This Day In Sports 1892 — The International YMCA in Springfield, Mass., is the site of the first official basketball game. Peach baskets are used, but Numbers Game it isn’t until 1905 that someone removes the baskets’ bottoms. C4 Antelope Valley Press, Sunday, January 20, 2019 Morning rush Mickelson maintains two-shot lead Valley Press news services Associated Press After opening with five Ko, Ji shared lead going to final round of straight pars, he chipped in for LA QUINTA — Phil Mickel- birdie on the par-3 sixth and LPGA opener son made three long birdie putts STILL FIRST LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Lydia Ko shot 30 birdied the next two. on the back nine Saturday to Phil Mickelson on the front nine to catch the leaders and stayed bo- “Every once in a while you take a two-stroke lead into the hits from the just need that little putt, chip, gey-free Saturday for a 5-under 66 to share the lead final round of the Desert Clas- with Eun-Hee Ji going into the final round of the Dia- fairway on the something to fall and give you sic. third hole during a little momentum,” Mickelson mond Resorts Tournament of Champions. Making his first start of the Ji also shot 66 at Tranquilo Golf Club at Four the third round of said. “I followed that with two year, the 48-year-old Mickelson the Desert Classic more birdies, so that was kind Seasons. They were at 13-under 200. Brooke Hen- shot a bogey-free 6-under 66 derson of Canada was poised to make it a three- golf tournament of the shot that ignited that lit- on the Stadium Course at PGA way tie at the top until she made bogey on the par- on the Stadium tle run and got the round going.” West to get to 22-under 194. 3 closing hole for a 69, leaving her one shot behind. Course at PGA He’ll be back on the Stadium “I don’t know what to say,” West on Saturday Course for the final round. Mickelson said. “I played OK in La Quinta. “It’s a course you don’t have and my goal or game plan of Associated Press to be perfect on, you have to hit playing the Stadium Course is a lot of good shots in certain Planner to actually hit drivers and to try the opportunity. It’s just, it’s re- past few years, this is the golf spots, but if you miss it, miss it to bomb it down there as close ally fun.” that I play every day,” Hadwin properly, you can still play this to the greens as you can. ... It The tournament winner in said. “The greens are exactly course,” Mickelson said. “I feel COMING UP IN THE VALLEY seemed to play out OK and I 2002 and 2004, Lefty rolled in a what we play back in Scotts- like I don’t have to be perfect, I gave myself a lot of good chanc- 35-foot birdie putt on the par-3 dale. So I would assume that can come out, play aggressive, ANTELOPE VALLEY COLLEGE (Junior College Sports) es. I missed a few short putts 13th and added a 12-footer on might add to some of the com- which is how I like to play, try to ■ M. Basketball: Wednesday vs. L.A. Valley, 3 p.m. ... but I also made a couple of the par-4 14th. After missing a fort. It’s really hard to pinpoint. crush drivers and get it down as ■ W. Basketball: Wednesday vs. L.A. Valley, 7 p.m. long ones that were nice little 10-foot try on the par-5 16th to For whatever reason as soon as close as I can to the greens and bonuses.” spoil an up-and-down bid from I get down here in the desert I see if I can make some more He topped the leaderboard UNIVERSITY OF ANTELOPE VALLEY (NAIA Sports) the deep greenside bunker, he start playing some good golf.” birdies.” for the third straight day after ran in a 25-footer on the island Mickelson is making his first ■ M. Basketball: Saturday vs. La Sierra, 8:30 p.m. Adam Long was third at 19 matching his career-low score green, par-3 17th called Alca- tour start since early October ■ W. Basketball: Saturday vs. La Sierra, 6:30 p.m. under after a 63 at La Quinta, with an opening 60 at La Quin- traz. and first competitive appear- and Steve Marino had a 67 on ta Country Club and shooting Adam Hadwin was second ance since beating Tiger Woods the Nicklaus layout to get to 18 COMING UP IN SOCAL a 68 on Friday on PGA West’s after a 65 on the Nicklaus lay- in Las Vegas in November in a under. Defending champion Jon Nicklaus Tournament Course. out. The Canadian has three made-for-TV event. The Hall Rahm was tied for seventh at 16 RAMS (National Football League) “It’s so fun,” Mickelson said. straight top-six finishes in the of Famer won the World Golf under after a 68 at the Stadium. ■ Today, NFC Conference Championship at New “I just love being in contention, event. He was second in 2017 af- Championships-Mexico Cham- Top-ranked Justin Rose was Orleans, noon (FOX) having a chance to win, being ter a third-round 59 at La Quin- pionship last year for his 43rd tied for 29th at 12 under after in the final group, feeling the ta and tied for third last year. PGA Tour title and first since his third straight 68, this time nerves, feeling that excitement, “Living in Phoenix these the 2013 British Open. on the Stadium Course. USC (College Basketball) ■ Thursday vs. Arizona, 6 p.m. (FS1) ■ Saturday vs. Arizona State, 5 p.m. (ESPN2) OllEGE OOTBALL ■ Jan. 30 at Washington, 8 p.m. (FS1) NFL C F SPORTS ODDS NHL NBA NATIONAL CONFERENCE Bowl Glance NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE WESTERN CONFERENCE UCLA (College Basketball) West Monday, Jan. 7 Today Pacific Division Pacific Division W L T Pct PF PA College Football Championship FAVORITE LINE O/U UNDERDOG GP W L OT Pts GF GA W L Pct GB at INDIANA 7½ (219) Charlotte ■ Thursday vs. Arizona State, 8 p.m. (FS1) y-L.A. Rams 13 3 0 .813 527 384 Santa Clara, Calif. Calgary 49 31 13 5 67 182 141 Golden State 32 14 .696 — x-Seattle 10 6 0 .625 428 347 at MINNESOTA 10½ (227½) Phoenix L.A. Clippers 24 21 .533 7½ ■ Saturday vs. Arizona, 7 p.m. (ESPN2) Clemson 44, Alabama 16 at SAN ANTONIO OFF (OFF) LA Clippers San Jose 50 28 15 7 63 178 155 San Francisco 4 12 0 .250 342 435 Vegas 49 28 17 4 60 147 131 L.A. Lakers 25 22 .532 7½ ■ Jan. 30 at Washington State, 7 p.m. (Pac-12) Arizona 3 13 0 .188 225 425 COLLEGE BASKETBALL Sacramento 24 22 .522 8 Saturday, Jan. 19 Today Ducks 49 21 19 9 51 119 145 East Phoenix 11 36 .234 21½ DUCKS (National Hockey League) East-West Shrine Classic FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG Vancouver 49 22 21 6 50 142 154 W L T Pct PF PA At St. Petersburg, Fla. Florida St 6½ at BOSTON COLL. Southwest Division y-Dallas 10 6 0 .625 339 324 Edmonton 47 23 21 3 49 136 148 ■ Today at N.Y. Islanders, noon (PRIME) West 21, East 17 at MARQUETTE OFF Providence W L Pct GB x-Philadelphia 9 7 0 .563 367 348 Arizona 47 21 22 4 46 124 136 Houston 26 19 .578 — NFLPA Collegiate Bowl at IOWA OFF Illinois ■ Wednesday vs. St. Louis, 7 p.m. (FSW) Washington 7 9 0 .438 281 359 Kings 49 19 26 4 42 110 147 San Antonio 27 20 .574 — At Pasadena, Calif. Duquesne 2½ at GEORGE WASHIN. ■ N.Y. Giants 5 11 0 .313 369 412 at DRAKE 4½ Missouri St Central Division New Orleans 21 25 .457 5½ Feb. 2 at Winnipeg, 4 p.m. (PRIME) American 10, National 7 South at S. ILLINOIS 8 Bradley GP W L OT Pts GF GA Dallas 20 25 .444 6 W L T Pct PF PA Saturday, Jan. 26 at UTAH 4 Colorado Winnipeg 48 31 15 2 64 167 134 Memphis 19 27 .413 7½ KINGS (National Hockey League) Senior Bowl ■ Monday vs. St. Louis, 1 p.m. (NBCSN) y-New Orlns 13 3 0 .813 504 353 National Hockey League Nashville 50 28 18 4 60 155 133 Northwest Division Atlanta 7 9 0 .438 414 423 At Mobile, Ala. Today Colorado 48 22 18 8 52 166 153 W L Pct GB ■ Feb. 2 at N.Y. Islanders, 4 p.m. (KCOP) Carolina 7 9 0 .438 376 382 North vs. South, 11:30 a.m. (NFLN) FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG LINE Denver 30 14 .682 — Washington -172 at CHICAGO +160 Dallas 49 24 21 4 52 126 128 ■ Feb. 4 at N.Y. Rangers, 4 p.m. (FSW) Tampa Bay 5 11 0 .313 396 464 Minnesota 48 24 21 3 51 133 138 Oklahoma City 27 18 .600 3½ North at NY ISLANDERS OFF Ducks OFF OLF at VANCOUVER OFF Detroit OFF St. Louis 47 21 21 5 47 131 144 Portland 28 19 .596 3½ W L T Pct PF PA G CLIPPERS (National Basketball Association) at TORONTO -250 Arizona +220 Chicago 49 16 24 9 41 145 183 Utah 26 21 .553 5½ y-Chicago 12 4 0 .750 421 283 PGA-Desert Classic Par Carolina -111 at EDMONTON +101 EASTERN CONFERENCE Minnesota 21 24 .467 9½ ■ Today at San Antonio, 4 p.m.