Rockets’ Morey stepping down

Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is stepping down on his own accord, a little over a year after sparking a rift between the NBA and Chinese government.

Morey said he made the decision to spend more time with his two college- aged children, who are taking a year off from school during the pandemic, and to “see what other potential challenges could be out there.” The Rockets announced the move Thursday. Morey said he’s leaving the team Nov. 1.

An attempt to delay a stewards hearing over the 2018 positive drug test of Triple Crown winner Justify failed when a judge denied a request for a temporary restraining order.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James C. Chalfant said there were no grounds to delay the hearing, set for Oct. 29.

— John Cherwa

American tennis player Sam Querrey was placed in isolation by Russian authorities after testing positive for the coronavirus and then left the country on a private plane, organizers of the St. Petersburg Open said.

The Pac- 12 voted to continue with an inaugural 20game conference schedule for men’s basketball and approved a 22- game conference schedule for women’s basketball for the 2020- 21 season. Team schedules have yet to be announced.

Layne Hatcher had four touchdowns passes and Logan Bonner had three touchdown passes as Arkansas State beat Georgia State 59- 52 in a Sun Belt Conference game. ... Former Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden was released from a hospital after being treated for COVID- 19. ... Nick Saban won’t be allowed to coach No. 2 Alabama from home against No. 3 Georgia per NCAA guidelines, and also can’t be in the stadium while testing positive for the coronavirus. The coach remains asymptomatic. ... No. 8 Cincinnati’s game at Tulsa on Saturday was postponed because of positive COVID- 19 tests among Bearcats players.

Tyrell Hatton tied the course record of sevenunder 65 for a one- shot lead after one round at the CJ Cup at Shadow Creek in North Las Vegas.