photo by: AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Creighton guard Mitch Ballock (24) looks to pass against Seton during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020, in Newark, N.J.

Former Eudora High basketball standout Mitch Ballock opened the 2021-22 NBA preseason as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers after signing an Exhibit 10 training camp deal in early September.

Ballock, who played college hoops for Creighton, did not play in Cleveland’s preseason opener on Tuesday night. The Cavs control his G League rights.

Exhibit 10 contracts are one-year, nonguaranteed, minimum-dollar deals that were created to entice prospects to stay in the G League rather than head overseas. The contract can be converted to a two-way contract at any time, which would give Ballock a path to playing with the NBA club.

According to reports out of Cleveland, however, he is expected to start the season with the franchise’s G League affiliate, the Cleveland Charge. If that happens, he would be in line for a roster bonus of up to $50,000. The Charge’s season begins on Nov. 6.

If Ballock eventually signs a two-way contract with the Cavs or any other team, he would be eligible to play in up to 50 of the team’s 82 regular-season games. That’s because of a new addition to the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Under the old system, two-way players were limited to 45 days with the NBA club.

In addition, instead of having their salaries determined by how many days they spend in the NBA, two-way players now will receive flat salaries of $462,629 for the season, half of this year’s rookie minimum.

At Creighton, Ballock finished 20th on the school’s all-time scoring list (1,304 points) and knocked in the third-most 3-pointers (308) in school history. He went undrafted but then earned an opportunity to play with Philadelphia’s Summer League squad in Las Vegas.

Free State girls golf finishes 6th at league

Free State High School’s girls golf team finished sixth in the Sunflower League tournament after Monday’s third leg of competition.

Claire Berquist finished sixth as an individual for Free State and earned first-team all-league honors. In the second leg of the tournament, Berquist shot a program-record 72, as the Journal-World previously reported.

Another Firebird, Emma Stammeyer, finished 11th in the final league event of the season.

For Lawrence High, Rylie Hayden was the top finisher in the league race, coming in at No. 30.

Seabury girls run to 1st

Bishop Seabury’s girls cross country team raced to a first-place finish this past week at the Maranatha Invitational.

With two top-10 finishers — fourth-place Josie Kim (22:34.1) and seventh-place Campbell Helling (22:40) — the Seahawks took the team title over eight other programs. Seabury’s Darby Harris (24:15.3) took 15th.

Seabury didn’t have a full team running in the boys race, but Sam Jackson (27:53.7) finished 42nd.

FSHS tennis 3rd at league tourney

Free State’s girls tennis team took third in the Sunflower League tournament on Monday, with the help of a fourth-place finish in the doubles bracket by Maya Lee and Dayna Steadman. Lee and Steadman also earned all-league honors.

FSHS senior Emma Evans finished in sixth place in singles, and Wendo Kimori placed 11th.

Lawrence High finished 11th in the team standings. Emily Brandt was 14th in singles for the Lions, and Channing Saint Onge went on a run in the consolation bracket. After dropping her first match, she won four in a row, finishing in 17th place.

Firebirds go 3-1 at volleyball tournament

The Free State volleyball team went 3-0 in pool play Saturday at a tournament at Shawnee Mission Northwest, but they fell in the tournament’s quarterfinals.

FSHS beat Bonner Springs, Lincoln Prep and Heritage Christian Academy before bowing out to Mill Valley.

On Tuesday, the Firebirds lost a five-set match to Olathe South at home. The Firebirds won the fourth set to force a fifth, but O-South prevailed, 25-23, 13-25, 25-22, 26-28 and 15-9.

LHS soccer rolls at home

The goals kept coming for Lawrence High’s boys soccer team on Tuesday in a 5-0 home win over Gardner Egerton.

Cale Scott and Colin Sandefur had two goals apiece for the Lions, and Levi Hinson scored once. Josh Anderson, Josh King and Alden Parker-Timms each had an assist.

Manning the net, LHS goalkeeper Grant Glasgow had eight saves and successfully denied a penalty kick.

FSHS soccer battles to a draw

Not even overtime could decide Tuesday’s boys soccer matchup between Free State and Mill Valley.

The Firebirds and Jaguars went toe to toe before the game concluded as a scoreless draw.

FSHS goalkeeper Colin Riley helped the Firebirds hold Mill Valley scoreless.

LHS volleyball 2-2 in recent competition

Lawrence’s volleyball team went 1-2 at its home quadrangular this past Saturday. The Lions swept Manhattan, but lost to Olathe Northwest and Blue Valley.

Gianna Cooper led the way for LHS with 35 kills for the entire event. Brenna Schwada had 42 assists, and Siana King had 18.

Defensively, Emily Silvers recorded a team-leading 40 digs, Cooper had 23 and King had 20.

The Lions bounced back on Tuesday with a victory over Shawnee Mission North.