Sienna

ROSEMONT, Ill. — At first, landing Lauren Betts was not a plus when it came to getting her little sister to follow her to UCLA.

When Bruins women’s basketball coach Cori Close called Sienna Betts about Lauren transferring from Stanford at her parents’ request, the younger sibling didn’t hide her displeasure.

“UCLA was my school,” Sienna told Close. “I don’t want to go where my sister’s going.”

It took some massaging of the situation to get Sienna back on board with becoming a Bruin. Big sister helped convince Sienna by delivering a PowerPoint presentation about why she should come to Westwood for Lauren’s final college season.

“By the end, there were tears everywhere,” Close said Wednesday at Big Ten media day inside the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. “It was very heartfelt, it was very genuine. It was just why she wanted to share this experience with her sister and why they needed to share it together.”

It could be a seasonlong joy ride for the sisters after Sienna agreed to join a team that’s been picked to win the Big Ten and contend for the national championship. Lauren and point guard Kiki Rice were selected to the preseason all-conference team and could be joined on the postseason version by teammates Gianna Kneepkens and Charlisse Leger-Walker.

UCLA center Lauren Betts goes to the basket against Maryland forward Amari DeBerry, left, during the first half of a game last season.

(Nick Wass / Associated Press)

Sienna is an early candidate for Big Ten freshman of the year based on her dynamic skill set. The 6-foot-4 forward has been playing a lot alongside her 6-7 sister in practice, leading to some unusual exchanges.

“Every once in a while on the court, you’ll hear, like, the bickering from a sister standpoint, you know what I mean?” Rice said. “Like, it’s a special tone, you know, it only happens between siblings and they’ll be like, ‘Lauren, shut up’ or something like that and they get on each other and it happens quick and they move on pretty fast, but it’s always funny.”

Having her sister around could free Lauren to operate more on the perimeter, where she’s been working on her outside shot. Plus, it has the added benefit of reducing a little wear on the elder sibling.

“I told her, I was, like, ‘Listen, it’s exhausting running baseline to baseline all the time,’” Lauren cracked. “She can do it once.”

Lauren said she’s helped her sister with learning plays and persevering through tough practices while letting Sienna mostly hang out with fellow freshmen off the court. She’s always wanted what’s best for her sister, as demonstrated by that PowerPoint presentation.

“It was just to show her that, like, this recruiting process isn’t about me, and it’s not to get the Betts sisters to play with each other,” Lauren said. “It’s, I want her here because she’s Sienna Betts and she’s a really important part of our team and she would bring so much to us and she would help us win a national championship.”

Might Lauren put together another UCLA presentation for brother Dylan, a 7-2 center who is another top high school prospect?

“Yeah, his recruiting process is a little different,” Lauren said with a laugh, “so we’ll see.”

Fighting on

Don’t ever expect a concession speech from USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb.

After losing the reigning national player of the year to injury and a starting frontcourt who is now in the WNBA, Gottlieb said her team’s goals don’t change.

“That’s a lot of talent to replace,” Gottlieb said, referring to sidelined star JuJu Watkins and departed post players Kiki Iriafen and Rayah Marshall, “but we look at it in the collective and we say USC women’s basketball is not going anywhere. All the goals that we still have are in front of us. … I think we’ll have the ability to compete at a really high level.”

How do the Trojans replace Watkins, who is out for the season because of a torn knee ligament? It will be a collective effort led by returning guard Kennedy Smith, freshman phenom Jazzy Davidson and five transfers.

“No one’s gonna be JuJu, no one’s trying to be JuJu,” Gottlieb said, “but I think we can put a team on the floor that’s incredibly versatile, that plays an exciting brand of basketball and we’re going to take our shot at achieving our goals.”

Davidson, a 6-1 guard who was the nation’s top high school prospect, is already creating a buzz for a team that was picked by the media to finish third in the Big Ten.

“I don’t compare her to anybody else,” Gottlieb said, “but in terms of the way I felt when JuJu walked in the door as a freshman about her readiness for college basketball, I think Jazzy’s a pretty unique talent and will make an incredible affect not only on us but I think on the national scene.”

Finally united

Six years later, the voicemail that Gottlieb saved from a 14-year-old has additional meaning.

That teenager is now on her team.

Gottlieb was recruiting Londynn Jones when she coached at California and accepted a job with the Cleveland Cavaliers, becoming the first head women’s college coach to be hired by an NBA team. Jones left a congratulatory message tinged with sorrow.

“ ‘Coach,’” Jones said, “‘I’m happy for you, but I’m sad for me, don’t forget about me.’ ”

Now they’re together after Jones transferred from UCLA after helping the Bruins reach the Final Four.

“Here we are,” Gottlieb said, “all these years later.”

After averaging 8.5 points and making 35.1% of her three-pointers last season, Jones could play a new role across town.

“She’s a ballhandler, a distributor, she shoots the three really well,” Gottlieb said, “so I think she was looking for that just sort of ability to be dynamic and show what she’s capable of, but we just need her to be a really kind of solid, all-around contributor.”

Twice as nice

Dreams really do come true. As a freshman, UCLA softball slugger Megan Grant told roommate Amanda Muse, a forward on the basketball team, that it was her dream to play college basketball. Now Grant is on the verge of her debut in a second sport. Close described Grant as a “bully ball kind of player” who would add screening, rebounding and hustle.

Hollyoaks spoilers for next week have confirmed that Rex Gallagher turns his sisters into the police, Sienna Blake makes a chilling discovery and Froggy Black makes his debut

Hollyoaks fans can expect plenty of drama next week as Jez Blake’s (Jeremy Sheffield) dark past gets exposed.

In upcoming scenes, Liberty Savage (Jessamy Stoddart) comes across a proposal from Jez ‘will you be my Bloomy?’ as he asks her to be his partner in the flower show Hollyoaks in Bloom.

A drunk John Paul McQueen (James Sutton) disturbs the family meal, hurt by by his ex Jez’s latest actions.

However, Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson) takes the alcohol from him and John Paul storms off.

The Blakes are divided following Jez and Liberty’s latest bombshell and Cleo McQueen (Nadine Mulkerrin) urges Sienna Blake (Anna Passey) to support her family.

Wanting to be a better person for Sienna after all she’s done for him, Jez sets Robbie Roscoe ( Charlie Wernham ) free for his happy ever after with Vicky Grant (Anya Lawrence).

Later, Sienna tries to hunt down her dad for answers on how Dilly Harcourt’s (Emma Johnsey-Smith) DNA could be found on Ian and Dennis evidence but when he’s not at the allotment something catches her in eyes in the flower beds.

Fans of the Channel 4 soap will remember Dilly was murdered her uncle Jez to conceal Sienna’s involvement in Ethan Williams’ (Matthew James-Bailey) death.

Dilly discovered Sienna’s secret and, to protect his daughter, Jeremy killed Dilly and enlisted Sienna’s help to dispose of the body.

This led to a cover-up where Sienna initially misled others, including Prince McQueen (Malique Thompson-Dwyer), about Dilly’s disappearance.

Elsewhere, Rex Gallagher (Jonny Labey) changes his statement, naming Clare Devine (Gemma Bissix) and DI Banks (Drew Cain) as joint leader in the operation and Grace Black (Tamara Wall) being involved in the grooming and manipulation.

Undercover police watch Grace’s flat while Donny Clark (Louis Emerick) and Dodger Savage (Danny Mac) wait nearby on standby.

On her way out, Clare discovers the undercover officer and comes back to warn Grace.

Grace and Clare are later arrested and in person, Tom Cunningham (Ellis Hollos) tells Froggy Black (John Middleton) about Grace and Clare’s arrest leaving him to make a call.

Clare and Froggy come face to face but will will he have to say to his grandaughter?

Hollyoaks airs Monday to Wednesday on E4 at 7pm and first look episodes can be streamed Channel 4 from 7am