three - something he is going to make his career on.

Exum did have a great day in a 98-86 win over Aron Baynes and the Boston Celtics Sunday, producing 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists off the bench.

Baynes had his best performance of the season Thursday against the Chicago Bulls. The 6’10” monster played an equal-season-high 19 minutes, ripping down a season-high 11 rebounds, to go with nine points, three assists, two blocks and a steal in the 111-82 win.

Fellow big man Thon Maker finally got a little extended run for Milwaukee and responded by launching 10 shots in 18 minutes - going 3-7 from the three-point line for nine points, three boards and a block.

However, teammate Matthew Dellavedova is still struggling to get a look in.

Fellow Boomers guard Patty Mills is still quietly getting the job done in San Antonio.

After an explosion earlier this month, Mills is still ticking things along, producing eight points, five rebounds and five assists in a 104-92 win over the NBA champion Golden State Warriors, his three-pointer with 39 seconds left putting the game to bed.

Ben Simmons continues to pump out huge numbers as Jimmy Butler’s arrival sparks the Philadelphia 76ers.

While Butler sank a match-winning three against Charlotte, Simmons was one assist off a triple double with 23 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists.

And backed it up with another near triple double (19-11-9) against Phoenix.

Mitch Wishnowsky in action for the Utah Utes against the Arizona State Sun Devils.
Mitch Wishnowsky in action for the Utah Utes against the Arizona State Sun Devils.

WISHNOWSKY, SMITH ENHANCES NFL HOPES

Punting prospect Mitch Wishnowsky has enhanced his reputation as the best punter outside the NFL after being nominated for the Ray Guy Award for a record third time.

The award recognises the best punter in college football and the Utah punter hopes to add to his 2016 honour before setting his sights on the pro game.

Australians have won the past five Ray Guy Awards with Tom Hornsey in 2013, followed by former Utah punter Tom Hackett winning back-to-back awards before Wishnowsky in 2016 and Michael Dickson last year.

Wishnowsky leads the Pac-12 conference and ranks sixth in the nation in punt average with 45.9 yards per kick and is 15th in the nation in net punting.

Smith is a first time Ray Guy Award nominee after an outstanding season with Cincinnati.

The second-year BearCat ranks No.4 in the NCAA with 46.7 average yards per punt and leads the entire college football in net punting (44.1).

Australia's Cincinnati punter James Smith.
Australia's Cincinnati punter James Smith.

The Wangaratta native had a massive 72-yard punt against Temple earlier this season and has dropped 22 kicks inside the 20-yard line with 15 going 50 yards or more.

The pair hope to follow in Dickson’s footsteps after the reigning Ray Guy Award winner was drafted by Seattle and took the game by storm.

Dickson had a solid outing last Friday (AEDT) as the Seahawks beat Green Bay, averaging 52 yards (44 yards net) on six kicks.

Meanwhile in Jacksonville, there was a return to form for Jordan Berry as Pittsburgh beat the Jaguars.

Berry was labelled “the Steelers’ best player in the first half” as he routinely boomed 50-yard-plus kicks to relieve pressure on the Steelers’ struggling offence.

The veteran punter finished the day with a season-high 51-yard average on six kicks and a season second-best net average of 41.7.

Cam Johnston made headlines despite reigning SuperBowl champions Philadelphia against struggling.

The former Melbourne rookie made a strong tackle on one of the NFL’s most dangerous runners, New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara, wrapping up the Saints star in a ball and all tackle and slamming him to the ground.

Johnston was called upon four times but could only average 39 yards, dropping him to second in the NFL with Dickson still in third.

Finally, Lachie Edwards had the week off with the New York Jets on the bye.

AUSSIE PITCHER’S MILLION DOLLAR PAY DAY

PERTH’S Warwick Saupold won’t return to the MLB next season after scoring a big pay day in Korea.

Saupold, 28, spent the last three seasons with the Detroit Tigers, but will join the Hanwha Eagles of the Korean Baseball Organisation - reportedly scoring a US$700,000 deal that includes a hefty US$300,000 signing bonus - that’s more than a million bucks in Aussie money.

That sort of money and security was unlikely to be on offer in the US for the ground ball specialist.

The 28-year-old right-hander has a career 4.98 ERA and 1.58 WHIP across 106.2 innings.

Originally published as Joe Ingles sets a new Utah Jazz benchmark, Aussie pitcher’s million-dollar pay day and Mitch Wishnowsky enhances NFL hopes

Add your comment to this story

To join the conversation, please Don't have an account? Register

Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout

More related stories

Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/us-sports/joe-ingles-sets-a-new-utah-jazz-benchmark-aussie-pitchers-milliondollar-pay-day-and-mitch-wishnowsky-enhances-nfl-hopes/news-story/91a51b11ab6480784c11a59151187ed8