{
  "id": 17240720,
  "title": "The daily pitch from Sports Editor : Oct. 30, 2026",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/the-daily-pitch-from-sports-editor-oct-30-2026",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-30T14:49:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/daily-pitch-sports-editor-oct-144900945.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Oct. 30—the Sports Editor at The News-Gazette highlights two athletes from Illinois as their latest recipients of the High School Athletes of the Week award. <source> On the men's side, David Mirkovic has been named to both the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award watch list and the NABC Player of the Year watch list. These accolades were announced on Thursday. <source> For the Illini men's basketball team, sophomore guard Miles Bridges has been a standout, averaging a combined total of 16 points, rebounds, and assists during the No. 3 Illini's three exhibition games. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound freshman has garnered significant attention ahead of his debut season in Champaign, and his impressive performances thus far have only solidified this anticipation for his role in the team's upcoming regular-season opener against Fairleigh Dickinson at State Farm Center in Champaign on Monday at 7 p.m. <source> On the women's side, Katrina McClain has also been named to the Power Forward of the Year Award watch list. <source> Meanwhile, the host Bulldogs (9-0) kick off their Class 5A playoff journey on Friday with a 7 p.m. game against the Wildcats (5-5) at Frank Dutton Field. <source> The Bunnies (7-2), on the other hand, make their playoff debut since 2019 when they host the Tornadoes (8-2) at 2 p.m. on Saturday in a Class 1A first-round playoff game at Kellar Field. <source> Lastly, the Blue Devils (7-3) travel to Catlin to play the Storm (7-2) in a Class 1A first-round playoff game at Byerly-Hageman Field on Saturday at 1 p.m. <source> Among the notable figures mentioned in the piece are Lionel Messi, Michael Jordan, and Tiger Woods, alongside references to suits and the Fourth of July.",
  "summary": "Oct. 30—➜ . The duo is our latest recipients of The News-Gazette's high school Athletes of the Week. ➜ . On the men's side, David Mirkovic is on the 20-player Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award watch list and on the 20-player NABC Player of the Year watch list. Both of those honors were announced on Thursday. ➜ and on the ...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}