Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu was recognized for his dedication to helping children in Chicago with the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award.

The announcement was made in part by several students he’s working to help at his former elementary school, Beasley Academic Center. Dosunmu partnered with the school to offer Bulls tickets to every student who makes the honor roll this year. The incentive program is one of several initiatives that earned Dosunmu the Lanier honor, which three Beasley students presented to him Thursday at the Advocate Center.

A Morgan Park product, Dosunmu has been dedicated to community involvement since he gained notoriety as a star guard at Illinois. He spends his summers at home in Chicago and partners with local advocacy groups focused on youth engagement and gun violence prevention.

The NBA recognizes eight players each year through the Community Assist program with seven monthly awards and one offseason award.

Dosunmu was recognized for his work over the summer through the Ayo Dos Foundation, which aims to create safe third spaces for children in Chicago.

He partnered with Black Kids Predict and Beyond the Ball to host basketball clinics for 180 local children this summer, donating $5,000 grant donations to both Beyond the Ball and Urban Male Network. He also hosted a second-annual block party to honor his childhood friend Darius Brown, who was shot and killed in 2011. In September, Dosunmu partnered with Nordstrom and Shoes That Fit to donate more than 350 pairs of Nike sneakers to students at Philip Randolph Elementary School.

“That’s what really makes you a good person,” Dosunmu told the Tribune. “Basketball players make a lot of money, but the important thing is how can you use your money, how can you use your image to inspire others? I’m blessed to see both sides of the fence. I want to be using that. I don’t just do it for the cameras. I don’t do it for the popularity contest. I really do it to change the lives of some kids that really never had anything.”

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Charlie Bern does a little bit of everything for the East Ridge High School football team.

The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Raptors senior lines up at tight end, running back and fullback on offense while playing both defensive end and linebacker on the other side of the ball.

“I sit on the sideline and (head) coach (Dan Fritze) just puts me in,” Bern said. “He tells me what to do at whatever position he wants me at. I’m kind of like a Swiss Army knife. I do whatever the team needs.”

What East Ridge needed most Friday was touchdowns, and Bern provided them in abundance, rushing for three scores (including a go-ahead 32-yard run with 7:47 to play) and catching another as the Raptors upset Anoka 35-28 on the road in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs at Goodrich Field.

“He came out last year as a junior for the first time in a long time,” Fritze said. “He’s a basketball player. He’s a great athlete, but he was so raw, we weren’t sure where to put him.

“He played outside linebacker, and midway through the season, we realized how good his offensive skills were. He started off at tight end, then we saw he was a powerful runner. So now he plays all over.”

East Ridge (3-6) advances to meet Minnetonka in the second round. The Skippers beat Eastview 37-6 in the first round Friday.

The Tornadoes finished their season 6-3 overall.

“I’m proud of these kids,” Anoka coach Bo Wasurick said of his team. “They battled their butts off tonight. They fought hard and never made excuses, even when things got frustrating at times.”

Bern’s first score of the night was a 1-yard touchdown run with 4:44 to go in the first half that tied the score 14-14 at halftime. But the game would continue to swing back-and-forth from there. The Tornadoes tried a fake punt on the opening drive of the second half and came up just short, giving East Ridge the ball at the Anoka 49. Five plays later, Bern scored again — this time from 3 yards out — to put the Raptors on top by 7.

“When they tried the fake punt and we got a huge stop, that got us all hyped and fired up,” Bern said. “It was a big boost.”

But the Tornadoes wasted no time again tying the score. A 30-yard run by junior Zach Welch and a 48-yard catch by classmate Trey Borchers set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Welch on the next possession.

Then, though, it was back to Bern, who scored on an 8-yard touchdown catch with 1:41 to play in the third quarter to put the Raptors back on top 28-21.

“I can’t say enough about (Bern),” said senior quarterback Tanner Zolnosky, who threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 75 yards. “He’s a once-in-a-generation type talent and we’re just blessed to have him on our team.”

Once again, though, Anoka held serve, tying the score at 28 with 10:53 remaining. Yet it was Bern who had the last laugh, scoring for the fourth time to put East Ridge on top to stay.

“The offensive line did a great job of blocking on that play,” Bern said. “I had a cramp midway through the run, but it still worked out.”

Anoka did get the ball back at the Raptors 46 after recovering a fumble with 6:07 remaining, but on the very next play, Zolnosky (playing defense for the first time since his freshman season because of injuries in the secondary) picked off a pass.

The Tornadoes again drove into East Ridge territory on their final possession, but turned the ball over on downs at the 32 with 1:28 to go.

“We’re underdogs and you get to hit the reset button when the playoffs start,” Bern said. “We all believe in ourselves and what this team can do. We showed that tonight.”

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Woodbury 42, Buffalo 0: Royals quarterback George Bjellos had a career game – err, half – on Friday, throwing for five scores and rushing for another all in the first two quarters.

Two of those scoring strikes went to Isaiah Tisdle, while two others found Liam Frommelt.

The Royals (5-4) will host Rosemount next week after the Irish toppled Blaine 51-7 in the first round.

Forest Lake 31, Wayzata 7: Forest Lake (6-3) scored four rushing touchdowns – two by star back Leyton Patzer and two by quarterback Nolan Dumonceaux – to advance to the second round for the second time in as many seasons.

The Rangers will play at Lakeville North (8-1) next week after the Panthers downed Coon Rapids 28-12 on Friday.

Prior Lake 17, Mounds View 15: Hunter MacGillivray ran for 142 yards and a score as Prior Lake (5-4) won its first road playoff game since 2000.

Mounds View (4-5) held multiple leads in the contest, but wasn’t quite able to get over the finish line. The Lakers will next travel to meet top-seeded Centennial, who beat Burnsville 61-6 on Friday.

Lakeville South 56, Roseville 0: The top-seeded Cougars (9-1) made a major statement to open the postseason. Jonah Shine ran for two scores, Gaven Dean ran for one and threw for another. That touchdown pass went to Connor Cade, who also ran in a score.

Next week, the Cougars will host Shakopee, who bested Champlin Park 34-12 in Round 1.

Stillwater 56, Hopkins 6: Stillwater quarterback Nick Kinsey returned after missing the last game and a half to injury. Kinsey went 7 for 9 for 99 yards and two scores to help spark the Ponies (7-2) to a playoff-opening victory.

Stillwater’s defense held Hopkins to just 80 yards of total offense, while forcing three turnovers. Top-seeded Stillwater will duel Rochester Mayo next round, after the Spartans upset St. Michael-Albertville 28-21 on Friday.

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Despite being a full participant in practice this week for the first time since late last season and coming off the injury report altogether Thursday, it’s unlikely that Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray will play against the Ravens on Sunday.

Though Murray, the 2019 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and a two-time Pro Bowl selection, practiced fully for the first time since tearing his ACL last December, he was listed as doubtful in Friday’s injury report. Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said the quarterback is “fully healthy,” though reports have indicated the 26-year-old former No. 1 overall draft pick would be ramped up slowly, and Gannon said only “we’ll see,” when asked if he would play this week.

When Ravens coach John Harbaugh was asked how he’ll handle the uncertainty of whether Murray would play, he replied similarly.

“We’ll see, that’s about all you can say,” he said. “We’ll be ready for whichever quarterback is playing.”

With Murray doubtful, Joshua Dobbs, who helped beat Baltimore as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2017, is expected to get the nod again. Dobbs has completed 62% (142-for-229) of his passes in seven games this season, throwing for 1,361 yards and six touchdowns with three interceptions.

Whichever quarterback Baltimore (5-2) faces, it comes into the game a relative model of health after dealing with a spate of injuries the first handful of games this season.

Safety Marcus Williams (hamstring) and outside linebacker Odafe Oweh (ankle) were the only players not to practice Friday in Owings Mills. Williams is out for Sunday, while Oweh is questionable, as are running back Keaton Mitchell (hamstring) and wide receiver Tylan Wallace (hamstring), though both fully practiced Friday.

“He’s not going to be out for any period of time,” Harbaugh said of Oweh, who was limited Thursday. “We’ll see if he plays on Sunday.”

Meanwhile, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (shoulder) fully practiced Friday, as did cornerback Kevon Seymour (ankle) and inside linebacker Roquan Smith (shoulder). None of the three have an injury designation for the game.

For the Cardinals (1-6), defensive end Kevin Strong (shoulder), guard Elijah Wilkinson (neck) and linebacker Krys Barnes (hamstring) did not practice Friday and are all out. Wide receiver Greg Dortch (ankle) was added to the injury report after not practicing Friday and is questionable, along with safety Jalen Thompson (hamstring) and cornerback Antonio Hamilton (groin). Offensive tackle Kelvin Beachum (hand) and receiver Zach Pascal (neck) fully practiced and came off the injury report.

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