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Former Wisconsin guard John Blackwell withdraws from NBA draft, will play at Duke next season

Former Wisconsin guard John Blackwell is withdrawing from the NBA draft and will play at Duke next season.

Blackwell announced his decision Friday on Instagram.

Blackwell averaged 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game last season, teaming with Nick Boyd to give Wisconsin one of the nation’s top backcourt tandems. The 6-foot-4 guard shot 39% from 3-point range, helping the Badgers go 24-11 and reach the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season.

Blackwell had some of his most productive performances against Wisconsin’s toughest opponents.

He scored 26 points in a road win over eventual national champion Michigan and averaged 27.5 points in the Badgers’ two victories over Final Four participant Illinois. He had 25 points in a late-season road win over Purdue, an NCAA regional finalist.

Blackwell had 22 points and 10 rebounds in Wisconsin’s NCAA Tournament first-round loss to High Point. He averaged 15.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game in 2024-25.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City era, in photos

Photos look back at Pep Guardiola’s decade at Manchester City, a period that transformed the club into one of Europe’s dominant teams and delivered a long list of trophies. From title celebrations to touchline reactions and iconic moments, the images trace the end of a landmark era in English soccer.

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This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

Montreal brings 1-0 lead into game 2 against Carolina

Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (53-22-7, in the Metropolitan Division)

Raleigh, North Carolina; Saturday, 7 p.m. EDT

LINE: Hurricanes -211, Canadiens +175; over/under is 6

STANLEY CUP SEMIFINALS: Canadiens lead series 1-0

BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens visit the Carolina Hurricanes in the third round of the NHL Playoffs with a 1-0 lead in the series. The teams meet Thursday for the fifth time this season. The Canadiens won 6-2 in the last meeting. Juraj Slafkovsky led the Canadiens with two goals.

Carolina is 33-11-2 at home and 53-22-7 overall. The Hurricanes are 30-6-3 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent.

Montreal has a 48-24-10 record overall and a 31-10-9 record on the road. The Canadiens have a +28 scoring differential, with 279 total goals scored and 251 conceded.

TOP PERFORMERS: Seth Jarvis has 32 goals and 34 assists for the Hurricanes. Logan Stankoven has seven goals and two assists over the past 10 games.

Cole Caufield has 51 goals and 37 assists for the Canadiens. Lane Hutson has nine assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Hurricanes: 9-1-0, averaging 2.8 goals, 5.4 assists, 6.2 penalties and 14.3 penalty minutes while giving up 1.6 goals per game.

Canadiens: 6-3-1, averaging 3.5 goals, 5.9 assists, 5.3 penalties and 17.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.

INJURIES: Hurricanes: None listed.

Canadiens: Patrik Laine: out (abdomen).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Knicks take 2-0 lead into game 3 against the Cavaliers

New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30, fourth in the Eastern Conference)

Cleveland; Saturday, 8 p.m. EDT

LINE: Cavaliers -2.5; over/under is 213.5

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: Knicks lead series 2-0

BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks visit the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals with a 2-0 lead in the series. The Knicks won the last matchup 109-93 on Friday, led by 26 points from Josh Hart. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 26.

The Cavaliers are 33-19 in conference games. Cleveland is eighth in the league with 28.3 assists per game led by James Harden averaging 8.0.

The Knicks are 35-17 in conference games. New York is fifth in the Eastern Conference scoring 116.5 points per game and is shooting 47.8%.

The 119.5 points per game the Cavaliers average are 9.4 more points than the Knicks allow (110.1). The Knicks average 116.5 points per game, 1.1 more than the 115.4 the Cavaliers allow to opponents.

TOP PERFORMERS: Evan Mobley is scoring 18.2 points per game and averaging 9.0 rebounds for the Cavaliers. Mitchell is averaging 27.4 points and 5.1 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Jalen Brunson is averaging 26 points and 6.8 assists for the Knicks. OG Anunoby is averaging 16.6 points and 5.3 rebounds over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Cavaliers: 5-5, averaging 107.3 points, 41.7 rebounds, 22.0 assists, 7.6 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 44.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.8 points per game.

Knicks: 9-1, averaging 120.9 points, 44.2 rebounds, 27.0 assists, 8.8 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 52.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 99.8 points.

INJURIES: Cavaliers: None listed.

Knicks: None listed.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Los Angeles visits Las Vegas after Gray's 21-point game

Los Angeles Sparks (2-3, 1-1 Western Conference) at Las Vegas Aces (4-1, 1-1 Western Conference)

Las Vegas; Saturday, 8 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Las Vegas Aces hosts the Los Angeles Sparks after Chelsea Gray scored 21 points in the Las Vegas Aces' 85-84 win against the Atlanta Dream.

Las Vegas finished 30-14 overall and 16-8 in Western Conference action last season. The Aces allowed opponents to score 80.7 points per game and shoot 43.6% from the field last season.

Los Angeles went 21-23 overall last season while going 10-14 in Western Conference play. The Sparks averaged 85.7 points per game last season, 15.7 from the free-throw line and 25.8 from 3-point range.

INJURIES: Aces: Dana Evans: out (leg).

Sparks: Sania Feagin: out (leg).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Portland visits Toronto after Nurse's 23-point game

Portland Fire (2-3) at Toronto Tempo (3-3, 0-1 Eastern Conference)

Toronto; Saturday, 6 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Toronto Tempo plays the Portland Fire after Kia Nurse scored 23 points in the Toronto Tempo's 100-72 loss to the Minnesota Lynx.

Toronto takes the court for the seventh game in franchise history. The Tempo fell to the Minnesota Lynx 100-72 in their most recent game.

Portland takes the court for the sixth game in franchise history. The Fire fell to the Indiana Fever 90-73 in their most recent game.

INJURIES: Tempo: None listed.

Fire: Karlie Samuelson: out (foot), Teja Oblak: out (quadriceps).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Cardoso leads Chicago against Minnesota after 24-point game

Minnesota Lynx (3-2, 2-0 Western Conference) at Chicago Sky (3-2)

Chicago; Saturday, 1 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Chicago Sky hosts the Minnesota Lynx after Kamilla Cardoso scored 24 points in the Chicago Sky's 99-89 loss to the Dallas Wings.

Chicago finished 10-34 overall with a 6-16 record at home during the 2025-26 season. The Sky shot 42.5% from the field and 33.0% from 3-point range last season.

Minnesota went 34-10 overall a season ago while going 14-8 on the road. The Lynx averaged 86.1 points per game last season, 12.2 on free throws and 28.8 from deep.

INJURIES: Sky: Courtney Vandersloot: out (knee), Rickea Jackson: out for season (knee), DiJonai Carrington: out (foot).

Lynx: Napheesa Collier: out (ankle), Emma Cechova: out for season (knee), Dorka Juhasz: out (foot).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Boston leads Indiana against Golden State after 24-point game

Golden State Valkyries (3-1, 2-0 Western Conference) at Indiana Fever (3-2, 0-1 Eastern Conference)

Indianapolis; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

LINE: Fever -7.5; over/under is 168.5

BOTTOM LINE: Indiana Fever hosts the Golden State Valkyries after Aliyah Boston scored 24 points in the Indiana Fever's 90-73 win over the Portland Fire.

Indiana went 13-9 at home last season while going 24-20 overall. The Fever averaged 84.9 points per game last season, 13.8 on free throws and 24.9 from 3-point range.

Golden State finished 9-13 on the road and 23-21 overall a season ago. The Valkyries averaged 77.7 points per game last season, 15.0 from the free-throw line and 29.1 from beyond the arc.

INJURIES: Fever: Caitlin Clark: day to day (back).

Valkyries: Cecilia Zandalasini: out (concussion), Iliana Rupert: out (pregnancy), Juste Jocyte: out (reconditioning).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Guardians beat Tigers 3-1 for a 6th straight win and series sweep

DETROIT (AP) — Patrick Bailey hit a solo home run, Joey Cantillo threw 5 2/3 shutout innings and the Cleveland Guardians extended their winning streak to six games with a 3-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday.

Brayan Rocchio had three hits, including two doubles, and scored a run. Daniel Schneemann and Jose Ramirerz drove in the other runs for the Central Division-leading Guardians, who completed a four-game series sweep.

Cantillo (4-1) limited the Tigers to three hits while striking out six. Hunter Gaddis got the last three outs for his first save.

Cleveland has won nine of its last 10 games, while the Tigers have lost six straight and 14 of their last 16.

Dillon Dingler hit his team-leading ninth homer for the Tigers. Starter Casey Mize (2-3) gave up two runs and four hits without a walk while striking out five in 6 2/3 innings.

The Guardians scored a pair of two-out runs in the third. Rocchio and Schneemann hit back-to-back doubles to right field for the first run. Ramirez brought in Schneemann with a single.

Detroit loaded the bases in the first inning. Cantillo then settled in, allowing only a single and two walks before he departed.

Bailey led off the eighth against Burch Smith with his second homer this season. Dingler homered off Tim Herrin in the bottom of the inning.

PIRATES 6, CARDINALS 2

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Brandon Lowe homered, and Marcell Ozuna drove in two runs to lead Pittsburgh to a win over St. Louis.

Rookie Konnor Griffin extended his hitting streak to eight games with a double. He also scored a run and stole a base. Griffin went 6 for 13 in the series and improved to 13 for 33 during his streak.

Braxton Ashcraft (3-2) struck out nine in seven innings. He gave up one run on four hits and two walks.

The Pirates won their fourth consecutive road series against National League Central opponents.

Ozuna, a former Cardinal, singled with one out to score Spencer Horwitz and Griffin, extending the lead to 4-1 in the sixth.

Henry Davis hit a leadoff homer in the seventh and Bryan Reynolds drove in a run with a ground out, making it 6-1.

Lowe, who also singled, hit a 3-2 fastball that bounced off the top of the wall just inside the left-field foul pole in the first inning. It was the sixth inside-the-park homer in the big leagues this season. It was just the third one ever hit at Busch Stadium.

The Pirates went ahead 2-1 in the fourth inning. Griffin scored on a fielder’s choice by Jake Mangum.

A two-out home run by Iván Herrera in the third inning tied the score at 1-1. Herrera also scored in the eighth on a single by Jordan Walker.

Dustin May (3-5) pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on six hits and two walks while striking out seven.

METS 2, NATIONALS 1

WASHINGTON (AP) — Bo Bichette hit a two-run single, David Peterson earned his first victory as a starter this season, and New York beat Washington to earn a four-game series split.

New York avoided its first three-game skid since April 24-26 in winning for the seventh time in 10 games.

Washington slipped to 25-26 and failed to move above .500 this deep into a season for the first time since it was 40-39 on July 1, 2021.

Peterson (3-4) escaped early trouble against the Nationals, who entered the game averaging a MLB-leading 5.58 runs. He escaped a bases-loaded threat in the first and worked out of a two-on jam in the second.

Washington had two runners in scoring position with no outs in the fifth, but managed only an RBI groundout by Andrés Chaparro.

Peterson, making his first start since an April 29 loss to Washington, allowed one run and four hits in five innings while striking out three. The 30-year-old left-hander, who is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in a bulk relief role, lowered his ERA as a starter from 8.10 to 6.99.

Devin Williams allowed Daylen Lile’s bloop double to open the ninth, but retired the next three batters for his seventh save in eight chances.

BRAVES 9, MARLINS 3

MIAMI (AP) — Michael Harris II hit a two-run homer and a solo shot, Mike Yastrzemski also went deep, and Atlanta beat Miami.

Spencer Strider (2-0) had a season-high nine strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings as the Braves continued their strong start to the season, taking three of four at Miami for their 14th win in 16 series.

Three of the four hits Strider allowed were a solo homer to Owen Caissie and a pair of solo homers to Kyle Stowers. He also walked two.

Ronald Acuña Jr. had two hits, including an RBI single that put the Braves ahead 5-2 in the fifth, before exiting in the sixth as a precaution because of left thumb pain. Eli White replaced him in right field.

Dominic Smith, who hit a three-run homer on Wednesday, singled and doubled. Ha-Seong Kim added a single, walk and steal.

Atlanta went up 2-0 in the first against Sandy Alcantara (3-3). Acuña hit a leadoff single and scored on Harris’ 10th home run of the season, a 389-foot shot to right-center.

Harris homered three times in the series and had six hits. He added a 404-foot drive in the ninth.

BLUE JAYS 2, YANKEES 0

NEW YORK (AP) — George Springer homered, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reached base three times and Toronto beat New York to split a four-game series.

Springer hit his second homer of the series and gave the Blue Jays a 2-0 lead in the seventh inning by sending a 2-2 slider from Camilo Doval into the left-field seats.

Toronto went with a bullpen game — highlighted by a career-best 4 1/3 innings from Spencer Miles — and held the Yankees to three hits, the fifth time New York finished with three or fewer. Aaron Judge went 0 for 4, was 1 for 15 in the series and has not homered or driven in a run in 10 games since May 10 at Milwaukee.

Judge’s streak without an RBI matches the worst of his career, done three times previously.

The Yankees lost for the ninth time in 13 games heading into Gerrit Cole’s return from reconstructive elbow surgery in the opener of a three-game series against Tampa Bay. New York dropped 4 1/2 games behind the Rays in the AL East.

Guerrero walked in his first two plate appearances and singled in the fifth. He stole second in the first and scored on Daulton Varsho’s 66.5 mph double off Carlos Rodón (0-2) that caromed off the third base bag.

Braydon Fisher and rookie Adam Macko (1-1) pitched 1 1/3 innings apiece ahead of Miles, a Rule 5 draft pick who allowed two hits, struck out six and walked one while throwing a career-high 63 pitches.

Valkyries beat Liberty 87-70 as Gabby Williams scores 16

NEW YORK (AP) — Gabby Williams scored 16 points to lead a balanced offense and help the Golden State Valkyries rout the New York Liberty 87-70 on Thursday night, spoiling the season debut of Satou Sabally.

New York (3-2) came into the game averaging a league-best 100 points in its first four contests, but struggled to score against Golden State (3-1). The Liberty also couldn’t stop the Valkyries on the other end. Golden State had five players in double figures.

Sabally was signed in the offseason by New York, a prized free agent acquisition. She finished with five points in nearly 16 1/2 minutes.

While New York did get Sabally back, they were missing starters Sabrina Ionescu (foot) and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (personal). Ionescu injured her foot in a preseason win over Connecticut and has yet to play in the regular season. She’s progressing and could return soon. Leonie Fiebich and Raquel Carrera also are still out as they finish up their overseas playing commitments in Spain.

Sabally played in her first game since suffering a concussion during Game 3 of the WNBA Finals last season when she played with Phoenix. She missed the final game of that series. The 27-year-old started on Thursday and received a warm ovation from the crowd when she was introduced.

It was Golden State, though, that got out to the quick start and the second-year team led 18-9 just over 6 minutes into the game. The Valkyries were up eight at the half and extended the advantage to 63-46 after three quarters.

New York never threatened in the fourth quarter.

LYNX 100, TEMPO 72

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Reserve Maya Caldwell led a balanced attack with 16 points and Minnesota beat Toronto.

It was the worst loss for the expansion Tempo, who fell to 3-3 after winning their previous two. Toronto’s other two losses were by three and four points. Minnesota’s first four games were decided by a total of 16 points.

Courtney Williams scored 15 points, rookie Olivia Miles had 14 and Natasha Howard and Kayla McBride each had 13 for the Lynx (3-2).

Kia Nurse led Toronto with 23 points off the bench and rookie Kiki Rice added 11. Brittney Sykes and Marina Mabrey, who combine for more than 45 points a game — both reached 30 in a win over Phoenix on Sunday — were held to nine. Each picked up a pair of fouls in the first quarter.

The Lynx shot 55%, had a 46-25 rebounding advantage and outscored the Tempo 42-24 in the paint. Minnesota went 10 of 24 behind the arc.

The Tempo shot 34%. They made 12 3-pointers but only shot 29% from distance.

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