points at one point, but they went on a run, Lyle said.

West Coast coach Adam Simpson has urged his players not to give up on their premiership hopes, saying the season is well and truly alive despite the teams patchy form.The Eagles top-four hopes are hanging by a thread following last weeks upset loss to Collingwood, which saw them slip to sixth on the ladder.West Coast will start as hot favourites against Fremantle in Sundays western derby at Domain Stadium.But they face a brutal run home after that, with games against premiership hopefuls GWS (away), Hawthorn (home), and Adelaide (away) to round out the season.It means West Coast face an uphill battle just to lock away a home final, let alone push for premiership glory.But Simpson is a glass-half-full type of coach, and he knows the return of star ruckman Nic Naitanui has the potential to dramatically help the teams cause.Weve still got plenty of optimism for the season, said Simpson, who led West Coast to the grand final last year.Where were at on the ladder is not to the point where were giving up, and that needs to be known throughout our players.The season is very much alive. Weve got to be very clear about that.Naitanui has been sorely missed since undergoing surgery to relieve Achilles tendon soreness in June.The 2012 All-Australian has lost 3kg and strengthened his calves during his injury lay-off, with the Eagles claiming Naitanuis trademark big leap has gotten even bigger.If Naitanui comes back firing, West Coasts flagging premiership hopes could be turned around in an instant.But Simpson said it was also important for the clubs second-tier players to start pulling their weight.Our role players are really important for our club, and at the moment theyre not holding up their end of the bargain, Simpson said.The Dockers sit in 16th spot on the ladder following a horror season in which theyve only won three games.Injuries to key players, plus an inability to adapt to a new attacking game plan, have been the major reasons behind the teams slide.Fremantles plight was evident to see last week when they copped a 90-point hammering from Sydney in Matthew Pavlichs 350-game milestone.The disappointment on Pavlichs face was clear to see as he was being cheered from the field after the game.But Dockers coach Ross Lyon said the focus of this week had been on the team performance, rather than the milestone letdown.Were not a club that just wants to go down eulogising individuals, Lyon said.As important as they are, were all passing through.Ill pass through. Matthew (will). Luke McPharlins gone. (Nat) Fyfe will go at some point. Its about achieving team success.So as important as that was for Matthew, Matthew would say the same thing - it was about the team performance, and we ultimately didnt get the four points and play the way we wanted to.The Dockers will be boosted by the return of ruckman Aaron Sandilands (broken ribs) and goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne (fractured cheekbone), while Naitanui and Elliot Yeo are among the ins for West Coast. Rajon Rondo Jersey . -- James Young couldnt wait to apply those tweaks to his jump shot, and the first one he made against UT Arlington told him it could be a good night. Elgin Baylor Lakers Jersey .ca! Kerry, Two nights after the Scott-Eriksson incident in Buffalo, the Bruins returned home to play San Jose. In that game, Zdeno Chara put a check on Tommy Wingels that clearly targeted his head. http://www.lakersteamofficial.com/Dennis-Rodman-Lakers-Jersey/ . Scott won the Australian PGA last week in his first event in Australia since winning the U.S. Masters in April. American Matt Kuchar, ahead by two strokes with four to play and even with Scott with one to go, double-bogeyed the 18th after taking two shots to get out of a bunker. Kurt Rambis Lakers Jersey . The Clippers were angry about blowing a big lead; the Kings didnt like being in that kind of hole and nearly digging themselves out only to lose. Jamaal Wilkes Jersey . -- Patrick Reed got an early start in golf. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State found its energy after a sluggish performance earlier in the week, and the Buckeyes needed every bit of it to beat Providence.JaQuan Lyle scored 20 points and JaeSean Tate added 14 as Ohio State held off the Friars 72-67 on Thursday night.Ohio State (3-0) looked sharper after barely surviving North Carolina Central earlier in the week and won this game despite the efforts of Rodney Bullock, who was 5 for 9 from beyond the 3-point line and scored 27 points for Providence (1-1).It just seemed like we had more flow to us, Ohio State coach Thad Matta said.Trevor Thompson added 12 points for the Buckeyes in their opener of the Gavitt Tipoff Games, an eight-game series featuring Big Ten teams against the Big East.Indiana transfer Emmitt Holt scored 11 for Providence, and Jalen Lindsey booked 10 as the Friars as a team shot just 34 percent from the floor. The Buckeyes made exactly half their shots.Providence, searching for an identity this season after the loss of its two best players to the NBA, couldnt overcome the Ohio State lead but was still in the game in the final few minutes.Bullock closed it to 50-49 at the 10-minute mark with a 3-pointer, but the Buckeyes went on a 9-0 run over the next 1:28 to lengthen the lead again. The Friars pulled within two at the 4-minute mark with an Isiah Jackson 3-pointer, but a series of fouls put Buckeyes at the line and allowed them to build the lead and hang onto it.We fought back a couple different times, Providence coach Ed Cooley said. I think we were down by double digits two different times and found a way to get back. We lost a lot last year, and to grind it out and make it a competitive game right down to the wire, Im really proud of our group.The Buckeyes led the cold-shooting Friars 38-28 at the half, highlighted by a 9-2 run that erased a 17-16 Providence lead, and punctuated with aa Keita Bates-Diop dunk off a steal and a 3-pointer from Lyle.dddddddddddd Thats the last time the Friars would lead.Ohio State dominated inside, scoring 42 in the paint against Providences 20.I thought we did a good job finishing down there, Matta said. Its been a little bit of a problematic area for us. Our guys did a good job of getting the ball where we wanted it.BIG PICTUREProvidence: The departures of superstar Kris Dunn and sophomore Ben Bentil to the NBA left Cooley without a proven, experienced player around which he could build this years team, although Bullock stepped up to carry the load Thursday. Some of his teammates are going to have to do more for the Friars to be successful.Ohio State: After struggling on Monday, Ohio State triumphed in their first true test of the season. The Buckeyes were able to hold off Providences scrappy second-half charges and keep the lead.We were up by 12 points at one point, but they went on a run, Lyle said. This team last year probably would have folded and end up losing the game. It shows our maturity and how much we have grown up. We will continue to build off this game.INJURY REPORTBates-Diop went down awkwardly with his leg bent behind him about six minutes into the second half. He stayed down awhile, but eventually was helped to his feet and walked to the locker room under his own power. Matta said Bates-Diop was day-to-day with an ankle injury.UP NEXT:Providence: Returns home to play Grambling State on Saturday.Ohio State: Plays Western Carolina at home Monday night. The Buckeyes also play the day before and the day after Thanksgiving.---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25.Follow Mitch Stacy at http://twitter.com/mitchstacy ' ' '