while keeping Briscoe (13 of 44, 143 yards) with

DENVER -- Even as Masai Ujiri accepted the NBAs executive of the year trophy from club President Josh Kroenke on Thursday, the Denver Nuggets general manager said he would have given it up gladly in exchange for a deep playoff run. "Its a little bittersweet for me," Ujiri said at a news conference a day after the Nuggets George Karl took the trophy for coach of the year. "I would trade that to be playing right now." Ujiri, the first African-born GM in major American sports, built the Nuggets team that won an NBA franchise-record 57 games and went an NBA-best 38-3 at home before going down in the first round. "There was an unbelievable energy in this city and thats why we had kind of a little disappointment when we lost to the Golden State Warriors, whos not such a bad team from what they are doing right now," Ujiri said. "We hope to kick their butts next year but theyre not too bad right now. We understand we are a growing team. We knew there were going to be pains. This is part of the process and well continue to grow." Ujiri assembled a team that had nine players average between 8 and 16.7 points and the city, the Nuggets fans and the organization embraced the clubs persona as a team without a superstar that nevertheless got the job done. Until the third-seeded Nuggets were beaten in six games by the sixth-seeded Warriors, led by their fast-rising star, Stephen Curry. Ujiri said that after the Nuggets first-round exit, his disappointment was so keen he didnt even watch basketball for several days. He finally tuned in Wednesday night to watch an NBA playoff game and came to the office Thursday recharged, spoiling to get started on next season. "Weve got work to do," he said. "I think were beginning to get over our emotional state. You know what? You have to move on." Ujiri said hes confident his deal, which expires in the summer, will be renewed or extended. "Josh and I continue to have conversations. Im very positive that things will work out," he said. And he said a top off-season priority will be to lock up Andre Iguodala with a long-term deal. "Hes a great kid and I think hes great for our basketball team," Ujiri said. "Theres a lot he brings to our program and were proud of him and the year he had. We hope we auditioned ourselves well for him. Its going to be his decision, but well do everything on our part as an organization. We want him back." He vowed the Nuggets will be back for another playoff run next season. "Our goal is to be better and to be better in the playoffs, and were going to do everything we can to get there," he said. Ujiri totalled 59 points and received eight first-place votes from a panel of his fellow team basketball executives throughout the league. The Los Angeles Clippers Gary Sacks finished second with 28 points (three first-place votes) and the Houston Rockets Daryl Morey and the New York Knicks Glen Grunwald finished tied for third with 25 points (four first-place votes). Ujiri, who spent three years with the Toronto Raptors before joining the Nuggets, was named to his current position on Aug. 27, 2010. He worked for the Nuggets organization as a scout from 2003-07, and served as the teams director of international scouting during the 2006-07 season. Ujiris predecessor, Mark Warkentien, won the honour in 2009. Denvers Vince Boryla also won the award in 1984-85. "Hes a great kid and I think hes great for our basketball team," Ujiri said. "Theres a lot he brings to our program and were proud of him and the year he had. We hope we auditioned ourselves well for him. Its going to be his decision, but well do everything on our part as an organization. We want him back." He vowed the Nuggets will be back for another playoff run next season. "Our goal is to be better and to be better in the playoffs, and were going to do everything we can to get there," he said. Ujiri totalled 59 points and received eight first-place votes from a panel of his fellow team basketball executives throughout the league. The Los Angeles Clippers Gary Sacks finished second with 28 points (three first-place votes) and the Houston Rockets Daryl Morey and the New York Knicks Glen Grunwald finished tied for third with 25 points (four first-place votes). Ujiri, who spent three years with the Toronto Raptors before joining the Nuggets, was named to his current position on Aug. 27, 2010. He worked for the Nuggets organization as a scout from 2003-07, and served as the teams director of international scouting during the 2006-07 season. Ujiris predecessor, Mark Warkentien, won the honour in 2009. Denvers Vince Boryla also won the award in 1984-85. And he said a top off-season priority will be to lock up Andre Iguodala with a long-term deal. Buy Saucony Shoes Australia . -- Peyton Manning will have all of his wide receivers available for the first time in a month when the Denver Broncos begin their playoff run Jan. Saucony Shoes Online Australia . After taking two big hits this week -- losing at home and dropping back-to-back games for the first time all season -- Indiana struck back by playing its most complete game of the year. http://www.cheapsauconyaustralia.com/ . Deulofeu injured a muscle in his right leg in Evertons 4-1 win over Fulham in the English Premier League on Saturday. Barcelona says that its team doctors will "co-ordinate" with Evertons medical staff as Deulofeu recovers. Saucony Shoes Factory Outlet . Those lessons were more than enough to overwhelm the Utah Jazz. Lou Williams scored 25 points and the Hawks continued their offensive upswing as they rolled to an easy 118-85 victory over the Jazz on Friday night, winning their third straight and for the fourth time in five games. Saucony Shoes Outlet . The Olympic champion curler and TSN curling analyst immediately went online to look at the Halls long list of honoured members. Thats when the enormity of the honour sunk in. (STATS) -- Theres an intruder in the FCS national semifinals, but unseeded Youngstown State has proven it belongs.Top-seeded North Dakota State, second-seeded Eastern Washington and fourth-seeded James Madison -- all 12-1 conference champs -- have done their part to keep the 24-team bracket to form.The exception is the No. 3 seed, Jacksonville State, fell to Youngstown State last week, and the surging Penguins (11-3) kept the momentum going in the national quarterfinals this weekend.All four semifinalists have won an FCS title previously. North Dakota State will host James Madison Friday night and Youngstown State will go to Eastern Washington next Saturday.The two winners will meet in the national championship game Jan. 7 in Frisco, Texas.Heres a quarterfinal-round review:---=Saturday, Dec. 10No. 1 seed North Dakota State 36, No. 8 seed South Dakota State 10Story Line: The five-time defending FCS champion Bison scored the final 36 points after falling into their first double-digit deficit of the season. In rallying to their 22nd straight win in the FCS playoffs, they avenged their only defeat of the season.Game Ball: Bison quarterback Easton Stick usually limits the mistakes. Although he threw an interception near the South Dakota State goal line and had poor clock management near the end of the first half, the redshirt sophomore still produced for an offense that dominated the game clock. He had 271 yards of total offense, rushed for two touchdowns and threw for one.Key Stats: The Bisons ability to convert third downs (10 of 13) led to a decisive edge in time of possession (40 minutes, 55 seconds) and kept SDSUs triple threat of quarterback Taryn Christion, wide receiver Jake Wieneke and tight end Dallas Goedert from beating them. Christion managed only 155 passing yards and no touchdowns.The Takeaway: Coach Chris Klieman talked afterward about the resolve of his Missouri Valley Football Conference co-champion, which survived SDSUs early 10-0 lead and then dictated the game in a way the Bison so often do. They wont win the run game against semifinal-round foe James Madison in the same way they did against SDSU (302 yards to 37), but they are big enough up front to impose their will.Up Next: North Dakota State will host No. 4 seed James Madison in the semifinals. Their run of five straight national titles began with a 26-14 win over the Dukes in the 2011 second round.---=Youngstown State (11-3) 30, Wofford (10-4) 23, 2 OTsStory Line: The upstart from the Missouri Valley made it three straight wins in its first playoff appearance in 10 years, overcoming three missed field goals and various mistakes to win in the second overtime on Tevin McCasters 2-yard touchdown run.Game Ball: While McCaster scored the game-winner, Youngstown States running attack featured Jody Webbs 213 yards on 34 carries -- both career highs. The senior also had 118 yards on four kickoff returns, giving him 331 all-purpose yards.Key Stat: Woffords triple-option offense was one-dimensional, which gave the Penguins a big advantage in the passing game. Quarterback Hunter Wells threw for 173 yards and three touchdowns, while the Terriers two signal callers didnt have a completion in three attempts.The Takeaway: Coach Bo Pelinis squad had been on such a dominating roll that it was a positive to see it could survive and advance despite not playing one of its better games. The Penguins will need to rrun the ball to beat Eastern Washington in the semifinals, so it will be beneficial if Martin Ruiz can heal up over the next week.ddddddddddddUp Next: Red will be the optimum color when Youngstown State travels to No. 2 seed Eastern Washington for the FCS semifinals. The Penguins won four FCS national titles in the 1990s and EWU captured its lone title in 2010.---=No. 2 seed Eastern Washington 38, Richmond 0Story Line: Gage Gubrud threw for three touchdowns in the first half, and the Eagles often-maligned defense posted its first shutout since the 2009 regular season by forcing five turnovers and getting six sacks.Game Ball: Senior defensive end Samson Ebukam, in his 36th career start, tied for Eastern Washingtons team high with eight tackles and added two sacks, two other tackles for loss, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception.Key Stat: Richmond had hoped to control the game against an Eagles defense that was allowing 200 rushing yards per game. But add in the sacks and the Spiders managed only 48 net rushing yards on 37 carries. Meanwhile, the Eagles carried the ball 33 times for 154 yards.The Takeaway: This years improvement of the Eagles defense reached a new level with their first shutout in 102 games. They were aggressive against Richmonds young offensive backfield. Coach Beau Baldwins Eagles, who won a share of their fourth Big Sky Conference title in five years, have surrendered only 113 points in their last seven games.Up Next: Eastern Washington will host Youngstown State in the FCS semifinals. The only previous meeting occurred in the same round of the 1997 playoffs, with YSU winning 25-14 in Cheney, Washington, on the way to its fourth national title of the decade.---=Friday, Dec. 9No. 4 seed James Madison 65, No. 5 seed Sam Houston State 7Story Line: The CAA Football champ reached the semifinals for the third time, dominating in all three phases of the game and silencing Sam Houston State record-setting quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe. Running backs Khalid Abdullah and Trai Sharp combined for 285 rushing yards and five touchdowns.Game Balls: The Dukes secondary was exceptional while keeping Briscoe (13 of 44, 143 yards) without a touchdown pass just six days after he set the FCS single-season record with his 57th scoring toss. Curtis Oliver and Raven Greene both had interceptions, and Oliver joined fellow cornerback Jimmy Moreland with three pass breakups.Key Stat: The Bearkats failed to convert on their first 12 third-down attempts, finishing 2 of 19 overall, which led to nine punts. The punts werent such a good option as the Bearkats had one returned for a touchdown, blocked for a touchdown and one poorly snapped, resulting in punter Joseph Figenshaw being tackled in the backfield.The Takeaway: The second-largest margin in FCS playoff history -- only Montanas 70-7 win over Troy in the 1996 semifinals was larger -- did not bode well for Southland Conference teams closing the gap on the best conferences, namely the CAA and Missouri Valley, especially on a physical level. James Madison emerged as the most impressive winner of the national quarterfinals.Up Next: James Madison will play at top-seeded North Dakota State in the FCS semifinals. The Dukes, under first-year coach Mike Houston, may be up to the task. ' ' '