BASKETBALL

Kaiser Gates scored right before the buzzer on a layup in the third overtime to give the Maine Red Claws a 120-118 win Thursday night over Capital City Go-Go at the Portland Expo.

Maine’s Tremont Waters had 30 points, seven assists and five steals. He was 5 for 12 on 3-pointers.

Gates had 24 points and 10 rebounds. Jaysean Paige also posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds off the bench, along with seven assists. Maine forced 21 turnovers.

Phil Booth had 32 points for the Go-Go. Jalen Jones added 25 points, and Jalen Hudson added 23.

NBA: LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers has passed Dallas’ Luka Doncic for the overall and Western Conference lead in fan voting for the Feb. 16 game in Chicago, with about a week and a half left in the race. Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo remains the runaway leader in the Eastern Conference voting.

Tacko Fall of the Red Claws, who has played a few games with the Celtics this season, remains sixth in the East frontcourt balloting.

• Cleveland Cavaliers Coach John Beilein said he has apologized after reportedly using the word “thugs” during a film session with his players the previous day.

ESPN.com, citing unidentified sources, reported that Beilein suggested during a Wednesday film session that his players were no longer playing “like a bunch of thugs.” Beilein told ESPN he had meant to say “slugs” in reference to the team’s effort level.

• Kevin Love made a tie-breaking 3-pointer with 37.9 seconds left in overtime and the Cleveland Cavaliers snapped a five-game losing streak with a 115-112 victory over the Pistons at Detroit.

GOLF

SOLHEIM CUP: Pat Hurst was selected captain of the U.S. team for the 2021 Solheim Cup.

Hurst, 50, was an assistant to Juli Inkster for the matches against Europe in 2015, 2017 and 2019, and played in the competition five times during a 20-year career on the LPGA Tour.

The 2021 match will be held at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio, where the Americans will look to regain the cup from Europe after losing at Gleneagles, Scotland, in September.

PGA: Collin Morikawa learned enough about the wind on Maui to cope with it on Oahu. He managed to get through relentless 30 mph wind without a bogey for a 5-under 65 and the early lead in the Sony Open.

The wind was so strong that even with the tee moved forward on the par-3 fourth hole at Waialae so that it played 162 yards, Morikawa still hit 4-iron. It was one of his better shots, 7 feet right of the flag, for birdie.

Among the early starts on a soft course, Marc Leishman, Rory Sabbatini and Patrick Rodgers were at 68.

SOCCER

ITALIAN CUP: Ten-man Torino beat Genoa 5-3 in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw to reach the quarterfinals at Turin, Italy.

MLS: Forward Robbie Robinson of Clemson was the first overall pick in the SuperDraft by Inter Miami.

Robinson, who won the MAC Hermann Trophy as the nation’s top college player, had 18 goals and nine assists this season as a junior. He was also named the ACC Offensive Player of the Year.

Robinson announced in late December that he would forgo his senior season with the Tigers.

Nashville took center back Jack Maher out of Indiana with the second pick in the draft.

• Nick Cushing is moving to MLS as an assistant coach for New York City after six seasons as head coach of Manchester City’s women’s team.

SUPERCUP: Atletico Madrid scored two late goals to beat Barcelona 3-2 and reach the final at Jeddah,  Saudi Arabia.

Atletico won after a back-and-forth game at King Abdullah Sports City stadium, setting up a meeting against city rival Real Madrid in Sunday’s final.

ITALY: A Sicilian man was banned from European sports events for five years for directing racist chants at Brescia striker Mario Balotelli.

Verona police issued the ruling after reviewing evidence from the Hellas Verona-Brescia game on Nov. 3.

PREMIER LEAGUE: Tottenham striker Harry Kane will be sidelined until April after being advised to undergo surgery on his left hamstring.

Kane ruptured a tendon in his hamstring during a league match against Southampton on Jan. 1.

DOPING

EQUESTRIAN: A Qatari sheikh is among two equestrian riders who failed doping tests at an Olympic qualifier, risking the national team’s place in the Tokyo Games jumping lineup.

Sheikh Ali al-Thani and Bassem Mohammed tested positive for cannabis metabolites at an Olympic qualifying event in Morocco in October, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) said.

Al Thani was Qatar’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. The sheikh and his horse First Division placed sixth in a final jump-off round for individual jumping gold. Both riders competed in team jumping at Rio.

The FEI said cannabis is a prohibited substance under its anti-doping rules for riders, though neither is provisionally suspended during their disciplinary cases.

BASEBALL

MAJORS: Right-hander Luis Garcia and former major league outfielder-turned-pitcher James Jones have agreed to minor league contracts with the Texas Rangers that include invitations to major league spring training.

• Tim Tebow will be at spring training with the New York Mets for the fourth straight year.

The Mets said the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner will report to major league training camp next month in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

The 32-year-old outfielder hit .163 in 77 games last season at Triple-A Syracuse in his second straight injury-shortened season. He did not play after July 21 because he cut his left hand while fielding a ball in the outfield.

• Utilityman Brandon Drury and the Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a $2.05 million, one-year contract, a raise of $850,000.

Blue Jays pitchers Ken Giles and Matt Shoemaker remained eligible for arbitration heading into Friday’s scheduled exchange of proposed salaries.

• Reliever Miguel Castro and the Baltimore Orioles avoided arbitration when they agreed to a one-year contract for $1.05 million.

• Outfielder Guillermo Heredia agreed to a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

• The Tampa Bay Rays acquired first baseman-designated hitter Jose Martinez from St. Louis in a trade that sends left-hander Matthew Liberatore, one of the club’s top minor league pitching prospects, to the Cardinals.

In addition to addressing the need for a right-handed bat, the Rays receive outfielder Randy Arozarena and a Compensation Round A draft pick in a four-player deal. The Cardinals also get minor league catcher Edgardo Rodriguez and a Compensation Round B draft pick.

TENNIS

ATP CUP: Daniil Medvedev was docked a point for twice banging the umpire’s chair with his racket in a heated second set before he recovered to secure Russia’s semifinal spot with a win over Argentine opponent Diego Schwartzman.

The fourth-ranked Medvedev blamed the meltdown on jet lag from Russia’s cross-continental journey from Perth to Sydney – including an overnight stop in Melbourne – between the group stage and the quarterfinals.

He said he expected to get a fine for the code violation but otherwise was satisfied to win the “super tough match” 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to secure Russia’s win over Argentina. Karen Khachanov had given Russia the lead when he beat Guido Pella 6-2, 7-6 (4). Russia completed a 3-0 sweep with victory in the doubles.

BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL: Top-ranked Ash Barty’s new year started with an upset loss to American qualifier Jennifer Brady.

The 53rd-ranked Brady, who has no WTA tournament titles, beat the French Open champion on her home court at Pat Rafter Arena 6-4, 7-6 (4).

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