Erie BayHawks rookie point guard Cedric Jackson is headed to the nation's capital to join the Washington Wizards.

About a hour ago, I got confirmation from Washington Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld that Erie BayHawks rookine point guard Cedric Jackson was going to sign with the Wizards.

A hour later, the D-League released the news.

I know I’ve been doing this for a long time, but it’s still cool to have some of high importance like a team president tell you what’s going on before it’s officially announced. Even if it’s just 60 minutes earlier, it’s cool for us sports writers.

After the Erie Times-News and Ridiculous Upside, a basketball blog, reported the news last night, the Washington Post posted it early this morning. On situations like this, all three publications probably got the news within two to three hours of each other, but the manner in which they reach released the news was different.

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Aminu has averaged 19.3 points and 9.2 boards in his nine games with Bakersfield since Erie traded him for Blake Ahearn.

The Sun Sentinel out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is reporting former Erie BayHawk Alade Aminu will make his NBA debut with the Miami Heat on Sunday against the Toronto Raptors.

Aminu, an All-Star D-League power forward who was traded to Bakersfield for guard Blake Ahearn, will be on a 10-day contract with the Heat. Out of Georgia Tech, Aminu was in Miami’s training camp last fall.

I got in touch with Aminu on Friday morning and he confirmed the news to me then. Then later that night after the BayHawks beat Fort Wayne, I talked with Erie rookie point guard Cedric Jackson about it.

“He sent me a text message the other day at like 2 o’clock in the morning,” said Jackson, who has received two NBA call-ups this season with the Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs.

“I’m like, OK. He said, ‘I’m going to call you tomorrow.’ I know he was excited. I told him I was extremely proud of him. Just told him to work hard and make sure he focuses and do what he do because that’s where he belongs.”

Here's Mike Sweetney in this season's training camp with the Boston Celtics.

I saw this guy when he was at Georgetown years ago when I was a beat writer for The Dominion Post in Morgantown, W.Va.

Big wide body. Space eater. Score a ton (seventh on Georgetown’s all-time career scoring list at 1,750 points).

Michael Sweetney was an effective college player, but after being the ninth overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks, his pro career fizzled. Sweetney only averaged 6.5 points and 4.5 boards in 233 games and with two teams in the Knicks and the Chicago Bulls.

Now he’s going to attempt to rekindle his career in the D-League.

Hmmmm.

The BayHawks are filling the roster void left by rookie point guard Cedric Jackson, who signed a 10-day contract with the San Antonio Spurs earlier this week.

Since All-Star point guard Tony Parker will be out six weeks with a broken right  hand for the Spurs, San Antonio will likely keep Jackson for at least two 10-day contracts and might keep him for the remainder of the season.

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The BayHawks must contend with Albuquerque's Keith McLeod, who has averaged 31.1 points in his last six games.

Erie BayHawks (15-25) at Albuquerque Thunderbirds (18-22)

Saturday, 9 p.m., Tingley Coliseum, Albuquerque, N.M.

On the air: WJET-AM 1400, www.nba.com/dleague (live stream).

Players to watch, Erie:

SF Jackie Manuel (Expected to play tonight after missing Tuesday’s win against Sioux Falls with a stomach virus.). … SG Blake Ahearn (Averaging 21.6 points in his three games with Erie since being traded from Bakersfield for D-League All-Star rookie power forward Alade Aminu). … SF Ivan Harris (Scored 21 points Tuesday after not scoring in Erie’s previous game against Iowa).

Players to watch, Albuquerque:

G Keith McLeod (After not scoring in an Feb. 25 loss at Idaho, McLeod has averaged 31.1 points in his last six games. He went for 44 in a March 3 loss at Dakota). … G Antonio Agudio (Averaging 15.4 points and shooting 42.8 percent from 3-point range). … SF Trey Gilder (Traded to Albuquerque from Maine for center Kurt Looby on March 5, Gilder is averaging 13.9 points this season.

Fast facts: Erie — The BayHawks are without rookie point guard Cedric Jackson, who signed a 10-day contract with the San Antonio Spurs this week. … Shooting guard Mike Gansey has averaged 26 points and shot 13-of-23 from 3-point range in his last three games. … Erie has won its last two games.

Fast facts: Albuquerque — The Thunderbirds’ leading scorer, Carlos Powell, is now overseas playing in China. The top pick in the 2009 D-League Draft, Powell averaged 22.1 points in 33 games for them. … Albuquerque snapped a seven-game losing skid in Wednesday’s win against Fort Wayne.

 BayHawks up next: at Idaho (Saturday, 9 p.m.), at Utah (Monday, 9 p.m.).

— Duane Rankin

Rob Kurz (shooting) and Alade Aminu were traded for each other on draft day. Both played in the All-Star game.

Erie made its third trade this season in shipping D-League All-Star rookie power forward Alade Aminu to Bakersfield for shooting guard Blake Ahearn, a 2009 league All-Star.

Here’s a look at how players in the two previous trades have fared this season.

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Rookie point guard Cedric Jackson has played four games for Erie since returning to the team from his 20-day stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers on an NBA call-up. Jackson shot 1-of-11 from the field in Friday's home loss to the Dakota Wizards.

They’re not broken.

Erie BayHawks rookie point guard Cedric Jackson has severely bruised ribs after taking a hard foul in Friday’s night loss to the Dakota Wizards, Erie coach John Treloar said.

So Jackson will make the trip to Maine with the team today for Sunday’s 5 p.m. game. The question is can Jackson play through the pain. Jackson took a shot to relieve the pain last night, but Treloar said he will not do that for Sunday.

Darnell Jackson had his way inside, but was as winded as a sail boat Thursday night.

Danny Green’s first shot, a corner 3, sailed over the other side of the rim, but his lob pass to Cedric Jackson was as perfect as a 24oo SAT score.

In the end, the Cleveland Cavaliers forwards put in work and were instrumental in Erie’s 114-108 win against the Dakota Wizards tonight.

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No, not just Cedric Jackson.

Alade Aminu.

After representing the Erie BayHawks in the D-League All-Star game, Aminu was back in Erie for Tuesday’s practice. I caught up with him after practice at LECOM. Aminu scored four points for the East, which lost 98-81 to the West on Saturday in Dallas.

On his experience in Dallas for the All-Star Weekend: Ah it was lovely, man. Great atmosphere, man. Every basketball Hall of Fame name you could think of was there. I was in the elevator with Bill Russell. Who else was out there? Dominique Wilkins. All the Hall of Fame guys were out there. It was a beautiful atmosphere.”

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Veteran point guard Curtis Stinson had 11 points, nine assists, six turnovers and five rebounds in Iowa's 85-82 home victory against the Erie BayHawks on Tuesday night. The Energy are 8-0 against the BayHawks this season.

The game was played at Erie’s pace. The score is indicative of it.

Erie limited Iowa to 38 percent shooting.

Still, the Energy found a way to edge the BayHawks, 85-82, Tuesday night at home. Othyus Jeffers had a big game – 21 points and 13 rebounds – for Iowa, but Erie shot just 12-of-30 from the free throw. When you’re playing a team like Iowa (26-6), every point matters and you can’t leave any free points on the table.

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The Springfield Armor have had enough of Mike Gansey.

Last Wednesday, Gansey made two free throws with 5.2 seconds left to beat the Armor in Erie, 95-94. He finished with a game-high 25 points after missing five games with a bruised calf.

Today, he hit the game-winning basket with eight seconds left as the BayHawks (12-16) won, 93-91, at Springfield (5-19). Once again, Gansey was the high-point man with 27 points. He played all 48 minutes for the second straight game in a back-to-back situation.

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