SPORT

The Antrim senior hurling squad have requested a meeting with the county board at Tuesday evening’s training session to address “significant concern” after they claimed they received conflicting reports about manager Davy Fitzgerald’s future.

In a letter to the county board, which has been seen by BBC Sport NI, the players say they were under the impression that a decision was made to remove Fitzgerald from his role following last weekend’s Joe McDonagh Cup defeat by Laois, only for the decision to be reversed.

However, the squad said they were subsequently informed “that no such action had taken place” and when the matter was brought to Antrim GAA chairman Seamus McMullan, he “indicated that he had no knowledge of it”.

In the letter, the playing group say McMullan’s response is “particularly concerning” given that Fitzgerald confirmed that “the sequence of events did in fact occur”.

“The contradiction between what occurred and what has been communicated has created uncertainty and a lack of trust among players,” read the letter.

The players added that if the board do not attend the meeting and engage with the squad, they will “not proceed with the scheduled training session and further action could be taken”.

BBC Sport NI has contacted Antrim GAA for comment.

While the run of poor results has led to disquiet among the playing panel and some Antrim GAA administrators, it is understood Fitzgerald has indicated a desire to remain in charge.

Achieving a hold to love in the opening game, 30-year-old Norrie’s strong start faded quickly as Sinner broke twice to dominate the first set 6-2.

Each held serve until the fifth game when Norrie, having resisted a break point, attempted to seize momentum with an underarm serve but it failed to clear the net.

The Italian claimed the game, but Norrie broke back, winning seven successive points in his efforts to turn the tide in a first competitive meeting between the players.

At 5-5, the British number one survived two break points before surrendering the game to Sinner, who served out in the final game to become only the second player in tennis history to win the first 20 Masters 1000 matches of the season, after Novak Djokovic in 2011 and 2015.

“We know each other quite well. We practised a lot in the last tournament. We both kind of knew what to expect,” the four-time Grand Slam champion said of Norrie.

Speaking to Sky Sports, he added: “This surface is very very different to all the other surfaces so it’s very tough to get the right feedback and sometimes you feel like you are not playing your best.

“But I’m very happy to be in the quarters again, it’s a tournament I haven’t played a lot so it means a lot to me and I’m happy to be through in two sets.”

In the quarter-final he will play either Kopriva or Jodar, who meet later on Tuesday. The pair were given the afternoon slot after Jodar’s round of 32 win over Joao Fonseca finished late on Sunday night.

After playing at the “unusual” time of 11am local time (10:00 BST), Sinner questioned the way that the tournament is organised.

“[Jodar] finished very, very late [on Sunday], but at the same time I feel like we need to make some adjustments with scheduling of the day,” he said.

“For matches at 8pm, it’s very very late, even though you have one day in between – still, it’s very very late.

“You finish at 1.30am and you need to eat, you need to have treatment, so it’s very late. We try to adapt ourselves, our bodies and minds.”

The AIG Women’s Open has increased its prize fund for a sixth successive year despite not being a profitable tournament to stage.

This year’s championship, which is being held from 30 July – 2 August at Royal Lytham & St Annes on the Lancashire coast, will have a record purse of $10m (£7.4m).

It is not the only one of the five annual women’s majors taking advantage of sponsorship deals to offer increasing prize money. The US Women’s Open – which last year had the largest prize fund in the women’s game at $12m – has the backing of Ally Financial.

“At the moment it’s not profitable,” said R&A chief executive Mark Darbon.

“We treat it as an investment into the game, but an absolutely critical investment.

“Our focus actually is around audience growth. We think if we’re going to be true to that notion of inspiring millions of people around the world, we need to grow the audience for this championship and the women’s game more broadly.”

Around 50,000 spectators are expected to attend across the week of what will be the 50th Women’s Open, while Darbon pointed to increased television coverage as a way of boosting the game’s profile.

The $10m prize fund lags behind the $17m shared out between the players at last year’s Open Championship and while Darbon would like to see that levelled in the future, he said the R&A had to “think sustainably”.

“There is a commercial reality. We’re investing collectively, AIG and the R&A, significant sums into the championship, and we want to do that in a responsible way.

“So we’re not in a position to have equal prize funds at the moment, but we will look to continue to elevate our prize fund over time.

“We want to reward the stars of our sport. We have to do that in a sustainable fashion.”

Darbon said it would be possible to make the championship profitable by cutting back on the spend but that was not on his agenda.

“If profitability was our number one ambition for this event, there are a number of things we could do to put us on a path to achieving that result.

“At the moment, profitability is not a principal target for us. We want to deliver brilliant venues and a wonderful experience for the players.

“We want to have a meaningful and growing prize pot, and we want to deliver a spectator experience both live and through broadcast and digital channels that inspires and excites people.”

Darbon also announced that the 2028 Women’s Open would be held at Sunningdale’s Old Course in Surrey.

Unlike the men’s Open Championship, the women’s visits inland courses as well as links courses on the coast.

“The Open and Women’s Open have their own discrete identities,” he said.

“We don’t treat them as one, and therefore we don’t treat the venue selection process as one either.

“We are very focused on taking this event to what we regard as some of the world’s very best courses.”

Manchester City face a fixture pile-up of four games in 11 days next month after the Premier League confirmed the rescheduled dates for two of their key matches in the race for the title.

Pep Guardiola’s side will host Crystal Palace on Wednesday, 13 May and travel to Bournemouth six days later, with the FA Cup final against Chelsea taking place in between on Saturday, 16 May.

The Palace game was originally scheduled for 22 March but had to be postponed because of City’s participation in the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal, while the Bournemouth match was pushed back because of a clash with the FA Cup final.

City, Palace and Bournemouth had been involved in dialogue with the Premier League over the dates for the games, which have now been resolved.

Welcome to this week’s Lakers newsletter, where the brooms are going back in the closet.

The Lakers squandered their first playoff sweep since 2010, but are still one win away from their first playoff series win of the JJ Redick era.

Three weeks ago, even this moral victory of a 3-1 lead seemed out of reach. Now actually grabbing a spot in the conference semifinals could take more than one super-human performance.

Help needed

The forceful drives turned into desperation jumpers. The dominant dunks became limp layups that dribbled off the rim.

LeBron James carried the Lakers to a historically insurmountable 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven first-round series against the Houston Rockets. But with a chance to clinch the series Sunday, he showed just how much the Lakers need someone else to help carry the team across the finish line.

James had his worst shooting game of the season, settling for 10 points on two-of-nine shooting. The nine field-goal attempts he took were tied for the fewest he’s taken in a playoff game. He didn’t extend his streak of consecutive playoff games with double-digit scoring to 144 until the fourth quarter.

Just after accepting a third-option role behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, James was thrust back into the top spot when the star guards were injured April 2. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer had no problem putting on his Superman cape again. He started taking — and making — more shots than he had in months. His usage rate spiked.

But with the ball back in his hands more, James had eight turnovers in each of the last two games. The turnovers, 24 total by the Lakers on Sunday, were their “kryptonite,” James said.

The Lakers’ lack of guard play is becoming a glaring weakness.

“That’s the biggest challenge we have is just the ballhandling and downhill drivers, not having those guys,” Redick said.

Doncic and Reaves are progressing in their returns. Just three weeks after his oblique injury, Reaves was questionable for Games 3 and 4. He even warmed up before the games. But his timeline for return is still indefinite.

Considering the Lakers’ 3-0 start to the series, it might be safe to think the team would just wait until the conference semifinals for Reaves’ return. Redick said it’s fair to consider all factors when deciding when to bring Reaves back. But after a long conversation with the guard Saturday, Redick said the most important variable is the player’s confidence.

“That’s always the final hurdle coming back from an injury,” Redick said, “is the psychological component of it.”

Doncic, hampered by a balky hamstring, is ramping up, but is still not as close as Reaves.

The hope of getting their two most important players back was “a carrot” for the Lakers to keep extending their season, Redick said. A two-day break between games could be just as significant of a lifeline.

The one day of rest between Games 3 and 4 was the shortest of the series so far. The Lakers, led by 41-year-old James and 32-year-old Marcus Smart, looked especially desperate for the extra downtime.

Smart was wearing inflatable compression boots on both legs in the locker room before the game. Lakers were dropping passes like they were loose coffee plans with someone who lives across town.

Meanwhile the 23-year-old Alperen Sengun was doing spin moves in transition, finishing through contact and flexing toward the crowd in the third quarter with the Rockets up by more than 20.

Smart insisted the mistakes were mental. They looked like physical fatigue manifesting as mental blunders.

“It’s something we gotta clean up,” said Smart, who had four turnovers Sunday. “We know it, we understand it.”

The Lakers have time to fix it. The two-day break between Games 4 and 5 will be the last such break of this series if the Lakers let this stretch on.

Games in mirror are closer than they appear

This series is 30 inexplicable seconds away from being 2-2.

That critical stretch of Game 3 swung the Lakers’ postseason.

NBA teams that have a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven playoff series are 159-0. Since 1984 – when the NBA expanded its playoffs to 16 teams – teams with home-court advantage in the current series format are 125-42. Had that comeback never materialized, the Lakers would still have the upper hand in this series but they surely wouldn’t be invincible.

In a tighter-than-it-appears series, the Lakers have their 3-1 lead thanks to a run of hot shooting.

They were already the NBA’s most efficient shooting team, but the early part of the playoff success came from a sudden uptick in three-point shooting. The Lakers’ 40.8% three-point shooting through the first four games was 5.1 percentage points better than their regular-season mark. On the other hand, the Rockets are shooting 5.1 percentage points worse than their regular-season rate.

The Lakers identified turnovers and limiting offensive rebounds as the two most important items against the Rockets. They’ve struggled on both. The Lakers averaged 20 turnovers per game in the first four games and gave up 16.8 offensive rebounds. The Rockets’ 39% offensive rebounding rate is almost identical to their league-leading 38.8% from the regular season.

The Lakers have turned the ball over on 20.9% of their possessions, the highest turnover rate in the playoffs.

The Rockets have scored 21.5 points per game off the Lakers’ turnovers, the second-most of any team in the playoffs. Only Oklahoma City — the team that’s waiting for the winner of this series — has scored more points off turnovers in the playoffs.

On tap

Wednesday vs. Rockets, 7 p.m.

The Lakers can clinch the series at home and earn extra rest days before facing the Oklahoma City Thunder in the conference semifinals. The Thunder finished a sweep of the No. 8 seeded Phoenix Suns in the first round Monday.

Friday at Rockets, 6:30 p.m. (if necessary)

If this game is necessary, it will be especially difficult to win for the Lakers. Both teams will have to travel from L.A. to Houston and we just watched what happens when the shorthanded Lakers play on one day of rest in the playoffs.

Sunday vs. Rockets, TBD (Game 7, if necessary)

The Rockets are trying to become the fifth team in NBA history to force a Game 7 after trailing 3-0 in a best-of-seven series. The 2023 Celtics were the last team to even a series after a three-game deficit. Smart’s Celtics lost Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals to the Miami Heat.

Status report

Luka Doncic (left hamstring strain)

Approaching the four-week mark, Doncic is ramping up his on-court work. On Sunday, he progressed to more movement instead of standstill shooting. He is still out indefinitely.

Austin Reaves (left oblique muscle strain)

Reaves’ return has been faster than many expected. He was questionable for Games 3 and 4, a quick three-week turnaround from his initial injury on April 2.

Kevin Durant (left ankle sprain)

After missing Game 1 with a knee bruise, Durant sprained his ankle in the fourth quarter of Game 2 and missed the next two games. Rockets coach Ime Udoka said Sunday pain and limited range of motion because of a bone bruise in Durant’s ankle are keeping him sidelined, but there’s a chance he returns this series.

Favorite thing I ate this week

Seafood boil with the Combo No. 4 (crawfish, snowcrab, shrimp, corn and potato) at Crawfish Cafe in Houston.

(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)

This was a culinary bucket list item for me: Viet cajun food in Houston.

At Crawfish Cafe, you choose your seafood combination for a delicious, and slightly messy, seafood boil. I went for a combination of crawfish, shrimp and snow crab tossed in a mix of Viet cajun and Thai basil sauces. But there are more than a half-dozen sauce choices, so with that many options left to explore, maybe I wouldn’t be mad if this series returns to Houston.

In case you missed it

Plaschke: No sweep, big problem for Lakers after Game 4 loss to Rockets

Even the Rockets thought Deandre Ayton’s controversial ejection was ‘soft’

Turnover-plagued Lakers fail to pull off sweep in Game 4 loss to Rockets

‘It keeps getting better and better.’ Bronny James settling into Lakers playoff role

Plaschke: Believe yet? Lakers leave no doubt in stunning comeback win over Rockets

LeBron James and Lakers showcase their clutch-time prowess in Game 3 win

Rare Kobe Bryant trading card ‘at the top of every wish list’ sells for record sum

Swanson: Lakers’ JJ Redick makes a case that he’s the right coach for the playoffs

Until next time…

As always, pass along your thoughts to me at thucnhi.nguyen@latimes.com, and please consider subscribing if you like our work!

Kyle Tucker gets the big hit for Dodgers

From Maddie Lee: For a moment, Kyle Tucker worried he had the score wrong.

The line drive he snuck through the middle of the infield should have been enough to secure the walk-off victory, giving Dalton Rushing and Shohei Ohtani plenty of time to cross the plate. But as he rounded first, the cheers had only moderately swelled.

Tucker slowed and turned back toward the base, a subdued reaction even from him.

Then came the second surge from the crowd, as Ohtani slid across home plate and the Dodgers spilled from their dugout.

“I was like, ‘OK, sweet, this is sick,’” Tucker said after the Dodgers’ 5-4 victory.

Freddie Freeman reached Tucker first, enveloping him in a hug.

“That was a huge moment right there,” Tucker said.

Continue reading here

Dodgers’ Edwin Díaz first learned of the ‘loose bodies’ in his elbow in 2012

Kyle Tucker’s former Cubs teammates still stunned by his Dodgers contract

Dodgers box score

MLB standings

Angels lose to White Sox

Munetaka Murakami hit a three-run homer in a big seventh-inning rally, and the Chicago White Sox held off the slumping Angels for an 8-7 win Monday night.

Andrew Benintendi had three RBIs as Chicago improved to 6-4 in its last 10 games. Former Dodger Miguel Vargas hit a solo drive, and Tristan Peters had two hits and scored two runs.

Jorge Soler hit a solo homer for the Angels in the rain-delayed opener of a three-game series. Mike Trout had two hits and scored twice.

Continue reading here

Angels box score

MLB standings

Alijah Arenas returns to USC

From Ryan Kartje: Alijah Arenas will withdraw his name from the NBA draft and return to USC for his sophomore season, according to a person familiar with the decision not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

The former five-star prospect, whose father is NBA star Gilbert Arenas, was expected to spend just a single season at USC before declaring for the draft. But nothing went as planned during Arenas’ freshman season.

Arenas was involved in a single-car accident in April 2025 and hospitalized for six days after a Tesla Cybertruck he was driving hit a tree and burst into flames. The week that he returned to practice after the accident, Arenas learned he needed knee surgery. He didn’t debut for the Trojans until late January. And when he finally made it into the lineup, Arenas was thrown into a starring role in the middle of a brutal Big Ten slate and struggled to adjust.

Still, there were glimpses of the player that Compton Magic AAU founder Etop Udo-Ema told The Times had the potential to one day “be the face of the NBA.” Over one stretch in early February, Arenas had 29 points in a win over Indiana, scored 24 and hit a winning shot at Penn State and put up 25 points at Ohio State.

Continue reading here

Lakers could let series slip away

From Bill Plaschke: So they’re not going to sweep, so what does it matter?

Did you see the Lakers fumbling and the Houston Rockets flying?

This matters.

So the Lakers absorbed their first loss to the Rockets after three wins in this first-round playoff series, a 115-96 wipeout Sunday at Houston’s Toyota Center, but because no team has ever rebounded from a three-games-to-none deficit, it doesn’t matter.

Do you realize the Rockets’ star Kevin Durant didn’t play for a second straight game, but will almost certainly return in two days for Game 5 Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena?

This matters.

This matters because, since their historic meltdown in Game 3, the energized Rockets have rediscovered their rhythm while the weary Lakers have clearly lost a step,

Continue reading here

Even the Rockets thought Deandre Ayton’s controversial ejection was ‘soft’

Lakers playoff schedule

First round
All times Pacific

at Lakers 107, Houston 98 (box score)
at Lakers 101, Houston 94 (box score)
Lakers 112, at Houston 108 (box score)
at Houston 115, Lakers 96 (box score)
Wednesday: Houston at Lakers, 7 p.m., ESPN
*Friday: Lakers at Houston, 6:30 p.m., Prime
*Sunday: Houston at Lakers, TBD

*-if necessary

Ducks playoffs schedule

All times Pacific

at Edmonton 4, Ducks 3 (summary)
Ducks 6, at Edmonton 4 (summary)
at Ducks 7, Edmonton 4 (summary)
at Ducks 4, Edmonton 3 (OT) (summary)
Tuesday: Ducks at Edmonton, 7 p.m., TNT. truTV, HBO Max, KCOP-13
*Thursday: Edmonton at Ducks, TBD
*Saturday: Ducks at Edmonton, TBD

*-if necessary

This day in sports history

1923 — Wembley Stadium opens — Bolton Wanderers vs West Ham United (FA Cup).

1931 — Program for woman athletes approved for 1932 Olympics track & field.

1957 — LPGA Western Open Women’s Golf, Montgomery CC: Patty Berg wins her 6th WO by 1 stroke from Wiffi Smith.

1966 — Boston edges the Lakers 95-93 in Game 7, giving the Celtics and coach Red Auerbach eight straight NBA titles. Auerbach, who announced his retirement earlier, is replaced by center Bill Russell, the first Black head coach of a major U.S. sports team.

1967 — Muhammad Ali refuses induction into the U.S. Armed Forces. He is arrested and the New York State Athletic Commission suspends his boxing license and strips him of his heavyweight title.

1972 — Courts award 1968 Kentucky Derby prize money to 2nd place winner due to the winner being given drugs before the race.

1987 — The NBA awards expansion franchises to Charlotte, N.C. and Miami for 1988, and Minneapolis and Orlando, Fla., in 1989.

1987 — NFL Draft: University of Miami quarterback Vinny Testaverde first pick by Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

1990 — Boston set single-game NBA playoff records for scoring and shooting accuracy in a 157-128 rout of the New York Knicks to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round series.

1992 — Video replay is used to decide a playoff game for the first time. In game six of the Detroit-Minnesota division semifinal, Sergei Fedorov of the Red Wings appears to hit the crossbar behind Minnesota goalie Jon Casey during overtime. The Stars ice the puck immediately, but referee Rob Shick calls for a video review. The replay shows the puck enters the goal just below the crossbar and caroms off the frame at the back of the net. Fedorov is awarded the goal to give the Red Wings a series-tying 1-0 victory.

1995 — Michael Jordan, in his first playoff game since his return from retirement, scored 48 points as the Chicago Bulls beat the Charlotte Hornets 108-100.

1995 — The Orlando Magic give the Boston Celtics their worst defeat in team history, 124-77, in a playoff opener.

2001 — Colorado’s Patrick Roy sets an NHL record with his 16th career playoff shutout, making 20 saves in a 2-0 win over the Kings.

2003 — Andre Agassi recaptures the world no. 1 ranking to become the oldest top-ranked male in the history of the ATP rankings (33 years, 13 days).

2007 — NFL Draft: LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell first pick by Oakland Raiders.

2009 — Washington edges the New York Rangers 2-1 in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference series to cap a comeback from a 3-games-to-1 deficit. It is the franchise’s first series victory since the 1997-98 season, when Washington made it all the way to the Stanley Cup finals.

2010 — Montreal beats Washington 2-1 to complete a come-from-behind 4-3 series victory and eliminate the NHL’s best regular-season team in the first round of the playoffs. The Canadiens are the ninth No. 8-seeded team to knock off a No. 1 in 32 matchups since the NHL went to its current playoff format in 1994 — and the first to come back from a 3-1 series deficit.

2011 — Canada’s Patrick Chan wins his first world figure skating title in record fashion. Chan sets world records for the free skate and total points to claim titles at the world figure skating championships in Moscow.

2011 — NFL Draft: Auburn quarterback Cam Newton first pick by Carolina Panthers.

2016 — The Rams select California quarterback Jared Goff with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, and the No. 2 selection for the Philadelphia Eagles is North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz. It’s the second straight year that two QBs went 1-2 and the seventh time in the modern era of the draft since 1967.

2018 — Shaquem Griffin is the first one-handed person to be drafted into the NFL, for the Seattle Seahawks.

Compiled by the Associated Press

This day in baseball history

1901 — Cleveland pitcher Bock Baker gave up a record 23 singles as the Chicago White Sox beat the Indians 13-1.

1915 — The Detroit Tigers trim the St. Louis Browns, 12 – 3, with Ty Cobb stealing home in the 3rd inning. Cobb will steal home six times this season.

1930 — The first night game in organized baseball was played in Independence, Kan. In a Western Association game, Muskogee defeated Independence 13-3.

1934 — Detroit’s Goose Goslin hit into four double plays, but the Tigers still beat Cleveland 4-1.

1956 — Cincinnati rookie Frank Robinson hit the first home run of his 586 lifetime homers in a 9-1 win over Chicago. Robinson homer came off Paul Minner in Crosley Field.

1961 — Warren Spahn, at the age of 40, no-hit the San Francisco Giants 1-0 at Milwaukee.

1966 — Cleveland’s Sonny Siebert defeated the Angels 2-1 as the Indians tie the modern major league record with its 10th straight win since opening day.

1971 — Hank Aaron connected off Gaylord Perry for his 600th home run in the Atlanta Braves’ 10-inning, 6-5 loss to the San Francisco Giants.

1982 — Philadelphia’s Pete Rose went 5-for-5 to tie Max Carey for the NL record with nine career 5-hit games. The Phillies scored six runs in the top of the ninth to beat the Dodgers 9-3.

1985 — The New York Yankees hire Billy Martin as their manager for a fourth time. The fiery Martin replaces Yogi Berra, who is fired just 16 games into the season.

1988 — The winless Baltimore Orioles set an American League record by losing their 21st straight, falling to the Minnesota Twins 4-2.

1989 — Rickey Henderson of the New York Yankees set a major league record when he led off a game with a home run for the 36th time in his career, breaking a tie with Bobby Bonds.

1999 — Colorado’s Larry Walker hit three home runs and drove in eight runs to lead the Rockies to a 9-7 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

2001 — The Seattle Mariners defeat the Chicago White Sox, 8-5, for their 20th win this month, setting a new major league record for April.

2001 — Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals ties the major league record for home runs in April by a rookie with eight.

2006 — Barry Bonds hits a bases-clearing double to tie Babe Ruth for third on the all-time career list with 1,356 extra-base hits.

2006 — St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols hits his 13th home run in April to tie the major league record, matching the mark shared by Ken Griffey, Jr. in 1997 with Seattle and Luis Gonzalez in 2001 with Arizona.

2007 — Trevor Hoffman pitches in his 803rd game for the San Diego Padres, breaking the record for games pitched with one club.

2010 — Major League Baseball announces a number of changes to the rules that govern the All-Star Game that have been agreed with the Players’ union: the designated hitter will now be used in all games, not just those played in American League parks; a pitcher who started a game on the last Sunday before the All-Star break will not be eligible to play in the game and will be replaced on the roster, although he will still be recognized as an All-Star (this will become known as the Sunday Starter rule); rosters are expanded to 34 players, adding one position player; one of the position players will be designated as being able to re-enter the game in case of injury — catchers are already allowed to do so in those circumstances.

2011 — Ben Zobrist set a Tampa Bay record with eight RBIs, hitting a home run and two doubles as the Rays routed the Minnesota Twins 15-3 in the first game of a day-night doubleheader.

2012 — Bryce Harper makes his much-anticipated major league debut for the Nationals.

2016 — Marlins 2B Dee Gordon, the defending National League batting champion, is suspended for 80 games for testing positive for PEDs.

2019 — The Nationals do something unprecedented as three players all 21 or younger — Juan Soto, Victor Robles and Carter Kieboom — all homer against the Padres.

Compiled by the Associated Press

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.

Maybe Tom Cruise will make a visit to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame on Thursday for the Mission League track and field finals since he’s the one who said in his 1986 movie, “Top Gun,” that he feels “the need for speed.”

There will be no lacking in speed for the 100 meters, where there are so many runners who have run under 11 seconds this season that a second 100 final could be run if needed. Zion Phelps of Loyola has the fastest time at 10.39. Quincy Hearn of Notre Dame is at 10.52. Jayden Davis of Loyola has run 10.57. And there’s a freshman at Harvard-Westlake, Calvin Portley, who ran 10.69 at Monday’s prelims.

The 4×100 relay also should be outstanding, matching Notre Dame and Loyola. The Notre Dame quartet of Nikko Petronicolos, Quincy Hearn, Beckham Borquez and Emmanuel Pullins has run 40.76. Loyola has a time of 40.73.

Borquez is also a top hurdler and defending state champion JJ Harel of Notre Dame will be in the high jump. Ejam Yohannes of Loyola is one of the favorites to win a state title in the 400.

League finals are scheduled all week, with the Trinity League finals on Friday at 6 p.m. at JSerra.

Southern Section prelims will be held next weekend, followed by the finals on May 16 at Moorpark High.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com

Uncapped left-arm spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman has been included in England’s squad for the Women’s T20 World Cup this summer.

The 18-year-old impressed in England’s intra-squad matches in South Africa this year.

She is one of three left-arm spinners in England’s squad alongside Sophie Ecclestone and Linsey Smith, while off-spinner Charlie Dean is named as vice-captain to Nat Sciver-Brunt.

There is no place for 19-year-old Davina Perrin, who scored a century in last year’s Hundred Eliminator, while veteran batter Tammy Beaumont also misses out.

Leg-spinner Sarah Glenn, a recent mainstay of England’s T20 squads, was not considered for selection as she is recovering from a broken finger and has not played this season.

England start their T20 World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka on 12 June at Edgbaston.

Alijah Arenas will withdraw his name from the NBA draft and return to USC for his sophomore season, according to a person familiar with the decision not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

The former five-star prospect, whose father is NBA star Gilbert Arenas, was expected to spend just a single season at USC before declaring for the draft. But nothing went as planned during Arenas’ freshman season.

Arenas was involved in a single-car accident in April 2025 and hospitalized for six days after a Tesla Cybertruck he was driving hit a tree and burst into flames. The week that he returned to practice after the accident, Arenas learned he needed knee surgery. He didn’t debut for the Trojans until late January. And when he finally made it into the lineup, Arenas was thrown into a starring role in the middle of a brutal Big Ten slate and struggled to adjust.

Still, there were glimpses of the player that Compton Magic AAU founder Etop Udo-Ema told The Times had the potential to one day “be the face of the NBA.” Over one stretch in early February, Arenas had 29 points in a win over Indiana, scored 24 and hit a winning shot at Penn State and put up 25 points at Ohio State.

“Just the things he can do, the IQ he has, what he can see, the way that he moves, the length, the size,” Udo-Ema said, “he’s the most talented guy I’ve ever seen.”

But Arenas told The Times in late February that he was unhappy with the results of his freshman campaign to that point.

“I know what I’m capable of. And I’m not there yet,” Arenas said. “Simple as that.”

Arenas had submitted his name as an early entrant in the NBA draft, the deadline for which was Monday. But ultimately, he opted to return to USC as a sophomore, in hopes of starting anew.

Arenas returns to a roster that should be even more talented in the 2026-27 season. Guard Rodney Rice and forward Jacob Cofie also announced earlier this month that they would return, while three top-25 prospects are set to join the roster this summer.

USC also already added a trio of players in the portal, including a 7-footer in Connecticut’s Eric Reibe and an experienced starter in Georgetown’s KJ Lewis.

Dungannon began their defence of the Irish Cup with a routine 3-0 victory over Championship side Ards at Stangmore Park, courtesy of first-half goals from Sean McAllister, Junior and Tiernan Kelly.

Rodney McAree’s side then came from behind in the sixth round to beat Portadown 2-1 with McAllister on the scoresheet again and Andrew Mitchell netting the winner.

Steven Scott, Cahal McGinty and Kobei Moore scored to help the Swifts see off H&W Welders 3-0 to reach the last four.

In a repeat of the 2025 decider, Dungannon beat Cliftonville 4-1 on penalties to reach the final again, with goalkeeper Declan Dunne saving two spot kicks in the shootout.

Coleraine began their Irish Cup campaign with a thumping 4-0 win over 10-man Crusaders at the Showgrounds in January.

After Brendan Hamilton was sent off for the Crues, Mark Connolly, Will Patching, James Akitunde and Joel Cooper all netted to secure a comfortable passage to the sixth round.

Ruaidhri Higgins’ men then required extra time to see off Carrick Rangers 4-1 at Taylors Avenue, with Matthew Shevlin coming off the bench to score a hat-trick to help them through.

Cooper and Shevlin were on target in a 2-0 quarter-final victory over Championship Limavady and the duo both also scored in the extra time 2-1 win against Larne in the last four at Windsor Park.

CHICAGO — Munetaka Murakami hit a three-run homer in a big seventh-inning rally, and the Chicago White Sox held off the slumping Angels for an 8-7 win Monday night.

Andrew Benintendi had three RBIs as Chicago improved to 6-4 in its last 10 games. Former Dodger Miguel Vargas hit a solo drive, and Tristan Peters had two hits and scored two runs.

Jorge Soler hit a solo homer for the Angels in the rain-delayed opener of a three-game series. Mike Trout had two hits and scored twice.

The Angels blew a 5-1 lead in their fourth consecutive loss and eighth in nine games overall. They had a 6-0 lead Sunday at Kansas City and lost 11-9 when Lane Thomas hit a three-run homer for the Royals in the 10th inning.

The White Sox sent 10 batters to the plate while scoring seven times in the seventh. It was their biggest inning of the season.

Benintendi’s two-run double off Nick Sandlin (0-1) trimmed the Angels’ lead to one. Murakami then greeted Drew Pomeranz with a drive to right-center for his major league-best 12th homer. Vargas followed Murakami with another homer for an 8-5 lead.

The 26-year-old Murakami, a rookie slugger from Japan, is batting .349 (15 for 43) with seven homers and 14 RBIs in his past 10 games.

Osvaldo Bido (2-0) pitched three innings of one-run ball for the win.

Soler and Nolan Schanuel each drove in a run in the ninth against Grant Taylor before Bryan Hudson retired Adam Frazier on a bouncer to second, stranding runners at second and third. It was Hudson’s first career save.

The start was delayed three hours as rain and thunderstorms rolled over Rate Field.

3. Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid)

Atletico Madrid’s trip to Arsenal in the league phase feels a long time ago, but it will stick in their mind not just for the four goals they shipped, but for their struggles in attack.

Atletico produced only 0.32 xG from open play in that defeat and managed only one shot on target, so, if they are to take anything against Arsenal this time around, getting Julian Alvarez in the game will be key.

The Argentina forward has scored nine goals in the competition this season, more than any Atletico player had managed in a Champions League campaign.

He’s also a menace defending from the front, with a mammoth 853 high-intensity pressures – more than anyone else this season. That’s 70 per game on average.

That work ethic, ruthlessness in front of goal and the wizardry to bend a free-kick into the top corner, as Barcelona found out, make the 26-year-old vital to Atletico’s chances of progressing.

BASEBALL

CITY SECTION

Chavez 15, Grant 1

Discovery 20, Central City Value 19

Fremont 10, Harbor Teacher 0

LA Jordan 15, Washington Prep 0

Lakeview Charter 17, Valor Academy 3

Maywood Academy 18, Elizabeth 1

Maywood CES 7, Marquez 1

Port of Los Angeles 14, King/Drew 8

Roybal 9, Hollywood 1

San Fernando 3, North Hollywood 2

Sun Valley Magnet 11, Valley Oaks CES

Sun Valley Poly 5, Verdugo Hills 2

Sylmar 11, Granada Hills Kennedy 3

Torres 6, Sotomayor 4

Triumph Charter 18, Bert Corona 3

Troy 15, Fulton 0

Van Nuys 14, Arleta 4

Vaughn 13, VAAS 2

SOUTHERN SECTION

AAE 11, Silver Valley 1

Alta Loma 5, Los Altos 3

Animo Leadership 6, HMSA 2

Arrowhead Christian 8, Ontario Christian 4

Bishop Diego 10, Villanova Prep 2

Buena 5, Saugus 4

Cajon 2, Citrus Valley 1

California 18, Schurr 2

Canyon Country Canyon 11, Burbank Providence 2

Corona 6, Norco 4

Corona Santiago 7, Corona Centennial 0

Damien 6, Chino Hills 3

Dunn 6, Santa Clara 0

Eastvale Roosevelt 10, Riverside King 7

Etiwanda 3, Rancho Cucamonga 1

Faith Baptist 9, Valley Torah 3

Gabrielino 3, Arroyo 1

Liberty 5, Cornerstone Christian 4

Mary Star of the Sea 6, South El Monte 5

Mountain View 15, El Monte 4

Nuview Bridge 10, SJDLCS 1

Oak Park 12, Fillmore 11

Pacific 13, Entrepreneur 0

Palm Desert 19, Xavier Prep 1

Rancho Mirage 9, Palm Springs 1

Redlands East Valley 6, Beaumont 3

San Dimas 5, Colony 1

San Gorgonio 8, Rim of the World 7

San Jacinto Valley Academy 13, San Jacinto Leadership 0

St. Bonaventure 2, Foothill Tech 1

Troy 15, Fulton 0

Upland 4, Los Osos 3

Western Christian 4, Jurupa Valley 3

Whittier 5, Hoover 3

Yucaipa 9, Redlands 1

YULA 10, de Toledo 6

INTERSECTIONAL

Cathedral 17, Stella Charter 1

Loma Linda Academy 17, Public Safety Academy 4

SOFTBALL

CITY SECTION

Animo Venice 15, Stella 2

Animo Watts 21, AHSA 6

Carson 24, Gardena 0

Discovery 27, Valor Academy 16

Dorsey 9, Fremont 5

East Valley 18, Grant 8

Garfield 6, South East 1

LA Jordan 12, Washington Prep 9

Legacy 15, Bell 0

Mendez 19, Belmont 2

Middle College 20, LAAAE 6

Narbonne 7, Rancho Dominguez 4

Panorama 24, Vaughn 24

San Pedro 8, Wilmington Banning 2

SOCES 20, VAAS 0

Triumph Charter 15, Lakeview Charter 5

USC-MAE 21, Animo Bunche 4

West Adams 16, Manual Arts 2

SOUTHERN SECTION

Arroyo 13, Gabrielino 0

Bishop Amat 8, Lakewood St. Joseph 6

Bloomington 16, Rim of the World 6

Castaic 15, Golden Valley 5

Duarte 12, Nogales 2

Jurupa Valley 14, RSCSM 4

La Quinta 6, Shadow Hills 2

La Salle 8, Crescenta Valley 3

Long Beach Jordan 21, Century 12

Ocean View 16, Estancia 0

Orange Vista 5, Arlington 3

Rancho Mirage 16, Palm Springs 1

Rosary 14, Sonora 12

Riverside North 6, Rancho Verde 4

Sacred Heart of Jesus 15, Pomona Catholic 0

San Marino 14, South Pasadena 6

Santa Paula 24, Nordhoff 2

Segerstrom 26, St. Pius X-St. Matthias 0

Sunny Hills 17, Oxford Academy 0

INTERSECTIONAL

El Camino Real 10, Calabasas 2

LA University 15, Long Beach Cabrillo 4

Laton 17, Valley Christian Academy 16

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 11, Birmingham 2

Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz said Monday that he’s known about the five loose bodies in his elbow — which were removed in an operation Wednesday — since he was drafted in 2012.

Last week in Colorado was the first time it affected him. He gave up three runs without recording an out on April 19. And the next day, he told the team his arm felt “weird.”

On Monday, he described the feeling as “tired and tight.”

Before his arm started giving him problems, Díaz was unavailable for four straight games because of fatigue in his knee. His legs felt “good” in Colorado, Díaz said.

Results from an MRI scan suggested that the loose bodies in his elbow were to blame for the discomfort in his arm. Díaz said he was confident the operation would resolve the problem.

“The tightness and the soreness was where the loose body was,” Díaz said. “So that’s why we ended up getting the surgery because it was in the same spot I’ve always had them.”

He’s hoping to return after the All-Star break. So, the Dodgers will have to come up with an alternate ninth-inning plan for the next two-and-a-half months.

“That sucks to miss the first half with the team,” Díaz said. “I’m new with this team. But that’s something I can’t control. Everyone here is supporting me. All of my teammates they’re supporting me, they’re happy that I’m doing way better than before. They just can’t wait to see me on the mound in the second half.

“They say, take your time, we need you in October. But I want to come back as soon as possible and help this team to win games.”

Díaz is still waiting to have his stitches removed, but he expects to start playing catch in a couple weeks.

“My arm is feeling way better than it did on Sunday,” he said. “That’s a good sign. Right now, just a couple days after surgery, I can move my arm really good. My range of motion is coming back to normal. So that’s something I like. And just get stronger and be ready for the second half.”

Former world champion Neil Robertson has called for a controversial chalk used by Ronnie O’Sullivan to be banned, saying most other players “hate it” and that it “makes an absolute mess of the table”.

O’Sullivan, 50, is one of only a handful of players on the World Snooker Tour (WST) to still use the traditional Triangle Chalk.

Critics say it causes more poor contacts, leading to ‘kicks’ when the cue ball hits the object ball, often resulting in players running out of position or missing pots.

Almost all players use Taom Chalk, which reduces kicks and leaves no marks on the table.

There are currently no restrictions in place on what chalks can be used in WST events so O’Sullivan, who lost a thrilling last-16 tie 13-12 to John Higgins earlier on Monday, has not done anything against the sport’s rules.

However, there was a noticeable kick in the deciding frame when the Scot was taking a shot on a red.

He could be heard saying “oh my god” when the cue ball did not run through as expected. That red was potted, but, out of position, Higgins then missed the following black, although it did not prove crucial as he sealed an incredible victory, having trailed 8-3 and 9-4.

Robertson won 13-7 in his last-16 match against Chris Wakelin to set up a meeting with Higgins, with the Australian pleased to avoid O’Sullivan – and his chalk.

“I would prefer to play John so I don’t have to contend with the chalk that Ronnie uses, which should be banned from the game,” Robertson told BBC Four.

“I don’t know how you are allowed to even use it.”

Before all that though, there needs to be a decision about Carrick.

Many feel delivering a return to the Champions League – it was predicted after his first two games against Manchester City and Chelsea that his side would be in the bottom half of the table – should be enough to secure him a full-time contract.

Getting rid of Carrick, the argument goes, would be the most risky option.

But there are two schools of thought.

The first is that Carrick gets the job because he deserves the chance, it goes wrong next season and the United hierarchy are derided for following the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer model – even though that downplays the Norwegian’s achievement of delivering successive top-four finishes, something no coach has done since Sir Alex Ferguson quit in 2013.

The other is that Carrick is replaced by a more experienced manager, who struggles to adapt and then the hierarchy are accused of trying to fix something that wasn’t broken.

This decision is not made easier by the knowledge that Paris St-Germain are confident the standout candidate, Luis Enrique, will sign a new deal with them, and even if he does not, will want wages among the highest in the world to change clubs.

The practicalities of trying to bring in someone like Julian Nagelsman – whose contract with Germany does not expire until 2028 and could be involved in the World Cup final a day after Manchester United’s first pre-season game against Wrexham in Helsinki – make it an unviable option.

Andoni Iraola is well liked but, as Thomas Frank, who spoke to United in 2024, discovered at Tottenham, managing a progressive, smaller Premier League club is a whole different world to dealing with the biggest.

No-one knew what results Carrick would deliver when he was asked to take over until the end of the season. However, one thing United’s powerbrokers were certain about was that he would not be swamped by the sheer scale of what he was taking on.

Carrick met Sir Jim Ratcliffe for a cup of tea and a casual chat last week. Time will tell how important that brew was.

Barring an unimaginable sequence of results, Old Trafford will host Champions League football again next season.

But one senses for those running the club, their most significant work is about to begin.

Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby is entering a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction and will be away from the team indefinitely, he and the Red Raiders announced Monday in a joint statement.

According to ESPN, Sorsby decided to seek treatment after it was discovered he made “thousands of online bets on a variety of sports via a gambling app.”

Multiple media outlets are reporting that Sorsby placed bets on Indiana football to win games during the 2022 season, when he was a redshirt freshman for the Hoosiers. He reportedly did not place bets on the one game in which he participated that season.

“We love Brendan and support his decision to seek professional help,” Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire said in a statement. “Taking this step requires courage, and our primary focus is on him as a person. Our program is behind Brendan as he prioritizes his health.”

The team said it would have no further statement on Sorsby’s status or treatment progress at this time.

The NCAA is investigating Sorsby’s gambling, according to multiple media reports.

“Due to confidentiality rules put in place by NCAA member schools, the NCAA will not comment on current, pending or potential investigations,” the NCAA said Monday in a statement released to news organizations.

“However, the NCAA takes sports betting very seriously and is committed to the protection of student-athlete well-being and the integrity of competition. The Assn. works with integrity monitoring services, state regulators and other stakeholders to conduct appropriate due diligence whenever reports are received.”

The most recent NCAA guidelines about sports wagering state that student-athletes who bet on their own games or on other sports at their school could “potentially face permanent loss of collegiate eligibility.” Betting on their sport in games not involving their school could result in “the loss of 50% of one season of eligibility will be considered.”

Other violations could also result in loss of eligibility with the amount of time missed based on the amount of money wagered.

Sorsby spent two seasons at Indiana and two at Cincinnati before transferring to Texas Tech this offseason for his final year of eligibility. He has completed 61.4% of his passes for 7,208 yards with 60 touchdowns and 18 interceptions, and rushed for 1,295 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Cincinnati has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio against Sorsby for allegedly breaching the name, image and likeness contract he signed in July that stated a $1-million buyout would be required within 30 days if he transferred.

On Monday, Sorsby’s attorneys filed a motion to dismiss, stating that “the parties’ contractual intent to pay Mr. Sorsby for playing football was fully realized, and UC’s attempt to now unlawfully penalize Mr. Sorsby for exercising his transfer right under the NCAA’s rules and UC’s efforts to discourage and threaten other players from doing the same thing is invalid as a matter of law.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The most decorated American Olympian in athletics, Felix won her only solo gold in the 200m at London in 2012, but also topped the 4x400m relay podium at every Games between 2008 and the delayed 2020 Tokyo Games.

She also won 4x100m relay titles in 2012 and 2016, and took 200m silver in 2004 and 2008, along with 400m silver and bronze in Rio and Tokyo respectively.

The LA native also won a record 20 medals at the World Championships, the most for any woman or man, including 14 titles.

Felix, who also has a daughter born in 2018, attended the 2024 Paris Olympics as a spectator and said she experienced “mixed emotions”.

“There were moments where I was like, ‘Oh, this is so great. It’s so exciting to be in the stands and on the other side,'” Felix told Time magazine, external.

“And then there were moments where I was, ‘You know, I miss this feeling’.”

Felix, a member of the athletes commission for the 2028 LA Olympic organising committee, said she is realistic about her comeback.

“I know, at 40, I am not at my peak. I have no illusions about that,” she added. “I’m very clear in what it is and what I want to see. And so I hope it’s seen that way.

“When I was competing, you just heard this roar for host-country athletes at the Olympics. I would love to experience that.

“I would probably be upset at myself if I just didn’t give it a try. However it turns out, I’ll still be there with my kids, hanging out and cheering everybody on.”

Allyson Felix is attempting a comeback at age 40 that could give her a chance to add to her Olympic-record medal haul two years from now in Los Angeles.

Felix, a mother of two, told Time magazine she thought about coming back some four years after calling it quits and decided: “Let’s go after the thing. Let’s be vulnerable.”

“You know, at this age, I should probably be staying home and taking care of my kids, doing all that. And just, why not? Let’s flip it on its head,” she said.

Felix has won 11 Olympic medals — the most by any woman in track — and has a record 20 medals from world championships.

She is a seven-time Olympic champion, with six in the relays and her lone individual gold coming in the 200 meters at the 2012 London Games.

Before retiring in 2022, she became an outspoken advocate for athletes who become mothers and want to keep their careers going.

Felix, who landed a spot on the IOC Athletes’ Commission in retirement, has two kids — 7-year-old Camryn and 2-year old Trey.

She said she expects to start full-time training with her coach, Bobby Kersee, in October with the goal of competing in 2027. The Olympics will be in her hometown a year later.

“I totally get the person who sticks around too long and you’re like, ‘What are they doing?’” Felix said. “I know, at 40, I am not at my peak. I have no illusions about that. I’m very clear in what it is and what I want to see. And so I hope it’s seen that way.”

American Gauff, who has been unwell with a stomach virus, will drop from third to fourth when the updated world rankings are released, with Poland’s Iga Swiatek replacing her.

The reigning French Open champion was ruthless in the second set after losing the first and looked a safe bet to advance to the next round at the expense of Noskova, after breaking the 21-year-old for a second time in the third set.

But world number 13 Noskova produced an impressive comeback in front of the Spanish crowd as Gauff faltered and will face Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Kostyuk, 23, won 6-2 6-3 against American Caty McNally to celebrate her ninth victory in a row and back-to-back Madrid quarter-finals.

“Sometimes I get lost on court, especially in the second [set], as it happened today,” said Noskova. “I had to find my rhythm all over again in the third [set].”

Meanwhile, Sabalenka will take on American Hailey Baptiste, who defeated Belinda Bencic 6-1 6-7 (14-16) 6-3 in her fourth-round match, on Tuesday.

She defeated Baptiste, 24, in the quarter-finals of the Miami Open on her way to winning the title last month.

Fifa is poised to change the rules around suspensions for accumulated yellow cards at this summer’s World Cup.

BBC Sport understands world football’s governing body is planning to add a second amnesty stage, wiping all yellow cards at the end of the group stage as well as after the quarter-finals.

Under current rules a team would play five matches to reach the quarter-finals, and any two bookings in those games would lead to a suspension.

The revamped World Cup, with 48 teams instead of 32, includes an extra round and it is felt the jeopardy for a ban is too high.

Without a change to the regulations, Fifa fears that many more players would be walking a suspension tightrope by playing six fixtures through to the last eight – and potentially miss a semi-final.

The topic is on the agenda for discussion when the Fifa Council meets in Vancouver, Canada on Tuesday.

Two bookings will remain the suspension threshold, but the rule change will mean there are only two small pockets of games for players to pick up a ban.

It would require cautions in two of the three group games, or in two of the last 32, last 16 and the quarter-finals, to miss a match.

Fly-half Callum Sheedy has committed his future to Cardiff, saying he is “desperate to do everything possible to make sure it is a successful period for the club”.

The 30-year-old Wales international joined his home club from Bristol for the 2024-25 season and is the latest to sign a new deal with Cardiff not revealing the duration of his new contract.

“Playing at the Arms Park is the most special feeling. We have incredible supporters, they are close to the pitch and the atmosphere is electric,” said Sheedy.

“To be able to connect with the fans and see how much passion they have is a massive driving factor both for myself and the wider group.

“I’m really excited by what the future holds.”