Author: NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

MIAMI (AP) — Austin Wells hit a walk-off three-run homer in the seventh inning that ended the game under a tournament rout rule, and the Dominican Republic beat South Korea 10-0 Friday night to reach the World Baseball Classic semifinals.

Seeking its second title and first since 2013, the Dominicans play the United States or Canada in a semifinal on Sunday in Miami and will start Luis Severino. The Dominicans are 5-0 in the tournament, have outscored opponents 51-10 while batting .312 and with 14 homers tied the WBC record set by Mexico in 2009.

Fernando Tatis Jr. drove in two runs and has 11 RBIs in the tournament. He is tied for third in a single WBC, trailing only Masataka Yoshida’s 13 for Japan in 2023 and Wladimir Balentien’s 12 for the Netherlands in 2017.

Wells, who entered as a defensive replacement in the top of the seventh, reached down and drove a first-pitch cutter from Hyeong Jun So off the front of the second deck in right. Wells was born in Arizona to a mother is of Dominican descent.

He hit the Dominicans' second walk-off homer of the tournament after Juan Soto's drive that ended a 12-1 group stage win over the Netherlands.

Backed by three runs in the second inning and four in the third, winner Christopher Sánchez struck out eight in five innings of two-hit ball.

South Korea, which lost a semifinal in 2006 and the final in 2009, had been eliminated in the first round three straight times before reaching a quarterfinal this year. The South Koreans had two hits, batted .222 and finished with a 5.91 ERA.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. walked against loser Hyun Jin Ryu and scored the game's first run from first base with a head-first slide on Junior Caminero’s double into the left-field corner. Julio Rodríguez followed with an RBI groundout and Tatis had a run-scoring single.

Soto scored on Guerrero’s double in a four-run fourth, hooking an arm around catcher Dong Won Park with a head-first slide.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

On a night established to celebrate fathers and daughters, it was only fitting that two Lakers stars stole the show.

A sellout crowd of nearly 19,000 fans all received hats as the Lakers hosted their third annual “Girl Dad Night,” a celebration of girls in sports and the fathers who champion them. 

Luka Doncic, father to 2-year-old Gabriela and newborn Olivia, produced the finest scoring performance of his young Lakers tenure, exploding for 51 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in the Lakers’ 142-130 victory over the Bulls. 

LeBron James, who returned to the lineup after missing the last three games, quietly stitched together another vintage all-around performance — 18 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block. A little over a week after bringing his daughter, Zhuri, with him on the road to San Francisco, James spent Thursday reflecting on fatherhood and the responsibility that comes with raising a daughter in a world constantly watching.

“The way I treat her mother. The love that I have inside the family. The accountability,” James said when asked what the most important lesson he taught his daughter is. “One of the best compliments Savannah and I get is when people say our kids are well-mannered and great kids. That’s the greatest compliment we can get.”

James smiled when asked about the title that filled the arena.

“I love girl dads. It’s pretty cool, and I’m happy to be one,” he said, admitting his daughter “definitely softened me up a lot.”

LeBron James on returning to the lineup, playing alongside Luka and AR, why it took for him to be ready for this game, and being a girl dad in the Lakers 142-130 victory over the Bulls tonight. pic.twitter.com/ebVb6Sq6JK

— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) March 13, 2026

The Lakers launched Girl Dad Night in March 2024 during Women’s History Month as a tribute to Kobe Bryant and former owner Jerry Buss, two of the most famous girl dads in franchise history. Bryant’s love for his daughters — and especially for Gianna’s basketball dreams — helped reshape how sports culture celebrates girls and the fathers who lift them up.

Thursday’s game felt like an extension of that legacy.

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Fathers and daughters were spotlighted throughout the night. In-game host Ray A. Castillo shared the spotlight with his daughters, Alexis and Hayley. The national anthem was performed by father-daughter duo Matt and Savanna, and the Laker Girls even danced at halftime alongside their dads.

Weeks earlier, the Lakers welcomed father-daughter pairs from local nonprofit organizations to their training facility for a basketball clinic and empowerment workshop — surprising them with tickets to Thursday’s game.

Below are many of the photos of the Lakers girl dads. 

President Donald Trump has breathed new life into an old story – that he supposedly intervened during a fight between Basketball Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant and Jayson Williams, a 9-year NBA veteran, when Bryant and Williams were in New York for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game.

During an interview with Jake Paul published Friday, March 11, Trump said he broke up a fight involving “Kobe.’’

“Kobe was having a hard time with somebody and it worked out fine,’’ Trump said, although he did not mention Williams by name.

Charles Oakley, then a star power forward with the New York Knicks, was on the elevator when Williams, then with the New Jersey Nets, punched Bryant, according to "Three-Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty" – a book by Jeff Pearlman, a New York Times-bestselling author.

The elevator was at the Grand Hyatt in New York, then owned by Trump, according to Pearlman’s book.

Oakley, during a phone interview with USA TODAY Sports, said he doesn’t remember being on the elevator during the reported incident but that he’s heard Williams tell the story of the fight.

“He had told it to some people that I was around,’’ Oakley said. “Jayson, he liked to be a story. He's a storyteller. I told him, 'Jayson, I mean, you 55, 57. You probably told that story 50 times.' ’’

Williams, 58, did not respond to a request for comment by email and did not answer a phone call from USA TODAY Sports. His voicemail box was full.

The altercation reportedly broke out after Bryant got into an elevator occupied by Williams and Oakley, Williams greeted Bryant and then took offense to Bryant's cold replay, according to Pearlman's book, which states that Williams lunged and punched Bryant in the cheek.

"Trump, of all people, grabbed Williams and told Bryant, 'Get out of here. Quickly.' ''

Bryant got off the elevator, according to Pearlman's book.

Bryant died in 2020 during a helicopter crash that also killed his daughter Gianna and seven other people.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump, Kobe Bryant and elevator fight: Charles Oakley responds

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Henry Bolte, Breyson Guedez and Nick Kurtz homered on consecutive pitches from San Diego’s Michael King in the Athletics’ Cactus League game with the Padres on Friday.

Bolte hit a 401-foot, three-run shot to right on an 0-1 pitch from King in the fourth inning. Guedez followed by delivering a 450-foot blast to right on the first pitch he saw from King. The next pitch King threw resulted in a drive that Kurtz sent just over the left-field wall.

The Padres eventually won the game 13-9.

Kurtz is trying to build off an outstanding 2025 season in which he earned AL rookie of the year honors and batted .290 with a .383 on-base percentage, 36 homers and 86 RBIs in 117 games. ___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

TORONTO (AP) — Toronto star Auston Matthews has a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee and will miss the rest of the season.

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — Keira Hanson scored 23 points, Malia Lenz posted a double-double and Vermont beat Maine 61-43 on Friday night to win a second straight America East Conference championship and earn an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Hanson sank 9 of 13 shots with three 3-pointers for the top-seeded Catamounts (27-7), who will appear in the main event for the third time in four seasons and the ninth overall. Lenz totaled 13 points and 14 rebounds. Nikola Priede pitched in with 14 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. Jadyn Weltz went 0 for 7 from beyond the arc but finished with 11 points and five assists.

Adrianna Smith had 22 points and 15 rebounds to pace the second-seeded Black Bears (19-13), who were aiming for their 11th NCAA Tournament appearance. Smith made 7 of 18 shots, while her teammates hit 8 of 34.

Lala Woods hit a 3-pointer to give Maine a 9-2 lead with 4:29 left in the first quarter. Hanson sank back-to-back 3-pointers and Priede had the final two baskets in a 12-2 run that gave Vermont a 14-11 lead after one quarter.

Priede's layup extended Vermont's lead to 14 with 3:36 left in the second period. Woods and Asta Blauenfeldt hit 3-pointers for Maine and the Catamounts went scoreless as the Black Bears closed within 29-21 at halftime.

Hanson and Priede had the first two baskets of the third and the Catamounts outscored Maine by nine in the period for a 48-31 advantage heading to the fourth.

The two teams split two games during the regular season with both winning at home.

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Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball.

We know the season has been a mess for the Memphis Grizzlies, who seemed primed to move on from franchise staple Ja Morant, found out there was no market for him, and instead sold high on Jaren Jackson Jr. But it’s been even worse than you think since Christmas. The Grizzlies are tied with the Brooklyn Nets for the fewest wins since Dec. 26. They excel at nothing, but really struggle with defensive rebounding, last in the NBA, bottom 5 in turnover percentage, bottom five in points off turnovers against, and bottom two in allowing points in the paint. I feel like I’m repeating myself, but this feels like it has the potential to be another big game for Detroit’s big men, just as with the most recent Nets game and the Sixers game.

Tonight, the Pistons will be without Tobias Harris, while Caris LeVert returns. Ausar Thompson remains out. This also feels like a great time to remind fans everywhere, and risk jinxing territory, that the Pistons have the NBA’s best record on the second night of back-to-backs at 8-2.

Game Vitals

When: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit
Odds: Pistons -16

Projected Lineups

Detroit Pistons (47-18)

Cade Cunningham, Marcus Sasser, Duncan Robinson, Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Duren

Memphis Grizzlies (23-42)

Ty Jerome, Cedric Coward, Cam Spencer, Taylor Hendricks, Olivier-Maxence Prosper

The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to pick up a win in their first of two-straight games against the Dallas Mavericks.

Share your thoughts as the game unfolds. If you aren’t a member of the community, sign up so you can talk to your fellow Cavalier fans and make your voice heard!

Go Cavs!

The Knicks (42*-25) visit the Indiana Pacers (15-51) tonight at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. New York is favored by A LOT because Indy has the league’s worst record and generally stinks. Yet do not be fooled by their extensive injury list (Siakam, Nesmith, McConnell, Toppin, and Jackson are all OUT) nor tempted by hubris, Knickerbockers. Coach Rick Carlisle always circles your games on the calendar and prepares for them like it’s a bar exam. The roster might be reduced to Ethan Thompson, a hot dog vendor, and three cheerleaders, but Indy never quits against the Knicks.

Tip-off is 7:30 pm EST on MSG. This is your game thread. This is Indy Cornrows. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Enjoy each other’s company, respectfully. And go Knicks!

* Should be one more, but NBA Cup wins are Russian spies.

ITHACA, N.Y. (AP) — Madison St. Rose scored 18 points, Fadima Tall had 11 points and 10 rebounds, and No. 23 Princeton routed Brown 65-51 on Friday night in the Ivy League Tournament semifinals.

Princeton (25-3), the No. 1 seed, moves on to play Saturday for the title — after not reaching the championship game last year for the first time in the tournament’s history.

Princeton scored 12 of the opening 15 points of the game to take control. The score was 23-6 after the opening 10 minutes and 36-14 at halftime after Princeton held Brown to 15% shooting (4 for 27). The Tigers shot 50% in the half, including 6 of 11 behind the arc — with 3-pointers from five different players.

Brown made six 3-pointers in the opening six minutes of the third quarter, but its deficit was still 47-32.

Princton made just 2 of 12 field goals in the fourth but held on by making 7 of 10 free throws, while Brown went 2 of 14 from 3-point range.

Ashley Chea added 12 points and Skye Belker scored 11 for Princeton, which outrebounded Brown 46-33.

Grace Arnolie scored 17 points and Olivia Young added 13 for Brown (16-11), the No. 4 seed. Alyssa Moreland, who entered averaging 11.0 points and 10.4 rebounds, played just six minutes due to a leg injury.

Eleven of Brown's 16 field goals were from behind the arc. The Bears shot 29% overall and turned it over 18 times.

Up next

Princeton plays on Saturday against the winner of the other semifinal between Harvard and Columbia. The Tigers have won 21 of its last 23 games — with both losses coming against the Lions.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

VITORIA-GASTEIZ, Spain (AP) — Villarreal equalized 1-1 deep in stoppage time and broke the hearts of relegation-threatened Alaves in La Liga on Friday.

The home side seemed destined for a first win in six games and a debut three points for coach Quique Sanchez Flores, who was taking charge at home for the first time since replacing Eduardo Coudet nine days ago.

Alaves had gone ahead in the 40th minute courtesy of an own goal from center back Rafa Marin.

Toni Martínez’s clever backheel from the byline smacked off Marin’s head just four meters from goal and flew past his own goalkeeper.

However, a late equalizer was always a worry for a side that has conceded as many league goals in the last quarter of an hour as they have in the first half of their matches this season.

Sure enough, Nicolas Pépé did the damage with almost the last kick of the game in the seventh minute of added time when he finished off a counterattack by bending a fine shot into the far corner.

Villarreal moved above Atletico Madrid into third place in the table, a point ahead of the capital club.

Alaves remained in 16th place in the 20-team table, three points above the relegation zone.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

The Dallas Mavericks (22-44) are at home, finally, after a very long road trip, and play the Cleveland Cavaliers (40-26). The Mavericks got their first win in forever, beating the Memphis Grizzlies last night. The Cavaliers are playing uneven basketball lately, most recently losing to the Orlando Magic.

Here are the main things you need to know:

• WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Cleveland Cavaliers
• WHAT: A game in Dallas!
• WHERE: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
• WHEN: 6:30 pm CST
• HOW: Amazon Prime

More Mavericks appear on the injury report than last game. Daniel Gafford is doubtful with rest, but so are all the two-way guys (so no Moussa Cisse) which means things might get hairy for Dallas in the middle. Naji Marshall is questionable with a foot injury. Caleb Martin is probable with a finger sprain.

Cleveland isn’t exactly the beacon of health, but they are also gearing up for a playoff run. Jarret Allen has a knee injury and will miss the game. Max Strus will miss yet another game recovering from surgery. James Harden is playing despite carrying a thumb fracture. Keon Ellis is also available despite a broken finger. Tyrese Proctor is also out with an injury. Sam Merrill is questionable with hamstring issue.

Dallas should get beaten in this game; the Cavs are quite good. But given how the Mavs play, you never know. A lot of this depends on how seriously the Cavs take the Mavs. If Dallas comes to play, they may win.

Be sure to chime in with your predictions in the comments!

Consider joining Josh and me on Pod Maverick live after the game on YouTube, we should start LATE. Thanks so much for spending time with us here at Mavs Moneyball. Let’s go Mavs!

Game 67.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Kentucky junior Braden Peiser earned the individual title in the smallbore competition and Mississippi took the team lead after the opening day of the NCAA rifle championships Friday inside the Covelli Center.

Peiser posed a score of 596 to tie the NCAA championship record. He shot a 196 in kneeling and followed with perfect 200s in both prone and standing for the second-straight match.

Ole Miss sophomore Audrey Gogniat finished second for the program's highest smallbore finish at the tournament. West Virginia junior Griffin Lake was third to claim his first career NCAA podium in smallbore, besting last season’s sixth-place finish at the event.

Ole Miss scored 2,356 in the event to earn the team title — the program's first team gold at the tournament. TCU and Nebraska followed, tied with 2,354, and reigning team national champion West Virginia sits in fourth place.

Saturday's air rifle competition will decide the national champion.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

TURIN, Italy (AP) — Parma scored two own goals in two minutes to undo an otherwise tight match and tumble towards a 4-1 defeat by Torino in Serie A on Friday.

Giovanni Simeone scored his second goal in three games to put Torino 1-0 up in the third minute only for Mateo Pellegrino to equalize for Parma 17 minutes later.

But Parma pressed the self destruct button early in the second half.

First, Enrico Delprato turned a Che Adams shot into his own net in the 55th minute and two minutes later Mandela Keita was unlucky when a Simeone shot came off the bar, hit him almost on the goalline and bounced into the net.

Duvan Zapata added an accomplished fourth in stoppage time to guarantee a comfortable win for Torino.

It was only Torino's second win in six games and lifted it two places into 13th.

The defeat snapped a five-game unbeaten run for Parma which remained in 12th, a point above Torino.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer