Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 147

PHOTOS: Rainy skies didn’t deter Big Sur Marathon runners

A couple holds hands while walking the Big Sur Marathon course. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Big Sur Marathon participants wait at the start line to begin the race. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Despite some slight rain, the Big Sur Marathon racers were still full of smiles. (David Timonera - Herald Correspondent)A Monterey CHP office escorted the frontrunners during the Big Sur Marathon on Sunday. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Michael Martinez returned to his usual position playing piano by Bixby Bridge, marking the halfway point for marathon racers. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)[image error]Some Big Sur Marathon runners pose for the camera along the course. (David Timonera - Herald Correspondent)Defending champion Simon Ricci crosses the finish line of the Big Sur Marathon with a time 2:31:02, making him the top finisher for the second year in a row. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)The Big Sur Marathon saw a return to the full course this year. Racers began in the middle of Big Sur and made their way up north to Carmel. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)The Big Sur Marathon saw a return to the full course this year. Racers began in the middle of Big Sur and made their way up north to Carmel. (David Timonera - Herald Correspondent)While repair work from the Rocky Creek slip out last year is still underway, Big Sur Marathon participants were able to run the full course again this year. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Spectators cheer on the Big Sur Marathon racers. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Some Big Sur Marathon runners cheer for the camera along the course. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)The 2025 Big Sur Marathon kicked off at 6:45 a.m. Sunday. (David Timonera - Herald Correspondent)Relay racers from We Be Crazies took an early lead during Sunday's Big Sur Marathon. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Relay runners from the We Be Crazies team ran alongside the marathon runners. (David Timonera - Herald Correspondent)Relay racer Kubo for We Be Crazies runs the marathon course. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)[image error]Big Sur Marathon winner Simon Ricci runs along the course. (David Timonera - Herald Correspondent)Even though there was an on-and-off drizzle throughout the Big Sur Marathon on Sunday, over 10,000 athletes still participated. (David Timonera - Herald Correspondent)Big Sur Marathon winner Simon Ricci runs along the course. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Even though there was an on-and-off drizzle throughout the Big Sur Marathon on Sunday, over 10,000 athletes still participated. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)CHP officers drove along the course in convoys. (David Timonera - Herald Correspondent)Even though there was an on-and-off drizzle throughout the Big Sur Marathon on Sunday, over 10,000 athletes still participated. (David Timonera - Herald Correspondent)Relay runners from the We Be Crazies team ran alongside the marathon runners. (David Timonera - Herald Correspondent)Even though there was an on-and-off drizzle throughout the Big Sur Marathon on Sunday, over 10,000 athletes still participated. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Even though there was an on-and-off drizzle throughout the Big Sur Marathon on Sunday, over 10,000 athletes still participated. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)While repair work from the Rocky Creek slip out last year is still underway, Big Sur Marathon participants were able to run the full course again this year. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)While repair work from the Rocky Creek slip out last year is still underway, Big Sur Marathon participants were able to run the full course again this year. (David Timonera - Herald Correspondent)The Big Sur Marathon saw a return to the full course this year. Racers began in the middle of Big Sur and made their way up north to Carmel. (David Timonera - Herald Correspondent)Big Sur Marathon winner Simon Ricci runs along the course. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)The Big Sur Marathon saw a return to the full course this year. Racers began in the middle of Big Sur and made their way up north to Carmel. (David Timonera - Herald Correspondent)A group of Big Sur Marathon participants cross the finish line while holding hands. (David Timonera - Herald Correspondent)Even though there was an on-and-off drizzle throughout the Big Sur Marathon on Sunday, over 10,000 athletes still participated. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Even though there was an on-and-off drizzle throughout the Big Sur Marathon on Sunday, over 10,000 athletes still participated. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Even though there was an on-and-off drizzle throughout the Big Sur Marathon on Sunday, over 10,000 athletes still participated. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Even though there was an on-and-off drizzle throughout the Big Sur Marathon on Sunday, over 10,000 athletes still participated. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Even though there was an on-and-off drizzle throughout the Big Sur Marathon on Sunday, over 10,000 athletes still participated. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Big Sur Marathon winner Simon Ricci runs along the course. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Michael Martinez returned to his usual position playing piano by Bixby Bridge, marking the halfway point for marathon racers. (David Timonera - Herald Correspondent)Big Sur Marathon winner Simon Ricci runs along the course. (David Timonera - Herald Correspondent)Big Sur Marathon winner Simon Ricci runs along the course. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Show Caption1 of 40A couple holds hands while walking the Big Sur Marathon course. (Arianna Nalbach - Monterey Herald)Expand

Big Sur Marathon: Rain didn’t ruin this parade

CARMEL — The rainy weather didn’t stop thousands from enjoying the Big Sur Marathon, with runners taking on a variety of challenges from the full 26.2 miles to trying for their personal best in the 5K.

About 10,000 people participated in one of the races offered this weekend, despite the rainy weather. The full course along Highway 1 from Big Sur to Carmel was back in use after a partial washout had forced changes last year.

This year stuck to tradition, offering a marathon, 11-mile run, 12K run, 5K run and a relay. The Big Sur Marathon Foundation recognized the top men and women in all of the categories and offered runners an array of goodies and entertainment at the finish line camp.

“One of the biggest changes was our starting line,” said Hank Armstrong, from the Big Sur Marathon Board of Directors. “It was much more organized and enjoyable. I think people will look forward to that in the future.”

Some Big Sur Marathon runners cheer for the camera along the course. (Arianna Nalbach – Monterey Herald)

The Foundation also took on a new sponsor this year, Hoka, an athletic shoe company headquartered in Goleta.

“Hoka is a leader in the running industry and distance running and we’re proud to be associated with them,” Armstrong said. “It’s a good match-up, they reflect our values and the same for us.”

The rainy weather was expected and most runners were prepared for a light drizzle. Around 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. the rain picked up in the midst of the marathon and start of the other races. Many runners said they were OK with the weather. Some said it slowed them down a little, but not enough to deter them from completing the course.

“I did the best I could, it was cold, wet and tiring but it was still fun and I had a good time,” said Ben Nelson, from Lincoln, Nebraska, who completed the marathon. “Last year was my first time here (at Big Sur Marathon), and it was so organized and had a good crowd so I wanted to come back. I’m hoping to come back next year.”

Runners also took on causes and ran for charities, displaying colorful T-shirts and signs for loved ones and running in groups for a shared goal.

Debbie Herrera and Jaime Gomez from Denver, Colorado took the trip to Big Sur with a group to support a friend who recently lost his wife and mother. The group was running to promote mental wellbeing and compete in the same race their loved one had the year before.

“Our shirts say ‘Run for Kendra’ because she ran the 12K last year, and we lost her shortly after,” Herrera said. “We’re here to support mental health and our friend. The rain didn’t stop us at all, it was perfect running weather.”

Gomez, who participated in his first distance run Sunday, said the community at the Big Sur Marathon made the event even more enjoyable for him.

“I don’t want to leave,” Gomez said. “Being able to complete the race, and support my friend is really inspiring, I just want to enjoy the music and this amazing company.”

While repair work from the Rocky Creek slip out last year is still underway, Big Sur Marathon participants were able to run the full course again this year. (David Timonera – Herald Correspondent)

Melissa Allen and John Allen traveled from Charleston, South Carolina at the recommendation of a friend who took part in the marathon. The couple, who ran the 11-mile run, said they run together often and were used to the bouts of rain while on the course.

“We really enjoyed the weather, and it lightened up later on,” John Allen said. “Carmel is beautiful, the best part is we did the race first, and now we get to enjoy the area and travel.”

Many runners appreciated the scenic views and say it’s one of their favorite parts of participating.

“We want to come back and do the full marathon,” Melissa Allen said.  “That view of the ocean is amazing and we don’t get that often.”

The Big Sur Marathon saw a return to the full course this year. Racers began in the middle of Big Sur and made their way up north to Carmel. (David Timonera – Herald Correspondent)

Big Sur Marathon: Ricci defends men’s title, Burla out runs women’s field

CARMEL — Serena Burla referred to the start of the race as a party type atmosphere, with a lot of encouragement among the group of runners she landed with.

Then it got serious.

“That’s went the grind starts,” Burla said. “We had gotten through the hype area. We were very animated and happy over the first 15 miles. We were conserving energy. We conquered the big climb. Of course, we knew there was plenty of work left.”

Living a bucket list moment, the 42-year-old cancer survivor began to accelerate the pace, distancing herself from the pack, burning last 6 miles to be the fastest women’s finisher at Sunday’s 38th Big Sur Marathon.

Joining Burla as a champion was Simon Ricci, who defended his men’s title, leading from start to finish, the finish line in two hours, 31 minutes and three seconds.,

Defending champion Simon Ricci crosses the finish line of the Big Sur Marathon with a time 2:31:02, making him the top finisher for the second year in a row. (Arianna Nalbach – Monterey Herald)

Burla, who came out from Stafford, Virginia to compete in her first Big Sur Marathon, is the first masters (40-over) competitor to win the event, clocking 2:49.40.

“It was an amazing experience,” Burla said. “I’ve heard about this race for years. We partied it up the first half. Then the race began. Then it got quiet. The group dwindled. Then it became one foot in front of the other.”

Burla, who averaged 6:28 per mile, didn’t go in with a plan to run with a group. Yet, the hope was she’d be able to latch on to a party of runners in the early part of the 26.2-mile run.

“I really wanted to enjoy the experience,” Burla said. “We were just chatting it up and getting to know one another. One guy named Tyler ran with me. We did the hard part together. Having another pair of footsteps on the same journey really helps.”

While cautious, Burla began to push the pace over the final 6 miles, running fluid and effortless as she crossed the finish line with a gigantic smile, winning the race by three minutes over 2023 champion Anne Flowers of Colorado Springs.

“At some point, everyone is in pain,” Burla said. “I have been in plenty of marathons where you blow up the last 6 miles. The pace is irrelevant. I just wanted to keep pressing and get to the finish line.”

Burla, who qualified for the United States Olympic Trails in the marathon in 2012 with a career best of 2:26.00, was a 2013 USA Half Marathon champion, and finished 10th at the 2015 World Championships in Athletics in Beijing in the marathon.

“I’m trying to embrace this new era of my running career,” Burla said. “I probably said this course is so pretty 5,000 times when I was running. I just want to enjoy this for as long as I can.”

Ricci, who won last year’s modified out-and-back course in 2:29:31, ran just slightly slower in 2:31.02, breaking from the field early and taking on Hurricane Point alone.

“Hurricane Point is the real deal,” the 27-year-old Ricci said. “It’s 2 miles and it really was just uphill the whole way. The start is not bad running through the redwoods. So there are pros and cons. But Hurricane Point is really hard.”

One of eight male or female runners in the 38-year history of the event to defend their title, Ricci took command of the race from the start, building as much as a five-minute lead over runner-up Jake Erschen near the 21-mile mark.

“I was alone,” said Ricci, who lives in San Francisco. “I think I had a decent gab early on. But you have the lead bikes. Then you run into the 21- and 11-milers (shorter races run concurrently with the marathon). The atmosphere is quite good.”

As effortless as Ricci made it look, weather was a factor early in the race with the rain coming down and the winds picking up along the coastal portions of the race.

“The temperature was great,” Ricci said. “I could have done without the rain. There were some points of headwinds. But it was not terrible. You realize everyone else is dealing with it. I’d rather be cold than warm.”

Earlier in the race, Ricci did some whale watching off the coast while blistering the course, soaking in the world renown event, using it as a distraction when attacking the hills.

“I got to take in the atmosphere a good portion of the race before it started to hurt too much,” Ricci said. “It’s such a cool race. The end is always hard in a marathon. I enjoyed most of it. I’m tried. But I feel really good.”

Ricci is just the second repeat winner to capture the event on two different courses, joining Srba Nikolic, who won it 1997 and 1998. Last year’s rainss, which washed out a portion of Highway 1, forced an out-and-back course for just the third time.

“It was different than last year,” Ricci said. “It’s hard to validate your time with the hills and wind. But I’ll take it. It’s such a privilege to run in such a beautiful place. It was amazing experience.”

Just two other runners have three-peated as a champion of the race with course record holder Brad Hawthrone winning the men’s race five straight times from 1989-1993, and Nuta Olaru capturing the women’s race from 2012-2014.

“I hope so,” said Ricci, when asked if he will return next year. “I haven’t made my race plans for next year yet. But I really enjoy this event. It has been an incredible experience.”

Hawthrone won the race six times, setting the course record of 2:16.39 in the race’s second year in 1987. Pacific Grove’s Adam Roach has won the race five times, but never three in succession.

The 41-year-old Roach, whose last Big Sur Marathon win came in 2018, finished fifth for the second straight year. Adam Murray of Monterey was 14th overall in 2:52.26.

Big Sur Marathon

38th Big Sur International Marathon Results

Men’s Division

1. Simon Ricci (San Francisco, Ca) 2:31.02; 2. Jake Erschen (Wauwatosa, Wis) 2:36.90; 3. Nic Aubert (Woodbury, Min) 2:42.30; 4. Russell Martin (Baltimore, MD) 2:44.45; 5. Adam Roach (Pacific Grove, Ca) 2:44.51.

Women’s Division

1. Serena Burla (Stafford, Va) 2:49.4; 2. Anne Flower (Colorado Springs, Co) 2:52.57; 3. Liz Erschen (Wauwatosa, Wis) 2:59.03; 4. Janel Zick (West Valley City, Ca) 3:03.33; 5. Sara Wessen Chang, San Francisco, Ca) 3:07.37.

 

Horoscopes April 27, 2025: Jenna Coleman, change can be painful

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Austin Dillon, 35; Jenna Coleman, 39; Patrick Stump, 41; Ari Graynor, 42.

Happy Birthday: Change can be painful. Truth hurts, but putting up with situations that lead to stress is more harmful than being honest with yourself and others. Start replacing what’s no longer working for you with something that will. With each step, you will gain confidence, respect and the right to get to the place you want to go. It’s time to update and become the person you strive to be. Your numbers are 7, 10, 18, 24, 32, 36, 44.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take the path that excites you most. It’s OK to be different and to stretch your boundaries and skills to find peace and happiness. Take the plunge and do your part to promote positive change in sectors that concern you. Be the force behind making your environment less toxic and more productive. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Refuse to succumb to anger when it’s best to spend your energy staying busy. Alter your surroundings to make your life more efficient and comfortable. Don’t argue or get involved in a no-win situation. Use your ingenuity to propagate an enriched lifestyle, and you will improve your outlook and direction. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Spontaneity can be exciting but not always fruitful. Take a moment to map out the best way forward. Too much of anything will impact your expectations and results adversely. Look for alternative options that are within budget and easy to implement. Evaluate your relationships, nourish positive influence and eliminate toxic connections. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Pay attention to how you look, feel and use your skills and assets. Simplify your lifestyle, and you will make your life easier. Refuse to let temptation undermine you or put you in harm’s way. Surround yourself with reliable people, not the takers and those looking for a free ride. Protect your reputation. 4 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Power up and get things done. Don’t give anyone the chance to complain or criticize. Put your chores behind you and move on to something that boosts your morale and makes you happy. An unusual event will be an eye-opener into what’s possible. Diversify, challenge yourself mentally and stay calm in emotional situations. 2 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): An open mind will lead to positive feedback and an interesting suggestion regarding your skills, experiences and goals. Don’t underestimate your value when being specific about what you have to offer, and be on time. These are the tools that will get you where you want to go. Commit from the heart and follow through. 5 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Preparation is everything. Leave nothing to chance, and do not let yourself fall short when trying to make a good impression. Let your charm lead the way but your talent be your selling feature. If you love what you do, you’ll send a strong positive message that you can deliver what you promise. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Sit tight, be observant and refuse to let anyone bait you into an argument. Look at what you’ve achieved and what’s still on your bucket list, and you’ll feel optimistic about your prospects. Discipline, diet and fitness will help you achieve the look you want and attract positive feedback. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Let your intellect lead the way. Choosing brawn over brain will give someone the impression they can take advantage of you. Put emotions aside and be frank regarding your needs, intentions and feelings. Don’t lead someone on or try to buy love. Just be honest and be yourself. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Play fairly but without fear. Organization and preparation will be your ticket to the winner’s circle. Trust your instincts, implement your strengths and courage, and let no one outmaneuver you. Carry yourself with dignity and show your leadership abilities, and you will attract followers. Romance is on the rise. 2 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Try something new and exciting. Expand your mind and initiate lifestyle changes that will lead to better health. Refuse to let stress and discord weaken you when rest and rejuvenation are necessary to do your best and reach your goals. Do things uniquely and with personal gratitude, and you’ll excel. 4 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Do your fair share, but don’t let anyone compromise or take advantage of you. Know when to decline and revert to taking better care of yourself. Say no to temptation and situations that can cost you. Tie up loose ends and take care of institutional obligations. An environmental change will be uplifting. 4 stars

Birthday Baby: You are thoughtful, helpful and passionate. You are proactive and cautious.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes.2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others.3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals.4 stars: Aim high; start new projects.5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.

Want a link to your daily horoscope delivered directly to your inbox each weekday morning? Sign up for our free Coffee Break newsletter at mercurynews.com/newsletters or eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.

After on-court barbs, Jalen Green takes another verbal jab at Draymond Green

SAN FRANCISCO – Rockets forward Dillon Brooks took a verbal jab at Golden State Warriors veteran Draymond Green the day before the two teams met for Game 3 of their opening-round Western Conference playoff series at Chase Center.

Saturday, it was Jalen Green’s turn.

Continuing what’s been an at-times testy series between the Warriors and Rockets, Draymond Green and Jalen Green, just moments after Golden State earned a 104-93 win to take a 2-1 series lead thanks to Steph Curry’s 36 points, exchanged words near midcourt. The two were separated without incident.

Asked after the game what was discussed, Jalen Green, the Merced native who was playing in his first NBA road playoff game, said, “Just talking. You know, Steph had a good game. That’s the reason they won. It was just talking.

“(Draymond) can’t really do much of anything else. Talking is his only way.”

Draymond Green was 3-for-11 from the floor in Game 3 but also added eight rebounds and four assists in the potentially pivotal win. In the first two games, Green was a combined 4-for-11 with 11 rebounds and six steals.

Asked postgame if he commented on Jalen Green’s painted fingernails and if the younger Green took umbrage with that, Draymond Green said, “I’m not sure what he took to. But it was a good win for us.”

The Warriors focused on slowing down Jalen Green, and the fourth-year player went 4-for-11 on Saturday with six rebounds and five assists. He had a combined 45 points in the first two games.

Rockets guard Fred VanVleet got between the two Greens right after the game. Asked what prompted the exchange between his teammate and the older Green, a four-time World Champion and finalist for the 2024-25 NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year, the veteran VanVleet stayed out of the mix.

“Oh, I don’t know. I didn’t see nothing, don’t know nothing,” Vanvleet said. “On to the next.”

During Game 2, Rockets guard and East Bay native Amen Thompson unintentionally took out the legs of Jimmy Butler, causing the Warriors forward to leave the game after a hard fall. Butler, still on the mend, did not play in Saturday’s Game 3.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr didn’t feel Thompson’s play was dirty. When asked about the incident, Brooks focused on Draymond Green.

“No, I think the dirty player is Draymond (Green), giving him a little push as regular basketball players do,” Brooks said. “And Jimmy’s fighting in the air for a rebound, and stuff happens. Amen’s not a dirty player. He has (nothing) to do with being a dirty player.”

Your response, Draymond?

“I don’t have one,” he said Saturday night.

The Rockets want to do a lot of things differently on Monday when they try to even the series before going back home for Game 5. That includes having better communication on defense and making other players, besides Curry, beat them.

The Rockets also feel the Warriors want to get in the heads of their less experienced players. VanVleet, who helped the Toronto Raptors beat the Warriors in the 2019 NBA Finals, wants his teammates to remain level-headed and stay focused on winning.

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“It’s been a topic of conversation,” said regarding the Warriors’ perceived head games. “Obviously, we know what that brings to the game. But I would say we’ve got some loose cannons on our team, too.

“We deal with it all year. We go at each other in practice. It’s a part of the game. Some guys like to trash-talk. Some guys don’t really do it, but as long as we focus on basketball, we execute at a high level, and it doesn’t take away from what we’re trying to do and compete, I think the ultimate trash talk is to get the win. That’s the most important thing, to get the win, and to win this series.

“We’re not going to back down from anybody. I think that’s understood by now. And the rest is, can we execute at a high enough level to get wins.”

Without Jimmy Butler, Buddy Hield, Gary Payton II step up for Warriors in win over Rockets

SAN FRANCISCO — Batman saved the day while Robin wore a fur coat.

Without the the player that turned their season around, the Warriors were still able to pull out an improbable Game 3 win Saturday, 104-93, to take a 2-1 series lead over the Houston Rockets in their Western Conference first-round playoff matchup.

Listed as questionable on the injury report, Jimmy Butler was ruled out prior to tipoff and his status remains up in the air for Game 4 on Wednesday. Buddy Hield drained five 3-pointers and scored 17 points in his absence and afterward embraced the comic book reference coined by Butler.

“I knew Robin was out,” Hield said, “so I had to step up.”

Steph Curry, Batman to Butler’s Robin, was spectacular as ever, dropping a game-high 36 points on 12-of-23 shooting while being swarmed by Houston defenders. But Golden State would still likely be on the wrong side of a 2-1 series without the contributions from Hield and Gary Payton II.

Once Butler left Game 2 after landing on his tailbone, it was Jonathan Kuminga who received a lion’s share of the minutes. With Butler wearing an ankle-length fur coat over a brown sweatsuit Saturday, the fourth-year forward got the starting nod (alongside Quinten Post, who supplanted Moses Moody) but scored only seven points and didn’t see the court in the fourth quarter.

“You could see we were out of sorts early,” coach Steve Kerr said. “We changed the starting lineup and used some combinations that we barely played all year and it took a while for us to find our rhythm. … Every game’s different. JK can come in next game and have a monster game. I thought he came in and gave us important minutes.”

Instead, Kerr closed with Hield, who provided important spacing, and Payton, an essential part of Golden State’s 2022 championship who proved integral again after an up-and-down regular season. He scored 16, including a corner 3 and a breakaway reverse slam in the final minutes that iced the win.

Payton also often drew the defensive assignment on Jalen Green, who was held to nine points after going off for 38 in the Rockets’ Game 2 win.

“We know G is an incredible defender, but when he’s playing that way offensively, getting to the hole, finishing at the basket, knocking his 3s down, you’re getting that type of two-way basketball from G, it really lifts this team,” Draymond Green said. “It’s just another threat that they have to deal with.”

Curry was held to 2 points in the first quarter and the Warriors trailed 22-18 at the end of the period.

The threat from Hield to stretch the floor and the expertise of Payton in playing alongside Curry, it turned out, unlocked all three players. Curry was able to drive and kick to Hield beyond the arc, get open off screens from Payton and find him backcutting to the bucket.

The trio combined for 69 points — all but five in the final three quarters.

“Buddy flipped (the game), Gary flipped it — both those guys,” Kerr said. “… It’s just about spacing. If they’re going to commit to Steph, you have to be spaced. I thought in the first half we had a few possession where we were bunched up with everybody on the left side of the floor and nobody on the right, so there’s no outlet for Steph. That’s why we got scattered and had some turnovers and near-turnovers.”

The win was only the Warriors’ first without Butler since acquiring him on the day before the trade deadline. They fell at Philadelphia in the one game he was forced to miss in the regular season but were 22-7 when he and Curry both played.

Kerr noted it wasn’t the first time the Warriors had to overcome an injury to a key player midseries, but pulling out a come-from-behind win against the No. 2 seed without their second-best player, the team agreed, only boosted their confidence.

“This is what the playoffs are about,” Kerr said. “They’re about injuries and they’re about guys stepping up. We had both today.”

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“It just kind of reaffirms to ourselves that we can do it,” Green added. “That we’re capable of making any adjustment.”

Nevertheless the Warriors’ hopes ride on Butler’s status going forward. He took an active role on the bench in Game 2, even taking Hield aside at one point after he put the ball on the floor and got stripped by Steven Adams, but will be of far more value on the court.

Kerr said afterward that Butler is “literally day-to-day” and even suggested the extra hours before Monday’s 7 p.m. tipoff could be beneficial.

That wasn’t what was on the top of Kerr’s mind after the win, though.

“He had a fantastic coat on,” Kerr said. “I thought he was going to be too hot in that thing.”

Kurtenbach: The Warriors might not have the firepower of the past, but never bet against championship DNA

SAN FRANCISCO — Across the street from Chase Center — perhaps within Steph Curry’s shooting range — is an office of CRISPR, whose DNA-editing technology won the Nobel Prize in 2020.

The Warriors don’t need their neighbors’ help anytime soon.

The Dubs might not have the same strength in their numbers that they once boasted. Curry and Draymond Green’s legs might not have as much in them as they once had. Jimmy Butler’s backside has undoubtedly seen better days. Is this team a title contender this season? It depends on how generous you are with the term.

But what the Warriors still have — what the Dubs cannot possibly lose — is championship DNA.

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That term has been tossed around so often over the last decade-plus that you’ll be forgiven if it registers as trite or meaningless.

But you cannot deny that it was on full display in Saturday’s Game 3 between the Warriors and Rockets.

After a sluggish, arguably unwatchable start to the grind-it-out contest in which Houston dictated the terms of engagement, the Warriors tapped into something deep, spiritual, and perhaps even mythical to pull themselves back into the contest and eventually win it with a fourth-quarter blitz led by Curry, Green, and 2022 NBA Finals flipper Gary Payton II, who made all five of his shots and pulled down three big rebounds in the final frame.

The focal point of it all, of course, was Curry, who fought through the Rockets’ defensive gantlet to score 36 points in the Warriors’ 104-93 win.

(Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

“Whatever I’ve said the last 11 years after every one of these games, just copy and paste. He’s incredible,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after the game.

But, Steve, in all seriousness — a 37-year-old 6-foot-2 guard just lifted his team to a vital playoff victory over a No. 2 seed. Yes, the Warriors scored 99 points with Curry on the floor and five in the seven minutes he was on the bench.

Copy and paste?

“He’s Steph Curry. He’s one of the greatest players of all time,” Kerr said. “To play 41 minutes against that kind of defense… to have a slow start and then find his rhythm… to only turn it over twice against that kind of pressure. He was brilliant.”

And brilliant might still be underselling it.

Curry turned in another legacy game. How many is that against the Rockets now, a baker’s dozen?

He might have saved the Warriors’ once-lifeless, lately-promising season, too.

He went to a place only the truly special, the greatest of the greatest, can go, and found a way to take his team along for the ride.

Green noted after the game that he usually brings the necessary energy and force to games like Saturday’s. But he didn’t have it tonight. Curry sensed that and led the way.

“There was a moment in the second quarter where I had to get more assertive,” Curry said.

Green called it “beautiful.”

It was.

 (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

It was also ruthless.

“This series is all over the place. It’s not going to be a beautiful brand of basketball,” Curry said. “For us to withstand a rough start shooting the ball and find flow, obviously without Jimmy… It all came together.”

Had the Rockets won on Saturday — and it was heading that way for the majority of the game — they would have taken back home-court advantage in the series and been given the incalculable lift of beating the Warriors in the Bay. That means something for a young team going through its first NBA playoff journey.

Instead, they felt the game slip out from under them. Green entered the defensive shadow realm in the fourth quarter — the Rockets shot only 38 percent in the lane in the contest. The Warriors’ role players stepped up big when the moments were big — Buddy Hield closed and had 17 points, while Quinten Post had 12 rebounds.

And then Curry did what Curry always seems to do to Houston.

All while Chase Center was filled with the eerie chant of “Waaaaaariors.”

This wasn’t playoffs 101 — this is the advanced course.

And the Warriors were the professors.

(Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

With the Rockets’ inexperience and offensive deficiencies, this series was going to Golden State after they won Game 1—as long as their players stayed on the court.

But Butler played only eight minutes in Game 2 — the Warriors were far more competitive in that contest than they deserved to be — and then was in a full brown ensemble on the bench for Game 3. (Butler, brown? It’s all a bit too on-the-nose, Jimmy.)

In an evenly matched series, the Rockets would have an advantage right now, up 2-1 and with two games at home yet to play.

But it’s not even. The experienced Warriors have always held the trump card.

“You have to be able to understand the flow [of the game],” Curry said. “We’ve been in this situation plenty of times. It’s just how you play. You understand the moment.”

And the series is flowing the Warriors’ way. And Golden State is optimistic that Butler will be back for Game 4, which is now a de facto killshot game.

That’s what was on the line Saturday.

That’s why Curry’s performance was so massive; why the Dubs’ turnaround in the contest was so significant.

And that’s what championship DNA does in the playoffs.

You don’t need it every night, but on nights like Saturday, you have to call on it.

And the Dubs still have it in spades.

Steph Curry carries Butler-less Warriors past Rockets in crucial Game 3 win

SAN FRANCISCO – Facing the league’s most physical and handsy defense without his fearless co-star, the Warriors asked 37-year-old Steph Curry to put the offense on his shoulders in the third game of Golden State’s Western Conference playoff series with the Houston Rockets.

He answered the call, scoring 36 points on 12-of-23 shooting in the Warriors’ 104-93 victory over Houston at Chase Center to give Golden State a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Whether there was one, two or five red jerseys hounding Curry as he ripped around screens, floated in layups and popped for long 3-pointers, Houston had no answer for the greatest shooter in league history.

“He’s one much greatest players of all time, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “He’s 37. He’s one of the most well-conditioned athletes I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Curry had help, too.

Buddy Hield came off the bench and scored 17 points, and Draymond Green was a defensive standout against Houston’s massive lineups with seven points, eight rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Gary Payton scored nine of his 16 points in two minutes during the fourth quarter to give the Warriors the lead for good.

After being out-rebounded 52-36 in Game 1 of the opening-round series, Golden State continued to show improvement by being out-rebounded by just six on Saturday and outscored the Rockets 44-38 in the paint.

The Warriors played without Jimmy Butler, who was sidelined by a bruised pelvis caused by a hard fall in Game 2.

After Warriors coach Steve Kerr told media on Friday that the team was “relatively optimistic” that Butler would play, the star wing was ruled out on Saturday after going through pregame exercises.

“Robin was out tonight so I had to step up,” HIeld said, making a reference to Butler’s insistence for calling himself the Robin to Curry’s Batman.

Without Butler in the picture and Jonathan Kuminga starting in his place, Curry scored 15 points in the first half as the Warriors trailed 49-46 at halftime.

Golden State kept pace with Houston in the third, outscoring Houston 23-22 as Curry put in 12 more while Kuminga scored on a couple of hard-nosed isolation drives. The Warriors also shot 12-of-15 from the line, while Houston made just 14-of-24 from the stripe.

Neither team was able to initially create separation in the fourth quarter, even when Curry went to the bench for a short rest with eight minutes remaining in regulation.

Then Payton gave the Warriors a fourth quarter spark with five minutes left by making back-to-back layups as the roll man when Curry passed out of a trap before making a 3-pointer to help Golden State pull away.

Fourth-year wing Moses Moody was one of the few offensive bright spots in a first quarter that saw the Rockets lead 22-18. The Arkansas alum had two tough finishes in traffic to help keep the Warriors afloat.

The Rockets lead ballooned to as much as 34-22 in the second quarter as the Warriors went through a dry spell that saw the home team score just four points in eight minutes.

Curry ended that rough patch with a couple layups, a trademark difficult 3-pointer and even a classic midrange pullup as he scored 13 points in the second period.

“It’s not going to be a beautiful brand of basketball,” Curry said. “Because of the matchup, the intensity and physicality. But for us to withstand a rough start shooting the ball and finding flow, obviously without Jimmy, it takes a little bit of patience to figure out rotations and everybody is asked to do something a little different.”

He was flanked by Hield, who put in nine points in a flurry that saw the Warriors score 24 points over the last six minutes and get back into a game they would eventually win.

Golden State will play host to Houston in Game 4 on Monday at 7 p.m.

College track and field: Hartnell claims 40th men’s conference title

MONTEREY — Individual titles weren’t the theme. Instead, Hartnell pursued points, turning to a cast of unheralded names to set the tone to reach an historic milestone.

Another banner was celebrated Saturday as the Panthers amassed 190 points to bring home their 40th Coast Conference track and field men’s team title, outdistancing runner-up De Anza by 22 points at Monterey Peninsula College.

“Today was about producing points for a conference title,” Hartnell freshman sprinter Eduardo Manriquez said. “Of course, you want to win your races. But it was also about execution.”

The Panthers run of conference titles in the men’s division began in 1970. A five-plus decade run of dominance has also seen them finish second 14 times.

“It takes a lot of perseverance to make something like this occur,” Hartnell coach Chris Zepeda said. “It’s a very special experience. You don’t always win everything.”

Last year marked just the fifth time in 48 years that Hartnell didn’t bring home either a men’s or women’s conference title, creating a few sleepless nights for Zepeda.

“Look at the history of the program?” Zepeda stressed. “I felt like I wasn’t doing my job. We as coaches need to get them out of their comfort zone and get them to believe in themselves. We kind of had to sit there last year and watch.”

The Panthers were not without a pair of conference champions as Vicente Cruz lead a sweep in the javelin with a mark of 133-feet-2. Five throwers scored points, supplying the perennial powers with 31 points.

“If you look at how much we won by, that one event helped,” Zepeda said. “None of these kids picked up a javelin until they got to Hartnell. We’re not afraid to put javelins in people’s hands and make them pretty good at it.”

Sealing the conference title in the 18th event was cross country All-American Jesse Blanco, who captured the 5,000 in 15:44.9. He also led a parade of Panthers in the 10,000, finishing second with a State qualifying mark, helping the team produce 19 points.

In fact, Hartnell manufactured 11 or more points in 11 of the 19 events contested, getting runner-up finishes from Armando Amaro in the hammer and Jose Cota in the 800.

“You start going through the results and a lot of places are sprinkled around,” Zepeda said. “The goal is to get each individual to contribute to the championship. If you’re not scoring, bump someone out because you brought your best.”

Manriquez, a Rancho San Juan graduate, finished second in the 400, holding off MPC’s Ivan Mendoza. The freshman also scored in the 200 and ran legs on the 400 and 1,600 relays, while his brother Adrian took second in the 400 intermediate hurdles.

While establishing a personal best is the objective, there’s a trade off when athletes are doing multiple events for a common goal, as the Panthers bid to end a two-year title drought in the women’s division came up short in a runner-up finish to De Anza.

Hartnell, who has won 22 women’s titles since 1978, held a lead going into the final four events, only to see De Anza finish 1-2 in the 5,000 to overtake them with one event left, securing a narrow 193-187 win.

“I felt the way the women performed, I can sleep with that,” Zepeda said. “We as coaches need to beat the bushes more in our recruiting. That’s our reasonability. We got pretty dam close. We got better. So did De Anza. We can’t be disappointed in that.”

No one had a bigger day than Jenna Emerson, who competed in seven events, capturing the 100-meter hurdles title with a personal best of 15.23, as well as the 400 low hurdles on 65.45.

“To be honest, today I’m just trying to get through it,” said Emerson, a Rancho San Juan graduate. “This whole last week I’ve been sick. So, I’m trying to come back and run without feeling terrible.”

While Emerson didn’t get a great start out of the blocks in the 100 hurdles, she quickly regained control of the race, taking the lead after the fifth hurdle and glided to the finish to become the Panthers first conference individual women’s champion.

“I felt really good,” said Emerson, whose mother Tanya ran 15.13 in the 100 hurdles and 63.14 in the 400 low hurdles in 1991 for Hartnell. “I haven’t touched the hurdles a lot in the last few weeks. Coming out and running a personal best was lovely today.”

Emerson came back 20 minutes later and ran a personal best of 59.97 in the 400 meters, then jumped back on the track to win the 400 low hurdles, providing Hartnell with 28 points among the three events, temporally giving them the lead.

“Personal records are always good,” said Emerson, who played on the Panthers soccer team last fall. “I’m just trying to score some pontes for the team. The ultimate goal is to win a team title.”

Emerson also gave Hartnell nine more points between the long jump and triple jump, and ran legs on both relay teams, accounting for 42 points.

“She said she wanted to beat her league championship record of 40 in high school,” Zepeda said. “Coming off an illness, she had a great day. She’s transitioned really nicely. She’ll pass mom before her career is over here.”

Marissa Avelar had a big day in the hammer, finishing second for the Panthers, while Roselyn Olivo placed third in the 10,000, 800 and 5,000, providing Hartnell with 21 points in her three events.

The defending champion Lobos were a distant sixth in the women’s division, with Ariel Ferrell finishing second in the pole vault (11-1 3/4) and third in the high jump.

Behind Pacific Grove graduate Oliver Ottmar’s conference winning 6-feet-4 3/4 clearance in the high jump, and runner-up finish in the 110 high hurdles, the Lobos men’s team placed fourth with 100 points.

Mendoza was third in the 400 and 200 (21.85) and fourth in the long jump for MPC, and ran a leg on the third place 400 relay team (42.02). Teammate Caleb Bouwens ran a career best 4:08.38 in finishing second in the 1,500 and was third in the 5,000.