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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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Chargers’ Justin Herbert gushes over Madison Beer in heartfelt birthday tribute: ‘Changed my life forever’

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Chargers’ Justin Herbert gushes over Madison Beer in heartfelt birthday tribute: ‘Changed my life forever’

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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert gushed over 27-year-old singer Madison Beer in a heartfelt birthday tribute on social media, offering fans a rare glimpse into the couple’s relationship. 

The two-time Pro Bowl quarterback, who normally shies away from the public eye, posted a series of photos to his Instagram Stories on Thursday. 

Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers warms up prior to a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at SoFi Stadium on Dec. 8, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

“Happy birthday to my favorite person of all time,” Herbert wrote in a post that showed the couple on the sidelines of one of his NFL games. “I love you so much. You’ve changed my life forever.”

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In another photo appearing to show the couple out to dinner, Herbert wrote, “I am the luckiest guy alive…”

Herbert, who turns 28 later this month, shared another photo of the “Make You Mine” artist petting goats and captioned the photo, “My goats.”

The couple was first linked together in August when they were spotted together on the set of one of Beer’s music videos in Los Angeles. Herbert and Beer were photographed in October on the sidelines of a Chargers game at SoFi Stadium, seemingly confirming the dating rumors. 

Quarterback Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers and singer Madison Beer attend an NBA game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, on Oct. 24, 2025. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

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The same month, Herbert went viral after blocking a rogue basketball from hitting Beer when the two sat courtside at a Los Angeles Lakers game.  

Herbert signed a five-year, $262.5 million extension with the Chargers in July 2023. Despite proving himself to be one of the elite young quarterbacks in the NFL, Los Angeles’ offensive struggles have seen the team fall short in back-to-back playoff appearances.

Quarterback Justin Herbert (10) of the Los Angeles Chargers blocks a basketball from hitting Madison Beer as they attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, on Oct. 24, 2025. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

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 The team’s offensive coordinator, Greg Roman, was fired in January and replaced with former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, who is regarded as one of the top offensive minds in football. 

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Shohei Ohtani’s second-inning grand slam propels Japan to a rout in World Baseball Classic opener

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Shohei Ohtani’s second-inning grand slam propels Japan to a rout in World Baseball Classic opener

The last time Shohei Ohtani was seen wearing a World Baseball Classic uniform with “Japan” across his chest, he was striking out Mike Trout of the United States on a ninth-inning, full-count slider to give his country a victory in the championship game three years ago.

So much has happened in Ohtani’s life between then and now. He has a wife and a daughter, a new interpreter, a new Major League team, two World Series championships and three more Most Valuable Player awards.

Yet unforgettable WBC memories continue. This time, he delivered from the batter’s box instead of the pitcher’s mound.

In the second inning of Japan’s WBC opener against Chinese Taipei on Friday at the Tokyo Dome, Ohtani smacked a hanging curve a few feet over the right-field wall for a grand slam, triggering an offensive onslaught that resulted in a 13-0 victory.

“I thought it might land as an out, so above all, I really wanted to get the first run on the board,” Ohtani told reporters afterward.

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Ohtani led off the game with a double and singled in his second at-bat of the second inning, when Japan put up a WBC-record 10 runs. He added a run-scoring single in the third inning, giving him five runs batted in.

In 2023, Ohtani hit and pitched Japan to the WBC title, batting .435 with eight RBIs and allowing only two earned runs in 9 2/3 innings on the mound. This year, he will only bat, saving his pitching for the Dodgers, who begin their quest for a third consecutive World Series title in three weeks.

Japan’s starting pitcher Friday was a decorated Dodger nevertheless. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, MVP of the 2025 World Series, threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings, walking three and striking out two while giving up no hits.

His command wasn’t pinpoint — he threw 53 pitches, 33 for strikes — but it is still spring training, even though the atmosphere was electric for Japanese players competing in front of a crowd of 42,314 that included actor Timothy Chalamet and superstar Bad Bunny.

“I know there will be some tough battles ahead, but if the fans and the team can unite and everyone can help build the excitement together, it will really encourage us,” Ohtani said.

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Russell Wilson escalates feud with Sean Payton, labels Broncos coach ‘classless’

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Russell Wilson escalates feud with Sean Payton, labels Broncos coach ‘classless’

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Russell Wilson and Sean Payton spent just one NFL season together, but tension lingered after a rocky year.

And it appears the tension that built up from that tumultuous stretch continues to linger.

Wilson’s interview on the “Bussin’ With the Boys” podcast, recorded before last month’s Super Bowl between Seattle and New England, recently resurfaced. 

In the interview, Wilson doubled down on his October comment labeling Payton “classless,” saying he felt slighted by his former coach’s remarks.

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Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos talks to quarterback Russell Wilson on the sideline during an NFL preseason football game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium Aug. 11, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)

“[When] you’ve been on the same side or this and that, and I got the same amount of rings as you got, meaning Sean, right?” said Wilson, who won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks as Payton did coaching for the New Orleans Saints. 

“I got a lot of respect for him as a play-caller, this and that, but to take a shot, I don’t like. I don’t think it’s necessary, you know, I mean, especially when I’m not even on your own team anymore. So, for me, there’s a point in time where you have to, I’ve realized, I’ve stayed quiet for so long. There’s a there’s a time and place where I’m not.

“I know who I am as a competitor, as a warrior, as a champion, too, and, you know, I’ve beaten Sean, too. You know, like we’ve been on the same place and the same thing. And so, it’s not a matter of disrespect. Just don’t disrespect me.”

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Sean Payton and Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos during an a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Empower Field at Mile High Nov. 19, 2023, in Denver, Colo. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)

After a rocky one-year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, Wilson joined the New York Giants last offseason. However, he was relegated to a backup role after just three games.

Rookie Jaxson Dart quickly showed promise once he had the chance to start, but his season was briefly derailed by injury. Jameis Winston — not Wilson — stepped in for Dart in a handful of games. Dart threw three touchdowns in a Week 7 matchup with the Broncos, nearly pulling off an upset in what was eventually a close loss.

After the game, Payton said Dart provided a “spark” to the Giants’ offense.

“I was talking to [Giants owner] John Mara not too long ago, and I said, ‘We were hoping that that change would have happened long after our game,’” Payton said.

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The New York Giants’ Russell Wilson attempts to escape a sack by Dallas Cowboys defensive end James Houston (53) in the first half of a game Sept. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas.  (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Payton also said the Broncos would have faced less of a challenge had Wilson been under center.

“Classless … but not surprised,” Wilson responded in a social media post. “Didn’t realize you’re still bounty hunting 15+ years later though the media.”

Despite last season’s struggles and chatter about his football future, Wilson does not appear ready to call it quits in 2026.

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“I wanna play a few more years for sure,” he said. “I think, for me, I’ve always had the vision of getting to 40, at least. I think the game is different. Quarterbacks, we get hit. It’s not, you know, we get hit hard, but … there’s certain rules. I mean, back in the day when I started, bro, it was you just get [clobbered]. 

“I mean, so I feel like the game allows you to, you know, live a little longer, I guess. I feel healthy. I feel great. But I think, more than anything else is, do you love the game? Do you love studying? Do you love the passion for it all? Do you love the process? Do you love the practice? Do you love — everybody loves the winning part of it, but it’s process. There’s a journey that you got to be obsessed with. And that part I’m obsessed with.”

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