Sports Desk

Dom Taylor has been given a six-month suspension for failing a drugs test during the PDC World Championship in December.

A statement from the Darts Regulation Authority confirmed that the 27-year-old had admitted breaching anti-doping rules.

At a hearing on 7 January, the DRA Disciplinary Committee said it was “satisfied that Taylor’s ingestion of both cocaine and cannabis occurred out of competition and was not following the commencement of the World Championship”.

Taylor had previously served a one-month ban following a failed drugs test towards the end of 2024 and the sanction for his second offence is in line with UK Anti-Doping’s (Ukad) rules.

Englishman Taylor had won his first-round match against Oskar Lukasiak but news of his failed drugs test and suspension was released before his scheduled second-round match against Jonny Clayton.

Welshman Clayton, who was the fifth seed at Alexandra Palace, received a bye through to round three as a result.

Taylor later posted on Facebook to say he was “sincerely sorry” for his actions, that his mental health had been affected by a number of personal traumas and that he would be “getting the help” he needed.

As a result of the findings, Taylor forfeited his £25,000 prize money for reaching the second round of the World Championship.

That meant he dropped just outside the top 64 in the PDC’s world rankings and has therefore lost his PDC tour card for 2026.

Soccer is the world’s most popular sport. So the world’s most marketable athlete must be a soccer player, right?

Not this year.

Basketball? Golf? Tennis?

All widely played around the world, and all good guesses.

In 2025, however, the athlete making the most money from sponsorships and endorsements is a baseball player: the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, of course.

Ohtani made an estimated $100 million in marketing revenue, Sportico reported Wednesday, followed by the Lakers’ LeBron James at $85 million, soccer stars Lionel Messi ($70 million) and Cristiano Ronaldo ($60 million) and golfer Rory McIlroy ($55 million).

Ohtani joined the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry, tennis star Roger Federer and golf icon Tiger Woods as the only athletes ever to hit $100 million in annual marketing revenue, according to Sportico.

In Ohtani, whose face appears on everything from airplanes to skin care products, baseball at long last has its Michael Jordan: the superstar that has transcended sports and ascended to the status of global pop culture icon.

The timing could not be better for baseball — or worse.

Two months ago, a dramatic World Series captured record numbers of viewers around the world. Two months from now, the World Baseball Classic takes center stage — led by Ohtani and the defending champions from Japan.

However, 11 months from now, baseball’s collective bargaining agreement expires. If owners lock out players in pursuit of a salary cap or other salary restrictions, the 2027 season would be at risk, and the face of sport could disappear along with some or all of the season schedule.

The leaders in annual marketing revenue among athletes prior to 2025, according to Sportico: Curry ($100 million) in 2024; James ($80 million) in 2023; James ($90 million) in 2022; and mixed martial artist Conor McGregor ($180 million) in 2021.

Barcelona supporter Carlos believes the change goes beyond tactics. “Raphinha has much better self-esteem now,” he explains.

“He arrived at a club that was in internal turmoil, without clear role models. He was given little confidence and few instructions, and the club even considered selling him. Flick took a chance on him, and now he has a much clearer understanding of his role and responsibilities on the pitch.

“He is someone who defends his team-mates, in addition to his enormous contributions on the field. He has great instincts and intelligence on the field, and he still has room to grow.”

When asked what he thinks has changed, fan Miquel Taberna says: “In a nutshell – confidence and maturity.”

“I think that now he plays less like a pure winger, and more is able to play in a more inside forward position. He makes smarter runs, presses better and has a better connection with midfielders. Maybe he has switched from “overpaid” to “we need him in all games”

Fellow supporter Diego Sanchez said: “His off-the-ball movement is pure gold for a team featuring players like Lamine Yamal or Pedri. His attitude and leadership have turned him into a true captain.

“Thanks to Hansi Flick, Raphinha has gone from being a player who could have been forgotten by Barca fans to someone who could end up in the club’s history books as one of the greatest Brazilian players.”

After every Ifab meeting, you will find some reference to a discussion about offside.

So unconvinced has Ifab been that, even after all this time, Wenger’s law has not been offered up to associations to try out in senior football.

That would be the next step. It will not be parachuted directly into the World Cup or the Premier League next season.

Low-level trials were held in Italy’s under-18 championship in 2023, and in youth competitions in the Netherlands.

BBC Sport has been told that the results were largely positive, though there were some concerns there is too much of an advantage to the attacker.

These are minor competitions and it must be used in real competitions, including those with VAR. The game need to know how tactics would be adjusted and impact properly assessed.

Trials exist to avoid unintended consequences. Wenger’s law could produce too many goals, or it could cause a reduction.

There are plenty of examples of failed tests.

In 2000-01, a free-kick was moved forward 10 yards if there was an act of dissent. That proved too confusing in leagues which were not aware of rugby, where it originated.

There is the ABBA penalty shootout from 2017-18. It alternated the order of kicks but confused players and supporters.

In the 1987-88 season, the National League – then known as the Conference – tried out a tweak which meant a player could not be offside from a free-kick. Defences packed the six-yard box. An attempt to promote more attacking play led to more defensive tactics.

The same could happen at set-pieces with Wenger’s law. Defenders could be forced to drop deeper to prevent an attacker getting space in behind, especially at free-kicks.

Wenger’s law is often visualised as two players running down the centre of the pitch. But there would be a greater impact, and advantage to the attacker, inside the penalty area.

An alternate suggestion has been to use the torso as the reference point for offside, ignoring the feet and the head. Just how that could work in practice for assistant referees, especially in a crowd of bodies, is unclear.

If trials were successful, realistically it would be 2028-29 before a change would be rolled out across the game.

Is Wenger’s law a good idea? Right now it is a question which is impossible to answer.

None of Jordan Addison‘s three known brushes with the law have resulted in catastrophe. Late-night incidents haven’t escalated the way they often do.

Yet the news that the Minnesota Vikings and former USC receiver was arrested in Tampa, Fla., on trespassing charges Monday at 3:46 a.m. triggered a here-we-go-again reaction on social media while the Vikings hinted it might impact a potential contract extension.

Addison was arrested by the Seminole Police Department at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa and charged with misdemeanor trespass in an occupied structure or conveyance, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident came 18 months after the former USC star was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after the California Highway Patrol found him asleep behind the wheel of a Rolls Royce that was blocking traffic near Los Angeles International Airport.

Addison pleaded not guilty to two driving while intoxicated charges before pleading no contest to a lesser charge of a “wet reckless.” The NFL suspended him for the first three games of the 2025 season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

And in July 2023, Addison was cited for speeding and reckless driving in Minnesota for going 140 mph in a 55 mph zone. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor speeding and paid $686 in fines. A charge of reckless driving was dismissed.

Then-USC wide receiver Jordan Addison, left, during an NCAA college football game against Arizona State in Los Angeles in 2022.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

“Jordan is unique because 99% of the days that Jordan Addison is a Viking, he’s a joy to be around,” Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said Tuesday at the team’s postseason news conference. “He’s incredibly intelligent, confident, responsible. And then it’s like all of us: What are you like on those 1% of days? Is it the type of thing that draws attention or not?”

Addison, the Vikings’ No. 2 receiver behind All-Pro Justin Jefferson since being drafted in the first round in 2023, is eligible for a contract extension this offseason. Analysts have predicted that he could get a three- or four-year deal worth about $30 million a year.

However, he remains under his rookie contract for the 2026 season, and the latest off-the-field incident could prompt the Vikings to hold off on an extension decision for a year.

“Obviously that’s something we have to consider when you’re talking about long-term ramifications of a contract extension and different things like that,” Adofo-Mensah said. “We’ll have those conversations, obviously. Just a few days after the season and obviously this event just happened.

“But always supportive of Jordan Addison. We’ll continue to fact-find and see what actually happened, and then we’ll have those conversations in the future.”

Addison’s agent Tim Younger suggested in a post on X that the arrest might have been questionable.

“On Jordan’s behalf, his legal team has already initiated the investigation, identified witnesses, and we are reviewing the viability of a claim for false arrest,” the post said. “He looks forward to the legal process and upon full investigation, we are confident Mr. Addison will be exonerated.”

Before his string of legal troubles, Addison was a pioneer of sorts, generating headlines by transferring to USC in 2021. He was coming off a sensational sophomore season at Pitt when he won the Fred Biletnikoff Award for best receiver in the country after catching 100 passes for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns.

“The real takeaway from the controversy surrounding Addison’s transfer is that few around college football were ready for the new free-market realities that were bound to sweep through the sport sooner than later,” Ryan Kartje wrote in The Times. “Pitt officials have provided no evidence of tampering, but the accusations have been enough to stir the college football masses into a cold sweat.”

With Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams at the helm, Addison caught 59 passes for 875 yards and eight touchdowns for the Trojans in 2022 before declaring for the NFL draft.

Drawing comparisons to Tyreek Hill, Devonta Smith and T.Y. Hilton for his explosive speed, Addison is a polished route runner who has a knack for finding the end zone. He had a team-high 10 receiving touchdowns as a Vikings rookie in 2023, finishing with 70 receptions for 911 yards.

Addison added 63 catches for 875 yards and nine touchdowns in 2024. His production declined in 2025 — 42 catches for 610 yards and three touchdowns. Missing the first three games because of the suspension and the Vikings’ inconsistent quarterback play were factors.

In the crazy world known as college sports, where thousands are entering the transfer portal chasing NIL deals guided by agents, imagine what it’s like for high school athletes preparing one day to join the chaos that shows no signs of ending any time soon.

“Times have definitely changed,” said junior quarterback Chris Fields III of Carson. “It’s time not to get discouraged. It’s a time to lock in, learn as much as I can and try to acclimate as fast as possible because if you don’t get with the times, you’re going to get lost. There’s too much money out there, too many opportunities to not take advantage fully.”

Fields was recently chosen the City Section offensive player of the year after leading Carson to the Open Division championship. He’s 6 feet 1, has a 4.0 grade-point average and is coming off a season in which he passed for 2,031 yards and 29 touchdowns and ran for 958 yards and 13 touchdowns.

He’s smartly joining Carson’s highly successful track and field team this spring to continue trying to gain speed. One good time that shows how fast he is will immediately get college recruiters taking notice.

It’s an interesting point in the year for quarterbacks. Fields competed in a weightlifting competition last weekend. He’s working out with a private quarterback coach. He’s lining up summer camp appearances. Yet his main focus is continuing to show his athletic skills that can separate him from others.

Asked what he’s trying to improve on, he said, “Everywhere, but more specifically in the passing game. I can make leaps and bounds sitting in the pocket, taking more time, trusting my reads, trusting my O-line, being more comfortable back there. Sometimes I felt a little rush and took off when I didn’t have to. I don’t want to be the guy who takes off for no reason.”

Quarterback Chris Fields III of Carson High passed for two touchdowns and ran for three touchdowns in a state playoff loss to Delano Kennedy.

(Craig Weston)

No one can play quarterback without having the ability to make split-second decisions. It’s the biggest challenge playing the position, and those who do it well are much in demand because they avoid mistakes and use their instincts to make something out of nothing.

“I’ve been doing this my whole life,” Fields said. “I’m kind of used to it. It took me a while to grasp how fast I have to make decisions. If you do not make a decision within two seconds, you can get your head knocked off. It’s imperative to be a fast decision-maker.”

When Carson won its 12th City title on Nov. 29, the Colts did it in dominating fashion. The Colts won their three playoff games 27-2, 40-7 and 36-0.

“It’s a true blessing,” Fields said. “This is testament to our hard work. A lot of things were unseen. We had a lot more social media presence. We practiced harder. We lifted harder. And we executed a lot better. Our playbook was deep this year. The energy was different. Guys clicked a lot better. We understood what we had to do better.”

The preparation has already begun for 2026, particularly in the weight room, where games can be lost or won in the offseason. Carson was really no match in the state playoffs along the line in a 35-33 loss to Delano Kennedy. It was all about brute strength.

Fields is a true team leader. It makes perfect sense why linemen would do anything to protect him. He always gives credit to others. He’s an inspiration and he’ll be leading the offseason charge.

“When I wake up in the morning, I know it’s not me. I know it’s God,” he said. “I carry that mindset everywhere. It has to be the higher power and the people he surrounds me with. It’s a team game. It’s not only me out there. There’s guys blocking for me, there’s the guys catching balls for me, guys have to slow other people down so we have a chance to win. It’s never only me. “

What a player for Carson to build around for 2026.

Russell says Bath are still trying to find their balance after attack coach Lee Blackett left for England at the start of the season.

Martin Gleeson, who led England’s attack between 2021 and 2023, has replaced Blackett and analysis by the Times, external shows Bath have relied on a forward-based pick-and-go power game since his arrival.

However, Russell says Bath have reverted to a wider style in recent weeks.

“Since the November Tests, we’ve spoken more about playing a little bit more expansively, like we used to do last year and the year before,” he said

“Lee and ‘Gleese’ are different attack coaches and have different views on how we can run an attack shape, so it’s kind of figuring that out, how we can adjust and get the best from the team and what works best for us.

“In the last three games we’ve probably got slightly wider off 10 and we’ve probably had more and more joy with that.”

Edinburgh hooker Ewan Ashman has joked that while Bath and Scotland flanker Josh Bayliss is “a nice guy”, he is determined to get bragging rights, external over Russell and fellow Scot Cameron Redpath when the teams meet.

“I would imagine there’ll be a couple of late shots and getting held on the ground and a bit of that that goes on,” said Russell.

“It’s always good fun. I’ve already text [Scotland wing] Duhan [van der Merwe] to say ‘just be ready for the balls in the air’!”

Whistleblowers made 185 reports of suspected doping to the UK’s national anti-doping organisation in 2025.

UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) says concerns raised through its ‘Protect Your Sport’ whistleblowing initiative led to two individuals being charged with anti-doping rule violations.

The 185 reports, which came from 25 sports, is the second-highest since the scheme was launched in 2020, behind the 211 in 2024.

“Seeing yet another year of consistently high reports coming in has been positive, it shows that individuals feel safe coming to us and that they want to protect the integrity of their sport,” Mario Theophanous, head of intelligence and investigations at Ukad, said.

WhatsApp and SMS reporting channels introduced in 2024 allow Ukad’s investigators to respond in real time to the whistleblower, while never being able to see their name or number.

“Introducing WhatsApp and SMS has been incredibly valuable,” Theophanous added.

“It’s rapidly becoming one of our most used platforms for reporting doping suspicions and allows us to ask additional questions if required, all whilst maintaining the person’s anonymity.

“Throughout 2026 we will be continuing our efforts to provide new resources and tools that help to reduce barriers to reporting, because the information we receive can be vital in helping us to disrupt and deny doping in sport.”

In total, 15 people in the UK were sanctioned for anti-doping violations in 2025.

Manchester United have appointed former player Michael Carrick as their caretaker head coach until the end of the season.

Carrick, who was also the club’s caretaker manager in 2021, is United’s 12th manager or head coach – permanent or otherwise – since former boss Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

We thought we’d put your knowledge to the test – so can you name all 12?

“I want to be part of that new story, and I look forward to bringing my energy and attacking mindset to a club that deserves to be shaking up the old rugby order for the fans in the north east.”

Both of Quirke’s two England caps to date came in 2021 but he was part of the squad for last year’s autumn internationals and was also at a January get-together earlier this month.

Newcastle were taken over by energy drink company Red Bull in the summer and have already started rebuilding their squad, with their arrivals for this season including Wales and British and Irish Lions full-back Liam Williams, former Wasps and Gloucester wing Christian Wade and Argentina scrum-half Simon Benitez Cruz.

And, after a losing start to the campaign, their form has picked up in recent weeks, with the Red Bulls winning four of their past six games in all competitions.

The results have helped the club progress to the knockout stages of the European Challenge Cup and they also claimed a first win in The Prem since 2024 when they beat Gloucester 25-19 in their first league match of the new year.

The last time USC played on its home floor, more than three weeks ago, the tone of the Trojans’ season felt decidedly different. They were 12-1, ranked in the top 25. Everything seemed to be trending in the right direction.

By the time they’d returned in the new year, that picture looked far more bleak. Two blowout losses in Michigan and a narrow overtime escape from Minnesota had made clear how tenuous the Trojans’ early success had been. Then the timeline for star freshman Alijah Arenas’ return was pushed back indefinitely, another foreboding sign in a season filled with them.

USC guard Jordan Marsh drives toward the basket under pressure from Maryland guard David Coit at Galen Center Tuesday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

But after some dark days away from home and in desperate need of a night to find its footing, USC came to life Tuesday on its home court in an 88-71 win over Maryland.

“We went through adversity on that road trip,” forward Jacob Cofie said. “I feel like we bounced back.”

It did so behind an explosive second half from point guard Jordan Marsh, who’d barely played during the Trojans’ previous three games. Against Maryland, Marsh single-handledly put the Terrapins away, scoring a season high 20, 17 of which came in a scorching-hot second half.

“I just trusted my shot,” Marsh said. “I just believe it’s going in every time.”

It certainly looked that way in the second half Tuesday. Marsh caught fire with Maryland still clinging close to USC, as he hit a three-pointer with just under 15 minutes remaining and the Trojans holding a 53-52 lead. The rest of the bench followed suit from there. Freshman Jerry Easter scored eight of his 10 in the second half, and Jaden Brownell added nine.

USC’s bench scored a season-high 46 in total on Tuesday night. That the win came over a team without a Big Ten win to date barely mattered in the moment, not with how closely the Trojans appeared to be tiptoeing along the brink over the last two weeks. The Trojans were also forced to play most of Tuesday without Chad Baker-Mazara, who was held out after halftime with a neck injury.

“If you would have told us in November that we were going to win a Big Ten game by double digits, without Alijah [Arenas], without Chad [Baker-Mazara], without Rodney Rice, without Amarion [Dickerson], that would not, that wouldn’t happen in our minds. But it’s a resilient group,” coach Eric Mussleman said.

They’ve had no choice this season, with unfortunate injury luck sweeping through the roster since the very start of the season. Rice had shoulder surgery on Tuesday, while Arenas, who’d been planning to come back this week, is still not ready to return, Musselman confirmed after the game.

“He’s making progress,” he continued. “We look forward to getting him back on the court whenever he’s ready and his inner circle feels he’s ready.”

Baker-Mazara’s absence for most of Tuesday came as more of a surprise. Coming off a 29-point performance in USC’s win over Minnesota, the sixth-year senior spent the first four minutes of the game having his neck and shoulders stretched out on the sideline.

USC forward Chad Baker-Mazara reacts after a missed shot by teammate Jordan Marsh during a win over Maryland at the Galen Center on Tuesday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

The ongoing injuries have left Musselman to continue fiddling with his lineup in search of answers. USC opened Tuesday, for instance, with three bigs starting and one guard who wasn’t on the team a month ago.

“I would just say we’re constantly reinventing ourselves,” Musselman said.

Initially, it wasn’t clear if Tuesday’s product would pan out. Baker-Mazara played eight minutes, before burning out. The defense, with Ryan Cornish and Kam Woods in the backcourt, was struggling to get stops, as Maryland caught fire behind guard David Coit, who scored 19 before the half. Then foul trouble forced USC to go 10-deep in the game’s first 15 minutes,

It could have gone awry from there. Especially considering that Baker-Mazara never returned, spending the entire second half instead on the sideline.

Turns out, the Trojans wouldn’t need him. Not after Marsh found his stroke after halftime. Not after a season spent finding new ways to keep going, no matter what.

“Our whole team can really play,” Marsh said. “Doesn’t matter. Any night, somebody’s gonna step up for us big time.”

Chris Kreider and Beckett Sennecke scored goals, Lukas Dostal survived a barrage of shots in the final minutes, and the Ducks beat the Dallas Stars 3-1 on Tuesday night to end a nine-game skid.

Jacob Trouba also scored for the Ducks, and Dostal stopped 24 shots — many of them from point-blank range after Dallas pulled the goalie twice in the final minutes. The Ducks were 0-8-1 since a 4-1 win against Columbus on Dec. 20.

Roope Hintz scored for Dallas and Casey DeSmith had 22 saves. The Stars lost for the fourth time in six games (2-2-2).

Hintz’s snap shot from the slot with a man advantage pulled the Stars to 2-1 with 2:12 left in the third, but Trouba sealed the Ducks’ win with an empty-netter the length of the ice with 20.5 seconds remaining.

The Ducks had given up five goals or more in each of their last five games, and they played one of the NHL’s best teams without their three top point scorers in Leo Carlsson, Troy Terry and Cutter Gauthier, who sat out because of injury or illness.

But they rediscovered some of their early-season mojo, out-skating, out-hitting and out-hustling the Stars for much of the game and taking advantage of a delayed penalty call on Kyle Capobianco to score their first goal in the second period.

Dostal skated to the bench, giving the Ducks a man advantage. Mikael Granlund took a blue-line pass from Radko Gudas at the bottom of the right circle and found a wide-open Kreider, who beat DeSmith stick-side with a snap shot from the high slot for a 1-0 lead 3:36 into the period.

The Ducks appeared to push the lead to 2-0 when Alex Killorn took a spectacular backhand pass from Ryan Poehling and scored a shorthanded goal with 39.8 seconds left in the second, but Poehling crashed into DeSmith and into the net, and the goal was waved off because of interference.

With 7:58 left in the third, Sennecke gathered the rebound of Granlund’s shot that caromed off the end board and toward the left post. Sennecke shielded himself from a defender and backhanded an unassisted goal past DeSmith for a 2-0 lead.

Former two-time middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will return to action for the first time in over a year when he faces Joe Pyfer in Seattle, Washington on 28 March.

Nigerian-born New Zealander Adesayna hasn’t fought since he was knocked out by Frenchman Nassourdine Imavov last February in a third straight defeat.

The 36-year-old, who has eight wins in UFC middleweight title fights – second only to Anderson Silva’s record of 11 – has not won since beating Alex Pereira in 2023.

Adesanya dominated the middleweight division between 2020 and 2022 where he defended his title five times, but defeat against American Pyfer will raise questions about his UFC future.

Pyfer, 29, is ranked 15th in the UFC’s middleweight rankings and has won six of his seven fights in the organisation.

Adesayna, who is ranked sixth, has won just one of five fights in nearly four years.

After defeat by Imavov, Adesanya said he wanted to take some time out before focusing on “helping his team-mates” prepare for upcoming bouts.

He has also said chasing titles is no longer his aim, with his priority shifting to wanting to fight more freely and take more risks inside the octagon.

The bout with Pyfer takes place at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena on a card which also sees Mexican former flyweight champion Alexa Grasso take on American Maycee Barber.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
TUESDAY’S RESULTS

BOYS
CITY SECTION
Animo De La Hoya 48, Stern 40
Animo Robinson 63, USC Hybrid 53
Animo Watts 67, Burton 29
East College Prep 57, Alliance Bloomfield 31
Foshay 71, AMIT 44
WISH Academy 65, Animo Venice 38

SOUTHERN SECTION
ACE 77, PAL Academy 38
Adelanto 67, Victor Valley 48
AGBU 75, de Toledo 41
Anaheim Canyon 66, Cypress 52
Arcadia 92, Hoover 31
Beaumont 76, Yucaipa 57
Bell Gardens 79, Montebello 60
Burbank 84, Glendale 56
Calvary Baptist 97, NSLA 27
Campbell Hall 78, Viewpoint 51
Chino 64, Chaffey 51
Damien 76, Upland 46
Diamond Ranch 73, Ontario 65
Eisenhower 77, Grand Terrace 44
Elsinore 84, Temescal Canyon 53
Esperanza 55, Garden Grove Pacifica 51
Etiwanda 75, Chino Hills 72
Excelsior Charter 97, Lakeview Leadership Academy 36
Flintridge Prep 92, EF Academy 25
Godinez 57, Buena Park 55
Hart 62, West Ranch 48
Harvard-Westlake 87, Alemany 52
Hesperia Christian 54, CIMSA 38
Highland Hall 68, Summit View 53
HMSA 52, Wildwood 37
Irvine 57, Irvine University 23
Keppel 45, San Gabriel 28
La Mirada 99, Weston Ranch 87
La Palma Kennedy 52, Fullerton 47
La Sierra Academy 43, Anza Hamilton 26
Loara 51, Magnolia 46
Los Altos 66, South Hills 58
Los Amigos 58, Anaheim 54
Los Osos 60, Rancho Cucamonga 56
Magnolia Science Academy 68, Anaheim Discovery Christian 35
Malibu 69, Nordhoff 49
Montclair 79, Don Lugo 71
Muir 65, Burbank Burroughs 46
Murrieta Mesa 64, Great Oak 59
Newbury Park Adventist 72, Beacon Hill 42
Newport Beach Pacifica Christian 75, Capistrano Valley Christian 53
North Torrance 75, El Segundo 29
Northwood 69, St. Margaret’s 58
Ocean View 63, Segerstrom 51
Palm Desert 79, Xavier Prep 29
Pasadena 71, Crescenta Valley 51
Placentia Valencia 56, Tustin 55
Portola 50, Woodbridge 48
Redlands East Valley 67, Cajon 65
Redondo Union 94, Palos Verdes 59
Righetti 70, Santa Ynez 58
Riverside Notre Dame 94, Bloomington 58
Riverside Prep 65, University Prep 62
Sage Hill 61, Laguna Beach 46
San Gabriel Academy 78, San Fernando Valley Academy 48
Santa Margarita 80, Mayfair 43
Sequoyah 42, Glendale Adventist 35
Servite 71, La Habra 65
Shadow Hills 52, La Quinta 32
Shalhevet 77, Compton Early College 22
Sherman Indian 89, United Christian Academy 57
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 101, Chaminade 71
Sierra Canyon 84, Loyola 57
Simi Valley 64, Camarillo 59
Silverado 73, Barstow 31
Silver Valley 62, AAE 46
St. Francis 66, Crespi 64
St. John Bosco 85, Mater Dei 64
Summit 57, Fontana 44
Tarbut V’Torah 76, Newport Christian 58
Temecula Prep 77, Nuview Bridge 24
Torrance 71, West Torrance 40
Troy 42, El Modena 40
Valencia 74, Golden Valley 59
Village Christian 82, Maranatha 66
Villa Park 52, Yorba Linda 47
Vista Murrieta 81, Chaparral 58
Western Christian 60, Webb 45
Westminster La Quinta 70, Orange 41

INTERSECTIONAL
Mira Costa 72, King/Drew 52

GIRLS
CITY SECTION
Animo Watts 69, Burton 5
East College Prep 42, Alliance Bloomfield 18
Foshay 38, AMIT 19
Stern 44, Animo De La Hoya 11
USC Hybrid 44, Animo Robinson 38

SOUTHERN SECTION
Adelanto 42, Victor Valley 36
Alemany 71, Flintridge Sacred Heart 10
Apple Valley 49, Lucerne Valley 31
Arcadia 70, Hoover 15
Arrowhead Christian 66, Woodcrest Christian 63
Arroyo Valley 55, San Gorgonio 36
Beckman 80, Aliso Niguel 26
Bishop Amat 68, Ramona Convent 20
Brentwood 74, Windward 55
Buena Park 65, Godinez 38
Burbank 64, Glendale 56
Burbank Burroughs 65, Muir 33
Calvary Baptist 57, NSLA 15
Camarillo 70, Simi Valley 17
Canyon Country Canyon 62, Castaic 17
Cerritos Valley Christian 53, Whittier Christian 48
Chadwick 37, Mayfield 23
Chaparral 62, Vista Murrieta 55
Chino 68, Chaffey 24
Coastal Christian 66, Coast Union 20
Colton 41, Riverside Notre Dame 33
Compton Early College 48, Summit View West 8
Crescenta Valley 78, Pasadena 30
CSDR 73, California Lutheran 13
Cypress 58, El Modena 45
Etiwanda 76, Chino Hills 17
Excelsior Charter 56, Lakeview Leadership 28
Faith Baptist 41, Lancaster Baptist 27
Flintridge Prep 81, EF Academy 11
Hart 33, West Ranch 29
Hesperia Christian 50, CIMSA 29
Highland 45, Palmdale 25
Immaculate Heart 47, Marymount 43
Jurupa Hills 43, Bloomington 23
Keppel 45, San Gabriel 9
La Salle 60, St. Monica 43
Lakewood St. Joseph 74, St. Anthony 62
Lancaster 41, Antelope Valley 16
Liberty 29, Arlington 20
Liberty Christian 43, Vista Meridian 14
Loara 44, Westminster La Quinta 15
Los Alamitos 47, Fountain Valley 44
Marina 63, Newport Harbor 42
Mater Dei 58, Orange Lutheran 34
Milken 85, Buckley 4
Montclair 43, Don Lugo 33
Montebello 43, Bell Gardens 37
Northwood 57, Irvine University 13
Oak Park 74, Moorpark 21
Oakwood 50, Le Lycée 11
Ontario 46, Diamond Ranch 27
Orange 57, Magnolia 16
Palos Verdes 60, El Segundo 30
Paramount 75, Leuzinger 51
Portola 58, St. Margaret’s 49
Rancho Cucamonga 62, Los Osos 44
Redlands 48, Citrus Valley 33
Redondo Union 49, North Torrance 46
Sacred Heart of Jesus 57, St. Bernard 36
Saddleback 31, Century 19
Sage Hill 60, Rosary Academy 39
San Dimas 60, Alta Loma 39
Schurr 62, Alhambra 19
Shadow Hills 50, La Quinta 36
Sherman Indian 68, United Christian Academy 9
Silver Valley 37, AAE 30
Silverado 70, Barstow 29
Sonora 46, Sunny Hills 22
St. Bonaventure 93, Foothill Teh 21
St. Genevieve 51, Mary Star of the Sea 46
St. Paul 47, Pomona Catholic 2
Summit 61, Carter 25
Temescal Canyon 70, Elsinore 47
Temecula Prep 55, Nuview Bridge 27
Tesoro 55, El Toro 43
Thacher 33, Newbury Park Adventist 31
Torrance 42, Wiseburn-Da Vinci 37
Trabuco Hills 60, Capistrano Valley 20
Trinity Classical Academy 48, Holy Martyrs Armenian 40
Troy 72, Yorba Linda 35
Twentynine Palms 47, Tahquitz 31
University Prep 38, Riverside Prep 23
Upland 58, St. Lucy’s 30
Valencia 77, Golden Valley 11
Village Christian 58, Maranatha 33
Villanova Prep 36, Cate 28
Villa Park 45, Anaheim Canyon 32
Vistamar 35, New Roads 16
Western 63, Garden Grove Santiago 11
Western Christian 69, Webb 10
Whitney 51, Glenn 13
Xavier Prep 65, Palm Desert 64

Manchester City prepare offer for Marc Guehi, Bayern Munich chief tries to convince the Crystal Palace defender, and Rashford return to Manchester United is off the cards.

Manchester City are preparing to make an offer for Crystal Palace and England centre-back Marc Guehi, 25, before the end of the January transfer window, but are unlikely to meet Palace’s asking price of above £35 million. (Talksport), external

But Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl has been making calls in recent days to try to convince Guehi to join them in the summer. (Sky Germany), external

Despite the departure of head coach Ruben Amorim, Manchester United do not plan to bring back England forward Marcus Rashford, 28, when his loan spell at Barcelona ends. (Talksport), external

Manchester United and England Under-20 striker Ethan Wheatley, 19, will join Bradford City on loan until the end of the season. (Manchester Evening News), external

Nottingham Forest have made an enquiry for Bournemouth‘s English winger Marcus Tavernier, 26, but the Cherries do not plan to sell. (Daily Mail), external

Tottenham Hotspur are blocking all enquiries for French forward Mathys Tel, 20, despite loan interest from Paris FC. (Florian Plettenberg), external

Bournemouth are continuing talks with Ferencvaros over a deal for Hungary midfielder Alex Toth, 20, after their initial £8.6m offer was rejected. (Sky Sports), external

Newcastle are considering signing a defender this month after England full-back Tino Livramento, 23, suffered a hamstring injury that will sideline him for eight weeks. (Sky Sports), external

Manchester City, Brentford and Tottenham are set to miss out on Nigeria Under-20 winger Suleiman Sani, 19, with RB Leipzig finalising a £4.5m deal with Slovakian side Trencin. (Daily Mail), external

Liverpool will not offload England defender Joe Gomez, 28, this month after Northern Ireland right-back Conor Bradley, 22, suffered a season-ending knee injury. (Football Insider), external

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is one of Real Madrid’s top candidates to succeed Xabi Alonso as boss, with Antonio Conte and Enzo Maresca also being considered. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

Arsenal do not intend to sell England defender Ben White, 28, despite his lack of game-time and interest from clubs including Everton and Manchester City. (Teamtalk), external

With ticket registration for the 2028 Olympics opening at 7 a.m. PST on Wednesday, LA28 has outlined the next steps fans can take to secure their spot at the L.A. Games.

Registration begins Wednesday and runs until March 18. Fans who sign up at la28.org will be placed in a random lottery to be assigned a purchasing time slot. While the first general ticket drop will run from April 9 to April 19, 2026, fans living in select Southern California and Oklahoma counties near competition venues will have access to a presale from April 2 to April 6.

Fans in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Ventura, San Bernardino, Oklahoma, Canadian and Cleveland counties will be able to input their zip codes during registration to be entered into the locals presale. When purchasing tickets, they must use the local zip codes on their billing address.

Fans will be notified via email if they’ve been assigned a time slot. They only need to register once to be included in all Olympic ticket draws and for Paralympic tickets, which will go on sale in 2027. Anyone not selected for the first drop will be automatically entered into subsequent draws.

Fans are allowed to purchase up to 12 tickets per person for the Olympics and single-event tickets start at $28. Of the 14 million tickets available for the Olympics, 1 million tickets will be set at $28 and roughly one-third will be less than $100.

“These Games belong to everyone,” LA28 chairman Casey Wasserman said at an event at the Coliseum on Tuesday. “These Games have to be affordable and inclusive, especially for the communities of Los Angeles and Oklahoma City where competitions will take place.”

The Olympics will have events spread out in Southern California from Los Angeles to Orange Counties. Long Beach will have the second-most Olympic events out of any city behind L.A. Oklahoma City will host the softball and canoe slalom events.

It has been a tough few months for Wilson after the cue he used to win the world title in May 2024 was damaged while being refurbished at the start of this season, with a six-inch piece being snapped off the end.

Wilson called the incident “a freak accident totally out of my control” and one that had “ruined the cue I was conquering the world with”.

Following his first-round UK loss to Slessor, Wilson said: “I’m just very lost. You were very close to seeing someone have a mental breakdown out there.

“I wanted the world to swallow me up as soon as I missed the pink in the first frame. It’s been a nightmare. I gave it my all – but I just knew I couldn’t win.”

Since then, he has begun using a new cue, but only reached round three at the Scottish Open, losing to world number 68 Chang Bingyu.

Wilson, 34, did also play in the Championship League earlier this month – and looked back to his best at Alexandra Palace in his first match in a Triple Crown event since that loss to Slessor.

“It has been a really tough time so I thank you for all your love you have given me, it really lifted me,” Wilson told the London crowd after Tuesday’s match.

“This venue can bring the best out of you. I still have a lot of time in this game so hopefully I can conquer this venue for a long time.”

On his cue woes at the UK Championship, Wilson added: “I had to put a ferrule and a tip on the cue on the day of my first-round match and it got to boiling point when I felt I had let people down.

“I had a bit of a hissy fit at the end of that game. I’m over that now and I’ve got a cue that I’ve been playing with since the Scottish Open and I’m very happy with it.”

Wilson, who will meet either Australia’s Neil Robertson or England’s Chris Wakelin in the next round, added: “When you go out there and can’t trust what you’re using, you have no chance.

“I think this cue is better because there’s a bit more power, a bit more whip and it’s about learning how to control that – I’ve had a month to get used to it, I’ve had to modify my cue action.”

Si, 23, played his part in an entertaining game with a break of 97 in frame three, although he was unable to join compatriots Wu Yize, Xiao Guodong and Zhao Xintong in the last eight.

SACRAMENTO — LeBron James wore a patch on his jersey for the first time Tuesday commemorating his unprecedented 23rd NBA season in the city where he played his first NBA game. It features a silhouette of his pregame chalk toss and three colored stripes that represents the three franchises he has played on — the Lakers, Cavaliers and Heat.

James, who scored 22 points in the Lakers’ 124-112 loss to the Sacramento Kings, will wear the patch for the remainder of the season. After each game, the patch will be removed from his jersey for that game, dated and shipped to a Topps’ production facility to be authenticated and inserted into a pack of trading cards.

“Super cool. Super surreal. Super humbled, blessed,” James said. “I walked in here and saw it for the first time. It was like an emotional moment as well. Just think about the journey thus far and have an opportunity to be here where it kind of all started obviously, but in this city.

“And it’s been a heck of a journey and people have followed my career and my fans have followed my career to get an opportunity to be a part of it.”

Lakers fans might not get the chance to see James and his patch up close on Tuesday night against the Atlanta Hawks. There’s a good chance he will not play in the second game of a back-to-back.

“We’ll see how he feels in the morning,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.

Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cam Smith have all indicated they will remain with LIV Golf rather than rejoining the PGA Tour.

Five-time major winner Brooks Koepka was recently accepted back on the American circuit after he quit the Saudi Arabian-backed series to prioritise “the needs of his family”.

The PGA subsequently opened the door for fellow major winners Rahm, DeChambeau and Smith to follow Koepka under a new returning member programme open until 2 February.

But the trio have since quashed the prospect of a return at a news conference for LIV Golf captains.

Rahm, 31, said he “wished Brooks the best” but was “not planning to go anywhere”.

“As far as I’m concerned, I’m focused on LIV for this year and hoping my team can repeat as champs,” said the Spaniard.

American DeChambeau said he was “contracted through 2026” and “was so excited about this year” while fellow 32-year-old Smith of Australia added that he had “made a decision” and will “be on LIV for years to come”.

Only players who have been away from the PGA Tour for at least two years and have won The Players Championship or a major between 2022-25 were eligible to return under the terms of the PGA initiative.

PGA Tour chief executive Brian Rolapp outlined that programme would be only open for the 2026 campaign and was in “response to a unique set of circumstances”.

“This is a one-time, defined window and does not set a precedent for future situations,” Rolapp said in an open letter.

“Once the door closes, there is no promise that this path will be available again.”

City’s goalscoring burden has fallen mostly on the broad shoulders of star striker Erling Haaland this season, with the Norway international netting 39 goals in 34 games for club and country.

But the prolific frontman has hit a sticky patch of late, scoring just once in his past six games and last scoring from open play against West Ham on 20 December.

Playing as a wideman mostly from the right, Semenyo’s proficiency in front of goal for Bournemouth has him on 10 Premier League goals so far this season, sitting third on the top-flight scoring charts behind new team-mate Haaland and Brentford’s Igor Thiago.

Haaland can not only expect a new avenue of goalscoring service – as showcased by Semenyo’s assist against Exeter – but that weight of finding the net can now be shared with a player who scored a total of 32 goals for the Cherries.

Semenyo adds a versatility to City by being able to play anywhere in the front three, enhancing the options available to manager Pep Guardiola.

The Ghanaian’s speed, direct running and cool finishing has already been displayed in Manchester this season, with a brilliantly taken goal against United at Old Trafford in the chaotic 4-4 draw.

Guardiola will be hoping his newest recruit can provide that sort of anarchy and unpredictability alongside the craft and vision of Phil Foden and the magic of Rayan Cherki in the final third.

City captain Bernardo Silva said: “He looks not just a very good player but also a very good guy, which fits right in with the team.

“He is a fantastic guy who wants to help us. Hopefully he can keep going.”

Ryan Garcia will return to the ring nine months after his loss to Rolando “Rolly” Romero in May 2025, and he will do so in a world championship fight against Mario Barrios, the current World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion. The 12-round bout will take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Feb. 21.

Turki Alalshikh, president of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia, confirmed the matchup. The event will be called “The Ring: High Stakes” and broadcast by DAZN pay-per-view.

Barrios (29-2-2, 18 KOs) won the WBC welterweight world championship in September 2023 and has defended the title twice, both times in fights that went the full 12 rounds. In November 2024, he fought to a split draw against Abel Ramos, and in July 2025, he recorded a majority draw against legendary former world champion Manny Pacquiao.

“This is my division, my moment and I’m ready to show the world why the WBC title is staying here,” Barrios said in a statement.

Barrios, who has faced Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Keith Thurman, was also world champion in the super lightweight division, where he won the World Boxing Assn. (WBA) title in 2019. Before his draws against Pacquiao and Ramos, he defeated Argentina’s Fabián Maidana and Cuba’s Yordenis Ugás, a fight in which he won the vacant WBC title.

For his part, García (27-1, 19 KOs) returns after losing to Romero in a fight in which he did not appear to enter the ring in optimal condition. During that fight, the Victorville native was knocked down in the second round and ended up losing by unanimous decision after 12 rounds. Garcia came into that fight with physical problems, suffered an injury during training camp and underwent surgery on his right hand after the fight, which kept him out of the ring for months.

“I will be world champion on February 21,” Garcia said in a statement.

Mario Barrios punches Manny Pacquiao during a July bout in Las Vegas. Barrios will next face off with Ryan Garcia.

(John Locher / Associated Press)

García’s return comes after a turbulent period in his career. In 2024, he defeated Devin Haney by decision in the super lightweight division, although he weighed in 3.25 pounds overweight, making him ineligible to compete for Haney’s title. He subsequently tested positive for the banned substance ostarine, which resulted in the fight being declared a “no contest,” as well as a lawsuit from Haney and a one-year suspension.

Now, Garcia will seek redemption in a new division against an established champion, while Barrios will attempt to reaffirm his dominance at welterweight against high-profile opponent.

This article first appeared in Spanish via L.A. Times en Español.

England scrum-half Raffi Quirke has announced he will leave boyhood club Sale Sharks at the end of the season, having been linked with Newcastle Red Bulls.

The 24-year-old, who has won two caps and memorably scored a try in England’s November 2021 win over South Africa, has been hampered by a string of injuries, with Scotland’s Gus Warr often preferred at club level.

However, Quirke has enjoyed a decent run of form this campaign and was part of England’s squad for the autumn internationals, retaining his place for a recent January get-together despite Leicester’s Jack van Poortvliet and Bristol’s Harry Randall both returning from injury.

“This has been the hardest decision of my life so far because Sale is the club that I grew up supporting and dreaming of playing for,” said Quirke.

“Playing here since I was 15 has been an amazing experience and a privilege that has shaped me as a player and a person and I will be forever grateful to [director of rugby] Alex [Sanderson], the owners, the coaches, the players and the supporters for truly believing in me.