A look at two of this week’s top high school football playoff games in the Southland:
FRIDAY
Leuzinger (8-1) at Crean Lutheran (10-0), 7 p.m.
Leuzinger, the Bay League champions, has a top offensive line and an aggressive, hard-hitting defense that will try to contain Crean Lutheran’s athletic quarterback, Caden Jones, who has 29 touchdown passes. This Division 2 opener is part of a division loaded with tough first-round matchups. The pick: Leuzinger.
Can Laguna Beach deal with Notre Dame’s huge offensive line? That’s the big question in this Division 3 playoff opener. Versatile quarterback Wyatt Brown has run for 19 touchdowns. If the Knights can throw around their weight, things will look good. Laguna Beach has talented junior quarterback Jack Hurst, who has 41 touchdown passes. The pick: Notre Dame.
With the second bye behind them and USC’s season at a crossroads, Lincoln Riley has spent the better part of two weeks focusing his team on what’s in front of them — a stretch of three winnable games — and not behind them — a demoralizing defeat at Notre Dame.
In doing so, the Trojans coach borrowed a well-worn rallying cry, one that traces back 2,000 years. Riley told his team, they had to “burn the boats.”
“We’ve put ourselves in great position, and we’ve got to be a really forward-focused team right now,” Riley said. “Things can get pretty fun from here if you really get on a run. This team is capable of that. They know it. We know it.”
Considering the stakes, it’s an apt enough metaphor. Any hope of USC staying alive in the College Football Playoff conversation hinges on leaving Lincoln, Neb., with a win. And that will, at the very least, require presenting a much better product than before the bye, when USC’s defense gave up over 300 yards on the ground to Notre Dame.
That loss has left a notably bitter taste with the Trojans — especially on defense. This week, sophomore linebacker Jadyn Walker said he felt the group “didn’t come out ready to play” and wasn’t “hungry” enough against Notre Dame. Defensive tackle Jide Abasiri said fixing USC’s issues on defense meant “having our minds right.” For the second time in three weeks, USC returned to the basics on defense during the bye in an effort to iron out those issues.
“You study for a test, you’re not gonna be nervous,” Abasiri said. “Just keep studying, I guess.”
The time for studying is over. The final exam for USC and its defense is a five-game gauntlet, starting on the road in one of the Big Ten’s more hostile environments. It’s just as much a critical test for the team as its coach, who has won just two true road games — at Purdue and at UCLA — during the last two calendar years.
“We continue to put ourselves in position to win these, and I feel like we’re doing the things on a daily basis that ultimately lead to winning,” Riley said. “We’re here and we’re pushing that notion, and I just see us getting closer and closer to that as we go on. That’s where my confidence is.”
Here’s what you should watch for when No. 23 USC (5-2 overall, 3-1 Big Ten) faces Nebraska (6-2, 3-2) on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. PDT (NBC, Peacock).
A heavy dose of Emmett Johnson
Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson carries the ball against Northwestern on Oct. 25.
(Bonnie Ryan / Associated Press)
After watching Notre Dame’s duo of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price steamroll USC’s defensive front, Nebraska offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen surely smells blood in the water. In Emmett Johnson, he has one of the Big Ten’s best backs, a bruising tackle-breaker who has become a bigger part of the Husker offense as the season has worn on.
He’ll no doubt be a huge part of the plans for Holgorsen, who knows Riley better than most any other coach in college football, save maybe his brother, Garrett, at Clemson. Presumably, Holgorsen will hope to keep the ball out of USC’s hands, grinding out long drives with Johnson.
“We set ourselves up the rest of the season to see a lot of run game,” safety Bishop Fitzgerald said. “This week, making sure we can stop that will be huge for us.”
Johnson isn’t easy to bring down. His 44 missed tackles forced, per PFF, ranks third in the Power Four among running backs.
“He runs really hard,” Fitzgerald said. “He’s usually always going to break the first tackle. He just plays with an edge. He’s not necessarily a blazer, but once he hits that edge, he can make a guy miss and he can get a lot of yards. So I think it’s about stopping him and surrounding the ball.”
It’s just that easy. Or maybe not.
Pick up the pressure
USC defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn stands on the sideline during the third quarter of a win over Michigan State on Sept. 20.
(Luke Hales / Getty Images)
USC led the nation in sacks through the first month of the season. But in both of the Trojans’ losses, the pass rush — or lack thereof — was part of the problem. After producing 24 pressures in a win over Michigan State, USC tallied just 25 in its next three games combined.
Nebraska offers a golden opportunity to get that right. The Huskers have allowed 26 sacks, second-most in the Big Ten.
“I do think we’ve shown growth and we’ve gotten better,” defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn said of the pass rush. “But we’re not satisfied.”
Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola has been sharper this season than when he came to the Coliseum in 2024. His completion rate is up almost 6%, and he already has 17 passing touchdowns, compared to just 13 last season.
But Raiola has a tendency to hold the ball too long. At times, that has paid off with big plays. Other times, it has derailed drives.
“It puts a lot of pressure on us,” Lynn said. “When he’s holding onto the ball, he’s not looking to scramble. He’s keeping his eyes downfield.”
The key to counteracting that for USC? Putting as much pressure on him as possible.
Something has gotta give
USC has the top passing offense in the nation, averaging 10 yards per attempt and 326 yards per game. Nebraska boasts one of the nation’s best pass defenses, with just one opposing quarterback even reaching the 160-yard mark against them.
The Huskers have yet to face a quarterback quite like Jayden Maiava. Maiava’s first start at USC came last season against Nebraska, and he has improved leaps and bounds since — notably in his ability to avoid crippling mistakes.
That’ll be at a premium against a Nebraska defense that has swallowed up quarterbacks this season.
“He’s making a lot of right decisions right now,” Riley said this week of Maiava. “If he keeps doing that, we’re going to have a chance to win every game.”
Fenerbahce’s home EuroLeague fixtures against Israeli sides Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv next month have been relocated to Germany over security concerns.
The Turkish side were scheduled to host the clubs in Istanbul on 11 and 13 November, but the games will now be played in Munich on the same dates because of what Fenerbahce said were security measures implemented by Turkish authorities.
Fenerbahce said the games will be played at SAP Garden in the German city and be “open to the participation of our fans”.
The EuroLeague defending champions also had to relocate two games against Maccabi, originally scheduled to be held in Istanbul, to Lithuania last year.
Relations between Turkey and Israel have deteriorated since Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023.
Large anti-Israel demonstrations have taken place across Turkey since.
Last week, Fenerbahce and fellow EuroLeague side Efes Istanbul criticised the tournament organisers’ decision to allow Israeli clubs to resume playing at home from 1 December.
The Israeli teams have been playing their EuroLeague and EuroCup home games abroad since October 2023.
It is only the latest in a series of incidents where tensions surrounding the Israel-Gaza war have affected sports.
Earlier this month, a decision was made to bar Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans from attending the Europa League fixture against Aston Villa in Birmingham on 6 November on safety grounds.
Violence also broke out before Maccabi’s match against Ajax in the same competition in November last year.
There were also protests at the Israel national football team’s 2026 World Cup qualifier games in Norway and Italy this month.
Meanwhile, Israel-Premier Tech are to drop Israel from their name from next season after the cycling team, owned by Israeli-Canadian property billionaire Sylvan Adams, were at the centre of several disruptions by protesters during last month’s Vuelta a Espana in Spain.
Who would have guessed that in a starting rotation of giants and alphas, the most important pitcher would be the diminutive 27 year old with the mischievous smile who plays the role of everyone’s little brother?
From a distance, Yoshinobu Yamamoto doesn’t look like someone who figures to contend in the coming years to be the best pitcher in the world.
He stands only 5-foot-10. He’s not mean in the way frontline starters sometimes are. He’s extremely considerate of others, even people who offer minimal, if any, transactional value — or more precisely, his focus and confidence in his work don’t blind him to their sensitivities.
Beneath the mask of normality, however, there is something in Yamamoto capable of fueling the kind of complete-game performance he delivered in the Dodgers’ 5-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 2 of the World Series.
Yamamoto wants to be great. Or perhaps he has to be.
Look, and you will see it. Listen, and you will hear it.
Yamamoto has often shared his admiration of Clayton Kershaw, but it’s clear he doesn’t see him as just a mentor. He sees him as a benchmark by which should measure himself.
When Kershaw announced his retirement last month, Yamamoto spoke of how grateful he was to play alongside him for two years. He talked about how much he learned from him. What was particularly interesting was what he said after.
“I think from my heart that I want to be an ace pitcher like Kershaw,” Yamamoto said in Japanese, “and I want to do my best to one day surpass my great senior.”
Kershaw has 223 career victories. He won a most valuable player award. He won three Cy Young Awards.
Not only does Yamamoto want to be better than Kershaw, he’s bold enough to state that ambition publicly.
Yamamoto did something Kershaw never did against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series by pitching a complete game in the postseason.
Eleven days later, he did it again, this time against the Blue Jays in the World Series.
The last pitcher to throw a complete game in a World Series was Johnny Cueto, and he did it 10 years ago. The last pitcher to throw consecutive complete games in the postseason was Curt Schilling, and he did it 24 years ago.
Yamamoto was the Dodgers’ most dependable starter in the regular season. As a second-year major leaguer, he made a team-high 30 starts, posting a 12-8 record with a 2.49 earned-run average.
Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto reacts to recording a strikeout to close out the first inning of Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
His game has reached another level in the postseason, and in doing so, he might have saved the Dodgers, who were in trouble after Blake Snell’s implosion resulted in a loss in the opening game of this World Series
“I felt we had to win today no matter what,” Yamamoto said.
With his 105-pitch masterpiece, Yamamoto spared manager Dave Roberts the unpleasant duty of opening the gates to hell — pardon me, the bullpen — and tied the series at one game apiece. The next three games will be played at Dodger Stadium.
The historic performance by Yamamoto had an ominous start, as George Springer led off in the first inning with a double and advanced to third base on a single by Nathan Lukes.
Yamamoto escaped the jam by retiring Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Alejandro Kirk and Daulton Varsho in order, but his pitch count was already at 23.
“I didn’t think I could get to the end,” Yamamoto said.
The ever-optimistic Roberts was hopeful Yamamoto could complete six innings, which would task the bullpen with covering the last three. Roberts never had to prepare the smoke and mirrors required to navigate the final third of the game. Yamamoto gave up a run in the third inning but retired the last 20 batters he faced.
How he pitched reflected the reality of the Dodgers’ bullpen situation — essentially, that converted starter Roki Sasaki was the only reliever who could be trusted. Midway through the game, Yamamoto started throwing cutters, which induced contact and limited his pitch count.
“Fundamentally, my pitching style is to throw as much as I can in the strike zone,” Yamamoto said. “It’s a style in which I aim in the strike zone and throw with as much effort as I can.”
Before this postseason, the last time Yamamoto pitched a complete game was in 2023, for the Orix Buffaloes of the Japanese league.
So when Yamamoto recorded the final out of his start against the Brewers, he forgot his custom of embracing the catcher.
“It had been so long, I didn’t know where to go,” he said.
On Saturday, he knew, walking toward home plate and clasping hands with Will Smith. The guess here is that he won’t forget again. If he doesn’t pitch another complete game in these playoffs, he figures to pitch a few of them over the next handful of seasons.
A look at this week’s top high school football games in the Southland:
FRIDAY
Garfield (6-2, 4-0) vs. Roosevelt (4-4, 3-1) at East Los Angeles College, 7:30 p.m.
Throw out the records. Close the blinds. It’s East L.A. Classic week. Garfield should be a heavy favorite with running back Ceasar Reyes coming off a school-record 420 yards rushing performance. Roosevelt, though, has won three straight Eastern League games. Jason Moreno is Roosevelt’s version of Reyes. The pick: Garfield.
King/Drew (7-1, 3-0) at Crenshaw (7-1, 3-0), 7 p.m.
King/Drew has never won the Coliseum League title. This is the Eagels’ best chance behind top athlete Jayden Mitchell. Crenshaw has continued to improve behind receiver/defensive back Deance’ Lewis and quarterback Danniel Flowers. The pick: Crenshaw.
Russian and Belarusian para-athletes will not be at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, despite the International Paralympic Committee lifting its ban on them.
Although the IPC oversees the Games, there are four separate governing bodies in charge of the six sports taking place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Three of the governing bodies have decided to keep their bans on athletes from the two countries, and although Russia and Belarus are now allowed to compete in ice hockey, the decision came too late for them to take part in qualifying.
Both countries were suspended from Paralympic competition after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Belarus a close ally of Russia.
A partial ban – allowing athletes to compete as neutrals – was introduced in 2023.
IPC members then voted to lift the suspensions on the two countries at a meeting last month, allowing para-athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under their own flags.
However, the four international federations have now told the IPC “that, in practice, no athletes from the two nations are likely to qualify for March’s Games”.
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), International Biathlon Union (IBU) and World Curling have not lifted their bans, while World Para Ice Hockey has already decided which countries will enter the qualifying tournament for the two remaining places at the Games.
“In the same way that the IPC fully respects the decision of the IPC General Assembly not to maintain the partial suspensions of NPC Belarus and NPC Russia, we also fully respect the decisions of each international federation regarding the sports they govern,” said IPC president Andrew Parsons.
“The positions of FIS, IBU and World Curling currently mean that athletes and teams from Belarus and Russia cannot compete in their events, making it impossible for them to qualify for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
“While Belarus and Russia can now compete in Para ice hockey competitions, at this late stage of the qualification cycle, the six teams for November’s Paralympic Games qualification tournament have already been determined.
“I hope the focus will now be very much on the outstanding athletes and NPCs that will compete at Milano Cortina 2026 next March, as well as the tremendous transformational legacies the Paralympic Winter Games will create.”
EuroLeague said the decision to allow Israeli clubs to play home games was in response to the October 10 ceasefire agreement.
Published On 21 Oct 202521 Oct 2025
Share
Basketball’s top European competitions are set to become the first to return to Israel since the October 7, 2023 attacks, after clubs agreed on Tuesday to resume EuroLeague and EuroCup games in the country from December 1, following recent ceasefire and peace initiatives in the region, the organisation said.
Games involving Israeli teams have been held at neutral venues since October 2023 due to the conflict in Gaza.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
Six-time champions Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv are the Israeli clubs in this season’s EuroLeague, while Hapoel Jerusalem play in the EuroCup.
Maccabi have been playing their home games in Belgrade, Serbia, where they host Real Madrid on Wednesday.
Hapoel Tel Aviv have made their home in Sofia, Bulgaria, where their next home game is on October 29 against Partizan Belgrade.
“After thoughtful deliberation, ECA clubs agreed on the proposal to set December 1, 2025, as the date for games to resume in Israel. Until then, Euroleague Basketball will continue to carefully monitor developments, stay in close contact with local and foreign authorities, visiting teams, and all relevant organisations,” EuroLeague Basketball said in a statement.
“Euroleague Basketball and its participating clubs welcome the recent peace plan with optimism and hope. The organisation reaffirms its belief in the power of basketball to bring people and communities together, and its commitment to contributing to peace through the shared values of sport, respect, and unity.”
Israel and Hamas have accused each other of repeated breaches of the ceasefire since it was formally agreed upon eight days ago, with flashes of violence and recriminations over the pace of returning captives’ bodies, bringing in aid and opening borders.
Last year, the NBA signed a new 11-year, $77-billion media rights deal that will make the league a lot richer and dramatically alter the tune-in habits of fans when the 2025-26 season tips off this week.
More games will air exclusively on streaming platforms than ever before as Amazon Prime Video and NBCUniversal’s Peacock have significant packages in the new deal.
Here’s what you need to know before the action begins.
“Roundball Rock” returns
NBC is back in the NBA business after 23 years, carrying up to 100 regular season games on the broadcast network and its Peacock streaming platform. The network will carry a prime time game Tuesdays starting this week and Sundays as of Feb. 1. NBCUniversal’s Telemundo will carry 12 of the Sunday night NBA games in Spanish. Peacock will exclusively stream up to three games nationally Mondays.
NBC is also the new home for the NBA’s All-Star weekend, set for February in Los Angeles.
John Tesh plays “Roundball Rock” in an NBC Sports promo for its NBA coverage.
(NBC Sports)
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in an interview that the league’s move to NBC is more of a homecoming than a transition.
“A lot of the DNA is still in place,” Silver said. “Many of the producers we worked with 20-plus years ago are still with the organization. In some ways we’re able to pick up where we left off.”
The network is leaning into its heritage as the home of the league from 1990 to 2002, when Michael Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to six championships, galvanizing fan interest to new heights. Even John Tesh’s “Roundball Rock” — the infectious percussive theme song used during the era — is returning.
Jordan has been hired as a special contributor, but the network has played it close to the vest about how the NBA legend will be used.
“You will see him on opening night in some capacity,” NBC Sports President Rick Cordella told The Times.
Western Conference fans should appreciate NBC’s approach to its “Coast 2 Coast Tuesday” telecasts starting Oct. 28. In most weeks, NBC TV stations in the Western and Mountain time zones will get their own games in prime time at 8 p.m., rather than a 5 p.m. start time for an East Coast contest.
Cordella noted that having having separate prime time games in two regions will help boost ratings as more people will be available to watch in those hours. Fans across the country will be able to stream both games on Peacock no matter where they live.
A new home for ‘Inside the NBA’
ESPN retained its package of regular season games, playoffs and the NBA Finals. But the most anticipated element of its coverage this season will be the arrival of “Inside the NBA,” airing before and after selected games on ESPN and ABC.
When TNT lost the rights to the NBA, fans of the unfiltered gabfest with Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith were despondent over the possibility of its demise after 36 years. ESPN reached an agreement with TNT to continue producing the program in exchange for a package of college football games.
Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley on “Inside the NBA.”
(TNT Sports)
Starting with a doubleheader Tuesday, “Inside the NBA” will air for an hour before selected games on ESPN and a half-hour ahead of ABC telecasts.
Postgame editions will be open-ended on ESPN while ABC will run a half-hour and then continue on the ESPN app. The program will air on 20 dates during the regular season and throughout the NBA Playoffs, including the Eastern Conference Finals and the NBA Finals.
Tim Corrigan, senior vice president of sports production for ESPN, said in a recent news conference that nothing will change on the program outside of it being on a new network. Along with the hosts, the graphics, the music and the attitude will remain the same and will still be produced at TNT Sports’ studios in Atlanta with its longtime production team.
“We want them to do their show,” Corrigan said.
All of the games on ESPN and ABC are available on ESPN’s recently launched direct-to-consumer streaming service available to fans who don’t have a pay TV subscription.
NBA comes to Prime Video
Amazon is the new kid on the block, with 67 NBA games exclusively on the Prime Video streaming platform starting with a doubleheader Friday.
The streamer will carry every game in the knockout round of the Emirates NBA Cup, the postseason SoFi Play-In Tournament and first- and second-round playoff games. Prime will also carry two international NBA games this year and handle the conference finals in six of the next 11 seasons.
Prime Video will make on-screen advance stats part of its NBA coverage.
(Prime Video)
Prime developed a number of on-screen features for its “Thursday Night Football” coverage, and viewers can expect the same for the NBA, where fans can access pivotal moments in the game or get a rapid recap if they tune in late.
Fans who subscribe to NBA League Pass, a streaming platform that provides access to out-of-market games, can link the service to Prime Video to watch multiple games at once on the same screen.
Prime Video is also teaming with the online sportsbook app FanDuel, giving bettors the ability to track the progress of their wagers while watching a game. (FanDuel is not available to use in California.)
A look at this week’s top high school football games in the Southland:
THURSDAY
Los Alamitos (7-0) vs. Edison (5-2) at SoFi Stadium, 5 p.m.
The Alpha League begins with a terrific matchup. Los Alamitos hasn’t played since Sept. 26, so the Griffins might start slow, but their offensive line has been key for quarterback Colin Creason and running back Kamden Tillis. Edison needs a big game from quarterback Sam Thomson, who has nine touchdown passes with one interception. The pick: Los Alamitos.
FRIDAY
St. John Bosco (7-0, 2-0) vs. Santa Margarita (5-2, 2-0) at Trabuco Hills, 7 p.m.
The Trinity League title could be decided in this game. Few teams this season have been able to deal with St. John Bosco’s high-scoring offense and aggressive defense. Santa Margarita showed last week in a 7-6 win over Mater Dei that it has an elite defense. The Eagles will need offensive improvement under first-year coach Carson Palmer. The pick: St. John Bosco.
India is set to host the centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030 – the second time in 20 years that the event will have been held in the world’s most populous nation.
The city of Ahmedabad in the west of the country has been chosen ahead of Abuja in Nigeria by an evaluation commission from governing body Commonwealth Sport.
And the decision to hold the Games there in five years time is now expected to be ratified at the organisation’s general assembly in Glasgow on 26 November.
Ahmedabad can boast the Narendra Modi Stadium – the largest in the world, with a capacity of 132,000 – which hosted the Cricket World Cup final in 2023.
The city has a population in excess of five million people, and has even been suggested as a potential bidder to host a future Olympic Games.
“We see the 2030 Games as a powerful opportunity to inspire our youth, strengthen international partnerships and contribute to a shared future across the Commonwealth,” said Dr. P T Usha, president of Commonwealth Games Association India.
The Games first visited India in 2010 when Delhi hosted.
It is the second time Abuja has missed out on staging the Commonwealths, having been overlooked for the 2014 edition in favour of Glasgow.
And it also means Africa’s wait to hold the event for a first time will continue.
The news looks set to end fears that Glasgow 2026 might be the last-ever Games, with Scotland’s largest city having stepped in after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew for financial reasons.
That came after Birmingham took on the 2022 event after the South African city of Durban pulled out.
However, a reimagined format – with fewer sports, athletes and venues – has lessened the cost and enticed India, Nigeria and a handful of other countries to make their pitch to welcome the 74 Commonwealth Sport nations and territories.
A Commonwealth Sport statement said they “assessed candidate cities against a wide range of criteria including technical delivery, athlete experience, infrastructure, governance, and alignment with Commonwealth Sport values”.
It added: “The Commonwealth Sport Executive Board has agreed to develop a strategy for supporting and accelerating Nigeria’s hosting ambitions for future Games, including consideration for 2034.”
The 2030 Games will mark the centenary of the inaugural event held in Hamilton, Canada, in 1930.
Irish Olympic swimmer Shane Ryan has joined the Enhanced Games, a multi-sport competition that will allow athletes to use performance-enhancing substances without being subject to drug tests.
Ryan, who was born in the USA, competed in three successive Olympics Games for Ireland before announcing his retirement from the sport earlier this month.
“After a decade dedicated to traditional competition on the world’s highest stage, I’m excited to dive into this next chapter with the Enhanced Games,” the 31-year-old said on his decision.
Ryan joins Team GB Olympic swimmer Ben Proud, four-time Greece Olympian Kristian Gkolomeev and US sprinter Fred Kerley in announcing his intentions to compete at the Games.
The move has been criticised by Sport Ireland, which says it is “deeply disappointed” with the decision.
The first Enhanced Games are due to take place in Las Vegas in 2026 with each event awarded a total prize purse of $500,000 and a $1m on offer for competitors who break world records.
Swim Ireland has also condemned the move, confirming his disassociation with the organisation and that he will no longer be provided with any funding or services.
Ryan competed at the Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Games, becoming the first Irish swimmer to participate at three Olympics.
The Olympic Federation of Ireland said that Ryan’s move to the Enhanced Games “stands in direct opposition to our core clean sport values”.
The three other options tabled by the WRU include two proposals suggesting a reduction in one side by keeping three teams. These choices are now seriously being considered by the WRU board.
Cardiff are owned by the WRU after the side temporarily went into administration in April.
With WRU chief executive Abi Tierney having already said she cannot see a situation where professional rugby would not be played in the Welsh capital, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets will be nervously watching what happens.
Reddin says he hopes a consensus could be reached if regions needed to be cut, with mergers an option.
Ospreys chief executive Lance Bradley says he can not imagine any possible merger with west Wales rivals Scarlets – that prospect having previously come close in 2019.
“I credit myself as a rather imaginative person but even I can’t imagine that,” Bradley told BBC Radio Wales Sport.
“I can’t see how it could work. It was proposed a few years ago but there would be so many barriers to it now, that I find it very hard to imagine.”
Bradley says he hopes to have some clarity by the end of October.
“We have been working closely with the WRU but at the end of the day it will be them who has to make the decision,” said Bradley.
“We have had a lot of conversations and they have been constructive.
“We felt that in a meeting we had with Dave Reddin that he genuinely listened to what we said and we hope that will be taken on board.”
Sitting in a chair on Thursday night as fans came into SoFi Stadium to watch high school football games between Loyola and Gardena Serra and Leuzinger against Palos Verdes, you can hear the different reactions of first-time visitors as they climbed escalators and stairs to reach their seats.
Many were in awe.
“This is nice.”
“Wow. This stadium is so different.”
“I can’t believe I paid $80 for a high school game.”
The games have been put together by Playbook Events. Teams have to give up revenue they would make from hosting their own games. Parking costs $10 while student and adult tickets range from $29 to $71. Usual student tickets are $10 at home sites.
It’s clear players enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime experience to play in a prestigious NFL stadium that will host the swimming competition at the 2028 Olympic Games. And first-time visitors who’ve never been able attend a concert or NFL game at SoFi because of cost are truly impressed with the seating and experience.
But there’s also some issues that could enhance the experience. One fan suggested better directions on where to park and how to pay for parking, since only credit cards are accepted, and lots of grandparents are not tech savvy on how to purchase tickets online or which entrance to take to find the parking lot. Schools need to provide more specific instructions. Organizers are also requiring fans to sign a waiver when entering, leading to long lines if you don’t arrive early.
The cost for fans can be prohibitive, which means schools need to take that into account when agreeing to play a game at SoFi. The organizers certainly know what they are doing. Games start on time and security is plentiful and helpful for first-time visitors.
Loyola athletic director Chris O’Donnell said, “For this kind of experience, for both teams, it’s really great. I’d do this again in a second.”
The next big game at SoFi Stadium happens Thursday at 5 p.m. when unbeaten Los Alamitos plays Huntington Beach Edison.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].
Alibaba Cloud named cloud computing and AI partner of NBA China as the basketball league returns after six years.
Published On 9 Oct 20259 Oct 2025
Share
The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba have announced a multiyear partnership, as the league stages two games in Macau to mark its return to the Chinese market for the first time since 2019.
The announcement by Alibaba Group on Thursday said it would provide artificial intelligence and cloud computing services with the NBA and enhance fan experiences on the NBA app in China.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
Alibaba Cloud will be the official cloud computing and AI partner of NBA China, it said.
The NBA is due to play two preseason games in the Chinese special administrative region on Friday and Sunday, part of a five-year contract with Las Vegas Sands’ Macau unit Sands China.
The games mark the first time the NBA is playing in Macau, the world’s largest gambling hub, and follow a years-long absence amid controversy over the 2019 Hong Kong protests.
The Macau games aim to bolster the NBA’s profile in China, where the league estimates say about 300 million people play basketball, at a time of rising political tensions between the United States and China.
The NBA’s absence followed a firestorm of controversy about comments made six years ago by the Houston Rockets’ then general manager Daryl Morey, who posted a message on social media in support of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests.
In the aftermath, Beijing suspended the broadcast of NBA games, prompting corporate sponsors to flee and the league to suffer what it described at the time as dramatic financial consequences. Preseason NBA games in China were also scrapped.
The NBA games are being held at the Sands Venetian property, and Shaquille O’Neal is among NBA celebrities attending the event, the league said.
Sands owner, the US billionaire Adelson family, also owns the Texas-based NBA team, the Dallas Mavericks.
The Brooklyn Nets, owned by Alibaba chairman Joseph Tsai, will play the Phoenix Suns at sold-out games in the arena.
This NBA season comes with high hopes for a Chinese rookie: Yang Hansen, a 7-foot-1 (216cm) draft pick who is expected to play a role for the Portland Trail Blazers this season.
He’s thrilled that the NBA is headed back there, finally.
“I want to say firstly, playing for the Blazers is a wonderful thing for me, and I wish that I can take all the players and management and coaches to China for sure in the future,” Yang said with the support of an interpreter.
“For sure, I wish [for] more games in China. … That works for me perfectly.”
A look at three of this week’s top high school football games in the Southland:
THURSDAY
Leuzinger (4-1, 1-0) vs. Palos Verdes (4-2, 1-0) at SoFi Stadium, 8:30 p.m.
It’s going to be a late night in Inglewood as these two schools vie for what could be the decisive game to determine the Bay League championship. Both have outstanding quarterbacks, Ryan Rakowski for Palos Verdes and Russell Sekona for Leuzinger. Both schools have played challenging schedules. A field goal could decide it. Loyola plays Gardena Serra at 5 p.m. The pick: Leuzinger.
FRIDAY
Santa Margarita (4-1, 1-0) vs. Mater Dei (4-1) at Santa Ana Stadium, 7 p.m.
If first-year coach Carson Palmer of Santa Margarita doesn’t know about the physicality of the Trinity League, he’s about to find out. Mater Dei’s defense will be coming after quarterback Trace Johnson. If the Eagles can put together a running game, that would help. Santa Margarita has an outstanding secondary to test Mater Dei’s talented receiving group. The pick: Mater Dei.
Palisades (6-0, 1-0) at Venice (3-3,1-0), 7 p.m.
It’s a Western League showdown featuring Venice’s stingy defense against a Palisades offense that hasn’t been held below 35 points this season. Quarterback Jack Thomas of Palisades has 23 touchdown passes with two interceptions. Venice has the speed to prevent big plays. The pick: Venice.
Uefa explained its ruling executive committee had “reluctantly taken the decision to approve, on an exceptional basis” the requests from Spain and Italy, citing a lack of rules to prevent the games being switched.
But Euro chiefs pledged to work with Fifa to “uphold the integrity of domestic competitions and the close bond between clubs, their supporters and local communities”.
Ceferin said: “League matches should be played on home soil.
“While it is regrettable to have to let these two games go ahead, this decision is exceptional and shall not be seen as setting a precedent.
“Our commitment is clear – to protect the integrity of national leagues and ensure that football remains anchored in its home environment.”
Prem chief Richard Masters has emphasised his total opposition to the prospect of English games being played overseas.
However, that policy could change if 14 of the 20 top flight clubs voted to explore the option.
Fan group Football Supporters Europe said: “We regret the decision to allow the requests but all 55 national associations have committed not to make further requests for domestic matches abroad without first consulting UEFA.
Trabzonspor Want to Sign Andre Onana Permanently After Impressive Loan Spell
“The onus is now on FIFA to plug this regulatory gap. We welcome UEFA’s commitment to work with FIFA to ensure that future rules uphold the integrity of domestic competitions.”
3
Ceferin doesn’t want more European domestic games played in foreign countriesCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
Uefa says it consulted stakeholders and found “widespread lack of support” for league matches to be played abroad, echoing concerns raised by fans, other leagues, clubs, players and European institutions.
But it said world governing body Fifa’s regulatory framework is “not clear and detailed enough” for it to block the plans.
Fifa set up a working group last year to look at the impact of playing competitive domestic matches overseas.
Last year, La Liga said it wanted to hold Barcelona v Atletico Madrid in Miami before dropping the idea because of time constraints.
In 2019, Barcelona also planned to stage a league match against Girona in Miami, but the idea was scrapped after opposition from Spain’s football association and its players’ union.
Other one-off matches, such as the Italian Super Cup and Spanish Super Cup, have been held abroad in recent years.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said in August there are no plans to play an English top-flight match abroad.
The idea of the Premier League playing an extra round outside England – the so-called ’39th game’ – was raised in 2008 but shelved after criticism from fans and media.
Lakers star Luka Doncic will not play in the team’s two preseason games this weekend, the team announced after its shoot-around Friday.
Doncic will sit out against the Phoenix Suns on Friday night at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert and against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night in San Francisco.
The Lakers said it was a collaborative decision made with L.A.’s performance team because of his time playing for the Slovenian national team in the EuroBasket tournament this summer.
The Lakers said the plan is to be smart with Doncic in the long term as he ramps up for the regular season that opens Oct. 21 against the Warriors at Crypto.com Arena.
LeBron James, Marcus Smart (achilles tendinopathy), Maxi Kleber (quad) and rookie Aduo Thiero (knee) also won’t play against the Suns.
Doncic played in his last game with Slovenia about a month ago, a game in which he scored 39 points but his squad was eliminated by Germany in the EuroBasket quarterfinals.
After practice Thursday, Doncic talked about easing his way into training camp while getting ready for the regular season after playing at peak level for Slovenia.
“Yeah, obviously probably take it a little bit slower than the usual,” Doncic said. “ I had a busy summer. I think month, month-and-a-half I was with national team. So, it was kind of a lot. But that got me ready for the preseason and obviously regular season. So, for me, I think it really helps.”
A look at two of this week’s top high school football games in the Southland:
THURSDAY
Eastvale Roosevelt (3-2) at Corona Centennial (4-1), 7:30 p.m.
Centennial tries to give coach Matt Logan his 300th career victory. Roosevelt is on a three-game winning streak, but the Huskies are headed to another Division 1 playoff berth. The pick: Centennial.
FRIDAY
Dorsey (2-3) at Crenshaw (4-1), 7 p.m.
Playing without coach Robert Garrett (administrative leave), Crenshaw continues to show resilience behind quarterback Danniel Flowers. This is a key Coliseum League opener because the winner figures to face King/Drew to decide the league title. Dorsey needs to get the ball to its playmakers, led by Stafon Johnson Jr. The pick: Dorsey.
Maybe this was a pressure-creating-diamonds situation.
Somehow in the 1930s, amid the immense stresses of economic collapse, natural disaster, Olympic anxiety and the looming shadow of World War II, Los Angeles built some of its best-loved architectural gems. The jaw-dropping lobby of the Pantages Theatre (1930), the hilltop domes of Griffith Observatory (1935), the grand halls of Union Station (1939) — all were produced in that harrowing decade.
How rough were the ’30s in L.A.? The Depression, beginning with the stock market crash in October 1929, put the brakes on new construction and farm production, pushing California unemployment to an estimated 28% in 1932. The City Council, meanwhile, was led by one of the most corrupt politicians in L.A. history, Mayor Frank Shaw.
The city did pull off the 1932 Summer Olympics, drawing a record 101,000 people to the Memorial Coliseum opening ceremony. But those Games drew only 1,332 athletes from 37 countries — half as many athletes as gathered for the 1928 Games in Amsterdam.
In 1933, the Long Beach quake killed more than 100 people and destroyed at least 70 schools. The 19-story Los Angeles General Medical Center was completed (and after decades mostly idle, is now being repurposed).
In 1934 and 1938, major floods along the Los Angeles, Santa Ana and San Gabriel rivers took scores of lives and prompted the Army Corps of Engineers to build Hansen Dam in the San Fernando Valley and encase 51 miles of the L.A. River in a concrete channel.
Begun in 1936 and completed in 1959, that channel might be among the city’s largest and least attractive man-made landmarks — in the words of historian Kevin Starr, “A tombstone of concrete.” But it does its job.
As the city weathered these changes, its signature industry shrunk, then bloomed, as movies (priced at about 25 cents) distracted the masses. The arrival of color deepened the spell, as did blockbusters like 1939’s “Gone With the Wind” and “The Wizard of Oz.”
About This Guide
Our journalists independently visited every spot recommended in this guide. We do not accept free meals or experiences. What should we check out next? Send ideas to [email protected].
The landmarks that went up during those years aren’t all great architectural innovations; many flow directly from the Art Deco and Streamline Moderne trends of the 1920s. But all carry hints about how Angelenos changed with the times.
As critic and author David Kipen has written: “If you don’t like the weather in San Francisco, they say, just wait five minutes. If you don’t like the architecture in Los Angeles, maybe give it ten.”
Here we take a year-by-year architectural stroll through the 1930s. You can enter most of these buildings, in some cases for free, in some cases by booking a tour, buying beer or seeing a show.
