Dairon Blanco homered twice and drove in a career-high seven runs to power the Kansas City Royals to a 13-1 rout of the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night.
Blanco, who wielded a bat painted to look like a yellow crayon, hit a two-run homer deep to center field on the first pitch he saw from Reds starter Nick Lodolo in the second inning.
Then the 31-year-old Cuban cleared the loaded bases with a shot deep into the left-field seats in the third and drove in another run with a single in the fourth. He came into the game with just one homer and five RBIs this season.
Vinnie Pasquantino and Hunter Renfroe each added three hits for the Royals, who finished with 16 and won their third straight.
Michael Wacha benefited from the big offensive night. He limited the Reds to four hits over six scoreless innings with one walk and a season-high nine strikeouts.
Lodolo was roughed up for eight runs and eight hits in 2 1/3 innings.
Jeimer Candelario hit his 20th home run for the Reds, who had a four-game winning streak snapped.
Sale beats Angels for 14th win
Chris Sale struck out 10 over six innings to tie for the major league wins lead and Marcell Ozuna went 3 for 3 with an early three-run homer as the Atlanta Braves rolled to a 11-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels.
Sale allowed two runs and six hits with two walks to end a four-start winless streak. He leads the National League with 14 wins and tied Detroit’s Tarik Skubal for most in the majors.
Sale improved to 8-0 in 11 appearances against the Angels with a 1.24 ERA – his lowest versus any team he’s faced at least 10 times.
Michael Harris led off the game against Griffin Canning with a double and Austin Riley singled before Ozuna connected for his 36th home run and a 3-0 lead.
Atlanta broke the game open with a five-run fifth and knocked out Canning.
Whit Merrifield opened the inning with a homer and Travis d’Arnaud had a two-run double before Ramon Laureano’s two-run shot made it 9-0.
Severino goes distance for Mets
Luis Severino pitched his first complete game in over six years and was backed by home runs from Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso as the New York Mets defeated the last-place Miami Marlins, 4-0.
Severino allowed four hits with one walk and struck out eight to end a personal three-game losing streak. He threw a season-high 113 pitches and recorded his second career complete game and first since May 2, 2018, at Houston for the Yankees.
The shutout was the first by a Mets starter since Jacob deGrom blanked Washington on April 23, 2021.
Lindor led off the bottom of the first against Max Meyer with his 24th home run and Alonso did the same in the second, his 27th.
New York extended its lead in the third on Jesse Winker’s RBI single and Mark Vientos doubled home Lindor in the fourth.
The Mets scored once in each of the first four innings for the first time since May 26, 1995, against San Francisco.
Jannik Sinner reached the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Open with a hard-fought 4-6 7-5 6-4 victory over Andrey Rublev, avenging last week's defeat to the Russian in Montreal.
Sinner was eliminated from the Canadian Open by Rublev at his last tournament, having missed the Paris Olympic Games due to a bout of tonsillitis.
He fought back from a set down to avoid a repeat in blustery conditions in Ohio on Saturday, having looked to be in trouble when he faced two break points at a set down.
The world number one saved both of those points before recovering from an awkward fall to win a 26-shot rally at 4-4, ultimately serving out the second set at the second opportunity.
Sinner then held off something of a third-set resurgence from Rublev to seal a gruelling two-hour, 25-minute victory, before expressing pride at the way he responded to adversity.
"It took a lot of mental strength today," Sinner said after his win. "It was very tough conditions, very windy.
"In the first set he started very well and I didn't play my best tennis but in the second set, I felt I had a lot of chances. I waited for my chance. I am very happy to make the semis."
Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka teed up a heavyweight semi-final clash with Iga Swiatek in the women's draw, easing to a 6-3 6-2 victory over Liudmila Samsonova.
Sabalenka needed just one hour and 19 minutes to seal her win, reeling off 10 of the last 13 games to level her all-time head-to-head record with Samsonova at 2-2.
Data Debrief: Sabalenka joins exclusive club
Sabalenka is into her fourth semi-final at the Cincinnati Open, a joint-record at the competition among WTA players in the Open Era.
Jelena Jankovic, Serena Williams and Simona Halep are the only other women to achieve that feat.
Joe Schmidt said he cannot recall ever being involved in a more "bizarre" Test as his Australia side were downed 30-12 by South Africa in the Rugby Championship.
Malcolm Marx touched down twice for the Springboks in rainy Perth to make it two from two in the tournament but the Wallabies were hit by a swathe of injuries.
Front-row pair Allan Alaalatoa and Angus Bell were unable to return for the second half and scrums went uncontested after replacement prop James Slipper failed a head injury assessment.
The Wallabies even went down to 14 briefly when hooker Josh Nasser went off injured, though they did return to a full 15.
Reflecting on the unfortunate series of events, head coach Schmidt told Stan Sport: "It's probably one of the most bizarre games I've ever been involved in.
"In over 100 Test matches that I've been involved in I've never had a situation like that before. It happened so early in the game as well. When Slips got a head knock right after half-time.
"And then we were straight down. And then we played with 14 for a period of time before the officials worked out that we were still entitled to have a full pack because of the HIA.
"But I still am proud of the way that the guys fought their way through that second half. And the way that they stayed in the fight in the first half. It could have been, and I know it could have been as easy to say, but it could have been 12-11 at half-time and that would have been a massive lift for the boys."
Australia are winless through their first two matches, both against the Springboks, and will next face Argentina in La Plata on August 31.
Iga Swiatek booked her place in the Cincinnati Open semi-finals after coming from behind to deny Mirra Andreeva on Saturday.
The world number one recovered from losing the opening set to prevail 4-6 6-3 7-5 after two-and-a-half hours, setting up a mouth-watering last-four clash with Aryna Sabalenka.
In the first ever meeting between the players, Andreeva made a positive start as she broke her opponent in the third game, while saving two break points in the sixth and 10th to draw first blood.
That sparked Swiatek into life; a break in the opening game of the second set proved enough for the four-time French Open champion to level the contest.
The Pole broke again in the decider and, after Andreeva squandered the opportunity to break back at 6-5 by sending a backhand long, she won the next two points to advance to the semi-finals.
Data Debrief: A perfect 10 from 10 for stubborn Swiatek
Matching her performance from last year in Cincinnati, where she was beaten in the last four by Coco Gauff, Swiatek will hope to go the extra steps this time around.
The Pole maintained her perfect quarter-final record in 2024, having now won all 10 such matches, and is now 16-1 at this stage in WTA 1000 events, with her only defeat coming against Elena Rybakina by retirement in Rome last year.
With her 30th main-draw victory at a WTA 1000 this season, she becomes only the second player after Serena Williams (36 in 2013) to reach that tally in a single year.
And Swiatek has now reached the highest percentage of semi-finals since the format's introduction in 2009 (17 from 31, 54.8%).
Marketa Vondrousova will miss this month's US Open with a hand injury keeping the former Wimbledon champion sidelined.
The Czech, who withdrew from the Paris Olympics with the same issue, has not played since her SW19 title defence was ended by Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the first round at the All England Club.
Vondrousova is also going to be absent from Flushing Meadows, where she reached the quarter-finals last year.
Meanwhile, there will be no Cameron Norrie in New York, with the Briton yet to recover from the forearm injury that also saw him miss out on the Games.
"I have been working hard to get my body to full health," he wrote on Instagram. "Unfortunately, my forearm injury is not recovering as soon as I would have hoped.
"I'll take some rest and recharge. Can't wait to get back to competing like a dog."
Puerto Rico finished tops at the recently-concluded 36th Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championship (CAJGC), as they won five of the six age-group trophies on offer at the Caymanas Golf Club.
The other trophy went to The Bahamas, while the Vittoria (Izzy) Marley award for sportsmanship went to Stefaniya Mosyagina of the Dominican Republic.
Host country Jamaica (108 points) was second in two categories and third in one to eventually close the championship in fourth place behind Puerto Rico (154), Dominican Republic (131), and the Bahamas (120).
Anissa Robinson of The Bahamas, who scored 249, won the Girls’ 11-13 category for the John Fitzgerald Harewood trophy, while Isabella Ramdeen (255) of Trinidad & Tobago was second, while Jamaica’s Alessandra Coe (262) was third.
Michael Avila of Puerto Rico Boys notched 230 points to win the Boys’ 11-13 category for the Bob Slatter trophy. He finished ahead of Alejandro Balbuena (241) of the Dominican Republic, who tied for second with Bayoan Ortiz of Puerto Rico. Jamaica’s Shasa Redlefsen (243) was just two strokes back in fourth place after taking the lead at the end of the first day. The other Jamaican player, Jacob Schnoor (296), was 11th overall.
The top three in the Girls’ 15 and Under category for the Kenneth Francis trophy were Amelia Santiago (243) of Puerto Rico, Madison Carrol (247) of The Bahamas, and Shania Reyes (247) of the Dominican Republic. Jamaica did not have a competitor in the category.
Mattea Issa receives her runner-up award from Kallan Sooknoor of the Trinidad and Tobago.
For the Boys’ 15 and under group for the Arturo Pellerano trophy, Tomas Rodriguez (220) of Puerto Rico was first, ahead of second place players Fernando Leduc (227) of Puerto Rico and Arman Newman (227) of Bermuda. Jamaica’s two representatives, Kemari Morris (268) and Jamal Stewart (269), were 14th and 15th, respectively.
The Girls’ 18 and Under category for the Peter Hale trophy went to Camila Negroni (235), who led from the first round. Jamaica’s Mattea Issa (239) finished second after she had been the joint leader with Negroni at the end of the second round. The Dominican Republic’s Stefaniya Mosyagina (245) was third.
Issa was also pleased with her performance, though she thought that she could have played better overall.
“It was a very special event to me. This is the venue where I played my first-ever CAJGC back when I was 11 years old, and to be here when I am 17 still competing and still loving the game really means a lot to me. That’s what I have to look at because although I did not play my best this week—II am pretty disappointed in myself—at least there’s some positives to take away.”
Puerto Rico also grabbed the James Moss Solomon trophy for the Boys’ 18 and under, with Evan Pena recording a six under par 210. Jamaica’s Ryan Lue (223) and Rodrigo Huerto of the Dominican Republic were tied for second.
Lue was the only Jamaican to post an under par score when he shot five under par 67 to top the leaderboard for the first round. That was also the lowest individual score of the championship.
Ryan Lue accepts his award from Dr. Carey Wallace, CEO of TEF
Lue said that he was “very happy to compete” on home soil.
“All my friends are here, family, so to play in front of them, it’s just an honour,” he added.
The other local golfers in the category who completed the championship were Aman Dhiman (232 for fifth), Trey Williams (242 for ninth), and Jerone Thomas (256 for 17th).
Jamaica’s Coach Jonathan Newnham thought that his team played well, especially given that the tournament delay due to the passing of Hurricane Beryl meant some key players were no longer available.
“It was a good week. Unfortunately, with the date changes thanks to Hurricane Beryl, we weren’t able to field a full team, so that reduced our chances of winning the category overall, but we had some good individual performances, and I am very proud of the team,” he explained.
Jodi Munn-Barrow, president of the Jamaica Golf Association, said she was proud of the Jamaicans’ effort despite Puerto Rico’s dominance.
“In the end, we are happy that we were able to host a successful tournament,” she noted.
Carlos Alcaraz admitted he played "the worst match of his career" as he suffered a shock defeat to Gael Monfils in the Cincinnati Open on Friday.
The Spaniard started well, racing through the first set before rain delayed proceedings with the second set level at 6-6.
When play resumed 24 hours later, Monfils picked up where he left off, winning the tie-break and the final set, to book a place in the last 16 at Alcaraz's expense.
After struggling to find his footing, Alcaraz says he found it hard to adapt while playing on Centre Court.
"It was really, really tough for me. I felt like it was the worst match that I've ever played in my career. Couldn't play, honestly," Alcaraz said.
"I've been practising really well here in this tournament. The previous days, I was feeling great, hitting the ball clear, you know, moving well.
"Probably I felt like it was another sport playing on the Centre Court [than] on the other courts. The balls were faster on the Centre Court bounced much, much, more than other courts.
"I don't know how I felt like this way, but, honestly, I couldn't control myself. I couldn't be better. So, this match it was impossible to win, and that's all."
Alcaraz's frustration was clear to see as he smashed his racquet on the court four times midway through the third set.
"I felt sometimes that I wanted to break the racquet," Alcaraz added. "It never happened before, because I could control myself in those situations, in those feelings, and most of the time I could control myself, and it could go better in the matches or in the situation that I've been feeling before.
"[This time] I couldn't control myself because, as I said, I was feeling that I was not playing any kind of tennis. So, it was really frustrating for me.
"There is some point that I want to leave the court. I don't want to be on the court anymore.
"So, it was really hurtful moment for me, and that's it. I think some players or a lot of players during their careers and during some certain moments, they can't control themselves, and it was one of those moments for me."
Alcaraz will be chasing his third grand slam title of the year at the US Open, which starts on August 26 in New York.
Malcolm Marx scored two tries in the second half to lead South Africa to a 30-12 victory over Australia in rainy Perth.
After a tight first half, the Springboks asserted their dominance to make it two wins from two in the Rugby Championship ahead of their meeting with New Zealand next week.
Noah Lolesio's penalty gave Australia the early lead, but they could not hold onto it for long as Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu equalised moments before Aphelele Fassi latched onto a long kick to touch down the first try.
Lolesio slotted in two more kicks only to miss another on the stroke of half-time that would have given the Wallabies the lead.
They were punished for it after the break as Marco van Staden and Malcolm Marx twice touched down to maintain South Africa's perfect start.
Though it was a marked improvement for the Wallabies from their opening-day performance in Brisbane, Joe Schmidt still has work to do to get them ready for Argentina next weekend.
Data Debrief: Springboks extend Australian run
South Africa have now won each of their last three Test matches against the Wallabies in Australia. The last time they recorded a longer such winning run was a four-match span from July 1971 to July 1993.
Though Australia have suffered back-to-back defeats, they showed more of a fight. Last week, it took them 75 minutes to score, compared to just three this time around.
New Zealand exacted revenge on Argentina following their shock defeat to the Pumas last week, winning 42-10 on Saturday to extend their unbeaten run at Eden Park to 50 tests.
The All Blacks responded in ruthless fashion, scoring six tries as Scott Robertson's side now await world champions South Africa in Johannesburg next week.
New Zealand got off to the perfect start when Damian McKenzie latched on to Jordie Barrett's chip for the first try in the sixth minute, with captain Ardie Savea adding a second 11 minutes later.
Caleb Clarke, Will Jordan and Beauden Barrett all crossed to give the All Blacks a 35-3 lead at half-time in challenging conditions at the Auckland fortress.
Jordan notched his second try of the encounter shortly after the restart, but Argentina were able to halt the constant New Zealand pressure for much of the second half.
The Pumas would score their first and only try eight minutes from time, with Juan Cruz Mallia going over to take some of the shine off an otherwise dominant display.
Fly-half McKenzie converted all six All Blacks tries, with New Zealand captain Savea happy with his side's response to the defeat in Wellington seven days ago.
"Very happy to get the win and respond the way we did," said Savea.
"We're the All Blacks, we've got to bring that every week and not rely on a loss to get that response from us."
Data Debrief: 50 not out at Eden Park
The All Blacks responded in some style to their 38-30 defeat against Argentina last week, getting their Rugby Championship title defence back on track.
New Zealand's emphatic triumph saw them extend their unbeaten run at Auckland's Eden Park to 50 matches, last losing in 1994 against France.
Aaron Civale pitched six stellar innings and Willy Adames hit a three-run homer in the first inning as the Milwaukee Brewers ended the Cleveland Guardians’ five-game winning streak with a 5-3 victory in a matchup of division leaders on Friday night.
Civale, who began his career with Cleveland in 2019, gave up four hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
After going 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA in his first five appearances with Milwaukee, he’s 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA over his last two starts.
The Brewers jumped on Gavin Williams for three runs in the first.
Ty Black reached on a fielder’s choice with one out and William Conteras walked before Adames sent a 431-foot drive over the wall in right-center.
It was Adames’ franchise record 10th three-run homer – the most in the majors this season.
Jose Ramirez and David Fry homered in the eighth to draw the Guardians within 5-3, but Joel Payamps retired the side in order in the ninth for his sixth save with regular closer Devin Williams unavailable.
Lowly White Sox end Astros’ win streak
Luis Robert Jr. had two home runs among his four hits and drove in four runs as the major league-worst Chicago White Sox snapped the Houston Astros’ eight-game winning streak with a 5-4 victory.
Robert hit a two-run homer in the third and added a solo shot in the fifth as the White Sox built a 4-1 lead. It’s the seventh career two-homer game for Robert and his first since March 30 against Detroit.
Jake Meyers and Jon Singleton homered for the Astros, who struck out a season-high 16 times in their first loss since Aug. 5.
The White Sox (30-93) are 3-5 in their last eight games following 21 consecutive losses.
Garrett Crochet allowed one run on four hits over four innings with nine strikeouts. Chad Kuhl gave up Singleton’s homer in the ninth but fanned Jose Altuve for his first save of the season.
Witt continues surge as Royals win
Bobby Witt Jr. homered, doubled and singled to raise his major league-leading average to .352 and Michael Lorenzen pitched into the sixth inning to lift the Kansas City Royals to a 7-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds.
Witt hit a four-seam fastball from Nick Martinez 430 feet into the upper deck for his 25th homer in the fourth inning. He doubled and scored on a fielder’s choice in the sixth and had an infield single in the seventh.
The Reds intentionally walked him with two outs in the ninth, just before he scored on Vinnie Pasquantino's 18th homer.
Witt is batting .422 (27 for 64) with seven homers and 19 RBIs in his last 16 games. He became the third Royals player to hit 25 homers and steal 25 bases in consecutive seasons.
Lorenzen, acquired by the Royals from Texas on July 29, allowed a run and two hits in 5 2/3 innings and left after 83 pitches.
Salvador Perez, Adam Frazier and Freddie Fermin also drove in runs for Kansas City, helping snap Cincinnati's four-game win streak.
Aryna Sabalenka has reached the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals for the fourth time after rallying to a straight-sets victory over Elina Svitolina.
The Belarusian took just 79 minutes to seal the victory, seeing off her opponent 7-5 6-2 on Friday.
Sabalenka made a quick start, earning a break in the first game, but was pushed all the way in the opening set, as Svitolina fought back to tie them level at 5-5.
Another break then set the number three seed up to take the set before she asserted her dominance by winning the final four games in a row to advance to the last eight.
She will face Liudmila Samsonova as she attempts to reach the semi-finals of the tournament for the third straight year.
Data Debrief: Four is the magic number
Only Jelena Jankovic (seven), Simona Halep (six) and Serena Williams (five) have made more quarter-finals than Sabalenka (four) in Cincinnati in the Open Era.
The 26-year-old now boasts 22 career WTA 1000 quarter-finals, tied for most among active players with Karolina Pliskova.
Throughout Friday's match, Sabalenka saved four of the five break points she faced in the match while going 4-for-4 on her own break points against Svitolina's serve.
The Jamaica Table Tennis Association (JTTA) is sounding the alarm for financial support as it strives to restore the sport to its former glory. Spearheaded by JTTA President Ingrid Graham, the association is seeking additional sponsorship to sustain its vital initiatives, particularly the recently concluded summer camp aimed at nurturing the next generation of Jamaican table tennis talent.
In collaboration with Skills Unlimited Table Tennis Academy (SUTTA), Taylor Hall, and Chancellor Hall, the JTTA hosted a summer camp from July 15 to August 14 at the University of the West Indies (UWI) in Mona. This camp, which brought together both junior and senior athletes for intensive training, has been hailed as a success. However, despite the camp's achievements, financial challenges loom large, threatening the future of this critical program.
Graham emphasized the urgent need for additional funding, noting that while the camp was a paid program, more than half of the over 30 participants were unable to contribute financially. This shortfall has placed a significant burden on the JTTA, jeopardizing the sustainability of the camp and other similar initiatives.
This year's camp received backing from several organizations and individuals, including Taylor Hall, Chancellor Hall, JTTA, SUTTA, the Sports Development Foundation Jamaica, Western Sports, Optical Solutions International Limited, Graham International Consulting and Research INC, past players, and the families of junior athletes. Their contributions ranged from providing meals and tokens for participants to offering free use of facilities.
Jide Lewis, the father of national players Gianna and Tsenaye Lewis, underscored the camp's importance in laying a firm foundation for Jamaica's future athletes. He emphasized the need for more sponsors to ensure that the athletes receive adequate training at home before competing overseas, adding that he intends to send his children back next year.
Despite the support garnered this year, Graham highlighted the need for additional sponsorship to ensure the camp's continuity and growth. The JTTA hopes to make the summer camp an annual event, with even more participants in the coming years.
Carlos Alcaraz suffered a shock defeat at the Cincinnati Open as Gael Monfils came from a set down to prevail from a rain-delayed encounter.
Monfils was 3-1 up in a second-set tie-break before rain stopped play on Thursday, but returned 24 hours later to win 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.
Once play resumed on Friday, Monfils continued where he left off but squandered three set points before eventually taking the tie this distance.
Last year's runner-up Alcaraz struggled in the opening exchanges, with his French opponent finding a decisive break in the third game as Monfils took control of proceedings in Ohio.
And Monfils' experience ultimately told, as the 37-year-old held out for the remainder of his service games to set up a meeting with Holger Rune in the last 16, condemning Alcaraz to a shock exit.
World number one Jannik Sinner, meanwhile, had no need to take to the court on his 23rd birthday, as he was handed a walkover following Jordan Thompson's withdrawal.
Data Debrief: The old head prevails
Monfils is the oldest player to defeat an opponent ranked in the ATP top-three since Jimmy Connors defeated Michael Stich in Memphis in 1992.
The world number 46 starred on serve, firing 15 aces throughout the contest compared to Alcaraz's seven, while also clawing back six of the seven break points he faced.
Iga Swiatek continued her preparations for the US Open in style as she cruised to a straight-sets victory over Marta Kostyuk at the Cincinnati Open.
The Pole needed just 69 minutes to advance to the quarter-finals of the competition, earning a 6-2 6-2 victory after rain delayed the start of play in Ohio.
Swiatek started the encounter as it meant to go on, earning a break point in the third game which proved decisive as she made her mark on proceedings early on.
Despite the best efforts of the Ukrainian, the world number one strolled to within a set of victory after winning 73% of her first-serve points.
Kostyuk simply had no reply to her Polish opponents' dominant service game, finding herself 3-0 down in double quick time in the second.
Swiatek would drop just six points in the final three games, concluding the encounter with a love game to set up a tie against the winner of Mirra Andreeva and Jasmine Paolini on Saturday.
Data Debrief: Swiatek replicates winning streak
Since Swiatek’s debut on Tour in 2019, only two players have won 14+ consecutive WTA-1000 main draw matches, those being the Pole herself in 2022 (23, Doha - Toronto) and again this year (14, current streak).
Only Agnieszka Radwanska (14, between 2012 and 2013) has made more WTA-1000 quarter-finals in consecutive seasons than the Pole in 2023-2024 (13) since the format’s introduction in 2009.
The Adelaide Thunderbirds have secured a powerhouse for their 2025 campaign, re-signing four-time national premiership winner Romelda Aiken-George for a second season in pink. The Jamaican superstar, renowned for her towering presence under the post, will return to the Suncorp Super Netball League as one of the most formidable goal shooters in the game.
Aiken-George, entering her 16th season in the national league, delivered an extraordinary performance in 2024. She racked up a staggering 736 Nissan Net Points, netted 517 goals, and pulled down 69 rebounds. Her impact was undeniable, culminating in a Player of the Match performance during the Grand Final, where she amassed 57.5 NNP, 42 goals, and 10 rebounds to lead the Thunderbirds to victory.
Her debut in Round 1 against the Queensland Firebirds was nothing short of spectacular, scoring 48 goals and officially becoming Thunderbird #108. With 230 games to her name, Aiken-George's experience and skill set make her an irreplaceable asset for the Thunderbirds' attack end.
Thunderbirds General Manager of High Performance, Jace Bode, expressed his excitement about Aiken-George's return. "Romelda was a dominant target for us under the post in 2024 and once again showed why she is one of the best shooters the sport has ever seen," Bode remarked. "Her competitiveness on court and ability to take ball in the air and convert to goal was second to none. She added invaluable experience to our attack line and built strong connections with the players around her. We look forward to welcoming her back in 2025."
Aiken-George's re-signing is more than just a continuation of her journey; it's a statement of intent from the Thunderbirds. With her at the helm of their attack, the team is poised to defend their title and continue their reign as the league's top team.
Fans can expect nothing less than brilliance from Aiken-George as she dons the pink once more, ready to lead the Thunderbirds to further glory in 2025.
New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo says the competition to be starting quarterback "isn't over" after Drake Maye's impressive performance against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Maye impressed in their 14-13 preseason loss on Thursday, playing four series as he finished 6-of-11 for 47 yards with a four-yard rushing touchdown.
So far, he has mainly been used as the backup option behind Jacoby Brissett during the Patriots' training camp.
The coach praised Maye's performance, though admitted the offense are yet to find their rhythm ahead of the new season.
"Stepping up into pressure, I thought he did a better job overall with using his legs and really extending plays," Mayo said on Friday.
"[The quarterbacks] have to maintain their composure and get the call to the huddle and get those guys out the huddle and be ready to go. [Maye]'s always been like that in my mind.
"I think the entire offense definitely needs to play and continue to jell, and that's what we're going to do."
The Patriots signed Brissett to a one-year contract in March, and immediately named him as a starter, with his experience proving invaluable.
He has struggled to hit his stride in preseason so far though, finishing 3-of-7 for 17 yards in three series on Thursday, including a costly end zone interception.
With only one preseason game still to play, against the Washington Commanders on August 25, Mayo plans to use both quarterbacks, giving them a chance to stake their claim on the position.
"We have three more days of training camp practices, and it's our job as coaches to evaluate, and the competition isn't over," Mayo added.
"They have to show not only themselves and the coaches [but] also their teammates.
"For me, we always talk about competition, and that's at all spots. Even if Drake beats out Jacoby, he earned that role.
"We don't really take that into consideration when he's ready to go. If he's better than Jacoby, then he'll play, and he'll start."
P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy is pleased to announce the inaugural JamRockerz Basketball Classic which is scheduled to start at 9:30 this morning and run until Sunday, August 18, at the Montego Bay Community College.
The tournament will feature elite teams, including the #1 club program in the USA, Team Takeover from Maryland, DC, Hardwood Kings from Brampton, Onario, Canada, and P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy International which comprises P.H.A.S.E.1 members from the United States and Canada. Jamaica will be represented in this six-team pool play event by P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy Kingston JA, P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy Montego Bay JA, and P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy Trelawny, JA
This highly anticipated youth basketball tournament is poised to become a premier season-ending event for top youth club teams from around the world, providing a unique blend of high-level competition and cultural experience in Jamaica’s prime tourist district.
The event comes on the heels of a historic international travel season for P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy, which saw the club secure its first U17 Championship in Miami, FL, and a U19 tournament championship in Atlanta, GA. The JamRockerz Basketball Classic aims to build on this success and continue the momentum by offering a thrilling weekend of basketball and cultural exchange.
"Competitions like the JamRockerz Basketball Classic are vital to the growth and development of basketball in Jamaica," said Wayne Dawkins, global director and coach for P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy. "With the incredible support of our partners, we’re confident that this event will put Jamaica on the map as a global destination for competitive youth basketball.
Dave Black, the Jamaican director and coach for P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy, added, "We’ve worked hard to connect with some of the best youth clubs from around the world, and we’re excited to showcase the talents of this inaugural group here in Montego Bay."
The JamRockerz Basketball Classic is made possible through the support of several key partners, including Jamaica's Tourism Enhancement Fund, which recognizes the tournament’s potential to boost local tourism by drawing international visitors to Montego Bay. NBA Houston Rockets pro player Tari Eason who will be in attendance to motivate the young athletes and present special gifts to the participants. Additionally, the event is supported by Kingston Marley, grandson of the legendary Bob Marley, and founder of the Children for Change charity. Kingston, who began his charity work at just 9 years old, now at 16, plays alongside his peers as a member of P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy Jamaica.
Tickets for the JamRockerz Basketball Classic will be available at the door, priced at $500 for local students and $1,000 for local adults.
Dak Prescott has revealed talks over a new contract with the Dallas Cowboys are "going well", though he is in no rush to get a deal sorted before the new season.
Prescott is set to enter the final season of the four-year, $160m contract he penned in 2021 and will make $29m in 2024.
With no agreement reached on a new deal for the 31-year-old quarterback, rumours about his future have abounded this offseason. If no agreement is struck, he will hit free agency in 2025 and cost Dallas $40m against the salary cap.
The Cowboys are also yet to tie down star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who has held out on returning to practice for three weeks, totalling over $1m in fines as he seeks a new deal.
Prescott, though, is confident his own future will be resolved, though he has not put a timeframe on negotiations.
"I'm not putting that much thought into hoping it gets done now, hoping it gets done in a couple of weeks, during the season or whenever it happens," Prescott said on Thursday.
"I just know conversations are on the right way. I enjoy being a Cowboy 1,000%, I enjoy living in Dallas, I enjoy everything about it.
"But this is a business. Conversations are going well, but I'm thankful to be where I am right now and that's here."
Prescott's 410 completions and passer rating of 105.9 in 2023 were career-best figures, while he also played all 17 regular-season games for the first time since being drafted in the fourth round in 2016.
Prescott has managed to stay largely injury-free since an ankle issue limited him to just five outings in 2020, and he puts his availability down to thorough work away from the field.
"It's something that I do each and every day, making sure I'm staying focused on it. Not trying to miss anything," Prescott said of his fitness regimen.
"If anything, it's just going to be maybe a rest here and there. No long-term [issues], especially with the schedule we're on.
"When I put the cleats down and I'm done. I want it to be on my terms and not because my body said that's not enough."
The New York Knicks will visit the Boston Celtics for the first game of the 2024-25 NBA season on October 22 after the schedule for the new campaign was confirmed.
The Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks 4-1 in the NBA Finals to win their first championship since 2008 last season, their 18th crown taking them clear of the Los Angeles Lakers at the top of the all-time charts.
They will open the defence of their title against rivals New York, who finished second to Boston in the Eastern Conference in 2023-24.
The Knicks were plagued by injuries throughout the 2023-24 postseason and were beaten by the Indiana Pacers in the conference semifinals, but they have moved to strengthen during the offseason by adding Mikal Bridges in a blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets.
That game will form part of an opening-night double header, preceding the Minnesota Timberwolves' clash with the Los Angeles Lakers, as LeBron James enters his record-equalling 22nd NBA season.
The following day will feature Paul George's Philadelphia 76ers debut as they take on the Milwaukee Bucks, while the Los Angeles Clippers will welcome the Phoenix Suns to inaugurate their new home arena, the Intuit Dome.
Other standout fixtures for the season include Klay Thompson's reunion with the Golden State Warriors following his move to Dallas, which is set for November 12.
His Mavs debut could come against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, with the two Texas teams set to face off on October 24.
The 2024-25 All-Star Weekend will be staged in San Francisco from February 14 to February 16, with the regular season set to wrap up on April 13.
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