Sports briefs
Trending
US eyes 5th
straight title
BERLIN (AP) -- The U.S. has dominated the women’s FIBA World Cup for nearly two decades, winning the last four titles. A young American roster led by the trio of Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese now complement U.S. stalwart Breanna Stewart as the team looks to win its fifth straight championship.
The Americans will be missing four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson, who the team announced Monday would miss the World Cup along with Kelsey Plum. They were replaced by newcomers Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen.
Legal battle
in SEC
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- Athletes are fighting in court to return to college sports after turning pro, while the Southeastern Conference opposes them. This legal battle unfolded near LSU on Thursday, just days before the Tigers’ football season opener against Clemson.
Former pros like Zxavian Harris and Dae’Quan Wright testified, expressing their desire to play for LSU. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey defended the league’s rules barring former pros. The SEC also filed a federal lawsuit against LSU, accusing it of recruiting professional athletes.
The case highlights ongoing disputes over eligibility rules between schools, conferences, and the NCAA.
Eala and Osaka
advance at Open
NEW YORK (AP) -- Alex Eala and her fans are headed to the weekend at the U.S. Open, along with two-time champion Naomi Osaka. So is Madison Keys -- just barely -- but not No. 3 Felix Auger-Aliassime, who became the highest-seeded player knocked out of the tournament thus far.
Osaka recovered after a mid-match lapse to advance to the third round with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 victory over Katerina Siniakova on Thursday, before Eala beat Oleksandra Oliynykova 6-1, 6-4. Doubles play also began, though Serena and Venus Williams won’t play their first-round match until Friday night against Hao-Ching Chan and Maya Joint, who beat Serena in singles play at Wimbledon this summer.
Sanchez plans
guilty plea
(AP) -- Former Fox Sports analyst Mark Sanchez plans to plead guilty to charges ahead of a trial stemming from an October 2025 fight with a truck driver outside an Indianapolis hotel. A court motion Thursday asks for a guilty plea and sentencing hearing for Sanchez in Marion County Superior Court.
Online records didn’t indicate which charges Sanchez plans to plead guilty to. Sanchez faces a felony battery charge and three misdemeanor charges for what prosecutors have said was a fight over parking. The ex-NFL quarterback’s jury trial had been set to start Tuesday.
Sanchez was let go by Fox Sports in November.
Lombardi
resigns at NC
(AP) -- North Carolina football general manager Michael Lombardi has resigned after ending up on paid administrative leave as the subject of a school investigation. The school announced Lombardi’s resignation Thursday and said it would continue its ongoing probe.
The school has not released specifics of the investigation since placing Lombardi on leave in late July. Lombardi was an immediate hire of Bill Belichick as the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach of the NFL’s New England Patriots made the transition to college coaching with the Tar Heels.
UNC opened the year by beating TCU in Dublin, Ireland.
Rockets reward
Thompson
HOUSTON (AP) -- The Houston Rockets have signed Amen Thompson to a contract extension. The team didn’t release terms when it announced the deal, but multiple reports said it was a five-year, $208 million extension that would keep Thompson in Houston until 2032.
The fourth pick in the 2023 draft, Thompson started 79 games last season and averaged 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.51 steals a game. He joined Luka Doncic as the only players in league history to average at least 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists and 1.5 steals a game.