NBA
Owners let Sacramento keep its crown and scepter
DALLAS – NBA owners voted Wednesday to reject the Sacramento Kings’ proposed move to Seattle, the latest in a long line of cities that have tried to land the franchise.
The vote followed a recommendation made last month by the NBA’s relocation committee and may have finally brought an end to an emotional saga that has dragged on for nearly three years.
A group led by investor Chris Hansen has a deal to buy the team. Hansen hoped to move the franchise to Seattle and rename it the SuperSonics. The original Sonics were moved to Oklahoma City in 2008 and were renamed the Thunder.
Horse Racing
Derby winner gets the rail and 1-1 Preakness odds
BALTIMORE – Kentucky Derby winner Orb has drawn the rail in Saturday’s Preakness and has been installed an overwhelming even-money favorite in the nine-horse race.
Orb will seek to keep alive his bid to become horse racing’s first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. Orb won the Derby by 2½ lengths as the betting favorite.
The brown colt is looking for his sixth victory in a row as part of the smallest Preakness field since 2007.
The field, from the rail, with odds in parenthesis: Orb, Goldencents (8-1), Titletown Five (30-1), Departing (6-1), Mylute (5-1), Oxbow (15-1), Will Take Charge (12-1), Govenor Charlie (12-1) and Itsmyluckyday (10-1).
Cycling
Navardauskas wins stage; Nibali keeps Giro lead
VAJONT, Italy – Lithuanian rider Ramunas Navardauskas won the 11th stage of the Giro d’Italia with a solo breakaway Wednesday, while Vincenzo Nibali held on to the overall lead.
Navardauskas, who rides for the Garmin-Sharp squad, clocked 4 hours, 23 minutes, 14 seconds over the 113-mile leg from Tarvisio to Vajont, which featured two category-2 climbs, including an uphill finish.
Italians Daniel Oss and Stefano Pirazzi were second and third. Oss crossed 1 minute, 8 seconds behind and Stefano Pirazzi was 2:59 back.
Nibali maintained a 41-second lead over 2011 Tour de France winner Cadel Evans, as the top of the overall standings remained unchanged.
The UCI has notified French rider Sylvain Georges he tested positive for a banned stimulant in a doping test at the Giro d’Italia. It’s the first doping case reported at this year’s race.
College Athletics
Rutgers makes Julie Hermann third female athletic director
Rutgers has introduced Julie Hermann as its new athletic director.
University President Robert Barchi made the announcement during a news conference Wednesday afternoon.
Hermmann has been senior associate athletic director and senior woman administrator at the University of Louisville. She becomes the third female athletic director at a school among the 124 playing at college football’s top tier.
Rutgers has been looking for a new AD since Tim Pernetti resigned on April 5, part of the fallout from the Mike Rice scandal.
Rice, the former men’s basketball coach, was fired when a video of him pushing, kicking and throwing balls at players became public.
Soccer
Chelsea uses head to win Europa League championship
AMSTERDAM – Branislav Ivanovic scored on a looping header from Juan Mata’s corner kick in the third minute of stoppage time, and Chelsea beat Benfica 2-1 Wednesday night to win the Europa League following its Champions League title last year.
Fernando Torres scored on a solo effort in the 60th minute, but Oscar Cardozo tied the score with a penalty kick eight minutes later after a hand ball by Cesar Azpilcueta.
Associated Press
