BASKETBALL

Nader scores 28 points as Red Claws win opener

Abdel Nader scored 28 points, Jalen Jones had 19 points and 12 rebounds, and the Maine Red Claws rode a strong second quarter to a 127-105 season-opening road victory over the Oklahoma City Blue.

Maine got 12 points from Nader and eight from Marcus Georges-Hunt while outscoring the Blue 41-32 in the second period to open a 63-55 lead, and the Red Claws held on from there.

Georges-Hunt finished with 20 points, while Demetrius Jackson, assigned to Maine by the Celtics Thursday, had 22.

HIGH SCHOOLS

HOCKEY: Sukee Arena in Winslow will not open this winter because of ice-making equipment failure, leaving teams scrambling to find ice time as a new season nears.

Arena manager Annette Marin, daughter of building owner Doug Sukeforth, said problems with the compression system used to make and refrigerate ice in the building, which opened to the public in 1985, are too costly to fix.

The Winslow/Gardiner girls’ team and the Lawrence/Skowhegan, Messalonskee Winslow boys’ teams played and practiced at Sukee. Those teams are working with Colby College in Waterville, Kents Hill School and the Camden National Bank Ice Vault in Hallowell to try to get ice time.

SOCCER

WORLD CUP QUALIFYING: Rafa Marquez scored on a header in the 89th minute, and Mexico beat the United States 2-1 Friday night in Columbus, Ohio – the Americans’ first home loss in qualifying since 2001.

Miguel Layun put Mexico up in the 20th minute, but Bobby Wood tied it in the 49th.

The U.S. dominated the second half before the 37-year-old Marquez, unmarked and drifting across the penalty area, got the back of his head on Layun’s corner kick and lifted the ball over goalkeeper Brad Guzan.

The U.S. had beaten Mexico four straight times by 2-0 scores in home qualifiers.

AUTO RACING

SPRINT CUP: Alex Bowman won the pole at Phoenix International Raceway, where he led a trio of drivers not in the playoffs to the top of the leaderboard.

Bowman turned a lap at 140.521 mph Friday to win the first pole of his career. He has been a solid substitute for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is sidelined with a concussion.

Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott qualified second and third as Chevrolets swept the top three.

The next three spots went to drivers racing for the championship. Joey Logano was fourth, followed by Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick.

GOLF

PGA: Gary Woodland birdied three of the final four holes for a 6-under 65 and a one-stroke lead in the OHL Classic at Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Woodland played the first 36 holes without a bogey, following an opening 64 to get to 13-under 129.

LPGA: Sarah Jane Smith shot a 4-under 68 to take a two-stroke lead in the Citibanamex Lorena Ochoa Invitational at Mexico City.

The Australian birdied four of the first seven holes, dropped a stroke on the par-4 eighth and birdied the par-3 14th. She was at 9-under 135.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Paul Goydos shot an 8-under 62 in windy conditions for a three-stroke lead in the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship at Scottsdale, Arizona.

EUROPEAN TOUR: Alex Noren collected five birdies over the back nine holes to for a 5-under 67 and a 2-shot lead after two rounds of the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa.