I Dig Sports
HAMPTON, Ga. The Atlanta Motor Speedway is Austin Hills home track after all and the Georgia native proved again Saturday night that he absolutely owns it.
Hill dominated the NASCAR Xfinity Series Bennett Transportation and Logistics 250 on the Atlanta high banks leading 146 of the 163 laps to claim his first victory of the early 2025 season driving the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet sponsored by the races title sponsor.
Hill has won four of the last six Atlanta races the last three consecutively and five in all including a sweep of both events last year. And although his laps led total is impressive, he really had to work for this trophy, after losing the lead briefly on a restart with three laps to go.
With a timely tap on Hills Chevrolets rear bumper from Parker Retzlaff, Hill was able to push forward and take the lead entering the first turn on the final lap. He held on to the win by a slight .216-second having to fend off reigning series champion, JR Motorsports Justin Allgaier and Joe Gibbs Racings veteran Aric Almirola who both previously led at various times on that final restart.
Thank you to Parker Retzlaff for giving me that push, and then once I got clear and into [turn] one I was just wide open and I was hoping they werent going to build up momentum, Hill said, adding, To be able to do this is something special.
Hills five Xfinity Series wins at Atlanta ties a record set by former NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick. His eight-win total at drafting tracks ties a series record with a pair of NASCAR Hall of Famers, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart.
Hill swept the two stage wins for the second time in as many races this year giving him a 100 percent mark in 2025.
With his teammate Jesse Love winning the pole position for the race, it gives the RCR team a weekend sweep of pole and race wins for the second time no other team has won a pole position or hoisted a trophy in 2025. It also marks the 99th Xfinity Series victory for the NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Childresss team. Hill and Love led all but four laps in the race.
This is Hills 11th career win and after holding the point for the vast majority of the race, he ultimately earned it the hard way a last lap pass.
He definitely had the dominant car but I thought we might snooker one away, Almirola said of racing Hill in those final three laps. But it just wasnt meant to be.
JR Motorsports Sammy Smith and Big Machine Racing rookie Nick Sanchez rounded out the top-five. A final lap accident on the backstretch created chaos for several of the nights most consistent top-10 frontrunners.
Jeb Burton, rookie Daniel Dye, Leland Honeyman, rookie William Sawalich and Harrison Burton ultimately rounded out the top-10 at the checkered flag. Kaulig Racing rookie Christian Eckes earned the Fastest Lap Bonus point.
With the victory, Hill takes a 1-point lead over Haas Factory Team driver Sheldon Creed, who was eliminated from a top-10 finish in that multi-car accident on the last lap and scored 14th. Hills teammate, last weeks Daytona winner Love, finished 16th.
Manjrekar: 'Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi have seen better days'
Indian anthem before Aus vs Eng in Lahore - PCB asks ICC for clarification
The PCB has reached out to the ICC for clarification after the Indian national anthem was erroneously played for a moment at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
ESPNcricinfo understands that the PCB is unhappy with the error, which it has blamed the ICC for. A PCB official told ESPNcricinfo that as this is an ICC tournament, the anthem playlist was produced and distributed by the ICC, with the ICC in charge of playing the anthems ahead of the matches. The PCB also questioned the presence of the Indian anthem in the playlist in the first place, given India are not playing any of their matches in Pakistan.
This was a departure from the broadcast graphics for the other matches of the tournament so far, including the tournament opener between Pakistan and New Zealand in Karachi where the event name as well as 'Pakistan' was visible on the broadcast.
The ICC put that down to a technical glitch, though it was an explanation that didn't satisfy the PCB. The ICC gave assurances that such a thing would not be repeated, regardless of where the games were being held. That means the feed for Sunday's game between India and Pakistan in Dubai - the most high-profile contest of the tournament - will include Pakistan's name on the official on-screen logo.
The game between Australia and England drew the biggest crowd of the tournament so far, and was the most dramatic, as Australia chased down a record 351 to beat England by five wickets with 15 balls to spare.
Queensland crash out of One-Day Cup to youthful WA
Western Australia 132 for 4 beat Queensland 131 (Swepson 45, Jackson 4-39, Couch 3-45) by six wickets
Queensland crashed out of the One-Day Cup title race in humbling fashion, suffering a six-wicket loss to wooden spooners Western Australia at the Gabba.
In reply, a WA side featuring mostly emerging players reached the victory target in just 26 overs, with Hilton Cartwright, Sam Fanning and Jayden Goodwin all chipping in.
Queensland entered their last match of the regular season in third spot and well in the hunt to claim a spot in the March 1 final. They needed to beat WA and for Victoria to beat second-placed NSW to lock away a spot in the decider.
Even if NSW beat Victoria, Queensland could have still made the final by posting a bonus-point win over WA. But things went awry for the Bulls from the outset.
Star trio Ben McDermott, Jimmy Peirson and Matt Renshaw all fell cheaply as Queensland slumped to 17 for 3 in the fifth over.
Lachlan Hearne and Angus Lovell briefly steadied the ship, but those knocks were only a temporary reprieve as WA's youth-laden attack continued to wreak havoc.
Queensland were 102 for 9 before No. 10 Mitchell Swepson whacked 45 off 35 balls to at least give Queensland some sort of chance to pull off a miracle win.
The pace trio have just 15 List A appearances between them, and spinner Corey Rocchiccioli was playing just his second List A match.
But despite their youth and inexperience, the WA attack ripped through Queensland's talented line-up with ease. Swepson whacked three sixes and three fours in the sole real resistance Queensland were able to put up.
WA made light work of the run chase, with teenage paceman Callum Vidler the only Queensland bowler to make any true inroads.
The win was only WA's second of the season, with their hopes of winning four straight titles derailed by injuries and poor form across the campaign.
After lengthy injury layoff, Jamieson climbs back from the 'bottom of the cliff'
Jamieson last played an ODI in September 2023, against Bangladesh just before the World Cup. Looking back at his time off, Jamieson said his comeback worked out "roughly around the time-frames we looked at".
"I had a good crew around me, and the start of it was trying to put that all together around, what that's going to look like, and how we're going to get from where I was at the bottom of the cliff and how we're going to get back up to the top of it," he said after reaching Rawalpindi ahead of New Zealand's match against Bangladesh.
Jamieson has had his share of injures in a short international career so far. In June 2022, he experienced "sharp pain" in his lower back and walked off midway through his 17th over in a Test at Trent Bridge. Just ahead of the home Tests against England in early 2023, a suspected recurrence of the back injury ruled him out and he underwent surgery. It was only in August that year that Jamieson was back on the field, when he played five T20Is and three ODIs across the tours of the UAE and England. He then toured Bangladesh, where he played in two of the three ODIs.
New Zealand even named Jamieson as cover for an injured Matt Henry for the World Cup in 2023, before drafting him into the squad proper. Although Jamieson didn't get to play the tournament, he featured in both Tests on the subsequent tour of Bangladesh. However, a stiff hamstring ruled him out of the ODI series at home against the same opposition, and he also sat out of the T20Is on "medical advice". It was after that, halfway through the home series against South Africa, that Jamieson found himself out again.
"It's been a long one. Obviously, a lot of hard work [has gone into the comeback]," he said. "I had to go back to square one, and rebuild a few things. [I had to] try and solidify the foundations so I can get back to this arena and take on the different forms of cricket again. It's certainly been a long road, but it's quite funny once you're back in the mix and forget about how long it's taken."
"From the cricket point of view, it was great to be back in the park and just see where your game's at. I was always reasonably confident that part was going to be okay, but it's just nice to obviously put it back into that arena."
Kyle Jamieson on his return to action after a ten-month layoff
In the lead-up to the Champions Trophy, Jamieson worked his way back by representing Canterbury in the Super Smash and Ford Trophy, New Zealand's domestic T20 and 50-over competitions respectively. He bagged 14 wickets at an average of 18.71 to be Canterbury Magicians' highest wicket-taker in the Super Smash, where he played in all 12 matches.
"I really enjoyed being a part of a full campaign. You don't often get a chance to be a part of long stretches of time with your domestic team," he said. "From the cricket point of view, it was great to be back in the park and just see where your game's at. I was always reasonably confident that part was going to be okay, but it's just nice to obviously put it back into that arena. I guess those are some of the pressures and challenges that come with that sort of high-pressure cricket."
USMNT legend Meola recovering from heart attack
Former United States national team and MLS goalkeeper Tony Meola is recovering after suffering a heart attack Thursday, one day before his 56th birthday.
Meola underwent an unspecified procedure after the heart attack. He told Front Row Soccer that he ran four miles last Saturday and had the heart attack five days later.
"If I get one of you to go to the doctor and get a checkup, this was all worth it for me," Meola said, according to Front Row Soccer. "I'm going to be fine in a week, but I should have been smarter."
Meola was the USMNT's starting goalie in the 1990 and 1994 World Cups and was a backup in 2002. He made 101 appearances for the national team and had 35 shutouts.
Meola was a four-time All-Star in 11 MLS seasons with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars (1996-98), Kansas City Wizards (1999-2004) and New York Red Bulls (2005-06).
Meola was the regular-season MVP and MLS Cup MVP in 2000 when Kansas City won the title. He had 16 regular-season shutouts and added five more in the postseason.
Overall, he had 62 clean sheets in 250 MLS starts. In 23 playoff matches, he had eight shutouts.
After the 1994 World Cup, the New York Jets brought in Meola, who kicked off five times during the preseason but failed to make the team.
Information from Field Level Media was used in this report.
Duke's Lucas focus of Miami search, sources say
Duke associate head coach Jai Lucas has emerged as the focus of Miami's search for a new basketball coach, sources told ESPN on Saturday.
A deal is not completed, and the plan is for the search to come together on a traditional timeline close to the end of the regular season.
Multiple sources told ESPN on Saturday night that the job has not been formally offered, nor is a deal expected to be imminent. Miami plays Duke on Tuesday in Coral Gables, Florida.
Duke coach Jon Scheyer was asked about Lucas following the Blue Devils' 110-67 win over Illinois on Saturday night in New York.
"Absolutely he's a head coach, no question about it," Scheyer said. "It's part of why I hired him. The job he's done for us has been incredible.
"Any report or anything that's out there, I'm just getting wind of it now. We'll cross that bridge and figure it out."
Lucas, 36, is considered one of the country's top assistant coaches, having worked at Texas (2016-20) and Kentucky (2020-22) as an assistant prior to landing at Duke in 2022. He was elevated to Duke's associate head coach in 2023.
He is also Duke's defensive coordinator. The Blue Devils rank No. 4 nationally in KenPom's defensive efficiency ratings and No. 1 in 2-point field goal percentage allowed. In Lucas' first two seasons with Duke, the team finished in the top 20 in KenPom's defense rankings.
Miami is set to replace Jim Larranaga, who stepped down in December amid his 14th season at the school. Larranaga led Miami to the Final Four in 2023 and twice won the ACC regular-season title. The Hurricanes are 6-20 overall this season and in last place in the ACC at 2-13.
Lucas is considered one of the country's best recruiters, as he helped bring elite talent to Texas and Kentucky when he was with those programs. Duke's recruiting class has been ranked in the top two nationally in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Lucas played a big role in helping bring in the Boozer twins -- No. 3 Cameron and No. 16 Cayden -- for the 2025 class.
Lucas is the son of John Lucas II, the former Maryland All-American, No. 1 NBA draft pick and longtime NBA coach and assistant.
Embiid benched, declines comment as Sixers lose
PHILADELPHIA -- Joel Embiid got benched and the 76ers got beat at the horn.
A season full of championship hopes has turned into a debacle for the 76ers, the latest blight coming against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night when they lost their seventh straight game, this one on a buzzer-beating tip-in -- and with Embiid on the bench.
A two-time NBA scoring champion, the oft-injured Embiid sat out the fourth quarter in the 105-103 loss after a rough three quarters. Embiid scored just 14 points in 31 minutes, missed all six 3-point attempts and was a bystander in the fourth when the 76ers rallied from 17 down to take the lead late, until they were finished off by Nic Claxton's winner at the horn.
Embiid, who signed a three-year, $193 million contract extension in September, declined to comment.
Embiid has been hobbled by injuries all season and was slow to get up late in the third when he lost the ball and hit the court. Embiid said earlier this week that he needed to "fix the problem" in his left knee to return to his dominant All-Star form.
"The way I was playing a year ago is not the way I'm playing right now," Embiid said Thursday after the 76ers lost to Boston. "I probably need to fix the problem, and then I'll be back at that level. But it's hard to have trust when you're not yourself."
He has played in just 19 of 56 games for the Sixers, who fell to 20-36 as their chances for a berth in the NBA play-in tournament fade.
"I mean I get it. Especially for how big he is, the size he is, and how he plays," teammate Paul George said about Embiid's injuries. "It takes a toll. But I think the best thing for it is reps. ... So, that was the best thing for me, just playing through it. Eventually, the body gets adjusted to it."
Coach Nick Nurse said he benched Embiid in the fourth because the lineup on the court -- that included big man Guerschon Yabusele -- was playing well in the quarter.
"They had a good feel for the game at that point," Nurse said. "Just wanted to let them roll with it."
Embiid played just 39 games last season due to a torn meniscus in his left knee. The 76ers announced in early February of that season that he had undergone surgery. Embiid came back in early April, was part of the 76ers' playoff run and then won a gold medal with the U.S. Olympic team last summer.
"I've probably seen him at his best, I think. I can't really speak for the couple of seasons before that. But for the last four years, he's been pretty dominant every time he steps on the court," 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey said. "Knowing that it's still holding him back a little bit, and he's still out here trying to fight and get his rhythm. Go out there and just be him and it's difficult. I just try to keep his head up."
Embiid acknowledged earlier this month that he didn't have enough time to fully recover after undergoing surgery last year.
"He's giving us what he can. He's not himself, we all know that," Nurse said. "He's not certainly the guy we're used to seeing play at a super-high level. I commend him for giving us what he can."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Sources: Popovich not expected back this season
San Antonio Spurs Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich is not expected to return this season, and his NBA future is uncertain as he recovers from a stroke suffered in November, league sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Saturday.
The latest development provides some closure during what has turned into a difficult season for San Antonio, which Thursday announced plans to shut down franchise superstar Victor Wembanyama after he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.
Popovich and Wembanyama have been in close contact the past few days, sources told Charania. The coach has been hands-on in communicating and providing guidance in the wake of Wembanyama's diagnosis.
"It is wild to think of the circumstances and the situations that we've been through as a team this year," Spurs point guard Chris Paul said after Wembanyama's latest medical setback, which is a form of blood clot in his shoulder. "But I think you guys know when situations happen in your family, that, somehow, someway brings you closer."
Popovich is the NBA's winningest coach with 1,390 regular-season victories and another 170 in the postseason to go with five championships. On Nov. 2, he suffered what the team called a "mild stroke" ahead of a matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
San Antonio moved assistant Mitch Johnson into the head-coaching role on an interim basis, and he's posted a 21-27 record in leading the young Spurs.
Popovich, who has coached the Spurs since the 1996-97 season, turned 76 in January and potentially leaves the game as the oldest coach in NBA history. In 2020, he passed the previous record held by Hubie Brown, who was 71 when he coached his final game with the Memphis Grizzlies.
When the club first named Johnson acting head coach, it did so with plans for Popovich to eventually return. Popovich even released a statement in December thanking the community, the Spurs organization and friends for their outpouring of support.
"No one is more excited to see me return to the bench than the talented individuals who have been leading my rehabilitation process," Popovich said jokingly in the statement. "They've quickly learned that I'm less than coachable."
Throughout his absence, Popovich, who also serves as the team's president, has remained in contact with Johnson, as well as with Spurs players, by providing support and opinions about game plans for attacking opponents.
Johnson mentioned in January that Popovich is "giving praise and cussing me out all at the same time."
Spurs CEO RC Buford, Popovich's closest confidant and the architect of most of the franchise's title teams, said in January the coach was "attacking his rehab."
"The same resilience he's shown over the course of our career as a coach, he's approaching his return in his rehab in an incredibly unique way," Buford said. "The relationships he's had with former players and the care they're sharing with him is amazing, and his improvement continues."
In addition to his success in the NBA, Popovich has shined on the international stage, coaching USA Basketball in 2021 to a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
"It's not one person to fill Pop's shoes in this moment. It's a village," general manager Brian Wright said 11 days after Popovich's stroke. "We've all bonded together. We're all playing our roles in that part, and we'll continue to do that. It's what he would want."
Yanks use ABS challenge system, keep inning alive
DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Changing one ball to a strike can completely alter an inning.
Saturday was proof of that, when the New York Yankees used the automated ball-strike system to turn a strikeout into a walk, then went on to score three runs in the top of the sixth against Toronto. The ABS is being tested during major league spring training after years of experiments in the minors.
New York's Everson Pereira was initially called out on strikes on a full count for what would have been the third out of the sixth. But the call was challenged and changed to a ball, putting Pereira on first.
Spencer Jones then followed with a two-run homer, and two batters later, Ismael Munguia added an RBI triple. The Blue Jays still went on to win 6-4.
"The timing to challenge a close pitch was there, and obviously, he was right and convicted on it," Yankees manager Aaron Boone told MLB.com. "We'll continue to gain as much experience with it as we can."
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