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WASHINGTON – Randy Wittman learned long ago to focus on what he can control. Golden Knights Jerseys 2020 . Thats what he did over the past 2 1/2 years with the Washington Wizards. Wittmans approach helped turn the Wizards from pushover to playoff winners. Now hell have a chance to stick around following a 44-38 season, a 15-win improvement from last year, after the Wizards gave him a contract extension. „I think over the last couple of years what weve begun to establish here, continuity I think is important,“ Wittman said Wednesday in the hallway near the practice court at the Verizon Center. „Im appreciative of the opportunity to continue on.“ The Wizards reached the playoffs for the first time since 2008 and won their first post-season series since 2005. They accomplished it in the final year of Wittmans contract and under a preseason mandate to make the playoffs from owner Ted Leonsis. „I was here when it was not pretty. When you see it change, when you see the things that youve implemented begin to work, you want to continue on,“ the 54-year-old Wittman said. Wittman guided the Wizards to a first-round win over the Chicago Bulls before losing in six games to the top-seeded Indiana Pacers in their Eastern Conference semifinal. „Over the last 2 1/2 years really, Randy has established a great culture, a hard-working culture, a defensive-oriented team,“ Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said. „Weve been a top-10 defensive team in the league the last two years. Weve made good progress. We still have a lot of work ahead of us, but were headed in the right direction.“ Asked if retaining Wittman was an easy decision,“ Grunfeld stated,“ Yes, it was.“ Having already coached rebuilding squads with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves, Wittman took over as head coach when Flip Saunders was fired in January 2012. As was the case in those other spots, losses starting piling up in Washington. Wittman has the worst regular-season record of anyone who has coached at least 400 NBA games — 191-329, a .367 winning percentage — since the league started in 1946. „Job security is fleeting, as we all know in this business,“ said Wittman, who played in the NBA for nine seasons. „If you worry about it, youre not going to do your job well.“ With John Wall sidelined, the Wizards opened the 2012-13 season with a 4-28 record. When their point guard returned, Washington finished 24-25. With Wall healthy and turning into a first-time All-Star alongside backcourt partner Bradley Beal, Washington ended the 2013-14 season fifth in the Eastern Conference. Washington has plenty of decisions remaining. Two starters — centre Marcin Gortat and forward Trevor Ariza — are unrestricted free agents. Overall, 10 players are entering some level of free agency or the organization must decide whether to exercise a team option. Though Wittman and Grunfeld have stated a desire to the keep the core intact, the roster could certainly look different next season. But the man on the sideline will be familiar. Golden Knights Jerseys 2021 . LaQuinton Ross scored 17 of his 20 points in the first half, hitting his first four 3-pointers, to send No. Wholesale Golden Knights Jerseys . Western and the second-ranked Laval Rouge et Or (7-0) once again received 20 and 10 first-place votes from the Football Reporters of Canada panel, respectively. Rounding out the Top 10 are the Calgary Dinos (7-0), Queens Gaels (7-1), Guelph Gryphons (7-1), Montreal Carabins (5-2), Bishops Gaiters (5-2), McMaster Marauders (5-3), Manitoba Bisons (4-3) and the Saskatchewan Huskies (4-3) Western crushed York 50-10 last Saturday in its league finale to secure first place in the OUA standings and a bye in the first round of the conference playoffs.TORONTO — They called it a serious mistake that Jonas Valanciunas must learn from. But otherwise the Toronto Raptors players and staff are standing behind their starting centre after he was charged with drunk driving. The 21-year-old apologized to his teammates, and will play in Wednesdays game against the visiting Philadelphia 76ers, but news of his arrest drew a large contingent of media to practice on Tuesday and negative attention to a team bound for the playoffs for the first time in six seasons. „(I was) disappointed a little bit,“ Raptors GM Masai Ujiri said of his reaction to the arrest. „As an organization, its not something we take lightly, its not something I feel we are just going to brush aside. (But) hes a young kid … I look at all of you here and I wonder what we were all doing when we were 21, so there are mistakes that are made.“ Valanciunas was arrested early Monday morning in Wasaga Beach, Ont., a popular vacation destination for college students about 100 kilometres north of downtown Toronto, and charged with having more than 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. Police say they began investigating after a report that a vehicle went through a drive-thru with open beer bottles visible. The Lithuanian met with Ujiri for an hour on Monday, and had his „face in his hands,“ the GM said. He also met with Tim Leiweke, the president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. „I think he feels he let his teammates down, he let his fans down, the organization,“ Ujiri said. „Thats Jonas, hes a great kid. And I think he made some kind of a mistake, but I think the most important thing is its not going to happen again, and he understands that.“ Ujiri spoke to a media horde of more than 40-strong. There were nine television cameras. Valanciunas was not made available to reporters after what coach Dwane Casey said was a great practice by the sophomore centre, but issued a statement with an apology on Monday. „I hold myself to a high standard and take my role as a member of the Toronto Raptors very seriously,“ Valanciunas said. „I apologize to the organization, my teammates, my family and my fans, and regret any negativity this incident has brought upon them.“ Valanciunass first court appearance is scheduled for Collingwood, Ont., on April 22, which is a couple of days after the start of the playoffs. Valanciunas does not have to attend and so a lawyer will stand in for him. He still may face a suspension of a couple of games by the NBA, but that wouldnt come until the results of his trial which would likely be during the summer. The Raptors will decide on any further punishment such as a fine or suspension following the leagues ruling. Most of the Raptors and their families attended the Toronto Blue Jays game on a day off from practice Sunday. Ujiri said Valanciunas instead went to Wasaga Beach with his wife and some friends. Thhe seven-footer is averaging 11 points and 8. Vegas Golden Knights Shirts. rebounds a game, and his growth this season is a big part of why the Raptors are in third in the Eastern Conference and poised to win the Atlantic Division title. Casey spoke of Valanciunas much like he would a son. „Like I told him, Im upset with him and disappointed, but hes mine so we love him,“ Casey said. „He made a mistake, but like any other young man has probably done before, or had the opportunity before. We dont condone it, the organization doesnt condone it, and its a tough time of year to do it. But its happened. … „We all make mistakes, its what we do after it that is how were going to be judged.“ Kyle Lowry said the young teammate that he views as a little brother was „sick right now“ over the mistake. „Hes really hurt by it, hes really embarrassed by it, very disappointed in himself. I can tell you that for sure,“ the veteran point guard said. „Its just a mistake that he made, its unfortunate that it happened to such a good kid in JV, but it happened, hes 21, hes going to learn from it. Im sure hell never make that mistake again,“ he added. Lowry said his advice was: „Just be more responsible. We have all the benefits of having drivers and taxis. Thats it, be more responsible.“ Raptors all-star DeMar DeRozan said the incident was a regrettable mistake, but added the players support for each other in any situation is part of what has made Toronto one of the best teams in the East this season. „At the end of the day, were all human. We can look at everybody in here and ask them: have they done something wrong, or made a mistake in life. Its part of life. Its something you learn from and grow from.“ „No matter what guys go through, were always there for them, family, whatever it may be, somebodys kid is sick … its always something, and were always there for one another. Thats big because you dont get that with every team that you play for.“ The Raptors said the negative news wont be a distraction to the team that has won six of its last seven games. „Not at all,“ Lowry said. „We had a great practice today, really spirited, really competitive, really positive vibe in there.“ „Ive been coaching since 79 and Ive seen a little bit of everything,“ Casey added. „This is very serious, a very serious matter, but its not enough to distract the team and that type of thing. „His teammates were very supportive of him, and to them its a great lesson also, the focus and the discipline you have to have in your own life to go forward.“ The last Raptor to be charged with drunk driving while still a member of the team was Dee Brown, who was stopped by police in 1999 in Toronto and charged with impaired driving and later convicted. But a judge found he was a victim of racial profiling and overturned the conviction. ‚ ‚ ‚