NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Islanders plan on moving their American Hockey League affiliate from Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Hamilton, Ontario, for next season, the franchise announced on Thursday.
The relocation requires approval by the AHL Board of Governors.
Should the move be permitted, the team currently known as the Bridgeport Islanders will play at TD Coliseum in Hamilton, which completed major renovations last fall.
A team name, logo and ticketing information for the Hamilton market will be announced at a later date, pending AHL approval, the franchise said.
“We are excited to make Hamilton our primary affiliate in the American Hockey League,” Islanders general manager and executive vice president Mathieu Darche said in a statement. “The support the city has shown our organization throughout this transition has been incredible. We look forward to having our top young talent play in front of such a strong fanbase inside the newly renovated, world-class TD Coliseum and we are committed to establishing ourselves in the community to engage a new generation of hockey fans.”
The Islanders’ top minor-league affiliate has played in Bridgeport for the past 25 years.
Davis Martin has been quietly dealing this spring, and he gets another shot to keep it rolling tonight. | (David Durochik/Getty Images)
The Good Guys will be up late in the desert tonight as they use two split-squad teams in Arizona for a Cactus League doubleheader. The opener is against the Diamondbacks at 8: 05 p.m. CST and will be followed by the Padres game at 8:10 p.m. CST. Remember…double your pleasure, double the fun!
Davis Martin’s got the ball against Arizona, and the spotlight, for whatever that’s worth, in March. The righthander has been solid this spring, going 2-1, with a 3.00 ERA, and 10 Ks. Last time out on March 13, he spun four scoreless, gave up a single hit, and punched out four. Efficient, clean, no drama. If he can whisk that into the regular season, that would be terrific now that he has his position in the starting rotation locked down.
Across the diamond, it’s old friend Michael Soroka. How has he done this spring? Well, he’s been a mess with a 9.82 ERA and 2.73 WHIP through four innings. Sure, it’s a small sample size, but the wild command is what’s plagued his entire big league career. Maybe he finds it tonight, or maybe the Sox bats make him sweat. He did play for Team Canada in the WBC and was a bit less of a disaster, going 1-1 with a 4.76 ERA over 5 2/3 frames.
This South Side lineup is a grab bag with your regulars, prospects, and a few wild cards. Andrew Benintendi and Colson Montgomery top the card with Austin Hays and his hot bat in the three-hole. Munetaka Murakami brings some mystery to the middle, batting cleanup followed by Chase Meidroth, Lenyn Sosa, Jarred Kelenic, and Luisangel Acuña.
There will not be any TV for this one. If you want in, it’s radio or bust. Old-school. Tune in to ESPN 1000 to hear Len and DJ on the call.
Five minutes later, because preseason is weird like that, the second squad takes on San Diego.
Jonathan Cannon starts this one, even though he was optioned to Charlotte on March 17. Spring Training rules: more suggestions than law. Mike Vasil’s injury cracks the door open, so Cannon’s outings suddenly matter a little more. A good night here, and he’s back in the conversation.
The Padres counter with Michael King, who’s been roughed up this spring to the tune of a 0-2 record, 9.95 ERA, and 1.74 WHIP in four starts. Don’t be fooled, though. When he’s right, King can deal. Last year, he was 5-3 with a 3.44 ERA in 15 starts. The stuff is there. The question is whether he can stay on the mound and keep it together as the 30-year-old battled through several injuries in 2025.
Chicago’s lineup in this one is very much a “prove it or pack it” group. Outside of Korey Lee, Miguel Vargas, and probably Curtis Mead, there aren’t many locks, or even near-locks, for the 26-man roster here. That leaves a whole lot of guys playing for one of two things: a last-minute bench job or a strong impression heading into Charlotte. It’s the kind of lineup where every at-bat matters a little more, whether it’s someone trying to force their way north or just making sure they’re first in line when the inevitable injuries hit.
Friars’ skipper Craig Stammen trots out his offense looking for their 14th win:
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 12: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket against GG Jackson #45 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half at TD Garden on November 12, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Celtics center Nikola Vucevic will miss his 7th straight game when the Celtics face the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night. But Jayson Tatum and the rest of the Celtics will be available, as the team otherwise fields a clean injury report. Tatum has only missed one game since returning to the lineup almost two weeks ago.
Everyone on the Celtics is cleared to play tomorrow vs the Grizzlies, minus Nikola Vucevic.
Jayson Tatum will play in his 7th game (in two weeks)
Vucevic fractured his right ring finger on March 6th, and the Celtics announced the next day that he would be re-evaluated in three to four weeks. That means we’ll likely get a Vucevic update between March 27th and April 3rd — and the big man could be cleared to return to the floor with a few regular seasons remaining (the regular season concludes on April 12th).
The Grizzlies, meanwhile, have been very injury-riddled and are one of the Western Conference’s worst teams. Several key players have been shut down for the season: Kentavius Caldwell-Pope (right pinky finger), Zach Edey (left ankle), Scotty Pippen Jr. (right big toe), and Santi Aldama (right knee). And, Brandon Clarke (right calf strain), Jahmai (left ankle sprain), and Ja Morant (left elbow UCL sprain) are out.
In addition, Taj Gibson (right foot soreness) and GG Jackson (left knee soreness) are doubtful to play.
How the Celtics, Grizzlies stack up
The Celtics are riding a three-game win streak and enter Friday’s game with a 46-23 record. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, have dropped 8 of their last 10 games and currently have the West’s 11th-best record at 24-44.
Last time the two teams faced off was in November, and the Celtics came away with a 131-95 win.
With so many key absences, the Grizzlies have been led by rookie Cedric Coward, who is averaging 13.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
The Celtics, meanwhile, continue to be led by Jaylen Brown, who is having a career season. Brown is averaging 28.5 points per game on the season, alongside 7 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and a steal.
Tatum, who returned to the lineup on March 6th, has been the team’s second-leading scorer, averaging 20.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4 assists per game.
The Celtics and Grizzlies will face off on Friday night at 8pm in Memphis’ FedEx Forum.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 16: LeBron James #23, Austin Reaves #15, and Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers interact during the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 16, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
UPDATE: Impressively and surprisingly, all three of the Lakers’ stars will play on Thursday. Less than 24 hours after battling the Rockets in Houston, LeBron James, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves are all available for the Lakers against the Heat in Miami.
Given both the quick turnaround between games and the distance traveled from Texas to Florida overnight, it felt like a foregone conclusion that the Lakers would be shorthanded against the Heat. However, only Maxi Kleber, who has been dealing with a back injury in recent weeks and is not with the team on this road trip, is out in this game.
Original story follows.
While the Lakers are currently on a roll, having won seven straight games after downing the Rockets on Wednesday, earning that eighth victory might be their toughest challenge yet.
The team is set to play on the second night of their back-to-back, and they have their three stars, Luka Dončić, LeBron James and Austin Reaves, all listed as questionable.
As expected, the Lakers have a longer injury report on the second night of a back-to-back. Luka Dončić, LeBron James and Austin Reaves are all questionable for LA's game tonight against Miami. pic.twitter.com/x54UnwjRKU
Everything about Thursday’s game screams schedule loss. The tip-off time for the game is 22.5 hours after the Lakers and Rockets started their game on Wednesday. To add to that, the team arrived at the airport after 5 a.m. in Miami on Thursday, roughly 15 hours before the start of the contest.
The Los Angeles Lakers, who play tonight at 8 pm local in Miami, arrived at their hotel South Florida after 5 a.m. folllowing their win Wednesday night in Houston (a game that started at 8:30 pm central).
When you also consider the fact that the Lakers’ star trio all played at least 34 minutes on Wednesday, it’s no surprise they are questionable for Thursday’s game.
Currently, Dončić has missed 12 games and can only miss five more and remain eligible. With just 13 games left in the season though, it’s unlikely that will become a factor.
LeBron and Reaves are both out of the running for any NBA awards, so it’s all about maintaining their health. James has been dealing with his left foot arthritis all year long, but Reaves’ right forearm contusion is a new injury. Given that he hasn’t missed any games from this ailment, it’s likely nothing for Lakers fans to be worried about.
Regardless, if any of the big three miss, it will make winning against Miami that much harder. The Heat are a pesky try-hard team and fighting for their spot in the postseason, so don’t expect them to take this game lightly.
Hopefully, enough key players on the Lakers can suit up and LA can avoid this scheduled loss.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 11: Charlie Condon #66 of the Colorado Rockies walks up to the batter's box during a Spring Training game against the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Stadium on March 11, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This afternoon, the Colorado Rockies continued to make their spring training transactions as they refine the roster heading into the start of the 2026 season.
The following players were assigned to Minor League camp:
The decision to reassign Carrigg and Machín does not come as a surprise. Condon, however, was a contender for the first base starting position. In 39 at-bats, Condon slashed .385/.457/.713 with a 1.175 OPS. He also hit three home runs.
The most likely culprit? No. 12 seed High Point, led by Chase Johnston, upending Greg Gard and No. 5 seed Wisconsin. No. 9 TCU technically scored an upset over No. 8 Ohio State, to say nothing of the near-disaster of No. 1 overall Duke eking out a 71-65 win over No. 16 seed Siena.
As of 7 p.m. ET on March 19, less than a million perfect brackets remain in either the ESPN or NCAA bracket challenges. Though the NCAA does not provide the full number of brackets submitted, ESPN does, providing some insight into just how maddening the NCAA Tournament has been.
Only 83,184 perfect remains out of 26,029,409 brackets submitted — a measly 0.3% of all brackets.
PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) — Sungjae Im, who missed two straight cuts upon his return from a wrist injury, found his form Thursday in the Valspar Championship with two eagles that offset a few late mistakes in his round of 7-under 64 for a one-shot lead over Brandt Snedeker.
The Copperhead course at Innisbrook was the third straight stop on the Florida swing where the conditions were firm and the greens already getting that yellow sheen. Im was up to the task by giving himself ample birdie chances and converting six of them.
He also holed eagle putts of 18 feet on the par-5 11th and 35 feet on the par-5 first after making the turn. Only a pair of bogeys over the last four holes slowed him.
The surprise was the 45-year-old Snedeker, the U.S. captain for the Presidents Cup, who received a sponsor exemption. He had a bogey-free round at Innisbrook for the first time in 14 years, running off three straight birdies to start the back nine in his round of 65.
Snedeker hasn't won in eight years and had only two top 10s in the last year. But he switched to a mallet putter a few weeks ago and is starting to see some putts go in, particularly some long ones.
He started with a 20-foot birdie on No. 1 and had a 45-foot birdie putt drop on No. 12.
“Playing perfect the way we want to see it play, firms and fast,” Snedeker said. “Had a really good game plan — just relied on my putter. I putted great today, made a bunch of footage of putts, and put myself in position off the tee hit a lot of fairways and greens and made it stress-free which was nice. So really excited about how it started, but a long way to go from here.”
Snedeker led the field in putting and made nearly 150 feet of putts, which included a pair of par putts from just outside 10 feet.
Davis Thompson was at 66, with Billy Horschel among those at 67. Horschel, who missed The Players Championship last week, is running out of time to either win or get back inside the top 50 to qualify for the Masters.
Riviera winner Jacob Bridgeman also had a bogey-free round, rare at Innisbrook, by holing a par putt from just inside 10 feet on the 18th. He was at 68 along with another bogey-free effort, this one from Xander Schauffele.
“That was a big one, even more than a normal par save. That one felt good,” Bridgeman said. “To go around here bogey-free, it means you’re playing some good golf. I made a couple nice saves today to keep myself in it.”
Bridgeman and Schauffele were part of a large group that included Matt Fitzpatrick, who was runner-up at The Players Championship last week.
Corey Conners shot 69, an ordinary round except for an extraordinary moment when he made consecutive eagles. He dunked his shot off the pin from the 18th fairway for a eagle, made the turn and holed out from 40 yards in the rough at the par-5 first.
Also at 69 was Jordan Spieth, who had reason to expect more.
Spieth looked as though he might catch Im even while playing in tougher, gusting conditions in the afternoon. He was 5 under on the front nine and had a 4-foot birdie putt on the par-5 11th. But he missed that, missed a 3 1/2-foot par putt on the 13th and dropped three shots over the three-hole stretch known as “Snake Pit,” including a double bogey on the 16th by driving into the water.
Defending champion Viktor Hovland was 2 over through six holes and salvaged a 70, while Brooks Koepka made his return to Innisbrook with three birdies, three pars and a 71.
While their season hasn’t quite gone the way many have hoped it would, the Vancouver Canucks will still be giving fans something to cheer about in the coming games. Nine milestones are currently on the horizon for a number of players, ranging from personal to franchise records.
The first to note of these records is Elias Pettersson sliding into ninth in Canucks history in career goals-scored. After his two-goal performance against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday, Pettersson only needs one more goal to tie him with Bo Horvat for ninth in franchise history. This isn’t the only milestone Pettersson can hit soon, as he is also three points away from 500 career NHL points and three assists away from 300 on his career.
Another player who is close to achieving another franchise milestone is Brock Boeser, who needs one more point to tie him with Tony Tanti for ninth-most in Canuck history. The forward currently has 469, only 28 less than the next active player on the list (Pettersson, 497).
Next on the list are a handful of career-milestones in NHL games played. The most talked-about as of late has been Evander Kane, who is six games away from hitting 1000 NHL games. The last player to hit this record as a member of the Canucks was none-other than Tyler Myers, who did-so on October 19, 2024.
The next crop of career-milestones in games played are a fair bit less than Kane’s 1000. The first to take place will be Aatu Räty’s 100th-career NHL game, which he will hit if he plays tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Following that is Linus Karlsson’s 100th NHL game, of which he still has nine more to play before he hits it. Marcus Pettersson will be the next to hit a milestone in games played with 600 — while he still has 11 more games to play, it’s expected he’ll hit this before the end of the season. Finally, Max Sasson is 14 games away from 100 in the NHL, which he can achieve if he plays in virtually every game before the season ends.
Nov 11, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser (6) and forward Elias Pettersson (40) celebrate Boeser’s goal against the Winnipeg Jets in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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The Philadelphia Flyers are ending Year 3 of the Danny Briere and Keith Jones regime in the same place it began: close to the Stanley Cup playoffs, but not in them, and in need of some serious high-end talent down the middle of the ice.
Briere's tenure, not accounting for the draft, has actually been mostly solid, though his successes haven't come without missteps to match.
Buy-low acquisitions like Sean Walker, Ryan Poehling, and Dan Vladar have paid dividends for the Flyers, but overall, the core of the roster remains the same.
Aging players like Nick Seeler, Travis Konecny, Christian Dvorak, and Garnet Hathaway all inked contract extensions under Briere's watch, which strays from the path of a traditional rebuild.
Dvorak, as well as defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, could have fetched hauls at the 2025 NHL trade deadline, but one signed a five-year pact, and the other simply stayed put.
The good news for Briere and the Flyers is that they have proven shrewd in trade negotiations overall. Trevor Zegras, David Jiricek, Nikita Grebenkin, and even Jamie Drysdale and Carl Grundstrom have brought meaningful value to the table for the organization, be it now or for the future.
But, the Flyers could lean into that strength more.
In the 2025 draft, they traded the 22nd and 24th overall picks to the Pittsburgh Penguins for the 12th overall pick, but then used that 12th pick on a pure upside play in Jack Nesbitt, rather than more critically acclaimed prospects like Carter Bear, Cole Reschny, Jackson Smith, Braeden Cootes, or Kashawn Aitcheson.
The Flyers made a similar pivot the year prior, trading down one spot from 12th to 13th, passing on the chance to select Zeev Buium, and adding Jett Luchanko to the fold instead.
It's not a slight against Nesbitt or Luchanko, but the two centers haven't taken meaningful steps forward in their development yet, and the Flyers still need high-end talent at the position despite burning a total of three first-round picks on the two players.
That's where, if the Flyers had gotten Smith and Buium, the rebuild would look much more positive, even with the significant presence of veteran players.
Assembling a young defense core of Buium, Smith, Jiricek, Oliver Bonk, Drysdale, Hunter McDonald, and Ty Murchison is an extremely solid and talented base to work with, and that's excluding existing options like Cam York and Travis Sanheim.
Also excluded was defenseman Spencer Gill, who was acquired with the help of the third-round pick the Flyers acquired when trading down with Minnesota at the 2024 draft.
So far, the fact of the matter is that the Flyers, 16th in the NHL standings with 76 points and a -13 goal differential, are right back where they were in the 2023-24 season, even after adding Matvei Michkov, Zegras, Vladar, and Dvorak.
They still haven't leaned fully into one direction: whether to embrace a full rebuild or push all the chips in and go for a playoff run with their cap space and draft capital.
Other "rebuilding" teams, like San Jose, Anaheim, and Chicago have assembled more exciting nuclei of young talent without becoming abhorrent or unwatchable for more than a year at a time.
This fact is especially disappointing when accounting for the regression of Matvei Michkov, who has been in the crosshairs of Rick Tocchet, as well as the divided public, since the beginning of this season.
A once-promising 26-goal, 63-point rookie has devolved into a one-dimensional middle-six scorer who might just barely crack 40 points in his sophomore season.
That's sucked the excitement out of the Flyers, who still have plenty to offer for the future. Michkov, the apparent franchise player, has become more of a side character or extra in a cliché, inspiring action film rather than continuing to ascend as the avatar of a hopeful, high-flying future in Philadelphia.
The Flyers still have a solid group, yes, headlined by the likes of Michkov, Zegras, Porter Martone, Jiricek, and Drysdale, but it could also be much better with verifiable direction and focus.
It doesn't help, either, that the Flyers are on pace to secure another middling draft pick in the midst of their current playoff push, which will presumably push them out of the territory of the likes of Chase Reid, Carson Carels, Alberts Smits, Viggo Bjorck, Gavin McKenna, and more top prospects at positions of need.
Aleksei Kolosov, Carson Bjarnason, and Egor Zavragin make for a strong group at the goalie position, but little else has improved for the future of the rebuild in the last two seasons.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 17: Jalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons controls the ball against the Washington Wizards during the second half at Capital One Arena on March 17, 2026 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It is round two for the Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards, and things are looking much different than they were 48 hours ago. The Pistons beat the Wizards 130-117 on Tuesday night, but they lost Cade Cunningham after five minutes, and today are coming to grips with the idea he could be out much longer. Cunnigham has a collapsed lung that will keep him sidelined indefinitely. That indefinite timeline could be as little as two weeks or it could stretch deep into a Pistons’ first-round playoff series. There is also the notion of Detroit’s grip on the No. 1 overall seed in the East. They’ve held that spot since Nov. 7. With Cade missing time, that position feels tenuous. There is also the fact that Cunningham needs to play five more games to qualify for the first-team All-NBA spot he so rightly deserves. There is the question of how rusty he will be when he finally does come back. The mind reels. But tonight, the Wizards!
Game Vitals
When: 7 p.m. ET Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C. Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit Odds: Pistons -14
TALKING STICK, AZ - OCTOBER 18: Alfredo Duno #28 of the Peoria Javelinas bats during the game between the Peoria Javelinas and the Salt River Rafters at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Saturday, October 18, 2025 in Talking Stick, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Thursday night the Cincinnati Reds will send the best and brightest pieces of their farm system to Scottsdale to take on the best and brightest prospects from the system of the San Francisco Giants, the 2026 edition of the Spring Breakout Game.
Cincinnati won’t be sending the likes of Rhett Lowder or Sal Stewart, I should note, despite both still maintaining rookie status (and, in most cases, ‘prospect’ status). That’s because those two are going to be part of the big league Reds roster come Opening Day. Instead, the Reds will turn over the reins to the likes of Alfredo Duno, Edwin Arroyo, Tyson Lewis, Cam Collier & Co.
Right-hander Chase Petty will toe the rubber to start for Cincinnati’s young stars, and the team will lineup this way:
Of note is a middle infield of Arroyo at short and Leo Balcazar at 2B given that the likes of Steele Hall and Tyson Lewis are both on the roster (and expected to play). My best guess is that the Reds will work those two in together at some point mid-game.
Also on the roster is 2025 2nd round pick Aaron Watson, whom the Reds selected out of Trinity Christian Academy down in Jacksonville last summer. The 19 year old didn’t throw a single professional pitch last year after being drafted, and it would be cool to see him get into some pretty serious non-serious action this evening for the first time.
I say ‘see’ because this one should be able to be viewed most places thanks to televised coverage by NBC Sports Bay Area (and, therefore, MLB.tv). I’ve even seen some reports that it may be viewable via MLB.com, though I cannot guarantee that’s the case at the moment.
First pitch is set for 9:05 PM ET, so put on a pot of coffee while you watch the first round of the NCAA Tournament first.
In the final seconds of the NCAA Tournament first round game against Wisconsin, the Panthers were down by a point when Rob Martin got a loose ball, and up ahead was an open Johnston running toward the bucket. Martin passed it perfectly to Johnston. All that was left was for Johnston to make a 2-point spot.
It sounds unusual, but it’s in fact one of the wildest stats in college basketball. Prior to that moment, Johnston attempted 142 shots on the season; 138 were 3-pointers.
The four 2-point shots? All misses.
No pressure for the sharpshooter.
Luckily, it was a layup. Johnston rolled it into the bucket, and sealed High Point’s first NCAA Tournament win in school history.
It was unusual territory for Johnston, but it didn’t frighten him at all. Because he knew “we can go shock the world.”
“When Rob threw that off, I was just like, ‘I gotta put this in to win this game,’” he said. “I wasn't really thinking whether it's a 2 or 3. I was just trying to put it in and win this game.”
A moment that held the breath of every fan donning purple inside Moda Center, knowing it was asking someone for something out of their game. But those on the court knew their fortunate fate was sealed the moment it touched his hands.
In fact, the only thing they wondered was if it was going to be a slam.
“Chase got a little bit of bounce. Chase probably dunk a little bit,” Martin said, drawing laughs from his teammates. “But I knew Chase was gonna make a layup. Of course, I believe in him.”
While it was a one-of-a-kind moment for a one-of-a-kind achievement, it wouldn’t have been possible if Johnston hadn’t done what he does best: drill it from deep.
It was an intense battle between the Panthers and Badgers, but it looked like Wisconsin was about to pull away with an eight-point lead with five minutes left. Then Johnston, who had just three points at the moment, finally drained another 3-point shot.
Then another. And another, including one from the midcourt logo.
A nine-point flurry in four minutes made it a one-point game in the final minute, all to set up the game-winning layup.
But Johnston’s heroics weren’t done. After making the shot of his life, he told his coaches to take him out. He is a reliable defender, but he knew what was needed to preserve the win. Put in a bigger guy to defend the last-second attempt.
Wisconsin wasn’t able to retake the lead, and when it got another chance, wasn’t able to get the shot off as the High Point defenders hounded the long pass.
“He should get way more credit,” coach Flynn Clayman said. “That is not just a defender, but an all-around player.”
And just like that, March gets its new darling. The tournament is all about guys that go largely unnoticed all season, just for them to become the breakout star on the biggest stage in college basketball. Johnston wasn’t even the team’s leading scorer, it was Martin with 23 points.
But when you are the glass slipper for Cinderella, that’s all it takes to become the hero. This may just be the rare case of the guy that got thrust in the spotlight for doing something he isn’t known for.
That’s all OK, because Johnston has High Point still dancing.
“To be on this stage with these guys, and be able to hit a couple shots and finish with the layup,” Johnston said. “It's something that I'll never forget.”
Duke basketball avoided a scare against No. 16 seed Siena in the first round of the Men's NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 19 as the No. 1 overall seed, overcoming a 13-point deficit in the second half to win 71-65.
Siena became the first No. 16 seed to lead a No. 1 seed at halftime in Men's NCAA Tournament history, leading 43-32 at the break. The Blue Devils outscored the Saints 39-22 in the second half to secure the victory, although fourth-year coach Jon Scheyer said it was the toughest NCAA Tournament moment he has experienced since taking over for Mike Krzyzewski in 2022.
"Toughest one," the longtime Duke assistant-turned head coach told reporters after the win. "Not close. Toughest moment, toughest game, toughest position I've ever been in in the tournament, no question about it. You have to credit Siena for that. Look, I remember a lot of our teams, we've had some games like this. 2018-19, North Dakota State, it's a one-possession game there.
"These games are fragile. Unfortunately, you have to lose some, I've been on the other end of some of these in the past where you have great appreciation for it, but it doesn't mean you can avoid it. ... You gotta show what you're made of, and these guys really did that."
Twins Cameron and Cayden Boozer led the way for Duke, scoring 22 and 19 points, respectively, to lead all scorers. The Blue Devils played a seven-man rotation without starting center Patrick Ngongba II and starting guard Caleb Foster, who are both hoping to return sometime during the NCAA Tournament, depending on how far Duke advances.
Duke had no issues with No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary's last season, winning 93-49 in the first round. Scheyer also cited Duke's 85-62 win over No. 16 seed North Dakota State in 2019, when he was an assistant and the Blue Devils only led by four points at halftime.
Only two No. 16 seeds have ever won an NCAA Tournament game: Fairleigh Dickinson defeated Purdue in 2023 and UMBC took down Virginia in 2018. 16 No. 1 seeds have only beaten No. 16s by single digits in NCAA Tournament history, none of which have gone on to win a national championship.
Scheyer said he isn't concerned with Duke's performance but acknowledged the Blue Devils must rebound before taking on No. 9 TCU in the second round on March 21.
"It's not concerning from the standpoint that, unfortunately this is the nature of the tournament," he said. "Look, I wish it could be just smooth sailing. These guys, even though we have returners from last year's team, were all in different spots. You can face a team like Siena; they were incredibly ready to play.
"We made some mistakes early that they made us pay for, and all of a sudden you want to win very badly. So, you want to start making plays to try and get back in the game that are probably uncharacteristic to who we've been."
The Brooklyn Nets announced on Thursday that forward Michael Porter Jr. has been diagnosed with a left hamstring strain following an MRI. He will be sidelined and reevaluated in two to three weeks, per team PR.
Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. has been diagnosed with a left hamstring strain following an MRI performed on Wednesday. Porter Jr. is currently listed as out and will be reevaluated in two to three weeks.
Porter Jr. had already missed four straight games with a right ankle sprain, but during his return-to-play process, he experienced discomfort in his left hammy in a workout. The Nets play their final regular season game on April 12, three weeks and three days from this announcement. It seems all but certain that Porter Jr. has played his final game of the 2025-26 campaign.
And quite a campaign it was. In his first season in Brooklyn, MPJ played in 52 games, averaging a career-high 24.2 points along with 7.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists (also a career-high) while shooting 46/36/86, (59.5% true shooting). While a bit arbitrary, his 176 3-pointers marks a new franchise-record through a player’s first 52 games.
In fact, it came as a minor surprise that Porter Jr. did not make his first All-Star team this season — his numbers were even better before the break…
kinda fitting that MPJ is knocking down threes on a triple-vote day, isn't it?
This season marked MPJ’s first as a first-option for an NBA offense, and the Nets needed every bit of his production. Their offensive rating is over ten points higher when he plays vs. when he sits, though that, of course may factor into the calculus to effectively end his season, with the tank in full swing.
On one hand, Porter Jr.’s breakout season paints him as a foundational piece for a franchise desperately seeking talent. On the other, he is extension-eligible this summer, currently making $40 million a year. The Nets are nowhere near contention, and just one year ago, the team took on MPJ as a salary dump in order to obtain Denver’s unprotected 2032 first-round pick.
It is quite possible that Porter Jr. has played his final game as a Brooklyn Net.
Still, that remains a worry for the offseason. For now, Porter Jr. will rehab a hamstring injury (a process the Nets know all too well), be re-evaluated in 2-3, and hopefully avoid podcasting too much as his team gets ready for the NBA Draft Lottery on May 10.
Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets play their next game on Friday evening, hosting the New York Knicks. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
Feb 21, 2026; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing makes a catch to retire Miami Marlins catcher Agustin Ramirez (not pictured) during the sixth inning at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
