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Curbstone Coaches idle Monday

In observance of the Thanks giving holiday, the Curbstone Coaches will be off this coming Monday.

They will reconvene Dec. 8, where Mineral Ridge High School head football coach Andy Hake will be the speaker.

Lakers' Doncic calls court 'dangerous'

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Lakers will use their normal home court for their NBA Cup game against Dallas on Friday night after Luka Doncic complained about the slipperiness of their league-issued special tournament court.

Doncic said the new court was "slippery" and "dangerous" on Tuesday night after the Lakers clinched their tournament group with a victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. The league provides exotic, unorthodox hardwood courts to every team in the league to distinguish its NBA Cup games.

While LeBron James said he didn't find the court especially perilous, Rui Hachimura echoed Doncic's concerns during the Lakers' morning shootaround Friday, saying the yellow court was "bad" and "oily, slippery."

After Doncic's complaints, the court was examined by the league's technicians and deemed unsafe for play, the team said. After adjustments, the court could be available if the Lakers host a Cup quarterfinal later this month.

The Lakers have won five consecutive games as they welcome the Mavericks and Anthony Davis, who will return from a 14-game injury absence to face the Lakers in their downtown arena for the first time since the seismic trade sending him to Dallas for Doncic 10 months ago.

Jets' corner Boyd back in hospital

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- A post on New York Jets cornerback Kris Boyd's Instagram account late Wednesday night said he was back in the hospital after recovering from being shot in midtown Manhattan on Nov. 16.

Boyd wrote on his Instagram Stories -- which has since disappeared from his profile because it is more than 24 hours old -- that his "health issues" landed him back in the hospital and asked people to bear with him for not providing more updates.

"I was released but had to return to the hospital due to my health issues," Boyd wrote. "I love and appreciate everyone of yall dearly who has prayed/reached out even if I can't get back to you."

Boyd also wrote: "Head HIGH, God is not through with me yet!"

It wasn't immediately certain when Boyd had been released, but Jets coach Aaron Glenn confirmed Friday that the special teams standout returned to the hospital.

The shooting happened just after 2 a.m. on Nov. 16 about halfway between Madison Square Garden and Times Square. Boyd, 29, was taken to Bellevue Hospital after being shot in the abdomen, police said. The shooter fled the scene.

New York police released surveillance images last week of a man sought in the shooting of Boyd.

On Nov. 19, a picture of Boyd lying down and smiling in what appeared to be his hospital bed was posted on his Instagram Stories.

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Balash to speak at Curbstone

WFMJ-TV 21 sports director Dana Balash will be the guest speaker at Monday's luncheon meeting of The Curbstone Coaches at the Avion Banquet Center on Western Reserve Road in Beaver Township.

The event begins at noon and the public is welcome to attend.

For those arriving early the buffet lines will open at 11:45 a.m.

Three YSU swimming records set

YOUNGSTOWN -- It was a busy day inside Beeghly Natatorium as the Youngstown State men's and women's swimming and diving programs kicked off the three-day YSU Invite with three new school records set.

The Penguin divers started off the finals in a very dominant fashion, as Zachary Lao claimed victory in the men's one-meter dive with a score of 319.90, qualifying for the NCAA Diving Zones, while Rafael Serey-Cormier placed second with a score of 309.20, also high enough for qualification for the NCAA Diving Zones.

Hanna Held placed first in the women's three-meter diving event with a score of 305.35, beating out teammates Natalie Weissman (276.95) and Haley Conklin (231.80).

Quinn Cynor broke the program record in the men's 500 free with a time of 4:22.97, breaking the previous record by two seconds. The Penguins notched the top five spots during the event, as Lorenz Beck finished second with a time of 4:36.28, and Poyraz San Askin finished third with a time of 4:36.35.

The Penguin women took the top three spots in their section of the 500 free, as Olivia Sweetman won with a pool-record time of 4:54.42, Derin Donmez finished second with a time of 5:02.17, and Lara Lilic placed third with a time of 5:08.98.

Elliot Elmore finished first in the men's 200 IM with a pool-record time of 1:51.05, followed by Adrian Andres-Moreno, who was runner-up with a time of 1:53.70.

James Slessor won the men's 50 breaststroke with a time of 25.24, followed by teammates Adrian Andres-Moreno in second with a time of 25.42, and Dominic Panozzo (Hubbard) in third with a time of 25.84.

Jacob Gramer led the Penguin men to a sweep of the top three spots in the 50 free, as he clocked a time of 20.35. He was followed by Pablo Santos, who placed second with a time of 20.72, and Reid Withey, who placed third with a time of 20.82.

The men's relays shone, capturing sweeping victories on the day. First, in the 200-free relay, Quinn Cynor, Lorenz Beck, Reid Withey, and Jacob Gramer swam a time of 1:20.32 for the win, while the 400-medley relay team of Cynor, James Slessor, Beck, and Gramer set a new school record with a time of 3:12.42 en route to the win. Their mark was three seconds quicker than the previous school record.

Helen Bernardi placed runner-up in the 50 breaststroke as she clocked a time of 29.67, while Hannah Murray finished third with a time of 29.81.

Hannah Murray finished second place in the women's 200 IM as she clocked a time of 2:06.12.

Chloe Moore finished third in the women's 50 free with a time of 23.82.

The Penguin women finished third in the 200-free relay, as Izzy Rossi, Jordan Sarubbi, Katie Hildebrand, and Ximena Young clocked a collective time of 1:38.97.

Yankees, Yarbrough finalize deal

NEW YORK -- Side-arming left-hander Ryan Yarbrough and the New York Yankees finalized their $2.5 million, one-year contract on Friday.

Yarbrough can earn an additional $250,000 in performance bonuses: $50,000 for 75 innings and each additional 10 through 115. He gives the Yankees a possible starter to join Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil and Will Warren in the rotation early in the season while Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón recover from surgery.

Yarbrough, who turns 34 on Dec. 31, agreed in March to a $2 million, one-year contract, one day after he was released from a minor league deal with Toronto, and he earned $150,000 in performance bonuses based on innings.

He went 3-1 with a 4.36 ERA in eight starts and 11 relief appearances, striking out 55 and walking 19 in 64 innings. Yarbrough did not pitch for the Yankees between June 18 and Sept. 5 because of a strained right oblique. He was left off the roster for postseason series against Boston and Toronto.

An eight-year major league veteran, Yarbrough is 56-41 with a 4.22 ERA in 76 starts and 139 relief appearances for Tampa Bay (2018-22), Kansas City (2023), the Los Angeles Dodgers (2023-24), Toronto (2024) and the Yankees.

Garcia among non-tender free agents

NEW YORK -- Texas outfielder Adolis García, catcher Jonah Heim and right-hander Josh Sborz were among 66 players who became free agents Friday when they weren't offered 2026 contracts.

New York Yankees relievers Mark Leiter Jr., Ian Hamilton, Scott Effross and Jake Cousins also were cut loose along with Boston first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, Houston infielder/outfielder Ramón Urías and Chicago White Sox outfielder Mike Tauchman.

Thirty-four players agreed to contracts ahead of the non-tender deadline, led by Kansas City infielder Jonathan India ($8 million), newly acquired Atlanta utilityman Mauricio Dubón ($6.1 million) and Yankees pitcher Clarke Schmidt ($4.5 million), who will miss all or most of the season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Others reaching deals included New York Mets outfielder Tyrone Taylor ($3.8 million), Detroit outfielder Matt Vierling ($3,255,000) and Tigers catcher Jake Rogers ($3.05 million).

From staff/wire reports

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Householder gets national honor

YOUNGSTOWN -- Abbie Householder (Canfield) was named the National Player of the Week by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, marking it the first time in the 51-year history of the Youngstown State volleyball program that a Penguin has earned the award.

Householder, who was named the Horizon League Player of the Week on Monday, is the third player in conference history to earn the award and the first since 2002.

"This is an amazing recognition for Abbie," YSU head coach Riley Jarrett said. "She has worked so hard to get to where she is, and I'm so happy for her. We look forward to finishing our season strong."

Householder averaged 7.17 kills per set, the fourth-most in the country, and 7.92 points per set in leading the Penguins to two wins over Purdue Fort Wayne. The senior outside hitter posted 43 kills in six sets, and her production came efficiently as she posted a .415 attack percentage and had kills on 52.4% of her 82 attempts.

Householder had 20 kills in 40 swings while hitting .375 in Thursday's series opener. She then set a new school record for kills in a three-set, rally-scoring match with 23 on Friday. Her record-setting total came on 42 attempts, and she hit .452. Householder added 2.83 digs, 0.83 blocks and 0.33 aces per set last week.

Previously, the only two players in Horizon League history to be named National Player of the Week by the AVCA were Notre Dame's Christy Peters on Sept. 26, 1993, and Wright State's Karis Day on Sept. 9, 2002.

Cavs fined for resting Mitchell, Mobley

NEW YORK -- The NBA fined the Cleveland Cavaliers $100,000 on Tuesday for violating the league's player participation policy by resting both Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley against the Miami Heat on Nov. 12.

The league noted the policy adopted before the 2023-24 season was designed to promote participation in the NBA's regular season.

Cleveland beat Miami 130-116 without Mitchell, a six-time All-Star, and Mobley, a first-time All-Star last season. The Cavaliers also were without All-Star Darius Garland, who aggravated his surgically repaired left toe in a game on Nov. 10.

Westminster's Rambo named All-PAC

TRAFFORD, Pa. -- The Westminster College women's volleyball program had five players named All-Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Tuesday evening.

Senior Shelby Rambo (Crestview) earned First Team All-PAC, seniors Angie Nardone and Jamie Robertson were named Second Team All-PAC and senior Rachel LaSalvia and sophomore Morgan O'Brien were named Honorable Mention All-PAC.

Junior Liv Trent and O'Brien were named to this year's PAC All-Tournament Team.

Rambo was named an All-PAC selection for the third time in her career (second team in 2024, honorable mention in 2023). She ranked eighth in the PAC in both hitting percentage (.248) and total blocks (76). She wrapped up her collegiate career with 627 kills and 307 total blocks, which is tied for 22nd among active Division III leaders.

A two-time College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District selection, Rambo has been named to the PAC's Academic Honor Roll three times.

Titans place receiver Ridley on IR

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans put wide receiver Calvin Ridley on injured reserve Tuesday after he broke his right leg on their first offensive play of their latest loss.

The Titans signed James Proche II from the practice squad to fill the roster spot. They also signed Lance McCutcheon and Kristian Wilkerson to the practice squad.

Ridley finishes his second season with Tennessee (1-9) with 303 yards receiving on 17 catches and no touchdown receptions. Ridley led the Titans with 1,017 yards receiving in 2024, his first of a four-year deal worth up to $92 million.

He caught a 13-yard pass from Cam Ward on the Titans' first offensive play before being tackled by Azeez Al-Shaair and Calen Bullock. Ridley walked to the sideline where he rode a cart to the locker room with a broken fibula.

Proche, a sixth-round pick out of SMU in 2021 by Baltimore, has played two games for the Titans this season as a gameday elevation. He was inactive for a third. He has started one of 64 games in his career, and Proche has 28 catches for 299 yards.

McCutcheon came into the NFL in 2022 as an undrafted free agent from Montana State. He was on the Titans practice squad earlier this season, and he has spent time with the Rams, Texans, Jets and Steelers. Wilkerson was in training camp with Tennessee in 2020 and has been with the Patriots, Colts, Raiders and Bills.

The Titans host Seattle (7-3) on Sunday.

No. 17 Spartans top No. 12 Kentucky

NEW YORK -- Kur Teng hit three of Michigan State's season-high 11 3-pointers on the way to scoring a career-best 15 points, and the 17th-ranked Spartans beat No. 12 Kentucky 83-66 on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden in the opener of the annual Champions Classic.

Jaxon Kohler sank two shots of his own from beyond the arc to finish with a team-high 20 points, and Trey Fort scored 13. Michigan State (4-0) made half of its 3-point attempts after entering the game shooting 21.7% from long range -- fourth-worst out of 361 Division I programs -- with just 14 total through its first three games.

Pounding the ball inside and cashing in on second opportunities, a much more familiar recipe for coach Tom Izzo's bunch, also worked. The Spartans outrebounded Kentucky 42-28 and never led by fewer than 10 after Teng's baseline fadeaway jumper deep in the corner with 2 seconds remaining in the first half.

Coen Carr threw down one of his trademark dunks on an alley-oop early in the second, and Michigan State fended off some Kentucky runs and expanded its lead to 20 and beyond in the final minutes.

The Wildcats (3-2) started fast and led 5-0 very early before going ice cold from the field. They were 8 of 29, including 4 of 15 from 3-point range, in the first half on the way to a second loss in three games.

Otega Oweh led Kentucky with 12 points, while Denzel Aberdeen, Collin Chandler and New York native Mouhamed Dioubate scored 10 apiece.

Kentucky point guard Jaland Lowe missed his fifth consecutive game to open the season. He's out indefinitely after dislocating his right shoulder in an intrasquad scrimmage last month.

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Hannon to speak at Curbstone

Bob Hannon will be the guest speaker at Monday's luncheon meeting of The Curbstone Coaches at the Avion Banquet Center on Western Reserve Road in Beaver Township.

The event begins at noon and the public is welcome to attend. For those arriving early the buffet lines will open at 11:45 a.m.

Note: Members please arrive before 11:30 a.m. for elections.

Penguin runners end in Evansville

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- The Youngstown State men's and women's cross-country programs concluded their very successful 2025 seasons Friday morning at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championships on the Angel Mounds Cross Country Course.

The women's 6K race began the day, and once again the Penguins were led by Horizon League champion McKinley Fielding. She placed 42nd individually with a time of 21:03.38, which is a 20-spot improvement from her 62nd-place finish last year. Caleigh Richards (Maplewood) wrapped up her sophomore season with a 75th-place finish, clocking a time of 21:34.82. Jenna Razavi was the third Penguin to finish inside the top 100 as her time of 21:37.35 was good enough for 77th place. Megan Stafford (Salem) and Maggie Hopple (Salem) finished close together, as Stafford placed 142nd with a time of 22:35.14 and Hopple finished in 146th place with a time of 22:39.33. Lillian Katsaras finished 167th with a time of 23:00.45, and Karis McElhaney rounded out the 'Guins with a time of 23:48.87, good enough for a 202nd-place finish.

The Penguin women finished 16th as a team with 461 points. Notre Dame won the regional title with 22 total points. Wisconsin placed second with 95 points, while Toledo rounded out the top three with 104 points.

The YSU men were led during their 10K race by graduate student Tobias Jones, who rounded out his cross-country career with an individual finish of 53rd place as he clocked a time of 31:42.78. He finished one spot ahead of his 54th-place nod at the regional championships last year. Sage Vavro had a very strong final push as he finished in 57th with a time of 31:45.50. Blaze Fichter placed 74th with a time of 31:11.09, while Brock Farris (Boardman) finished 97th with a time of 32:27.59, and Ethan Cope finished closely behind him in 111th with a time of 32:41.90. Owen Brady placed 131st with a time of 33:05.16, and Patrick Burgos rounded out the Penguins with a time of 34:01.78, finishing 173rd.

The Penguin men finished 12th as a team with 388 total points. Notre Dame won the regional title for the men as well with 60 points. Butler placed second with 75 points, while Wisconsin finished third with 99 points.

YouTube TV, Disney reach new deal

Disney and YouTube TV reached a new deal to bring channels like ABC and ESPN back to the Google-owned live streaming platform Friday, ending a blackout for customers that dragged on for about two weeks.

"As part of the new deal, Disney's full suite of networks and stations - including ESPN and ABC - have already begun to be restored to YouTube TV subscribers," The Walt Disney Co. said in a statement.

"We are pleased that our networks have been restored in time for fans to enjoy the many great programming options this weekend, including college football."

Disney content had gone dark on YouTube TV the night of Oct. 30, after two sides failed to reach a new licensing deal. In the days that followed, YouTube TV subscribers were left without Disney channels on the platform -- notably disrupting coverage of top U.S. college football matchups and professional sports games, among other news and entertainment offerings.

Beyond ESPN and ABC, other Disney-owned content removed from YouTube TV during the impasse included channels like NatGeo, FX, Freeform, SEC Network, ACC Network and more.

At the time the carriage dispute reached its boiling point, YouTube TV said that Disney was proposing terms that would be too costly, resulting in higher prices and fewer choices for its subscribers. And the platform accused Disney of using the blackout "as a negotiating tactic" -- claiming that the move also benefited Disney's own streaming products like Hulu + Live TV and Fubo.

Disney, meanwhile, said that YouTube TV had refused to pay fair rates for its channels. The California entertainment giant also accused Google of "using its market dominance to eliminate competition." And executives blasted the platform for pulling content "prior to the midnight expiration" of their deal last month.

On Nov. 3, Disney also asked YouTube TV to restore ABC programming for Election Day on Nov. 4 to put "the public interest first." But YouTube TV said this temporary reprieve would confuse customers -- and instead proposed that the entertainment giant agree to restore both its ABC and ESPN channels while the two sides continue negotiations.

The blackout marked the latest in growing list of licensing disputes in today's streaming world. And consumers often pay the price.

From sports events to awards shows, live programming that was once reserved for broadcast has increasingly made its way into the streaming world over the years as more and more consumers ditch traditional cable or satellite TV subscriptions for content they can get online. But amid growing competition, renewing carriage agreements can also mean tense contract negotiations -- and at times service disruptions.

YouTube TV and Disney have been down this road before. In 2021, YouTube TV subscribers also briefly lost access to all Disney content on the platform after a similar contract breakdown between the two companies. That outage lasted less than two days, with the companies eventually reaching an agreement.

YouTube TV's base subscription plan costs $82.99 per month -- which, beyond Disney content, currently includes live TV offerings from networks like NBC, CBS, Fox, PBS and more. The platform previously said it would give subscribers a $20 credit its dispute with Disney lasted "an extended period of time" -- which it reportedly allowed customers to start claiming on Nov. 9.

Disney also doles out live TV through both traditional broadcasting and its own lineup of streaming platforms. ESPN launched its own streamer earlier this year, starting at $29.99 a month. And other Disney content can be found on platforms like Hulu, Disney+ and Fubo. Disney currently allows people to bundle ESPN along with Hulu and Disney+ for $35.99 a month -- or $29.99 a month for the first year.

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YSU's Jarrett to speak at Curbstone

Riley Jarrett, the Youngstown State women's volleyball head coach, will be the guest speaker at Monday's luncheon meeting of The Curbstone Coaches at the Avion Banquet Center on Western Reserve Road in Beaver Township.

The event begins at noon, and the public is welcome to attend.

For those arriving early, the buffet lines will open at 11:45 a.m.

Kernan named Thiel softball coach

GREENVILLE, Pa. -- A local softball coach is going back to college.

Thiel College Director of Athletics Isaac Collins announced the hiring of Michael Kernan as the college's next softball coach Thursday morning.

Kernan most recently was the head coach at Canfield, a program that has made the state championship twice under his watch.

Kernan joins Thiel with more than two decades of coaching experience at both the high school and collegiate levels. During his tenure, Canfield compiled a 72-11-3 record, produced multiple All-State selections and earned consecutive conference titles.

Before his success at Canfield, Kernan served as an assistant coach at fellow Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) school Hiram College. During the 2022 season, he helped guide Hiram to the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Tournament Championship and a runner-up finish at the NCAA DePauw Regional, marking one of the most successful campaigns in program history.

Kernan started his coaching journey at Ursuline. He compiled 373 wins in his nearly 20 years with the program. Under his leadership, Ursuline won eight district championships, was a state championship finalist and claimed 17 sectional championships.

"We're thrilled to welcome Michael to the Thiel College family as our next Head Softball Coach," Collins said in a press release. "Coach Kernan brings an exceptional blend of competitive drive, regional recruiting connections and leadership experience that aligns perfectly with our vision for Tomcat Softball. His track record of success and reputation for developing players both on and off the field make him the right person to elevate our program to championship standards. We're confident that under his guidance, Thiel Softball will continue to grow in competitiveness, culture and pride."

His career accolades include inductions into four different hall of fame's, including the Hiram Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005 and Ohio High School Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

"I would like to thank Michael McKinney, Isaac Collins and the Thiel administration for this excellent leadership opportunity at such a superior college," Kernan said in the press release. "I look forward to enhancing the Tomcat educational and athletic experience by guiding these maturing student athletes to excel on and off the field."

Japanese slugger Murakami posted

NEW YORK -- Power-hitting Japanese corner infielder Munetaka Murakami is entering Major League Baseball's posting system and will be available to teams to sign as a free agent from Saturday through Dec. 22.

Murakami, who turns 26 on Feb. 2, was the Central League's MVP in 2021 and '22 with the Yakult Swallows and is a four-time All-Star.

He batted .273 with 22 homers and 47 RBIs this season, limited to 56 games by an oblique injury. He struck out 64 times.

Murakami hit 56 homers in 2022 to break Sadaharu Oh's record for a Japanese-born player in Nippon Professional Baseball while becoming the youngest player to earn Japan's Triple Crown. He topped 30 homers in four straight years before an injury-interrupted season in 2023.

He has a .270 career average with 246 homers, 647 RBIs and 977 strikeouts in 892 games over eight Central League seasons, all with the Swallows.

After playing primarily at first base in 2019 and 2020, he has spent most of his time since at third.

At the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Murakami hit a ninth-inning walk-off double off Giovanny Gallegos that scored Shohei Ohtani and Masataka Yoshida to give Japan a 6-5 semifinal win over Mexico. The following day in the championship game, Murakami hit a tying home run off Merrill Kelly in the second inning and Japan went on to beat the United States 3-2.

Under the agreement between MLB and NPB, the posting fee will be 20% of the first $25 million of a major league contract, including earned bonuses and options. The percentage drops to 17.5% of the next $25 million and 15% of any amount over $50 million. There would be a supplemental fee of 15% of any earned bonuses, salary escalators and exercised options.

No. 25 UNC beats No. 19 Kansas

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Freshman Caleb Wilson had 24 points, big man Henri Veesaar added 20 and No. 25 North Carolina dominated the second half to pull away from No. 19 Kansas 87-74 in Friday night's battle of college basketball bluebloods.

Senior Seth Trimble added 13 of his 17 after halftime, proving to be a catalyst for the Tar Heels (2-0) in taking control of the second-half tempo as UNC roared out of the break.

But North Carolina made 18 of its first 23 second-half shots -- including back-to-back push-the-tempo scores by Trimble that had Kansas coach Bill Self first waving his hands in frustration and then burning a quick timeout barely two minutes in.

Kyan Evans added 12 points after a scoreless first half for the Tar Heels, who went from shooting 33% before the break to making 24 of 36 shots (66.7%) after halftime to lead by as many as 16 on the way to scoring 58 second-half points.

Kansas star freshman Darryn Peterson had 22 points to lead the Jayhawks (1-1), who led by 10 in the first half and 37-29 at the break.

The Jayhawks entered Friday having won five straight meetings between programs with a combined 10 NCAA titles, including in the 2008 Final Four, the 2012 NCAA Elite Eight and the 2022 national championship game. The Jayhawks won last year's meeting at Allen Fieldhouse despite blowing a 20-point lead and were playing their first game in Chapel Hill.

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Cavs sign Livingston to contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward Chris Livingston to a two-way contract, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Livingston, (6-6, 228) appeared in 21 games (one start) last season for the Milwaukee Bucks. He also appeared in 18 games (13 starts) in the NBA G League for the Wisconsin Herd, averaging 18.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.00 steals in 29.5 minutes. He recorded his G League season-high 35 points on 10-14 (.714) shooting from the field, nine rebounds and two steals in 34 minutes on January 12 versus the Osceola Magic.

Over his two-year NBA career in Milwaukee, Livingston appeared in 42 games (one start) as well as four career postseason games. He was drafted by the Bucks with the No. 58 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft following one season at Kentucky where he appeared in 34 games (26 starts), averaging 6.3 points and 4.2 rebounds in 22.4 minutes.

A native of Akron, Livingston attended both Buchtel High School, where he was named Gatorade Ohio Boys Basketball Player of the Year in 2021 and Western Reserve Academy in Hudson.

Cleveland's roster now sits at 17 players including three Two-Ways. Livingston will wear No. 8 for the Cavaliers.

Zips victorious over winless UMass

AKRON -- Ben Finley threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score, Jordan Gant added 153 yards rushing and two touchdowns, and Akron beat winless Massachusetts 44-10 on Tuesday night.

Finley threw both touchdown passes in the first quarter as Akron jumped out to a 14-0 lead. UMass scored all 10 of its points inside the last six minutes of the opening quarter. Finley and Gant each had a short-yardage TD run in the second and the Zips led 27-10 at halftime.

Gage Summers scored on a 25-yard fumble return in the third quarter for Arkon. (4-6, 3-3 Mid-American Conference). Gant added a 9-yard touchdown run early in the fourth.

AJ Hairston tossed a 1-yard touchdown pass to Magnus Von Saldern and Derek Morris kicked a 55-yard field goal for the Minutemen (0-9, 0-5).

Akron, which has won two straight, finished with 467 yards of offense and held UMass to just 169.

Ohio comes back vs. Miami (Ohio)

ATHENS -- Parker Navarro threw for 201 yards and a touchdown and Sieh Bangura ran for 102 yards and a touchdown and Ohio beat Miami (Ohio) 24-20 on Tuesday night.

The Bobcats' (6-3, 4-1 Mid-American Conference) win created a four-way tie atop the conference with the Red Hawks, Buffalo and Western Michigan, who are each 5-4 overall and 4-1 in the league.

Navarro threw a 49-yard touchdown to Rodney Harris II with 2:15 left to play to provide the game-winning score. On Miami's second play of its final drive, Jalen Thomeson intercepted Dequan Finn to seal the win. Ohio ran five plays, gained 11 yards and killed the clock.

Finn threw a 27-yard touchdown to Kam Perry with 9:29 left to give Miami its final lead of the night. Early in the fourth, Finn threw a 4-yard touchdown to Braylon Isom for a 13-10 RedHawks lead. On the ensuing kickoff, however, Bangura ran it back 97 yards for a 17-13 Ohio advantage.

Finn threw for 194, two touchdowns and an interception.

Perez agrees to deal with Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Catcher Salvador Perez will remain with the Kansas City Royals rather than become a free agent, agreeing Tuesday to a two-year contact.

A nine-time All-Star, the 36-year-old had an $82 million, four-year contract that included a $13.5 million club option for 2026 with a $2 million buyout.

"Salvy is a Royals legend and one of the most important players this franchise has ever had," general manager J.J. Picollo said in a statement. "We had the option for next year, but everyone knew we wanted to make sure his legacy with us continued longer than that. We appreciate Salvy's commitment to the Royals, and we're just as excited as our fans."

Perez, Kansas City's captain, was MVP of the 2015 World Series, when the Royals won their second title and first since 1985.

Perez hit .236 with 30 homers and 100 RBIs, his third season with 100 or more. A five-time Gold Glove winner, he has a .264 average with 303 homers and 1,016 RBIs in 14 seasons, all with the Royals.

Purdue men's hoops routs Evansville

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Fletcher Loyer opened his final college season by scoring a career high 30 points and preseason All-American Braden Smith added 11 assists as Purdue protected its first preseason No. 1 ranking with a rousing 82-51 season-opening rout over Evansville on Tuesday night.

Loyer was 8 of 11 from the field and made seven 3-pointers. Smith scored just six points but passed former Illinois star Bruce Douglas for third on the Big Ten's career assists list. Smith increased his total to 769, four more than Douglas. Former Michigan State guard Matten Cleaves is second at 816.

Purdue has won 33 consecutive non-conference home games -- this one despite playing without preseason all-conference forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, who missed the game with an injured hip.

Joshua Hughes had 15 points and AJ Casey added 14 for Evansville, which faced the Boilermakers for the first time in 20 years. Defending Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year Connor Turnbull also sat out for an undisclosed reason.

Without Turnbull, Purdue made this one look easy even though it played raggedly at times -- missing shots at the rim, struggling to grab rebounds and just getting into a normal flow.

But the Boilermakers managed to take control with an early 11-0 run and then closed the first half by scoring the final five points to make it 41-22. They started the second half on a 12-0 spurt that made it 53-22 as Hall of Fame coach Gene Keady and former Purdue guard Lance Stephenson watched from the stands.

The Boilermakers were 13 of 29 on 3s.

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Curbstone Coaches idle on Monday

There will not be a luncheon Monday for the Curbstone Coaches.

The membership and friends will be attending the Youngstown State women's basketball season opener that day at 11 a.m. at Beeghly Center vs Thiel. There will be other members attending the YSU men's basketball season opener at Pitt at 7 p.m.

They will be reconvening Nov. 10 for their regular luncheon with speaker Riley Jarrett, the YSU head volleyball coach.

ABC, ESPN pulled from YouTube TV

YouTube TV viewers can no longer see Disney channels including ABC and ESPN after the two sides failed to agree on a new content distribution deal.

Other channels that vanished from Google's pay TV platform include the Disney Channel, FX and Nat Geo.

Google's pay TV platform said in a blog post late Thursday that Disney had followed through on a threat to suspend its content amid the negotiations.

The breakdown could impact coverage of some college football games on Saturday, as well as NBA, NFL and NHL games.

YouTube is the largest internet TV provider in the U.S. with more than 9 million subscribers. Hulu, owned by Disney, is next, with about half that many subscribers.

Viewers have become aware of the dispute in recent weeks because of warnings being scrolled across their screens.

YouTube said Disney used the threat of a blackout as a negotiating tactic that would have resulted in higher prices for its subscribers. Disney's move to take down its content also benefits its own streaming products Hulu + Live TV and Fubo, YouTube said.

"We know this is a frustrating and disappointing outcome for our subscribers and we continue to urge Disney to work with us constructively to reach a fair agreement that restores their networks to YouTube TV," it said.

YouTube said it would give subscribers a $20 credit if Disney content unavailable "for an extended period of time." YouTube TV's base subscription plan costs $82.99 per month.

Disney said that YouTube TV is refusing to pay fair rates for its channels and has chosen to "deny their subscribers the content they value most," pointing out the number of Top 25 teams playing this weekend.

"With a $3 trillion market cap, Google is using its market dominance to eliminate competition and undercut the industry-standard terms we've successfully negotiated with every other distributor," Disney said. The company said that it was committed to reaching a resolution as quickly as possible.

WNBA, union agree to extension

NEW YORK -- The WNBA and players union have agreed to a 30-day extension to continue negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement with a caveat.

The players can terminate the extension at any time with two days' notice to the league.

The league can also terminate the extension on two days' notice, a person with knowledge of the talks told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media about the deal.

The current CBA was set to expire Friday and tensions have been rising in recent weeks as the sides try to work toward a new deal.

The new Nov. 30 deadline gives the sides more time to come up with a new deal that would be transformational for the players in terms of salary. In 2019, when the last CBA deal had expired, the sides agreed to a 60-day extension and eventually ratified the current CBA in January 2020.

The sides have had meetings over the past few days, including in New York on Thursday.

Had an extension not been reached by Friday, the sides would have had three options: let things continue as is, have the players go on strike or the owners lock them out. A strike or lockout didn't really make sense for either side to do.

Players have already been paid for the past season and they have health insurance through April 30, 2026. There are no major events for the league on the immediate horizon until an expansion draft for new teams Portland and Toronto. The expansion draft for Golden State took place last December.

The players exercised their right to opt out of the current CBA last year with hopes of getting, among other things, increased revenue sharing, higher salaries, improved benefits and a softer salary cap.

49ers' QB Purdy to miss fifth game

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Quarterback Brock Purdy will miss his fifth straight start for the San Francisco 49ers with a toe injury, but he has made enough progress that he could be available in a backup role on Sunday against the New York Giants.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday that Purdy is still not "fully healthy" but has made enough progress to get some time with the starters in practice this week. Mac Jones got the bulk of the snaps with the starters and will get the nod once again this week.

Shanahan said the Niners are easing Purdy back in after he rushed back once from the injury already. Purdy hurt the toe in the season opener and missed the next two games. He returned in Week 4 and struggled in a loss to Jacksonville when he re-injured the toe.

The Niners ruled out four players for the game, with receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee) missing his third straight game, defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos (hamstring) missing his fourth straight, and defensive end Bryce Huff and center Jake Brendel sitting out their second straight games with hamstring injuries.

Shanahan said defensive lineman Keion White is set to make his debut for the team after being acquired this week in a trade with New England, and that defensive lineman Clelin Ferrell could be elevated from the practice squad for Sunday's game after being signed this week.

Linebacker Dee Winters (knee), defensive end Sam Okuayinonu (ankle) and defensive tackle Jordan Elliott (personal) are all listed as questionable.

San Francisco listed offensive linemen Spencer Burford (knee) and Ben Bartch (ankle) as questionable and could activate at least one from injured reserve Saturday, with Shanahan saying Burford is closer to making a return.