NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Duke stud Cooper Flagg put on a skills clinic and overcame an onslaught from ...

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Duke stud Cooper Flagg put on a skills clinic and overcame an onslaught from Arizona and Caleb Love, finishing with 30 points, six rebounds, seven assists and three blocks Thursday night in a 100-93 NCAA Tournament victory that pulled the Blue Devils within one win of the Final Four.​Flagg, long over the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-duke-cooper-flagg-return-6c15800374600c569e072b788b746385">balky ankle that sidelined him</a> earlier this month, did enough to prevent Love, a thorn in Duke's side for five years, from ruining another Blue Devils season.Love finished with 35 points, one short of his career high, including a streak of 12 straight for his Wildcats (24-13) during a ferocious second-half run that cut a 19-point deficit to as little as five with 1:56 left.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>But it's the top-seeded Blue Devils (34-3) moving to the Elite Eight for the second straight season. On Saturday comes a 1-vs.-2 showdown in the East Region, when coach Jon Scheyer’s team faces Alabama, which set a <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">March Madness</a> <a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-alabama-3-pointers-record-1635323940967d914d885e62370be619">record for 3-pointers</a> in a 113-88 win over BYU earlier in the evening.A win would put Duke in the Final Four for the 18th time. The last time, in 2022, Love played for North Carolina and scored 28 points to bring an end to legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski’s career.This time, the 18-year-old Flagg ended Love’s stay in college, and showed why he should be the top pick in the NBA draft if he decides to leave, too.Arizona chipped away at its big deficit and got within five when Carter Bryant made a 3-pointer with 1:56 left.Flagg made three of four free throws — and Duke made 9 of 10 — to salt away the win down the stretch.The fourth-seeded Wildcats sagged and hung on the 6-foot-9 freshman and made him work for everything. But he was just better than everyone on the court.There were too many highlights to count, but here were a few:— At the end of the first half, when Duke rebounded Love’s missed 3, worked the ball to Flagg and he swished his own 3, then turned around and screamed “Let’s go, man!” as he ran to the locker room with a 48-42 lead.— A spinning no-look pass to Sion James, who made an open 3 early in the second half, as part of a run that built the lead to 19.— Two alley-oops, one a no-look to Khaman Maluach, the other to Kon Knueppel.— The massive rejection of Arizona guard KJ Lewis into the phalanx of Arizona cheerleaders on a possession that could’ve trimmed the deficit to seven with about 5 minutes left.It was a show that brought an end to Love’s vibrant career — one he wasn’t willing to see end without a fight. He missed his first three shots but finished 11 for 21 and made five 3s to keep his team in it.He scored seven more than he did when <a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-north-carolina-tar-heels-mens-basketball-duke-blue-devils-mens-basketball-sports-north-carolina-26014ae4edf5d2649b3543ab3b43528f">he shut down Coach K's career</a>. In this one, Love got the most help from Jaden Bradley, who finished with 15 points. But the Wildcats couldn’t do enough to conjure a repeat of 2011, the last time these programs met in the tournament and Arizona knocked out the top-seeded Blue Devils.

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MARCH 27: Cooper Flagg #2 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts to making a three point basket during the first half of the game against the Arizona Wildcats during the Sweet Sixteen round of the 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Prudential Center on March 27, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey.

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Flagg dazzles as Duke brushes aside Arizona in Sweet 16

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37 points and Oklahoma City defeated the Memp...

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37 points and Oklahoma City defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 125-104 on Thursday night as the Thunder won their eighth straight and team-record 61st game of the season.All-Star guard Jalen Williams scored 20 points in his return for the Thunder after missing seven games with a hip injury. Isaiah Hartenstein added 18 points and 11 rebounds for Oklahoma City (61-12), which remained two games ahead of Cleveland for the league’s best record with nine games to play. The Thunder have clinched the best record in the Western Conference.Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 27 points and Scotty Pippen Jr. added 17 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and five steals for the Grizzlies. Memphis guard Ja Morant sat out for the sixth straight game with a strained hamstring.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Oklahoma City led 63-59 at halftime, then opened the second half on an 8-0 run that forced a Memphis timeout. The Thunder scored one more bucket before the Grizzlies finally got on the board in the third quarter.The Grizzlies clawed back late in the period, and the Thunder lead was 91-89 heading into the fourth.Oklahoma City dominated the fourth. A 3-pointer by Cason Wallace put the Thunder up 112-99, then Hartenstein made a pair of free throws to close out a 15-0 run.TakeawaysGrizzlies: Memphis could have used a scorer like Morant late, when the offense stagnated. The Grizzlies made 5 of 19 field goals in the fourth.Thunder: Key reserves Alex Caruso (low back soreness) and Jaylin Williams (left hip stiffness) left the game. But the Thunder had more than enough depth.Key momentOklahoma City's Lu Dort hit a 3-pointer to break a 99-all tie in the fourth. On the next Thunder possession, Hartenstein dunked for a 104-99 lead with just over six minutes remaining.Key statThe Thunder made 13 of 23 field goals in the fourth.Up nextThe Grizzlies host the Lakers on Saturday. The Thunder host the Pacers on Saturday.___AP NBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nba">https://apnews.com/hub/nba</a>

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 25: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder dribbles the ball up court against the Sacramento Kings during the first half of an NBA basketball game at Golden 1 Center on March 25, 2025 in Sacramento, California.

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Thunder set OKC-era record with 61st win of campaign

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Will Richard scored 15 points, Alijah Martin added 14 points and seven rebou...

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Will Richard scored 15 points, Alijah Martin added 14 points and seven rebounds, and top-seeded Florida played a steady second half to run away from No. 4 seed Maryland and into the NCAA Tournament's West Region final with an 87-71 win Thursday night.Walter Clayton Jr. contributed 13 points and four assists as Florida's Big Three seniors and their deep supporting cast took down the Maryland “Crab Five” starters — one of Terrapins coach Kevin Willard's concerns coming into this matchup.Freshman sensation Derik Queen scored 27 points to lead Maryland (27-9) in what might have been Willard’s final game guiding the program. He has been linked to the opening at Villanova.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Florida (33-4) advances to play Saturday against the winner of Thursday’s late game at Chase Center between third-seeded Texas Tech and No. 10 seed Arkansas.The Gators, in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2017 and seeking the program's first Final Four berth since 2014, committed 13 of their 17 turnovers in the first half but took better care of the ball over the final 20 minutes. Florida already eliminated two-time defending NCAA champion UConn in the second round and is 10-1 in regional semifinals.___AP March Madness bracket: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket">https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket</a> and coverage: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness</a> Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up <a href="https://www.apnews.com/newsletters">here</a>.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: Head coach Todd Golden of the Florida Gators reacts against the Maryland Terrapins during the second half in the West Regional Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Chase Center on March 27, 2025 in San Francisco, California.

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Florida pulls away from Maryland to book Elite Eight berth

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Alabama broke the 35-year-old March Madness record for 3-pointers with 25 and...

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Alabama broke the 35-year-old March Madness record for 3-pointers with 25 and <a href="https://x.com/MarchMadnessMBB/status/1905428685043233255">Mark Sears scored 30 of his 34 points</a> on 3s, a relentless long-range spree that ushered the second-seeded Crimson Tide past BYU 113-88 on Thursday night in an NCAA Tournament East Region semifinal.Alabama reached the Elite Eight in consecutive years for the first time in program history.The Crimson Tide made 25 of 51 3-point attempts to break the record of 21 set by Loyola Marymount in 1990. Sears, a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-allamerica-mens-basketball-teams-3c18f2c7fe8e56ff1c912df512b70836">first-team</a> All-America guard, hit the record-breaking 22nd 3 late in the game to make it 97-66. He received a standing ovation from the Alabama fans when he checked out with 10 3s and more than four minutes left to play.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Sears and the Crimson Tide (28-8) showed they are no <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">March fluke</a> under coach Nate Oats. Riding a wave of 3s, Alabama set itself up for a date against either Duke or Arizona for a shot at the <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket">Final Four</a>.Richie Saunders scored 25 points to lead BYU (26-10), which hasn't played in a regional final since 1981.Sears’ 10 3s were one short of the record set by Loyola Marymount's Jeff Fryer in a memorable 149-115 second-round win over Michigan.The Crimson Tide made their first Final Four appearance in school history last season, when they lost to eventual national champion UConn.Alabama loved the 3 this season, averaging 28 attempts a game. Against sixth-seeded BYU (24-9), Sears and the Crimson Tide feasted on the long ball.Sears hit five in the first half, camping out behind the arc without much of a hand in his face. Sears and Chris Youngblood hit back-to-back 3s for a 38-30 lead and repeated the feat minutes later for a 44-34 advantage. BYU’s Egor Demin followed with an airball and Alabama could smell crimson in the water.Alabama attempted 15 2-pointers and made 10 of them.Sears raised his teammates out of their seats and into a frenzy when another 3 early in the second half for a 63-47 lead that sent the shaken Cougars into a timeout. The deep, up-tempo Crimson Tide let Sears bury 3 after 3 after 3 with the Elite Eight in sight.TakeawaysAlabama continued the Southeastern Conference's run in the tournament and coasted in its third straight Sweet 16 appearance.The shots — and now, free tater tots — dried up for BYU. Saunders, a descendant of the <a href="https://apnews.com/6ccfae054a60d11f9961350696dbf608">man who invented tater tots</a>, had fueled BYU’s run to the Sweet 16.BYU was a bust trying match Alabama beyond the arc. The Cougars missed 12 of 13 3s in the first half.The Cougars gamely pulled within striking distance only to get socked down by, yes, another Alabama 3. Demin hit a 3 that pulled BYU within 63-55, only for Aden Holloway to connect again beyond the arc for the Tide.Holloway made six 3s and Youngblood had five.Up nextAlabama will try to reach only the second Final Four in program history.___AP March Madness bracket: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket">https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket</a> and coverage: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness</a> Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up <a href="https://www.apnews.com/newsletters">here</a>.

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MARCH 27: Mark Sears #1 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after shooting a three-point basket during the second half of the game against the Brigham Young Cougars of the Sweet Sixteen round of the 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Prudential Center on March 27, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey.

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Alabama hits tourney-record 25 triples to beat BYU in Sweet 16

KENT, Ohio (AP) — Kent State has placed head coach Kenni Burns on administrative leave.  The univ...

KENT, Ohio (AP) — Kent State has placed head coach Kenni Burns on administrative leave.The university said in a statement Thursday that Burns was put on leave with pay and that Greg Glaus, executive deputy athletics director, would oversee the administrative responsibilities of the program. Also, the school said that offensive coordinator Mark Carney would be in charge of on-field activities.Kent State did not provide details on why Burns was placed on leave.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Kent State is scheduled to begin spring practices this weekend. Burns has a 1-23 record in two seasons with the Golden Flashes. They were 0-12 last season, the fifth time in school history they had gone winless.Before arriving at Kent State, Burns was the running backs coach at Minnesota.___Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up <a href="https://www.apnews.com/newsletters">here</a>. AP college football: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll">https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll</a> and <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/college-football">https://apnews.com/hub/college-football</a>

STATE COLLEGE, PA - SEPTEMBER 21: Head coach Kenni Burns of the Kent State Golden Flashes looks on against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the second half at Beaver Stadium on September 21, 2024 in State College, Pennsylvania.

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Kent State places coach Kenni Burns on administrative leave

Saturday’s Miami Open women’s final is set with No. 3 Jessica Pegula facing top seed Aryna Sabale...

Saturday’s Miami Open women’s final is set with No. 3 Jessica Pegula facing top seed Aryna Sabalenka. It is also a rematch of the 2024 U.S. Open final, won by Sabalenka.In the women’s semifinal staged late Thursday, Pegula had to be spectacularly resilient to stop the history-making run of the 19-year-old lefty from the Philippines, Alexandra Eala.Pegula won in a rollercoaster 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 6-3 victory in a contest that ended at 12:40 a.m. Friday.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>In the two hour, 26 minute match, Eala showed she is a crafty lefty star in the making with drop shots, deft volleys and a big forehand.The Hard Rock Stadium fans rooted on the player who had taken out major champions Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek previously.Pegula fought off a set point in the first set. She was twice down a break in the first set forced a tiebreaker and dominated it.Eala had played forcefully through most of the first set, moving Pegula around and coming to the net at advantageous times to showcase her volley.But suddenly it turned. Eala served for the first set at 5-3, but at set point, she registered two straight double faults, then made an unforced error on her forehand. She lost eight straight points as Pegula seized control.In the second set, Eala took a spill and needed a medical timeout to wrap her ankle, trailing 2-1.Eala, who upset Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals, roared back and got up a break 4-3. Pegula came back and Eala was two points away from losing the match at 5-4 before she hit another high gear to pull out the set.Eala’s service speed had dropped to the 70’s in the second set — which seemed to frustrate Pegula.In the first women’s semifinal, Sabalenka routed sixth-seeded Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2 in 71 minutes.Paolini, the 2024 French Open finalist, spent some of the afternoon smirking at Sabalenka’s deft shot-making.The Belarusian hasn’t dropped a set so far. “I think I was so focused and everything went smoothly,’’ Sabalenka said.___AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - MARCH 27: Aryna Sabalenka reacts while playing against Jasmine Paolini of Italy in the semi-final on Day 10 of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 27, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida

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Sabalenka to meet Pegula in Miami Open final

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Novak Djokovic is finding a higher gear in South Florida after a slugg...

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Novak Djokovic is finding a higher gear in South Florida after a sluggish start to 2025.Djokovic, gunning for his seventh Miami Open title, dispatched American Sebastian Korda 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) Thursday in one hour, 24 minutes in a quarterfinal match that was postponed from Wednesday night because the women’s quarterfinal between Jessica Pegula and Emma Raducanu ran past 11 p.m. and would have begun at about midnight — against new ATP rules.Djokovic advanced to Friday’s semifinals to face Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov. Djokovic is 12-1 against the 33-year-old Dimitrov, who reached the tournament final in 2024.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Djokovic, who won all six of his titles at the tournament’s previous venue at Key Biscayne, is going for his 100th professional title.“I’m getting great support,” Djokovic said. “I feel I have a really good chance to go all the way here. ...I’m playing the best I have in some time.”With the Hard Rock Stadium fans cheering the 37-year-old and chanting his name despite him facing an American opponent, Djokovic rallied in the second set from 4-1 and 5-2 down to win in a tiebreaker.He served an ace on match point and finished with an 83 first-service percentage against the 24th-seeded Korda. The 37-year-old Serbian let out a yell after the victory and strummed his racket like a violin.“One word — serve,″ Djokovic said when asked the key to his second-set surge. “I was serving very well — best serving performance in a long time.”The men’s leader in Grand Slam titles at 24 has been out of form this year, starting with an injury retirement at the Australian Open in January. Earlier this month, Djokovic lost his first match at Indian Wells to Botic van de Zandschulp.Korda, son of Grand Slam champion Petr Korda who grew up at the Bradenton, Florida, tennis academies, had beaten a top-10 opponent in Stefanos Tsitsipas earlier in the tournament and played at a flawless level to build a 4-1 second-set lead before Djokovic found his game.In the day’s first men’s quarterfinal, unseeded teenager Jakub Mensik beat 17th-seeded Arthur Fils 7-6 (7-5), 6-1. The 19-year-old Mensik advanced to his first semifinal at an ATP 1000-point level event.The 54th-ranked Mensik, of the Czech Republic, will face third-seeded American Taylor Fritz on Friday. Fritz squeaked out a two hour, 44 minute marathon Thursday night over No. 29 Matteo Berrettini 7-5, 6-7 (9-7), 7-5Fritz squandered six match points in the second set against the Italian, including in the tiebreaker, but survived in the third set to make his first Miami Open final. “Now I can sleep tonight and not worry about the chances I blew,’’ said Fritz, who lives in Miami. “You have two options — one of them is to regroup.’’___AP tennis: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tennis">https://apnews.com/hub/tennis</a>

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - MARCH 27: Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates his victory over Sebastian Korda of the United States in the quarter finals of the men's singles at the Miami Open at the Hard Rock Stadium on March 27, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida.

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Djokovic beats Korda to reach semis in push for 7th Miami Open title

TORONTO (AP) — Tyler O’Neill hit a three-run home run, extending his major league record by homer...

TORONTO (AP) — Tyler O’Neill hit a three-run home run, extending his major league record by homering for a sixth straight opening day, and the Baltimore Orioles hit a franchise record six opening day home runs to rout the Blue Jays 12-2 on Thursday.Adley Rutschman and Cedric Mullins both homered twice and Jordan Westburg also connected in Baltimore’s biggest ever Opening Day power display. The Orioles hit four opening day homers in 1982 and 2006.O’Neill went 3 for 3, walked twice and scored three times.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Zach Eflin (1-0) allowed two hits in six innings as the Orioles opened a big league season outside the United States for the first time.Eflin retired the first 10 batters before walking Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the fourth inning. Two batters later, Andrés Giménez hit a two-run home run, Toronto’s first hit.Making his fifth opening day start and third with the Blue Jays, José Berríos (0-1) allowed six runs and nine hits in five innings.Toronto’s Anthony Santander went 0-for-4 against his former team. Santander signed a five-year deal with the club in January.The Blue Jays had their franchise-record streak of season-opening wins snapped at five.KEY MOMENTPlaying a season-opening game in his home country of Canada for the first time, O’Neill made it 4-0 with a two-out drive in the third. His streak of opening day homers began with St. Louis in 2020.KEY STATEflin, who started Game 1 of the 2024 season for Tampa Bay, became just the second pitcher since 1939 to make back-to-back opening day starts for different teams. The other was Madison Bumgarner, who started on opening day for San Francisco in 2019 and Arizona in 2020.UP NEXTBlue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman faces his former team for the eighth time on Friday night. He's 2-4 with a 4.75 ERA against Baltimore. RHP Charlie Morton starts for the Orioles.

TORONTO, ONTARIO - MARCH 27: Tyler O'Neill #9 of the Baltimore Orioles jogs around the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning on Opening Day at Rogers Centre on March 27, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario.

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Orioles swat 6 homers, rout Blue Jays on Opening Day

CHICAGO (AP) — Sean Burke pitched six sparkling innings and Will Venable got his first win as a b...

CHICAGO (AP) — Sean Burke pitched six sparkling innings and Will Venable got his first win as a big league manager Thursday, directing the Chicago White Sox to an 8-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on opening day.Andrew Benintendi, Lenyn Sosa and Austin Slater homered as Chicago began what it hopes will be a more promising season than a year ago, when it went 41-121 to break the post-1900 major league record for losses.Venable, 42, stepped into a challenging rebuilding project when he was hired in October. The former big league outfielder was an associate manager for Texas the past two years.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Yusei Kikuchi (0-1) pitched six innings of three-run ball in his Los Angeles debut. The Japanese left-hander signed a $63 million, three-year contract with the Angels in free agency.Los Angeles lost on opening day for the 11th time in the last 12 years, including four in a row.Burke (1-0) allowed three hits, struck out three and walked none. Penn Murfee, Jordan Leasure and Mike Clevinger combined for three scoreless innings before Logan O’Hoppe homered for the Angels against Cam Booser in the ninth.After Ryan Johnson was hit hard in his big league debut for the Angels, infielder Nicky Lopez got the final out of the eighth in his first game with Los Angeles.Key momentWith Chicago leading 3-0 in the eighth, Clevinger replaced Leasure with runners at the corners and two outs. The right-hander walked Mike Trout before striking out Jorge Soler, ending the inning.Key statKikuchi is one of a major league-record three Japanese-born pitchers who started on opening day this year, joining Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Dodgers and Shota Imanaga of the Cubs.Up nextFollowing an off day, right-handers José Soriano and Jonathan Cannon take the mound on Saturday. Soriano made 20 starts and two relief appearances for Los Angeles last year, going 6-7 with a 3.42 ERA. Cannon had a 4.49 ERA over 124 1/3 innings during his rookie season with Chicago in 2024.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 27: Austin Slater #15 of the Chicago White Sox celebrates after hitting a home run during the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels on Opening Day at Rate Field on March 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.

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Venable gets 1st win with White Sox in Opening Day drubbing of Angels

CINCINNATI (AP) — Buster Posey experienced his share of nervous energy before his 10 opening day ...

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CINCINNATI (AP) — Buster Posey experienced his share of nervous energy before his 10 opening day starts as the San Francisco Giants' catcher.
Posey admitted before the Giants faced the Cincinnati Reds that he has a sense of calm as he goes into his first season calling the shots as president of baseball operations.
“I don’t have near the butterflies I had as a player,” said Posey, who turned 38 on Thursday. “I was telling BoMel (manager Bob Melvin) just a minute ago that I’ll probably go up to the booth pretty early and just take in the pageantry of opening day. I never did that as a player because I was hyper-focused on the game.”
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Posey retired after the 2021 season before joining Giants ownership in 2022 as the 31st principal partner in the franchise’s ownership group and a member of the six-person board of directors.
He was named president of baseball operations last September after Farhan Zaidi was fired following six seasons in charge.
While Posey generally knew what the plan would be each day as a player, he acknowledged that things in the executive role sometimes won’t be that clear.
“I think each day is going to present something new,” Posey said. “In comparing this role to a player’s role, each day as a player I pretty much had it mapped out in my head what was going to happen. In this role, I think you have an idea, but most of the time you don’t.”
Even though he has been on the job less than six months, Posey has made his mark on and off the field. Posey and general manager Zack Minasian signed infielder Willy Adames and right-hander Justin Verlander during the offseason.
Eight players are on an opening day major league roster for the first time, including Heliot Ramos, who became the 19th different left fielder in a row to start the Giants' first game. The streak ties the record for any position held by the St. Louis Browns/Baltimore Orioles, who also started a different left fielder in every opener from 1937-55.
Posey is hoping to see Ramos become entrenched in left field, something the Giants haven't had in that position since Barry Bonds retired.
“I’d love to see it for, like, 10 years or more,” Posey said about Ramos starting a streak of his own.
Among other changes, Posey is having a trophy case built across from Melvin’s office to hold the team's World Series trophies from 2010, ’12 and ’14.
During San Francisco’s run to the 2012 title, Posey delivered one of the more memorable hits of his career with a grand slam against the Reds during the fifth inning of the fifth and deciding game of their National League Division Series.
The Giants have finished under .500 the last two seasons, but went an MLB-best 21-6-4 during spring training.
“I thought it was a great spring. The way I would sum it up is, it was just a lot of clean, crisp baseball. There’s some moments in there that are teaching moments, but overall, though, it was a good spring,” Posey said.
___
AP MLB: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mlb">https://apnews.com/hub/mlb</a>
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SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 18: Buster Posey #28 of the San Francisco Giants watches live batting practice from the dugout at Scottsdale Stadium on February 18, 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

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Posey calmer on Opening Day as president of baseball operations

CHICAGO (AP) — It was opening day for Tim Anderson — and a bit of closure.  Anderson made his Los...

CHICAGO (AP) — It was opening day for Tim Anderson — and a bit of closure.Anderson made his Los Angeles Angels debut when they faced the Chicago White Sox on Thursday. It was his first regular-season game against the White Sox since his departure from his first major league club after the 2023 season.The 31-year-old Anderson was batting fifth and playing second base for the opener. Yoán Moncada, who played for the White Sox for the previous eight seasons, also was back with the Angels, but he was out of the starting lineup.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“It’s always going to be a huge part of me. This is where it all started," Anderson said. "That chapter is just all love. There’s a lot of love for me. I enjoyed my time here for sure.”Anderson made his big league debut with Chicago in 2016. The two-time All-Star quickly became one of baseball’s bright young stars.He hit a major league-best .335 with 18 homers and 56 RBIs in 2019. With the Alabama native sparking the lineup from the leadoff slot, Chicago made the playoffs in 2020 and 2021. But the team was never able to deliver on its potential.Hampered by a sprained left knee and right shoulder soreness, Anderson hit .245 with one homer and 25 RBIs in 123 games with the White Sox in 2023. He also was suspended by Major League Baseball after he got into a fight with Cleveland slugger José Ramírez.After Chicago finished with a 61-101 record in his final year with the team, Anderson had a $14 million option that was declined by the organization.“The way it ended, it was bad. Who wanted to leave home?” Anderson said. "But how will we know what’s out there if we never leave home? So just going out and trying to find better opportunities and continue to chase greatness. I think I’m in the right spot. Right where my feet are for sure.”Anderson agreed to a $5 million, one-year contract with Miami in February 2024, but he hit just .214 in 65 games with the Marlins before he was released.He sat out for the rest of the 2024 season, then agreed to a minor league contract with the Angels in January. He said the time off was good for him.“I was able to spend some time with my family and get things back on track to where I needed to be,” Anderson said. "Right now I’m in a great head space. I’m aware what’s going on. I know who’s for me, I know who’s against me. Just being aware. Just very thankful to be able to do my work and get to where I need to be.”Once associated with bat-flipping and playing baseball with a certain swagger, Anderson said he's a different guy than he was with the White Sox.“I’m a little bit more mature. The slogan was let the kids play. I’m kind of mature like that now," he said. “So I just want to play and enjoy the game and just stay out of the way, stay out of the way as much as I can.”___AP MLB: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/MLB">https://apnews.com/hub/MLB</a>

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 23: Tim Anderson of the Los Angeles Angels at bat against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on March 23, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

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LEVERKUSEN, Germany (AP) — In contrast to a year ago, Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso has no o...

LEVERKUSEN, Germany (AP) — In contrast to a year ago, Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso has no offers from rival clubs to prompt any immediate decisions on his future.Alonso used the international break in March last season to ponder his future amid interest from Bayern Munich and another one of his former clubs, Liverpool, which were both looking for new coaches ahead of the following season.The Spanish coach declared he was staying at Leverkusen before leading the team to its first Bundesliga title, then staying unbeaten, followed by the German Cup for a domestic double.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"The situation is a different one," Alonso said Thursday. "At the time, there was something to decide. This time there isn't. That's the big difference."Alonso's contract with Leverkusen runs to 2026. The team was in the Bundesliga's relegation zone when he took over in October 2022.Leverkusen's only loss last season was in the Europa League final to Atalanta — a defeat that ended its record 51-game unbeaten run across all competitions. That season was always going to be a tough act to follow.Leverkusen is six points behind Bayern with eight rounds of the Bundesliga remaining, and it can still defend its German Cup title with a semifinal against Arminia Bielefeld to come on Tuesday.Alonso remains among the most highly regarded coaches on the continent and is widely seen as a potential successor to Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid, another of the former Spain star's former clubs.But Alonso would not be drawn on whether he sees his future in Leverkusen or elsewhere."My thoughts are the same, like I said before, I'm staying focused on this season. That's the most important thing," Alonso said. "We're at an important stage and we don't want to speculate. We don't want to think about other things than football."<h2>___</h2>AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

STUTTGART, GERMANY - MARCH 16: Head coach Xabi Alonso of Bayer 04 Leverkusen looks on ahead of the Bundesliga match between VfB Stuttgart and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at MHPArena on March 16, 2025 in Stuttgart, Germany.

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MILAN (AP) — Igor Tudor could be exactly the coach Juventus needs and at exactly the right time. ...

MILAN (AP) — Igor Tudor could be exactly the coach Juventus needs and at exactly the right time.Tudor accepted the job last weekend, replacing Thiago Motta with the storied Italian club in disarray and discord.Juventus is out of all competitions, having been eliminated from the Champions League and the Italian Cup. In Serie A, its faint chance of challenging for the title has evaporated after conceding seven goals and scoring none in its last two matches — 4-0 and 3-0 losses to Atalanta and Fiorentina.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>That has left a shellshocked Juventus in fifth place and at risk of not qualifying for the Champions League next season. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/tudor-motta-coach-juventus-serie-a-29b0beb101ac73b69c5cd05db58e7811">Motta also reportedly lost the support</a> of key players.Enter Tudor.The 46-year-old has a reputation for being a fixer, coming into clubs during the season and turning things around — having done that at Udinese (twice), Hellas Verona and Lazio.Tudor also has a reputation as a no-nonsense coach, who can handle difficult players and who will follow his own beliefs rather than toe the line to appease club bosses.He left Marseille and Lazio after falling out with the hierarchy."Am I someone who resolves problems? I consider myself a coach," Tudor said in a news conference on Thursday. "I started coaching young and I've been doing it for 10-15 years, I have gone around a lot, I can also be a bit particular because I make choices with my heart."I continue if I feel it is right. If not, I go home regardless of my contract. I live in the present. I want to be here for 10 years but I will do my work in the same way. We can't control what happens in the future."Tudor has been given a contract until the end of June, taking him through to the end of the domestic season and the Club World Cup in the United States. His contract will reportedly be automatically renewed for another year if Juventus qualifies for the Champions League.Juventus is one point below fourth-placed Bologna, and Tudor's first match in charge will be on Saturday at home to Genoa."I believe a lot in this team because it has quality players and a great desire to improve," Tudor said. "We know that we are going through a difficult period and that there has been little time to work on changes, but there are no excuses in life and I have never looked for them."Tudor knows Juventus well, having spent almost a decade as a player at the club, and then returning as an assistant coach to Andrea Pirlo in 2020-21. Pirlo and Tudor were fired at the end of that season.The Croatian tactician is very much aware of the demands of the record 36-time Serie A champion."At Juve I learnt a lot, both as a player and as assistant coach," Tudor said. "This club has a unique work culture. I've told the lads about some moments I experienced here as a youngster … what makes up Juve: Respect, discipline, sacrifice and the will to win."Over the years I have been involved with many teams and I have never seen a mentality like the one I found here. At Juve, hard work comes first and every choice is made with great care. This spirit must be our starting point."One of the many stars Tudor played with at Juventus was Lilian Thuram, who was his Bianconeri teammate for five seasons.One of Thuram's sons, Khéphren Thuram, plays for Juventus."I spoke to Lilian yesterday and he told me that if Khéphren does something wrong, I have to immediately give him a smack," Tudor said with a laugh.<h2>___</h2>AP soccer: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/soccer">https://apnews.com/hub/soccer</a>

TURIN, ITALY - MARCH 24: Igor Tudor of Juventus during a training session at JTC on March 24, 2025 in Turin, Italy.

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Penn hired Fran McCaffery as its men's basketball coach on Thursday, two weeks after he was fired...

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Penn hired Fran McCaffery as its men's basketball coach on Thursday, two weeks after he was fired at Iowa in a season where <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/iowa-hawkeyes-mens-basketball">the Hawkeyes</a> won their fewest games and had their lowest Big Ten regular-season finish in seven years.
Penn fired Steve Donahue earlier this month after the Quakers went 8-19 in his ninth season on the job.
McCaffery played three seasons with the Quakers and led the Ivy League in assists (105) and steals (51) as a senior in 1981-82. Penn went 36-6 in Ivy League play across McCaffery's three seasons, winning three conference titles. He played in two NCAA Tournaments.
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McCaffery hopes he can find that kind of success again at Penn, which has made the tournament only twice since Fran Dunphy left after 2006. Penn made one NCAA Tournament appearance during Donahue’s tenure when it won the Ivy League Tournament on their home court at the Palestra in Philadelphia in 2018. As a No. 16 seed, the team lost to top-seeded Kansas in the first round.
The Quakers went 131-130 overall and 63-63 in conference play since Donahue took over in 2015.
“My vision is to return Penn to prominence in the Ivy League and beyond and bring an exciting style of play to the Palestra,” McCaffery said.
The 65-year-old McCaffery was Iowa’s all-time wins leader and longest-tenured coach in program history after 15 years at the school.
McCaffery was head coach at Lehigh, UNC Greensboro and Siena before former Iowa athletic director Gary Barta hired him in 2010. He led the Hawkeyes to eight 20-win seasons and won a game in four of seven NCAA Tournament appearances from 2012-13 to 2022-23.
McCaffery is 548-384 overall, a .588 winning percentage.
Iowa was ranked as high as No. 3 nationally during both the 2016 and 2021 seasons. The Hawkeyes were ranked for 16 consecutive weeks in 2019, the final nine weeks of the 2020 season, went wire-to-wire in 2021 in the top 15 of the AP Poll for the first time since the 1989 campaign, and ranked No. 16 in the final poll in 2022.
“Fran has had success at every level of Division I and is passionate about restoring our program to glory," Penn athletic director Alanna Wren said Thursday. "His energy and enthusiasm for leading young men was apparent throughout the process and he has proven to be committed to player development and relationship-building with his student-athletes throughout his storied career.”
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Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up <a href="https://www.apnews.com/newsletters">here</a>. AP college basketball: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll">https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll</a> and <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball">https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball</a>
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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 15: Head coach Fran McCaffery of the Iowa Hawkeyes looks on prior to the start of the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Williams Arena on January 15, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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The Minnesota Twins set their opening day roster on Thursday with right-hander Randy Dobnak in a ...

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The <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/minnesota-twins">Minnesota Twins</a> set their opening day roster on Thursday with right-hander Randy Dobnak in a long relief role, the first time in four years he broke camp with the major league club.
The Twins added Dobnak to the 40-man roster after returning Rule 5 draft pick Eiberson Castellano to Philadelphia, prior to their opener in St. Louis. Injuries to relievers Brock Stewart (hamstring) and Michael Tonkin (shoulder) landed them on the 15-day injured list to start the season and opened a bullpen spot for Dobnak, who developed a <a href="https://apnews.com/uber-deal-twins-lock-up-pitcher-dobnak-for-long-term-50d47bfe877ef711be7f7b07324cf493">cult following</a> with his improbable path to the major leagues and bespectacled-and-bearded look.
Third baseman <a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-twins-royce-lewis-47f42f6bf73522b3904a7ddb91a74522">Royce Lewis</a> (hamstring) and second baseman Brooks Lee (back) were also placed on the 10-day injured list, injuries that opened spots for infielder Mickey Gasper and outfielder Dashawn Keirsey Jr. for their first opening day roster spots. Gasper was acquired in an offseason trade with Boston after making his major league debut with them last August.
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The 30-year-old Dobnak is making $3 million this season in the last guaranteed year on a contract he signed a few days before the 2021 opener. After going undrafted out of an NCAA Division II program, Alderson Broaddus University in West Virginia, Dobnak was pitching in obscurity in an independent league in Michigan when a Twins scout discovered him. To make ends meet along his way up the ladder, Dobnak was a ride-share driver for Uber during his spare time.
He debuted for the Twins in 2019 and wound up starting a game in the AL Division Series in New York later that year, but a rare ligament injury in the middle finger of his throwing hand derailed his career in 2021. He spent 2023 and 2024 in Triple-A before returning to the Twins last summer for his first major league appearance in nearly three years.
Minnesota's initial bullpen also includes Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Cole Sands, Jorge Alcala, Danny Coulombe, Louie Varland and Justin Topa, behind Pablo López, Bailey Ober, Joe Ryan, Chris Paddack and Simeon Woods Richardson in the rotation.
Gasper and Keirsey joined backup catcher Christian Vázquez and infielder Edouard Julien on the bench. The Twins had Matt Wallner in right field, Carlos Correa at shortstop, Byron Buxton in center field, Trevor Larnach as the designated hitter, Ryan Jeffers at catcher, Ty France at first base, Willi Castro at second base, Jose Miranda at third base and Harrison Bader in left field for the opener on Thursday with López pitching against the Cardinals.
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AP MLB: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/MLB">https://apnews.com/hub/MLB</a>
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SARASOTA, FLORIDA - MARCH 09, 2025: Randy Dobnak #68 of the Minnesota Twins throws a pitch during the fifth inning of a spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium on March 09, 2025 in Sarasota, Florida.

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MANCHESTER, England (AP) — The Premier League transfer window at the end of the season will open ...

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MANCHESTER, England (AP) — The Premier League transfer window at the end of the season will open earlier than usual to allow clubs participating in the Club World Cup to sign players beforehand. 
England's top-flight clubs voted on Thursday to temporarily open the window from June 1-10. The Club World Cup in the United States runs from June 15-July 13.
The traditional window will open on June 16 and close on Sept. 1. 
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The expanded 32-team Club World Cup features some of the biggest names such as Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain. 
Last October, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/club-world-cup-player-contracts-954dcca3fd91b70ec25bab25bef1b484">FIFA agreed on interim transfer rules</a> to help players change teams before the tournament. It opens the door for players whose contracts expire on June 30 to sign early as free agents.
Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold is out of contract at the end of the season and has been linked with a move to Real Madrid. Theoretically, he would be eligible to play for the Spanish giant in the latter stages of the tournament if he signed a deal before then. 
Other high-profile players out of contract at season's end include Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, as well as Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne. 
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James Robson is at <a href="https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson">https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson</a>
___
AP soccer: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/soccer">https://apnews.com/hub/soccer</a>
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LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 26: Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool looks on, during the warm up prior to the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Newcastle United FC at Anfield on February 26, 2025 in Liverpool, England.

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NEW YORK (AP) — NBA teams will be briefed Thursday on the league's ongoing quest to further align...

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NEW YORK (AP) — NBA teams will be briefed Thursday on the league's ongoing quest to further align with FIBA and expand <a href="https://apnews.com/article/wembanyama-spurs-paris-nba-ba2ab54a87371b90d1131f2bcc136d6e">its role in European basketball</a>.
The briefing will be part of the day's session at the league's Board of Governors meeting. While no plan is expected to be finalized at the meeting, it will provide an opportunity for team owners to join in the discussions and hear directly from Commissioner Adam Silver about the latest status of the talks.
The NBA and FIBA, the sport’s global governing body, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/adam-silver-nba-europe-fiba-d283819afa98c325ec48b17528d35ec2?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">have been in discussions for some time</a> about adding either an annual competition in Europe or even having an NBA-operated league there. It was a topic at a Board of Governors meeting this past September, one where FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis took part.
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Silver is expected to hold a news conference Thursday afternoon when the meeting ends, with the Europe plan — where it stands and what's next — certain to be among the topics he discusses.
In January, speaking at the NBA Paris Games — when the league took advantage of the trip to France to meet with European stakeholders on the topic of the future of basketball on that continent — Silver said he believes the NBA remains “on track” in the process of expanding its footprint in Europe. That was also when he said the league’s governors would be briefed further at the March meeting.
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AP NBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/NBA">https://apnews.com/hub/NBA</a>
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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 15: Commissioner of the NBA, Adam Silver held a press conference at Chase Center on 2025 NBA All-Star weekend in San Francisco, California, United States on February 15, 2025.

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BOSTON (AP) — Daryl Watts scored two of Toronto’s four goals in the third period to increase her ...

BOSTON (AP) — Daryl Watts scored two of Toronto’s four goals in the third period to increase her total to 10 on the season, and the Sceptres beat the Boston Fleet 4-2 on Wednesday night.Toronto (12-2-5-7) has won five of its last six road games (4-1-0-1).Boston (8-6-4-7) had its nine-game points streak come to an end in its return to Agganis Arena after debuting at the Boston University venue on March 8 in front of a sold-out crowd of 5,968.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Toronto scored two goals in 1 minute, 34 seconds in the third to take a 2-1 lead. Watts tied it at 1-all when she controlled the puck behind the net and sent it off goaltender Aerin Frankel’s skates. Hayley Scamurra added her first goal of the season on a deflection.Renata Fast gave Toronto its third straight goal on a shot between the pads of Frankel to increase her league-lead to six goals by a defender.After Hilary Knight scored her second goal of the game — and 15th of the season — for Boston, Watts added her second on a 5-on-3 power play with 3:34 left to seal it.Each of the five games this season between the teams has been decided by multiple goals, with the winner scoring at least three goals in each. Toronto leads the league with nine multi-goal wins, followed by Boston with seven.<h2>___</h2>AP women’s hockey: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey">https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey</a>

LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 22: Jessica Digirolamo #22 of Boston Fleet checks Daryl Watts #9 of Toronto Sceptres into the boards during the second period at Tsongas Center on January 22, 2025 in Lowell, Massachusetts.

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LONDON (AP) — Alessia Russo scored twice and Arsenal staged a remarkable comeback to reach the Wo...

LONDON (AP) — Alessia Russo scored twice and Arsenal staged a remarkable comeback to reach the Women’s Champions League semifinals with a 3-0 win over Real Madrid.Mariona Caldentey scored the other as Arsenal grabbed three goals in 13 minutes to overturn the team’s 2-0 loss in the first leg of the quarterfinal in the Spanish capital last week.Caldentey, who used to torment Madrid while playing for Barcelona, wheeled away in delight after leveling the tie three minutes after Russo pulled a goal back as Arsenal couldn’t have had a better start to the second half.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Russo fired Arsenal in front for the first time in the tie with an acrobatic finish in the 59th. It proved to be the winner in the 3-2 victory on aggregate.The England star might have had a hat trick only to be denied by a VAR call for offside, then by Madrid goalkeeper Misa in a one-on-one, then by another offside call.Arsenal needed a save from goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar in stoppage time to prevent Madrid star Linda Caicedo from sending the match to extra time.Arsenal will face last season’s beaten finalist Lyon as it seeks to win the trophy for the second time after success in 2007.<h3>Lyon advances</h3>Kadidiatou Diani scored one goal and set up two more as Lyon outclassed Bayern Munich 4-1 in the second leg of their quarterfinal earlier.The French powerhouse needed a wake-up call before reaching the semifinals for the 13th time. Klara Bühl opened the scoring in the 33rd minute off the far post to claw a goal back for Bayern after losing the first leg 2-0 in Munich.Lyon, the eight-time champion, emerged reinvigorated after the break and went on to wrap up a 6-1 victory on aggregate with Diani scoring and setting up goals for Melchie Dumornay and Tabitha Chawinga, who both scored in Munich last week.Dumornay played in Ada Hegerberg to seal the rout with a flourish by shooting the ball through Bayern goalkeeper Maria-Luisa “Mala” Grohs’ legs in stoppage time.Bayern will be left to rue defensive blunders for undermining its comeback hopes.The other quarterfinal second legs are scheduled for Thursday, with defending champion Barcelona in a comfortable position after a 4-1 win over Wolfsburg in Germany, and Chelsea needing goals as it hosts Manchester City after losing the first leg 2-0.Barcelona defeated Lyon in last year’s final.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Arsenal's Alessia Russo (centre) and team-mates celebrate qualifying for the semi finals following victory in the UEFA Women's Champions League, quarter-final, second leg match at the Emirates Stadium, London. Picture date: Wednesday March 26, 2025.

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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Teenager Alexandra Eala pulled off another upset at the Miami Open on ...

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Teenager Alexandra Eala pulled off another upset at the Miami Open on Wednesday when she knocked off five-time Grand Slam champion and second-seeded Iga Swiatek 6-2, 7-5 in the quarterfinals.The 19-year-old left-hander, who received a wild card into the WTA 1000 event, is the only Filipino player on the professional tennis tour and entered ranked 140th.Eala reached her first WTA semifinals after beating her third major champion, this time in 1 hour, 37 minutes.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Along the way, she defeated 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko and reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys, who is ranked No. 5. That was Eala's first win over a top-10 player.Then Eala won on a walkover in the fourth round over Paula Badosa, giving her added rest.Swiatek broke Eala in the match's first game, but the teenager broke right back. The first two games took only 15 minutes to play.On set point, Swiatek rapped a forehand long, ending the set in 42 minutes and putting Eala one set from the semifinals, where she will face either Jessica Pegula of the U.S. or Emma Raducanu of Britain.Though Eala represents the Philippines, she has lived the last six years in Mallorca, training at the Rafael Nadal Tennis Academy.___AP tennis: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tennis">https://apnews.com/hub/tennis</a>

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - MARCH 26: Alexandra Eala of the Philippines returns a shot against Iga Swiatek of Poland during their matchon Day 9 of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 26, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida.

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