MORE SURGERY FOR EX-BILLS STAR KELLY
N.Y.» Buffalo Bills Hall of BUFFALO,
Fame quarterback Jim Kelly is expected to be hospitalized for two weeks as he recovers from another cancer surgery.
Dr. Mark Urken said he removed cancer from Kelly’s upper jaw and lymph nodes and reconstructed his upper jaw during an all-day surgery Wednesday. Urken operated on the 58-year-old former NFL star at Mount Sinai Health System in New York City.
Kelly had surgery in June 2013 to have a portion of his upper jaw removed after first being diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma.
Follow-up tests nine months later showed the cancer spread to his sinus, which led to radiation and chemotherapy treatments.
Kelly had been cancer-free since September 2014 before announcing March 1 that a test had again revealed the presence of oral cancer.
Brunson, Bennett best in men’s basketball.
ANTONIO» Villanova SAN junior guard Jalen Brunson was named The Associated Press men’s college basketball player of the year. Brunson was presented with the award at the Final Four.
Brunson was joined at the trophy presentation by Wildcats coach Jay Wright as he became the first Villanova player to win the AP award.
Oklahoma freshman guard Trae Young was second with 15 votes after leading the country in scoring (27.4) and assists (8.7).
Virginia’s Tony Bennett was named coach of the year.
Bennett earned 50-of-65 votes for his award. Tennessee’s Rick Barnes finished second with five votes.
Five-star player to skip college.
N.Y.» Syracuse five-star SYRACUSE, recruit Darius Bazley, who played in the McDonald’s All-American Game on Wednesday, said on social media that he changed his mind about attending college and will play in the NBA’s development league instead.
Bazley, a 6-foot-9 forward from Cincinnati, scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the McDonald’s game. He committed to Syracuse last July and signed with the Orange in November.
Players can’t enter the NBA draft until age 19 or until they have been out of high school for one year. But players can be in the NBA’s G League as soon as they turn age 18.
McGraw, Wilson best in women’s basketball.
OHIO» Notre COLUMBUS,
Dame coach Muffet McGraw called this the toughest season of her Hall of Fame career. Having four players on her team go down for the season with knee injuries will do that.
She still won The Associated Press women’s basketball coach of the year award after getting the Irish to a 33-3 record and the team’s first trip to the Final Four in three seasons.
South Carolina’s A’ja Wilson won the AP player of the year award.
Wilson was the overwhelming choice, receiving 22 votes. UConn star Katie Lou Samuelson was the runner-up with five votes.
Footnotes.
The Oakland Raiders signed cornerback Leon Hall. … The Bills signed cornerback Phillip Gaines and wide receiver Kaelin Clay. … Lamar Stevens scored 28 points, Josh Reaves had 18 and Tony Carr had 15 points and 14 assists as Penn State beat Utah 82-66 to win the NIT championship at Madison Square Garden in New York. … Michigan State forward Nick Ward submitted his name for the NBA draft but hasn’t hired an agent. … Wichita State guard Landry Shamet declared for the NBA draft and intends to hire an agent, ending his college career with two seasons of eligibility remaining. … UCLA’s Jaylen Hands will put his name in the NBA draft without hiring an agent, which would allow the freshman guard to return to his Pac-12 school. … Daryl Thomas, who was a starter on Indiana’s 198687 NCAA championship basketball team, died at age 52 in Lombard, Ill., of a heart attack.