ARAB TIMES, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 2021 SPORTS 15

Klinsmann hurt, dropped from Oly qualifying IOC denounces Belarus Olympic election of Lukashenko’s son LAUSANNE, Switzerland, March 9, (AP): The IOC has refused to recognize the election of Belarus President Alex- ander Lukashenko’s son as the troubled country’s top Olympic offi cial. Viktor Lukashenko was voted in last month to take over from his father as president of the Belarusian Olympic committee despite both being suspend- ed by the IOC in December. The International Olympic Com- mittee fi rst intervened in fallout from widespread protests and a violent state crackdown since Alexander Lukashen- ko was re-elected president last Au- gust in a disputed poll widely seen as rigged. Belarus Olym- pic leadership, in- cluding father and son as president and vice president, had “not appropri- ately protected the Lukashenko Belarusian ath- letes from politi- cal discrimination within the NOC, their member federations or the sports move- ment,” the IOC said in December. The election meeting two weeks ago “failed to fully address” those con- cerns, the IOC said on Monday. Both Lukashenkos are suspended from attending the Tokyo Olympics which open in July. Viktor Lukashen- ko, who advises his father on national security, is also banned from travel in the European Union. A third Belarusian sports offi cial, Dmitry Baskov, is also suspended by the IOC after being linked to the death of a political activist. OLYMPICS

The IOC said it also refused to rec- ognize the election of Baskov, head of the national ice hockey federation, to the Belarusian Olympic body’s board. The current standoff means Belarus risks its athletes having to compete as an independent team under the Olym- pic fl ag in Tokyo. Meanwhile, LA Galaxy goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann was dropped from the US training camp roster for Gonzaga forward Drew Timme (2) lays up the ball against Saint Mary’s the during the first half of an NCAA semifinal college basketball game at the West Coast Conference tournament on Olympic qualifying after suffering a March 8, in Las Vegas. (AP) concussion during practice. The son of former US coach Jürgen Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Egypt, Klinsmann was replaced on the roster France, Germany, Ivory Coast, Japan, Monday by Inter Miami goalkeeper New Zealand, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Drake Callender, who was on the pre- South Africa, South Korea and Spain. Top-ranked Gonzaga blows out liminary roster. Final 20-man rosters The roster: are due this week. Goalkeepers: Drake Callender The U.S. opens Group A against (Miami), Matt Freese (Philadelphia), Costa Rica on March 18 at the North JT Marcinkowski (San Jose), David and Central American and Caribbean Ochoa (Salt Lake) tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico. Defenders: Julian Araujo (LA Gal- Saint Mary’s in WCC semifinals The Americans play the Dominican axy), George Bello (Atlanta), Marco Republic on March 21 and complete Farfan (LA), Justen Glad (Salt Lake), Group A on March 24 against Mexico. Aaron Herrera (Salt Lake), Henry Kes- The top two teams in each group ad- sler (New England), Mauricio Pineda Butler carries Drexel past Northeastern 74-67 vance, and the semifi nal winners qual- (Chicago), Miles Robinson (Atlanta), ify for the Olympics. Austin Trusty (Colorado), Sam Vines Following the pandemic-caused (Colorado) LAS VEGAS, March 9, first team to enter the NCAA Tour- fense, repeatedly forcing up shots ler had 12 points and 12 rebounds postponement, FIFA kept the same Midfi elders: Frankie Amaya (Cin- (AP): Gonzaga was at its nament undefeated since Kentucky late in the shot clock. to lift Drexel to a 74-67 win over eligibility rules that were fi rst estab- cinnati), Cole Bassett (Colorado), free-flowing best on of- in 2014-15. Gonzaga pushed its lead to 27 in Northeastern in the Colonial Athletic lished, saying players must be born Johnny Cardoso (Internacional, Bra- The Gaels (14-9) were little more the first five minutes of the second Assocation semifinals. after Jan 1, 1997. For the 16 nations zil), Hassani Dotson (Minnesota), fense and shut down Saint than a speed bump against Gon- half and, despite a short letup that The sixth-seeded Dragons will reaching the Olympics, each may in- Andrés Perea (Orlando), Tanner Tess- Mary’s on the defensive zaga’s ultra-efficient offense and had Few fuming, won another lop- face eighth-seeded Elon in Tues- clude three players over the age limit. mann (Dallas), Eryk Williamson (Port- end. struggled to get their own shots to sided game. Tommy Kuhse had 13 day’s championship game. CONCACAF qualifi ers will join land), Jackson Yueill (San Jose) fall, shooting 2 for 20 from 3-point points. Zach Walton had 15 points for Another dominating perfor- range. Drexel (11-7). Camren Wynter mance, another trip to the West N. D. State 79, S. Dakota 75 Logan Johnson led Saint Mary’s In Sioux Falls, S.D., Rocky added 14 points and six rebounds. Coast Conference Tournament with 15 points. Kreuser had 20 points as third-seed- Xavier Bell had 11 points. title game. Gonzaga won ed North Dakota State narrowly beat Jahmyl Telfort scored a season- Win one more and the Zags will the two regular- second-seeded South Dakota 79-75 high 30 points for the second-seeded enter the NCAA Tournament unde- season meetings in the Summit League Conference Huskies (10-9). Tyson Walker added feated. by double digits. Tourney semifinals. 23 points. Drew Timme scored 18 points, The Zags had Oakland 69, N. Kentucky 58 Joel Ayayi added 16 and top- to overcome a In Indianapolis, Daniel Oladapo ranked Gonzaga racked up another slow start to win BASKETBALL registered 19 points as third-seeded lopsided win, blowing past Saint 73-59 in Mora- Oakland got past fourth-seeded Mary’s 78-55 in the WCC semifi- ga, California, The Bison will face fourth-seeded Northern Kentucky 69-58 in the nals. but won 87-65 Oral Roberts in Tuesday’s champi- semifinals of the Horizon League The Bulldogs (25-0) dominated in Spokane, Butler tournament. from a big opening run and led by Washington, on onship game. Kreuser made 10 of 11 free The Golden Grizzlies will face 18 at halftime to cruise into their Feb. 17 to secure their 10th regular- top-seeded Cleveland State in Tues- nation-best 24th conference tourna- season WCC title in 11 years. throws. He added nine rebounds. Sam Griesel had 16 points for day’s championship game. ment title game. Gonzaga shot 53% Gonzaga got off to a quick start Rashad Williams had 17 points for as it tied the school record with its in the third go-round, going up nine North Dakota State (15-11). Tyree Eady added 14 points and six re- Oakland (12-17). Jalen Moore added 29th straight win, dating to last sea- in the opening 4 1/2 minutes while 14 points. son, and has won 22 straight games putting on an offensive display in a bounds. Connecticut’s Christyn Williams dribbles as Marquette’s Jordan King Stanley Umude had 23 points Trevon Faulkner had 26 points for by double digits. dominating first half. the Norse (14-11). Bryson Langdon (right), defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Jalen Suggs scored 15 points for The Zags hit 18 of 28 shots and and nine rebounds for the Coyotes in the Big East tournament finals at Mohegan Sun Arena, on March 8, in (14-11). Xavier Fuller added 19 added 14 points. Uncasville, Conn. (AP) the Zags, who will play BYU on Timme had 15 points in 17 minutes Tuesday night for a chance to win to give his team a 44-26 halftime points. Tasos Kamateros had 14 Oral Roberts 90, SDSU 88 their ninth WCC title in 11 years. lead. points. In Sioux Falls, S.D., Kareem Troy women claims Sun Belt title All but assured of a No. 1 seed, The Gaels spent most of the first Drexel 74, Northeastern 67 Thompson scored a season-high 22 Gonzaga has a chance to become the half struggling to get into their of- In Harrisonburg, Va., James But- points and Kevin Obanor tipped in a miss at the buzzer as Oral Roberts UConn mauls Marquette for edged past South Dakota State 90- 88 in the semifinals of the Summit League Conference tournament. 19th Big East championship Max Abmas had 18 points and 10 assists for Oral Roberts (15-10). UNCASVILLE, Conn, Mar 9, (AP): Lindsey VanAllen led fourth-seeded Obanor finished with 14 points and Different conference, same result for Santa Clara (14-11) with 17 points and Carlos Jurgens had 13. UConn. Merle Wiehl and Ashlyn Herlihy 16 Thompson made 4 of 6 3-point- After winning seven straight titles in apiece. The Broncos lost the two meet- ers. the American Athletic Conference, the ings in the regular season by 19 and 17 Baylor Scheierman scored a top-ranked Huskies routed Marquette points and have lost 11 straight in the career-high 28 points plus nine re- 73-39 in their return to the Big East series. bounds and seven assists for the Tournament championship game. Troy 73, La.-Lafayette 65 Paige Bueckers scored 23 points Jackrabbits (16-7). Douglas Wilson In Pensacola, Fla., Felmas Koranga added 20 points and nine rebounds, and was named the tournament’s most had 12 points and a career-high 22 outstanding player as UConn (24-1) and Matt Dentlinger had 12 points rebounds, Alexus Dye recorded her and seven rebounds. wrapped up its 19th Big East Tour- NCAA-leading 22nd double-double, and nament title. She hit 10 of 15 shots, Troy beat Louisiana-Lafayette 73-65 to Rider 78, Canisius 76 grabbed six rebounds and had four as- claim the Sun Belt Conference tourna- In Atlatic, N.J., Dontrell McQuar- sists. ment and an automatic NCAA bid. ter scored on a layup with 28 sec- Christyn Williams added 16 points onds to go and grabbed the clinching as UConn won its 160th straight game rebound after the final miss to give in conference play. BASKETBALL 11th-seeded Rider a 78-76 win over Connecticut held Marquette to 22% sixth-seeded Canisius in the first shooting and scored 28 points off of 21 Troy (22-5) was playing in the title Golden Eagle turnovers. round of the Metro Atlantic Confer- game for the third time since 2016 – ence tourney. Gonzaga 72, Santa Clara 62 winning all three including a 78-64 Dwight Murray Jr. had 22 points In Las Vegas, Jill Townsend led a victory over ULL in the 2016-17 sea- and Allen Powell 19 points for Rider balanced attack with 14 points and 10 son. (6-16). McQuarter added 10 points rebounds and No. 18 Gonzaga defeat- Dye and Koranga – each averaging and 11 rebounds. Ajiri Ogemuno- ed Santa Clara 72-62 in the semifi nals a double-double – scored Troy’s fi rst of the West Coast Conference tourna- eight points of the third quarter after Johnson had seven rebounds. ment. both struggled in the fi rst half with just Jordan Henderson had 16 points Cierra Walker had three 3-pointers four combined points. and six rebounds for the Golden in the second half and scored 13 points Ty’Reona Doucet scored 14 points, Griffins (7-6), who missed three for the top-seeded Bulldogs (22-3), and Skyler Goodwin had 14 points In this Jan 31, 2020 file photo, Baylor guard Te’a Cooper (4) has her shot blocked by Texas forward Charli Collier shots and had a turnover after Mc- who will face second-seeded BYU or and 10 rebounds for Louisiana (16-6), (35) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, in Austin, Texas. The WNBA and The Players’ As- Quarter’s basket. third-seeded San Francisco on Tues- which had its 15-game winning streak sociation have agreed to an opt-in process for this season’s draft, the league confirmed to The Associated Press, Armon Harried added 15 points day. Jenn Wirth added 12 points and snapped. Jomyra Mathis added 13 re- late Sunday, March 7, 2021. Collier, who is a third-year junior, has announced her intent to forgo her remaining and eight rebounds. Malek Green Kayleigh Truong 10. bounds. eligibility and enter the draft. Collier will turn 22 in September so she is draft-eligible. (AP) had 13 points.