INDIANAPOLIS — Even LeBron James couldn’t muster the energy. With a wide-open lane in the ending moments of the Lakers’ 137-130 win over the Indiana Pacers, James simply dumped off a pass to Jake LaRavia. The 24-year-old had hops to put the finishing touches on the Lakers’ successful six-game road trip. Tired and shorthanded, the Lakers punctuated…
No. 9 USC struggles to contain Joyce Edwards and Madina Okot and commits 27 turnovers in a 101-61 loss to South Carolina in the second round of the NCAA tournament. COLUMBIA, S.C. — Monday night served as a litmus test for ninth-seeded USC to see how a program on its way back to prominence measured up against…
With just over five minutes left in UCLA’s first-round win over California Baptist on Saturday, freshman Sienna Betts took a shot. She missed. She grabbed the rebound. She missed again. Then, she put it in the basket. On the bench, her older sister, Lauren Betts, was laughing. No. 1 seed UCLA was up big late,…
The adage goes, it doesn’t have to be pretty. But for the UCLA women’s basketball team, that’s not the philosophy. Coach Cori Close preaches thriving, not surviving, and that’s been evident in the Bruins’ lopsided victory margin all season. That’s why leading by 10 points at halftime against a No. 16 seed was likely alarming….
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Ninth-seeded USC brought all the energy and intensity you would want from a young team in March and it paid off with a gutsy 71-67 overtime win against No. 8 Clemson in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday. Jazzy Davidson‘s heroics were the difference as she hit back-to-back three pointers in…
HOUSTON — The combination of Luka Doncic and LeBron James was overpowering and enthralling for all to see during the Lakers’ dynamic 124-116 win over the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on Wednesday. Doncic was a rebound shy of a triple-double with 40 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. James was a force with 30 points, missing…
HOUSTON — In their first meeting of the season on Christmas Day, Lakers coach JJ Redick said the Lakers were “punked” by the Houston Rockets and vowed not to let it happen again. On Monday, the Lakers displayed their toughness in a 100-92 win over the Rockets at Toyota Center. Even when they were faltering in the…
Austin Reaves doesn’t practice that shot. But like so many of his athletic exploits, somehow a perfect missed free throw just comes naturally to the Lakers guard. Reaves’ expertly executed missed free throw, offensive rebound and difficult tying floater with 1.9 seconds remaining in regulation spurred the Lakers to a thrilling 127-125 overtime win over…
SACRAMENTO — Senior Ayla Teegardin of Palisades held her head high on Saturday morning. A 51-37 loss to Yuba City Faith Christian in the state Division IV girls basketball final at Golden 1 Center couldn’t lessen the inspiring backstory of how she and her Dolphin teammates had already won by making it to the final despite all…
SACRAMENTO — Nick Halic leaned forward, his hand touching the head of senior Charles Eleri while offering a pep talk. His 6-year-old son, Kingston, put his hand on Eleri’s shoulder for additional comfort. On a Birmingham High basketball team with only four seniors and plenty of hope for the future, Halic was making sure to thank Eleri…
