Sports Desk

From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: Austin Reaves returned from a left calf strain that sidelined him for three games, but the Lakers’ second-leading scorer did nothing to fix the team’s most glaring weakness.

The Lakers’ defense collapsed in a 132-108 loss to the Suns on Tuesday at Mortgage Matchup Center, giving up a season-high field goal percentage (59%) and tying their mark for most points allowed this season. Led by a combined 17-for-29 shooting from star guard Devin Booker (21 points) and Dillon Brooks (25 points), the Suns easily eclipsed the 56.5% they shot against the Lakers on Dec. 1.

“The theme with our team again is like these young teams that move, we just can’t move,” said coach JJ Redick, whose team is 1-2 against the Suns (16-13). “So it’s like we’re stuck in mud.”

The Lakers (19-9) remain in the top half of the competitive Western Conference, but with blowout losses to Atlanta, Oklahoma City and San Antonio, L.A. is clinging to a plus-1.1 in point differential. They lost consecutive games for the first time Tuesday and limped into a marquee Christmas Day matchup against the Houston Rockets with a multitude of injuries.

Playing without Luka Doncic, who is day to day with a left leg contusion he sustained Saturday against the Clippers, LeBron James led the Lakers with 23 points on seven-for-14 shooting. Deandre Ayton had a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double while Reaves came off the bench for the first time in two seasons and scored 17 points with two assists and three turnovers.

Redick said Reaves was not on an official minutes restriction after his weeklong absence, but that the team would monitor his workload “in real time.”

“It’s hard for me to start, at the rotation that Bron has, for me to stay around that 20-25 minute mark,” said Reaves, who played 21 minutes and 46 seconds. “So [coming off the bench] got brought up in my shooting time. I said I was open to whatever. Definitely felt weird coming off the bench, but it’s basketball at the end of the day.”

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Lakers-Suns box score

NBA scores

NBA standings

Mick Cronin tinkers with UCLA’s lineup ahead of rout

UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau makes a move to the basket against UC Riverside forward Osiris Grady on Tuesday.

(Jan Kim Lim / UCLA Athletics)

From Ben Bolch: Facing an overmatched opponent that allowed him to freely tinker with his lineups, UCLA coach Mick Cronin tried plenty of mixing and matching Tuesday afternoon.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway was that a three-guard lineup might be the way to go after the continued struggles of centers Xavier Booker and Steven Jamerson II.

“We’ve got to find a way to play our best players and win, whoever they are, because it’s not Little League,” Cronin said after his team’s 97-65 victory over UC Riverside at Pauley Pavilion. “You’ve either got to give us some rebounding and defense or somebody else has got to play.”

The leading candidates for a larger role based on what happened against the Highlanders appear to be reserves Trent Perry, Jamar Brown and Brandon Williams.

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UCLA-UC Riverside box score

NCAA men’s basketball scores

Kings’ woes continue in loss to Kraken

Kings coach Jim Hiller watches from the bench during a 3-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night.

(Luke Hales / Getty Images)

From Kevin Baxter: January has traditionally been the harshest time of the year for the Kings, who haven’t had a winning record in that month the last three seasons. But winter grew dark and gloomy a little earlier than usual because December has hardly been a walk in the park.

With Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken, the Kings head into the NHL’s three-day Christmas break having lost six of their last seven. And things aren’t getting easier any time soon: when the team returns to the ice Saturday, it will play host to the Ducks, who lead the Pacific Division in wins, before closing out 2025 Monday on the road against the Colorado Avalanche, who lead the NHL in wins.

“It’s not going the way we all want to,” forward Kevin Fiala said. “But you know, that’s going to happen for everybody. So it’s us who have to do something about it. Who can pull us out of it? Nobody else.

“I’m not worried. Like, I’m sure we’re gonna get out of this. But it’s not acceptable right now.”

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Kings-Kraken summary

NHL scores

NHL standings

Kawhi Leonard scores season-high 41 points in Clippers’ win

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard celebrates during a win over the Houston Rockets at Intuit Dome on Tuesday night.

(Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)

From the Associated Press: Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 41 points and James Harden added 29 as the Clippers beat the Houston Rockets 128-108 on Tuesday night.

Leonard shot 16 for 23 from the field and four for five from long distance as the Clippers won consecutive games for just the second time this season. The Clippers were coming off a 103-88 win over the Lakers on Saturday that broke a five-game skid. The Clippers also won consecutive games Oct. 24-26, against Phoenix and Portland.

Harden, who shot seven for 14 from the field and three for eight from long distance, was helped by 12-for-13 shooting from the line.

John Collins and Kobe Sanders added 13 points apiece and Kris Dunn scored 11 for the Clippers (8-21), who shot 54% (20 for 37) from three-point range.

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Clippers-Rockets box score

Matthew Stafford leads Rams’ Pro Bowl honorees

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford warms up before a win over the Detroit Lions at SoFi Stadium on Dec. 14.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

From Gary Klein: Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, receiver Puka Nacua and edge rushers Jared Verse and Byron Young were voted to the Pro Bowl, the NFL announced.

Stafford, 37, has passed for a league leading 4,179 yards and 40 touchdowns, with five interceptions, for a Rams team that is 11-4 and currently seeded sixth for the NFC playoffs. The Rams play at the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night in the second-to-last game of the regular season. Stafford also made the Pro Bowl in 2014 and 2023.

Quarterbacks Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks and Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys also made the NFC roster.

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Justin Herbert among Chargers’ Pro Bowl selections

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert passes during a win over the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium on Nov. 30.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

From Sam Farmer: Five Chargers were named to the AFC’s Pro Bowl squad Tuesday, including the team’s “quarterbacks” on both sides of the ball.

Both quarterback Justin Herbert and safety Derwin James Jr. received the honor. They are joined by outside linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu, tackle Joe Alt and kicker Cameron Dicker.

Herbert, receiving Pro Bowl recognition for the second time, is the third player in NFL history to begin a career with six consecutive seasons with at least 3,000 yards passing and 20 touchdowns.

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Lindsey Vonn qualifies for the Winter Olympics at 41

U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn competes in a World Cup super-G race in Val d’Isere, France, on Sunday.

(Pier Marco Tacca / Associated Press)

From Steve Henson: It’s been one surprise after another lately from Lindsey Vonn. And the announcement that the 41-year-old slopes queen has qualified for the Milano Cortina Olympics in February isn’t the last of it.

It might have been her post on Instagram that stated unequivocally that this will be the end.

“I am honored to be able to represent my country one more time, in my 5th and final Olympics!” Vonn said.

Vonn’s remarkable and inspiring comeback from injuries and a seven-year hiatus from top-level competitive skiing has injected the U.S. team narrative with an irresistible story line. That her quest will culminate in the mountains of northern Italy just two months from now will make it must-watch television and social media video.

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Venus Williams ties the knot

Venus Williams competes in a quarterfinal doubles match at the U.S. Open in September.

(Heather Khalifa / Associated Press)

From Andrew J. Campa: Tennis legend Venus Williams wed Danish model and actor Andrea Preti over the weekend in Florida, the new bride announced in a shared post.

An Instagram post from Vogue Magazine’s Weddings section announced the nuptials, with the message garnering more than 30,000 likes as of Tuesday afternoon.

“We all love each other so much,” Williams, 45, said in the Vogue post. “It was just the happiest, most beautiful, sweetest day.”

The post was scant on details other than the event took place over five days in and around the couple’s home in Palm Beach Gardens.

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A look back at the very first World Cup

An aerial view of the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo, Uruguay, shown during 1930 World Cup tournament.

(Associated Press)

From Kevin Baxter: Next summer’s World Cup will be the largest, most complex and most lucrative sporting event in history, with 48 teams playing 104 games in three countries. The tournament is expected to draw a global TV audience of nearly 5 billion and FIFA, the event’s organizer, is hoping for revenues of between $10 billion-$14 billion — which is why lower-bowl tickets for Iran-New Zealand at SoFi Stadium cost nearly $700.

All that seemed unlikely after the first tournament in 1930, when the idea of a soccer World Cup was nearly killed in the cradle, the victim from lack of planning, lack of money and lack of interest. That the competition survived, much less thrived, is nothing short of a miracle, says English writer and podcaster Jonathan Wilson, author of the deeply researched “The Power and Glory: The History of the World Cup.”

“1930, it’s incredibly amateurish in many ways,” Wilson said. “It’s got that sort of almost like a school sports day feel to it.”

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This day in sports history

1950 — Cleveland’s Otto Graham throws four touchdown passes, despite icy footing in Municipal Stadium, and Lou Groza kicks a 16-yard field goal with 28 seconds left to give the Browns a 30-28 victory over the Los Angeles Rams and the NFL title in their first year in the league.

1961 — George Blanda’s 35-yard touchdown pass to Billy Cannon gives the Houston Oilers a 10-3 victory over the San Diego Chargers for their second AFL title.

1967 — New York’s Joe Namath becomes the first player to throw for 4,000 yards in a season. Namath passes for 343 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Jets to a 42-31 win at San Diego. Namath finishes the year with 4,007 yards.

1997 — In one of the biggest upsets in college basketball, Division II American-Puerto defeats the No. 12 Arkansas Razorbacks 64-59 in the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic.

2000 — Marshall Faulk breaks Emmitt Smith’s NFL record for touchdowns, scoring three times to give him 26 for the St. Louis Rams. Faulk’s three touchdowns and 220 yards fuels a 26-21 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

2003 — Steven Jackson ties a bowl game record with five touchdowns, and Oregon State’s defense overwhelms mistake-plagued New Mexico in a 55-14 win at the Las Vegas Bowl.

2006 — Colt Brennan sets the NCAA single-season record for touchdown passes at 58, throwing five in the second half to lead Hawaii to a 41-24 victory over Arizona State in the Hawaii Bowl. Brennan, 33-of-42 for 559 yards, breaks the previous mark of 54 set by Houston’s David Klingler in 1990.

2011 — David Akers kicks his way into the NFL record book and the San Francisco 49ers hold off Seattle for a 19-17 win. Akers makes four field goals to give him 42 this season, breaking the NFL mark of 40 set by Neil Rackers in 2005 with Arizona.

2014 — Western Kentucky holds on to defeat Central Michigan 49-48 in a wild inaugural Bahamas Bowl. Central Michigan trails 49-14 entering the fourth quarter before Cooper Rush engineers a comeback. He throws four touchdown passes in the final minutes, and the Chippewas get the ball back at their own 25 with one second remaining. Rush completes a pass to Jesse Kroll, and the ball is lateraled three times before Titus Davis dove into the pylon for a touchdown with no time remaining. CMU elects to go for two, only to have the pass drop incomplete.

2016 — With a 41-3 rout of the New York Jets, Bill Belichick earns his 200th regular-season victory in New England, making him the fifth coach in NFL history to reach the milestone with one team.

2016 — Cleveland survives a last-second field-goal attempt and gets its first victory after 14 losses by beating the San Diego Chargers 20-17. When San Diego’s Josh Lambo misses a 45-yard field-goal attempt as time expires, the Browns (1-14) win for the first time in 377 days.

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Ben Stokes admitted he is going through his “toughest time” as England captain as he called for “empathy” towards this team-mates.

The tourists’ awful Ashes series has been dogged by reports of excessive drinking.

England are already 3-0 down after three Tests against Australia, with the chance of regaining the urn gone and the risk of a humiliating clean sweep in the final two Tests.

On Tuesday, England director of Rob Key confirmed he would investigate the behaviour of players in the coastal town of Noosa during their break from the series between the second and third Tests.

Later on the same day, a video emerged on social media appearing to show opener Ben Duckett drunk.

The BBC has not verified the video, while the England and Wales Cricket Board said it would “establish the facts”.

With England preparing to play the fourth Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Boxing Day, Stokes told BBC Sport: “This is probably the toughest time right now as an England captain that I’ll have.

“I’m not going to run away from it. I feel like I will lead for the rest of this trip how I think I can help guys get through it.”

Stokes would not be drawn on the allegations about Duckett.

Asked about the scrutiny on his team-mates, he added: “We’ve got other guys who play all three formats and spend a lot more time away from home than others.

“It is very gruelling and it is tough when you’re here, there and everywhere.

“I know people have got things a lot worse than what we do. You have to deal with the emotions of being away [and] the scrutiny that you are under, in particular when things aren’t going well.

“Everything just gets heightened, but there needs to be a little bit of empathy towards stuff that people might not quite understand, but I guess if you’re not in it and you’re not amongst it, it is hard to understand that.

“But just in this moment right now, I think a little bit of empathy from everyone would be not too hard to think about, if that makes sense.”

Semenyo’s profile is a unique one and at the reported price point, it feels like a no-brainer.

Stylistically we have seen City lean into attacking in transition with more pace this season than previously under Guardiola, who has played on the strengths of Haaland, Foden, Tijjani Reijnders and Doku – attacking quickly over big distances.

As a result, City have scored from more fast breaks this season than during the entire 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons combined.

Bournemouth‘s direct style of attack means Semenyo’s pace, good hold-up play, smart decision-making and two-footed ball-striking are more easily transferred to this City side.

These are dangerous traits, especially when going long against teams that attempt to press high up the pitch.

Guardiola likes versatile players too, given they provide solutions to injury crises.

With Doku out injured, Reijnders has come in and shifted Foden out to the left. Semenyo would provide Premier League proven quality on both wings.

“The years we were successful, not just the strikers [were scoring], especially the wingers, attacking midfielders. We need that,” said Guardiola earlier this month.

City’s over-reliance on Haaland’s 19 goals will be something he wants to address. Foden has scored the second most with seven but has been moved away from the number 10 position, where he scores often from distance.

The signing of Semenyo would help get Foden back in the areas Guardiola feels he is most dangerous.

Semenyo has the added benefit of providing goals himself while starting as a winger. With eight in the league this season, only Igor Thiago and Haaland have more.

If City want to overtake Arsenal and win the league, getting scorers behind Haaland would be a smart move.

Former captain Ryan Brierley is returning to Salford to become chief executive, the consortium that has won the bid to run the phoenix club has said.

Brierley, one of the players who departed the club midway through the 2025 campaign, has ended his playing career at Oldham in order to take on the role.

He has been appointed two days after fellow former Salford player Mason Caton-Brown’s consortium was successful in applying for membership of the second-tier Championship from the Rugby Football League.

The old Salford Red Devils club were wound up on 3 December after a turbulent year, with a mass player exodus, late wage payments, heavy defeats and ultimately the loss of their Super League status for 2026.

“Salford is in my heart, and I believe saving its rugby league heritage is something that transcends rivalry,” 33-year-old Brierley said.

Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 41 points and James Harden added 29 as the Clippers beat the Houston Rockets 128-108 on Tuesday night.

Leonard shot 16 for 23 from the field and four for five from long distance as the Clippers won consecutive games for just the second time this season. The Clippers were coming off a 103-88 win over the Lakers on Saturday that broke a five-game skid. The Clippers also won consecutive games Oct. 24-26, against Phoenix and Portland.

Harden, who shot seven for 14 from the field and three for eight from long distance, was helped by 12-for-13 shooting from the line.

John Collins and Kobe Sanders added 13 points apiece and Kris Dunn scored 11 for the Clippers (8-21), who shot 54% (20 for 37) from three-point range.

Kevin Durant scored 22 points on eight-for-15 shooting, and Alperen Sengun finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds for Houston (17-10), which was nine for 30 (30%) from long distance.

Amen Thompson added 19 points for Houston, and Jabari Smith Jr. scored 16 for the Rockets, who have lost four of their last five games.

The Clippers, who trailed by six points after one period, outscored Houston 34-23 in the second and led 63-58 at the break. The Rockets were helped by 10-for-22 shooting from three-point range in the first half. Leonard had 18 points on eight-for-12 shooting in the opening quarters and Harden scored 11.

Durant had 17 first-half points to lead the Rockets. Sengun scored 15 and Smith had 11.

The Clippers led 98-82 after three periods.

Ulster lock Cormac Izuchukwu says “pride in the province” is what helps make Irish derbies special as the side prepare to take on Connacht this weekend.

Richie Murphy’s side travel to the Dexcom Stadium on Saturday (17:30 GMT) for what is their second of three games in a row against Irish rivals in the United Rugby Championship (URC).

The northern province are looking to bounce back following a narrow 24-20 loss against Leinster last time out.

The home side, meanwhile, come into the match off the back of a loss comprehensive reverse against Dragons.

“Connacht away, Leinster away and Munster at home, they are special,” Izuchukwu told BBC Sport NI.

“There is something about them, they are class and class to play in.

“For me it is having pride in the province, going down there and showing what we are about.”

Izuchukwu, who hasn’t played since early October because of a recurring foot injury followed by an illness last week, has just signed a new two-year contract to keep him at Ulster until the summer of 2028.

The 25-year-old second row added that he has “grown as a person and a player” since joining the Ulster academy in 2020.

“It has been on my mind for a while now, so really happy to get it done and to get back to playing rugby,” Izuchukwu continued.

“I came here back in 2020, I didn’t have many options, and they gave me a chance. I came here, have made friends and have grown as a person and a player.

“I have made great memories here and, for me, with how the club is growing I am so happy to be here.”

Arsenal are sitting top of the Premier League at Christmas, but it is BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton who leads the way when it comes to predictions.

“I’m number one at Christmas – again,” said Sutton, who as a player led the Premier League table at this point with Norwich in 1992 and Blackburn in 1994, and went on to win the title with Rovers.

“It’s a big deal for me to be top, as well as for Arsenal.

“AI is the go-to for virtually everyone in the world whenever they have to ask anything, so the fact that I am beating it – and let’s face it, I have stuffed it for half a season now – is pretty incredible. It says a lot about me, and I’m delighted.

“Rather than asking AI about everything, maybe people should come to me to tap into my intelligence instead?”

Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against AI, BBC Sport readers and a variety of guests.

For week 18 – the festive fixtures on Boxing Day and the weekend of 27 and 28 December – he takes on Jonny Stewart, bass singer with sea shanty folk supergroup The Wellermen, who is a Newcastle fan.

The Wellermen were the originators of the sea shanty trend on TikTok, with their versions of Misty Mountain, Nancy Mulligan and Hoist the Colours racking up billions of views.

Do you agree with their scores? You can make your own predictions below.

The most popular scoreline selected for each game is used in the scoreboards and tables at the bottom of this page.

A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth 10 points. The exact score earns 40 points.

Replacing Pope with Bethell is the latest stage of long-running speculation around England’s number-three position.

Pope’s highest score in six innings on this Ashes tour is 46, extending his run of eight Tests against Australia without a half-century.

In the 27-year-old’s past seven Tests since making a century against India at Headingley in July, he averages 24.38.

Overall, he averages 34.55 in 64 Tests. This is the first time he has been left out of a Test since the 2022 tour of West Indies.

The Surrey man has been under pressure since Bethell made his Test debut in New Zealand at the end of last year, when the left-hander made three half-centuries in as many matches.

However, Bethell has endured a stop-start year since that breakthrough tour of New Zealand.

He has played only three first-class matches in the past year, one of which was the fifth Test against India at The Oval, when he made scores of six and five.

The 22-year-old did make 71 for England Lions against Australia A in Brisbane earlier this month.

Speculation that Bethell may come in for the start of the Ashes series grew when Pope was replaced as vice-captain by Harry Brook when the England squad was announced in September.

Instead, Pope has become the first selection victim of the failed bid to regain the urn.

“He’s not going to be the only one who’s disappointed in the dressing room with how things have gone,” said Stokes. “Being 3-0 down, it’s a tough place to be on a trip like this.

“There’s going to be a lot of disappointment within the dressing room from everyone who’s in there.”

An allegedly intoxicated driver who hit and killed high school tennis star Braun Levi in Manhattan Beach was charged with murder Tuesday, authorities said.

Jenia Resha Belt, 33, of Los Angeles also faces charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving with a suspended license, said Pamela Johnson, a spokesperson for the L.A. County district attorney’s office.

Around 12:46 a.m. on May 4, Belt struck Braun, who was walking near Sepulveda Boulevard and 2nd Street, authorities said.

Belt, who was arrested at the scene, had a blood alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit and was driving on a suspended license from a prior DUI arrest, according to court records. Four passengers inside the car fled the area after the collision.

Belt was released in June and then apprehended again months later.

Braun’s parents, who lost their home in the Palisades fire and relocated to the South Bay, filed a $200-million wrongful death lawsuit against Belt in November.

Their son was a standout at Loyola High School and had been slated to play tennis at the University of Virginia. The Levis started the Live Like Braun Foundation in his memory.

Belt is in custody on $2 million bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday, Johnson said.

Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman and Jennifer Levi, Braun’s mother, plan to discuss the charges at a news conference Monday.

Times staff writer Clara Harter contributed to this report.

World number 86 Justin Hood beat sixth seed Danny Noppert in an Alexandra Palace classic as three more seeds exited the PDC World Championship on the final day of competition before the Christmas break.

Hood won a sudden-death leg of a high-quality match to progress to the last 32, having missed a dart at the bull to win in straight sets.

Noppert fought back to force a decider and, helped by some clutch ton-plus finishes throughout, created a victory chance for himself in a dramatic final set.

But Hood, the 32-year-old debutant, held his nerve in the final leg to land a 78 finish, setting up a third-round tie with fellow English left-hander Ryan Meikle.

Both players averaged more than 102 and hit more than 40% of their attempts at doubles.

Hood told Sky Sports: “It was a good game and I knew it would be because Danny is a class player.

“I don’t worry about the pressure, I just throw the darts and if it’s good enough, it’s good enough. Tonight it was.”

Seventeen of the 32 seeds have been knocked out in the opening two rounds of the tournament, with Noppert the highest-ranked player to fall so far.

Also beaten on Tuesday were two-time former champion Peter Wright, who lost in straight sets to German debutant Arno Merk, and Northern Ireland’s Daryl Gurney, who came out on the wrong side of a deciding set with England’s Callan Rydz.

Facing an overmatched opponent that allowed him to freely tinker with his lineups, UCLA coach Mick Cronin tried plenty of mixing and matching Tuesday afternoon.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway was that a three-guard lineup might be the way to go after the continued struggles of centers Xavier Booker and Steven Jamerson II.

“We’ve got to find a way to play our best players and win, whoever they are, because it’s not Little League,” Cronin said after his team’s 97-65 victory over UC Riverside at Pauley Pavilion. “You’ve either got to give us some rebounding and defense or somebody else has got to play.”

The leading candidates for a larger role based on what happened against the Highlanders appear to be reserves Trent Perry, Jamar Brown and Brandon Williams.

Perry was a playmaking force with his scoring and smart passes. Brown did a little bit of everything in an energetic fashion. Williams showed plenty of toughness as the second big man in small lineups also featuring Tyler Bilodeau, who was an offensive juggernaut against a team that provided little defensive resistance.

“The biggest thing I care about is winning,” said Bilodeau, who finished with a career-high 34 points while making 12 of 19 shots to go with six rebounds. “So whatever we need to do to get that done.”

Cronin joked afterward that Bilodeau shouldn’t have missed any shots because he needlessly took fadeaway jumpers.

“They don’t double [team],” Cronin said of the Highlanders, “so I said, ‘Buddy, you’ve got one night here where they’re just going to let you keep dribbling until you shoot, so go have fun. Keep going at the rim until you score.’ ”

Guard Skyy Clark added 14 points to help UCLA (10-3) post its third consecutive victory going into an extended winter break. Forward Osiris Grady finished with 20 points for the Highlanders (6-8), who shot 42.6% to the Bruins’ 50%.

The game’s biggest revelations came off the UCLA bench. Perry might have been the biggest, running the offense at a high level while finishing with 14 points, seven assists and zero turnovers in 24 minutes. Cronin went with some lineups in the second half featuring Perry alongside starting point guard Donovan Dent (seven points and three assists in 19 minutes).

“Three-guard lineup, we’ve been pushing in transition a lot more,” Perry said. “I mean, we’re just finding the groove before Big Ten” play.

Brown contributed across the board, tallying four points, seven rebounds and four steals in 24 minutes.

UCLA guard Skyy Clark drives against UC Riverside guard De’Undrae Perteete Jr. during the Bruins’ win on Tuesday.

(Jan Lim / UCLA Athletics)

“A tremendous portal find,” Cronin said of the transfer from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. “Great toughness. He’s a winning player.”

Williams’ biggest factor was his defense during a performance in which he had three points, one rebound and one steal in 18 minutes. The big question was whether he was providing more than the player whose spot he took.

Booker finished with six points and one rebound in 13 minutes, unfurling a second consecutive subpar showing after being limited to three minutes against Cal Poly because of matchups. Jamerson played only seven choppy minutes, once being yanked after an 11-second stint because of an inability to keep the Highlanders from reaching the rim with ease.

“Got to get better,” Cronin said of his centers. “I just talked to them about that.”

UC Riverside repeatedly made the mistake of leaving Bilodeau open in the first half and the forward made the Highlanders regret their decision by making five of nine shots on the way to 13 points. After having been UCLA’s primary center last year, Bilodeau said he was happy to go back to that role if that’s what his coach needed.

“Tyler would probably tell you he gets more open shots when he’s playing the five,” Cronin said, “because the other team’s five man is guarding him.”

Cronin said the issue that arises when going small is the need to be an elite offensive team — territory the Bruins might be approaching. Their offensive efficiency is ranked No. 27 nationally by the metrics of basketball analyst Ken Pomeroy, their best since they were No. 21 during the 2022-23 season that ended in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament after season-ending injuries to Jaylen Clark and Adem Bona.

If this is the best version of the Bruins, Cronin appeared ready to roll with it.

“All that matters is who you become, not in the last game or the game previous to that, so we’re on a search,” Cronin said. “Just like every team, it’s not who you are now, it’s who you are at the end and can you get enough wins along the way?”

Tennis legend Venus Williams wed Danish model and actor Andrea Preti over the weekend in Florida, the new bride announced in a shared post.

An Instagram post from Vogue Magazine’s Weddings section announced the nuptials, with the message garnering more than 30,000 likes as of Tuesday afternoon.

“We all love each other so much,” Williams, 45, said in the Vogue post. “It was just the happiest, most beautiful, sweetest day.”

The post was scant on details other than the event took place over five days in and around the couple’s home in Palm Beach Gardens.

An email for comment to representatives for Williams and Preti, 37, was not immediately returned.

The couple met at 2024 Milan Fashion Week and began texting shortly after, according to Vogue.

The couple eventually became engaged on Jan. 31 in Tuscany, according to Vogue. That detail was confirmed in July during what was a historic month for Williams.

The Compton native defeated 23-year-old Peyton Sterns 6-3, 6-4 in the first round action of the D.C. Open after a 16-month hiatus from singles matches.

In victory, Williams became the second-oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match, trailing only fellow legend Martina Navratilova, who was 47 when she won in 2004.

“Yes, my fiance is here, and he really encouraged me to keep playing,” Williams told the Tennis Channel’s Rennae Stubbs in a post-match interview. “There were so many times where I just wanted to coast and kind of chill. … He encouraged me to get through this, and it’s wonderful [for him] to be here. He’s never seen me play.”

Preti has written, acted and directed in a handful of films, primarily in Italy.

The wedding was the second for the couple, who also held a ceremony in Italy in September.

Florida-born Koepka, who is married and has a young son, turned professional in 2012 and won nine PGA Tour events during his nine seasons on North America’s elite professional circuit.

The PGA Tour also wished Koepka and “his family continued success” in a statement, before adding they “continue to offer the best professional golfers the most competitive, challenging and lucrative environment in which to pursue greatness”.

A three-time US PGA champion, Koepka, has also twice triumphed at the US Open.

His defection from the PGA Tour, along with big names such as Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau, was seen as a major coup for LIV during a period when the sport appeared to be at civil war.

Koepka’s captaincy of the LIV Golf team, Smash, will now pass to Talor Gooch, with the side having an opening to fill for the start of the 2026 season in February.

Koepka becomes the first star player to leave LIV Golf, however, there has been speculation over his future for months and a possible return to the PGA Tour.

The Tour has suspended players who competed in LIV Golf events after categorising them as unauthorised. Non-members have been subject to a year ban following their previous LIV event.

Koepka will also be eligible to join the DP World Tour and have exemptions to compete in golf’s four major championships.

Earlier this week, Chilean Mito Pereira announced his retirement from golf aged 30 after three seasons with LIV.

MONDAY’S RESULTS

BOYS

CITY SECTION

San Pedro 92, South East 40

SOUTHERN SECTION

Adelanto 65, Palmdale 41
Aliso Niguel 77, San Clemente 74
Baldwin Pak 49, Glenn 46
Bishop Amat 81, Chadwick 59
Blair 59, Grace 46
Calabasas 66, Santa Monica 61
Chaminade 67, Oxnard 38
Covina 49, Sultana 44
Dos Pueblos 67, Pasadena Poly 56
Duarte 79, El Monte 25
Edison 67, Northwood 55
Edgewood 68, Southlands Christian 40
Eisenhower 74, Montebello 49
El Modena 65, Rim of the World 45
Elsinore 72, Vista Murrieta 60
Gabrielino 69, Bell Gardens 56
Gardena Serra 63, Downey 48
Golden Valley 60, Moorpark 52
Irvine University 75, Tarbut V’ Torah 52
La Mirada 66, San Gabriel Academy 53
Lawndale 48, Riverside North 42
Oak Park 77, Newbury Park 58
Paramount 69, Saddleback 68
Pioneer 58, Valley View 45
Portola 79, California 69
Rancho Buena Vista 53, Linfield Christian 42
Ramona 80, Indio 42
Redlands East Valley 75, Norco 56
Redondo Union 78, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 68
San Berardino 82, Westminster 35
San Jacinto Leadership 49, United Christian Academy 46
San Marcos 62, Mission College Prep 54
San Marino 44, Rowland 29
Santa Maria St. Joseph 77, Bishop Montgomery 42
Santa Ynez 74, Foothill Tech 60
Shalhevet 49, Littlerock 28
South Hills 35, Northview 32
South Torrance 74, CAMS 24
Thousand Oaks 59, Alemany 54
Torrance 69, St. Genevieve 59
Victor Valley 77, Perris 74
Westminster La Quinta 54, Bolsa Grande 33

INTERSECTIONAL

Agoura 69, Stockdale 56
Aurora (CO) Cherokee Trail 60, West Torrance 49
Birmingham 55, Canyon Springs 35
Centennial (CO) Eaglecrest 53, Leuzinger 51
Chino 77, North Las Vegas (NV) CIVICA 45
Burbank 57, Marquez 46
Corona Centennial 71, Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman 59
Corona Santiago 66, lano (TX) Prestonwood Christian 32
Eastvale Roosevelt 81, Miami (FL) Mater Lakes Academy 71
Fresno San Joaquin Memorial 76, Mater Dei 53
Granada Hills 64, YULA 39
JSerra 60, Orlando (FL) Edgewater 57
Knight 65, Magna (UT) Cyprus 62
Lake Oswego (OR) Lakeridge 76, Chino Hills 75
Lehi (UT) Skyridge 72, West Ranch 32
Maranatha 61, Bullard 57
Marrieta (GA) Osborne 67, Buckley 62
Merced 52, Dominguez 32
Oaks Christian 72, Aurora (CO) Smoky Hill 46
Orlando Christian (FL) 61, LA Jordan 43
Pasadena 61, Gilbert (AZ) Perry 42
Peninsula 53, Carson 30
Provo (UT) Timpview 61, Santa Margarita 59
San Fernando Valley 72, Northridge Academy 68
Saugus 51, El Camino Real 49
St. Paul 68, Henderson (NV) Basic 65
Viewpoint 73, Granada Hills Kennedy 30
Village Christian 66, Tacoma (WA) Lincoln 59
Warren 58, Las Vegas (NV) Durango 56
Washington Prep 68, Las Vegas (NV) Meadows School 38

GIRLS

CITY SECTION

Bernstein 52, Rancho Dominguez 28
Bravo 45, Port of Los Angeles 22
East College Prep 28, EAMCP 10
San Pedro 53, Gardena 31
South East 68, South Gate 10

SOUTHERN SECTION

Adelanto 45, Victor Valley 29
Alemany 56, Hart 34
Apple Valley 40, Lakeside 33
Beaumont 62, Riverside Notre Dame 27
Buena Park 69, Bloomington 12
Burbank 75, Muir 36
Burbank Burroughs 51, Santa Monica 27
Camarillo 56, Rio Mesa 37
Capistrano Valley 53, Garden Grove 42
Chaffey 53, Colton 31
Corona 65, Patriot 19
Costa Mesa 41, Westminster La Quinta 21
Edgewood 43, Southland Christian 31
Edison 61, Northwood 30
El Modena 63, Rim of the World 23
Hacienda Heights Wilson 59, Sunny Hills 55
Hesperia 55, Citrus Valley 15
Hillcrest 39, Western 31
La Habra 42, Tustin 36
Lakewood 30, Gahr 26
Lakewood St. Joseph 59, Santa Margarita 46
Lompoc 47, Foothill Tech 21
Los Altos 58, Temecula Valley 50
Ocean View 34, Saddleback 32
Pasadena Poly 73, San Gabriel Academy 20
Portola 60, Lawndale 37
Ramona 55, Vista del Lago 14
Rancho Christian 102, Chaparral 67
Rancho Verde 49, Colony 39
Rialto 95, Riverside Prep 25
Riverside Poly 81, Grand Terrace 25
Riverside King 57, Heritage 49
San Marino 49, Royal 41
Silverado 40, Fontana 34
Valley View 48, Elsinore 37
Walnut 35, Santa Ana Foothill 27
West Torrance 73, Marina 47
Whittier Christian 54, Savanna 46
Woodbridge 37, Loara 33

INTERSECTIONAL

Birmingham 72, Palo Verde 30
Cardinal Newman 54, Lynwood 49
Coeur d’Alene (ID) 60, Villa Park 44
Denver South (CO) 54, St. Monica 48
Dublin 63, Westchester 57
Etiwanda 64, Clayton Valley Charter 32
Gardena Serra 61, Carson 29
Gilbert (AZ) 64, Marlborough 24
Gunderson 63, Granada Islamic 18
Las Vegas (NV) 47, Narbonne 45
Laurel (MD) Pallotti 53, San Clemente 49
Mary Star of the Sea 51, LA Marshall 30
Montgomery 61, Dominguez 15
Newcastle (OK) 61, Mater Dei 35
North County San Marcos 57, Vista Murrieta 33
Quartz Hill 61, Justin Garza 53
Reno (NV) 52, South Torrance 46
Sage Hill 57, Francis Parker 55
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 67, Aurora (CO) Overland 44
Sierra Vista 49, Palisades 33
Spokane (WA) Gonzaga Prep 70, Xavier Prep 28
St. Anthony 68, Inderkum 40
Washington Prep 56, Arcadia 41

From a financial perspective, well-placed sources insist interested clubs are all willing to pay a very similar remuneration package to Semenyo, whose final decision will be made with an emphasis on his personal sporting ambitions.

He turns 26 on 7 January and there is a recognition he is entering the prime of his career.

“I know there is lots of noise around him,” said Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola. “[It is] not my concern, my concern is it doesn’t affect his performances. It is not doing, he is very committed to the team and I hope we can keep him here.

“[A] situation we cannot control, but Antoine right now is our player, going to continue playing for us. If you ask me, I don’t want to lose him, definitely don’t. But every time the market opens, you never know what is going to happen.”

With that in mind, it is understood Semenyo will prioritise a club he believes can provide him with what he views as the most suitable project to compete for major trophies on a long-term basis.

The location and impact on his family will also be a contributing factor to his decision and it is understood he does not want the saga to become a long drawn-out process.

It’s been one surprise after another lately from Lindsey Vonn. And the announcement that the 41-year-old slopes queen has qualified for the Milano Cortina Olympics in February isn’t the last of it.

It might have been her post on Instagram that stated unequivocally that this will be the end.

“I am honored to be able to represent my country one more time, in my 5th and final Olympics!” Vonn said.

Vonn’s remarkable and inspiring comeback from injuries and a seven-year hiatus from top-level competitive skiing has injected the U.S. team narrative with an irresistible story line. That her quest will culminate in the mountains of northern Italy just two months from now will make it must-watch television and social media video.

The last two weeks have thrust Vonn back onto the international stage as well as the podium, which she climbed in four of her first five races this season. That includes a spectacular win in the downhill in St. Moritz, Switzerland, on Dec. 12.

That marked her first World Cup victory since 2018. And now it’s official that Vonn will compete in her fifth Olympics where she won gold in the downhill and bronze in the super-G at the 2010 Games in Vancouver and bronze in the downhill in the 2018 Games in PyeongChang.

Much of the astonishment circles back to her age. Vonn’s win in St. Moritz made her the oldest woman to win a World Cup race — by seven years. Federica Brignone of Italy set a record a year ago when she won 10 races at age 34.

She also is the first World Cup winner with titanium implants in her right knee. And she’ll become the first quadragenerian to lead the U.S. Alpine skiiing squad seven years after she had all but retired.

In a moving column on Feb. 10, 2019, at the World Championships, The Times’ Helene Elliott wrote what essentially was a sendoff for Vonn: “She went all out to the very end, because that’s the only way Lindsey Vonn knew how to ski. She was bruised and battered as she went to the start gate on Sunday for the final race of her career, sore all over and her right eye blackened by the impact of a crash she suffered during a super-giant slalom race earlier in the week at the World Championships. Her ligaments tore and her bones sometimes broke but her competitiveness was never dimmed, never dented, never compromised.”

Well, 2026 is around the bend and Vonn is back and intact, her competitiveness never compromised still. She has not officially qualified for the Olympics in the super-G, but she’s the fastest American and No. 3 in the world, so count on that as her next headline.

“Lindsey qualifying for the 2026 Olympic team is a testament to her resilience and dedication, and the remarkable results she’s delivered on the World Cup this season,” Sophie Goldschmidt, U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “She’s proven once again that elite performance isn’t just about past success, it’s about rising to the moment, race after race.

“We’re thrilled to cheer her on at the Olympics.”

Five Chargers were named to the AFC’s Pro Bowl squad Tuesday, including the team’s “quarterbacks” on both sides of the ball.

Both quarterback Justin Herbert and safety Derwin James Jr. received the honor. They are joined by outside linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu, tackle Joe Alt and kicker Cameron Dicker.

Herbert, receiving Pro Bowl recognition for the second time, is the third player in NFL history to begin a career with six consecutive seasons with at least 3,000 yards passing and 20 touchdowns.

James, a five-time Pro Bowl pick, is the only defensive back in the NFL this season to collect at least 80 tackles (five for loss) with multiple sacks and interceptions.

Dicker is the most accurate kicker in NFL history and the team’s Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year club winner. He leads all AFC kickers with 36 made field goals and 141 points scored.

Tulipulotu, a former USC standout, is ranked third in the NFL with 13 sacks, and has a career-high 20 tackles for loss.

The only surprise in that group is Alt, who made the transition from right to left tackle after left tackle Rashawn Slater suffered a season-ending injury in training camp. Alt was a stalwart on the line for the first three weeks of the season before sustaining an ankle injury 10 snaps into the Week 4 game against the New York Giants. He returned in Week 8 to face Minnesota, but was carted off in Week 9 at Tennessee an injury to the same ankle, this time requiring season-ending surgery.

Nonetheless, he’s an outstanding tackle and earned his first Pro Bowl honor, which is determined by the consensus votes of fans, players and coaches.

Four more Chargers were named Pro Bowl alternates: outside linebacker Khalil Mack, linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips for special teams, cornerback Donte Jackson and fullback/defensive lineman Scott Matlock.

Norwegian biathlete Sivert Guttorm Bakken, who had been hoping to compete at the Winter Olympics in February, has died aged 27.

Bakken returned to competition in 2024, having been kept out since 2022 with the heart condition myocarditis.

The president of the International Biathlon Union said his return to the sport had been “a source of immense joy”.

“Sivert’s comeback to biathlon after a period of great hardship was a source of immense joy for everyone in the biathlon family and an inspiring demonstration of his resilience and determination,” Olle Dahlin said.

“His passing at such a young age is impossible to comprehend but he will not be forgotten and he will forever remain in our hearts.”

Local media reported that Bakken was found dead in his hotel room in Lavaze, in the Italian Alps, where he had been attending a training camp.

Real Madrid and Brazil forward Endrick has agreed to join French side Lyon on loan until the end of the season.

The highly-rated 19-year-old signed for the Spanish giants in the summer of 2024 from Palmeiras after winning back-to-back Brazilian league titles.

However, after making 37 appearances in the 2024-25 campaign he has seen his opportunities limited at the Bernabeu this term under Xabi Alonso, featuring on just three occasions.

The teenager has scored three goals in 14 matches for Brazil but his last international cap came in March during a 4-1 World Cup qualifying defeat against Argentina in Buenos Aires.

Endrick will be hoping that his switch to Ligue 1 allows him to impress and force his way back into the Brazil squad in time for next summer’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, receiver Puka Nacua and edge rushers Jared Verse and Byron Young were voted to the Pro Bowl, the NFL announced.

Stafford, 37, has passed for a league leading 4,179 yards and 40 touchdowns, with five interceptions, for a Rams team that is 11-4 and currently seeded sixth for the NFC playoffs. The Rams play the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night in Atlanta in the second-to-last game of the regular season. Stafford also made the Pro Bowl in 2014 and 2023.

Quarterbacks Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks and Dan Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys also made the NFC roster.

Nacua, a third-year pro, leads the NFL with 114 catches and ranks second with 1,592 yards receiving. He was also voted to the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2023.

Young, also a third-year pro, has amassed 11 sacks, which ranks ninth in the NFL. This is his first Pro Bowl recognition.

Verse has 6 1/2 sacks and is regarded as one of the league’s most disruptive forces. He also made the Pro Bowl as a rookie last season, when he was also voted NFL defensive rookie of the year.

The Pro Bowl Games will be held Feb. 3 in San Francisco.