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February 26, 2024
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February 26, 2024
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Update on the latest sports

 
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February 26, 2024

Sho-time! Dodgers say Shohei Ohtani will make his spring training debut Tuesday against White Sox

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Spring training Sho-time starts Tuesday with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Shohei Ohtani will make his exhibition debut with the Dodgers when he serves as the designated hitter for Los Angeles on Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox. Los Angeles has been taking it slowly with the two-way star, who signed a record $700 million, 10-year contract. The two-time MVP is coming off right elbow surgery last September that will keep him from pitching this year. Ohtani did take live batting practice on Sunday, with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts saying the sport’s biggest star will play his first exhibition game Tuesday.

Meet Grace Beyer, the small-school scoring phenom Iowa star Caitlin Clark might never catch

On the same night that Iowa star Caitlin Clark was adding to her NCAA women’s basketball scoring record before a packed house on national television, she was losing ground to the highest-scoring player in her sport. Grace Beyer was just as busy dropping in 40 points before a crowd of hundreds who had come out to watch the University Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis. There was no TV broadcast for the NAIA school. No big-money NIL deals for Beyer. Just another night on the court as she kept her pace ahead of Clark, and continued her climb through the most prolific scorers in the history of the game.

Houston rises to No. 1 in AP Top 25 ahead of Purdue, UConn; South Florida makes its rankings debut

Now it’s Houston’s turn at the top of The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll. The Cougars moved to No. 1 for the first time this season in Monday’s latest poll. They climbed one spot to end reigning national champion Connecticut’s six-week stay there. Houston became the fifth team to hold the top spot this season after an overtime win at Baylor. Purdue was No. 2 while UConn fell to third. The poll’s new additions included South Florida at No. 25 for that program’s first-ever appearance. No. 22 Utah State and No. 23 Gonzaga rejoined the poll.

Furor erupts over Ronaldo’s apparent obscene taunt in Saudi league match

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo has come under heavy criticism after seemingly making an offensive gesture following Al Nassr’s 3-2 victory over Al Shabab in a Saudi Pro League match. Footage posted on social media appeared to show the five-time Ballon d’Or winner cupping his ear and repeatedly thrusting his hand forward near his pelvis after the match. The gesture was seemingly aimed at rival Al Shabab supporters. Ronaldo had scored a first-half penalty in the game. Local media reports say that the Saudi football federation has opened an investigation. Ronaldo could potentially face a suspension.

Four new appeals go to sports court chasing Olympic medals in Russian skater Valieva’s doping case

GENEVA (AP) — Four appeals filed at sport’s highest court in fallout from the doping case of Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva are set to delay awarding medals from the 2022 Beijing Olympics yet again. The Court of Arbitration for Sport says it registered three appeals from Russia and one from Canada. The appeals challenge how the International Skating Union amended the result of the team event held two years ago in Beijing because the court disqualified Valieva one month ago. Russian appeals seek to be reinstated as Olympic champions. The Canadians seek to be upgraded to bronze instead of fourth place.

Texas rises to No. 3 in women’s AP Top 25 behind South Carolina, Ohio State; Iowa drops to No. 6

Texas rose to its highest ranking in more than a year in The Associated Press women’s basketball poll Monday after another week of shakeups amongst the top teams. The Longhorns moved up two spots to No. 3 after four of the top seven teams lost at least one game last week. South Carolina remained the unanimous No. 1 team, receiving all 35 votes from the national media panel, after routing Alabama and Kentucky. Ohio State was second. Stanford and Virginia Tech were next. UNLV entered the Top 25 again while Princeton fell out.

Klopp’s last dance has one trophy and the Liverpool manager is targeting more

Jurgen Klopp’s last dance at Liverpool is off to the perfect start. Klopp steps down as manager at the end of the season and looks determined to go out on a high. He collected his eighth trophy with the Merseyside club on Sunday and is targeting another three before he walks away. The Premier League title, FA Cup and Europa League are still within reach in what could be a glorious finale. References to Klopp’s last dance have started to trend on social media with fans likening his Liverpool farewell to Michael Jordan’s final season with the Chicago Bulls in 1998, when they won the NBA championship. The season was documented in the Netflix series, “The Last Dance.”

Investigation into Red Bull boss overshadows new F1 season as Verstappen aims for fourth title

A still-unresolved investigation into the boss of Formula 1’s champion team is overshadowing the start of the new season this week at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner remains under investigation over alleged misconduct toward a team employee. No timeline has been given for a decision on his future. On the track, Red Bull again seems to be the team to beat after a season in which Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez won all but one race. Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton is going into his last season with Mercedes ahead of joining Ferrari next year.

Maple Leafs scoring marvel Auston Matthews on pace to become rare member of 70-goal club

Toronto’s Auston Matthews is on pace to become a rare member of the 70-goal club. He has 52 through 56 games, more than dozen ahead of anyone else in the NHL. Matthews set a record for the fastest U.S.-born player to reach 50 goals in a season, reaching that mark in 54 games last week. His career high is 60 goals. No active player has reached that mark twice. He would become the ninth player to accomplish that double and the first since Pavel Bure in the 1992-93 and 1993-94 seasons.

Former NFL star Richard Sherman’s bail set at $5,000 following arrest for suspicion of DUI

SEATTLE (AP) — Former NFL star Richard Sherman’s bail has been set at $5,000 following his weekend arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence. The Washington State Patrol says Sherman was pulled over early Saturday for driving 79 mph in a 60 mph zone on Interstate 405 south of Seattle, and that his eyes were bloodshot and watery, he smelled of intoxicants and he declined to take a breath test. After spending the weekend in the King County Jail in Seattle, Sherman waived his right to appear at Monday’s bail hearing. His attorney, Jon Scott Fox, said he expected Sherman to be processed and released quickly after the hearing.