TROY, Ala. -- Shawn Hopkins scored 19 points off the bench to lead Troy in a 135-76 win over Div. II Toccoa Falls in a season opener on Friday night.Hopkins sank five 3-pointers on 7-of-9 shooting overall from the field to lead seven players in double-digit scoring. Juan Davis Jr. and Kevin Baker added 17 points apiece, Jordan Varnado had 16 points and Aaron Ariri, Wesley Person and Alex Hicks had 12 apiece.Baker hit a 3-pointer early in the second period to give the Trojans a 30-point lead, 68-38, and they cruised to the win.The Trojans took a 32-7 lead with 11:58 left in the first period and led 65-38 at the break.Cameron Williams led the Eagles with 19 points and nine rebounds. Connor Iverson added 18 points and Jovan Morris had 14. Nike Vapormax Italia . Tests earlier this week revealed a Grade 2 left hamstring strain for Sabathia, who was hurt in last Fridays start against San Francisco. Its an injury that will require about eight weeks to heal. He finished a disappointing campaign just 14-13 with a career-worst 4. Vapormax Miglior Prezzo . The head of USA Boxing came out swinging Tuesday with an open letter to Tyson -- a former Olympic hopeful himself -- that accuses the former heavyweight champion of trying to poach fighters who might be candidates for the U. http://www.vapormaxitalia.it/ . The Canadian squad, skipped by Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg, got on the board first with two in the second end, and followed that with two more apiece in the fourth and sixth ends. Vapormax Italia Scontate . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. Nike Vapormax In Offerta . -- The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases. Conor OShea began his tenure as Italy coach in America but the November series signals the start of it on Italian soil.OShea -- brought into the Italian setup by FIR President Alfredo Gavazzi after the last, disastrous Six Nations campaign -- is ready to showcase the first signs of his Italy plan in front of the Azzurri supporters.From a tactical point of view, the recent addition of Brendan Venter as defence consultant is a key one. Since joining, OShea has stressed the need for an improved fitness level for all his elite players, but Venters knowledge of defensive systems should turn out to be one of the best, if not the best, piece of business by the Irishman since his recent appointment.The Azzurri will move to a different style of rugby compared to the previous regime, as ball retention and making territory will be central to their new approach. So expect a team that will move the ball less out wide and will instead try to control the game.This weekend, OShea welcomes back two of the most inspiring players in Italian rugby history as captain Sergio Parisse and his veteran teammate Leonardo Ghiraldini will be ready to make their much awaited return to the international stage after they missed the summer tour.The duo will add 200 caps worth of international experience to the squad but Alessandro Zannis injury prevents OShea adding a further 99.Parisse will become Italys most-capped player in November but there may be a lot more to celebrate this month.Having the All Blacks in town for the first time in four years, should signal the start of a party for Italian sport. Rugby-wise, though, a true gauge of Italys improvement will be the Tonga and South Africa games.The Azzurri sit in a disheartening 13th place in the World Rugby rankings, with Samoa less than one point behind, so a convincing win against Tonga -- on Saturday Nov. 26 in Padua -- is vital.But right in the middle of the November Test programme comes the South Africa clash and that game could change everything.Italy do not have history on their side, having lost all 12 meetings, conceding almost 600 points, scoring a mere 145. The closest results so far are a couple of 16-point margin defeats -- 6-22 in 2014 in Padua and 29-13 in 2010 in Witbank.The figures suggested there is little to be inspired by, but that is the game I believe Italy will turn into a pretty close contest.The Springboks are in the middle of a global change in players and playing style and could be there for the taking, especially in the key decision-making errors.Italy have options and variety at half-back. Edoardo Gori (53 caps) will be challenged by the growth of the finally in-form Marcello Violi (two caps) and the presence of former Under-20 scrum-half Giorgio Bronzini, one of the three uncapped players selected for the three Tests -- the others being prop Simone Ferrari and winger Andrea Buondonno -- in what appears to be one of the spots set for a major boost from the new selection policy.ddddddddddddt 10, while Tommaso Allan has regained confidence since joining Benetton Treviso from Perpignan, Italy look inspired with Carlo Canna and that duo offers OShea a couple of great options. Having two in-form fly-halves is something the former Azzurri coaches have never had available.Cannas reliability from the kicking tee is another huge plus for OShea. Though he lacks Test experience, his composure under pressure and ability to stay gives the team a confidence to keep a hold on the opposition in essential periods of the match.If recent Super Rugby form is anything to go by, South Africas pack has struggled under pressure and that should give the Italian kickers the opportunity to get points on the board while also slowing the game down and conserving precious energy for the final quarter -- that last point is where the Azzurri have traditionally been terrible. Having Venter there may very well complicate the job further for the Springbok attackers, especially in midfield.If you add to that the fact that Italian players are now much more used to international-level collisions and an improved competence in the breakdown area -- even more so since Italian clubs started participating in the Guinness PRO12 and the European competitions -- then you get a pretty encouraging picture of what may happen in Florence against the Boks.However, OShea will be without Michele Campagnaro and Leonardo Sarto in Italys backline as both recover from injuries focused on making an impact in the Six Nations. Campagnaros ability to put pressure on the oppositions defensive line will be felt -- especially if Allister Coetzee opts for physicality -- while Sartos form for Glasgow Warriors was encouraging on the wing.The huge problem, as usual, will be trying to avoid momentary lapses in concentration which have cost Italy games in the past.Despite background political turbulence in the boardrooms and the poor form in the PRO12, Italian rugby has never been in such good shape. The National Academy system and the work of Eccellenza coaches -- who have brought new training protocols and playing standards into the Country Elite Championship -- are producing a new generation of promising players.That work has intensified the competition for senior and emerging squads with an increasing number of options across the board.So, at the end of it all, would all the above be enough to beat the mighty Springboks? Well have to wait and see but it looks to be a now or never situation for the Italians against the mighty Boks. It is an opportunity to make history which may not reappear anytime soon for OShea and his new staff. ' ' '