U.S. rolls past Canada
The United States rebounded from a rare loss two days earlier to outclass Canada, 84-68, in a preWorld Cup exhibition basketball game Monday in Sydney, Australia.
At the same arena where the Americans won Olympic gold at the Sydney 2000 Games the U.S. never trailed, leading, 20-9, after the first quarter and, 46-31, at halftime.
Jaylen Brown had 19 points to lead the Americans, who out-rebounded Canada, 55-37. Donovan Mitchell added 12 points and four assists; Kemba Walker scored 12 points and Myles Turner finished with 10 points and 15 rebounds.
The win brings a conclusion to a four-game exhibition slate. The U.S. opens World Cup play against the Czech Republic in Shanghai on Sept. 1.
NBA
Dwight Howard has rejoined the Los Angeles Lakers six years after his acrimonious departure.
The eight-time all-star center and 15-year NBA veteran agreed to a contract Monday.
Howard led the NBA in rebounding while spending the 2012-13 season with the Lakers, but he clashed with Kobe Bryant and subsequently spurned Los Angeles as a free agent. He bounced to six franchises after his departure, while the Lakers haven’t made the playoffs since.
Nets reward LeVert: The Brooklyn Nets signed guard Caris LeVert to a contract extension after his remarkable recovery from injury last season. Terms were not disclosed.
The 2016 first-round pick was averaging a teambest 18.4 points in his first 13 games before sustaining a dislocated right foot, a gruesome-looking injury that had players in prayer as he was taken off the court on a stretcher.
But it was quickly determined that he wouldn’t need surgery and would be able to return during the season, which he did after missing about three months. He helped the Nets make the playoffs, where he averaged 21 points in a first-round loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
BASEBALL
Vince Naimoli, the original owner of the Tampa Bay Rays who ended the region’s long pursuit to land a major league team, has died. He was 81.
He died Sunday night, nearly five years after being diagnosed with an uncommon brain disorder, the team said Monday.
The Tampa businessman was part of unsuccessful bids to purchase and relocate the Seattle Mariners and San Francisco Giants. But in 1995 he finally got an American League expansion franchise that began play as the Devil Rays in 1998.
TENNIS
Andy Murray cruised to a 6-0, 6-1 win over Imran Sibille in the first round of a second-tier Challenger Tour tournament hosted by Rafael Nadal’s tennis academy in Madrid.
Murray dominated from the start against the Frenchman, showing no signs of the hip problem that forced him to undergo surgery in January.
Murray had not played on the Challenger Tour since 2005. His match on Monday was the 35th of his career in the lower division.
GOLF
Juli Inkster used her two captain’s picks on Stacy Lewis and Morgan Pressel to add experience to a young American team that will try to win the Solheim Cup for the third straight time.
The 10 players who qualified for the U.S. team includes five rookies and three others who have never played the matches away from the home crowd.
The Solheim Cup is Sept. 13-15 at Gleneagles in Scotland, where Europe won the Ryder Cup in 2014.
Lewis, the last American to reach No. 1 in the women’s world ranking, played in the last four Solheim Cup matches. A two-time major champion, she had her first child last October. Pressel has played on five teams, most recently in 2015.
VOLLEYBALL
The International Volleyball Federation says it imposed a three-game ban on a Russia women’s team coach for an offensive gesture he made after qualifying for the Olympics by beating South Korea.
Sergio Busato was photographed smiling and making a slant-eyed gesture with his fingers after Russia beat the Koreans in a decisive qualification match for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Kaliningrad, Russia, on Aug. 4.
The FIVB governing body said Busato’s gesture violated its disciplinary rules.