Dein erstes Forum » Fall has continued to improve. Dawkins and

TORONTO -- In a season with very little to get excited about, Jonathan Osorio has been one of the bright spots for Toronto FC. The 21-year-old, who was signed out of the teams academy in prior to the season, scored Torontos only goal Saturday in a 2-1 loss to the Seattle Sounders. Osorios effort seconds into the second half gave Toronto life but wasnt enough after Seattle (10-7-4) went up 2-0 in the first 45 minutes thanks to a Mauro Rosales strike and an own goal by Toronto defender Doneil Henry. "Its a really big surprise but at the same time its not because I knew if I worked hard good things would happen," said Osorio, whos also picked up his first four caps for the Canadian national team this year. "I have talent to play in this league so if I work hard I will improve the weaknesses that I have and make them better. I know Ill be a good player in this league." Much of the talk prior to the game surrounded star American forward Clint Dempsey, who was making his debut for the Sounders. Dempsey came off the bench in the first half but failed to score. Osorio was stirring the drink early for Toronto (4-11-8) and could have given the hosts the lead just two minutes into the game when he collected a pass from Matias Laba on the left side, cut towards the middle and unleashed a curling right-footed shot that just went wide. Seattles opening goal came in the 16th minute thanks to some slack Toronto marking. Eddie Johnson ran onto a cross from the left side and headed the ball across goal where there were three green Seattle shirts waiting with no Toronto players in sight. Rosales had ample time to chase the ball, get his left foot on it and angle a shot past Joe Bendik. "It was just two silly goals, two silly errors. Im very disappointed in the first goal," said Toronto coach Ryan Nelsen. "The second goal was a bit unlucky and unfortunate but the lead-up wasnt good. Besides that, they played very well. I just think they didnt get that last pass right and it just didnt bounce their way." Dempsey was called in with 11 minutes remaining in the first half after starting forward Obafemi Martins was taken off following a thunderous tackle by Henry. Dempsey, a former Fulham and Tottenham player, got his first touch a few minutes later in front of the Toronto goal, but defender Ashtone Morgan took him off the ball. Seattle doubled its advantage with five minutes remaining in the half when Lamar Neagle fed a cross in from the left side. Henry took a stab at the ball with his left foot but could only redirect the ball towards his own goal. With Bendik wrong-footed, the ball rolled slowly into the goal. "It was pretty unlucky," said Henry. "Not much I thought I could do but I thought we played a really good game. It was really unlucky on my part but Ill just keep my head up and keep playing my game." Toronto roared out of the gates to open the second half and Osorio got TFC back in it when he converted a quick passing play seconds after the opening in front of 18,776 at BMO Field. The hosts pressed for a tie but were unable to get another goal. "Im really proud of the guys. I thought they played really well. They kept position really well. I thought they were creative going forward," said Nelsen. "They came out and they were determined and they showed the character and they showed belief and Im just devastated for them that they didnt get what they deserved and that was something from that game." Chasing the equalizer, Toronto continued to push and controlled much of the latter period of the game but the closest they would come was in the 60th minute when substitute Robert Earnshaw had a left-footed shot from just outside the penalty area come back off the post. Torontos Jeremy Brockie was played in alone in the dying seconds but he had his back to the goal and couldnt turn to convert the opportunity. It was likely Brockies last game in Toronto as his loan deal from the Wellington Phoenix of the Australian A-League is about to end. Wholesale Air Max And Jordans . Having already announced that the race will start May 9 with three stages in Northern Ireland and Ireland and finish in Trieste on June 1, the rest of the route was unveiled Monday. Cheap Air Max And Jordans . Calgary scored on the first shift, and Michael Cammalleri scored twice as the Flames cruised to a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday. http://www.cheapairmaxandjordans.com/ . Rousey will put her perfect 8-0 record and hardware on the line against another undefeated fighter, 7-0 Sara McMann in the main event of UFC 170, which will be held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas Nevada on February 22nd. Cheap Authentic Air Max And Jordans . Coach Mike Munchak says Fokou stretched ligaments in his left knee Oct. 13 against Seattle, which could keep out up to five weeks even though the linebacker didnt need surgery. Air Max And Jordans Free Shipping . Defencemen Drew Doughty, Shea Weber and forward Ryan Getzlaf also scored for the Canadians, who started their gold-medal defence 2-0. Goalie Roberto Luongo, getting the call in place of Game 1 starter Carey Price, was solid when needed in making 23 saves for the shutout. ORLANDO, Fla. -- A year ago, the reflection Tacko Fall was seeing wasnt the image everyone else saw in UCFs raw but intriguing 7-foot-6 freshman center.Fast forward to this season, and there is a new coaching staff, a new energy around the Knights program and definitely a different Fall. The shy, towering young man is getting more comfortable on the basketball court.I can definitely be a force in the paint, the engineering major from Senegal told The Associated Press. I feel like there is really nobody who can guard me in the paint.Nobody? A bold statement, though Fall has had an impressive start to the season and turned heads during last weekends Charleston Classic.For the first time this season, the nation got a chance to see how much the goggle-wearing big man has improved. Fall dominated against the likes of Mississippi State and defending national champion and third-ranked Villanova. He averaged a double-double over the three-game tournament, including a 20-point, 13-rebound showing in a 67-57 loss to the Wildcats in the championship game.He caught the eye of ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale, who mentioned Fall on his Twitter page.I see it but I cant let it go to my head, said Fall, who was named the American Athletic Conference player of the week on Monday after averaging 17.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and three blocked shots in the first four games this season. I still have a lot to work on. I can get a lot better.The attention and accolades Fall is receiving are a far cry from what life was like five years ago when he and a friend, Ange Badji, were spotted by a man named Ben Simmons in their native home of Dakar, Senegal.Simmons, who did not return phone calls from the AP, helped Fall and Badji get visas to the United States.Fall was coming from a poor background, living with his mother and little brother in a one-bedroom apartment where the basic necessities were hard to come by -- including going to school.Fall, who was 7-foot-3 and 16 years old at the time, said his mother -- who only speaks French and has never seen him play -- was promised that he would be taught the game of basketball, have a chance to earn a quality education and possibly a college degree. But it didnt happen that way when Fall and Badji initially landed in the U.S. in October 2012.For the better part of a year, Fall and Badji bounced around Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, Kansas and Illinois in search of charter schools.Finally, in September 2013, they landed in Tavares, Florida, and on the doorsteps of Liberty Christian Preparatory School basically homeless. But that is when life began to change for the better.Amanda Wettstein and her family took Fall and Badji into their home.There were some negative things and there were some positive things because when I came to Florida I met great people, my host family, said Fall, a native French speaker who learned English quickly. They are still there and are basically part of my family now..ddddddddddddWe talk every day. They live 45 minutes away from here. They treat me like Im their own child.Wettstein and her husband took the boys in not knowing much more than their first names and that they were in need.Neither the school or us had information about them, said Wettstein, whose mother-in-law is a counselor at Liberty Christian. At the time we didnt know anything about their journey, just that they had been in Tennessee and were homeless and needed a place.The 6-foot-5 Badji is currently attending TNG Prep Academy in Tennessee.As for Fall, it wasnt long before it was apparent that he was more than just a tall kid with basketball potential. He was also extremely bright.After scoring in the 90th percentile the first time he took the SAT, Fall spent his junior and senior years playing at Liberty Christian.He played AAU hoops in 2014, and had great success. He was invited to the NBA Top 100 and Nike Skills Academy, after which the college opportunities came pouring in. Georgetown, Harvard, Xavier and Wake Forest were among the 36 offers he received, but UCF and former head coach Donnie Jones won out.The Knights had something others didnt: a location that allowed Fall, who was tired of moving, to stay close to those he was familiar with and who he felt cared about him.After finally getting cleared to play by the NCAA just before last season, Fall was a raw freshman who showed ability as a shot blocker and post defender.This year, with former Stanford coach and Duke All-American Johnny Dawkins at the helm at UCF, Fall has continued to improve. Dawkins and his staff have worked with Fall since arriving, improving his offensive game, his strength and post presence.Dawkins said that because of how well Fall runs the floor, his touch around the basket and shot-blocking ability, the only limit to his upside is his imagination and how hard he works.I tell Tacko all the time: `Tacko you can change the game. You can revolutionize our game at your size, said Dawkins, whose team is off to a 4-1 start. With that (size) and the ability to move up and down like he does on the floor, his mobility, he could revolutionize our game.The NBA is the logical next step for Fall, though its unclear when he might make that jump. However, with Dawkins mentoring him and Falls size and athletic ability, he will get a look by someone.Fall believes he is up for the challenge, and after what he has been through, no one is counting him out.The ultimate goal for me is to play in the NBA, Fall said confidently, because I think its going to open so many doors for me to be able to take care of my family, help people back home and give opportunities to people back home like I was given the opportunity to help others.---More AP college basketball at http://collegebasketball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25 ' ' '