Ball brothers sign pro contracts, forego college
Siblings will join Lithuanian club early in January
A professional Lithuanian basketball club signed LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball to pro contracts, making LaVar Ball’s two younger sons ineligible for college basketball.
The move comes after LiAngelo left UCLA , where he was suspended after his shoplifting arrest during the team’s season-opening trip to China.
LaVar Ball recently removed 16-year-old LaMelo from Chino Hills High in California. His oldest son, Lonzo, is a rookie with the Lakers.
The Prienai-Birstonas Vytautas club, which plays in the Lithuanian league, said in a statement the brothers will report in early January. Their contracts run through the end of the current season.
“We are committed to their long-term success and development as professional basketball players,” said Vilius Vaitkevicius, the team’s sports director.
The Balls won’t be the first Americans to play for the club. Brad Tinsley, a former Vanderbilt guard, played for Prienai-Birstonas Vytautus between August and October. Tinsley declined to comment on his brief time with PrienaiBirstonas Vytautus when contacted Tuesday by The Associated Press.
NO. 15 SETON HALL 84, SAINT PETER’S 61 >> Angel Delgado had 18 points and 11 rebounds, his 57th career double-double, leading Seton Hall to a victory over Saint Peter’s in a rare game at the Pirates’ old campus location Walsh Gym.
Desi Rodriguez scored
17 points and Khadeen Carrington added 11, as Seton Hall (9-1) raced out to an early lead and never looked back, winning for the 20th time in the last 21 meetings against the Peacocks (4-5).
Davauhnte Turner scored 13 points and Nick Griffin had nine to pace Saint Peter’s.
NO. 25 CINCINNATI 65, MISSISSIPPI STATE 50 >> Jacob Evans III had 24 points and eight rebounds as Cincinnati recovered from back-to-back losses and handed Mississippi State its first defeat.
The Bearcats (8-2) were coming off losses to crosstown rival Xavier and Florida that dropped them from No. 11 to the fringe of the rankings. They ended the slump with a solid defensive showing against the Southeastern Conference’s last unbeaten team, blocking 11 shots.
Aric Holman matched his career high with 18 points for Mississippi State (8-1), which was off to its best start since 2003-04.
The Bulldogs shot a season-low 30 percent from the field.
Women
NO. 3 LOUISVILLE 95, TENNESSEE STATE 56 >> Asia Durr, Jazmine Jones and Sam Fuehring each scored 12 points to lead a balanced offense for host Louisville, which scored the game’s first 12 points.
Seeking a tuneup before its upcoming rivalry matchup at Kentucky, the Cardinals (12-0) made 8 of their first 9 shots toward finishing 38 of 70 from the field (54 percent). They led 57-27 at halftime and by as many as 42 while dominating the boards 52-31 in continuing their second-best start in program history.
Bionca Dunham, Myisha Hines-Allen and Kylee Shook each added 11 points and Dana Evans had 10 as seven Cardinals scored in double figures. Louisville swept its four-game home stand against Tennessee schools by an average margin of 37.5 points.