Atlanta beats Los Angeles behind top pick Howard
Rookie Rhyne Howard scored 21 points, including five of Atlanta's 13 3-pointers, and the Dream held off the Los Angeles Sparks 77-75 on Wednesday night in College Park, Ga.
Howard made a 3-pointer in the corner with 3:07 left in the fourth quarter for a seven-point lead, but Atlanta did not score again. The No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft was called for a charge with 16.3 seconds left for Atlanta's third straight possession with a turnover.
After a timeout, Los Angeles had two chances in the closing seconds, but ex-Stanford star Chiney Ogwumike missed a contested layup in the paint and her sister Nneka Ogwumike, also from Stanford, was off on a jumper at the buzzer.
Howard also grabbed eight rebounds. Megan Walker added 11 points, and Kristy Wallace and Cheyenne Parker each had 10 points for Atlanta (2-0).
Atlanta led 40-39 at halftime as both teams shot under 38% from the field. Jordin Canada led Los Angeles with 12 points and Howard had 10.
Canada scored 19 points for Los Angeles (2-1). Nneka Ogwumike had 17 points and 15 rebounds for her 80th career double-double and Liz Cambage scored 16 points.
Tennis
NADAL BOUNCES BACK FROM LOSS TO
ALCARAZ >> Once is enough when it comes to beating Rafael Nadal on a clay court.
Throughout his career, Nadal has never lost consecutive matches on his favorite surface and the Spaniard extended that perfect record by beating John Isner 6-3, 6-1 to reach the third round of the Italian Open.
Nadal was coming off a loss to 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz in the Madrid Open quarterfinals last week. After a first-round bye, he improved to 44-0 in matches on clay following a loss on the surface.
Up next, Nadal meets Denis Shapovalov, the Canadian he beat at the same stage last year.
Second-seeded Alexander Zverev, who was routed by Alcaraz in the Madrid final on Sunday, beat Sebastian Baez 7-6 (6), 6-3.
Soccer
UKRAINE RETURNS TO FIELD, WINS IN GERMANY >> Ukraine is back on the soccer field. The Ukrainian men's national team returned to action for the first time since the invasion by Russia, beating German club Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-1 in a charity fundraiser.
The friendly was a chance for the Ukrainians to get back into form ahead of a World Cup qualifying playoff game against Scotland next month, but also just to show their team is still going, despite everything.
“We thank you all for your great help,” former world heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, whose brother Vitali is mayor of Kyiv, said in a video message to the German club and fans. It felt as if “both (teams) are playing for us,” he added.
The squad for the unusual clubversus-country friendly was assembled from Ukrainian clubs whose league seasons were frozen Feb. 24 on the morning Russian troops invaded.
College football
ALABAMA'S SABAN DENIES TAMPERING WITH TRANSFER >> Alabama coach Nick Saban denies that anybody from his program had contact with receiver Tyler Harrell before the former Louisville player entered the transfer portal, which would have violated NCAA rules.
Saban responded to a suggestion from Louisville coach Scott Satterfield that Alabama had tampered with Harrell, who has since transferred to the Crimson Tide.
“We don't tamper with anybody, so I don't know about anything or anybody that tampered with him,” Saban told reporters.
Satterfield made the accusation last week in an interview with 247Sports.
Harrell entered the transfer portal on April 12 and committed to Alabama 10 days later.
Motorsports
VEGAS ALLOCATES $6.5M A YEAR FOR FORMULA ONE >> Tourism officials have committed $19.5 million over the next three years to sponsor Formula One races on a course that includes the Las Vegas Strip.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority board voted unanimously Tuesday to spend $6.5 million per year to partner with Liberty Dice Inc. on the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Last week, parent company and F1 owner Liberty Media Corp. announced plans to pay $240 million for unspecified property near the Strip for a pit and paddock complex.
Plans were announced March 30 for Las Vegas to join Miami and Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on the F1 calendar next year. Officials expect tens of thousands of racing fans around around the world to travel to Las Vegas for the race.
Horse racing
DERBY-WINNING RIDER LEON SERVING SUSPENSION >> The jockey of Kentucky Derby upset winner Rich Strike is serving a four-day suspension handed down by Ohio racing stewards that his agent says won't prevent him from riding the horse in next week's Preakness.
Stewards suspended Sonny Leon last week for careless riding during the third race on April 27 at Thistledown Racecourse, east of Cleveland, during which they determined he “deliberately and aggressively” steered One Glamorous Gal toward the rail to block other horses in the stretch.
The Ohio suspension applies to all states, but agent Jeff Perrin told The Associated Press that it will not prevent the Venezuelan jockey from riding Rich Strike in the Preakness on May 21 in Baltimore if the horse is entered.