Coveted prospect headed to UCLA
Moses Brown, a 7-foot-1, 241-pound center from Briarwood (N.Y.) Archbishop Molloy High who is considered one of the nation’s most highly coveted prospects, told Slam Magazine that he had committed to UCLA.
The McDonald’s AllAmerican told the magazine that he was lured by the school’s rich basketball tradition and the opportunity to enhance his game to prepare for the NBA. Brown can sign a binding letter of intent in April. The Bruins have signed shooting guard David Singleton, small forward Jules Bernard and center Kenneth Nwuba. — Ben Bolch
Kentucky is out of the Associated Press top 25 for the first time in nearly four years while Villanova maintained its hold on No. 1. Kentucky slid out of the latest poll from No. 18 after losses to South Carolina and Florida, ending a 30-game home winning streak for the Wildcats in Southeastern Conference play. That dropped coach John Calipari’s team out for the first time since March 2014 and ended a 68week stretch in the poll.
Patrick Chun of Florida Atlantic is the new athletic director at Washington State. Chun, 43, has spent the last five years leading the sports programs at FAU, a Conference USA school. He replaces Bill Moos, who left recently to become athletic director at Nebraska, and becomes the first Asian American athletic director to lead a Power 5 school, Washington State said.
Danica Patrick will drive for Premium Motorsports in next month’s Daytona 500, her final NASCAR race. She also plans to race in the Indianapolis 500 in May.
The one-race deal for next month’s NASCAR showcase will put Patrick in the seat of the No. 7 GoDaddy Chevrolet, the same number she drove when she entered stock-car racing in 2010.
The Galaxy finalized a deal with free-agent midfielder Chris Pontius that brings the nine-year MLS veteran back to Southern California. Pontius grew up in Yorba Linda and played at Servite High and UC Santa Barbara. — Kevin Baxter
Left-hander Brian Duensing and the Chicago Cubs finalized a $7-million, two-year contract for the reliever to remain with the club. Duensing was 1-1 with a 2.74 ERA in 68 appearances last season.
Scott Blackmun, the 60year-old chief executive of the U.S. Olympic Committee, told his staff that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and will not travel to South Korea for the opening ceremony of the Olympics next month. He said physicians recommended that he start treatment as soon as possible.