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Michele Roberts has watched basketball for as long as she can remember. It was an easy choice growing up in a home with one TV and two older brothers. When she saw an interview last year with an NBA player and noticed how passionately he talked about trying to improve his embattled union, she wanted to be more than a fan. She wanted to be involved. That got her started toward becoming the first woman to lead a North American pro sports union. Roberts was elected early Tuesday morning as executive director of the National Basketball Players Association, and the Washington trial lawyer is eager to provide the leadership it needs after a few difficult years. "They were looking for, not a man, not a woman, they were looking for a personality," Roberts said in a phone interview. "I think Im that personality and I intend to be what I have been in my entire practice, singularly devoted to this union. And thats what they were looking for. "Someone, whether it be a boy or a girl, who understood that this was their union, and they intended to run it, and they were looking for someone who appreciated that and was not going to deviate from that." Roberts received 32 of 36 votes at a meeting of players in Las Vegas, defeating tech industry CEO Dean Garfield and Dallas Mavericks CEO Terdema Ussery in the final vote. It capped a long and arduous process to replace Billy Hunter, who was ousted in February 2013. Roberts was one of the finalists initially offered to the rank-and-file during All-Star weekend in February, but the process was re-opened under another search committee at the urging of some players and agents. More than 100 players reconvened in Las Vegas this week, and after some tense moments leading up to the vote, Roberts emerged as the winner. "Obviously I wouldve preferred that it happen sooner rather than later, but I completely understood when there were questions raised about the process," Roberts said. "Frankly, I would not have wanted them to ignore those questions and not affirmatively address those concerns. I wanted the job in February, but I wanted the job where there would be no questions about the fairness or the process, so I completely endorsed the executive committee to address these questions, and they did and now best I can tell theyre very pleased." The players considered more than 300 candidates during their 17-month search before picking Roberts, who has been called the finest trial lawyer in Washington by "Washingtonian Magazine." She said her new job will feature straight, honest talk, just like she delivers to a jury, and strategizing, things that have made her such a successful lawyer. The search to replace Hunter, who led the NBPA from 1996 until a review of the union was critical of his business practices, leaves players with less than two years to prepare for the next potential collective bargaining talks. Either the union or the league can opt out of the current agreement in 2017. The union has struggled for years with in-fighting and a lack of organization, and the players took a significant cut in their guarantee of basketball-related income -- 57 per cent to about 50 per cent, a drop of hundreds of millions annually in salary costs -- in the contentious lockout in 2011. League revenues are on the rise, a new TV contract is set to be negotiated in 2016 and franchise valuations are skyrocketing. "As far as Im concerned, preparations for CBA negotiations started yesterday," Roberts said. "Its at the top of my list of things that Ive been instructed to begin the process of preparing for, and sure its a lot to do, but Ive never been shy about hard work and long hours, so well get it done. Well be ready." NBA Commissioner Adam Silver congratulated Roberts in a statement, saying he looked forward to working with her "to ensure the continued health and growth of our game." "The partnership between our players and teams is the backbone of the league, and we are eager to continue working with the Players Association to build this relationship," Silver said. The fallout from the lockout and the Hunter ouster left the union reeling. But it also made Roberts want to get involved, which will bring the New York native back home. "The more I thought about it," she said, "the more I thought that would be a great opportunity to do something really important." Zack Cozart Angels Jersey .The Hanwha Eagles said the team was impressed with Morgans contact ability and base-running skills.The 34-year-old debuted with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2007 and hit . Los Angeles Angels Jerseys . Though the 26-year-old said he was able to participate, coach Dwane Casey kept Johnson out as a precaution. http://www.baseballangelslockroom.com/ro...-angels-jersey/. LA (SportsNetwork. Matt Harvey Jersey . Alexander was released last week by the Edmonton Eskimos, where he spent the past three seasons at safety. He had 121 defensive tackles, five special teams tackles and seven interceptions in 51 regular-season and three playoff games. Kole Calhoun Angels Jersey .C. -- Marcus Paige and his North Carolina teammates have endured so many wild swings -- big wins, surprising losses, NCAA drama -- that no one can blame their Hall of Fame coach for wondering whats next.SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Although he struggled to hit shots in regulation, James Harden demonstrated in overtime why hes the NBAs leading scorer.Harden scored a season-high 44 points, including 10 in the extra period, and also had eight assists to lead the Houston Rockets over the Sacramento Kings 113-109 on Thursday night.After tying the game with a 3-pointer, Harden opened the extra period with seven unanswered points. The win was the fifth in six games for the Rockets, who are 9-3 on the road.Harden missed 17 of 27 shots in regulation, then went 4 of 5 in OT and converted three of four free throws, leading the way as the Rockets outscored the Kings 18-14 in the extra period.He was rolling. In overtime he just took over, Houston coach Kevin McHale said.Harden started overtime with a driving basket, hit a 3 and then added another basket to put the Rockets up 102-95. Collisons 3-pointer pulled the Kings within two, but Harden converted two free throws with 7.1 seconds left to seal the victory.I knew I had a lot left, said Harden, who shot 14 for 32 and made 13 of 15 free throws. I just wanted to attack and create opportunities. I didnt shoot well in the first four quarters, but I wanted to come out aggressive in overtime.Trevor Ariza scored 15 and Patrick Beverley had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Rockets. Donatas Motiejunas added 14 points and Jason Terry 13.Darren Collison scored 24 points and Ben McLemore added 21 for the Kings, who dropped their second straight and seventh in nine games. Derrick Williams scored 13 and Jason Thompson had 13 points and 15 rebounds.The Kings, who led by as many as 12 points, committed 22 turnovers that led to 27 Houston points in dropping another tight game.These losses are tough. We have to find ways to finish, Thompson said. We really have to know how to get leads and not worry about the scoreboard.Two of the NBAs top centres sat out: Houstons Dwight Howard and Sacramentos DeMarcus Cousins.The Rockets pllayed their 11th straight game minus Howard, who has been out with a strained right knee.ddddddddddddHouston is 8-3 without Howard, expected back in the lineup Saturday against visiting Denver.Cousins has missed the last eight games with viral meningitis and there is no projected date for his return. The Kings are 2-6 without Cousins this season; 4-22 over the past three seasons.Coming off an emotional loss Wednesday to Golden State, the Rockets appeared sluggish at times and struggled through three quarters, shooting 34 per cent and trailing 69-61.Houston shot 7 of 14 on 3s to fuel its fourth-quarter rally. The Rockets made two more 3s in overtime and finished 15 of 44 overall.We didnt do a good job in adjusting to James Harden. He kicked our butt tonight and got whatever he wanted, Kings coach Michael Malone said.___A FRUSTRATED KINGThe Rockets double-teamed Rudy Gay frequently and it showed. Gay missed 14 of 18 shots and scored 13 points. His night also included an altercation with Beverley. He and Gay were given technical fouls after a shoving match midway through the third quarter underneath the Kings basket. After that, Sacramento held Houston scoreless for 3 1/2 minutes and ran off 10 unanswered points to build a 65-53 lead.TIP-INSRockets: Terry was booed loudly every time he touched the ball, and fans derisively chanted his name throughout the game. Terry was traded to the Kings last season, but sat out the remainder of the schedule due to injury, then helped orchestrate an off-season trade to Houston because he wanted to play for a team with championship aspirations.Kings: Sacramento is in the midst of a 14-game stretch (12 at home) in which it wont play outside the state of California until travelling to Brooklyn to begin a four-game trip Dec. 29. ... The entire team wore I Cant Breathe warmup shirts before the game.UP NEXTThe Rockets meet Denver in a home game Saturday.The Kings play visiting Detroit on Saturday. ' ' '