RAPTORS PROMOTE NURSE TO COACH
TORONTO» Nick Nurse has agreed to become the next coach of the Toronto Raptors, a person with knowledge of the hire told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Nurse will replace his former boss, Dwane Casey — under whom he spent the past five seasons as a Raptors assistant. Casey was fired after the Raptors were swept out of the second round of this year’s playoffs by Cleveland.
Nurse and the Raptors were completing contract terms Tuesday, according to the source. ESPN first reported the hiring.
The move seems to suggest there will be at least some continuity between what the Raptors have been doing and what they’ll do on his watch. Toronto went 59-23 this season, the best record in the Eastern Conference and second-best record in the NBA behind only Houston — and Nurse was in charge of the offense, led by all-star guards DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry.
The decision comes a month after Casey was let go and one day after he was hired by the Detroit Pistons as their new coach. The Raptors always raved about Casey’s work ethic, and Nurse took note.
Michigan adopts laws in wake of Nassar.
MICH.» Michigan Lt. LANSING,
Gov. Brian Calley signed two bills inspired by the Larry Nassar scandal, including one giving childhood sexual abuse victims more time to sue.
The current cutoff to file a lawsuit in Michigan is generally a minor victim’s 19th birthday, which critics say is out of step with other states and does not account for how many victims are afraid to report abuse or have suppressed it. Starting in three months, people who were sexually abused as children will be able to sue until their 28th birthdays or three years from when they realize they have been abused. Victims of Nassar, the imprisoned former sports doctor who worked for Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics, will get a 90-day window to sue retroactively.
U.S. women beat China in friendly.
CLEVELAND» Tobin Heath scored the go-ahead goal in the 75th minute in her return from injury and the U.S. national team beat China 2-1 to sweep the two-game exhibition series.
Three minutes after China tied it at 1 on Li Ying’s fast-break goal, Heath chipped the goalkeeper on a miss hit.
It was Heath’s first game with the national team since appearing as a substitute in a friendly against New Zealand last September. She had surgery to remove bone growth on her right ankle in early January.
Megan Rapinoe put the U.S. ahead in the 35th by heading home Christen Press’ cross at the far post. Press became the 37th player to appear in 100 matches for the U.S.
Senators exec can attend draft.
N.Y.» Ottawa Senators assistant BUFFALO, general manager Randy Lee is due in court to face a harassment allegation July 6, putting him in a position to attend next week’s NHL draft.
Lee is charged with harassing a hotel shuttle driver in Buffalo during the NHL’s pre-draft scouting combine two weeks ago. He was initially scheduled to appear in court on June 22, the day the league holds the first round of its two-day draft in Dallas.
The court date was changed shortly after Lee entered a plea of not guilty to making lewd comments and rubbing the shoulders of a 19-yearold male hotel shuttle driver May 30.
Lee was charged with second-degree harassment and faces a fine and up to 15 days in jail if guilty.
Former Colgate star dies. HAMILTON,
» Jordan Scott, the all-time leading rusher in Colgate history, died while on vacation in Thailand.
University officials confirmed the death Tuesday. The 31-year-old Scott had gone missing Friday after jumping into water near a dam in the Ban Ta Khun district south of Bangkok. According to the Bangkok Post, divers located his body Monday night.