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Barbora Krejcikova criticizes ‘unprofessional’ commentary, Daniil Medvedev spirals in Turin

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Barbora Krejcikova criticizes ‘unprofessional’ commentary, Daniil Medvedev spirals in Turin

Welcome back to the Monday Tennis Briefing, where The Athletic will explain the stories behind the stories from the past week on court.

This week, the first Riyadh edition of the WTA Tour Finals concluded in Saudi Arabia, with Coco Gauff defeating Zheng Qinwen in the final.

Throughout the week, the players and WTA chief executive Portia Archer have emphasized that they felt welcome and looked after in a country that criminalizes same-sex relationships and has been criticized for its human rights record, particularly regarding women. “We have never had any issues with freedom of expression,” Archer said in a news conference ahead of the tournament.

Charlie Eccleshare’s special report from Riyadh looks at the idea of tennis — and sport at large — having the power to effect change, and how conversant that idea is with the reality in the country:

GO DEEPER

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‘The same people who allow women to play tennis are also torturing the activists’

Elsewhere, Barbora Krejcikova criticized what she called “unprofessional” commentary of the event, Danielle Collins and Daria Kasatkina experienced life as an alternate, a doubles partnership fell at the last and Daniil Medvedev spiralled in Turin.

If you’d like to follow our fantastic tennis coverage, click here.


What led Krejcikova to call out a commentator?

After a rough run of form through fall, world No. 10 Barbora Krejcikova got a dose of the social media abuse that is dispiritingly familiar to any tennis player who is losing matches. When someone wondered out loud on X as to how she had won Wimbledon, the Czech gave a straightforward answer: “I won seven matches in a row.”

Krejcikova, who, with that title qualified for the WTA Tour Finals — a special provision for a Grand Slam champion who finishes outside the top eight in the rankings ‘race’ but inside the top 20 — applied that logic to the event in Riyadh. After going 5-5 between Wimbledon and the start of the tournament, she took Iga Swiatek to three sets, eased past Jessica Pegula, and then beat Coco Gauff to win her group.

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Krejcikova ran out of steam in the semifinals against Zheng, then found herself having to respond to some more unfavorable commentary of a completely different kind.

“You might have heard about the recent comments made on Tennis Channel during the WTA Finals coverage that focused on my appearance rather than my performance. As an athlete who has dedicated herself to this sport, it was disappointing to see this type of unprofessional commentary,” the 28-year-old wrote in a statement on X.

“This isn’t the first time something like this is happening in sports world. I’ve often chosen not to speak up, but I believe it’s time to address the need for respect and professionalism in sports media. These moments distract from the true essence of sport and the dedication all athletes bring to the field.

I love tennis deeply, and I want to see it represented in a way that honors the commitment we make to compete at this level.”

go-deeper

GO DEEPER

A smiling ghost of Centre Court: How Barbora Krejcikova’s title met her mentor’s legacy

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Krejcikova was responding to journalist and commentator Jon Wertheim, who commented on Krejcikova’s forehead during a broadcast on Tennis Channel Friday. Wertheim is a longstanding tennis journalist and is a regular contributor to Andy Roddick’s podcast, Served, which also airs on Tennis Channel’s T2 broadcast.

Wertheim apologized Sunday in a statement on X, which he labelled “a tennis twitter apology.”

“During a Tennis Channel studio show on Friday, I made some deeply regrettable comments off-air. I acknowledge them. I apologise for them. I reached out immediately and apologised to the player,” he said.

“What happened? I joined the show by Zoom. In rehearsal we were shown a graphic of a player who had just competed. It showed her at an angle that exaggerated her forehead.

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“A few moments later, I was told to frame up my Zoom. I looked at the low camera angle and joked that it made my forehead resemble the photo of the player in question. Someone in the control room chimed in and I bantered back. Though this was a private rehearsal, this exchange inadvertently, and without context, made it to live air.

“I realize: I am not the victim here. It was neither professional nor charitable nor reflective of the person I strive to be. I am accountable. I own this. I am sorry.”

He later issued a further joint apology with Roddick, shared on Served’s X account.

Wertheim told The Athletic via email that: “Between the statement I posted and some remarks I made with Andy Roddick I don’t have much to add about this deeply regrettable situation for which I am profoundly apologetic.”

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In a statement issued Sunday, Tennis Channel said that Wertheim has been removed from the air “indefinitely.”

James Hansen


What caused Daniil Medvedev to lose control at the ATP Finals?

Daniil Medvedev is one of two men’s players born in the 1990s to win a Grand Slam title. He is world No. 4, a constant factor in the latter stages of the biggest events, and one of the most compelling speakers on the ATP Tour.

He’s also in a bad spot. His right shoulder has been bothering him all year, afflicting his serve, which ordinarily lets him explode through his service games to put pressure on his opponents. He’s having to play Jannik Sinner so often that their appearing in the same side of a tournament draw has become a meme, and he isn’t winning at the moment. He thinks the balls used on the tour are neutralizing his strengths and helping those of Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the players who can accelerate through slower balls enough to finish points with most aplomb.

At the ATP Tour Finals in Turin, he had had enough, both on-court and off. “I have this every day, day in, day out, since two, three years. Every practice is a struggle. Every match is a struggle. I was holding for long time. Now I feel zero pleasure of being on the court,” he said in a news conference after losing in straight sets to Taylor Fritz on November 10.

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Daniil Medvedev has had a testing 12 months (Antonio Calanni / Associated Press)

That lack of pleasure devolved into the absurd, with Medvedev throwing his racket into the air, feigning that he could not hang on to it, and preparing to return serve with his racket handle after Fritz shanked a lucky lob onto the baseline to break in the second set. Medvedev, who is known for his ability to up the frequency of long rallies in return games and steal the marginal advantage it offers the returner against the server, said his fight had left him.

“I’m tired to fight against something that doesn’t depend on myself,” he said, referring to the balls.

“Every match I come, I know that basically I have to hit whatever. It doesn’t matter. Tactics matter less,” he said.

Medvedev will face Alex de Minaur and then Sinner as he bids to qualify for the semifinals. He isn’t all that bothered if this is the end of his season.

James Hansen

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What’s it like to be an alternate?

It was a tale of two alternates at the WTA Finals last week — one who got to play and one who didn’t.

In one of tennis’ strangest roles, it is reserved for the end-of-year finals on the men’s and women’s tours. The two players ranked just below the cut-off to qualify for the WTA and ATP Tour Finals are selected as substitutes in case one of the players who has qualified has to pull out. Withdrawals are more common at these events: they are the last major tournaments of the season aside from the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup. They are also played to a round-robin format, so there is the possibility for dead rubbers that players are more willing to pull out of if not feeling 100 percent.

At the WTA Finals the two alternates were Daria Kasatkina of Russia and America’s Danielle Collins. Kasatkina as the world No. 9 was the first alternate and was duly called off the bench when Pegula pulled out with a knee injury on Wednesday after losing her first two matches. Kasatkina’s reward was a match against world No. 2 Iga Swiatek with only a day’s notice. She lost 6-1, 6-0 in 51 minutes.

Afterwards, a shellshocked Kasatkina spoke of the challenge of the alternate role.

“It’s more difficult than it seems. You have to be here for a week, and then suddenly you have to go and play No 2 in the world who already played two matches.

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“It’s not easy to go and play from zero, being relaxed the whole week, not being in this mentality as when you play a tournament and then going to play Iga,” she said in a news conference.


Daria Kasatkina won just one game in her appearance at the WTA Tour Finals (Yuichi Yamazaki / AFP via Getty Images)

Collins probably got the better deal as a non-playing alternate. She was a late call-up after Emma Navarro — who would have been the first alternate — withdrew with illness. Collins saw the week as a chance to get into shape for the Billie Jean King Cup finals, which begins on Wednesday.

Collins, who has not played a match in more than two months, said she hoped her role as an alternate would be a good bridge to playing competitively again at the BJK Cup. “It’s been really nice,” she told The Athletic in an interview in Riyadh. “It’s a great opportunity to get back into tournament mode and and and get a lot of great practice, too, with all these players.”

On the day she spoke to The Athletic, Collins played a practice set with Kasatkina and said that she was essentially in her tournament routine — just without playing the matches.

Perhaps the strangest alternate role is reserved for the beaten semifinalists. Krejcikova and Aryna Sabalenka were required to stick around to ensure the final would go ahead if one of Zheng Qinwen or Gauff withdrew. Leaving early carried a fine of half their prize money from the tournament.

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This week it’s Grigor Dimitrov and Stefanos Tsitsipas in the alternate roles, at the ATP Finals in Turin. Waiting and wondering if they’ll get the chance to step in for someone. Even if they don’t, they’ll pick up a $155,000 (£120,317) cheque for their efforts — $140,000 (£108,661) was the alternate rate in Riyadh.

Charlie Eccleshare


So close but so far for Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova?

Last week, as Sabalenka became year-end world No. 1 in singles for the first time, Katerina Siniakova achieved the same feat in doubles — for the fourth time.

Siniakova won two Grand Slam titles in 2024: the French Open with Gauff and Wimbledon with Taylor Townsend, who partnered her at the Tour Finals in Riyadh. She also won Olympic gold in mixed doubles for the Czech Republic with Tomas Machac.

Siniakova and Townsend were seeded eighth out of eight pairs in Riyadh despite being widely considered as favorites alongside Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe, the Canadian and Kiwi duo who Siniakova and Townsend defeated in the Wimbledon final in July.

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Both pairs stormed to the Riyadh final undefeated, with Siniakova and Townsend beating Australian Open champions Hsieh Su-Wei and Elise Mertens and U.S. Open champions Jelena Ostapenko and Lyudmyla Kichenok in the group stage. After four resplendent performances, Dabrowski and Routliffe proved a bridge too far, winning in straight sets 7-5, 6-3 and lifting Dabrowski to No 3 in the world, behind Routliffe in No 2. Townsend moved up from No 9 to No 5.

Despite this defeat, Siniakova, who has been outspoken about the lack of recognition for elite doubles players compared to their singles counterparts, stands alone at the top.


Erin Routliffe (front right) and Gabriela Dabrowski celebrate victory over Katerina Siniakova (top right) and Taylor Townsend in Riyadh (Clive Brunskill / Getty Images)

James Hansen


A long wait for Denis Shapovalov?

After a five-year wait, Denis Shapovalov finally has his hands on an ATP title again — coming all the way through qualifying to claim the Belgrade Open on Sunday.

It was the Canadian’s first title since his maiden victory at the Stockholm Open in 2019, and especially significant given he was out between July 2023 and January 2024 because of a knee injury. This title lifts him 22 places to No 56 in the rankings, an important step towards the spot in the top 30 that he had before that knee injury last summer, and one that would make him seeded at the Slams (and certainly not have to qualify for 250-level events).

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Denis Shapovalov is still just 25 despite being a mainstay on the ATP Tour (Darko Vojinovic / Associated Press)

Such a stylish player with a flashing single-handed backhand, it’s good news for fans of variety to have Shapovalov as a factor again, and this title was made even more special by the man handing over the trophy: the 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.

Shapovalov said how honored he was by Djokovic’s presence after his 6-4, 6-4 win over another Serbian, Hamad Medjedovic.

It was super weird, because he’s normally taking trophies from us, not giving us trophies,” he said.

Next up for Shapovalov is the Davis Cup finals with Canada, which begin in Malaga a week on Tuesday. All of a sudden it feels like he could have a significant role to play.

Charlie Eccleshare

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Shot(s) of the week

When doubles is good, it’s very, very good.


Recommended reading:


🏆 The winners of the week

🎾 ATP: 

🏆 Denis Shapovalov (Q) def. Hamad Medjedovic (WC) 6-4, 6-4 to win the Belgrade Open (250) in Belgrade, Serbia. It is the Canadian’s second ATP Tour title.
🏆 Benjamin Bonzi (Q) def. Cameron Norrie 7-6(6), 6-4 to win the Moselle Open (250) in Metz, France. It is the Frenchman’s first ATP Tour title.

🎾 WTA:

🏆 Coco Gauff (3) def. Zheng Qinwen (7) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(2) to win the WTA Tour Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It is the American’s ninth WTA Tour singles title.
🏆 Gabriela Dabrowski / Erin Routliffe (2) def. Taylor Townsend / Katerina Siniakova (8) 7-5, 6-3 to win the WTA Tour Finals in Riyadh. It is the duo’s second WTA Tour title.

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📈📉 On the rise / Down the line

📈 Zheng Qinwen moves up two places from No. 7 to No. 5 — a new career high — after her run to the WTA Tour Finals final in Riyadh.
📈 Denis Shapovalov ascends 22 spots from No. 78 to No. 56 after winning the title in Belgrade.
📈 Barbora Krejcikova reenters the top 10 after rising three spots from No. 13 to No. 10 following her run to the semifinals in Riyadh.

📉 Adrian Mannarino falls 14 places from No. 54 to No. 68 after dropping his points from winning the 2023 Sofia Open in Bulgaria.
📉 In an illustration of how bunched players are further down the rankings, Ann Li drops six places for the loss of just 16 points, from No. 93 to No. 99.
📉 Novak Djokovic falls one spot from No. 5 to No. 6 after dropping his 1,300 points from last year’s ATP Tour Finals.


📅 Coming up

🎾 ATP 

📍November 10 – 17 in Turin, Italy: ATP Tour Finals featuring Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev.

📺 UK: Sky Sports; U.S.: Tennis Channel 💻 Tennis TV

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🎾 WTA

📍November 13 – 20 in Malaga, Spain: Billie Jean King Cup featuring Iga Swiatek, Danielle Collins, Emma Raducanu, Karolina Muchova.

📺 UK: BBC (for Great Britain ties); U.S.: Tennis Channel

Tell us what you noticed this week in the comments below as the men’s and women’s tours continue.

(Top photo: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)

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Marta already has an illustrious legacy, but this year with the Pride was one of her best ever

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Marta already has an illustrious legacy, but this year with the Pride was one of her best ever

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Last week, Marta was mad.

Usually, when she’s on the field with her nose toward goal, the three-time Olympic silver medalist visualizes repeating what she’s done many times over her lengthy career. She allows the joy to flow through her, down to her left foot and into the ball.

But she got a little heated with the opposition during last weekend’s NWSL semifinal between her Orlando Pride and the Kansas City Current.

“I tried to be nice most of the time during the game,” Marta said Thursday, to a rapt audience of reporters around her table at the NWSL championship media day.

There was a player on the Current who she exchanged words nicely with, according to the Brazilian. But the player, Marta declined to name names, was being “a little bit diva”.

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“And I said, ‘Wow, all right. You made me mad. I’m going to go one-on-one against you’,” Marta said.

Marta picked up the ball in the center circle after forward Barbra Banda poked it away from Current defender Kayla Sharples. Marta faked out both Sharples and center back Alana Cook as they tried to challenge her, juked past goalkeeper Almuth Schult and got the shot off before outside back Hailie Mace could do anything, scoring the Pride’s crucial third goal in the 82nd minute of an eventual 3-2 win.

It was another reminder, as if it was needed, that Marta is truly one of the greatest to ever play.

She celebrated with mixed emotion, anger and joy battling for dominance. But for Marta, it felt the same as so many other goal celebrations before. At media day, she nearly reached for her phone to pull up a photo of her celebrating a goal with Brazil to compare with what proved to be the game-winning goal that sent her to her first NWSL final.

“Honestly, what I see is maybe we should try and make her mad. She turns on a whole other level,” Pride teammate Morgan Gautrat said with a laugh.

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Other Pride players talked about watching the goal on repeat, from different angles, but no one expressed surprise. They see it regularly.

“Nothing’s changed,” Marta said. “I have passion for this game, and that’s why I still play.”

Much like the potential of finally earning an Olympic gold medal back in the summer with Brazil at age 38, Marta doesn’t need an NWSL championship trophy to cement her legacy as a force in American women’s professional soccer. She has already won a title and a shield here in 2010 with FC Gold Pride during the previous professional league era of the WPS. And the Pride already captured a trophy this year, winning the NWSL Shield for most regular season points.

She reiterated Thursday that she’s planning to play for another two years, though she’s a free agent heading into the NWSL offseason. But when she does finally hang up her boots, Marta has one of the best chances of an international player making it into the National Soccer Hall of Fame based on a club career.


Marta warms up during training ahead of the NWSL championship. (Jamie Squire / Getty Images)

This season is special, though. Marta said it’s the best she’s ever had at the club level, even compared to her days in Sweden with one of the strongest sides in Europe at that time, Umeå IK.

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“If I achieve this big goal with this amazing team, good,” Marta said. “If not, this season was so special from the beginning to now, like not even close to the best dream I can imagine.”

When asked during the last press conference before the final where this NWSL championship ranks amid her illustrious career, Marta emphatically held up a finger: number one.

“I think because of the way we did during the season from the beginning to now, it is something very special that I have never had before in any other club that I’ve played for,” she said. “It’s hard to win the games in the first place (in NWSL), like almost all the games.”

Marta joined the Pride in 2017, a year after their inaugural season as an expansion team. The team had some big-name talent, from Alex Morgan to Ali Krieger. They had good results in Marta’s debut year and made the playoffs. However, the Pride never finished higher than seventh for the following five seasons (not including 2020, when no regular season was played due to the pandemic). In 2023, they achieved seventh place again, missing the playoffs by a two-goal difference in the standings on the last day.

“(Marta) remembers the hard times. She remembers when we were the laughingstock of the league,” head coach Seb Hines said Friday. “Now, she’s enjoying it. Now, everything’s coming together. We’ve got a great culture. We’ve got great players here. We’ve got structure within the top to the bottom now, and so she probably just reminds herself of, like, what it was like before, and just enjoying every single moment of what it’s like now.”

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As much as the external focus is on Marta this week, especially after that semifinal goal, she’s not feeling that external pressure at all. She’s not thrown off by the high demand for her from the media, or sitting down for a couple of video features during a championship week. She’s never experienced the madness of an NWSL championship as a finalist, but she’s been to plenty of World Cups and Olympics. She’s also not focused on herself as an individual.

“It’s not this player, (or) this player, it’s the team,” she said. “We do it together. This is exactly how it’s supposed to be. It’s not about the one or two players, it’s about the project. It’s about the work that everybody put in. If the trophy comes to us, amazing. If not, we’re going to keep working hard.”


Marta celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Current. (Mike Watters / Imagn Images)

From the outside, it is easy to assume that the team would love to win a championship title for Marta. And while that’s not inaccurate, said Pride general manager Haley Carter, it’s also not the only internal narrative driving them. From her front-row seat, Carter said Marta embodies the team culture every day and that this is a group of players that truly loves each other.

“This is actually what makes her great,” Carter said on media day. “This is what gives her legendary status: everything is about the team. It’s not about, ‘I’ve never won a NWSL title. I’ve never won the league’. It’s not about that. It’s about getting the team in the space to be successful. That’s her priority.”

Marta has been crucial on the field for the Pride as well. So much of her success this year, including her nine goals and an assist during the regular season, as well as her two playoff goals so far, comes not just from her return to form, but a slightly more advanced position on the field. She’s been closer to goal, and adding Banda to the mix only helped.

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When you look at her touches over the past three seasons, this year the Pride are essentially getting 12 percent more of Marta in the final third.

It has worked, to say the least.

There are still the intangibles, too. And for a player with Marta’s stature and legacy, those are impossible to overlook.

“She’s given so much to this club. She’s given absolutely everything. She hasn’t been at another team in this league, and so it’s part of her. She knows what it means to play for this team. She knows what it means to play for this badge,” Hines said Friday at his pregame press conference. “Take away all the individuality of the dribbling and shooting and stuff, her fundamentals of football when you see someone with stature doing it, there’s no questions for anyone else to do it, young, old, whatever.”

Tonight against the Washington Spirit at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Orlando’s captain will lead her team one final time in 2024. She’ll almost certainly be facing a hostile crowd, including locals who haven’t forgotten last week’s goal or Marta shushing them in the Pride’s 2-1 win over the Current there before the Olympic break.

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But there will be at least one person in the stands who has never seen her play before in America: her mother.

Marta told The Athletic Thursday that she had finally managed to help arrange a visa for her mom to attend a match in the United States and that a family member had managed to take two weeks off to travel with her and help her get around. For Marta, it was the perfect time for her mother to finally see her play a professional game in the States. Sure, they had to run around Thursday morning buying her mom more cold-weather gear so she was prepared for the chill of Kansas City in November, but it was all worth it.

“She told me this year, ‘If I don’t come to America, and then I pass away, I’m gonna pass away so sad’.” Marta couldn’t help mimicking her own incredulous face at the heightened levels of maternal guilt. “And I said, ‘Mom! Why do you have to be like that?’.”

All this week, Marta’s been nothing but smiles and jokes, soaking in a game that is the culmination of her eight years in Orlando. But despite the clear joy emanating from the Brazilian, maybe tonight she’ll get a little mad too, and provide one more moment of magic this season.

Jeff Rueter contributed to this story.

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(Top photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck / Imagn Images)

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Jason Kelce chugs beers during eventful visit to Appalachian State tailgate

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Jason Kelce chugs beers during eventful visit to Appalachian State tailgate

Former NFL star Jason Kelce got a first-hand look at the Appalachian State Mountaineers football team on Saturday.

Kelce made the trip to Boone, North Carolina for the Mountaineers’ matchup with James Madison. App State was ultimately able to pull off the 34-20 victory. Now, if the Mountaineers are able to pick up their sixth win of the season next week, App State would become bowl eligible.

But before Saturday’s Appalachian State-James Madison game, Kelce made his way to the tailgate area. At one point during his stop, Kelce was seen chugging beers. The retired Philadelphia Eagles center and seven-time Pro Bowler even took a few minutes to participate in karaoke. 

ESPN Monday Night Football broadcaster Jason Kelce on the set before game between Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons at Lincoln Financial Field.  (Eric Hartline-Imagn Images)

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Kelce also posed for pictures with some fans before he entered Kidd Brewer Stadium.

JASON KELCE TO HOST NEW LATE-NIGHT SHOW ON ESPN

Kelce, who signed with ESPN in May and makes routine appearances on “Monday Night Countdown,” also addressed the crowd and made a brief appearance on the ESPN+ broadcast.

In April, Jason and his brother Travis received their college diplomas from the University of Cinncinati. Travis celebrated the moment in true Kelce style.

After shaking hands with the university’s president, Dr. Neville Pinto, onstage, Travis chugged a can of beer as the Beastie Boys’ hit song “Fight for Your Right” played in the arena. Travis would often recite the lyrics to the song following the Kansas City Chiefs’ games and during the team’s Super Bowl celebrations.

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While Travis and Jason previously graduated from Cincinnati, they both missed out on their actual commencement ceremonies, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported.

Travis and the Chiefs play the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte on Sunday. Bank of America Stadium, the Panthers’ home stadium, is located roughly 100 miles from Appalachian State’s Kidd Brewer Stadium.

Jason Kelce on television set

Nov 18, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; ESPN personality and former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce on set before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans at AT&T Stadium. (Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Image)

Earlier this week, a dispute over an autograph resulted in Kelce having a less than pleasant exchange with a fan.

After filming an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Thursday night, a man directed a profanity-laced tirade at Kelce over the former Eagles lineman’s decision not to sign autographs for a group of people behind a fence. The incident, first reported by TMZ Sports, was captured on video.

Jason Kelce on the football field

Jason Kelce says being a father is one of the highlights of his life. (Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Through the shouting, a calm Kelce attempted to explain his reasoning as he was about to get into a vehicle. “I have a habit of not signing for people that follow where I’m going,” Kelce said. 

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The incident with the fan on Thursday comes just weeks after Kelce smashed someone’s phone after the unidentified person shouted a homophobic slur about Travis Kelce while Jason was walking near the Nittany Lions’ home stadium.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

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Prep basketball roundup: Ontario Christian girls knock off defending state champion Etiwanda

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Prep basketball roundup: Ontario Christian girls knock off defending state champion Etiwanda

It’s not every day that Dawn Staley, coach of South Carolina, the No. 1-ranked women’s basketball team, walks into a Southern California gym. Staley, in town ahead of Sunday’s game between South Carolina and UCLA at Pauley Pavilion, dropped by Harvard-Westlake on Saturday night to see Etiwanda take on Ontario Christian in a matchup of The Times’ No. 1 and No. 2 girls teams.

Of course, Staley has interest in Ontario Christian sophomore All-American Kaleena Smith and freshman standouts Sydney Douglas and Tatianna Griffin. And there’s also players on Etiwanda, the two-time defending state champions.

Kaleena Smith of Ontario Christian launches a shot in front of Etiwanda’s Aliyahna Morris.

(Craig Weston)

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Ontario Christian (3-0) made an early-season statement as the team of the future with a 74-66 victory over the Eagles (2-1) to win the Harvard-Westlake tournament. Douglas scored 23 points, Smith had 20 points and Griffin added 12 points. Grace Knox led Etiwanda with 30 points and Aliyahna Morris had 16. Ontario Christian’s pressure defense combined with balanced scoring left Etiwanda behind by as many as 16 points.

It was a Smith step-back three in the second quarter that had Staley turning to one of her assistants in the bleachers with a big grin.

“I love her,” Smith said. “She’s come to my games.”

Ontario Christian first-year coach Aundre Cummings said, “It means a bunch because she has been such an advocate for the women’s game. To see a legend like her support this is a blessing.”

Boys basketball

Chatsworth 60, Etiwanda 54: The Chancellors (4-0) continue to impress as the No. 1 team from the City Section. Alijah Arenas finished with 29 points.

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Brentwood 94, Westlake 74: AJ Okoh contributed 26 points and was named tournament MVP at Simi Valley. Shane Frazier added 24 points and Shalen Sheppard 16.

Mira Costa 74, Tesoro 55: The Mustangs won the Ocean View tournament. Eneasi Piuleini had 23 points and earned tourney MVP honors.

St. John Bosco 81, Francis Parker 40: The No. 1-ranked Braves opened with an easy home victory. Brandon McCoy scored 25 points and Elze Harrington added 20 points. Christian Collins had 16 rebounds.

Harvard-Westlake 65, Westchester 39: The Wolverines (3-0) completed their first week unbeaten. Nik Khamenia had 15 points.

San Juan Hills 62, Trabuco Hills 48: Mason Hodges scored 25 points and earned MVP honors at the Santa Ana tournament.

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Birmingham 48, Oakwood 41: Mandell Anthony had 22 points in the Patriots’ season opener.

Heritage Christian 81, Legacy 49: Tae Simmons had 36 points and 19 rebounds and Dillan Shaw added 22 points and 11 rebounds for Heritage Christian.

Simi Valley 59, Crescenta Valley 57: Joaquin Aleman had 26 points for Simi Valley.

Dominguez 61, Valley Christian 60: Sophomore Rueben Brown had 20 points for Dominguez.

Los Osos 81, Crenshaw 50: Jalen Washington led Crenshaw with 21 points.

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Redondo Union 76, Rancho Cucamonga 69: Chace Holley contributed 22 points and Chris Sanders 20 points for Redondo Union. Aaron Glass had 27 points for Rancho Cucamonga.

Chaminade 56, Liberty 55: Jonas Thurman scored 17 points for 3-0 Chaminade.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 85, Saugus 55: Lino Mark had 27 points and NaVorro Bowman added 18 points for the 3-0 Knights.

Viewpoint 63, Arleta 42: Wesley Waddles had 20 points and 11 rebounds for Viewpoint (3-0).

JSerra 80, San Tan 59: Jarne Eyenga had 18 points for JSerra (1-2).

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La Habra 76, Anaheim Canyon 63: Acen Jimenez completed an impressive first week with a 32-point performance for La Habra. Brandon Benjamin scored 27 points for Canyon.

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