Ja could return Wednesday
Ja Morant’s eight-game NBA suspension is over, and the two-time All-Star may rejoin the Grizzlies.
The dynamic guard was on the bench Monday night when Memphis hosted Dallas, though it was unclear exactly when he would play, with the earliest being Wednesday. The Grizzlies announced Sunday that Morant would not play against the Mavericks because of a “Return to Competition Reconditioning.”
“He is going to be part of practice (today), and obviously we’re hopeful for Wednesday so long as everything medically clears out,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said, adding the delay is part of the “ramp-up process.”
The Grizzlies host Houston on Wednesday in the first of two consecutive games against the Rockets in Memphis.
The Grizzlies know Morant has been working out, trying to be ready for this moment. Memphis was off Sunday after back-to-back wins, and Jenkins said he would like Morant to practice or at least participate in a shootaround before seeing game action.
OHIO ST. WOMEN MOVE ON
Jacy Sheldon hit a tiebreaking jumper in the lane with 1.8 seconds left to lift No. 3 Ohio State to a 71-69 victory over No. 6 seed North Carolina on Monday and help the Buckeyes advance to the Sweet 16 for the second straight season. With the game tied, Sheldon took the pass from Eboni Walker and floated in the game-winning score. North Carolina had one final chance, but turned it over with a second remaining.
Maddy Siegrist scored 31 points and sent the
winningest team in Villanova history into the Sweet 16 for the second time in program history with a 76-57 victory over 12th-seeded Florida Gulf Coast.
Siegrist, the first-team AP All-American, made 13 of 24 shots in what was likely her final home game.
Hailey Van Lith scored 21 points and No. 5 Louisville rolled over No. 4 Texas, 73-51, on the Longhorns’ home court Monday night to send the the Cardinals to the Sweet 16 for the sixth NCAA Tournament in a row.
l Reserves Sara Puckett and Jillian Hollingshead led five Lady Vols in double figures with 13 points apiece as fourth-seeded Tennessee routed No. 12 seed Toledo, 94-47, Monday night to advance to their second straight Sweet 16.
MAGIC JOINS BID FOR COMMANDERS
Magic Johnson has joined Josh Harris’ bid to buy the NFL’s Washington Commanders, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
Johnson, who has become a prominent executive, is already involved in sports ownership with stakes in the Dodgers, Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles F.C. and the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks.
He was also part of Harris’ unsuccessful bid to buy the Broncos, who were instead sold to a group led by Walmart heir Rob Walton for a record $4.65 billion. The Commanders are expected to sell for more, which would be the highest price paid for a North American professional sports franchise. Forbes estimates the team is worth $5.6 billion.
LAMELO: SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER
Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball said he anticipates being ready for training camp in September after suffering through an injury-plagued 2022-23 season in which he sprained his left ankle three times and broke his right ankle, all of which limited him to 36 games. Whether he’ll consider wearing ankle braces remains to be seen. “It’s tough,” Ball said Monday. “I mean probably annoying just going through it, but I’m still alive and stuff like that, so you can’t really be too mad.”