NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
Portland Trailblazers 110, Detroit Pistons 104
Philadelphia 76ers 147, Indiana Pacers 143
Blazers 110, Pistons 104 – Lillard’s triple-double helps Blazers beat Pistons 110-104
Damian Lillard had 31 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, securing his second triple-double of the season before the end of the third quarter, and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Detroit Pistons 110-104. The dynamic guard scored 16 points in the first quarter to give the Trail Blazers a 31-18 lead, and they had little trouble keeping a comfortable margin against a banged-up and slumping team for most of the night. Detroit pulled within six points with 1:39 left to fire up the previously quiet fans, and Jerami Grant quieted them with a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession. Grant finished with 26 points against his former team. Former Kalamazoo Central and University of Michigan player Isaiah Livers matched a career high with 17 points for the Pistons, who have lost a season-high eight straight games. The Pistons were without injured starters Bojan Bogdanovic, Isaiah Stewart and rookie center Jalen Duran, along with key reserve Killian Hayes.
Sixers 147, Pacers 143 – Embiid scores 42, Sixers beat Pacers 147-143 without much D
Joel Embiid scored 42 points, James Harden added 14 points, 20 assists and nine rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers pulled away late for a 147-143 victory over the Indiana Pacers in a game virtually devoid of defense. Embiid made 11 of 16 field goals and all 19 free-throw attempts. Tyrese Maxey scored 24 points and Jalen McDaniels added 20 for the 76ers, who have won two straight. Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 40 points and 16 assists. Neither team led by more than six points through the first three quarters. The Sixers finally took control with a late 10-0 run.
Tonight
Washington Wizards at Detroit Pistons, 7:00 p.m.
NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Chicago Blackhawks 5, Ottawa Senators 0
Blackhawks 5, Senators 0 – Seth Jones scores twice as Blackhawks beat Senators 5-0
Seth Jones scored two of Chicago’s three second-period goals, and the Blackhawks stopped Ottawa’s five-game win streak with a 5-0 victory over the Senators. Anders Bjork had three primary assists, and Alex Stalock made 35 saves in his 11th career shutout. Lukas Reichel, Phillipp Kurashev and Jason Dickinson also scored as last-place Chicago snapped a four-game losing streak. Ottawa remained three points back of idle Pittsburgh for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference, wasting a prime opportunity to gain ground in the playoff race.
MLB – Major League Baseball – Spring Training
Yesterday
Boston Red Sox 7, Detroit Tigers 1
Chicago Cubs 6, Seattle Mariners 2
White Sox were off
Today
St. Louis Cardinals at Detroit Tigers, 1:05 p.m.
Chicago Cubs at Texas Rangers, 3:05 p.m.
Milwaukee Brewers at Chicago White Sox, 3:05 p.m.
MLB – Red Sox infielder Justin Turner hit in face by pitch
Boston Red Sox infielder Justin Turner needed 16 stitches after he was hit in the face by a pitch during a spring training game against the Detroit Tigers. The 38-year-old Turner fell to the ground after getting drilled by right-hander Matt Manning. Turner’s wife, Kourtney, posted to Instagram that the infielder had “16 stitches and a lot of swelling but we are thanking God for no fractures & clear scans.”
MLB – MLB shift limits raising batter spirits and averages so far
Major League Baseball’s new limits on infield shifts are raising batter spirits this spring. They might be bosltering batting averages, too. Batting averages across the league are up slightly from last spring training, from .259 to .263. Left-handed hitters seem to be benefitting most, with their collected average up from .255 to .274. Sluggers like the New York Yankees’ Anthony Rizzo are enjoying taking at-bats without a wall of defenders in shallow right field. Rizzo says that “young left-handed hitters will be introduced to the 3-4 hole that’s been gone for about seven to eight years.”
NFL – Ex-Raider Derek Carr agrees to 4-year contract with Saints
The New Orleans Saints say former Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has agreed to a four-year contract. A person familiar with the situation said the deal could be worth up to $150 million. The person spoke to The Associated Press about the contract’s value on condition of anonymity because financial terms were not released. Carr turns 32 this month. He played nine seasons for the Raiders and holds team records for yards and touchdowns passing. Saints coach Dennis Allen was the Raiders’ coach when the team selected Carr in the second round of the 2014 draft. Las Vegas released Carr on Feb. 14 to avoid guaranteeing him $40.4 million of his contract over the next two years.
NFL – Ex-Raider Ruggs’ felony DUI case stalled by fight over judge
A Nevada judge will again be asked to decide which justice of the peace should handle a preliminary hearing in the case against former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, who is accused of killing a woman in drunken car crash in 2021. Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Harmony Letizia told Ruggs and his attorneys on Monday that she lacks the authority to decide whether she or another judge should preside over the hearing to decide if there is enough evidence to warrant that Ruggs stand trial on charges of reckless driving and driving under the influence causing death. Ruggs’ attorneys said they will again take the issue to Clark County District Court.
NFL – NFL reinstates Jaguars WR Ridley after gambling suspension
The NFL reinstated suspended receiver Calvin Ridley and cleared the way for him to join his new team in Jacksonville. The league says Ridley is eligible to participate in all team activities beginning immediately. He had been suspended indefinitely since March 2022 for violating the NFL’s gambling policy. He is expected to join the Jaguars for offseason workouts beginning April 17. The Jaguars traded a fifth-round pick in 2023 and a conditional fourth-rounder in 2024 to get Ridley from Atlanta at the trading deadline in November.
NCAAMBKB – Houston, UCLA, Kansas top latest AP Top 25; Duke back in
UCLA has climbed to No. 2 behind Houston in the latest Associated Press men’s college basketball poll. The Cougars earned 58 first-place votes to remain on top for a third straight weekl. The Bruins’ move to No. 2 represented their highest ranking this season. They received the other three first-place votes. Kansas, Alabama and Purdue rounded out the top five. Texas A&M climbed six spots to No. 18 for the week’s biggest jump. No. 21 Duke, No. 24 Creighton and No. 25 Missouri were this week’s new additions. Providence, Pittsburgh and Maryland fell out.
NCAAWBKB – South Carolina No. 1 for 37th straight week, Iowa now No. 2
South Carolina remains No. 1 in The Associated Press women’s basketball poll for a 37th consecutive week. That breaks a second-place tie with Louisiana Tech for the longest streak all time. Only UConn has a longer run atop the poll with 51 consecutive weeks. Big Ten Tournament champion Iowa moved up five spots to No. 2, its highest ranking since 1994. Indiana, Virginia Tech and Stanford round out the top five. Washington State jumped in at No. 22 after winning the Pac-12 Tournament. Tennessee also joined the poll at No. 24. South Florida and Iowa State fell out.
MCCAA – Junior College Athletics
Yesterday
Men’s Baseball
Century College 16, Lake Michigan College 13
Today
Women’s Softball
Penn State of Greater Allegheny vs. Lake Michigan College, 11:30 p.m.
Lake Michigan College vs. Minnesota North College of Itasca, 2:00 p.m.
Men’s Baseball
Lake Michigan College vs. Erie Community College, 12:00 p.m..
Women’s Basketball
NJCAA Great Lakes District B Women’s Basketball Quarterfinals
Lake Michigan College at Glen Oaks Community College, 5:30 p.m.
Southwestern Michigan at Marian Ancilla, 7:00 p.m.
Men’s Basketball
NJCAA Great Lakes District A Men’s Basketball Quarterfinals
Southwestern Michigan at Glen Oaks Community College, 7:30 p.m.
MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Boys Basketball – District Quarterfinals
Division 1 at Kal. Loy Norrix (1st round at local sites)
St. Joseph 66, Portage Northern 58
- St. Joseph broke a four games losing streak with a 66-58 win in the opening round of the districts at Portage Northern. Chase Sanders had a team high 17 points for St. Joe and Matt Lanier had 16. St. Joe finished 30 of 36 at the free throw line. JR Scott added 10 points for the Bears who improve to 16-7 and will face Kalamazoo Central on Wednesday at 5:30 in the district semifinals at Loy Norrix, Wednesday at 5:30. Cane Mack led Portage Northern with a game high 21 points.
Portage Central 53, Lakeshore 26
- Portage Central jumped out to a 15-2 lead after the first quarter and never trailed in the Mustangs 53-26 win over Lakeshore in the district quarter-finals at Lakeshore. Alex Beachnau had a game high 22 points for PC and Nathan Long had 12. Jake Chellman and Jack Carlisle had 8 points each in the Lancers season ending loss. Lakeshore’s season ends with a record of 7-15.
Mattawan 78, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 73
- Noah VanLaningham had 29 points and Ryan Kiesling had 20 as Mattawan beat Loy Norrix 78-73. Cedric Huntley had 21 to lead Loy Norrix. Mattawan will face Portage Central on Wednesday at 7:00 at Loy Norrix.
Division 4 at Our Lady of the Lake
Countryside Academy 59, New Buffalo 21
- Isaiah Woods scored a game high 23 points as Countryside defeated New Buffalo 59-21 in the opening round game. Ja’Vrius Gordon added 11 points for Countryside. Nick Haskins led New Buffalo with 7.
Michigan Lutheran 39, Our Lady of the Lake 30
- Micah Herbst had a game high 17 points, including 5 three pointers as Michigan Lutheran advanced to Wednesday’s district semifinal against River Valley with a 39-30 win over Our Lady of the Lake. Owen McLoughlin had 11 points to lead the Lakers.
Other Districts
Division 1 at Battle Creek Central
Harper Creek 44, Coldwater 39
Gull Lake 63, Sturgis 30
Division 2 at Niles
Buchanan 45, Dowagiac 44
Niles 44, Edwardsburg 43
Division 2 at Paw Paw (1st round at local sites)
Three Rivers 69, Paw Paw 61
Vicksburg 71, Constantine 61
Parchment 63, Battle Creek Pennfield 64
Division 2 at Hamilton
Hamilton 62, Holland Christian 55
Division 2 at Plainwell
Hastings 65, Kentwood Grand River 56
Wayland 74, Plainwell 56
Division 3 at Fennville
Fennville 65, Holland Black River 60
Wyoming Potter’s House 78, Saugatuck 39
Division 3 at Watervliet
Cassopolis 63, Coloma 42
Division 3 at Hartford
Bloomingdale 67, Bangor 53
Hartford 50, Gobles 48
Division 3 at Galesburg-Augusta
Comstock 69, Delton-Kellogg 51
Kal. Christian 58, Galesburg-Augusta 36
Division 3 at Union City
Centreville 46, Quincy 26
Union City 45, White Pigeon 36
Division 4 at Lawrence
Marcellus 56, Kalamazoo Heritage 32
Division 4 at Colon
Burr Oak 58, Athens 39
Mendon 95, Coldwater Pansophia 11
Division 4 at Battle Creek St. Philip
Calhoun Christian 60, Battle Creek Academy 42
Climax-Scotts 45, Battle Creek St. Philip 43
Division 4 at Martin
Martin 46, Wyoming West Michigan Lutheran 35
Tonight
Girls Basketball – Regionals Semifinals
Division 1 at Coldwater
Kalamazoo Central vs. DeWitt, 5:30 p.m.
Holt vs. Coldwater, 7:00 p.m.
Division 2 at Three Rivers
Holland Christian vs. Edwardsburg, 5:30 p.m.
Olivet vs. Plainwell, 7:00 p.m.
Division 3 at Centreville
Watervliet vs. Kalamazoo Christian, 5:30 p.m.
Bronson vs. Buchanan, 7:00 p.m.
Division 3 at Shelby
Hart vs. Grand Rapids Northpointe Christian, 5:30 p.m.
Saugatuck vs. Kent City, 7:00 p.m.
Division 4 at New Buffalo
Fruitport Calvary Christian vs. Kalamazoo Hackett, 5:45 p.m.
River Valley vs. Colon, 7:30 p.m.
