JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Josh Allen took a pounding, doled out punishment and delivered Buffalo its first road playoff victory in more than three decades.
With linebacker Devin Lloyd bearing down on him, Allen found Brandin Cooks for 36 yards just before the two-minute warning and then capped the go-ahead drive with a 1-yard touchdown run in which Jacksonville let him score.
On the play before his score, Allen gained 10 yards on a sneak, refusing to go down while being pushed and pulled to the goal line.
Focused on getting rid of the ball quickly and negating Jacksonville’s pass rush most of the game, Allen completed 28 of 35 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown. He ran for two scores, was sacked just once and played turnover-free football.
It was necessary considering NFL rushing leader James Cook was mostly bottled up, finishing with 46 yards on 15 carries.
Buffalo (13-5) intercepted a deflected pass on Jacksonville’s final drive to seal the victory. The Jaguars (13-5) took the lead with 4:03 to play but couldn’t hold it against Allen.
The Bills had been 0-5 on the road in the playoffs under coach Sean McDermott, starting with a 10-3 loss at Jacksonville in the 2017 wild-card round. The Bills had dropped eight consecutive postseason games on the road since winning at Miami in the 1992 AFC championship game. It had been the NFL’s second-longest, active road playoff skid.
This time it was a 16-3 dismissal by the New England Patriots, who had so much success here with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.
The new hero is second-year quarterback Drake Maye, who was far from perfect Sunday night but was frequently serenaded by chants of “M-V-P” by the sold-old crowd, delighted on an evening that was chilly but not frigid.
These Patriots won four games last season and 14 this one, becoming the third franchise in NFL history to improve by more than 10 games over the previous year.
Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers — a banged-up M-A-S-H unit all season — hit one final wall in a game that seemed maddeningly winnable.
The three points by the Chargers matched their season-low from a week before, but that loss at Denver was engineered by second- and third-string players. Before that, their lowest-scoring game was a 35-6 blowout at Jacksonville.
Imagine how vexing this has been for Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, whose gutty season yet again ended with a frustrating fizzle.
First came the 27-point collapse at Jacksonville. Then last season’s four-interception meltdown at Houston. And Sunday night the repeated inability at New England to capitalize on prime opportunities.
It was far from complementary football. The Chargers’ defense turned in a solid performance, but the offense was sputtering and out of sync.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is sacked by New England Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings in the fourth quarter Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Making matters worse, the visitors were undone by one of their onetime standouts. Tight end Hunter Henry, who spent his first three seasons with the Chargers, broke open the game with a 28-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.
The torture was gradual but inevitable for the Chargers, as a lead was always within reach on the scoreboard — yet not on the field. It was as if the offense was ankle-deep in mud, a credit of course to New England’s swarming defense.
Herbert fought gamely, running with abandon despite his broken left hand, but he unable to spark any offensive consistency. Near the middle of the fourth quarter, he lost a fumble and got hit so hard he lay on the ground for several moments before teammates gingerly helped him to his feet.
Maye had an interception and a pair of fumbles (one lost), yet he was poised and frequently made big plays with his feet.
This was New England’s 50th playoff game under Kraft family ownership, and the 28th for the Chargers since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
The Chargers last won a playoff game in the 2018 season when they beat Baltimore in the first round before falling to New England in the second.
The game was 6-3 at half, with the Patriots kicking their second field goal at the end of the second quarter.
The Chargers’ defense did an impressive job of putting the clamps on New England’s offense — some nifty runs by Maye notwithstanding — but the offense couldn’t turn those efforts into points.
Former Chargers tight end Hunter Henry catches a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter for the Patriots. It was the game’s only touchdown.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
That was most evident early in the game, when the Chargers made an interception deep in Patriots territory but the offense came up empty-handed. Daiyan Henley picked off a Maye deflection that was batted at the line of scrimmage by defensive tackle Teair Tart, giving the visitors the ball at the 10.
Three Herbert scrambles and an incomplete pass later, and the Chargers were skulking off the field pointless, and the Patriots had a huge emotional lift.
Chargers running back Omarion Hampton, who was dealing with a bum ankle, tried to play with a brace and briefly made an appearance in the first half before returning to the sideline. The ball-carrying duties were handled by backup Kimani Vidal and the scrambling of Herbert.
The offensive line for the Chargers, a unit constantly under construction, did a respectable job early on of protecting Herbert, who was sacked 60 times this season. But they struggled as the game wore on and gave up four of their six sacks in the second half.
Maye, a popular MVP candidate along with Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, led all rushers in the half with 55 yards on five carries.
The Patriots were flagged just once in the first half but should have gotten another for an uncalled roughing-the-passer when Herbert took a clubbing to the head. That came on third down and would have given the Chargers a first down, as opposed to a punt.
This game followed the trend of the previous four postseason matchups, which were separated by only a few points. In that respect, it was a dream weekend for the NFL.
LINCOLN, Neb. — Lauren Betts scored 18 points and had 10 rebounds to help No. 4 UCLA to an 83-61 win over No. 25 Nebraska on Sunday.
Betts also added four blocks and five steals for the Bruins (15-1, 5-0 Big Ten).
UCLA used an 11-2 first quarter run to take control of the game and stretched its lead to 35-20 on Gianna Kneepkens’ three-pointer with 2:21 remaining in the first half.
Nebraska (14-3, 3-3) cut the deficit to 10 on Jessie Petrie’s layup that opened the second half scoring. But the Huskers could get no closer the rest of the way.
Sienna Betts’ layup with 4:03 left in the third period pushed the lead to 52-32. UCLA’s largest lead was 27 late in the game.
Five other Bruins joined Lauren Betts in double figures: Kneepkens finished with 16 points, Charlisse Leger-Walker had 14 points, Sienna Betts and Kiki Rice had 12 points each, and Gabriela Jaquez had 11.
The taller, more physical Bruins dominated Nebraska defensively and on the boards. The Bruins stifled Nebraska’s shooters, who hit just 38% of their shots and 33% from three, and held the Huskers 24 points below their 85 points per game season average.
UCLA outrebounded 43-28 and turned 16 offensive rebounds into 17 second chance points.
Amilia Hargrove scored 12 points to lead Nebraska. Logan Nissey had 11 for the Huskers, and Jessica Petrie, Callin Hake and Eliza Maupin had 10 points each.
Manager Danny Rohl enthused about many aspects of Rangers’ controlled 2-0 victory away to Aberdeen, including his side’s “clean sheet mentality”.
A fifth successive victory keeps Rangers three points behind Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts.
Since Rohl took over in October, his side have shipped just eight goals in 14 league games, winning 11 of those, while keeping the opposition out on eight occasions.
Rangers kept one just one blank in Russell Martin’s seven Premiership games, a soporific Old Firm derby stalemate.
“We defended until the end and we got a clean sheet,” Rohl told RangersTV.
“This is the basis and if we do this again and again we will be in a fantastic way. Keep on the front foot, stay hungry, stay ambitious, and be humble in the right moments.”
In the wind and rain at Pittodrie, Aberdeen were limited to five efforts on target, with Jack Butland’s only save of note thwarting Leighton Clarkson in the first half.
“Big, big pride in my group, to come to a really tough place,” said Rohl in his post-match media conference. “We showed again different faces, which is what we need.
“We played good men’s football, we were ready in the duels, second balls.
“We understood when to play in behind, then we understand also to keep the ball in the right areas.
“The result was enjoyable, of course, it’s great to see.
“We were really focused until the end and it is outstanding what we have done, five wins in a row.”
Rangers solidity is all the more impressive when you consider first choice centre-backs John Souttar and Derek Cornelius have been missing.
The Canada international has been out since early November, while Souttar was absent for six matches.
However, it is no surprise that the Scotland defender’s return coincides with the current five-game winning run.
Souttar made a great early block from Nicolas Milanovic at Pittodrie and was constantly marshalling the backline, keeping the occasionally errant Emmanuel Fernandez close and focused.
Fernandez may be prone to the odd lapse but the 24-year-old, who was playing in England’s League One last season, is an imposing figure.
He has four goals from his run of 11 successive starts and was denied another by a debatable VAR review in Aberdeen.
A menace at set-pieces in the opposition box, he is handy at nodding them away at the other end too, and Nasser Djiga is likely to have to wait patiently on the bench now that he is back from the Africa Cup of Nations with Burkina Faso.
Match of the Day pundits Dion Dublin and Phil Jones look at how Portsmouth were punished by Arsenal’s set pieces as the Gunners secure comfortable 4-1 win to progress to the fourth round of the FA Cup.
It’s still unclear exactly when Rui Hachimura will return for the Lakers after missing six games because of right calf soreness, but coach JJ Redick said the forward is trending toward playing soon.
That could be as early as Monday night when the Lakers play at the Sacramento Kings or Tuesday night when they play the Atlanta Hawks at Crypto.com Arena.
Hachimura practiced Sunday and took extra shots after the session. “He was able to do everything in practice,” Redick said.
Hachimura has been rehabbing for two weeks. He took part in a few practices and is eager to return.
Does he think he will play against the Kings?
“I think so. I think I felt good after [practice], but I got to check with the trainers and everybody and then we’ll see for tomorrow,” Hachimura said.
When he does return, Hachimura will be on a minutes restriction and will probably come off the bench, Redick said.
Hachimura said his calf has “healed,” giving him a chance to practice with the South Bay Lakers, the Lakers’ G League team.
Hachimura is averaging 12.7 points and 4.3 rebounds in 27 games. He is shooting 52.1% from the field and 44.5% from three-point range,
“I’m fine,” he said. “I feel good about it.”
Hachimura is aware how calf injuries have led to more serious ailments for NBA players. Although staying healthy is a priority with free agency looming at the end of the season, Hachimura said his main concern is helping the Lakers win games.
“I think at the end of the day … I’m trying to help this team win. That’s the whole purpose of being here,” he said. “I’ve been here for four seasons now. I think I’m one of the guys that has been here the longest too, so I’m happy to be here playing with these guys. The coaches and everybody, I love these guys.
“Of course the contract and stuff is coming up. But at the end of the day I’m just trying to focus on everyday, just in the moment. … We got a second half that is coming. As a team too, but for me, I got to be ready for the playoffs.”
NBA suspends Kings guard Dennis Schroder
A day after the NBA suspended Sacramento point guard Dennis Schroder three games for confronting and attempting to strike Luka Doncic after a game on Dec. 28, Redick offered little insight into the incident.
“It’s a league matter,” Redick said. “So, I don’t really have a comment on it, to be honest with you. They made their decision. And it’s up to them.”
The league said the incident occurred approximately 40 minutes after the game when Schroder sought out Doncic in a Crypto.com Arena hallway and initiated the confrontation.
The two had been sniping at each other all game, with Doncic at one point taunting Schroder for not signing an $84-million contract with the Lakers in 2021.
After the game, according to people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, Schroder was hiding and waiting to attack Doncic in the hallway.
Redick was asked if he was aware of what happened.
“There’s very few things I’m not aware of,” Redick said.
For his part, Schroder posted on social media, “Attempting,” with several emojis.
MINNEAPOLIS — Grace Grocholski scored 25 points and Minnesota made just enough free throws in the fourth quarter to hold off No. 21 USC 63-62 on Sunday, the third straight loss for the Trojans and first win over a ranked team since 2019 for the Golden Gophers.
Minnesota made six of 12 free throws in the fourth quarter, four of eight in the last 73 seconds. But USC had seven turnovers in the final period, which the Golden Gophers turned into eight points as they built a seven-point lead with 41 seconds left.
Kara Dunn scored eight points in the final 31 seconds, including a three-pointer at the buzzer for the Trojans. Dunn finished with 27 points, including all 14 USC points in the fourth quarter.
Sophie Hart scored 15 points for Minnesota (12-4, 3-2 Big Ten Conference). Mara Braun had 10 rebounds as the Golden Gophers won the boards 40-32, including 18-6 on the offensive end for a 23-2 difference in second-chance points.
Jazzy Davidson had 21 points and eight rebounds for USC (10-7, 2-3).
Davidson, Dunn and Grocholski all hit five three-pointers.
Minnesota hit its first five shots and scored the first 10 points of the game.
Davidson hit a three-pointer to start a 19-0 run in the second quarter for a 32-23 USC lead. She had 15 points in the second quarter, but Braun had a three-point play to help Minnesota close to within 34-30 at the half.
USC led 45-32 on a Davidson three, but Grocholski had 10 points in a 14-0 run before Dunn’s three made it 48-46 heading into the fourth quarter.
Up next for USC: vs. No. 8 Maryland at Galen Center on Thursday.
The NFL play-offs continued with another nail-biting game as the Buffalo Bills claimed a 27-24 win at the Jacksonville Jaguars.
A late interception by Buffalo safety Cole Bishop allowed the Bills to clinch victory after Josh Allen, the league’s reigning Most Valuable Player, put them back in front with one minute four seconds of the game remaining.
Buffalo were the pre-season Super Bowl favourites but have had to hit the road in the play-offs having failed to retain the AFC East title, while Jacksonville won the AFC South.
The Jaguars ended the regular season on an eight-game winning streak to secure the AFC’s third seed, while Buffalo are the sixth, and most of Sunday’s Wildcard Weekend game was a tight affair.
Buffalo led 10-7 at half-time, then 13-10 heading into the fourth quarter, when the lead changed hands four times in a nerve-racking finale.
Quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence and Allen then produced a shootout, with former number one draft pick Lawrence making touchdown passes to Parker Washington and Travis Etienne.
Buffalo replied with Allen finding Dalton Kincaid for a score before barging over for his second rushing TD, which ultimately proved decisive.
There was enough time for Lawrence to lead a game-winning drive but he was picked off by Bishop to keep alive Allen’s hopes of reaching his first Super Bowl.
This season could be his best chance yet to reach the NFL’s championship game as the Kansas City Chiefs, who knocked Buffalo out in four of the past five years, have failed to reach this season’s play-offs.
For brothers Boone and Ford Casady, pickleball is more than just a game, it is a passion. The 16-year-old twins are among the top junior players on the planet, but more important to them than trophies and medals is a desire to spread the fastest-growing sport in America to high schools and colleges.
Their vision, combined with the persistence of fellow Crossroads sophomores Samantha Leeds and Hannah Carey, has birthed the L.A. High School Pickleball League, the first of its kind in California. The first match will be Jan. 24 at the Santa Monica Pickleball Center.
Teams from Crossroads, Brentwood, Windward, Palisades, Notre Dame and Santa Monica Pacifica Christian will participate, and possibly several more.
Matches will be biweekly with all schools competing at the same shared location. The match format is loosely based on high school tennis with three doubles lines, one singles line and “friendlies” — ensuring that beginners, alternates and developing players all get playing time. The season culminates with semifinals and a league championship.
“My brother and I grew up playing competitive tennis and baseball,” Boone said. “We’d been playing tennis since we were about 3 and in eighth grade we moved to Barcelona to train at the Emilio Sánchez Academy for tennis. We were first introduced to pickleball earlier while we were in Mexico playing with friends and we immediately fell in love with it. We entered our first tournament in Palm Springs and realized we’d found something special.
“We noticed that so many juniors were training and competing individually but there wasn’t a school-based structure like you have in other varsity sports. We decided to change that. We wanted girls to be involved from the start — it was important to us that the league be coed and inclusive to reflect how competitive girls pickleball already is. We’re also co-founders of the Crossroads Pickleball Club along with Samantha and Hannah and we’re working to grow participation on campus and across L.A.”
The four founders of the L.A. High School Pickleball League play mixed doubles.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Unlike most youth sports initiatives, the league was not created by adults or administrators, it was built entirely by students. Over the last two years they have coordinated with the Southern Section for recognition and guidance, worked with Crossroads administrators to establish pickleball as a school-sanctioned varsity sport, organized early intramural and inter-school tournaments, built communication networks among local high schools and helped other schools begin turning their club teams into varsity programs.
“In high school sports, students usually join a system that already exists,” Leeds said. “With pickleball, we had to build the system ourselves.”
Boone defeated Ford to earn the No. 1 seed at the 2024 Junior PPA National Championships, but they met again for the gold medal and this time Ford won. They also took the gold in doubles and finished No. 1 and No. 2 in the country in the 14s division.
At the 2025 Junior PPA National Championships, the brothers took silver and bronze in the Boys U16 singles and partnered for silver in doubles. They were also presented the Community Assist Award to acknowledge their initiative in starting the Los Angeles High School Pickleball League. They are straight-A students and play shortstop and third base on the varsity baseball team.
So far, their toughest competition in pickleball has been each other.
“Boone and I practice together all the time and we play against each other constantly,” Ford said. “Boone knows the part of my game to attack and I know what to do against him so we always have great matches. No matter who wins, we hug it out at the end.”
The siblings played in their first pro event of the year Saturday — the Masters Tournament in Palm Springs.
Leeds and Carey were introduced to pickleball in eighth grade.
“I remember leaving PE after playing pickleball, heading to soccer practice and honestly feeling kind of bored,” Leeds recalled. “All I wanted to do was keep playing pickleball.”
“Samantha and I got randomly paired to do pickleball in PE,” said Carey, who lost her home in the Palisades fire. “Most kids would sit out, look bored, or try to skip but as the pickleball nets went up our peers were engaged, exhilarated and connecting over their love of pickleball. So Samantha and I started making petitions to create a league.”
The girls, then 13, had a meeting with Anthony Locke, head of school at Crossroads, and made a pitch deck. Using her skills as a filmmaker Leeds created a short sizzle video to help show what pickleball could look like as a real school sport.
“We were told that forming school-based teams and leagues is a necessary first step towards eventual CIF recognition,” she said. “I created a Varsity Team Starter Kit, outlining the steps we used to establish pickleball as a school-sanctioned varsity sport. Leaders at other schools are actively using it to establish their own teams.”
Added Carey: “We connected with Boone and Ford, which was such an honor considering their talent and passion for the sport. We decided to join forces and use our resources together to further our process of creating a league.”
The inaugural season runs from January to March but beginning in the 2026-27 school year the plan is to move to the traditional winter sports window, November through January.
“Pickleball has the potential to become a true varsity sport at both the high school and college levels,” Boone said. “We’re so excited to help push it forward.”
Star Saints back row Henry Pollock was booed throughout by a passionate home support after his part in a final-whistle scuffle in Cardiff.
The flamboyant flanker had his moments, scoring twice, but it was Bordeaux who surged on to ruthlessly exploit a gulf in class.
The French side were quicker, stronger and far more creative as they put on a clinical display, with Fiji full-back Salesi Rayasi and forward Cameron Woki both scoring hat-tricks.
Saints lost influential fly-half Fin Smith before kick-off but the England man would surely have made little difference against a Bordeaux side who have now won 24 of their past 27 home games.
Rayasi touched down the opener before Pollock’s inevitable moment of theatre. The England forward found himself on the left wing, kicked it ahead and gathered to run in and score before shushing the booing from the stands.
Saints then struggled at the scrum, with prop Danilo Fischetti being sin-binned, and they fell behind when a man down as Rayasi swapped passes with Damian Penaud to score.
Northampton went down to 13 men when flying winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey was taken out late by Rory Hutchinson and were still a man short when scrum-half Martin Page-Relo sniped through a gap in the stretched defence to score a sparkling third.
Penaud put Woki in to score a bonus point before the break and Rayasi completed a world-class hat-trick early in the second half with a ridiculous run from his own half, weaving and leaving Saints defenders in his wake.
Woki intercepted a pass to run in and score a second, before Tommy Freeman cut the lead with a fine finish after some concerted pressure.
Bordeaux again scored with ease though, Woki pocketing the loose ball from the restart to run in for his third before fly-half Matthieu Jalibert sprinted clear to bring up the 50 points on the hour mark.
Saints kept going, as Pollock scored a second fine try from a kick from Hutchinson in the closing stages and Fischetti stretched out to secure a potentially vital bonus point.
Northampton are through to the last 16 already but may now face another testing trip away from home.
But rookie wide receiver Tre’ Harris can’t help but feel some change, even if just so slightly — knowing that a loss means back-to-back seasons under Harbaugh without a playoff win.
“Everybody a little bit more locked in,” Harris said. “Everybody’s staying a couple more hours after meetings and things like that. Cleaning up things, making sure everything’s dotted. That’s what comes with playoff football.”
Harris referenced a “wise words” speech linebacker Daiyan Henley made at the end of practice Thursday as an example of the communication veteran players and coaches are extending to younger players on the team.
Henley, who eclipsed 100 tackles for the second straight season, said his message was about not letting up — a reminder to adhere to the Chargers’ season-long standards and processes with their Super Bowl aspirations on the line.
“For me mentally, and for a lot of guys here, you get into these rooms with these coaches, and they can build up the moment, build up the anticipation,” he said. “It’s the playoffs. It’s do or die.”
The Crenshaw High alumnus continued: “These are things we all know. But what we have to understand is that it’s been do or die since we started this season, because if it wasn’t, we wouldn’t be here — we wouldn’t be in this situation in the playoffs.”
The importance of the game isn’t lost on Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who has been working longer in meetings — and waking up earlier too. Roman, who guided the Chargers to the 12th-best offense (334 yards per game) despite losing standout offensive linemen Rashawn Slater, Joe Alt and running back Najee Harris to injuries during the year, has been getting a head start on playoff preparations by setting his alarm for 2:30 a.m.
Luckily for the sleep-deprived Roman, he should have a healthy offensive line. Jamaree Salyer, who sat out the last two weeks with a hamstring injury, is set to return at left tackle, giving the Chargers their best starting five.
But one big question remains: will running back Omarion Hampton play?
After recovering from a fractured left ankle, the rookie tweaked his right ankle during Week 17 against the Houston Texans. Hampton, listed as questionable, said he’s planning to play against the Patriots. If Hampton can’t play or isn’t 100%, it could prove costly against a New England team that had the NFL’s sixth-best run defense (102 yards per game) during the regular season.
A standout performance by the Chargers’ defense would alleviate some of the pressure on offense. Under defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, the Chargers allowed the fifth-fewest yards (285 per game) and had the league’s ninth-ranked scoring defense.
In December 2024, the Chargers defeated quarterback Drake Maye and the Patriots 40-7 in Foxborough. Under coach Mike Vrabel, New England is a much different team — and Minter knows stopping Maye, a favorite for NFL MVP, will not be easy.
“Maybe the top offense in football,” said Minter, who has received requests to interview for head coaching jobs with the Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans.
But Minter is ready for the challenge, one that could add another highlight to his resume and send the Chargers into new territory under Harbaugh.
“I think everybody in our room has tremendous confidence,” Minter said.
Freshman point guard Phillip Reed Jr. of Palisades entered high school ready to sink or swim going against varsity players who were stronger and more experienced.
“I wanted to jump into the water head first,” he said.
His progress is similar to that of other freshmen given opportunities to produce immediately. The early days of adjustment and uncertainty have been left behind. With each game confidence grows and signs of real potential can be seen like the sun rising in the morning.
“Pressure is a privilege. That’s how I look at it,” Reed said. “It’s not really pressure. It’s a challenge.”
He’s been preparing for this moment since he was 4. He lives in Compton and takes online classes to attend Palisades, using extra time during the day to work out with his father, a former high school football player at Inglewood. His mother also was an athlete at West Virginia Tech.
In the early games for Palisades, Reed saw the challenges. “Everybody is pretty much stronger than me, so it was using my IQ,” he said. “It’s a little more physical.”
The 6-foot-3 Reed can do everything a point guard is expected to do — dribble, make shots from anywhere on the court, be a distributor when needed. He’s averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds.
The Southland is filled with promising freshman guards, and they know each other, having played with or against each other for years.
“Everybody in this freshman class is pushing each other to be better,” Reed said.
Some other freshman guards making an immediate impact:
Freshman guard Will Conroy Jr. of Village Christian.
(Craig Weston)
Will Conroy Jr., Village Christian: He’s had a high game of 41 points. His father is an assistant at USC, so he’s had coaching and plenty of examples on how to move forward. He came into Friday averaging 27 points. He’s probably the No. 1 freshman in California.
Conroy delivered a victory over Crespi early in the season by calmly sinking a shot in the final seconds. His ability to handle pressure has been impressive.
Freshman guard Quali Giran of Long Beach Millikan.
(Steve Galluzzo)
Quali Giran, Long Beach Millikan: From the very first game he has lived up to the hype of a freshman ready to contribute immediately. He’s averaging 24 points.
Zach Arnold, San Gabriel Academy: On a team with a 6-11 center, it has been Arnold’s contributions against top opponents that have been most impressive. He helped his team beat No. 2-ranked Redondo Union.
Tariq Johnson, Servite: There was no hesitation handing the ball to Johnson from the first practice and making him the leader on the court. He’s averaging 17 points.
Darrellreon Morris, St. Pius X-St. Matthias: Just watch him show off his maturity setting up star guard Kayleb Kearse for shots.
Braylon Sherwood, Chaminade: The 6-6 Sherwood is averaging 13 points and helped Chaminade win 18 of its first 19 games.
Travis Walton Jr., Eastvale Roosevelt: Coming off the bench, Walton has had several impressive games and still is adjusting to the physicality of playing against top opponents. He’s the son of a former Michigan State standout and a gym rat who coach Johnny Dukes said “will be a heck of a player when it’s all said and done.”’
JoJo Mariless, Damien: He’s moved into the starting lineup for 17-4 Damien. He can shoot and is showing unselfishness with his passing skills.
Macclesfield chairman Rob Smethurst says he feels like his side “won the FA Cup” with their third-round win over holders Crystal Palace on Saturday – and admitted he was “first on” as fans invaded the pitch at full-time.
The Silkmen beat their Premier League opponents 2-1 despite ranking 117 places below them, creating the biggest shock in the competition’s history in terms of difference in league position.
Paul Dawson’s header in the first half sent the home fans into dreamland, before Isaac Buckley-Ricketts shocked Palace further when he delivered a second after the break.
The final whistle prompted scenes of jubilation as fans raced on to the pitch to celebrate.
“I legged it!” Smethurst told BBC Radio 5 Live on Sunday.
“I thought this is going to happen and I thought you know what I’m going on! I thought I need to hug my players here, I probably was first on and caused havoc.”
He added: “It was just amazing for Macclesfield. I know the lads were partying until three, four o’clock in the morning. I mean the scenes for the town and the community yesterday was just one of those experiences that I’m never going to forget.
“I was home early believe it or not. I got myself back and watched it all over again. Amazing scenes. For me I think we won the FA Cup yesterday.”
Noah Darnell, a senior pitcher at Santa Margarita High, got to experience something that is becoming too common in the world of the college transfer portal and changing NIL rules.
He was committed to Tulane for about five months. Then a week before his senior year was to begin, he received a phone call.
“They didn’t have a spot for me,” he said of Tulane. “We’re going in another direction.”
A week later, Darnell went to an Ivy League showcase and informed coaches he was back on the market. Harvard coaches saw him, knew he had a 4.4 grade-point average and told him they wanted him.
“Harvard was No. 1 from the get-go,” Darnell said. “I’m so happy.”
These last-minute phone calls by schools telling commits there’s no longer a spot have become more frequent, especially because college baseball has changing roster rules. Luckily for Darnell, everything worked out.
“I felt a little bit angry,” he said of his initial reaction. “I was frustrated. I wanted to work twice as hard to get another offer.”
As for lessons learned in this sometimes uncertain environment, Darnell said, “The main lesson I learned was God has a plan and you have to trust it.”
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Eilish McColgan set a new women’s European 10km record in Valencia – just seven days after her previous record was broken by Belgian Jana van Lent.
The 35-year-old Briton knocked three seconds off Van Lent’s time by winning the Valencia Ibercaja on Sunday in a time of 30 minutes seven seconds.
McColgan held the record for more than three years after setting a time of 30:19 in Manchester in 2022, but that was lowered to 30:10 by Van Lent in Nice on 4 January.
Before that, GB’s Paula Radcliffe held the women’s record for almost 20 years, after running a time of 30:21 in Puerto Rico in February 2003.
Sweden’s Andreas Almgren also set a new European record of 26:43 in winning the men’s event in Valencia, beating his own previous best time, which was set on the same course, by nine seconds.
The course is known for being fast, with the world records for both the men – 26:38 by Joshua Cheptegei – and women – 28:46 by Agnes Ngetich – also set in the Valencia 10km.
EDMONTON, Canada — Adrian Kempe scored the lone goal in a shootout and the Kings beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 on Saturday night in their first meeting since the first-round of the playoffs.
Edmonton has eliminated the Kings during the opening round of the playoffs the past four seasons.
Connor McDavid scored his 30th goal of the season to tie it 3-3 for Edmonton on a power play with 9:20 to go. He extended his points streak to a career-high 18 games.
Corey Perry, Andre Lee and Alex Laferriere scored in regulation, and Anton Forsberg made 21 saves to help the Kings rebound from a 5-1 loss in Winnipeg on Friday night. The 40-year-old Perry spent the previous two seasons with Edmonton.
Kings captain Anze Kopitar missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury.
Leon Draisaitl scored twice for Edmonton, and Connor Ingram stopped 27 shots. McDavid, Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins failed on their shootout attempts for the Oilers.
“Take nothing away from Subriel – he’s a great champion.
“I didn’t really stick to the tactics tonight. I played him at his own game.
“I gave my dad a bit of a heart attack in there as that wasn’t the gameplan, but I took all his best shots and thought ‘you can’t hurt me’. I knew I’d get to him.”
Smith joins heavyweight Fabio Wardley, welterweight Lewis Crocker, super-featherweight Jazza Dickens and featherweight Nick Ball as one of the UK’s five current male world champions.
Ticket sales were reportedly modest, but there was no shortage of noise from travelling supporters as Smith walked to the ring to ‘When the sun goes down’ by Arctic Monkeys, who are from his home town of Sheffield.
Yet it felt like a home fight for Matias, with New York’s strong Puerto Rican population firmly behind the 33-year-old.
He appeared so relaxed that he stopped for selfies with family members during his ring walk.
Making the first defence of the title he won against Alberto Puello in July, Matias has at times been a slow starter and Smith exploited that by banking the opening round with sharp, crisp punches to head and body.
Matias edged the second, forcing Smith on to the back foot as blood trickled from the Briton’s nose.
After a scrappy third, Smith unexpectedly chose to trade with the champion.
With 22 knockouts in his 23 wins, Matias entered with a reputation for relentless pressure and heavy hands. Smith, however, also carried stoppage power, having recorded 13 knockouts of his own.
He landed several heavy left hooks to close the fourth round. Then came the career-defining moment that truly announced Smith on the world stage.
After briefly stumbling from a Matias combination, an unfazed Smith came roaring back in a fifth-round firefight.
He landed two straight left-right combinations that snapped Matias’ head back, before the decisive overhand right.
There was a brief protest from Matias at the referee’s decision, while Smith’s trainer and father, Grant, rushed into the ring in celebration.
