BASKETBALL
The Motor City Cruise took control with an 11-2 run midway through the fourth quarter and earned a split of back-to-back games against the Maine Celtics with a 105-98 victory Friday night at the Portland Expo.
Cheick Diallo had 24 points and 15 rebounds for the Cruise (17-7). Cassius Stanley and Justin Turner dropped in 19 points apiece.
Matt Ryan scored 26 points for the Celtics (10-13), shooting 11 of 17 from the field, while Chris Clemons added 22 points and 10 assists.
TENNIS
BNP PARIBAS OPEN: Andy Murray outlasted qualifier Taro Daniel 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the first round at Indian Wells, California, for his 700th career victory.
Murray, who received a wild card into the desert tournament, twice came from behind in the nearly two-hour match. He overcame a 1-3 deficit in the third set.
Emma Raducanu, the 19-year-old Brit who won the U.S. Open last year, followed Murray on the stadium court and beat Caroline Garcia, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1.
In other women’s action, No. 3 Iga Swiatek defeated Anhelina Kalinina, 5-7, 6-0, 6-1, and No. 7 Karolina Pliskova lost to Danka Kovinic, 2-6, 7-5, 6-4, in her season debut. Pliskova missed the first two months of the season with her arm in a cast from an offseason training injury.
GOLF
LPGA: Oh Su eagled her final hole to grab a share of the lead alongside Nasa Hataoko after the second round of the LPGA Thailand.
Oh had five birdies through 15 holes before play was suspended because of weather at the Siam Country Club Pattaya Old Course. After an hour interruption, she nearly holed out from the fairway on the par-5 18th before tapping in for an eagle for a 7-under 65.
Both she and Hataoko (65) were at 16-under 128 overall.
Celine Boutier (64) and Nanna Koerstz Madsen (64) were tied for second, one stroke back.
SKIING
WORLD CUP: Slovakian skier Petra Vlhova dominated the penultimate women’s giant slalom of the season in Are, Sweden, narrowing the gap on leader Mikaela Shiffrin in the overall standings.
Shiffrin was sixth after the opening run but improved to third, 1.70 seconds behind Vlhova. The American had her lead over Vlhova reduced to 77 points with five races left.
Marta Bassino was 1.24 behind in second.
SOCCER
ENGLAND: American forward Daryl Dike has resumed full training with West Bromwich Albion for the first time since injuring a hamstring in his first start for the team on Jan. 22.
The 21-year-old from Edmund, Oklahoma, joined second-tier West Brom on Jan. 1. He spent the second half of the 2020-21 season on loan to second-tier Barnsley.
Dike made his debut for the U.S. national team last year. He was in the squad for last summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup but has not been selected for any World Cup qualifiers. He has three goals in eight international appearances.
BALLON D’OR: The Ballon d’Or will now be awarded based on performances over the course of a regular European season, rather than a calendar year, France Football magazine said.
A reduction in the number of voters was among other changes announced, with the goal of streamlining the process. Voters will be asked to no longer consider a player’s career accomplishments.
France Football magazine has given out the award to men every year since 1956 and to women each year since 2018, though both were canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic.
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