Sports

49ers win home opener with a TD late in the fourth

Published

6 years ago

September 22, 2019

Santa Clara – It was not the best performance but a great comeback win for the books. Despite five costly turnovers, Jimmy Garoppolo’s touchdown pass late in the fourth was enough for the 49ers 24-20 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

San Francisco had just turned the ball over for the fifth time with six minutes left in the game. A bad snap led to another fumble. Once the Steelers had possession, James Conner rushed for two-yards before Arik Armstead forced him to fumble and recovered the ball.

That setup the final drive for the 49ers. With under two-minutes left to play, Garoppolo found Dante Pettis in the end zone for the 5-yard touchdown. San Francisco opens the season 3-0 for the first time since the 1998 season and the eighth time in franchise history.

“It’s just resilience,” said Richard Sherman. It’s growth from offense, defense, special teams, because it takes three units to win a ball game. That’s what we did tonight. We showed that all three units had trust in one another, all three units picked each other up when the other fell apart, and that’s how we were able to win the game.”

While the game ended on a good note, it didn’t start off that same way. In the first half Garoppolo threw two interceptions and fumbled the ball twice. He totaled all four of the teams turnovers by himself. On opening drive Garoppolo’s pass intended for Matt Brieda was intercepted by T.J Watt.

On the next drive, Garoppolo fumbled losing 18 yards on the play. He then tried to connect with Pettis but his pass was tipped by Bud Dupree and intercepted by Minkah Fitzpatrick. That setup one of two field goals kicked by Chris Boswell for 46 and 26 yards.

By the second Garoppolo fumbled again setting up Robbie Gould’s 24-yard field goal putting the 49ers on the board to end the second making it a 6-3 game. After the half San Francisco came back a better team, especially on defense. Mason Rudolph’s short pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster was intercepted by K’Waun Williams.

Garoppolo found Kendrick Bourne for a gain of 22 yards. That setup Jeff Wilson’s first of two touchdowns in the third. He rushed for a 1 and 4 yard touchdown giving them a 17-13 lead. But not before Rudolph connected with Smith for a 76-yard touchdown pass. Rudolph found Smith-Schester again in the fourth for a 39-yard touchdown.

“You never want it,” Garoppolo said when asked about his turnovers. “It’s just some them, unfortunate, some of them bad decisions or whatever it maybe. When you have of them, through, when your defense plays like that, it’s incredible to come out with a win.”

The 49ers defense was outstanding. They recorded two takeaways on the day (1 INT and 1 Fumble), with each takeaway leading to touchdowns. Through the first three weeks of the season, San Francisco has turned 7 takeaways into 32 points, ranking in the NFL for the most points off takeaways.

“Yeah, we know as a group we can be so much better,” said DeForest Buckner. “Defensive-wise, obviously we let a couple slip. We know we can do better on that on all phases. Offensively, obviously we had five turnovers. It’s just, the little things. It’s executing and just taking care of the ball on defense. I felt like we could’ve gotten a coulee more today, and we just missed those opportunities. We’ve just got to go back, watch film and see what we can get better on.”

Malaika Bobino

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Alameda County

Seth Curry Makes Impressive Debut with the Golden State Warriors

Seth looked comfortable in his new uniform, seamlessly fitting into the Warriors’ offensive and defensive system. He finished the night with an impressive 14 points, becoming one of the team’s top scorers for the game. Seth’s points came in a variety of ways – floaters, spot-up three-pointers, mid-range jumpers, and a handful of aggressive drives that kept the Oklahoma City Thunder defense on its heels.

Published

2 weeks ago

December 4, 2025

Oakland Post

Seth Curry is a point guard on the GSW team.Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

By Y’Anad Burrell

Tuesday night was anything but ordinary for fans in San Francisco as Seth Curry made his highly anticipated debut as a new member of the Golden State Warriors. Seth didn’t disappoint, delivering a performance that not only showcased his scoring ability but also demonstrated his added value to the team.

At 35, the 12-year NBA veteran on Monday signed a contract to play with the Warriors for the rest of the season.

One of the most memorable moments of the evening came before Seth even scored his first points. As he checked into the game, the Chase Center erupted into applause, with fans rising to their feet to give the newest Warrior a standing ovation.

The crowd’s reaction was a testament not only to Seth’s reputation as a sharpshooter but also to the excitement he brings to the Warriors. It was clear that fans quickly embraced Seth as one of their own, eager to see what he could bring to the team’s championship aspirations.

Warriors’ superstar Steph Curry – Seth’s brother – did not play due to an injury. One could only imagine what it would be like if the Curry brothers were on the court together. Magic in the making.

Seth’s debut proved to be a turning point for the Warriors. Not only did he contribute on the scoreboard, but he also brought a sense of confidence and composure to the floor.

While their loss last night, OKC 124 – GSW 112, Seth’s impact was a game-changer and there’s more yet to come. Beyond statistics, it was clear that Seth’s presence elevated the team’s performance, giving the Warriors a new force as they look to make a deep playoff run.

Oakland Post

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Barbara Lee

WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries Kick Off Season with Community Programs in Oakland

“The Golden State Valkyries are more than a team—they’re a movement,” said Oakland Interim-Mayor Kevin Jenkins. “Their touchdown in Oakland marks a new era of opportunity, inspiration, and equity in sports. This partnership reflects our city’s deep commitment to uplifting women, investing in youth, and building a community where every dream has a place to grow. We’re proud to welcome the Valkyries to The Town.”

Published

7 months ago

May 18, 2025

Oakland Post

The Valkyries came to Oakland City Hall with a “Hoopbus.” Present were (from left to right): City Councilmembers Noel Gallo, Rebecca Kaplan, Zac Unger and Rowena Brown; Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee, Valkyries President Jess Smith, a Valkyries team representative and Deputy Mayor LaNiece Jones. Photo courtesy Rebecca Kaplan’s office.

Team installs new nets at playgrounds, holds flag-raisings at City Halls in Oakland and S.F.

Special to The Post

The Golden State Valkyries brought the excitement of their inaugural season to every corner of the Bay Area with a full slate of community celebrations leading up to their historic home-opener against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Friday.

The week featured flag-raising ceremonies at city halls in Oakland and San Francisco, three “Violet Net” installation days at Oakland parks to encourage basketball play, fun “Hoopbus” takeovers at multiple schools presented by Kaiser Permanente, and player appearances.

In total, 90 violet nets were installed on 45 basketball courts across 34 public parks throughout Oakland this week. A list of the parks receiving violet nets can be found at Valkyries.com.

About the Golden State Valkyries

The Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA affiliate of the seven-time NBA Champion Golden State Warriors, were announced as the 13th WNBA franchise on Oct. 5, 2023. According to Norse mythology, Valkyries are a host of warrior women who are fearless and unwavering – flying through air and sea alike.

This brand is Golden State’s modern interpretation of Valkyries: strong, bold, and fierce. Tipping off during the 2025 WNBA season, the team is headquartered in Oakland and will play home games at Chase Center in San Francisco. For Golden State Valkyries’ assets, including team logos, visit valkyries.com.

Oakland Post

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Activism

McClymonds High Names School Gym for Star Graduate, Basketball Legend Bill Russell

William “Bill” Felton Russell was born on Feb. 12, 1934, and died on July 31, 2022. He achieved fame as a U.S. professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career.

Published

10 months ago

February 18, 2025

Oakland Post

Bill Russell and Brian McGhee in McClymonds High School Gym, 2011. Photo courtesy of Brian McGhee.

By Ken Epstein

West Oakland’s McClymonds High School, “the School of Champions,” this week named the school’s gymnasium in honor of one of its most famous graduates, basketball legend Bill Russell (class of ’52).

Russell is widely known as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. In 2011, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civil honor, from President Barack Obama for Russell’s contributions to basketball and the Civil Rights Movement.

The McClymonds’ naming ceremony was held on Wednesday, the same day as Russell’s birthday. Oakland leader Bill Patterson, a longtime friend of Russell’s, was scheduled to cut the ribbon at the reopening of the gym, which had been closed for several months for renovation. Russell’s daughter Karen was scheduled to attend the ribbon cutting.

Russell’s name and signature are now printed on the gymnasium floor.

Patterson was working at DeFremery Park when he met Russell. “I befriended him as a boy and during his years at University of San Francisco” said Patterson. “We stayed friends for the rest of his life.”

Said McClymonds Principal Darielle Davis, herself a McClymonds graduate, “We are excited to honor Bill Russell for his sports accolades and because he broke color barriers. He is part of our legacy, and legacy is really important at McClymonds.”

Brian McGhee, community schools manager at McClymonds and former football player at UC Berkeley, said that Russell meant a lot to him and others at the school. “He was a beacon of light and hope for West Oakland,” he said. “He did a lot for sports and for civil rights.”

Starting in 2018, Ben “Coach” Tapscott worked with Patterson and other McClymonds grads, community members, and former coaches to encourage the Oakland Board of Education to endorse the naming of the school gym, which finally happened recently.

“We worked hard to make this happen,” said Tapscott. “He’s an important part of McClymond’s history, along with a lot of other famous graduates,” he said.