SPORT

Monte Marcaccini was one of the best basketball players in Sherman Oaks Notre Dame High history, leading the Knights to a 1993 Southern Section Division III-A championship. He was a 6-foot-5 guard who turned down a scholarship to Indiana to play club ball in Italy, then ended up at Pepperdine and later Virginia before playing overseas.

Now Marcaccini, 51, is back in high school basketball, serving as an assistant coach at Oaks Christian High, where his son, James, is a 6-3 freshman playing for the 20-4 Lions.

“He loves the game and works hard,” Monte said. “I was a lot smaller than he was. He’s a much better player than I was as a freshman.”

Monte was known for being a little flamboyant and trash talking with the best. He’d tell anyone and everyone he could beat you one on one.

So who wins when it’s father vs. son these days?

“Now it would be pretty close,” the father said. “I would be worried now.”

Monte started a private business 25 years ago using his Italian roots — gelato, a frozen dessert.

Monte played for coach Mick Cady at Notre Dame. Cady also was the high school coach in Northern California for Oaks Christian coach Mark Amaral and recently dropped by to give a pep talk to the Oaks Christian players.

The big question is whether the son talks more than the father.

“I talked way more. He’s much more of a gentleman,” Monte said.

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

From Bill Shaikin: This was pretty audacious, even by the Dodgers’ standard. Their $17-million left fielder flopped last year, so they threw $240 million at another corner outfielder to supplement the three most valuable players already in their lineup.

Still, as Kyle Tucker smiled for the cameras at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, it was hard to imagine this one man could sign here and take down the 2027 season.

On Tuesday the Athletic quoted one ownership source that portrayed the Tucker signing as a tipping point that made it “a 100 percent certainty” owners would push for a salary cap when the collective bargaining agreement expires this fall. Owners have been complaining about the Dodgers’ signings of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell and Tanner Scott, and on and on, and it sounds silly that the signing of one Kyle Daniel Tucker would turn the owners in a direction many of them already indicated they want to go.

“I agree,” said the man who signed him, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.

If baseball comes up with new rules next year, the Dodgers will abide by them. Until then, Friedman said, their “only focus” is on delivering the best possible product to the fans who pack Dodger Stadium every night and shop the team store like crazy. In return, he said, the Dodgers can sell themselves to stars like Tucker.

“A destination spot is where players and their families feel incredibly well taken care of,” Friedman said. “If they’re playing in front of 7,000 people, they don’t feel that as much.

“Playing in front of 50,000 people, and seeing the passion and how much people live and die for the Dodgers each summer and each October, I think, adds to the experience and allure of playing here.”

Continue reading here

‘I want to clear my name’: Yasiel Puig fights charges of lying to federal investigators in trial

Teammates believe in Matthew Stafford

From Gary Klein: Whatever the circumstance — cold, snow, rain, wind, noise — Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is cool, calm and collected.

But the 17th-year pro is not quiet.

Especially in the huddle. Especially at decibel-delirious Lumen Field in Seattle.

“He’s screaming,” tight end Davis Allen said Wednesday, chuckling. “He’s not talking normal, that’s for sure… He does a great job making sure guys are where they need to be.”

Since joining the Rams in 2021, Stafford is 3-1 at Lumen Field, where the Rams will play the Seahawks on Sunday in the NFC championship game.

Asked how he thought he had played in Seattle, Stafford instantly ticked through all of the Rams’ performances.

A Thursday night victory in 2021. Sitting out 2022 because of injury. A walk-off touchdown pass to win in overtime in 2024, and an overtime loss this season in Week 16.

“It’s always a great environment,” Stafford said.

Continue reading here

NFL playoffs schedule

All times Pacific
Conference championships
Sunday

AFC
Noon
No. 2 New England at No. 1 Denver (CBS, Paramount+)

NFC
3:30 p.m.
No. 5 Rams at No. 1 Seattle (FOX, FOX One, FOX Deportes)

Super Bowl

Sunday, Feb. 8, 3:30 p.m., NBC, Peacock

UCLA women rout Purdue

From Steve Galluzzo: Coming off Sunday’s 30-point win over then-No. 12 Maryland — UCLA’s largest margin of victory over a top-15 team since 1992 — it would have been easy for the Bruins to take unranked Purdue lightly.

Instead, the UCLA women played with the intensity and focus characteristic of an NCAA tournament game, dominating from start to finish in a 96-48 triumph Wednesday night at Pauley Pavilion.

The third-ranked Bruins (18-1 overall, 8-0 in Big Ten) won for the 12th straight time and are more than halfway to tying the program record of 23 in a row set last year. The 48-point win marked the sixth straight by 18 points or more as the Bruins moved out of a tie with Iowa for sole possession of first place in the conference.

All five starters scored in double figures. Gabriela Jaquez led the way with 25 points on 10-for-11 shooting, Lauren Betts had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Kiki Rice and Charlisse Leger-Walker each added 15 points and Gianna Kneepkens had 14.

Continue reading here

UCLA box score

Big Ten standings

Alijah Arenas debuts in USC’s loss

From Ryan Kartje: As he laid in a hospital bed last April, lucky to be alive, Alijah Arenas dreamed of this moment. He thought of it in the weeks and months after his Tesla Cybertruck hit a tree and burst into flames in Reseda, leaving him hospitalized for six days. And he thought of it over a long summer and fall spent rehabbing the injured knee that failed him in his first week back to practice at USC.

Nine difficult months spent waiting for the day to finally culminated Wednesday night with Arenas roaring into the lane, with just one defender standing between him and the hoop. The five-star freshman had committed to USC with every intention of bolting for the NBA after one season, only for the setbacks of the past year to put his likely lottery status in doubt.

Now here, as he lifted toward the hoop early in his college debut, Arenas spun around that lone defender in mid-air and softly laid in a finger roll, reminding everyone in attendance of the talent they’d waited so eagerly to see.

But what unfolded from that moment on Wednesday night probably wasn’t how Arenas or any Trojan would have envisioned it, as Northwestern, a team previously winless in the Big Ten, spoiled the star freshman’s debut and left USC spiraling with a 74-68 defeat.

“Critical, critical loss tonight,” Coach Eric Musselman said. “I can’t. I mean, just brutal.”

Continue reading here

USC box score

Big Ten standings

Gary Patterson to the Trojans?

From Ryan Kartje: In his years-long pursuit to build a great defense at USC, Lincoln Riley first entrusted the job to a familiar face from his Oklahoma days. When that failed, Riley handed the reins of his defense — and a massive paycheck — to the crosstown rival’s rising star … who then left two years later.

Now, in his third try at finding a leader for USC’s defense, Riley is working to lure a Hall of Famer to Hollywood.

USC is closing in on a deal to hire Gary Patterson, the longtime Texas Christian coach, as its defensive coordinator, a person familiar with the decision but not authorized to speak publicly told The Times.

Continue reading here

Ducks win fifth in a row

Mikael Granlund and Cutter Gauthier scored in the shootout and Lukas Dostal stopped 40 shots as the Ducks defeated the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche 2-1 for their fifth straight win Wednesday night.

Jeffrey Viel scored in his second straight game as the Ducks opened a six-game trip.

Artturi Lehkonen scored for Colorado, and Scott Wedgewood made 16 saves.

Alex Killorn played in his 1,000th game. He spent 11 years with Tampa Bay, winning the Stanley Cup twice, before signing with the Ducks as a free agent in 2023.

Continue reading here

Ducks summary

NHL standings

WNBA releases schedule

The WNBA is set to begin its season on May 8, assuming the league and the players’ union can come to an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement.

Teams will play 44 games over a five-month period with a 17-day break for the FIBA World Cup in early September. The league said last year that with the World Cup this season they would keep the schedule at 44 games despite adding two new teams in Portland and Toronto.

“As we prepare to tip off the WNBA’s historic 30th season, this schedule reflects both how far the league has come and the momentum that continues to drive us forward,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said.

The Sparks are scheduled to open the season with a four-game homestand at Crypto.com Arena, beginning May 10 against the defending champion Las Vegas Aces. The Sparks will also host the expansion Toronto Tempo on May 15.

Continue reading here

Trade unions support Santa Anita

From John Cherwa: The dispute between the state and Santa Anita Park over the use of a new betting machine was ratcheted up Wednesday when four major trade unions sent a letter to Rob Bonta, the California attorney general, urging the state to return the terminals it confiscated on Saturday. Santa Anita filed suit against the state on Tuesday seeking the same.

Collectively, the Service Employees International Union, the Teamsters, California State Pipe Trades Council and the State Assn. of Electrical Workers created a special letterhead with all their logos to show their solidarity on the issue. The two-page letter, obtained by The Times, was stinging and pointed, calling the state’s removal of Racing on Demand machines as “not only misguided but reckless.”

It went on to say: “By removing these terminals, your agency has introduced unnecessary uncertainty into an industry already confronting significant economic challenges. This decision undermines innovation, discourages investment and jeopardizes the more than $1.7 billion in annual economic impact that California horse racing generates for local communities, workers and the state as a whole.”

Continue reading here

This day in sports history

1920 — The New York Yankees announce they will be the first team to wear uniform numbers, according to the player’s position in batting order.

1960 — Paul Pender beats Sugar Ray Robinson in a 15-round split decision to capture the world middleweight boxing title.

1962 — Bob Feller and Jackie Robinson are elected into baseball’s Hall of Fame. Robinson is the first Black man to enter the Hall.

1968 — The NBA awards expansion franchises to Milwaukee and Phoenix.

1973 — George Foreman knocks out Joe Frazier in the second round in Kingston, Jamaica, to win the world heavyweight title.

1983 — Houston becomes the first NBA team not to score a point in overtime. The Portland Trail Blazers outscore the Rockets 17-0 for a 113-96 victory.

1988 — Mike Tyson knocks out Larry Holmes in the fourth round at Atlantic City to retain his world heavyweight title.

1989 — After winning his third Super Bowl as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, Bill Walsh retires.

1998 — New York’s Pat LaFontaine reaches 1,000 career points, scoring his 19th goal in the Rangers’ 4-3 loss to Philadelphia.

2003 — Andy Roddick wins one of the longest matches of the Open era, beating Younes El Aynaoui in a fifth set that ended 21-19 to reach the Australian Open semifinals. The American won 4-6, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-4, 21-19 in a match lasting 4 hours, 59 minutes — the longest men’s singles match at the Australian Open since tiebreaker sets were introduced into Grand Slam events in 1971.

2005 — Jockey Russell Baze passes Bill Shoemaker to take second place on the career win list. Russell gets his 8,834th victory aboard Hollow Memoires in the seventh race at Golden Gate Fields.

2006 — The Pittsburgh Steelers are the first team since the 1985 Patriots to win three postseason road games thanks to a 34-17 dismantling of the Denver Broncos in the AFC title game.

2006 — Kobe Bryant scores a staggering 81 points — the second-highest total in NBA history — and the Lakers beat the Toronto Raptors 122-104.

2012 — The New England Patriots beat the Ravens 23-20 in the AFC championship game after Baltimore’s Billy Cundiff misses a 32-yard field goal attempt with 11 seconds remaining that would have tied the score.

2012 — New York’s Lawrence Tynes kicks a 31-yard field goal in overtime and the Giants beat the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 in the NFC championship game.

2016 — David Blatt, the second-year coach who guided Cleveland to the NBA Finals in 2015, is fired despite the Cavaliers holding a 30-11 record. Blatt is the first coach since conferences began in 1970-71 to be fired when his team had the best record in its conference.

2018 — New Orleans Pelicans’ DeMarcus Cousins has 44 points, 24 rebounds & 10 assists in 132-128 double-OT win over Chicago Bulls; 1st player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1972) with 40+ points, 20+ rebounds & 10+ assists.

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.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek emerges as Aston Villa and Man Utd target, Spurs weigh up Crysencio Summerville move, Liverpool interested in Micky van de Ven and Nottingham Forest eye Kostas Tsimikas.

AC Milan and England midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, 29, is a target for Aston Villa, who are looking to bolster their midfield ranks after France international Boubacar Kamara, 26, sustained a serious knee injury. (Telegraph – subscription required, external)

Loftus-Cheek has also been offered to Manchester United, with exploratory talks having taken place. (Talksport), external

Villa have enquired about Fenerbahce striker Youssef En-Nesyri in the past 24 hours, and the 28-year-old Morocco forward will decide his future soon with Napoli and Juventus also interested. (Fabrizio Romano, external)

Tottenham are considering a £25m move for West Ham‘s 24-year-old Dutch winger Crysencio Summerville. (Mail), external

Liverpool are interested in Tottenham and Netherlands centre-back Micky van de Ven, 24, who is yet to sign a new contract with Spurs. (Mail – subscription required, external)

Manchester United are set to tell Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes, 31, they want to keep him for another year and would like a decision from him before this summer’s World Cup. (ESPN), external

Nottingham Forest will allow Brazilian left-back Cuiabano, 22, to leave on loan this month, with Liverpool‘s 29-year-old Greece full-back Kostas Tsimikas, currently on loan at Roma, among their list of targets. (Athletic – subscription required, external)

Forest have had an offer for Napoli defender Mathias Olivera rejected, but remain in talks for the 28-year-old Uruguay international. (Tuttomercatoweb – in Italian), external

Celta Vigo have submitted a formal loan offer to Wolves for Fer Lopez, 21, and would cover all of the Spain Under-21 attacking midfielder’s salary. (Sky Sports, external)

Real Madrid are considering a move for Portugal midfielder Ruben Neves, 28, who is open to a move away from Al-Hilal, with Manchester United also eyeing the former Wolves captain. (AS – in Spanish), external

Chelsea and England playmaker Cole Palmer, 23, is willing to return to Manchester to join Manchester United, although the former Manchester City player has a contact until 2033 at Stamford Bridge. (Express), external

Barcelona want to sign Manchester City captain, Bernardo Silva, 31, on a free transfer when the Portugal midfielder’s contract expires at the end of the season. (Nacional – in Spanish), external

Brentford and Nigeria defensive midfielder Frank Onyeka, 28, is being chased by Championship duo Sheffield United and Coventry City for a January move, while Valencia are also interested. (Standard, external)

Schalke have reportedly agreed terms to sign Bosnia-Herzegovina striker Edin Dzeko, 39, who only joined Fiorentina in July. (Sky Sport – in German), external

Just look at United’s attack.

You have got Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2008 and would go on to be one of the greatest players of all time.

Then Rooney, the all-time top goalscorer for United and England.

And, while Carlos Tevez’s time at Old Trafford was not prolific, he scored 14 Premier League goals in 2007-08.

It was a forward line to fear. Up to this stage of the season, Ronaldo had scored 22 goals, Tevez 12 and Rooney nine.

Who do Arsenal have? Viktor Gyokeres, a striker who may go on to excel but, so far, has not lived up to his £55m transfer fee.

Bukayo Saka is clearly a world-class player out wide. But it is hard to make a case for Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard or Noni Madueke.

Gyokeres and Martinelli have nine goals this season, with Saka and Trossard on seven.

In midfield Declan Rice has to be considered one of the best in the world today, playing alongside Martin Odegaard and Martin Zubimendi.

But Owen Hargreaves, Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes were superb for Alex Ferguson.

Did we mention Ryan Giggs came off the bench in the Champions League final too? It is United ’08, no doubt.

DENVER — Mikael Granlund and Cutter Gauthier scored in the shootout and Lukas Dostal stopped 40 shots as the Ducks defeated the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche 2-1 for their fifth straight win Wednesday night.

Jeffrey Viel scored in his second straight game as the Ducks opened a six-game trip.

Artturi Lehkonen scored for Colorado, and Scott Wedgewood made 16 saves.

Alex Killorn played in his 1,000th game. He spent 11 years with Tampa Bay, winning the Stanley Cup twice, before signing with the Ducks as a free agent in 2023.

Colorado forward Valeri Nichushkin returned after missing Monday night’s win over the Washington Capitals. He was involved in a car accident on his way to the rink and was held out as a precaution.

The Avalanche played without Gabriel Landeskog (upper body), defenseman Devon Toews (upper) and forward Joel Kiviranta (lower body). Forward Logan O’Connor has yet to play this season as he recovers from offseason hip surgery.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS

BOYS
CITY SECTION
Angelou 77, Manual Arts 33
Bernstein 78, Roybal 61
Bert Corona 51, Community Charter 50
Birmingham 74, Granada Hills 50
Canoga Park 78, Reseda 32
Carson 49, Gardena 48
Cleveland 56, Chatsworth 55
CNDLC 54, Smidt Tech 48
Eagle Rock 56, Franklin 41
East Valley 59, VAAS 21
El Camino Real 44, Taft 43
Elizabeth 41, Maywood CES 21
Fairfax 50, LACES 35
Foshay 74, Middle College 50
Granada Hills Kennedy 47, Van Nuys 33
Grant 71, Arleta 56
Hawkins 80, Dymally 20
Huntington Park 61, South East 45
LA Hamilton 60, Westchester 57
LA Roosevelt 54, Bell 43
LA Wilson 73, Bravo 67
Lincoln 71, LA Marshall 68
Magnolia Science 37, Valley Oaks CES 27
Marquez 80, Maywood Academy 41
MSAR 50, Lake Balboa College 32
MSCP d. Animo South LA, forfeit
Narbonne 63, San Pedro 62
North Hollywood 81, Monroe 30
Palisades 91, LA University 54
RFK Community 69, Contreras 52
Sotomayor 46, Torres 40
South Gate 72, Legacy 50
Sun Valley Magnet 69, Discovery 19
Sylmar 97, San Fernando 77
Verdugo Hills 56, Chavez 26
View Park 82, Port of LA 63
Washington Prep 74, King/Drew 48
West Adams 50, Diego Rivera 36
Wilmington Banning 62, Rancho Dominguez 61

SOUTHERN SECTION
Aquinas 56, Ontario Christian 47
Ayala 73, Glendora 70
Azusa 77, Nogales 54
Beverly Hills 68, Compton Centennial 52
Bishop Amat 72, Verbum Dei 57
California 100, Whittier 65
Canyon Springs 54, Lakeside 39
Cathedral 69, Mary Star of the Sea 49
Citrus Hill 58, Paloma Valley 44
Coachella Valley 55, Indio 51
Corona Centennial 70, Riverside King 45
Corona del Mar 76, Los Alamitos 54
Corona Santiago 85, Norco 36
Desert Hot Springs 76, Cathedral City 38
Duarte 67, Garey 53
Eastside 72, Lancaster 41
Eastvale Roosevelt 86, Corona 48
Edgewood 29, La Puente 28
Foothill Tech 68, Thacher 57
Fountain Valley 57, Marina 45
Ganesha 53, Pomona 50
Grace 81, Laguna Blanca 34
Hacienda Heights Wilson 59, Northview 36
Hemet 56, Valley View 53
Hesperia Christian 65, CSDR 59
Hoover 65, Pasadena Marshall 33
Inglewood 90, Culver City 54
Irvine 59, Laguna Beach 48
La Canada 66, Blair 64
La Sierra 48, Rubidoux 46
Leuzinger 71, Hawthorne 29
Long Beach Cabrillo 60, Lakewood 51
Long Beach Wilson 99, Compton 75
Loyola 104, Alemany 70
Lynwood 52, Paramount 49
Mater Dei 81, Orange Lutheran 79
Mayfair 69, Bellflower 53
Millikan 87, Long Beach Jordan 69
Moreno Valley 50, Arlington 44
Norte Vista 80, Jurupa Valley 41
Oak Hills 88, Apple Valley 49
Orange Vista 61, Hillcrest 45
Oxford Academy 62, Whitney 55
Pioneer 59, Artesia 49
Portola 71, St. Margaret’s 50
Quartz Hill 58, Palmdale 47
Ramona 65, Patriot 50
Riverside North 67, Perris 41
Riverside Poly 56, Liberty 48
Rosemead 47, Gabrielino 36
San Bernardino 94, Entrepreneur 43
San Marcos 65, Rio Mesa 41
San Marino 47, Temple City 38
Santa Barbara 83, Oxnard Pacifica 65
Santa Clara 81, Dunn 41
Santa Fe 53, El Rancho 43
Santa Margarita 102, Servite 69
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 68, Crespi 56
Sierra Canyon 55, Harvard-Westlake 47
Sierra Vista 58, Baldwin Park 37
South Pasadena 64, Monrovia 60
St. Francis 66, Chaminade 56
St. John Bosco 56, JSerra 50
St. Monica 61, St. Anthony 56
Vista del Lago 52, Heritage 48
Walnut 68, Claremont 64
Warren 67, Downey 52
Woodbridge 38, Sage Hill 30

GIRLS
CITY SECTION
AMIT 34, Valor Academy 20
Arleta 34, Grant 27
Bell 41, LA Roosevelt 12
Bernstein 32, Roybal 14
Birmingham 55, Granada Hills 51
Bravo 25, LA Wilson 24
Carson 47, Gardena 32
Cleveland 60, Chatsworth 42
Eagle Rock 54, Franklin 8
El Camino Real 60, Taft 23
Fairfax 50, LACES 42
Granada Hills Kennedy 56, Van Nuys 22
Harbor Teacher 82, Locke 15
Hawkins 60, Dymally 20
King/Drew 67, Washington Prep 33
LA Jordan 45, Fremont 24
Lakeview Charter 63, Fulton 9
Marquez 48, Maywood Academy 45
MSAR 41, Lake Balboa College 34
San Pedro 42, Narbonne 29
Santee 74, Los Angeles 14
Smidt Tech 26, CNDLC 13
South East 56, Huntington Park 34
South Gate 57, Legacy 29
Torres 36, Sotomayor 31
USC-MAE 61, Downtown Magnets 15
Verdugo Hills 76, Chavez 16
West Adams 41, Diego Rivera 40
Westchester 78, LA Hamilton 42
Wilmington Banning 39, Rancho Dominguez 10

SOUTHERN SECTION
Arroyo 49, El Monte 27
Banning 50, Desert Mirage 7
Bonita 44, Diamond Bar 6
Buena Park 69, Segerstrom 43
Capistrano Valley Christian 48, Western 26
Charter Oak 34, Covina 20
Cerritos 67, Glenn 5
Coachella Valley 37, Indio 22
Compton Centennial 58, Beverly Hills 28
Corona 51, Eastvale Roosevelt 49
Corona Centennial 91, Riverside King 30
Corona Santiago 60, Norco 19
Culver City 57, Inglewood 29
Cypress 48, Yorba Linda 45
Downey 64, La Mirada 24
Fillmore 48, Hueneme 9
Glendora 67, Ayala 32
Hacienda Heights Wilson 61, Northview 50
Hesperia 61, Serrano 29
La Canada 79, Blair 11
Lakewood 71, Long Beach Cabrillo 7
La Sierra 47, Rubidoux 22
Lawndale 59, Santa Monica 30
Leuzinger 75, Hawthorne 11
Liberty 46, Citrus Hill 19
Long Beach Jordan 41, Millikan 29
Lynwood 35, Paramount 34
Mission Viejo 32, Northwood 21
Moreno Valley 75, Canyon Springs 22
Norwalk 59, Firebaugh 6
Oak Hills 91, Apple Valley 14
Pasadena Poly 53, Valley Christian 33
Pilibos 52, Burbank Providence 22
Quartz Hill 51, Golden Valley 41
Ramona 73, Patriot 46
Ridgecrest Burroughs 59, Sultana 24
Riverside North 38, Vista del Lago 36
Riverside Poly 54, Paloma Valley 34
Rolling Hills Prep 76, Palos Verdes 72
Rosemead 40, Gabrielino 28
Rowland 54, West Covina 27
Sage Hill 79, St. Margaret’s 41
Sierra Vista 49, Baldwin Park 27
South Pasadena 63, Monrovia 32
Temple City 48, San Marino 35
Tustin 39, Santa Ana 31
Whitney 58, Oxford Academy 28
Whittier 34, California 28
Workman 33, Bassett 7

As he laid in a hospital bed last April, grateful just to be alive, Alijah Arenas dreamed of this moment. He thought of it in the weeks and months after his Tesla Cybertruck hit a tree and burst into flames in Reseda, leaving him hospitalized for six days. And he thought of it over a long summer and fall spent rehabbing the injured knee that failed him in his first week back to practice at USC.

Nine difficult months spent waiting for the day to finally arrive had culminated Wednesday night with Arenas roaring into the lane, with just one defender standing between him and the hoop. The five-star freshman had committed to USC with every intention of bolting for the NBA after one season, only for the setbacks of the past year to put his likely lottery status in doubt.

But here, as he lifted towards the hoop early in his college debut, Arenas spun around that lone defender in mid-air and softly laid in a finger roll, reminding everyone in attendance of the talent they’d waited so eagerly to see.

But what unfolded from that moment on Wednesday night probably wasn’t how Arenas had envisioned it, as Northwestern spoiled his debut, dealing USC a 74-68 defeat.

It was Arenas’ backup in the backcourt who would drag the Trojans back from the brink against Northwestern after the Wildcats had led nearly the entire game. Just a week earlier, Jordan Marsh had dropped 17 in the second half of USC’s win over Maryland. On Wednesday, he was even better, piling up 19 after halftime.

But there was little he or USC’s five-star freshman could do in the final minutes as Northwestern fended off every push from the desperate Trojans, thanks largely to the efforts of senior forward Nick Martinelli, who had 22 points.

Arenas had eight points in his debut, shooting three of 15 from the perimeter in a performance that left him obviously gassed throughout. He played 29 minutes, nonetheless, at one point leaving to have his knee evaluated by trainers on the bench.

With losses in three of their last five coming into Wednesday, USC (14-5 overall, 3-5 in Big Ten) had hoped that Arenas’ arrival would act as a salve at the start of its Big Ten slate, injecting five-star talent into a lineup ravaged by injuries. But there were only so many problems that talent could paper over for the Trojans, even if Northwestern had come into Wednesday night on the heels of a five-game losing streak.

Arenas’ debut didn’t suddenly correct the Trojans’ free-throw woes. After hitting just five of 14 from the stripe in a loss to Purdue on Saturday, USC responded by shooting 26 of 43 on Wednesday night, with Northwestern content to foul them pretty much whenever the Trojans drove inside.

Once again, no one, Arenas included, could get going from three-point range for USC either, as the Trojans followed up a three of 20 showing from deep against Purdue loss by hitting their first two three-pointers … only to miss their next 11.

They spent most of the second half without their leading scorer, too, after Chad Baker-Mazara fouled out with more than nine minutes remaining.

Still, USC hung on tight through the second half, never letting Northwestern’s lead grow to more than eight. Marsh drove the lane with a chance to cut Northwestern’s lead to a single possession in the final 15 seconds. But his lay-in flew wildly out of his hands.

The loss spoiled a debut that had been perhaps the most anticipated at USC in at least half a decade, since Evan Mobley graced the Galen Center court in 2021. But while Mobley led the Trojans on an Elite Eight run, his lone season at USC was played front of empty arenas because of COVID-19 restrictions.

Arenas, meanwhile, was just the sort of blue-chip prospect that Eric Musselman and his staff had hoped to build around.

The path to that point would prove far more harrowing than anyone expected. But what felt like a light at the end of the tunnel Wednesday night didn’t feel nearly as hopeful by the final buzzer.

Coming off Sunday’s 30-point victory over then-No. 12 Maryland — the program’s largest win margin over a top-15 team since 1992 — it would have been easy for the UCLA women’s basketball team to take unranked Purdue lightly.

Instead, the Bruins played with the intensity and focus characteristic of an NCAA Tournament game, dominating from start to finish in a 96-48 triumph Wednesday night at Pauley Pavilion.

The third-ranked Bruins (18-1 overall, 8-0 in Big Ten) won for the 12th straight time and are more than halfway to tying the program record of 23 in a row set last year. The 48-point win marked the sixth straight by 18 points or more.

All five starters scored in double figures. Gabriela Jaquez led the way with 25 points (on 10-of-11 shooting), Lauren Betts had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Kiki Rice and Charlisse Leger-Walker each had 15 and Gianna Kneepkens had 14.

The Bruins donned throwback jerseys, an homage to UCLA’s 1977-78 AIAW championship squad, and showed why a second national title is a possibility come April if the team continues to perform at its present level.

“We want to honor the players and teams who came before us,” Close said. “More importantly, we want to play in a way that honors them.”

Nya Smith scored 14 points, Avery Gordon had 13 and Tara Daye had 10 for the Boilermakers (10-9, 2-6), who lost their third consecutive meeting with UCLA and fell to 2-4 all-time against the Bruins.

Liverpool have become the top-earning Premier League club for the first time, according to analysis from financial firm Deloitte.

The Reds won the English top-flight title last season and generated 836m euros (£702m) – more revenue than any other English side.

Manchester United fell to their lowest ever position in what is the 29th edition of the Deloitte Football Money League.

Real Madrid again top the list with a 1.2bn euro (£1.01bn) revenue, despite not winning the Champions League or La Liga last season, as both Manchester clubs dropped down the list.

Barcelona were second, moving back into the top three for the first time since 2019-20 after generating 975m euros (£819m), despite playing away from their Nou Camp stadium last season as it was renovated.

Bayern Munich are third on 861m euros (£723m), Champions League winners Paris St-Germain fourth on 837m euros (£703m) and Liverpool fifth.

Manchester City dropped from second to sixth with a revenue of 829m euros (£697m).

Manchester United, who finished 15th in the Premier League and were beaten by Tottenham in the Europa League final, went from fourth to eighth with 793m euros (£666m).

United have topped the money league on 10 occasions, most recently in 2017.

Their matchday revenue will also suffer this season as they are not involved in European competition and have been knocked out of the FA Cup and League Cup at the first hurdle.

“If you went back 10 or 15 years, and you looked at Manchester United‘s matchday revenue it was the industry leader,” said Deloitte Sports Business Group lead partner Tim Bridge.

“If you looked at their ability to generate commercial revenue, it was the benchmark by which everybody then went to market and set their strategy. I don’t think that remains the case.”

There are six English clubs in the top 10, with Arsenal (822m euros, £690m) in seventh, Tottenham (673m euros, £565m) in ninth and Chelsea 10th with 584m euros (£491m).

Three other English sides made the top 20, with Aston Villa (450m euros, £378m) 14th, Newcastle United (400m euros, £335m) 17th and West Ham United (276m euros, £232m) in 20th.

Arne Slot has good memories in Marseille. It was here in 2022 when his Feyenoord side held on to secure a place in the Europa Conference League final.

On the eve of this week’s game in the bowels of the Stade Velodrome, he was asked about those memories. He was also bizarrely and rudely asked about Xabi Alonso’s links to the Liverpool job.

Any noise surrounding the future of the Liverpool boss was quietened by a trademark European away performance from his side, who added Marseille to Eintracht Frankfurt and Inter Milan as the teams they have beaten on their travels this season.

Their unbeaten run of 13 matches (W7 D6) in all competitions may have been uninspiring for the large part but it is the longest ongoing streak of any team from Europe’s big five leagues. In itself, credit must be due for that. Liverpool last lost a game in November.

Crucially for Slot, it was a first win in a game that Mohamed Salah started for Liverpool since November 4, when they beat Real Madrid in the Champions League. It now looks like a line has been firmly drawn after Salah’s interview at Leeds and both player and manager can move on for the betterment of the football club.

The reality is that both need each other. Pre-match, Slot told TNT Sports: “The moments when I didn’t play him, I was trying something different. We have missed goals from all the ball possession. If there’s one player in the history of Liverpool that can score goals, it’s Mo Salah.”

It was a night where Salah did not add to his club record of 46 Champions League goals for Liverpool, even though he really should have when he fired wide in the second half, but the assurance with which Liverpool played in a 4-2-2-2 setup will leave Slot delighted and may well give him food for thought for the coming weeks.

“It says a lot about how big a professional he [Salah] is that he can be away for more than a month with a different team and be so fit to play 90 minutes for us after one day of training,” said Slot. “He was so close to a goal. It would usually be a goal from him, but it didn’t harm us because we scored three.”

Whatever the circumstance — cold, snow, rain, wind, noise — Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is cool, calm and collected.

But the 17th-year pro is not quiet.

Especially in the huddle. Especially at decibel-delirious Lumen Field in Seattle.

“He’s screaming,” tight end Davis Allen said Wednesday, chuckling. “He’s not talking normal, that’s for sure… He does a great job making sure guys are where they need to be.”

Since joining the Rams in 2021, Stafford is 3-1 at Lumen Field, where the Rams will play the Seahawks on Sunday in the NFC championship game.

Asked how he thought he had played in Seattle, Stafford instantly ticked through all of the Rams’ performances.

A Thursday night victory in 2021. Sitting out 2022 because of injury. A walk-off touchdown pass to win in overtime in 2024, and an overtime loss this season in Week 16.

“It’s always a great environment,” Stafford said.

“I think that gives a calm in the midst of some of those chaotic moments,” Coach Sean McVay says of Matthew Stafford.

(John Froschauer / Associated Press)

Stafford, 37, aims to continue what has been an MVP-level season with a victory that would give him a shot at a second Super Bowl title.

Two weeks ago, Stafford engineered a game-winning touchdown drive in a wild-card victory over the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, N.C.. Last Sunday, he led a game-winning field-goal drive in overtime to beat the Chicago Bears in Chicago.

Stafford, who suffered a sprained right index finger against the Panthers, was not at his best for most of the game against the Bears.

On a cold, snowy and windy night at Soldier Field, Stafford completed only 20 of 42 passes for 258 yards, with no touchdowns.

His 47.6% completion percentage was the lowest of his 12-game playoff career, and the lowest since a 48.3% performance in a 2023 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers at SoFi Stadium.

But Stafford is expected to bounce back against the Seahawks.

In four games at Lumen Field, he has passed for 1,454 yards and six touchdowns, with two interceptions.

On Dec. 18, he completed 29 of 49 passes for 457 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-37 overtime defeat.

The Rams had the ball in the fourth quarter but failed to move into field-goal range.

In overtime, Stafford connected with receiver Puka Nacua for a 41-yard touchdown pass. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold answered with a touchdown pass, and then converted a two-point conversion pass for the victory.

“Didn’t play up to our standard in some areas, and had chances to finish that game,” Stafford said. “But didn’t.”

The Rams and Stafford closed the deal in their divisional-round victory over the Bears.

As he did in the 2021 playoffs — when he engineered a 42-second, game-winning drive against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Stafford came up big in the divisional round when the Rams needed him most.

The Rams had the ball late in the fourth quarter but were forced to punt — and Bears quarterback Caleb Williams sent the game into overtime with a spectacular touchdown pass.

In overtime, after Rams safety Kam Curl intercepted a pass, Stafford completed passes to tight end Colby Parkinson and receivers Davante Adams and Nacua during a drive that ended with a 42-yard, game-winning field goal by Harrison Mevis, putting the Rams in the NFC championship game for the third time under coach Sean McVay.

The top-seeded Seahawks are coming off a 41-6 rout of the San Francisco 49ers, a dominating performance that began with a kickoff return for a touchdown and did not let up in any phase.

Matthew Stafford lines up under center against the Carolina Panthers during a wild- card playoff game this month.

(Brian Westerholt / Associated Press)

McVay is confident that Stafford will once again handle the environment at Lumen Field.

“Just that command, that confidence, that poise, that ability to love those pressure-filled moments,” McVay said, “I think that gives a calm in the midst of some of those chaotic moments, and I think that resonates with his teammates, and it creates a belief that’s not exclusive to the offense.

“That’s our whole football team, coaching staff included.”

Center Coleman Shelton said because of the noise at Lumen Field, players lower their heads in the huddle to hear Stafford.

“You can hear the play-call the lower you go,” he said.

The plays are being delivered by a quarterback who “always rises to the occasion,” Shelton said.

“The harder the environment,” he said, “it almost seems like the more he thrives.”

It has taken Wissa time to deliver such performances.

Wissa, who had already had a disrupted pre-season, following his protracted departure from Brentford, has only scored three goals since making his debut for Newcastle last month.

The forward has looked rusty at times, failing to take a big chance to open the scoring in the defeat against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup semi-finals last week.

But Wednesday night showed what he can bring to this side.

Howe had called on Wissa to “max out” before the game, and he led the press effectively against a naive PSV side, who repeatedly played out from the back.

That certainly did not go unnoticed by fellow goalscorer Harvey Barnes.

“He’s had a tough start since he’s come here,” he told TNT Sports.

“Obviously injured for a long time. I had a similar start here. I know how tough it is just watching from the stands, so I know how delighted he will be.

“A first Champions League goal. I thought he played really well so I’m buzzing for him.”

The challenge for Wissa, of course, is to start scoring more regularly.

But he is a poacher in a differing mould to the towering Nick Woltemade, who likes to come in deep.

Of those forwards to have played a minimum of 250 minutes in the Premier League this season, Wissa ranks first for cross option runs per game.

These are defined by Opta as runs to get into the penalty area to make yourself available for a cross while your team-mate has the ball in a wide area.

Wissa also ranks 15th for runs in behind.

Given their differing qualities, Howe felt it was “transformative” to have Wissa available after Woltemade had to shoulder the burden up front in his absence.

It had always been the plan for the pair to share the load after Newcastle lost top scorer Alexander Isak to Liverpool last summer, and Wissa’s Premier League experience helps explain why Newcastle paid such a hefty £55m fee.

“Yoane’s career at Brentford was brilliant to watch from afar because I thought he was outstanding for them, scoring a number of massive goals,” Howe said.

“I loved his attitude and the way that he played, the determination and aggression that he played with.”

The dispute between the state and Santa Anita Park over the use of a new betting machine was ratcheted up Wednesday when four major trade unions sent a letter to Rob Bonta, the California attorney general, urging the state to return the terminals it confiscated on Saturday. Santa Anita filed suit against the state on Tuesday seeking the same.

Collectively, the Service Employees International Union, the Teamsters, California State Pipe Trades Council and the State Assn. of Electrical Workers created a special letterhead with all their logos to show their solidarity on the issue. The two-page letter, obtained by The Times, was stinging and pointed, calling the state’s removal of Racing on Demand machines as “not only misguided but reckless.”

It went on to say: “By removing these terminals, your agency has introduced unnecessary uncertainty into an industry already confronting significant economic challenges. This decision undermines innovation, discourages investment and jeopardizes the more than $1.7 billion in annual economic impact that California horse racing generates for local communities, workers and the state as a whole.”

The seizing of the 26 Racing on Demand machines and the money within the machines by 21 state Department of Justice employees and two Arcadia Police personnel on Saturday is forcing those in the horse racing orbit to take sides.

The state, by virtue of the raid, seems to be siding with the California tribes, who have purview over almost all non-pari-mutuel gambling in the state and oppose the machines. It includes casinos, table games and slot machines among other forms of gambling.

Santa Anita, and by extension Del Mar and Los Alamitos, contend the game, played on a machine that has the look and feel of a slot machine, say the betting is conducted between patrons in a commingled pool and paid out based on how much money is bet on each combination. The house, in this case Santa Anita, does take money off the top to run the game but is not involved in determining the payoffs.

The stated goal of the tracks is to use some of the money generated by the machines to increase purses, which is a huge liability in California racing now. A lot of states, most notably Kentucky and New York, use money from casino racing to help their race purses.

The current takeout on the 3 X 3 game, the one used on the machines where you pick first, second and third in three different races, is 22%, meaning the return to bettors is 78% of the money bet.

Angel Reese doesn’t miss.

The two-time WNBA All-Star has joined the cast of Netflix’s hit murder mystery “The Hunting Wives” for its second season, the streamer announced Tuesday. Reese will portray “Trainer Barbie,” which is described as a co-starring role.

It’s no secret that the Chicago Sky forward is a fan of the sexy, soapy, Texas-set drama. Reese declared the series a “CRAZYYY but good watch” on the social media platform X back in August (despite being unsatisfied with the first season’s cliffhanger finale). This caught the attention of “Hunting Wives” creator Rebecca Cutter, who made clear the admiration was mutual and thanked the basketball star for “watching [their] lil ol show.”

“[J]ust let me know if you need me for season 2,” Reese wrote in her response to Cutter with a winking emoji.

“On it my queen,” replied the showrunner with a saluting emoji. And it appears she really was.

The name of the role suggests that the character is tailor-made for Reese. The Baltimore native went by the nickname “Bayou Barbie” during her standout college career at Louisiana State University, which included an NCAA championship. After being drafted by the Chicago Sky in 2024, she also was called “Chi Barbie.”

“Trainer Barbie” marks Reese’s second casting announcement this month. Last week, it was revealed that Reese and fellow WNBA All-Star A’ja Wilson will voice characters in the upcoming animated sports comedy “Goat,” which touts NBA star Steph Curry among its producers. These projects follow Reese’s cameo in Oscar-winning Kathryn Bigelow’s 2025 political thriller “A House of Dynamite.” Fast becoming a fashion icon, Reese also walked the 2025 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and was a member of the 2025 Met Gala’s host committee.

In “The Hunting Wives,” Brittany Snow stars as Sophie O’Neil, an ex-Bostonian housewife who gets pulled into the world of Malin Akerman’s socialite ringleader Margo Banks. The second season, currently in production, will also see Kim Matula, Alex Fitzalan, John Stamos, Dale Dickey and Cam Gigandet join returning cast members Jaime Ray Newman, Dermot Mulroney, Evan Jonigkeit, George Ferrier, Karen Rodriguez, Hunter Emery and Branton Box.

For any club to stump up £9m for your services, you must have done something right. And Cvancara – capped eight times – did plenty right at Sparta.

At his best in the Czech top flight, the 6ft 3in forward used his presence, pace and power to devastating effect, while he was also clinical.

Netting 24 times in 39 starts, a goals-per-minute ratio of around 131, triggered interest from Gladbach, who brought Cvancara to the Bundesliga in the summer of 2023.

The forward’s career stalled in Germany, though, scoring just eight goals in 54 appearances, most of which have come from the bench.

But his time at Gladbach will be remembered most for being at the centre of an extraordinary team dispute at the end of a challenging season last year.

It was claimed that Cvancara was a disruptive influence in the dressing room and that his team-mates had demanded he was excluded from the squad.

The striker responded by admitting he was not happy at the club and revealed he wanted to go out on loan, a statement later labelled “a mistake” by the club’s then sporting director.

It was not the first time the forward felt the need to publicly defend his character. Two years ago, he said: “People say I am out of my mind and that I lack humility.

“And yet none of them actually know me personally. None of them have ever asked me what I’ve been through in my life and why I’m the way I am on the pitch and in life.”

Amid one of the wildest Scottish football seasons in recent memory, with his new club key contributors, the hope for Cvancara is he can reclaim calm and form at a fractured Celtic embroiled in the chaos of the Premiership.

“He’s not actually a target man,” said O’Neill. “He’s not the John Hartson type.

“He is quick and he’s agile and wants to prove himself. But if you think he’s the immediate answer to any problem we have, I’m not sure I want to throw that sort of responsibility on him.”

Cvancara’s first assignment in Scotland is likely to be a visit to leaders Hearts on Sunday, a game absolutely stacked with pressure for the defending champions.

Junior point guard Savannah Myles of Westchester is having an MVP-caliber season.

She’s averaging 26 points for the 15-3 Comets, the City Section Open Division title favorites.

She has a 4.0 grade-point average and keeps improving on the court.

Coach EJ Jackson said she has tremendous leadership skills, having been the team captain the last two seasons.

“She’s a three-level scorer who controls the pace of the game,” Jackson said.

The Comets play Western League rival Hamilton on Wednesday.

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

Former England captain Jamie George is to retire at the end of 2027 after agreeing a one-year contract extension with Saracens.

George is to complete the 2026-27 season for the Prem club before retiring later that year to move into a new career in the “business world”, a club statement said.

The 35-year-old has been capped 105 times by England and captained his country during 2024 before acting as vice-captain to Maro Itoje.

The hooker has also been selected for the British and Irish Lions on three tours and made more than 300 appearances for Saracens, having spent his whole career at the London club.

“I have always been very open and honest and I wanted to continue to do that with regards to my retirement,” George said.

“I’m sure it seems early to be announcing this with another season to go, but I want to make sure I soak up every moment of my final season – I am more motivated than ever to finish my career at Saracens in a successful way.”

Jones confirmed some players walked out of the meeting and a full-scale training session was cancelled on Tuesday.

“There was a variety of feelings, not just anger,” said Jones.

“Anger was one, frustration, confusion and probably a bit of fear around the unknown, which can cause anxiety.

“Players were frustrated with some of what they were hearing. Some were upset and just wanted their own space.

“It’s natural individuals wanted to do that and I support that. It was just one or two players.”

Afterwards a number of Ospreys players, including Wales captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake and internationals Sam Parry, Dan Edwards and Gareth Thomas, shared a statement on social media which saying they “have been left in the dark by the WRU and Y11.”

Jones backed the actions of his players.

“It was awesome, it was great to see them coming together like that,” said the head coach.

“They are a tight group and enjoy each others’ company. You could see that by the statement.

“Nobody asked them to do that, it was off their own back as a group of men deciding what they wanted to say and what they wanted people to hear. I support them 100%.”

In a season where freshmen have been making a huge impact in high school basketball, let’s not forget about the sophomores from the class of 2028.

Brady Sullivan, a sophomore at Oaks Christian, scored 28 points to lift the Lions (20-4, 5-1) past Calabasas 69-65 on Tuesday night in a battle for first place in the Marmonte League.

Tristan Cardoso scored 21 points for Calabasas (15-8, 3-3).

Mira Costa 53, Da Vinci 40: Paxx Bell finished with 16 points for Mira Costa (20-4, 4-1).

Redondo Union 90, Peninsula 24: Chace Holley and Devin Wright each scored 16 points for Redondo Union.

Brentwood 70, Viewpoint 51: Ethan Hill finished with 23 points and 17 rebounds and AJ Okoh had 20 points in the Gold Coast League victory.

Arcadia 76, Glendale 44: Noa Eteuati Edwards had 17 points to keep Arcadia unbeaten in the Pacific League.

Oak Park 63, Simi Valley 51: The Eagles improved to 5-0 in the Coastal Canyon League. Beau Prophete had 25 points and eight rebounds.

Crossroads 62, Campbell Hall 60: Evan Willis contributed 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Roadrunners.

Girls basketball

Sierra Canyon 75, Harvard-Westlake 25: The Trailblazers received 19 points from Jerzy Robinson. They have never lost a Mission League game.