College Basketball
The top prep prospect since James chooses Kansas
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Top prep basketball prospect Andrew Wiggins told a small gathering of family and friends at his high school gym Tuesday that he will play at Kansas.
Then the Huntington Prep star signed his national letter of intent and officially became a Jayhawk. No big speech. No bands, live TV coverage or props. Just the way the Wiggins wanted it.
And just like that, Lawrence, Kan., became more of focal point for the upcoming college basketball season.
The 6-8 Toronto native chose Kansas over Kentucky, North Carolina and Florida State. Wiggins, the most sought-after high school player since LeBron James, averaged 23.4 points and 11.2 rebounds per game this season.
Cycling
Uran wins mountainous 10th; Nibali still pretty in pink
ALTOPIANO DEL MONTASIO, Italy – Colombian rider Rigoberto Uran won the first big mountain stage of the Giro d’Italia on Tuesday, and Vincenzo Nibali held onto the overall lead after the 10th leg.
Prerace favorite Bradley Wiggins dropped further behind on the steep, uphill finish, while defending champion Ryder Hesjedal dropped out of contention on the first climb.
The 26-year-old Uran, who rides for Wiggins’ Sky team and won the best young rider’s jersey during last year’s race, clocked more than 4½ hours over the 104-mile leg from Cordenons to Altopiano del Montasio for his first victory in a Grand Tour.
Another Colombian, Carlos Betancour, finished 20 seconds behind in second. Nibali, an Italian with Astana, won a sprint for third, 31 seconds back to keep the pink jersey.
Hockey
Slovakia defeats USA 4-1 to join Czechs in quarters
HELSINKI – Slovakia defeated the United States 4-1, and the Czech Republic routed Norway 7-0 in group finales for both teams to reach the quarterfinals at the ice hockey world championships Tuesday.
The U.S. had a chance to win the group but will finish second or third and meet Russia or Finland in a quarterfinal Thursday.
In Stockholm, the other group leader, Switzerland, defeated Belarus 4-1 to achieve its best group record at the worlds, seven wins and no losses. The Swiss hope to win a medal for the first time since 1953, when they were third among three teams.
Stars fire Gulutzan after yet another skipped playoffs
DALLAS – The Dallas Stars fired coach Glen Gulutzan on Tuesday, an expected move by new general manager Jim Nill for a franchise that has missed the playoffs a record five consecutive seasons.
Gulutzan’s dismissal came about two weeks after Nill replaced Joe Nieuwendyk, who was fired after four seasons.
The 41-year-old Gulutzan had the Stars in playoff contention both seasons, but Dallas faltered down the stretch each time. The Stars were 64-57-9 under Gulutzan, including 22-22-4 in the lockout-shortened 2013 season.
Soccer
Barcelona plays on without Messi and his golden boot
MADRID – Lionel Messi’s Barcelona season may be over because of a reoccurrence of a hamstring injury that has slowed him for more than a month.
Barcelona said Tuesday the four-time FIFA player of the year will be sidelined for two to three weeks, which means he might not return in time for the season finale against Malaga on June 1.
Messi has 60 goals in 50 games, down from his record-setting 73 goals in 60 matches last season.
Messi has 46 Spanish league goals, four shy of the record he set in 2011-12.
Barcelona already has clinched its fourth league title in five years.
Messi could return to action for Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers against Colombia on June 7 and Ecuador four days later.
Associated Press
