Jazz great Eaton, found unconscious in road, dies
Mark Eaton, the 7-foot-4 shot-blocking king who twice was the NBA’s defensive player of the year in a career spent entirely with the Utah Jazz, died. He was 64.
Eaton left his home for a bike ride Friday night in Summit County, Utah, and shortly thereafter someone called 911 to report after seeing him lying on a roadway and unconscious. Eaton was taken to a hospital where he died. The Jazz, citing county officials who investigated, said “there is no reason to believe a vehicle was involved in the incident.”
“Mark was someone that was a friend ... his relationship with Rudy Gobert, I think, is emblematic of who he was and his ability to listen,” Jazz coach Quin Snyder said before Saturday’s playoff game against Memphis. “And then to offer counsel and support was something that was really unique, and obviously we’ll miss him.”
Eaton led the league in blocks per game four times and his average of 5.6 in 198485 remains the highest since the NBA started tracking that statistic.
Eaton’s career average of 3.51 is the best in NBA history, and his career happened almost by accident. He was working as an auto mechanic in 1977 after starring at Westminster High when a coach at Cypress College persuaded him to enroll. From there, he went to UCLA, and his stint with the Jazz followed.
His 11 seasons with the Jazz are third most in team history, behind Karl Malone and John Stockton. He appeared in 338 consecutive games. He finished with career averages of 6 points and 7.9 rebounds.
John Gonsalves, a member of the Long Beach State Hall of Fame who was the baseball coach for 19 years, died, according to coach Cameron Chinn of Huntington Beach Edison, where Gonsalves had been an assistant coach. He was 79.
ETC.
Atlanta Braves star Marcell Ozuna was arrested on charges of aggravated assault by strangulation and battery after police officers said they witnessed him attacking his wife.
A statement from the Sandy Springs Police Department in Georgia said officers responded to a 911 call Saturday afternoon and entered a home where the front door was open and they heard screaming coming from inside. Officers witnessed Ozuna grab his wife by the neck, throw her against a wall and strike her.
The No. 2 UCLA softball team earned a Women’s College World Series bid with a 6-0 win over Virginia Tech. The Bruins, who are the defending national champions, will make their 30th WCWS appearance and face No. 10 Florida State to open the double-elimination tournament. During Game 3 of UCLA’s super regional series Saturday, Bruin Rachel Garcia pitched a shutout on two hits with 13 strikeouts. Briana Perez and Maya Brady added home runs . ... Biola beat North Georgia 5-2 to advance to the championship series of the NCAA Division II Championship in
Denver. The Eagles (25-14), 3-0 in the tournament, will face West Texas A&M or Augustana (S.D.) in the best-of-three series, which starts Sunday and continues Monday.
Duke will make its first appearance in the Atlantic Coast Conference baseball tournament title game after beating Virginia 4-2. Tennessee is making its first appearance since 1995 in the Southeastern Conference title game, where the Volunteers will face Arkansas.
Defending champion Virginia beat top-seeded North Carolina 12-11 to advance to the championship game in the NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament, where the Cavaliers will face Maryland.
The Kings agreed to terms with free-agent forward Vladimir Tkachyov on a one-year contract worth $832,500. Tkachyov led Russia’s SKA St. Petersburg club with 38 points in 45 games . ... Tage Thompson had a goal and an assist and the U.S. won its fourth straight game in the world hockey championship, beating Norway 2-1.
Devin Haney defended his World Boxing Council lightweight title with a unanimous decision over Jorge Linares . ... Nonito Donaire stopped Nordine Oubaali in the fourth round to take his WBC bantamweight belt.
Michaela Onyenwere scored a career-high 29 points but missed a late three that set up Courtney Williams’ go-ahead three with 1.6 seconds left in overtime to lift Atlanta to a 90-87 win over New York.
Ty Gibbs took the lead with 20 laps left at Charlotte Motor Speedway for his second Xfinity Series victory of his rookie season.
Novak Djokovic warmed up for the French Open by beating Alex Molcan 6-4, 6-3 for his 83rd title, on home soil at the Belgrade Open . ... Sebastian Korda beat Marco Cecchinato at the Emilia-Romagna Open to win his first ATP trophy.
Braves outfielder Ozuna arrested
Christian Pulisic became the first American man to play in a Champions League final as Chelsea won for the second time by beating Manchester City 1-0.