Dawn of a legend | Sports Daily Newsletter

Dawn Staley hoisted her third NCAA championship trophy on Sunday, which puts her in elite company among coaches from the Philadelphia area.

Villanova’s Jay Wright has a pair of national titles, of course, and Norristown-raised Geno Auriemma has 11(!) with the Connecticut women. As a player and coach, though, Staley just might stand alone. (And she’s already in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame along with those two, of course.)

This season was incredibly special for Staley, who showed just how much it meant immediately after the 87-75 win over Iowa when a few tears flowed. South Carolina saw five players drafted by the WNBA last year and then proceeded to go 38-0. Amazing.

“It means that we have quietly done things, in my opinion, the right way ... and when you do it that way, in return, you have success,” Staley said.” You have success in the wins column and very little disappointment in the loss column.”

Among the many sports celebrities singing Staley’s praises: Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.

— Jim Swan, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson masked up and made their presence felt at a WrestleMania tag-team match on Saturday, with the cameos coming on a big stage. Look at it another way, though, and it’s a reminder that this perhaps could be Kelce’s last time teaming up with Johnson to perform at Lincoln Financial Field.

A wrestler who prepared Kelce and Johnson for their cameos, Luke DiSangro of Bucks County, has his own story to tell.

The Eagles’ offensive line will change after Kelce’s retirement. Yes, it has left a question mark in the middle of the line, and the team could turn to the draft to address it. But there will be a sense of stability with Johnson returning and the Eagles signing guard Landon Dickerson and tackle Jordan Mailata to contract extensions.

It’s this offensive line that has many, including new Eagles wide receiver Parris Campbell, believing that Saquon Barkley will find great success running behind these behemoths. It’ll be “pretty scary for defenses,” is how Campbell, Barkley’s teammate with the Giants put it to Olivia Reiner.

Johan Rojas is off to a 1-for-22 start to the season for the Phillies, although no one can deny his defensive brilliance in center field. Cristian Pache is also great with the glove in center and not-so-great at the plate. David Murphy writes that the Phillies are at a competitive disadvantage with both of them on the roster. Here are the options.

Aside from Edmundo Sosa, the Phillies had minimal success at the plate Sunday in a 3-2 loss to the Washington Nationals. Also of note: They gave up five stolen bases.

Starter Cristopher Sánchez gave up three walks in the loss. Avoiding bases on balls had been a strength for the Phillies pitching staff in the first eight games.

Next: The Phillies visit the St. Louis Cardinals tonight at 7:45 (NBCSP).

Moral victories are seldom celebrated in professional sports, but 76ers star Joel Embiid registered a win with his recent return from knee surgery. There were serious questions about what shape Embiid would be in if he returned this season, or whether he would suit up again at all.

All have seemingly been answered in a matter of days since Embiid’s Tuesday debut against the Oklahoma City Thunder, with Embiid producing 27.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 blocks in his first three games back. He stuffed the stat sheet like he did when he was considered a runaway winner of this season’s MVP award. But Embiid doesn’t need individual accolades, not this season. He already has won by being back on the court, writes Keith Pompey.

Embiid sat out along with Kyle Lowry and Tobias Harris on Sunday night, but Tyrese Maxey scored a career-high 52 points in a 133-126 victory over the Spurs in double overtime.

Next: The Sixers host the Detroit Pistons at 7 p.m. Tuesday (NBCSP).

Stuck in a seven-game losing streak, the Flyers have seen their grip on a playoff spot slip away. In their bid to regain it with four games remaining, they must take it one game at a time, one period at a time, one shift at a time. They’ll need that kind of focus to have a chance, says Nate Leaman, a coach at Providence College who speaks from experience.

Scott Laughton was asked what he thinks it will take for the Flyers to find that next gear. “Belief. Believing in the guy next to you,” he said.

Next: The Flyers visit the Montreal Canadiens at 7 p.m. Tuesday (NBCSP+).

April 8, 2008: Jamie Moyer allowed two runs and four hits over six innings for the victory as the Phillies beat the New York Mets, 5-2, before 56,350 at Shea Stadium.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Alex Coffey, David Murphy, Jonathan Tannenwald, Keith Pompey, Maria McIlwain, Jackie Spiegel, Olivia Reiner, EJ Smith, Matt Breen, Jeff Neiburg, and Joe Santoliquito.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

Thanks for reading, Sports Daily faithful. See you in Tuesday’s newsletter. — Jim