BASKETBALL
Beverley breaks his hand
Clippers guard Patrick Beverley is likely to miss the rest of the regular season after breaking his left hand during Thursday's game against the Phoenix Suns. Beverley (Arkansas Razorbacks) was going for a rebound in the fourth quarter of Los Angeles' 113-103 victory when he broke the fourth metacarpal bone in his left hand. The Clippers announced before Friday's game against the Houston Rockets that Beverley had surgery and will be evaluated again in three to four weeks. The NBA playoffs start May 22. Beverley, who is averaging 8.0 points per game, had returned to the lineup Tuesday against Portland after missing 12 games due to a knee injury. He also missed eight games earlier in the season due to right knee soreness.
Cincinnati fires coach
Cincinnati has fired men's coach John Brannen after an investigation into reports of a rift with Bearcats players. The school fired Brannen on Friday, six days after he was put on paid leave after six Cincinnati players decided to transfer last month. Tim Morris will serve as interim coach until a replacement is hired. Brannen was hired from Northern Kentucky in 2019, and seven players he recruited have since left the program. Four players who left this year were members of the 2020 freshman class who entered the transfer portal during a week in March. The Bearcats went 20-10 before last season was canceled due to the pandemic. They missed the NCAA Tournament this year after going 12-11.
Gonzaga's Ayayi heads to draft
Gonzaga guard Joel Ayayi declared for the NBA Draft on Friday and will skip his senior season. The school said Ayayi will hire an agent and pursue a professional career. Ayayi was a finalist for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award this season. He averaged 12 points per game while shooting 57.5% from the floor. The French native's 6.8 rebounds per game were second on the team as Gonzaga advanced to the NCAA title game, where the Bulldogs lost to Baylor.
Ole Miss adds guard
Former Georgia guard Tye Fagan is transferring to Mississippi. The Rebels announced Friday that Fagan was joining the team after three seasons at Georgia. The 6-3 guard was a starter last season, averaging 9.2 points per game and shooting a team-high 58.7% from the floor. Fagan has two years of eligibility remaining. He appeared in 89 games in three seasons at Georgia, missing only one game.
S.C. coach gets extension
South Carolina Coach Frank Martin has received a two-year contract extension through the 2024-25 season. The school's board of trustees approved the deal Friday. The move ends more than a month of questions about Martin's future after the Gamecocks finished the season with a 5-16 record and have not qualified for the NCAA Tournament since he led them to the Final Four in 2017. Martin did not receive a raise -- he's set to make $3.2 million next season -- and the university will not owe him a buyout if he's dismissed in the final two years of the deal. Martin also won't owe the school if he leaves for another job during the last two seasons of the contract.
TENNIS
Barty ousted in Charleston
Paula Badosa beat top-ranked Ash Barty 6-4, 6-3 at the Volvo Car Open on Friday in Charleston, S.C. The Spaniard reached the tournament semifinals in her first time at the season's opening clay-court tournament. And she was rarely pressured by Barty on the way to her first victory over a No. 1 player. Badosa broke Barty's serve five times including the last two times the Australian powerhouse served after the second set was tied 3-3. "I'm still a little bit shocked. I can't believe what just happened," the 23-year-old Badosa said. "When the ball went out, I was like 'What just happened right now?' " It was the second time in her past four events that Badosa advanced to the semifinals. She'll face Russia's Veronika Kudermetova, the 15th seed, today for a spot in the championship final. Barty was coming off a victory at the Miami Open last Saturday and looked strong in her first two matches in Charleston. But she fell behind Badosa and struggled to handle her opponent's serve. Danka Kovinic of Montenegro rallied after losing the first set to oust Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan 6-7 (2), 7-5, 6-1. Kovinic will face Ons Jabeur of Tunisia today for a spot in the championship final. Jabeur, the 12th seed, defeated the youngest player in the field, 17-year-old American Coco Gauff.
COLLEGE ATHLETICS
Anti-trans laws draw ire
Athletes, coaches and advocates are calling on the NCAA to act in response to state laws banning transgender athletes from competing in organized sports. "Simply put, trans inclusion makes our sports, our teams and our communities stronger," said Minnesota Lynx Coach Cheryl Reeve. Reeve pointed out Friday that the real threat to women's sports is the lack of investment, resources and coaching opportunities, as well as pay disparity. The NCAA, which has had a transgender inclusion policy since 2011, requires states that host NCAA championships to provide an environment that is "safe, healthy and free of discrimination." Conservative lawmakers in at least 28 states have introduced legislation to ban or limit transgender athletes from competing on teams or sports that align with their gender identity. Laws banning transgender women and girls from participating in organized sports have been signed in Idaho, Mississippi, Tennessee and Arkansas.
FOOTBALL
Raiders bring back safety
The Las Vegas Raiders are bringing former first-round safety Karl Joseph back for a second stint with the franchise. The Raiders signed Joseph to a one-year contract Friday to add depth in the secondary. Joseph was drafted in the first round by the Raiders in 2016 but left to sign for one year as a free agent in Cleveland last offseason. Joseph is just the third player taken in the first round by the Raiders in the common-draft era to return for a second stint with the franchise after leaving. Tight end Raymond Chester and Hall of Famer Charles Woodson are the others.
MOTOR SPORTS
Xfinity reset for Sunday
The NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Martinsville Speedway lasted 91 laps Friday night before rain that delayed the start returned midway through the second stage. Brandon Jones was leading when the caution flag flew and, and after two laps it became a red flag as the cars were brought onto pit road and covered. NASCAR deployed a fleet of track drying machines, but the rain continued to fall and lightning was visible at times. The rain came on and off, along with efforts to dry the track, but when the sky opened again just after midnight Saturday morning, eventually accompanied by thunder claps and flashes of lightning, NASCAR postponed the conclusion until 11:25 a.m. Sunday. The field will remain frozen and the cars impounded until the race resumes. Noah Gragson won the first stage under caution after Riley Herbst and Alex Labbe were among the cars to spin in Turns 1 and 2, causing a jam of stopped traffic. Jones dueled with Josh Berry for the lead and was in front when the caution stopped the race.
