Sunday, March 7, 2021

UCLA last-second loss to USC another ‘what if’ moment

UCLA coach Mick Cronin doesn’t believe in excuses. But there’s a difference between a good excuse and a bad one.

Following UCLA’s heartbreaking 64-63 loss to USC at the buzzer Saturday afternoon that snapped an 18-game winning streak at Pauley Pavilion, Cronin lent some perspective that might have you look at the Bruins’ Pac-12 championship-contending season differently.

“This game could have been played with a guy playing pro (Daishen Nix), Chris Smith, Jalen Hill and (Johnny) Juzang. That’s four starters,” Cronin said. “We played without them (today), never trailed until the the end of the game.”

Juzang, the team’s leading scorer at 14.2 points per game, was a late scratch due to an ankle injury from practice Friday. He warmed up and was dressed but didn’t play.

Freshmen Mac Etienne made his first-career start Saturday, playing 20 minutes. He arrived in Westwood less than nine weeks ago. Fellow freshman Jaylen Clark played 18 minutes and had to defend 7-foot center Evan Mobley on many possessions. Tyger Campbell scored nine points in 38 minutes. Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 12, and also played 38 minutes.

UCLA (17-8, 13-6) was 1.4 seconds away from being all smiles heading into Sunday with the anticipation to watch Oregon State and Oregon battle at 5 p.m. Sunday. An Oregon State victory would have given the Bruins the Pac-12 regular-season title.

Instead, USC redshirt senior guard Tahj Eaddy’s 3-pointer from the corner fell through the net with 1.4 seconds left, the only lead of the game for the Trojans (21-6, 15-5).

Now, UCLA has lost three straight heading into the Pac-12 Tournament next week in Las Vegas.

“Losing three in a row is always hard, no matter what sport,” Jaime Jaquez Jr. said. “But we have to have a short-term memory and give it everything we got heading into the tournament, try and win a championship.”

Cronin’s coaching job to keep the program winning despite the injuries is one that should be recognized.

His next task, to keep the team’s fighting spirit up, might be the biggest challenge this season, especially after a loss to a rival at home in the final second, similar to how it went down last year when Jonah Mathews’ 3-pointer downed the Bruins at the Galen Center in the regular-season finale.

“We’re playing as well as we can play,” Cronin said. “We just played three really good teams, we played really well. That’s my opinion. … My job now is to make sure they don’t quit. We’re overachieving. My fear is they run out of gas.”

UCLA has been on both ends of final-second moments.

Clark made a free throw with 1.4 seconds left two weeks ago against Arizona State for a Bruin victory. That day, it was also UCLA’s only lead of the game.

Rewind it to Jan. 23. The Bruins were clinging to a lead that vanished with just 0.8 seconds left when Stanford’s Oscar da Silva scored off an inbounds pass underneath the basket they were defending.

The Bruins could have had their own buzzer-beater moment Saturday. After Eaddy’s shot with 1.4 seconds left, the Bruins had a timeout, which Cronin hollered for but never got.

“Any veteran referee, when that ball goes in, looks over his shoulder at the coach. I was ignored,” said Cronin. “I’ll never forget about it, but from my experience, I’ll get reprimanded. I’m sure (the official’s) excuse will be that he couldn’t hear me, but like I said, a veteran official looks over his shoulder.”

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Biden, Dems prevail as Senate OKs $1.9T virus relief bill

By ALAN FRAM

WASHINGTON (AP) — An exhausted Senate narrowly approved a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill Saturday as President Joe Biden and his Democratic allies notched a victory they called crucial for hoisting the country out of the pandemic and economic doldrums.

After laboring all night on a mountain of amendments — nearly all from Republicans and rejected — bleary-eyed senators approved the sprawling package on a 50-49 party-line vote. That sets up final congressional approval by the House next week so lawmakers can whisk it to Biden for his signature.

The huge measure — its total spending is nearly one-tenth the size of the entire U.S. economy — is Biden’s biggest early priority. It stands as his formula for addressing the deadly virus and a limping economy, twin crises that have afflicted the country for a year.

“This nation has suffered too much for much too long,” Biden told reporters at the White House after the vote. “And everything in this package is designed to relieve the suffering and to meet the most urgent needs of the nation, and put us in a better position to prevail.”

Saturday’s vote was also a crucial political moment for Biden and Democrats, who need nothing short of party unanimity in a 50-50 Senate they run with Vice President Kamala Harris’ tiebreaking vote. They have a slim 10-vote House edge.

Not a single Republican backed the bill in the Senate or when it initially passed the House, underscoring the barbed partisan environment that’s so far characterizing the early days of Biden’s presidency.

A small but pivotal band of moderate Democrats leveraged changes in the legislation that incensed progressives, not making it any easier for Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to guide the measure through the House. But rejection of their first, signature bill was not an option for Democrats, who face two years of trying to run Congress with virtually no room for error.

“They feel like we do, we have to get this done,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said of the House. He said he’d spoken to Pelosi about the Senate’s changes and added, “It’s not going to be everything everyone wants. No bill is.”

In a written statement, Pelosi invited Republicans “to join us in recognition of the devastating reality of this vicious virus and economic crisis and of the need for decisive action.”

The bill provides direct payments of up to $1,400 for most Americans and extended emergency unemployment benefits. There are vast piles of spending for COVID-19 vaccines and testing, states and cities, schools and ailing industries, along with tax breaks to help lower-earning people, families with children and consumers buying health insurance.

Republicans call the measure a wasteful spending spree for Democrats’ liberal allies that ignores recent indications that the pandemic and economy could be turning the corner.

“The Senate has never spent $2 trillion in a more haphazard way,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Of Democrats, he said, “Their top priority wasn’t pandemic relief. It was their Washington wish list.”

The Senate commenced a dreaded “vote-a-thon” — a continuous series of votes on amendments — shortly before midnight Friday, and by its end around noon had dispensed with about three dozen. The Senate had been in session since 9 a.m. EST Friday.

Overnight, the chamber was like an experiment in the best techniques for staying awake. Several lawmakers appeared to rest their eyes or doze at their desks, often burying their faces in their hands. At one point, Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, at 48 one of the younger senators, trotted into the chamber and did a prolonged stretch.

Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, missed the votes to attend his father-in-law’s funeral.

The measure follows five earlier ones totaling about $4 trillion that Congress has enacted since last spring and comes amid signs of a potential turnaround.

Vaccine supplies are growing, deaths and caseloads have eased but remain frighteningly high, and hiring was surprisingly strong last month, though the economy remains 10 million jobs smaller than its pre-pandemic levels.

The Senate package was delayed repeatedly as Democrats made eleventh-hour changes aimed at balancing demands by their competing moderate and progressive factions.

Work on the bill ground to a halt Friday after an agreement among Democrats on extending emergency jobless benefits seemed to collapse. Nearly 12 hours later, top Democrats and West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, perhaps the chamber’s most conservative Democrat, said they had a deal, and the Senate approved it on a party-line 50-49 vote.

Under their compromise, $300 weekly emergency unemployment checks — on top of regular state benefits — would be renewed, with a final payment made Sept. 6. There would also be tax breaks on some of those payments, helping people the pandemic abruptly tossed out of jobs and risked tax penalties on the benefits.

The House’s relief bill, largely similar to the Senate’s, provided $400 weekly benefits through August. The current $300 per week payments expire March 14, and Democrats want the bill on Biden’s desk by then to avert a lapse.

Manchin and Republicans have asserted that higher jobless benefits discourage people from returning to work, a rationale most Democrats and many economists reject.

The agreement on jobless benefits wasn’t the only move that showed moderates’ sway.

The Senate voted Friday to eject a House-approved boost in the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025, a major defeat for progressives. Eight Democrats opposed the increase, suggesting that Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and other liberals pledging to continue the effort in coming months will face a difficult fight.

Party leaders also agreed to restrict eligibility for the $1,400 stimulus checks that will go to most Americans. That amount would be gradually reduced until, under the Senate bill, it reaches zero for people earning $80,000 and couples making $160,000. Those amounts were higher in the House version.

Many of the rejected GOP amendments were either attempts to force Democrats to cast politically awkward votes or for Republicans to demonstrate their zeal for issues that appeal to their voters.

These included defeated efforts to bar the bill’s funds from going to schools closed for the pandemic that don’t reopen their doors, or that let transgender students born male to participate in female sports. One amendment would have blocked aid to so-called sanctuary cities, where local authorities balk at helping federal officials round up immigrants in the U.S. illegally.

___

Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.

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Saturday, March 6, 2021

Alexander: When the pandemic ends, Orange County will be ready

This might have been an example of either amazing hustle or amazing optimism.

With pandemic-related shutdowns affecting sports events both large and small for most of the last 12 months, the Orange County Sports Commission still booked 16 events large and small for 2021, events that were projected to draw 155,000 attendees and pump $53 million into the county’s economy. Eleven of those events were booked after last March, or while society was still in various stages of lockdown. The commission also reached agreements on 11 additional events for future years.

Maybe it was confidence. Or maybe it was foresight. Either way, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to knock on wood just to be sure. The new state guidelines announced Friday that would open up theme parks and major league baseball games to limited capacity on April 1, coronavirus case rates permitting, suggest that there is indeed light at the end of this long, dark tunnel.

Many of those events are youth and amateur competitions, the sort of under-the-radar tournaments that might not draw headlines but very definitely draw lots of competitors and their parents and relatives, and if they’re coming from out of town they book hotel rooms and visit theme parks while they’re in town and said theme parks are open.

As long as those events are on the schedule, there’s hope.

“I know this amateur sports market has historically been referred to as recession-proof,” said Jay Burress, president of the OCSC, in a phone conversation Thursday. “Even if the economy is down a little bit, you still take your kids to that basketball or volleyball (tournament), swim meet, whatever.

“I guess this proved it’s not pandemic-proof, but it is pandemic resilient.”

Under normal circumstances, Orange County’s communities would host approximately 60 to 70 events a year, not counting the home schedules of the Angels and Ducks. That schedule would include AVP volleyball and the U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, summer softball, volleyball and basketball tournaments in various locations, band and cheer and eSports competitions, maybe even the TEAMS conference and expo for sports industry representatives and event managers (which visited Anaheim in 2019 and will return in ’24).

There would be the Collegiate Challenge gymnastics event at the Anaheim Convention Center; you might recall it as the one where UCLA’s Katelyn Ohashi had her floor exercise go viral in 2019. Or the Professional Bull Riders event at Honda Center, the Wooden Legacy college basketball event Thanksgiving weekend at the Convention Center, or even curling. Don’t laugh, but USA Curling has two events scheduled for the Ducks’ Great Park training facility in Irvine.

The NCAA women’s beach volleyball championships are scheduled for Huntington Beach in 2025 and ’26. Weightlifting, women’s hockey, badminton and water polo all have had or will have events in Orange County. And the 2028 Olympic volleyball competition is scheduled for Honda Center.

Orange County was a magnet for these events even before six separate sports and destination organizations pooled resources to form OCSC late in 2019. Burress, who was VisitAnaheim’s President and CEO since 2013 and had previously served for five years in a similar role with the Arlington, Texas, visitors and convention bureau, became the new organization’s president, and Ducks executive vice president and COO Tim Ryan was named chairman.

It was, Ryan said, an idea whose time had come.

“To me, Orange County has so much to offer,” he said. “Not just the major venues like the Honda Center and Angel Stadium, and the Fairgrounds and the Convention Center. … When you talk to Jay and you see that during a pandemic – and I can’t stress that enough – we booked 16 sporting events for 2021 that could have an economic impact of over $50 million, that speaks volumes about what Orange County is and what it can support in terms of major events.

“If we can do that kind of business during a pandemic, I think the writing is on the wall as to the amount of business we can do once we’re past COVID.”

The benefits to Orange County’s economy seem obvious. The under-the-radar events bring volume in terms of visitors. High-profile events – a World Series or All-Star Game, a Stanley Cup Final, an NCAA hockey Frozen Four (Anaheim hosted it in 1999), a figure skating championship or Olympic volleyball – bring attention. That TV time comes with shots of Disneyland or Knott’s Berry Farm or scenic shots of Newport or Huntington Beach, and those can be visitors’ magnets, too.

In normal times, anyway.

It’s a competitive business. The Los Angeles Sports Council is a formidable foe, but also works together with Orange County and shares information. San Diego is a destination for similar events, as well. Riverside’s sports commission has lured national and international aquatics events as well as the annual CIF Southern Section championships, and it submitted a bid for the 2016 Olympic diving trials that went to Indianapolis.

Burress said event cancellations in Orange County all told, not just sports, over the last year surpassed 300, “worth over $2 billion in economic impact.” The pandemic also was devastating to American Sports Centers, the warehouse-sized basketball/volleyball complex in Anaheim that relinquished its lease in August, though USA Volleyball’s men’s and women’s national teams will still use the facility as a training center through the Tokyo Olympics.

Right now the OCSC itself is feeling some of the pinch. At the time of its launch, there were five people on staff. And now?

“We have one,” Burress said. “We will be building that back up when the time is right. With it being such a resilient market, we’ll be coming back soon.”

When that happens, it will mean that amazing optimism was indeed warranted.

jalexander@scng.com

@Jim_Alexander on Twitter

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California gas prices hit 14-month high as economy, traffic rebound

You may not want to hear this, but rising prices at the gas pump are actually a sign of economic recovery.

Gasoline prices in California reached a 14-month high in the week ending March 1, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. A gallon of regular gas cost an average $3.56, up 11 cents in seven days and 92 cents higher than the pandemic low of $2.64 last May.

Successful steps to slow the virus — including vaccinations — brighten the business outlook and motivate consumer spending on numerous things, including gasoline. Pump prices are up 35% to a high not seen since December 2019. And you’ll likely see more inflation for other consumer goods as the global economy shakes off pandemic pain.

Please note that fuel’s recent price upswing is not exclusive to the Golden State. Nationally, gasoline costs rose 8 cents in a week to $2.90 a gallon, the 14th consecutive jump, and are up 44% since last May’s lows.

The fact that we are pondering higher costs shows we are a long way from last spring when gas prices tumbled 21% in two months. Cheap fuel was a rare bright spot in 2020’s throttled economy — at least, for those who were driving.

A world of strict business restrictions designed to limit the spread of coronavirus hammered many industries. Travel — by ground, air, and sea — nearly halted, and “stay at home” translated to slashed demand for fuel around the planet.

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A year later, such business limits have now dramatically eased. In turn, Californians have watched prices at the pump increase for 11 consecutive weeks.

It’s relatively simple economics. More folks back in workplaces and schoolrooms mean more driving. Let’s ponder renewed traffic as measured by the TomTom Index.

In Los Angeles, for example, the worst congestion in the last week of February ran 27% above the norm vs. 11% last April amid a lockdown. Yes, it’s still down from 42% in the good ol’ days — for all of 2019.

Similar trends are seen in San Francisco where traffic was 20% above normal in February vs. 8% last April and 36% in 2019.

That kind of traveling resurgence on a global scale makes crude oil, gasoline’s key ingredient, soar in price. Worldwide demand for energy is booming.

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Consider the ups and downs of one widely watched energy industry benchmark, the commodity market price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil. It’s up 30% so far this year to $62 a barrel. Last May, in a trading oddity that reflected the huge uncertainties of that period, this oil price fell below zero when supply far exceeded demand and storage space.

I suggest imagining your local gas station’s signage as an economic scoreboard of sorts. The same is true of your favorite navigation app once again showing plenty of red “jammed” roads.

Then smile. Pricier fuel and renewed congestion equal better economics.

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Biden, Dems prevail as Senate OKs $1.9T virus relief bill

By ALAN FRAM

WASHINGTON (AP) — An exhausted Senate narrowly approved a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill Saturday as President Joe Biden and his Democratic allies notched a victory they called crucial for hoisting the country out of the pandemic and economic doldrums.

After laboring all night on a mountain of amendments — nearly all from Republicans and rejected — bleary-eyed senators approved the sprawling package on a 50-49 party-line vote. That sets up final congressional approval by the House next week so lawmakers can whisk it to Biden for his signature.

The huge measure — its total spending is nearly one-tenth the size of the entire U.S. economy — is Biden’s biggest early priority. It stands as his formula for addressing the deadly virus and a limping economy, twin crises that have afflicted the country for a year.

“This nation has suffered too much for much too long,” Biden told reporters at the White House after the vote. “And everything in this package is designed to relieve the suffering and to meet the most urgent needs of the nation, and put us in a better position to prevail.”

Saturday’s vote was also a crucial political moment for Biden and Democrats, who need nothing short of party unanimity in a 50-50 Senate they run with Vice President Kamala Harris’ tiebreaking vote. They have a slim 10-vote House edge.

Not a single Republican backed the bill in the Senate or when it initially passed the House, underscoring the barbed partisan environment that’s so far characterizing the early days of Biden’s presidency.

A small but pivotal band of moderate Democrats leveraged changes in the legislation that incensed progressives, not making it any easier for Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to guide the measure through the House. But rejection of their first, signature bill was not an option for Democrats, who face two years of trying to run Congress with virtually no room for error.

“They feel like we do, we have to get this done,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said of the House. He said he’d spoken to Pelosi about the Senate’s changes and added, “It’s not going to be everything everyone wants. No bill is.”

In a written statement, Pelosi invited Republicans “to join us in recognition of the devastating reality of this vicious virus and economic crisis and of the need for decisive action.”

The bill provides direct payments of up to $1,400 for most Americans and extended emergency unemployment benefits. There are vast piles of spending for COVID-19 vaccines and testing, states and cities, schools and ailing industries, along with tax breaks to help lower-earning people, families with children and consumers buying health insurance.

Republicans call the measure a wasteful spending spree for Democrats’ liberal allies that ignores recent indications that the pandemic and economy could be turning the corner.

“The Senate has never spent $2 trillion in a more haphazard way,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Of Democrats, he said, “Their top priority wasn’t pandemic relief. It was their Washington wish list.”

The Senate commenced a dreaded “vote-a-thon” — a continuous series of votes on amendments — shortly before midnight Friday, and by its end around noon had dispensed with about three dozen. The Senate had been in session since 9 a.m. EST Friday.

Overnight, the chamber was like an experiment in the best techniques for staying awake. Several lawmakers appeared to rest their eyes or doze at their desks, often burying their faces in their hands. At one point, Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, at 48 one of the younger senators, trotted into the chamber and did a prolonged stretch.

Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, missed the votes to attend his father-in-law’s funeral.

The measure follows five earlier ones totaling about $4 trillion that Congress has enacted since last spring and comes amid signs of a potential turnaround.

Vaccine supplies are growing, deaths and caseloads have eased but remain frighteningly high, and hiring was surprisingly strong last month, though the economy remains 10 million jobs smaller than its pre-pandemic levels.

The Senate package was delayed repeatedly as Democrats made eleventh-hour changes aimed at balancing demands by their competing moderate and progressive factions.

Work on the bill ground to a halt Friday after an agreement among Democrats on extending emergency jobless benefits seemed to collapse. Nearly 12 hours later, top Democrats and West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, perhaps the chamber’s most conservative Democrat, said they had a deal, and the Senate approved it on a party-line 50-49 vote.

Under their compromise, $300 weekly emergency unemployment checks — on top of regular state benefits — would be renewed, with a final payment made Sept. 6. There would also be tax breaks on some of those payments, helping people the pandemic abruptly tossed out of jobs and risked tax penalties on the benefits.

The House’s relief bill, largely similar to the Senate’s, provided $400 weekly benefits through August. The current $300 per week payments expire March 14, and Democrats want the bill on Biden’s desk by then to avert a lapse.

Manchin and Republicans have asserted that higher jobless benefits discourage people from returning to work, a rationale most Democrats and many economists reject.

The agreement on jobless benefits wasn’t the only move that showed moderates’ sway.

The Senate voted Friday to eject a House-approved boost in the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025, a major defeat for progressives. Eight Democrats opposed the increase, suggesting that Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and other liberals pledging to continue the effort in coming months will face a difficult fight.

Party leaders also agreed to restrict eligibility for the $1,400 stimulus checks that will go to most Americans. That amount would be gradually reduced until, under the Senate bill, it reaches zero for people earning $80,000 and couples making $160,000. Those amounts were higher in the House version.

Many of the rejected GOP amendments were either attempts to force Democrats to cast politically awkward votes or for Republicans to demonstrate their zeal for issues that appeal to their voters.

These included defeated efforts to bar the bill’s funds from going to schools closed for the pandemic that don’t reopen their doors, or that let transgender students born male to participate in female sports. One amendment would have blocked aid to so-called sanctuary cities, where local authorities balk at helping federal officials round up immigrants in the U.S. illegally.

___

Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.

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Sign up for our Garden Party newsletter and virtual event series

It’s almost tomato time! In Southern California, mid-March is when you’ll see tomato plants pop up in local nurseries. We want to help you grow great tomatoes this year so we’ve put together a tomato-growing cheat sheet in the form of a weekly newsletter.

It’s called Garden Party and for eight weeks we’ll guide you through growing great tomatoes, from how to get started to battling pests to offering great recipes to make from the bountiful harvest.

Visit http://bit.ly/GardenPartyNewsletter for more information on this free newsletter.

If you love gardening, you might want to join our ongoing Garden Party Zoom series. Our next installment is 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 17. Host Marla Jo Fisher, who says she has “black thumb” gardening abilities, will talk with longtime Southern California News Group gardening columnist Joshua Siskin about the basic principles of gardening.

Here’s the list of upcoming events for the coming months:

  • March 17: Gardening 101
  • April 21: Happy Houseplants
  • May 19: Everything Tomato
  • June 16: Troubleshooting Common Problems

You can register for the free sessions at scng.com/virtualevents and if you aren’t able to make the livestream, a link to a recording will be sent to you after the event.

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The Latest: Senate OKs $1.9T COVID bill, nears final passage

By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Senate has passed a sweeping pandemic relief package over Republican opposition, moving closer to a milestone political victory for President Joe Biden.

The $1.9 trillion bill approved Saturday carries direct payments of up to $1,400 for most Americans, extended emergency unemployment benefits and spending for COVID-19 vaccines and testing. It also provides billions to states and cities, schools and ailing industries.

Democrats say their “American Rescue Plan” will help the country defeat the virus and nurse the economy back to health. Republicans criticize the measure as more expensive than necessary.

The bill now heads to the House for final passage.

___

THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:

— Senate passes $1.9T COVID bill, nears final passage

— California OKs reopening of ball parks, Disneyland

— Europe struggles as infectious variants power virus surge

— CDC Study: Mask mandates helps slow spread, indoor dining precarious

— Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at https://ift.tt/35k8pHx, https://ift.tt/3ajhaVd and https://ift.tt/2wrCaXK

___

HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The world’s most famous sled dog race starts Sunday, but this year’s edition of the Iditarod will see a lot changes forced by the pandemic.

The race will be shorter this year, only 860 miles instead of a thousand. This will be the first time in race history that the finish line won’t be in Nome. Instead, mushers will go to the ghost town of Iditarod and loop back to the Anchorage area for the finish. Mushers will undergo vigorous COVID-19 testing before and during the race and if anyone gets a confirmed positive test, they are out of the race.

Most of the rural Alaska villages will be bypassed for safety reasons, leaving mushers to sleep in tents.

___

HELSINKI — Finland says it has decided to postpone municipal elections set for April 18 until June 13 due to health concerns caused by a rising number of coronavirus cases in the Nordic country.

Finland’s Justice Ministry says, with the exception of the opposition populist Finns Party, all political parties represented at the Parliament agreed on Saturday to the ministry’s proposal of delaying the local elections by some two months.

Justice Minister Anna-Maja Henriksson says estimates from health officials showing Finland could see daily infection levels in a range of 2,600-11,200 by mid-April if the current upward trend continues with some 600-700 daily coronavirus cases.

Finland, a nation of 5.5 million, has recorded more than 60,000 cases and 767 confirmed deaths.

___

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama’s governor extended the mask mandate for another month and state Health Officer Scott Harris is recommending people keep wearing masks in public after it expires.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Thursday extended Alabama’s mask order until April 9. Harris says he hopes April 10 will look a lot like April 9 across the state.

“There is nothing magical about the date of April 9. We don’t want the public to think that’s the day we all stop taking precautions,” he says.

Alabama has the second-highest positivity rate in the nation at 19.9%. State health officials urge people to maintain precautions, particularly during spring break and Easter gatherings, as the state tries to ramp up vaccinations.

So far about 14% of the state’s 4.9 million people have received at least one shot. Harris says they expect to deliver another 750,000 shots before the mask mandate expires. This week, the state reached 10,000 deaths from the coronavirus.

___

OLYMPIA, Wash. — State health officials say Washington has reached its goal of vaccinating 45,000 people per day against COVID-19.

The Department of Health says more than 1.8 million vaccine doses had been administered in the state. Officials say that’s three-quarters of the 2.4 million doses that have been delivered to the state’s providers and long-term care programs.

The state also has been told to expect an increase in weekly dose allocations in the next few weeks. Health officials are encouraged the state is moving in the right direction. Washington has recorded 343,868 total cases and 5,041 confirmed deaths.

___

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — The Navajo Nation on Friday reported 12 additional COVID-19 cases and one death from the virus. In all, the tribe has reported nearly 30,000 confirmed cases and 1,195 deaths from the virus since the pandemic began a year ago. Health facilities on the reservation and in border towns are conducting drive-thru vaccine events or administering doses by appointment. The Navajo-area Indian Health Service has vaccinated more than 135,000 people so far. A daily curfew from 9 a.m. to 5 a.m. and a mask mandate remain in effect for residents of the vast reservation that covers parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

___

LONDON — Ireland has given out half a million coronavirus vaccinations about two months after the first inoculation.

Prime Minister Micheal Martin says the health department announced the figure on Saturday. It includes both first and second doses and comes 63 days after the first shot was given to a Dublin senior citizen.

“Good news,” Martin tweeted. “The vaccines are having a significant impact on mortality and serious illness.”

Ireland has experienced a spike in infections at the start of the year after getting through the early days of the pandemic.

With a population of 4.8 million, Ireland has reported 222,169 cases and 4,405 confirmed deaths from the coronavirus. It’s one of the 10 European countries where the British variant of the virus is dominant.

___

CHICAGO — The first case of the Brazil variant in Illinois has been detected in a Chicago resident, health officials say.

City and state public health officials say Northwestern University researchers found the so-called P.1 variant in a test sample from a Chicago resident who came down with the disease. The infected person told contact tracers they hadn’t recently traveled outside Illinois.

The P.1 strain was first found in Brazilian travelers who arrived in Tokyo in early January. It appeared in Minnesota later that month and has since been identified in several other states.

Evidence suggests this variant can spread more easily than most currently circulating strains of the coronavirus, health officials say. The variants from Britain and South Africa have previously been identified in Illinois.

___

BERLIN — Coronavirus patients from hard-hit Slovakia are arriving in Germany for treatment.

The state government of North Rhine-Westphalia in western Germany says the first two patients were expected to arrive at Dortmund airport Saturday on board a chartered plane. They will be treated at a hospital in the city.

More patients may follow in the coming days. German news agency dpa reported that North Rhine-Westphalia says it has offered to take in a total of 10 patients from Slovakia.

Patients from France, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium have previously gone to Germany for treatment during the pandemic.

The number of people in Germany needing intensive care has declined significantly in the past two months.

___

STOCKHOLM — Police has dispersed hundreds of people who had gathered in central Stockholm to protest against coronavirus restrictions set by the Swedish government.

Swedish authorities say Saturday’s demonstration was illegal because it was held without permission.

Police say on their website they cut short the gathering when number of participants exceeded what is currently allowed at public gatherings under Sweden’s pandemic laws.

Video footage aired on Swedish media showed a sizable group of people without masks gathering to the Medborgarplatsen square in Stockholm city center, not far from the Old Town.

___

ISTANBUL — Turkish health ministry statistics show a significant increase in coronavirus cases in Turkey’s largest cities and alarming rates in Black Sea provinces.

A weekly, provincial map of infections shared by Health Minister Fahrettin Koca showed more than 111 positive cases identified in Istanbul per 100,000 people in the past week. That rate was about 60 the week of Feb. 6. Cases in Ankara and Izmir were also on the rise.

This week, Istanbul was categorized as a “high risk” city for COVID-19. Restaurants and cafes have re-opened and weekend lockdowns were reduced to only Sundays except for “very high-risk” cities. Istanbul residents filled the streets and restaurants, many ignoring mask and social distancing rules.

Northeastern provinces along the Black Sea have been categorized as “very high-risk,” where restrictions continue. The seven-day average of cases across the country rose back above 10,000 this week, bringing the total number of cases to more than 2.7 million and the confirmed death toll to 28,901.

___

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California has cleared a path for fans to hit the stands at opening day baseball games and return to Disneyland nearly a year after coronavirus restrictions shuttered major entertainment spots.

The state relaxed guidelines for reopening outdoor venues. COVID-19 infection rates, hospitalizations and deaths have plunged, and vaccination rates are rising. New rules allow concert stadiums and sports arenas to reopen with limited attendance on April 1.

This week, the seven-day average rate of positive results from tests dropped to 2.2%, a record low.

Theme parks can reopen in counties that have fallen from the state’s most restrictive tier. In all cases, park capacities will be limited, and coronavirus safety rules such as mask-wearing requirements will apply.

More than 10 million doses had been given in the three months since the first vaccination, the Department of Public Health says. Just over 3 million people have been fully vaccinated, or about 10% of the population 16 and older.

___

WASHINGTON — Senators have worked through the night on the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 aid bill, dispensing with a variety of mostly Republican amendments in a marathon series of votes without substantially changing the overall package.

Approval of the bill is expected later, although the timing is uncertain, after Senate leaders and moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin reached a deal late Friday over emergency jobless benefits.

That compromise is backed by President Joe Biden. Once the Senate finishes work on Biden’s foremost legislative priority, the bill would return to the House for final approval. The package is aimed at battling the pandemic and nursing the economy back to health.

___

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama’s governor extended the mask mandate for another month and state Health Officer Scott Harris is recommending people keep wearing masks in public after it expires.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Thursday extended Alabama’s mask order until April 9. Harris says he hopes April 10 will look a lot like April 9 across the state.

“There is nothing magical about the date of April 9. We don’t want the public to think that’s the day we all stop taking precautions,” he says.

Alabama has the second-highest positivity rate in the nation at 19.9%. State health officials urge people to maintain precautions, particularly during spring break and Easter gatherings, as the state tries to ramp up vaccinations.

So far about 14% of the state’s 4.9 million people have received at least one shot. Harris says they expect to deliver another 750,000 shots before the mask mandate expires. This week, the state reached 10,000 deaths from the coronavirus.

___

MILAN — Europe recorded 1 million new coronavirus cases last week, an increase of 9% from the previous week and a reversal that ended a six-week decline, according to the World Health Organization.

Among the hard-hit places is the Milan suburb of Bollate, where the virus swept through a nursery school and an adjacent elementary school with alarming speed. In a matter of just days, 45 children and 14 staff members tested positive.

Genetic analysis confirmed it was the highly contagious variant first identified in England late last year. The surge is leading to new restrictions across the continent.

Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, says the spread of variants is driving the increase, but so is “the opening of society, when it is not done in a safe and a controlled manner.”

The British variant is spreading significantly in 27 European countries monitored by WHO and is dominant in at least 10 by the agency’s count: Britain, Denmark, Italy, Ireland, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Israel, Spain and Portugal.

___

BERLIN — German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s chief of staff says he is “very skeptical” about prospects of people traveling at Easter but expects the situation will have changed by late May.

Merkel and Germany’s state governors this week agreed to extend lockdown measures until March 28, while laying down a roadmap for relaxing some rules in areas with relatively low infections. But many issues have yet to be addressed.

Merkel’s chief of staff, Helge Braun, told the Funke newspaper group in an interview published Saturday that he is “very skeptical as far as travel at Easter is concerned.” Easter falls on the first weekend in April this year.

But he says he expects “that we can talk in a significantly more relaxed way about travel and leisure from Whitsun,” on May 23.

Braun says Germany could return to full normality in the summer — if vaccine manufacturers keep to their delivery pledges and no new coronavirus mutation arises “that raises questions over the whole success of vaccination.”

Germany has given 5.7% of its population a first dose of vaccine and 2.8% two doses. A fall in new coronavirus cases has stalled as a more contagious variant first detected in Britain spreads.

___

DHARMSALA, India — The Dalai Lama, the 85-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader, has received the first shot of the coronavirus vaccine at a hospital in the north Indian hill town of Dharmsala.

After receiving the injection, he urged people to come forward, be brave and get vaccinated.

Dr. G.D. Gupta of Zonal Hospital, where the shot was administered, told reporters that the Dalai Lama was observed for 30 minutes afterward.

Ten other people who live in the Dalai Lama’s residence were also vaccinated, Gupta said. All eleven received the Covishield vaccine, which was developed by Oxford University and U.K.-based drugmaker AstraZeneca, and manufactured by India’s Serum Institute.

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California gas prices hit 14-month high as economy, traffic rebound

You may not want to hear this, but rising prices at the gas pump are actually a sign of economic recovery.

Gasoline prices in California reached a 14-month high in the week ending March 1, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. A gallon of regular gas cost an average $3.56, up 11 cents in seven days and 92 cents higher than the pandemic low of $2.64 last May.

Successful steps to slow the virus — including vaccinations — brighten the business outlook and motivate consumer spending on numerous things, including gasoline. Pump prices are up 35% to a high not seen since December 2019. And you’ll likely see more inflation for other consumer goods as the global economy shakes off pandemic pain.

Please note that fuel’s recent price upswing is not exclusive to the Golden State. Nationally, gasoline costs rose 8 cents in a week to $2.90 a gallon, the 14th consecutive jump, and are up 44% since last May’s lows.

The fact that we are pondering higher costs shows we are a long way from last spring when gas prices tumbled 21% in two months. Cheap fuel was a rare bright spot in 2020’s throttled economy — at least, for those who were driving.

A world of strict business restrictions designed to limit the spread of coronavirus hammered many industries. Travel — by ground, air, and sea — nearly halted, and “stay at home” translated to slashed demand for fuel around the planet.

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A year later, such business limits have now dramatically eased. In turn, Californians have watched prices at the pump increase for 11 consecutive weeks.

It’s relatively simple economics. More folks back in workplaces and schoolrooms mean more driving. Let’s ponder renewed traffic as measured by the TomTom Index.

In Los Angeles, for example, the worst congestion in the last week of February ran 27% above the norm vs. 11% last April amid a lockdown. Yes, it’s still down from 42% in the good ol’ days — for all of 2019.

Similar trends are seen in San Francisco where traffic was 20% above normal in February vs. 8% last April and 36% in 2019.

That kind of traveling resurgence on a global scale makes crude oil, gasoline’s key ingredient, soar in price. Worldwide demand for energy is booming.

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Consider the ups and downs of one widely watched energy industry benchmark, the commodity market price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil. It’s up 30% so far this year to $62 a barrel. Last May, in a trading oddity that reflected the huge uncertainties of that period, this oil price fell below zero when supply far exceeded demand and storage space.

I suggest imagining your local gas station’s signage as an economic scoreboard of sorts. The same is true of your favorite navigation app once again showing plenty of red “jammed” roads.

Then smile. Pricier fuel and renewed congestion equal better economics.

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When will crazy pricing in real estate end?

Never have we seen such staggering prices being paid these days. And, never is a long time!

So, when will prices return to normal? And what is normal? Bear with me as we dissect the topic.

Think of prices as a conveyor belt or a motorized sidewalk, like the ones at giant airports. You hop on at a point and continue to ride. But, it’s a continuous loop. Those who entered early, say in 2010, have seen massive appreciation in the value of their purchase. If you jumped into the fray last year, we shall see. But it all starts with pricing — the basis or starting point of your buy.

Commercial real estate, whether it’s retail, office or industrial, carries with it a number. As brokers, we typically talk in terms of prices per square foot. Sure, owners and occupants also might consider these figures, but they are most frequently concerned with the total.

As an aside, early in my career, I prepared for a tour of leasing alternatives. I carefully memorized all of the lease rates. When the client asked what amount was to be paid monthly, I sheepishly deferred to my HP 12-C calculator for the answer.

To add some context, 50,000 square foot industrial buildings were plentiful in 2010 for well under $5 million  (or $100 per square foot for you brokers out there). Sure, in the bowels of SoCal, you might be thinking. Nope, I’m talking Anaheim. A decade ago, just along the stretch of East La Palma between Kraemer and Imperial there were 12 such properties. Now? You’d be lucky to find one for under $15 million!

You might be wondering. What’s causing the astronomical rise?

Certainly, cheap money is a culprit. You see, when an occupant can borrow 90% of the purchase price from the Small Business Administration and have the first six months of payments forgiven, tremendous buying power is unleashed. Couple that with an obscenely low supply of buildings to buy and voila — the perfect storm of appreciation.

Next, returns on capital are puny. Even though we’ve seen an uptick of 10-year Treasury yields this week, 1.6% is still anemic. Wild stock market gyrations spook investors, too. Commercial real estate becomes a safe haven. As these well-heeled groups compete – once again – for skimpy availabilities, the upward march continues.

Companies who can’t or choose not to buy are forced to rent. A similar competition ensues for vacant lease alternatives, which are rare. As an example, if your goal is to lease a new, 100,000-square-foot spot in north Orange County, you have ONE choice and construction is not complete.

In the past, when pricing got crazy, you could head east to the Inland Empire. Now, even the IE is no bargain. We represent a well-qualified -commerce outfit looking to buy 200,000 square feet. Recently, we pursued a site under construction. Our full-price offer was countered with a higher number, an unwillingness to allow a financing contingency and an enormous non-refundable deposit request. Next!

So, to the question. When will this insanity end? The answer is: when one or all of the aforementioned scenarios shift. We’d need something cataclysmic to occur to return to a normal 5%-6% vacancy – such as a pandemic. Wait, we already had one. Hmmmm …

Allen C. Buchanan, SIOR, is a principal with Lee & Associates Commercial Real Estate Services in Orange. He can be reached at abuchanan@lee-associates.com or 714.564.7104.

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CIF State offers interpretations of new guidelines to help coaches, athletic directors

CIF State executive director Ron Nocetti knows keeping up with the latest guidance for high school sports is challenging for coaches and athletic directors, and may seem to be getting tougher.

“There’s no question that it’s a difficult experience for them,” he said Friday, March 5. “That’s why we’re trying at least provide them some of the most basic interpretations so at least they have a sense of where they stand on what they can do now with outdoor versus indoor sports.”

It was in that spirit that the state office issued its interpretations on the latest guidelines by the California Department of Public Health, which on Thursday, March 4 created a path for indoor sports to begin if they follow a college-style testing program.

Nocetti covered a few other areas in a state-wide memo, and a few more with the Southern California News Group. Here’s some of the takeaways:

There appear to be different routes to play indoor sports

Indoor sports such as basketball, volleyball and wrestling remain classified in the yellow tier (minimal risk for the virus) in the state’s guidance. Most counties in the state are in the purple tier (widespread risk) but the state adjusted its rules on March 4 to allow teams, starting on March 5, to play indoor sports earlier than the yellow tier if they follow stricter, college-style testing.

But Nocetti said he believes teams also could start their seasons under that college-style testing format, and transition to a non-testing, yellow tier format once their county reaches that optimal tier. Teams also could decide to wait to play until their county reaches the yellow tier, which feature a daily case rate of less than 1 per 100,000.

“That is how we read it,” Nocetti said of the different paths. “The exact answer to that question would have to come from the CDPH.”

Wresting was scheduled to begin March 5 while basketball and boys volleyball to follow on March 12-13, respectively.

College-style testing needs more clarification

The college-style guidelines for indoor sports ask teams to to conduct either “daily antigen testingand periodic PCR testing” until their county reaches the yellow tier. The CIF State said it is seeking clarification from the CDPH on the meaning of “periodic” PCR testing.

“Does mean you have to test PCR once a week? Twice a week?” Nocetti said. “We are waiting for an answer for that.”

Nocetti believes the state will issue a “Frequently Asked Questions” section soon.

All outdoor sports are currently cleared to play

On Feb.19, all outdoor sports were allowed in counties with an adjusted case rate of 14 or less per 100,000. This applied to the high-contact sports such as football, water polo, soccer and lacrosse, plus baseball, softball and outdoor volleyball.

All of the counties in Southern California, and 54 of the 58 counties in the state, currently meet this 14 threshold.

The extra condition is that football and water polo need to test weekly if the county’s rate falls between 7 and 14.

LAWSUIT UPDATE

As expected, lawyers for two San Diego football players who won a temporary injunction against the state’s guidelines essentially dropped their lawsuit Friday because of their settlement agreement with the state Thursday over the updated guidelines released on Thursday, March 4.

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CIF State offers interpretations of new guidelines to help coaches, athletic directors

CIF State executive director Ron Nocetti knows keeping up with the latest guidance for high school sports is challenging for coaches and athletic directors, and may seem to be getting tougher.

“There’s no question that it’s a difficult experience for them,” he said Friday, March 5. “That’s why we’re trying at least provide them some of the most basic interpretations so at least they have a sense of where they stand on what they can do now with outdoor versus indoor sports.”

It was in that spirit that the state office issued its interpretations on the latest guidelines by the California Department of Public Health, which on Thursday, March 4 created a path for indoor sports to begin if they follow a college-style testing program.

Nocetti covered a few other areas in a state-wide memo, and a few more with the Southern California News Group. Here’s some of the takeaways:

There appear to be different routes to play indoor sports

Indoor sports such as basketball, volleyball and wrestling remain classified in the yellow tier (minimal risk for the virus) in the state’s guidance. Most counties in the state are in the purple tier (widespread risk) but the state adjusted its rules on March 4 to allow teams, starting on March 5, to play indoor sports earlier than the yellow tier if they follow stricter, college-style testing.

But Nocetti said he believes teams also could start their seasons under that college-style testing format, and transition to a non-testing, yellow tier format once their county reaches that optimal tier. Teams also could decide to wait to play until their county reaches the yellow tier, which feature a daily case rate of less than 1 per 100,000.

“That is how we read it,” Nocetti said of the different paths. “The exact answer to that question would have to come from the CDPH.”

Wresting was scheduled to begin March 5 while basketball and boys volleyball to follow on March 12-13, respectively.

College-style testing needs more clarification

The college-style guidelines for indoor sports ask teams to to conduct either “daily antigen testingand periodic PCR testing” until their county reaches the yellow tier. The CIF State said it is seeking clarification from the CDPH on the meaning of “periodic” PCR testing.

“Does mean you have to test PCR once a week? Twice a week?” Nocetti said. “We are waiting for an answer for that.”

Nocetti believes the state will issue a “Frequently Asked Questions” section soon.

All outdoor sports are currently cleared to play

On Feb.19, all outdoor sports were allowed in counties with an adjusted case rate of 14 or less per 100,000. This applied to the high-contact sports such as football, water polo, soccer and lacrosse, plus baseball, softball and outdoor volleyball.

All of the counties in Southern California, and 54 of the 58 counties in the state, currently meet this 14 threshold.

The extra condition is that football and water polo need to test weekly if the county’s rate falls between 7 and 14.

LAWSUIT UPDATE

As expected, lawyers for two San Diego football players who won a temporary injunction against the state’s guidelines essentially dropped their lawsuit Friday because of their settlement agreement with the state Thursday over the updated guidelines released on Thursday, March 4.

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UCLA women close out Arizona to reach Pac-12 Tournament title game

  • Arizona guard Aari McDonald dives for a loose ball as UCLA guard Charisma Osborne, left, and forward Michaela Onyenwere defend during the first half of Friday night’s Pac-12 Tournament semifinal in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

  • UCLA forward Emily Bessoir (11) shoots as Arizona guard Aari McDonald (2) defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Pac-12 women’s tournament Friday, March 5, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

  • UCLA forward Michaela Onyenwere (21) shoots as Arizona forward Lauren Ware (32) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Pac-12 women’s tournament Friday, March 5, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

  • UCLA forward Lauryn Miller (33) and Arizona forward Cate Reese (25) fight for control of the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Pac-12 women’s tournament Friday, March 5, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

  • UCLA guard Lindsey Corsaro (4) shoots as Arizona guard Bendu Yeaney (23) defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Pac-12 women’s tournament Friday, March 5, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

  • Arizona guard Aari McDonald (2) shoots as UCLA forward Emily Bessoir defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Pac-12 women’s tournament Friday, March 5, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

  • UCLA forward Michaela Onyenwere shoots during the second half of the team’s NCAA college basketball game against Arizona in the semifinals of the Pac-12 women’s tournament Friday, March 5, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

  • Arizona forward Sam Thomas (14) shoots as UCLA guard Natalie Chou (23) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Pac-12 women’s tournament Friday, March 5, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

  • UCLA forward Michaela Onyenwere (21) shoots as Arizona forward Trinity Baptiste (0) defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Pac-12 women’s tournament Friday, March 5, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

  • UCLA forward Michaela Onyenwere (21) shoots over Arizona forward Cate Reese (25) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Pac-12 women’s tournament Friday, March 5, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

  • The Arizona bench reacts after a teammate’s 3-point shot during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against UCLA in the semifinals of the Pac-12 women’s tournament Friday, March 5, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

  • UCLA guard Chantel Horvat (0) celebrates a teammate’s 3-point against Arizona during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Pac-12 women’s tournament Friday, March 5, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

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Michaela Onyenwere dribbled the ball hard and fast, crossed the court in nearly a full sprint and pounded the ball off the backboard when she went in for a layup.

Onyenwere scored 24 points and that late-game moment helped the UCLA women’s basketball team stave off a fourth-quarter rally by Arizona, 58-49, on Friday night to reach the Pac-12 Tournament championship game at Mandalay Bay’s Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.

The third-seeded Bruins (16-4) will play top-seeded Stanford (24-2) for the conference title on Sunday at 5 p.m.

The Bruins overcame an off-shooting night in the semifinals and a late push from second-seeded Arizona (16-5), which carved into a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to get within two with a little more than a minute left. That’s when Onyenwere made her coast-to-coast layup to begin a 9-2 UCLA run over the final 1:04.

“Today I just wanted to really focus on being really steady,” Onyenwere said. “I think yesterday I could have done a better job of that, so I wanted to come in and do what I need to do for my team, whether that meant drive to the basket, getting rebounds or whatever I needed to do.”

Natalie Chou added seven points, six rebounds and three steals for UCLA, including a key defensive rebound and free throw during the Bruins’ last surge. Charisma Osborne also had seven points, four in the final 23 seconds.

“Natalie has gone from defining herself as just a shooter to being a great basketball player, a multifaceted, versatile playmaker,” UCLA coach Cori Close said. “It wasn’t about stats tonight; it was about doing whatever our team needed to win the game. That’s exactly what Charisma Osborne did.”

Emily Bessoir added six points and seven rebounds for UCLA, which lost 68-65 at Arizona in their lone meeting during the regular season.

Pac-12 Player of the Year Aari McDonald led Arizona with 24 points and eight rebounds.

One night after the Bruins limited Washington to a season-low 46 points in the quarterfinals, they held Arizona to its lowest output – 18½ points below its season average of 67.5 per game. The Wildcats’ previous low was 59 in a nine-point victory over Cal on Feb. 19.

“We really wanted to focus on being super steady,” Onyenwere said. “We knew there were going to be ups and downs, lefts and rights with Arizona. They’re a great team and they like to take you out of rhythm on offense and on defense. Our keyword was to stay steady. They went on that run in the fourth quarter. And every single huddle and timeout we were like, ‘Look, stay steady. They’re going to make their run. Stay steady.’”

Neither team came out with any sort of rhythm, as UCLA was a dismal 3 for 16 from the floor in the first quarter while Arizona shot just 4 for 10. The Bruins’ relentless pressure on the ball, led by Chou’s two steals, forced the Wildcats into six turnovers in the opening period.

But as UCLA began to find a groove, Arizona’s struggles carried into the second quarter after the Wildcats took a 13-10 lead on Cate Reese’s short jumper. They fell into an 0-for-10 drought from the floor over the final 9:13 of the first half. UCLA took advantage by shooting 8 for 14 down the stretch and using a 15-4 run to take a 25-17 lead into the locker room. Onyenwere had 10 points and two steals in the first half, while the Bruins limited Arizona to a 1-for-6 showing from 3-point range.

Looking to give her team a spark, McDonald struggled while taking many of Arizona’s shots on offense. She went 1 for 6 in the second quarter, and 2 for 9 in the first half. Only one other Wildcats player had two attempts in the second period, and nobody else took more than three shots in the opening half.

McDonald finished 8 for 24, while no other Arizona player had more than seven attempts. Arizona forward Sam Thomas came in shooting 53% from 3-point range over her last nine games, but she took just two shots from deep and made one.

“I think both teams struggled offensively, because we both played solid defense,” said Arizona coach Adia Barnes, whose team now waits to find out where it will be seeded for the NCAA Tournament later this month.

Osborne had scored in double figures in 12 straight games and brought a 17.8 scoring average into Friday night, but the sophomore guard finished 1 for 12 from the floor in 35 minutes.

Now, the Bruins turn their focus to Stanford. The teams split their regular-season meetings, with the Cardinal winning, 61-49, in Westwood and the Bruins winning the rematch, 70-66, which was played in Santa Cruz because of COVID-19 restrictions in Santa Clara County at the time.

“We made a commitment in the locker room that we won’t speak of this (Arizona) game after 11 p.m.,” Close said. “We’re very focused on putting our energy and our time into being ready to prepare and to get our mind and hearts right, but tomorrow is going to be much more mental.”

In the other semifinal …

Cameron Brink scored a career-high 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Stanford to a 79-45 victory over Oregon State. Brink, a freshman, finished 9 for 13 from the floor while adding four blocked shots. Kiana Williams had 20 points, six rebounds and six assists for Stanford (24-2). Lexie Hull contributed 12 points and seven rebounds, and Hannah Jump added 10 points and five boards.

Aleah Goodman scored 12 points and Taylor Jones pulled down 13 rebounds to lead Oregon State (11-7), which was playing its third tournament game in three days.

News services contributed to this story.

.@monyenwere_ powers to the rim! Bruins back up four! 🏀

📺| @Pac12Network
💻| https://t.co/beZPYnDky3
📻| https://t.co/FORzK0ZVaQ#GoBruins | 🐻💙💛 | #Pac12WBB pic.twitter.com/0lJWgEtNrL

— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) March 6, 2021

“If you want to be successful at the highest level, you have to be the tougher, more together team” — @CoachCoriClose

Coach Close’s postgame interview included some analysis of tonight’s win and praise for the wonderful coverage provided by @Pac12Network! ⤵ pic.twitter.com/0i7124cROb

— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) March 6, 2021

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