On Feb. 20, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) announced that they had selected Roslyn M. Brock as the new chair of the Board of Directors. Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization.

Brock, aged 44, will be the youngest female ever to be Chair and also only the fourth woman. The NAACP is looking forward to Brock’s more youthful outlook that she will be able to bring to the organization.

Brock said in her press release, “We have a 48-year old President in the White House, an NAACP President who was 35 at the time of his election, and a 44 year old Board Chair. The wisdom of those who stood the test of time got us to this point, and the youth will lead the future success of our movement.”

Currently, the NAACP is primarily interested in the youth. Their goal is to prioritize their most important issues to create a solid agenda for the next few years. Brock claims that “passing the baton” to the next generation is one of her top priorities as Chair.

At the College, students are actively taking an interest in receiving that baton. On Wednesday night, the Black Student Association (B.S.A.) held their final dinner discussion to exchange views on the relevance of Black History Month.

Although the general consensus of the group was in favor of promoting Black History Month, many members suggested that updates need to be made. Part of the discussion centered on the idea that what we are learning during the month of February does not encompass many important time periods that have been influenced by African Americans. Every year, people are hearing about Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks during the Civil Rights era. However, there is never any information provided on the time period post-civil rights, making it seem as though racial equality had been achieved, which it clearly had not. The group discussed the fact that in order to make black history more relevant, it should be integrated into the rest of history, meaning it would be proportionally discussed in the 70s, 80s, 90s, etc.

What does the group propose to help address the racial incidents that still exist in society and at our school? Marcel Baugh ’13 says we need “race transcendent prophets.” In other words, “people who look at racial injustices as a prevelent issue and are active in doing something about it.”  He continues in advocating the idea that people need to be advocates for their race and diversity.

The B.S.A. is holding an alumni award event on Saturday from 3-5 p.m. in the alumni center and are extending an invitation to all people, group members or not.

Black History Month remains an important part of the year because as B.S.A. President Carmen Guess ’12 puts it, “This is the only time we are able to hear about things from people who look like us.”

For most of the students, the two-week vacation is a much-needed break. As some students jet off to exotic locations, others, especially the seniors, may still be on campus putting the final touches on their I.S. The bookstore, copy center and registrar’s office (the three most important stops en route to independence) will all have extended hours over spring break to accommodate the seniors.

The copy center, which is located in Lowry, is hoping to assist more seniors this year in making copies of their I.S. “I’m just hoping we get more students in here,” said Joyce Heitger, the Supervisor of Office Services, “I think students need to know we are available for them.” During spring break and up until 5 p.m. on I.S. Monday, seniors can come to the copy center and either download their I.S. from their email, flash drive, CD or even bring a hard copy and those working at the center can make copies for students before they go upstairs to the bookstore to get their projects bound. The copy center also has coil binding for students if they prefer different bindings for all the copies of their projects.

Heitger, along with Rogera Flack, the Assistant Director and Book Department Manager of the Bookstore, also stressed that, for students, coming to the copy center can be beneficial for a number of reasons. Compared to prices at larger industrial copy centers, the 5 cents a copy and .39 cents for full color copies that the center charges are quite a steal and students are able to use their copy account to pay for their cost. Also, the high speed of the copiers at 110 pages a minute and the convenience of being on-campus are more incentives for seniors looking to make more than two copies of their I.S. Last year, only 41 seniors utilized their services during I.S. Sunday and Monday, and this year they’re hoping for more. Over break, the center will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on March 21 and 22.

The Bookstore, where seniors can have their I.S. bound, also has a number of suggestions for those already thinking about this process. One tip Kathy Jerisek, the Assistant Director and General Merchandise Manager of the Bookstore, has for seniors is to remind them that they are always able to come to the bookstore, drop off their I.S. to get bound, leave their name and pick them up later. Since March 21 and  22 are dedicated to binding, there are times when the process becomes backed up because there is only one machine available for binding. Jerisek emphasizes that it does depend on time and day, but sometimes students could be waiting in the bookstore for up to 15 or 20 minutes, so with this option, she’s hoping to lessen the stress for seniors.

Vinyl binding, the most popular choice for students will cost $2.95 or for $1.95 students can get a heavier stock binding with a different cover. Over break, the bookstore will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. Saturday, March 20 they will be open 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., March 21 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and I.S. Monday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Registrar’s Office is the final stop for seniors, where they turn in two copies of their bound I.S., receive their button, Tootsie Roll and have the chance for a photo-op with the giant, inflated tootsie roll hanging over the registrar’s desk. “It’s important for faculty to know as well about the logistics of getting I.S. done,” said Registrar Suzanne Bates. The Registrar’s office hours over break are the same as their regular business hours – 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On Sunday, March 21 the office will be open 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and until the deadline of 5 p.m. on I.S. Monday.

In keeping with this 60 year tradition of I.S., Bates will be dressed in a tootsie-roll costume, as she has done every year while she congratulates the students. “The students come first,” said Heitger.

Wooster Alum Duncan Jones ’95 has been awarded a 2010 Film Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, the British equivalent of an Academy Award.

His first feature film, “Moon,” was recognized with acclaim in the United States as well and Jones has said that his film was influenced in part by his Independent Study he created as a student at Wooster. Currently, Jones is at work  on his second feature film, “Source Code.”

This past Sunday, a spectator at the National Hot Rod Association  (NHRA) Arizona Nationals was killed when a loose tire came apart from a Top Fuel dragstar. The accident occured when the car lost its left-rear tire. Before the car  burst into flames, it skidded into the left hand lane and collided with the wall. It was then the tire bounced into the crowd striking the woman at the International Firebird Raceway. The women was helicoptered to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead several hours later. The NHRA is still looking into the details of the accident.

Gunman opens fire in Colo. middle school

On Tuesday, a gunman identified as Bruco Strongeagle Eastwood opened fire outside Deer Creek Middle School in Littleton, Colorado.

Eastwood was firing rounds at students who were leaving the school until suddenly David Benke, a teacher at Deer Creek, tackled Eastwood to the ground and held him down until police arrived.

Only two students were injured and taken to the local hospital where, as of press time, they were in stable condition with no life-threatening injuries. Eastwood was charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder and is being held on $1 million bond.

Toyota recall case becomes complicated

According to the New York Times, leading Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee said Monday that Toyota relied on a flawed study in dismissing the notion that computer issues could be at fault for sticking accelerator pedals, and then made misleading statements about the repairs. The representatives, in a letter to the transportation secretary, said they were concerned about the competency of investigations into Toyota’s problems by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Union members representing British Airways cabin crews said Monday they have voted overwhelmingly to strike. The strike centers around service conditions which would lengthen crew hours but also cut down employment.

Crew members are expected to meet this weekend to determine an exact date for the strike to occur.

Anna Lemler ’10, beautifully performed Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E Minor. The piece is considered to be the premiere cello solo and for good reason. Lemler’s passion for the instrument and the beautiful sounds of the orchestra brought the concerto to life.

I have rarely thought of the cello as such an integral instrument in the orchestra, with the exception of the world’s great cellists like Yo-Yo Ma.

Prokofiev’s “Lieutenant Kije Suite” written in 1934 for the film of the same title chronicles the life of an imaginary decorated soldier constructed for the purposes of pleasing Russia’s Czar.

The piece utilizes all the facets, of the orchestra beginning with a beautiful opening part for the trumpet that comes full circle at the end of the last movement with the death of Lt. Kije.

The pieces’ emotional highs and lows were well articulated by the orchestra’s great performance. The musicians’ passion for the music translated well into the sound and professionalism that was articulated by their performance.

Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 was completed and first performed in 1901. To play the piece, the Orchestra brought in the accomplished pianist and composer Dr. Mayerovitch. Mayerovitch has won an extensive number of competitions and is currently a member of the Elysian Trio, in-residence at Baldwin Wallace University. It is wonderful that we are able to bring such talent to our campus.

He demonstrated graceful attention to the piece and possessed a great ability to perform with precision from memory. His style took the audience on an emotional roller coaster, as we felt the emotions spring to life.

The musicians were well-trained and prepared throughout this performance as they accompanied him.

It truly was a wonderful and worthwhile concert. Before attending this concert, I had never been to an orchestra performance at the College of Wooster and I am sad to learn about this gem so late in the game as a senior.

I encourage everyone to take advantage of the opportunity to experience beautiful music that we have on campus from the Wooster Symphony Orchestra to Cow Belles.

Not only does the orchestra put on a great performance, but also their venue is extremely beautiful and well built for a college of this size. I am hard to impress, but at this concert, the musicians and conductors did a fantastic job of impressing me.

The play centers around the relationship between Mary Queen of Scots (Amanda Keith ’11) and her first cousin, Elizabeth I of England (Bridget Hillyer ’12). La Corbie (Nina Takács ’11) is the storyteller, taking on the form of a crow who quietly and beautifully informs the audience of the tension and actions taking place.

As lords and nobles vie for power and attention from Mary, she finds herself constantly denounced by the protestant reformist John Knox (Owen Reynolds ’11), who wants the Catholic queen to give up her power and return it to the people.

Throughout the play, all the actors assume multiple identities of colorful characters, with Hillyer and Keith switching back and forth as the servants of the queens during more profound moments. Hillyer portrayed a very fierce and decisive Elizabeth, while Keith successfully captured a delicate but fine upstanding Mary.

Takács delivers a powerful performance as La Corbie; she was the driving force of the story. Likewise, Reynolds was commanding and very frightening as John Knox, you could also guess what he was up to next.

While most critics may label this as a historical drama, it is much more than that. According to director Penny Cole, “It is a major focus on the struggle for power and the choices they need to make as women or queens.”

Cole is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre and Dance from the University of Colorado-Boulder. She is teaching Celtic Theatre this spring semester which explores the history of theatre in Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

Cole also mentioned that Mary is traditionally viewed as an innocent martyr who stood by as others plotted schemes around her. She intends to shed light on a new side of the doomed queen.

The dialogue is a mix of refined English accents, and Scots, a traditional language of Scotland. I carefully listened to the well spoken Scottish and English accents, which helped me understand the action and tension occurring on the stage. Audience members will find a set of basic Scot vocabulary in their programs.

Actors’ bios are replaced by a historical review of the characters, giving necessary background information. I would recommend reviewing the execution of Mary Queen of Scots, as it plays an important part in the final scene of the show.

Instead of presenting the performance by using all of the seats in Freedlander, the department of Theatre and Dance decided to push the audience on the stage as a theatre in the round. The flags of England and Scotland appeared to have been placed to appear as if you stepped into the world of a carnival or festival.

On the floor is a map of the two countries, with moveable platforms that consistently shaped the troubled world of the two queens.

Nathan Comstock ’10 designed the set for his senior independent study, which questions how scenic design can aid an audience in understanding the the cultural and history of highly nationalistic play.

Comstock notes that “the platforms, painted like pieces of flags, are constantly moving and shifting. A flag is a construct, like a nation. Nothing about it is set in stone.”

As the actors used every extent of the stage, leaving no corner untouched, I was impressed with their familiarity of the space.

It felt as if they were truely living and breathing in their own world and I was invited to participated in it. I wanted to literally step into their world and live it. I highly recommend you try and do the same too.

To celebrate Scottish heritage and life, a Ceilidh (pronounced “kay-lee”), or party festival will be happening in Shoolroy theatre after tonight’s performance. Audience members who purchase a ticket for the show are invited to attend the Ceilidh.

Kenyon College (3-13, 6-19) entered Tuesday’s NCAC quarterfinal as the No. 8 seed. While the Lords nearly pulled an upset of the Scots on their home floor in early December,  Kenyon had since lost 15 of their last 18 and were expected to be a slight speed bump on the Scots’ trip to host the NCAC semifinals. The Lords, however, missed the memo.

Despite the Scots’ hot perimeter shooting, Kenyon hung in the game for much of the first half. While the Scots continued to knock down threes, the inside play of forward Dave Knapke kept the game close. With just under five minutes remaining, the Lords cut the Scots’ lead to a just a bucket, 31-29. After calling a timeout, the Scots used a 10-3 run to go into halftime ahead 41-32.

After halftime, the Scots’ post defense tightened up and challenged Knapke inside. As Knapke struggled, so did Kenyon’s offense — hitting just 8-of-25 from the field in the second half. The Scots maintained a double-digit lead for most of the second half to sew up a drama-free victory.

The biggest factor for the Scots was their perimeter shooting. The Scots knocked down 13-of-23 from behind the arc. In the last three games, the Scots have now hit 35-of-69 from downtown — a staggering 51 percent.

Guard Ian Franks ’11 led all scorers with 25 points while also grabbing eight rebounds. Guard Nathan Balch ’11 added 13 points and guard Matt Fegan ’12 chipped in 12 points off the bench. Altogether, the trio was 10-of-14 behind the arc.

While Kenyon held its own inside, Wooster still won the battle on the glass — pulling down 34 rebounds to the Lords’ 28. Bryan Wickliffe ’11 led the Scots with nine rebounds. While Wickliffe had posted four double-doubles in his last six games, the 6-5 forward was held to six points against Kenyon. Much of Wickliffe’s energy was spent on the defensive end guarding Knapke, where he performed admirably. While Knapke did score 15 points, he was held to just 5-of-14 shooting from the floor.

With the win, the Scots will now turn their attention to the semi-final and championship rounds of the NCAC Tournament, which they will host for the sixth consecutive year. The Scots will host No. 5 seeded Ohio Wesleyan University, which punched its ticket to the Timken Gymnasium with a 73-59 victory Tuesday over Allegheny College.

The Battling Bishops will be making their second trip to Wooster in less than a week and a half. In their last meeting with the Bishops on Feb. 17, the Scots pulled away with dead-on outside shooting. The Scots hit 11-of-15 from behind the arc to go up 57-41 at halftime, eventually cruising 94-78. Mike Evans ’12 provided a big spark off the bench, hitting all five shots from downtown for 15 first-half points.

Wing player Tim Brady has emerged as the Bishops’ leading scorer. Brady poured in 27 points on Feb. 17, and scored 27 in the Bishops’ quarterfinal win over Allegheny. The Scots’ number one objective on defense will be to limit Brady offensively.

The Bishops are one of the few teams that can match the Scots’ size and depth inside. The Bishops have three solid post players inside with Marshall Morris, Pat Pellerite and Brent Pleiman. The Scots will need contributions from their four-man post rotation of Wickliffe, Josh Claytor ’13, Jake Mays ’13 and Justin Hallowell ’12.

The Scots are expected to receive a big lift with Hallowell’s return. After missing four straight games with an ankle injury, Hallowell is expected to return to the court for the first time since Feb. 10 in a win over Hiram College. This season, Hallowell has not knocked down shots from long range with the frequency that he did as a first-year — his three-point field goal percentage has dropped to 35 percent after hitting 51 percent last season. Hallowell, however, remains a constant threat from behind the arc that teams have to account for. His presence on the perimeter keeps opposing defenses honest. In the loss to Wittenberg University two weeks ago, the Tigers’ defense collapsed on Franks and Balch each time the two drove to the paint without the threat of Hallowell on the outside. The sophomore’s return will be a welcome addition for the entire team.

The early semi-final game will feature No. 2 seeded Wabash College and No. 3 seeded Wittenberg University. Wittenberg is the only NCAC team to beat the Scots this season. After Wittenberg’s big win over the Scots, the Tigers promptly blew an 11-point lead at home to the Little Giants and lost 72-69.

The Giants swept the season series over the Tigers. The Giants will be led by athletic swingman Wes Smith, who scored 21 points in the Giants’ 73-54 quarterfinal victory over No. 7 seeded Denison University.

The Tigers, meanwhile, steamrolled their way to the next round of the NCAC Tournament with an 85-62 win over No. 6 seeded Hiram College. Wittenberg will have to hope that the third time is the charm against the Giants. The Tigers will rely on hot perimeter shooting from Chris Sullivan and Josh McKee.

Wittenberg, surprisingly, will be making its first trip to the NCAC semi-final round in three years. The Tigers have been upset in the quarterfinal round each of the past two seasons. In the 2007 NCAC Tournament, the Tigers reached the semis but fell to Ohio Wesleyan University 57-52. The Tigers and Scots last met in the NCAC Tournament in the 2006 NCAC Championship, where the Tigers escaped with a 61-59 win on the Scots’ home floor.

If the Scots beat the Bishops, it will set up an intriguing NCAC finals, regardless of whether Wabash or Wittenberg wins the other semi-final game. If Wabash wins, it will set up a rematch of the 2009 NCAC Championship, where the Scots won 84-72 with a 34-point explosion from Hallowell. The two teams also met in the 2008 NCAC Tournament, when Wabash stunned the Scots 87-63 in the semi-final round.

If the Tigers win, there are enough subplots to fill a 60 Minutes segment. The Scots would be looking to avenge their humbling loss two weeks ago to the Tigers. Wittenberg, meanwhile, would be looking to clinch their first NCAA Tournament bid since 2006, when they reached the national championship. The game would be a must-win for the Scots. Despite a 21-6 record and challenging schedule, the Scots are not assured of at an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. They need to win the tournament to ensure that their season continued next weekend in the NCAA Tournament.

While the Red Cross-sponsored Blood Battle may have technically ended two weeks ago, all four semi-final teams will be out for blood and fighting for their post-season lives this weekend. A war has officially been declared.

The Scots (11-15, 8-8 NCAC) trailed the Ladies (17-9, 8-7 NCAC) throughout the entire game.  The Scots’ late comeback came with two minutes left and the team trailing by six (48-42), but ultimately fell short as their hopes of further playoff action were dashed by just one point in the end.

The Ladies blazed past the Scots in the opening minutes of the game, grabbing three steals against Wooster and building a 6-0 lead.  Baskets by Kym Wenz ’10 and Jessica Wingen ’13 pulled the Scots within four (8-4), but Kenyon retaliated with a 7-0 run that put them ahead 15-4 in the first eight minutes of the game.

Wooster responded by outscoring Kenyon over the last 11 minutes of action in the half, with three-pointers by Wenz on assists by Samantha Justice ’12, a three-ball by Colleen Goodwillie ’10 to cut their deficit to 26-22.

As Kenyon increased their lead before the half, Kaitlin Krister ’10 scored on a Taylor Keegan ’11 assist to bring the Scots within five points (29-24) going into the half.

Keshia Butler ’12 rallied for the Scots in the opening minutes of the second half, converted at the hoop and assisted Krister. However, Kenyon steadily began to increase their lead over Wooster, reaching an 11-point advantage (39-28), the largest of the game.

Several minutes later, Wingen began a 7-0 run for Wooster, bringing the Scots within four (39-35) with eight minutes remaining in the game.  Goodwillie responded to a Kenyon three with her own to keep the Scots in the contest.

In the final minutes of the game, the Scots rallied behind Wenz, who scored on a three-pointer on an assist from Goodwillie, who later assisted Wingen to bring Wooster within one (48-47).  Wingen then blocked a Kenyon shot that was rebounded by Goodwillie, and the Scots called a timeout with seven seconds on the clock.

Coming out of the timeout, the team left its top two point guards, Butler and Samantha Justice ’12 on the bench. Priscilla Staples ’11 was unable to get the ball to the All-American Wenz. Staples instead inbounded the ball to Goodwillie, who forced up a contested three-pointer. The shot hit the front of the rim and bounced out as time expired, ending the team’s chances of advancing to the semi-final round for the first time in over 10 years.

In the remaining seconds, the Scots attempted one last basket, but came up short, ending their season.

Wooster shot 19-of-42 from the field and outrebounded Kenyon 34-of-28 for the night, a statistic that has been critical in Wooster this season.  The biggest difference was at the charity stripe, where the Scots went 4-of-11 while the Ladies were 14-of-20.

Wenz led the scoring with 17 points, and Wingen had 10 points and went 5-of-10 for shooting.  Goodwillie had eight points, three rebounds and three assists.

Wooster’s earlier three-game winning streak was cut short last Friday in an 81-61 loss to North Coast Athletic Conference team Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio.  The Battling Bishops (18-6, 13-2 NCAC) went on a 15-2 run in the opening minutes of the game that the Scots (10-14, 7-8 NCAC) were never able to overcome.

Kristen Schwartz ’12 connected on Wooster’s only basket in the first six minutes of the game that put them behind by 13. Krister then scored and drew a free throw to bring them within 10 (15-5), but Ohio Wesleyan continued to overwhelm Wooster and led by as much as 21 (40-19) with just under five minutes in the half.

Wooster finished the first half with a 12-2 run, with five points coming from Butler  to cut Ohio Wesleyan’s lead to nine (42-33).

The Scots drew upon the momentum that closed out the first half and opened the second half with another 12-2 run, with Wenz making back-to-back shots and offering an assist to Butler to put Wooster within one (48-47) with 14 minutes to go in the game.

The Battling Bishops regained their dominance and closed the game with a 33-14 run, leading by as much as 24 and finishing 20 points ahead of the Scots (81-61).  Ohio Wesleyan made good use of its free-throw opportunities, going 12-of-16, while Wooster went 4-of-7.

Krister led Wooster’s play with a solid 11 points, eight rebounds, six assists and six blocks.  Her season total blocks now stand at 55, making her one of seven players in Wooster’s history to reach 50 or more blocked shots in one season.  Wenz went 6-of-8 from the field and had 17 points and five boards.  Keegan added six points, five rebounds and three assists.

The next day Wooster traveled to Richmond, Indiana to face the Quakers in their second NCAC match-up of the season.  The Scots trailed by as much as 13 points in the first half and took their first lead on a 13-5 run that opened the second half to finish Earlham’s season in a 72-69 win.

Wenz and Earlham’s Nikki Darrett traded three-pointers to start the game, but the Quakers went on a 10-2 run against the Scots.  Wooster drew within two points several times on a jumper by Keegan (18-16) and a lay up by Krister (22-20) with six minutes left in the first half.  To finish the stanza, the Quakers added 11 unanswered points to give them a 13-point lead (33-20).  Baskets by Wenz and Samantha Justice ’12 brought the Scots within eight (37-29) to close out the half.

Krister connected with Schwartz to start the second half, bringing the Scots within four (37-33). Wingen scored minutes later off an assist from Keegan, and Wenz scored with an assist from Justice to tie the game 42-42 with just over 13 minutes left to play.

Over the next seven minutes the Scots went on a 20-9 run to move ahead of the Quakers by 13 (64-51).  Earlham responded with a 17-4 run over the next five minutes to tie the game 68.  Krister scored two baskets to put the Scots ahead by one (70-69) and Schwartz added two more points on free throws to seal Wooster’s win.

Wenz led the team’s scoring with 24 points and 8-of-14 shooting, including four three-pointers.  Krister had 18 points, 12 boards and four blocks, moving her into third on the all-time single-season list with 59.  Keegan had 12 points and four assists, while Justice had eight.

In other NCAC Tournament games, Wittenberg University defeated Hiram College in a 59-43 contest, Ohio Wesleyan University overcame Oberlin College in a close match (62-56) and Denison University dominated Allegheny College 80-58.

Wittenberg will host both tournament games tonight.  Denison will play Ohio Wesleyan tonight at 6 p.m. and Kenyon will face Wittenberg at 8 p.m.  The championship game will be at Wittenberg tomorrow at 7 p.m.

Midway through the NBA season, teams struggle to assert themselves as title contenders. The top trades in the Association left some teams feeling like winners and some feeling even more lost.

Eastern Conference

Winner: Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs significantly improved the depth and talent in their frontcourt with the addition of Antawn Jamison. Cleveland hoped to aquire Amar’e Stoudemire from the Phoenix Suns, but Jamison will prove to be just as successful as a complement to LeBron James.

Jamison allows the Cavs to put yet another scoring threat on the court with James, drawing more defensive attention and freeing up role players such as Mo Williams, Anderson Varejao and Delonte West to see a more active offensive role. The small line up that the Cavs present with Varejao, West, Williams, Jamison and James will be utterly destructive against the older Boston Celtics and the less athletic Orlando Magic.

While the Cavs were forced to give up Zydrunas Ilgauskas in acquiring Jamison, but Cleveland improved at the power forward position and gave up nearly nothing in return.

Loser: Washington Wizards

The Wizards cleaned house, sending five players elsewhere in return for expiring contracts and Josh Howard. It only got worse for Washington when Monday night, Howard tore his anterior crucia ligament in his left knee.

By shipping off almost all of their players of substance and having Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittendon suspended by the league for a locker room showdown, the Wizards were left with a roster of depleted talent. The Howard injury and the fact that Ilgauskas and Mike James are seeking to be bought out of their contracts have left the Wizards with only 10 active players on their roster.

At this point tickets to the team’s remaining home games could not be given away, unless the Dallas Mavericks and former Wizards Brendan Haywood and Caron Butler came to the nation’s capital.

Minor Upgrade: Boston Celtics

The Celtics felt the need to make a move at the trade deadline in hopes of aquiring a back-up point guard to lessen the burden on emerging star Rajon Rondo. For a while veteran leader Ray Allen was said to be a player on his way out of Boston, but ultimately all-purpose guard Eddie House was sent to the New York Knicks in return for three-time NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion, Nate Robinson. The Celtics looked to create a spark offensively with the addition of Robinson, but sacrificed defense and chemistry in dealing House.

Ultimately, this trade will not be significant enough to push the Celtics back into title contention in the East.

Western Conference

Winner: Dallas Mavericks

Brendan Haywood and Caron Butler, who were added to an already talented Dallas team from the Wizards, may prove to be the two most important players in the Mavericks’ playoff push in the West.

Haywood improves the Dallas defense which lacked depth and consistency at the center position. Butler is a solid secondary scoring threat behind Dirk Nowitzki and an upgrade at the small forward position over Josh Howard.

The Mavs started undefeated (4-0) since adding Butler and Haywood. The improvement in the frontcourt will help Dallas become serious contenders in the Western Conference with the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets.

Loser: Los Angeles Clippers

The addition of small forward Travis Outlaw and guard Steve Blake from the Portland Trailblazers makes almost no sense for the Clippers who are struggling to find success in the highly competitive Pacific division.

The solid core of Chris Kaman, Baron Davis and Corey Maggette is almost enough to keep the Clippers hopes alive in the playoff hunt, but sending defensive veteran Marcus Camby to the Blazers restricts the team defensively and makes Portland more of a contender.

The Clippers, who share the Staples Center with the Lakers, got worse defensively in losing Camby and added only supplemental players in the mediocre Blake and unproven Outlaw.

Promising Future: Houston Rockets

The Rockets are in a position to be considered a trade winner, but the lack of focus on immediate improvement leaves them in the questionable category.

In being able to get rid of Tracy McGrady and his enormous contract the Rockets are in good position looking to the future.

In a three-team deal Houston was able to steal young talent from the Sacramento Kings, adding Kevin Martin to a developing squad. Martin has shown the potential to be an elite scoring threat, and the Rockets hope he develops into the backcourt complement of Aaron Brooks going forward.

The team was forced to give up Carl Landry in the deal, but they are hopeful the upside of Martin outweighs the loss of Landry, a solid young forward who ended up in Sacramento.

The moves made by teams on the verge of postseason success will prove to have a lasting impact in the remainder of the season. While Wizard and Clippers fans will mourn their losses, Cleveland emerges as the team to beat in the East and Dallas will shake up the power rankings out West.