By STEPHEN WADE AP Sports Writer TOKYO (AP) — Everyone in Japan seems to be a fan of Shohei Ohtani, and the buzz even extends to his teammates. That includes St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar — the first to play for Japan’s national team because of ancestry. His mother Kumi was born in Japan.
Continue Reading By STEPHEN WADE AP Sports Writer TOKYO (AP) — Everyone in Japan seems to be a fan of Shohei Ohtani, and the buzz even extends to his teammates. That includes St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar — the first to play for Japan’s national team because of ancestry. His mother Kumi was born in Japan.
Continue Reading PARIS (AP) — France coach Corinne Diacre says she is the victim of a smear campaign amid reports she could be replaced before the Women’s World Cup. Diacre faces opposition from several players. She says in a statement from her lawyer to The Associated Press that she has been shocked by the “violence” and “dishonesty”
Continue Reading By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer USA Basketball will play a pair of games in Abu Dhabi this summer on its way to the World Cup in the Philippines. The federation announced an agreement with Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism on Wednesday, and as part of that deal the U.S. will bring Germany
Continue Reading By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer GENEVA (AP) — French soccer club Marseille is facing a one-year transfer ban from FIFA. Marseille went to court Wednesday in its dispute with Watford over the 2020 signing of Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye. The Court of Arbitration for Sport says Gueye is attending the two-day hearing. He faces
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By Amy Woodyatt, CNN More than a year after US Soccer and the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) brokered a landmark equal pay agreement, USWNT star player and two-time World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe is still coming to terms with the implications of what her team has achieved. Following years of lawsuits and lobbying
Continue Reading By MIKE CORDER Associated Press THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A soccer hooligan who ran onto the field during PSV Eindhoven’s Europa League match against Sevilla and punched the Spanish club’s goalkeeper in the face has been sentenced to two months in prison. The 20-year-old was convicted of assaulting goalie Marko Dmitrovic and breaching a
Continue Reading By PAT GRAHAM AP Sports Writer On the court, it will be the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans. Taking center stage, an all-female ensemble that will produce the broadcast. It’s the second straight year ESPN has orchestrated an NBA game led by an all-female broadcast crew, with this version being held on International Women’s
Continue Reading By Ben Church, CNN Since the ownership group led by American businessman Todd Boehly spent more than than $5 billion on buying Chelsea last year, they’ve seen very little return on their investment. Over $600 million has been spent on new players, but the club finds itself floundering 10th in the Premier League and struggling
Continue Reading By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer Few expected Benfica to make much of a run in the Champions League when it began its campaign in the third qualifying round in August. The Portuguese team was coming off a poor season by its standards and expectations were low. But now the traditional club is in great
Continue Reading By Patrick Oppmann, CNN Even before they could climb into the ring, Cuba’s female boxers had to roll with the punches. While the island has long been famed for its top-level male boxers, women were blocked by an official prohibition on their practicing the sport competitively. Cuba’s government-run INDER sports institute claimed the sport was
Continue Reading By Patrick Oppmann, CNN Even before they could climb into the ring, Cuba’s female boxers had to roll with the punches. While the island has long been famed for its top-level male boxers, women were blocked by an official prohibition on their practicing the sport competitively. Cuba’s government-run INDER sports institute claimed the sport was
Continue Reading LAS VEGAS (AP) — Cameron Gooden scored 22 points and Frank Staine scored 18 points and Utah Tech surprised Stephen F. Austin 80-76 in overtime in a Western Athletic Conference Tournament opener. Dancell Leter threw down a dunk to start the extra session and Utah Tech led for the remainder. Latrell Jossell scored 17 points
Continue Reading TAICHUNG, Taiwan (AP) — The 20-team World Baseball Classic got underway after a six-year absence with the Netherlands defeating Cuba 4-2 in a Group A game in Taiwan to open the tournament. Play in Group B begins on Thursday in Tokyo with South Korea playing Australia and host Japan — led by Angels star Shohei
Continue Reading HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Brantly Stevenson scored 28 points and Cal Poly erupted in the second half and went on to beat Long Beach State 88-68 in an opening-round contest in the Big West Conference Tournament. Long Beach State led 40-35 at halftime before Cal Poly unleashed a 53-point second half and cruised to the
Continue Reading BOISE, Idaho (AP) — RaeQuan Battle scored 17 points and his dunk off a lob from Darius Brown II with 1.6 seconds left in the second overtime lifted Montana State past Weber State 60-58in a Big Sky Conference semifinal matchup. Battle then blocked Steven Verplancken Jr.’s shot attempt as time expired. Dillon Jones scored 18
Continue Reading ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Patrick Gardner scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Marist controlled from the start beating Manhattan 61-50 in an opening round contest of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament. After a 36-17 Marist lead in the first half, Manhattan closed within four on two occasions — 48-44 and 50-46
Continue Reading By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis had 30 points and 22 rebounds, Dennis Schröder added 17 points and nine assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers moved into ninth place in the Western Conference with a 112-103 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves scored 17 points
Continue Reading By TIM BOOTH AP Sports Writer SEATTLE (AP) — Jared McCann scored his fifth goal in the past five games, Daniel Sprong scored for the first time since Jan. 17, and the Seattle Kraken beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-2 on Tuesday night for their fifth straight win. Back home after sweeping a four-game road trip,
Continue Reading LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) — Demarcus Sharp scored 31 points and distributed nine assists and Northwestern State beat New Orleans 74-70 in Southland Conference semifinal tournament contest. Jamond Vincent’s three-point play with 5:49 left brought New Orleans to a 62-all tie, but Isaac Haney countered with a 3-pointer 16 seconds late and the Demons stayed
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