Freak injury halts game between 2 powers
BOCA RATON — A top lacrosse matchup between nationally ranked juggernauts St. John Paul II and Benjamin was brought to a halt when Buccaneers star Jayden Vega suffered a frightening head injury Friday night.
Palm Beach County’s elite were matching blow for blow when in the middle of the fourth quarter, Vega leapt sideways to try to bend a shot around Eagles goaltender Gavin Baca.
As Eagles defenders tried to block his lane, Vega appeared to catch an unfortunate knee to the head region, according to Benjamin head coach Peter Cordrey.
“What happens is, if you go inside, you’re going to get hit, and players know that going in,” Cordrey said. “A slide came into him and he was falling down, so he ended up getting hit by the guy’s knee. It wasn’t intentional, (but) it wasn’t pretty.”
Vega lay unconscious as players from both teams took an immediate knee. Coaches and trainers attended to him while an ambulance was called. Vega did regain consciousness while on the field.
“Jayden, when he was coming to, he said, ‘How much time is left in the game? I want to go back in,’ and we were like, ‘Jayden, there are much more important things,’ ” Cordrey said. “It’s a bad concussion. He said, ‘How much time?’ And I said, 7:12,’ — and he goes, ‘the score is seven to 12?’”
While paramedics arrived to take Vega off on a stretcher, Benjamin players moved from taking a knee to surrounding each other, arms across shoulder pads in what appeared to be a huddle of prayer.
In a heartfelt moment, St. John Paul
Brandon Graham is returning to the Eagles for a 15th season
PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles agreed to terms on a one-year contract with veteran Brandon Graham, the club announced Saturday, meaning the defensive end will be back for a franchise-record 15th season.
Graham has 73 sacks in a record 195 career games with the Eagles, including three sacks last season. The 35-year-old is a popular player in the locker room and in the Philadelphia community.
Graham helped clinch the franchise’s only Super Bowl with a late strip sack of Tom Brady in Super Bowl LII, a 41-33 Eagles’ win over the Patriots on Feb. 4, 2018. Philadelphia drafted Graham No. 13 overall in the 2010 draft out of Michigan. 10:30 a.m. NHRA Drag Racing: Gainesville, Rounds 1 and 2 FS1 12:30 p.m. IndyCar: Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg NBC
3:30 p.m. NASCAR Cup Series: Shriners Children's 500 FOX
Noon Big South Tournament, championship, TBA, from High Point, N.C. ESPN2
Noon Nebraska at Michigan BIG10
12:30 p.m. Wisconsin at Purdue FOX
2 p.m. MVC Tournament, championship, TBA, from St. Louis, Mo. CBS
2 p.m. Atlantic Sun Tournament, championship, TBA ESPN2
2 p.m. Ohio State at Rutgers BIG10
2 p.m. Patriot League Tournament, semifinal, TBA CBSSPORTS
4 p.m. Southern Conference Tournament, semifinal, TBA, from Asheville, N.C. ESPNU
4 p.m. Patriot League Tournament, semifinal, TBA CBSSPORTS
4:30 p.m. Michigan State at Indiana CBS
6:30 p.m. Southern Conference Tournament,
II players came over, surrounding the Benjamin players and joining them in prayer.
“It’s just a sport, and people know that, ultimately,” Cordrey said.
The game concluded after the delay, and with the Eagles being handed a hefty three-minute penalty — though it bears repeating that it was not intentional — Benjamin was able to close out the match in relatively anticlimactic fashion with a 20-15 victory.
Before the freak accident, Vega had been sensational in the match, tallying nine goals to galvanize a Buccaneers comeback following a slow first quarter.
IN BRIEF
He missed most of the 2022 season with a torn Achilles tendon but came back to post a career-high 11 sacks.
Joshua knocks out MMA star Francis Ngannou in 2nd round
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua stopped Francis Ngannou in the second round on Saturday, dominating his matchup with the ex-UFC heavyweight champ.
Joshua floored Ngannou in the first round and again in the second with right hands at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. He finished the fight with one punch immediately after the second 10-count, knocking Ngannou out cold with an unblocked right hand. The 37-year-old semifinal, TBA ESPNU 7 p.m. Illinois at Iowa FS1 7:30 p.m. Maryland at Penn State BIG10
Noon Big Ten Tournament, Championship: Teams TBA, from Minneapolis CBS
Noon Southern Conference Tournament, championship, TBA, from Asheville, N.C. ESPNU 1 p.m. ACC Tournament, championship, TBA, Greensboro, N.C. ESPN 2:30 p.m. Big East Tournament, semifinal, TBA, from Uncasville, Conn. FS1
3 p.m. SEC Tournament, championship, TBA, from Greenville, S.C. ESPN 4 p.m. Atlantic 10 Tournament, championship, TBA ESPN2
5 p.m. Pac-12 Tournament, championship, TBA, from Las Vegas ESPN
5 p.m. Big East Tournament, semifinal, TBA FS1 7 p.m. Big Ten Tournament, Notre Dame at Michigan, quarterfinal Series 3, Game 3 FS2
Noon LSU at Kentucky SEC 2 p.m. South Carolina at Texas A&M SEC
4 p.m. Mississippi State at Ole Miss SEC
4:30 p.m. Virginia Tech at Louisville ACC 4:30 p.m. Big Ten Championships, finals, from College Park, Md. BIG10 7 p.m. ACC Tournament, championships, TBA, from Chapel Hill, N.C.
ACC
8:30 p.m. Big 12 Championships, from Tulsa, Okla. ESPN2
9 p.m. Pac-12 Championships, TBA, from Corvallis, Ore. PAC12 7 a.m. DP World Tour: Jonsson Workwear Open, final round, from South Africa GOLF
12:30 p.m. PGA Tour: Arnold Palmer Invitational, final round, from Orlando GOLF
2:30 p.m. PGA Tour: Arnold Palmer Invitational, final round NBC
2:30 p.m. PGA Tour: Puerto Rico Open, final round GOLF
5 p.m. PGA Tour Champions: Cologuard Classic, final round, from Tucson, Ariz. GOLF 1 p.m. Cardinals at Marlins
Ngannou got up to his stool, but the mixed martial arts star was dazed and clearly hurt after his encounter with Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) in only his second pro boxing match. Joshua and Ngannou embraced and talked afterward.
“I told him he shouldn’t leave boxing,” Joshua said. “He can do well. Remember, he’s two fights in, and he’s fought the best. He can go a long way if he stays dedicated, but it’s up to him.”
The fight world had optimism for Ngannou after he gave an impressive performance in a near-upset of Tyson Fury last October, losing by a narrow split decision. Joshua quickly proved there’s no substitute for years of boxing experience — and possibly revealed just how lightly Fury treated his bout with Ngannou last fall.
BSF
4 p.m. Cubs at Rangers MLB 3 p.m. G League: Salt Lake City Stars at Sioux Falls Skyforce BSS
6 p.m. Wizards at Heat BSS
7 p.m. 76ers at Knicks ESPN
9:35 p.m. Timberwolves at Lakers ESPN 1 p.m. Oilers at Penguins TNT
3:30 p.m. Predators at Wild TNT
6 p.m. Coyotes at Blackhawks NHL 4 p.m. RodeoHouston: Super Series 5, Round 1 BSF 9 a.m. Premier League: Aston Villa vs. Tottenham Hotspur USA
10 a.m. Italian Serie A: AC Milan vs. Empoli CBSSPORTS
11:45 a.m. Premier League: Liverpool vs. Manchester City USA 2 p.m. BNP Paribas Open: ATP.WTA third round, from Indian Wells, Calif. TENNIS
10 p.m. BNP Paribas Open: ATP.WTA third round, from Indian Wells, Calif. TENNIS
To avoid strikes at Olympics, French workers to get bonuses
NICE, France — The French government will offer bonuses to civil servants deployed across the capital during the Olympic and Paralympic Games in a bid to avoid strikes during the events this summer, the country’s Minister for Transformation and Public Administration, Stanislas Guerini, said Saturday.
Eligible employees will get a bonus ranging from $547 to $1,641 — in addition to their salaries — for working during the Summer Games in Paris and the ensuing Paralympics, Guerini said.
He did not provide details on the criteria for the payments.
TV MONDAY
6 p.m. CAA Tournament, semifinal, TBA, Washington, D.C. CBSSPORTS 7 p.m. Southern Conference Tournament, championship, TBA, from Asheville, N.C. ESPN 7 p.m. Sun Belt Conference Tournament, championship, TBA, from Pensacola ESPN2
7 p.m. Horizon League Tournament, semifinal, TBA, from Indianapolis ESPNU
8:30 p.m. CAA Tournament, semifinal, TBA CBSSPORTS
9 p.m. WCC Tournament, semifinal, TBA vs. St. Mary's (Calif.) ESPN
9:30 p.m. Horizon League Tournament, semifinal, TBA ESPN2
11::30 p.m. WCC Tournament, semifinal, TBA vs. Gonzaga ESPN2 1:30 p.m. Summit League Tournament, semifinal, TBA, from Sioux Falls, S.D. CBSSPORTS
2 p.m. Sun Belt Tournament, championship, TBA, from Pensacola ESPNU
2:30 p.m. Big 12 Tournament, semifinal, TBA, from Kansas City, Mo.
— Wire reports
ON THE AIR
ESPN2
4 p.m. Summit Tourament, semifinal, TBA CBSSPORTS
5 p.m. Big 12 Tournament, semifinal, TBA ESPN2
7 p.m. Big East Tournament, championship, TBA, from Uncasville, Conn. FS1 7 p.m. Florida at Alabama SEC 1 p.m. Blue Jays at Rays BSS
4 p.m. Dodgers at Guardians MLB 8 p.m. Warriors at Spurs NBA
10:30 p.m. Celtics at Trail Blazers NBA 7 p.m. Devils at Rangers NHL 8 p.m. RodeoHouston: Super Series 5, Round 2 BSF 4 p.m. Premier League: Chelsea vs. Newcastle United USA 2 p.m. BNP Paribas Open: ATP/WTA third round, from Indian Wells, Calif. BSF/TENNIS
10 p.m. BNP Paribas Open: ATP/WTA third round TENNIS