New class of refs includes 2 women

Ashley Moyer-Gleich is eight years removed from playing in the NCAA Division II basketball tournament. Natalie Sago officiated her first game six years ago, and the players were sixth-grade girls.

Both are in the NBA now — as part of one of the most elite sororities in the game.

Moyer-Gleich and Sago are among five officials who were promoted Thursday by the NBA to full-time status, making them the fourth and fifth women in league history to have that designation. They join former league refs Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner and current official Lauren Holtkamp as women to get formally hired.

“It’s difficult not to say Ashley and Natalie aren’t the second and third ‘women referees’ being added to the staff,” NBA vice president and head of referee development Monty McCutchen told the Associated Press. “But true equality comes when they’re just going to be ‘referees’ on our staff. And that’s what we’re really trying to achieve, this sense that their work warrants their advancement.”

The league also promoted Mousa Dagher, Matt Myers and Phenizee Ransom to the full-time level. Dagher further adds to the diversity of Thursday’s moves — he was born in Syria and moved to the U.S. as a 15-year-old in 2006. Myers spent more than a decade in the G League, and Ransom was there for six seasons.

RONDO TO HAVE SURGERY

Los Angeles Lakers guard Rajon Rondo is expected to have surgery this week on his broken right hand. He is expected to be out for several weeks.

Coach Luke Walton said Rondo was injured in the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ 126-117 victory over Portland — L.A.’s fourth consecutive win — on Wednesday night.

Rondo is averaging 8.5 points, 6.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals in his first season with the Lakers. Lonzo Ball is likely to play more minutes in Rondo’s absence. Brandon Ingram and LeBron James also will increase their playmaking.

CLIPPERS 116, SPURS 111

Lou Williams hit a goahead 3-pointer with 40 seconds remaining, and Los Angeles beat visiting San Antonio for its first three-game winning streak of the season.

Los Angeles improved to 7-1 at home after blowing leads of 14 points in the second quarter and 10 in the fourth.

NUGGETS 138, HAWKS 93

Juancho Hernangomez scored a season-high 25 points to help Denver set the tone for a runaway victory against visiting Atlanta.