BASKETBALL
Brittney Griner’s drug possession trial resumed Thursday with the head of the Russian club she plays for in the offseason and a teammate from that squad testifying in support of her character and what the WNBA star has meant for women’s basketball in the country.
Griner, who pleaded guilty last week, did not testify as expected at the third day of the trial. She has been detained in Russia since February, and the U.S. government is under pressure at home to do more to secure her freedom. Her guilty plea could be an effort to expedite the court proceedings so any negotiations about a prisoner exchange could move forward.
Griner was arrested at the Russian capital’s Sheremetyevo Airport when customs officials said they found vape canisters with cannabis oil in her luggage. She acknowledged in court that she possessed the canisters, but said she had no criminal intent and said their presence in her luggage was due to hasty packing.
She is facing up to 10 years in prison.
In Russia’s judicial system, admitting guilt doesn’t automatically end a trial.
Most journalists were denied access to Thursday’s session, but the director of UMMC Ekaterinburg, for which she plays during the WNBA offseason, told reporters afterward that he testified as a character witness.
• A’ja Wilson scored 20 of her 25 points in a record-breaking first half to help the visiting Las Vegas Aces rout the New York Liberty, 108-74.
Las Vegas (17-7) jumped all over New York, scoring the first 12 points on the way to a 37-13 lead after one quarter. The Aces extended the advantage to 71-36 at the half, surpassing the previous WNBA record of 69 first-half points set by Phoenix against Minnesota in 2010.
NBA: JD Davison had 28 points and 10 assists, Juhann Begarin added 19 points and the Boston Celtics beat the Memphis Grizzlies 108-91 for their third straight Summer League victory in Las Vegas.
The Celtics also got 16 points form Justin Jackson, 13 from Brodric Thomas, and 11 points and 11 rebounds from Trevion Williams.
• Deandre Ayton finally has his new deal from the Phoenix Suns, who simply weren’t willing to let him get away for nothing.
A person with knowledge of the situation said the Suns quickly decided to match a $133 million, four-year offer sheet that Ayton agreed to Thursday with the Indiana Pacers. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Suns had not publicly announced the decision.
The Athletic first reported Phoenix matching the offer. ESPN first reported that Ayton had agreed with the Pacers.
BASEBALL
NECBL: Quinn McDaniel hit a three-run homer and a two-run double, and the Sanford Mainers scored four runs in the eighth inning to rally for a 9-6 win over the Keene Swamp Bats in Keene, New Hampshire.
Brady Afthim got the win with three hitless innings in relief. He struck out seven and walked one.
SOCCER
U.S. WOMEN: Emily Sonnett, Mallory Pugh and Ashley Sanchez scored to send the U.S. to the final of the CONCACAF W Championships with a 3-0 semifinal victory over Costa Rica in Monterrey, Mexico.
Costa Rica and the United States both finished among the top four teams in the group stage to qualify for next year’s World Cup. The winner of the W Championship also earns one of the region’s spots in the Olympics.
The U.S. team extended its shutout streak in World Cup or Olympic qualifying matches to 32 games.
HOCKEY
NHL: The New Jersey Devils agreed to terms with left winger Ondrej Palat on a $30 million, five-year contract.
Palat had 52 points in 71 playoff games during Tampa Bay’s three consecutive trips to the Cup Final. He finished sixth in Conn Smythe Trophy voting as playoff MVP this year.
• The Washington Capitals, meanwhile, continued their busy offseason by signing former Chicago Blackhawks forward Dylan Strome.
Strome, who signed for $3.5 million on a one-year deal, scored a career-high 22 goals last season and added 26 assists in 69 games.
CYCLING
TOUR DE FRANCE: In his first Tour de France, 22-year-old Tom Pidcock became the youngest winner of a stage on the iconic Alpe d’Huez mountain, while Jonas Vingegaard kept the overall lead.
The mountain bike Olympic champion from Britain attacked on the ascent, and his frenetic pace up the legendary 21 hairpin bends was too fast for his breakaway companions.
Vingegaard finished in a group including defending champion Tadej Pogacar and 2018 Tour winner Geraint Thomas. Vingegaard leads Pogacar by 2 minutes, 22 seconds, with Thomas third, 2:26 off the pace.
FOOTBALL
NFL: Former All-Pro offensive tackle Mitch Schwartz, who helped the Kansas City Chiefs win their first Super Bowl in 50 years in 2019, announced his retirement because of lingering effects from a back injury.
Schwartz, 33, had played in 134 consecutive games for Cleveland and Kansas City before he hurt his back against Buffalo in October 2020. He had surgery in the offseason and skipped last year in the hopes of making a full recovery.
Schwartz said in a statement that “I’m currently feeling as good as I have since then, but it’s clear my body won’t ever be the same. The nerve pain down my legs is no longer a daily occurrence but might never fully go away.”
GOLF
LPGA: Pauline Roussin made a hole-in-one and teamed with fellow rookie Dewi Weber to take a three-stroke lead in the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational at Midland, Michigan, leaving Annika Sorenstam and Madelene Sagstrom five shots behind in the team event.
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