CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Hornets have placed the teams future personnel decisions in the hands of Rich Cho after Rod Higgins has stepped down as the teams president of basketball operations on Friday. Higgins had been with the team for the last seven years. Hornets owner Michael Jordan thanked Higgins in a statement. "Rod has been a consummate professional throughout his time with the team," Jordan said. "Thanks to his hard work and commitment, we have an improved roster and we are poised for success in the future. Rod was of great help to me as I navigated my first four years as majority owner of this franchise. I wish him all the best." Cho will remain in his capacity as general manager and assume responsibility for the teams basketball operations, according to a press release issued by the team. Cho will report to Jordan and vice chairman Curtis Polk. Cho declined comment through team spokesman Mike Cristaldi. The move comes two weeks before the NBA draft and what is expected to be a busy off-season for the Hornets. The Hornets have the ninth, 24th and 45th overall picks and more than $13 million to spend under the salary cap. Jordan has already said the team hopes to make a "big difference" in upgrading the roster this off-season. Higgins declined comment on the matter via text message to The Associated Press. Coach Steve Clifford, entering his second season with the Hornets, said he had a great working relationship with Higgins. "He helped me a lot -- helped our staff a lot. He is a terrific basketball guy and a great person, and were going to miss him," Clifford said. "With that being said, you know change is a big part of this league. We need to quickly focus and move forward and continue to build the right culture, roster, so we can be a good team year in and year out." When Jordan took over as part owner in Charlotte in 2006, Higgins was one of his first hires the following year. Hes long been one of Jordans most trusted friends. Jordan was a rookie in the 1984 when he joined the Chicago Bulls and became teammates with Higgins, a veteran forward at the time. After a 13-year NBA career, Higgins went on to work with Jordan as an assistant general manager with the Washington Wizards. Higgins later left the Wizards to become general manager of the Golden State Warriors before joining Jordan again in Charlotte. Cho was hired by Jordan in 2011 as Charlottes new general manager and Higgins title became president of basketball operations. From that time, the two shared player personnel duties and regularly appeared together and press conference to discuss personnel moves with the media. Clifford said hes confident Cho will do a great job moving forward. "Rich is very organized, on top of things," Clifford said. "I know well be prepared, we will be prepared for the draft, for free agency and you know just like we have in the past. 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MacArthur scored two goals, and the Senators outlasted Detroit in a testy third period to beat the Red Wings 4-2 on Saturday night.Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Andrew Shaw scored twice and the Chicago Blackhawks thumped the Arizona Coyotes, 6-1. Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists and Teuvo Teravainen had a goal and an assist, while Jonathan Toews and David Rundblad also scored for the Blackhawks, who had lost three of four. Antti Raanta stopped 35 shots in the win. Lucas Lessio notched his career goals for the Coyotes, who have dropped six straight. Mike Smith allowed all six goals as he was peppered with 51 shots in the loss. Chicago got on the board at 6:53 of the first on the power play, when crisp passing was finished off by a wrister from Toews in the slot, and it was a 2-0 game six minutes later as Shaw tucked the puck in from in front. The Blackhawks made it a 3-0 game when Kane and Brad Richards worked the puck with Kane stuuffing in the rebound from the left side for his 22nd of the season.dddddddddddd It was 4-0 halfway through the second when Teravainen snapped home a rebound for his second of the season. Lessios first career goal came with 2:06 to play in the second as he took a pass in the slot and shifted to the backhand before lifting it past Raanta to get the Coyotes on the board. Chicago got the goal back just over a minute later as Shaw scored with 41 seconds left in the stanza and Rundblad lit the lamp with 5:49 to play in the third to account for the final score. Game Notes Chicago starts a seven-game road trip on Wednesday in Pittsburgh ... Arizona plays at Philadelphia on Tuesday after the All-Star break ... Chicago went 1- for-5 on the power play, while Arizona was 0-for-2. ' ' '