By STEVE DOUGLAS, AP Sports Writer

VASTERAS, Sweden (AP) — Maryan Hashi remembers the thoughts running through her mind when she began hitting the ski slopes in northern Sweden. As a Black woman from Somalia, she felt like an “alien.”

“Am I wearing the correct clothing for this? Does it fit? Do I look weird? Am I snowboarding correctly? Do they think it’s weird I’m on the slope?” she said. “But I carried on — I felt if I didn’t, I was never going to commit to anything in my life.”

A few years later, snowboarding is the 30-year-old student’s big passion and it is helping her integrate into her adopted country’s society better than she could ever have imagined.

What she’d love now is to see other migrants experiencing the same joy.

Immigration from Africa and the Middle East has transformed the demographics of Europe in recent decades. And while the growing diversity is reflected in many sports such as soccer — Sweden’s men’s national team has several Black players including Liverpool striker Alexander Isak — it hasn’t made a dent in winter sports.

At the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, Sweden is sending a team made up almost exclusively of ethnically Swedish athletes, with NHL player Mika Zibanejad, whose father is from Iran, a rare exception. That hardly reflects the diversity of the Nordic country: About 2 million of its 10 million residents were born abroad, about half of them in Asia or Africa, according to national statistics agency SCB.

The lack of athletes of color at the Winter Olympics — and in winter sports in general — has been a recurring theme in the U.S., which is sending one of its most diverse teams to the Games. It hasn’t gotten the same attention in Europe.

The Olympic rosters of France, Germany, Switzerland and other European winter sports nations look a lot like Sweden’s: overwhelmingly white and lacking the immigrant representation seen in their soccer or basketball teams.

Researchers point to social, financial and geographical barriers, and believe a big cultural shift is needed for anything to change.

“It takes not years but decades,” said Josef Fahlen, professor of sport pedagogy at Umea University in Sweden.

Entering a ‘white’ sport

Hashi was 14 when she came to Sweden with her family in 2009. They settled in Skelleftea, a mining city around 770 kilometers (480 miles) north of the Swedish capital, Stockholm, where winters are long and temperatures can be extremely cold. She found it a culture shock and said it was “scary” to integrate with native Swedes because of language difficulties, so her friendship group consisted of fellow migrants from Somalia and other African countries.

Only in 2018 did she discover there was a ski slope five minutes from her home, after a co-worker suggested she try snowboarding as part of a pilot integration project run by the municipality.

“When you don’t have information or access or nobody around you does it — snowboarding is basically a white sport — and when you’re not correctly integrated into the community, you don’t know much about it,” Hashi said.

She initially felt out of place but grew to love her daily trips to the slope, even when numbers dwindled in the group. She even started to teach kids and her immigrant friends — those who’d been skeptical about Hashi doing an activity that’s “not our thing” — how to snowboard.

“I’ve made my mind up,” Hashi said, “that snowboarding is going to be a part of my family.”

The crucial role of parents

The single biggest influence on children getting into — and maintaining an interest in — a particular sport is their parents, according to Fahlen. That, he said, is the “simple” explanation for the lack of diversity in the ski slopes in Sweden and across Europe.

Pointing to Isak, whose parents are from Eritrea, or tennis players Mikael and Elias Ymer, whose parents migrated to Sweden from Ethiopia, he said the children of non-European immigrants are unlikely to be introduced to sports that their parents are not familiar with.

“Take the example of Isak finding his way into football — it makes total sense because football exists in Eritrea. Skiing doesn’t,” Fahlen said.

Fahlen regards the lack of diversity as not a “winter sports problem but a cultural issue” and said it’s important for kids to see winter sports athletes with a different skin tone.

“It’s a matter of horizon,” Fahlen said. “We need to show it’s possible to be a skier even if you might be from Tunisia or the West Bank.”

There are also financial and geographical factors at play. Immigrants in Sweden typically live in major urban areas, away from skiing hubs in the mountains, and are often in less-privileged economic positions. Participating in winter sports can be expensive because of the need to buy or rent equipment and clothing, and paying for travel and a ski pass.

Improving access for immigrants

Academics believe more needs to be done by winter sports to improve accessibility for immigrants and underserved communities.

“It’s a fact that the best integrative force in society is team sports and sports clubs, where kids can go to do useful things together with others,” said Stefan Jonsson, a professor in Ethnicity and Migration Studies at Linköping University. “There is so much research saying if we want social and ethnic integration, this would be the primary thing.”

Asked about its attempts to get more people from diverse backgrounds into skiing, Sweden’s ski federation said “we want to be better” and added that “inclusion is something we strive for.”

The federation is proud of its “Alla På Snö” (“Everyone On Snow”) program, which since 2008 has reached an estimated 30,000 children every year and offers students free equipment and access to slopes. Also boosting general accessibility is the growth of Sweden’s Leisure Bank project, where people can borrow sports equipment including skis and ski boots for free for 14 days. The founders equate the banks to public libraries.

Neither specifically targets immigrants, however. For Hashi, it’s a missed opportunity to widen the talent pool.

“Open the door for us,” Hashi said. “We’re going to take care of the next generation for you.”

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

By DAVE SKRETTA, AP Sports Writer

The moment Amber Glenn stepped onto the ice at figure skating’s world championships, fans began to wave American flags, from the lowest rows inside TD Garden to the highest rafters, where the jerseys of Boston’s sporting greats hang in honor.

It seemed a fitting backdrop to her program: Glenn is the three-time reigning U.S. champion, one of the current faces of figure skating, and as the daughter of a police officer and a proud native Texan, patriotism flows through her as thick as oil.

Yet the stars-and-stripes weren’t the only flags flying high that night.

Scattered throughout the sellout crowd at the last worlds before the Milan Cortina Olympics were the equally conspicuous rainbow flags that for nearly 50 years have signified pride within the LGBTQ+ community. They started popping up at Glenn’s competitions a year earlier, when she carried one across her shoulders in celebration of her national championship.

“I saw them,” Glenn acknowledged later, long after her performance, “and I was proud to see both of those flags flying.”

Glenn, who identifies as pansexual, never sought to be an icon within the queer community.

In fact, she didn’t come to grips with her own sexuality until she had been through the wringer, including a stint in a mental health facility spent working through depression, anxiety and an eating disorder. Glenn didn’t come out publicly until letting it slip during an interview a half-dozen years ago, and then thought with horror, “I haven’t even told my Catholic grandma yet!”

Yet as the 26-year-old Glenn reflected on her journey in an interview with The Associated Press, she expressed a profound sense of gratitude for having experienced it within the tight-knit figure skating world. For decades, the sport has provided a progressive sort of safe space for those within the LGTBQ+ community, some of whom still may be trying to realize their authentic selves.

“I’m so, so grateful that I grew up in skating, because I grew up in Texas, and luckily it was Dallas, which was still a bit more forward,” Glenn said. “Plus, I was homeschooled. So I had to figure out a lot of things on my own, coming from that background.

“But as I ventured out to competitions, you know, outside of Texas,” Glenn continued, “I ended up seeing this community and these people around me, and they were some of the top coaches and really good skaters. I was like, ‘Oh, OK. This is OK.’ It made me realize, ‘OK, there are people who are fans of me that would probably feel even more connected if they saw someone like them.’”

The long and winding road

It hasn’t always been that way in figure skating, a sport where success and failure is quite literally a judgment call, and looks, attitude and mannerisms all matter in the scores. Throughout the 1900s, and even into the ‘80s and ’90s, women often were encouraged to be more effeminate, and male counterparts were told to embrace their masculinity.

It wasn’t until Rudy Galindo came out in a book released shortly before he was crowned U.S. champion in 1996 that walls began to crumble. Three-time U.S. champion Johnny Weir, now a lead analyst for NBC’s coverage of the Olympics, said later that Galindo gave him the confidence to come out in 2011, and ultimately embrace who he was both on the ice and off.

Eventually, other prominent skaters came forward, some of whom had never publicly acknowledged their sexuality. Each had their reasons, whether personal, political or simply the desire to give back to the community.

As the U.S. team was preparing for the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, former Olympic champion Brian Boitano was picked to be a part of the delegation. At the time, the Russian government was under fire for an anti-gay “propaganda” law passed in June 2013, and Boitano told the AP that he never considered coming out until he was chosen to represent his country again.

“They know how private a person I am,” Boitano said, “and that this was a big move for me.”

Success on big stages

While LGBTQ+ athletes compete in just about every sport, what might set figure skating apart — at least, presently — has been their success on the biggest stages, whether they be international competitions, the world championships or even the Olympics.

In 2018, former U.S. champion Adam Rippon not only became the first openly gay man to make the Olympic team but the first to capture a medal at the Winter Games, earning bronze as part of the team event. Four years later, Timothy LeDuc became the first non-binary Olympic athlete by teaming with Ashley Cain-Gribble in the pairs event at the Beijing Games.

“I grew up in a very conservative environment,” explained LeDuc, a two-time U.S. champion, who went into coaching after stepping away from competition. “Sometimes just seeing someone like you in that community is what you need to feel comfortable in yourself. That continued in my journey, where I saw a lot of queer people in my life.

“Even in high school, there was one or two queer people,” LeDuc said, “but it was always figure skating where I found my community.”

Where things stand

Glenn had just won her first elite-level Grand Prix event in Angers, France, in November 2024, when Donald Trump won the presidential election in the U.S. She remembers watching the results scroll across the TV screen.

Glenn’s heart sank, thinking about what it would mean for the LGBTQ+ community.

Two months later Trump signed an executive order defining “sex” in federal policy as a binary, biological concept unchangeable from birth. It was the first move made by an administration that has been accused of targeting the rights and recognition of the LGBTQ+ community, such as rolling back protections in education, healthcare and housing. The administration pitched the changes as a way to protect women from “gender extremism.”

“Both of my grandpas were in the military. I was raised in Texas, a proud American,” Glenn told AP. “It was so disheartening. It made me feel even closer to the community around me, because we had to come together to try and protect ourselves.”

Those feelings continue among many in the LGBTQ+ community.

One of the reasons that fan-favorite Jason Brown, a two-time Olympian, came out in an Instagram post five years ago was to provide support to those who may feel uncomfortable — skaters, of course, but also coaches, choreographers and even fans.

“I hope I can leave the sport a little better for the next athlete, or make someone more comfortable to step up and be who they are,” Brown said. “There are so many people out there that love and support that community, and they want them to feel safe and seen and accepted. I think that my biggest message is, ‘Know how supported you are.’”

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

By DANIELLA MATAR, AP Sports Writer

MILAN (AP) — When Lucas Pinheiro Braathen tells people in Brazil that he represents the country in Alpine skiing, he says they don’t believe him.

They just might if he wins Brazil’s first Winter Olympics medal next month.

“When I meet someone new (in Brazil) … it’s always this mindblowing moment and it always sparks a very interesting conversation,” Pinheiro Braathen said with a smile in a recent interview with The Associated Press in Milan. “And funny enough, I actually think it’s those interactions that maybe prove the most how fulfilling it is for me to represent Brazil in something like skiing because it just shows me how foreign it is. So that’s really fun.”

If Pinheiro Braathen does finish on the podium, it would also be a first Winter Olympics medal for any South American country, something he wasn’t aware of.

“I mean thanks you just added a whole other layer of pressure so I’ll happily bring that along,” he laughed. “The greater the challenge, the greater the difference that I can bring and I believe it is the more pressure you feel, the bigger the difference that you can create.”

Pinheiro Braathen’s mother is Brazilian and his father is Norwegian. He had raced for Norway until abruptly retiring on the eve of the new season in 2023, only to come back a year later representing Brazil.

The 2023 World Cup slalom champion has already racked up a series of firsts under his new flag, becoming the first Brazilian skier to finish on a World Cup podium last year before claiming the country’s first victory this season to add to his five for Norway.

“I simply try to capitalize off of that pressure and channel it into my performance because, yes, it makes the days leading into the competition extremely challenging because you know you have something greater to live up to rather than just the possibility of a great result,” Pinheiro Braathen said.

“But it is exactly that that enables you to become the version of yourself where you can beat every single other athlete at that start gate and so, as I said, pressure is privilege. It is my most important currency.”

Snow samba

Pinheiro Braathen likes to entertain. When he got his first podium result for Brazil, he celebrated with a samba dance. His reaction after claiming his first win was more visceral, as he fell to his knees and screamed “yeah!” with both arms in the air.

The 25-year-old admits he has no clue what he would do if he was to succeed in Bormio, where the men’s Alpine ski racing will take place at the Olympics.

“If you achieve immense success in something that you’ve dedicated your life to, at least for me, it is impossible to curate what those moments look like,” Pinheiro Braathen said. “It is truly whatever you feel that sees the light of day and that’s what I think is so beautiful about those moments and it is simply what I chase every single day waking up. Yet another day getting to experience that feeling.”

Pinheiro Braathen is one of skiing’s most vibrant personalities, known for painting his fingernails and having a taste for fashion. He brings to the slopes the energy of Brazil and the discipline of Norway, having spent much of his childhood in both countries.

“I’m a person of cultural duality,” he said. “Two perspectives always presented from birth and so for me I always find that I’ve never been living a life where I’m only presented to one reality, one culture or one way of living. It’s always been these polar opposites and so I think that has shaped me to become who I am today and how I want to live my life.

A father’s love

Pinheiro Braathen has a close relationship with his father, Björn Braathen. So much so that he named the reindeer he won as part of the traditional winner’s prize at the World Cup in Levi after him.

It was his father who introduced him to skiing, when he was 4 or 5, though Pinheiro Braathen didn’t take to it initially.

“I bought everything for him, like shoes, like boots and skis and everything, and we went out and he would complain the whole time,” Braathen said. “Like “I’m cold, I’m not cut out for this, I’m freezing,” and, “I’m Brazilian and this is not for me.”

A love for the sport eventually arrived. Braathen, who also serves as his son’s team manager, doesn’t mind that his son switched allegiances.

“As a Norwegian, people expect me to feel very bad about that, but I don’t,” he said. “It’s my son and I just want him to be happy.”

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

By STEPHEN WHYNO

Jack Eichel in the fall of 2021 still did not believe he and the rest of the world’s best hockey players would be going to the Olympics in Beijing a few months later, even after the NHL reached an agreement to do so.

“Don’t hold your breath,” Eichel said at the time.

His skepticism proved to be prescient, as pandemic scheduling issues led the league to withdraw.

Eichel is part of a generation of NHL stars who have never gotten the chance to play in the Olympics. Unlike players of the past — before the league allowed its stars to take part — Eichel, fellow American Auston Matthews, Canadians Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon and many others of their vintage grew up expecting to go to the Games. The NHL, after all, played in five consecutive Olympics from 1998 2014.

Owners opted against sending players in 2018, and missing out in 2022 became a sad result of circumstances largely out of stakeholders’ control. The 12-team tournament in Milan is a moment many have been waiting their entire careers for.

“It’s awesome,” Eichel said before this season, perhaps willing to exhale. “It’s something that we’ve wanted for a while.”

Construction delays bring more questions

Not so fast, Jack.

Out of his control are construction delays at the main hockey arena, a longstanding worry. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman began raising concerns all the way back in 2023, before the deal was reached to send players in 2026 and ’30.

“We have been given assurances that the building will be ready,” Bettman said in February 2024. “We’re relying on those assurances. There’s a lot of construction that remains to be done on that building. I think they only recently started. But we’re being told by everybody not to worry. But I like to worry, so we’ll see.”

Those worries have persisted, and work continues on locker rooms and other facilities at Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, which is set to host the majority of the men’s games beginning Feb. 11. The women’s tournament begins there Feb. 5.

Test games in January left league and players’ union officials pleased about the condition of the ice, though even that has been a matter of consternation after rinks were made more than 3 feet shorter than NHL players are used to. That will change aspects of play but won’t keep the NHL out of the Olympics as long as everyone involved agrees the surface is safe.

What players missed out on

Connor Bedard, the 2023 No. 1 pick who just missed out on making Canada’s roster for Milan, is so young at 20 that he does not even have a favorite Olympic memory. He was 4 when idol and fellow countryman Sidney Crosby scored the “golden goal” to win on home ice in Vancouver in 2010 and 9 when T.J. Oshie gave the U.S. a shootout victory over host Russia in Sochi in 2014.

Canada’s Macklin Celebrini, drafted first in 2024 and at 19 the second-youngest men’s hockey player at the Olympics, has only gotten to dream about the possibility of representing his country on this stage.

“That’s the pinnacle, just the best on best, all the special moments that have happened at the Olympics, the history,” Celebrini said. “There’s just a little bit more energy around it. It’s bigger than yourself.”

In all, 12 NHL players are back at the Olympics after participating in the 2014 Games, the last time the league went and it was a true best-vs.-best tournament. The group includes Crosby and Drew Doughty for Canada; Gabriel Landeskog, Erik Karlsson and Oliver Ekman-Larsson for Sweden; Mikael Granlund and Olli Maatta for Finland; Radko Gudas and Ondrej Palat for Czechia. There are no Americans on that list.

“It’s a cherry on top of athletic life,” Gudas said. “Twelve years ago when we went to Sochi was such a great experience that I wish I can do that again. I was that much more sad that we couldn’t go the last two times, so for me I think it’s a great feeling to be able to do that.”

American defenseman Zach Werenski at 28 is old enough to remember Crosby’s goal in 2010, and four years later he was watching Oshie’s heroics with other members of the U.S. National Team Development Program. Four of his teammates from back then are also set to go to Milan — Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk, Charlie McAvoy and Noah Hanifin — to finally have their Olympic moment.

“The significance of that, the build-up, we’ve waited a long time for this,” McAvoy said, “so it’s going to be incredible.”

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

LAKE ORION – The Lake Orion Dragons came from behind in the fourth quarter to defeat the Pontiac Notre Dame Prep Fighting Irish 50-44 Friday night.

The game was one of runs, and the Dragons had the last big run of the game, closing the game on a 13-3 spurt to pick up the victory. Notre Dame Prep had entered the fourth quarter with a 37-34 lead, but the Fighting Irish were whistled for five fouls in the first 1:09 of the fourth period, and Lake Orion spent almost the entire period in the bonus.

For a while, it didn’t look like it would help the Dragons, who started the game 3-for-13 from the free-throw line, including five straight misses to start the fourth quarter. But Lake Orion finally made their free throws down the stretch, sinking 10 of their last 11 from the charity stripe to hold off Notre Dame Prep.

“It was a tough game. They (Notre Dame) played us really tough,” Dragons head coach Jose Andrades said. “We had to weather a storm, and we just stuck together, did what we were supposed to do, and ended up winning the game.”

Maxwell Neering led the Dragons with 13 points and was instrumental in keeping Lake Orion close during the second quarter as Notre Dame unleashed a 15-0 run that overlapped the end of the first period and the beginning of the second period. But then Neering ran off six quick points on his own, including two steals that he took all the way for transition layups, Max Hinderer hit a couple of shots after that, and the Dragons regained the lead, heading into halftime up 20-19.

Lucas Kattula was dominant for Notre Dame through the first three quarters, racking up 14 points and 13 rebounds before the Dragons finally adjusted and held him off the stat sheet in the fourth quarter.

Drake Roa also had a double-double for Notre Dame, finishing with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while teammates Sam Stowe and Ben Liparoto added 10 and seven points, respectively. But that was it for Notre Dame as no other player scored for the Fighting Irish.

“This is probably the first game where those top-four have honed in and played a consistent, steady game” Fighting Irish head coach Andy Durkin said. “We’re still working on our depth, but we’ll get there. We had some guys step up tonight that got extended run.”

Lake Orion spread things around a bit more as seven different players scored for the Dragons. Neering’s 13 points led the hosts, but the Dragons also got 11 points from Jackson Shoskey, including five crucial free throws down the stretch. William Farmer finished with just six points – but all six came in a crucial fourth quarter run that gave Lake Orion the lead for good.

Photo gallery of Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and Lake Orion in boys basketball action

With the win, Lake Orion evens its record at 7-7 overall. The Dragons resume OAA White play -- they're 1-3 in the league -- on Tuesday when they travel to Stoney Creek to face the Cougars.

“The kids are starting to trust the process, and they know things aren’t going well right now – shots aren’t falling. Free throws aren’t falling,” Andrades said. “(But) we keep doing what we’re supposed to do and eventually we should end up on top. We did that today. We just stuck to the game plan and got out with a win.”

Notre Dame Prep is now 3-8. The Fighting Irish have three games next week, starting with a Monday road trip to Swartz Creek as they continue to try to put things together after losing four starters from last year’s team that reached the Division 3 quarterfinals.

“We’re a good team. We’re just still finding our footing, still working out the kinks, but we’ll keep building, keep building. We’ll be alright,” Durkin said. “We’ve been put in this position a couple times before. We’re just still trying to work out the kinks and continue to play together and make those gotta have it shots,” he added.

The Lake Orion Dragons defeated the Notre Dame Prep Fighting Irish 50-44 in the game played on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026 at Lake Orion.

Troy took out two birds with one stone when the Colts traveled to Royal Oak and beat the Ravens on Thursday evening.

The Colts held on and won 63-47, busting a six-game losing streak. But in the process, longtime head coach Gary Fralick finally hit his milestone 500th career win.

“We just played so hard, and every guy who got minutes played hard,” Fralick said after his team triumphed. “The bench was really into it. You could tell they came to play. We had a good week of practice overall. We’re getting a little better and competing better, and that’s what it’s all about it. Doggone it, we don’t have a superstar, but we’ve got guys that play hard and the right way most of the time.”

After the clock hit zeroes, Gary shared an embrace with his wife (and career scorekeeper) Sharon, and had multiple family members in attendance with signs to cheer him on and commemorate the victory.

In addition, Ravens head coach Aaron Smith, who played at and graduated from Troy High just around the time of Fralick’s arrival there in 1994, delivered a tribute prior to the game.

“(Aaron) was my JV coach for 15 years and is just a wonderful man,” Fralick said. “There’s just so many people that have been in my corner for so many years. It’s not all about 500 and me, me, me. It’s about them, and it’s about the team, and it’s about getting better.”

The ink had probably been dry on those signs after the Colts started 5-1, but after beating Fraser on Dec. 18, they fell into a funk, though it seemed like an end to that skid that would coincide with the 500th win was bound to come sooner than later.

Troy lost by three to Brighton at the North Farmington Holiday Extravaganza, then the slump reached four games when the Colts dropped a home game in overtime to their rivals, Troy Athens, on Jan. 9.

“I’m just hoping it comes one of these days,” Fralick said after that defeat. “It seems like it’s been two months, but I’ve got to practice what I preach, let it go and move on.”

It took overcoming six 3-pointers and a 30-point effort by Royal Oak’s CJ Hairston, but Troy got double-digit scoring out of four players (Grant Wilkens, Will DeArmit, Hayden Oriol, Blake Kuiper) to get over the hump.

“Coach Fralick is one of the best coaches in the state,” said Oriol, who led the Colts with 21 points in the win. “I’m just happy to play for him because he always makes practice fun and is always bringing that energy every day in practice and in games.”

Kuiper added, “It feels good, because we started the season off 5-1, then we were just caught on a downhill, so it’s nice that we can get back on track, and also get him his 500th. We’ve known it was his 500th for these past games and just couldn’t get it … Coach Fralick’s like a mentor to me. Not only on the court, but he takes the time out of his day to talk with us and be a friend.”

Speaking about why the wait was growing to get the coveted win, Fralick said, “You win together, you lose together, and we were not concentrating … We were just concentrating on the process of being ready to have success. The process means practice hard to play hard, and you do the little things right. I hardly said anything about 500 or anything (tonight), but I’m glad it’s done and now we can really get back to business. This was a league win for us, so we move on.

Fralick, who earned his 300th win in 2011 and hit 400 in Dec. 2018, was also recently enshrined in the BCAM Hall of Fame as part of its Class of 2025.

ANN ARBOR (AP) — Yaxel Lendeborg had 18 points and nine rebounds, Morez Johnson scored 12 points and No. 3 Michigan beat Ohio State 74-62 on Friday night.

The Wolverines (18-1, 8-1 Big Ten) took control with a 21-6 run in the second half after the Buckeyes (13-6, 5-3) tied it for a ninth time midway through the second half.

Ohio State’s John Mobley Jr. scored 14 of his 22 points in the first half when Michigan led 33-30.

Mobley made a 3-pointer and assisted on Christoph Tilly’s 3-pointer to put the Buckeyes ahead by six early in the second half, compelling coach Dusty May to call a timeout.

It seemed to work because the Wolverines went on an 11-0 run during the pivotal part of the game and turned a previously closely contested game with 12 lead changes into a double-digit victory.

Michigan freshman Trey McKenney scored 12 points and Aday Mara had 11 points and four blocks.

Tilly finished with 17 points and Bruce Thornton had 10 points before limping off the court in the final minute with an ankle injury.

Puff Johnson made his Ohio State debut, a week after joining the team and becoming eligible after he was granted a temporary restraining order. He started his career in 2020 at North Carolina and later transferred to Penn State.

Michigan honored Trey Burke, the AP Player of the Year in 2013, by putting his No. 3 jersey in the Crisler Center rafters along with five former greats such as 1989 national champion Glen Rice.

Up next

Ohio State: Hosts Penn State on Monday night.

Michigan: Hosts No. 7 Nebraska on Tuesday night.

DETROIT (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 32 points as the Houston Rockets ended the Detroit Pistons’ four-game winning streak with a 111-104 victory Friday night.

Durant averages 30.6 points in 32 career games against the Pistons – his highest average against any other team. He added seven rebounds and three assists in 40 minutes without a turnover.

Alperen Sengun scored 19 points and Reed Shepherd added 18 points for the Rockets, who have won four of five. Amen Thompson had 15 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for Houston, which had lost five straight on the road.

Jalen Duren led Detroit with 18 points and seven rebounds, but Detroit’s other four starters combined for 37 points on 13-of-35 shooting (37.1%).

Houston outscored Detroit 34-20 in the third quarter to turn a tie game into an 86-72 lead. Durant and Sheppard combined for 18 points in the quarter on 7-for-8 shooting.

Detroit got within 87-80 with a four-point possession early in the fourth. Cade Cunningham missed, but Jae’Sean Tate was called for a flagrant foul when he undercut Ron Holland II as he went for the rebound. Holland made both free throws and Duren dunked off a Cunningham lob.

After a Rockets turnover, Isaiah Stewart’s three-point play made it 87-83, but the Pistons couldn’t get even.

Josh Okogie’s 3-pointer made it 101-93 with 5:19, and Houston moved the lead back to double figures on Shepherd’s layup with 2:04 left.

Durant had 18 points in the first half, but the Pistons had a 36-24 edge in points in the paint to keep the game tied at 52 going into the third quarter.

Houston’s defense stepped up early in the third quarter, holding Cunningham and Duncan Robinson to two shot attempts in the first eight minutes. The Rockets outshot Detroit 68.4% (13-19) to 36.4% (8—22) in the period.

Up next

Rockets: Host the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night.

Pistons: Host the Sacramento Kings on Sunday afternoon.

DETROIT – Popular and long-time Red Wings TV analyst Mickey Redmond will be taking a break after Sunday’s telecast for medical reasons.

Redmond, 78, will undergo spine fusion surgery next week, Redmond and the Wings said in statements released Sunday.

“After tonight’s game, I’ll be taking some time away from my analyst duties as I address chronic neck issues that have led me to need cervical spine fusion surgery,” Redmond said. “It’s never ideal to miss time during a season, but I was luckily able to line the procedure up with several nationally televised games and the Olympic break. It’s been an incredible season so far in Hockeytown, and I’m looking forward to being back behind the microphone for our exciting playoff run.”

Redmond had his playing career cut short in 1976, at age 29, because of back pain.

Redmond was the first player in Wings’ history to score 50 goals. He scored 51 in 1972-73 and 52 the following season. Redmond won two Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens in 1968 and 1969 before being traded to the Wings.

Redmond his broadcasting career with the Wings in 1979. He left for a five-year stay on Hockey Night in Canada, then returned to broadcast Wings games in 1986. The pairing of play-by-play man Ken Daniels and Redmond began in 1997 and is generally considered among the best in the NHL.

While Mickey is recovering, Daniels will be joined in the booth by former Wings players Chris Osgood, and Stu Grimson and Frankie Corrado (current TSN analyst).

“Mickey has the support of his Red Wings family, and we appreciate that he’s prioritizing health,” the Red Wings said in a statement. “Mickey decided to wait on having this procedure until a time that was best for the broadcast, for the team and ultimately for the fans – a great example of what an incredible teammate he is both on and off the air. Everyone in the organization will keep him in our thoughts and will do anything needed to support his recovery.”

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Tuburu Naivalurua had a career-high 26 points and 10 rebounds and Isaac Garrett added 17 points and added 10 rebounds as Oakland beat Green Bay 88-63 on Sunday to snap the Phoenix’s five-game win streak.

Ziare Wells finished 6 of 7 from the field and finish with 14 points, five rebounds and three steals for the Golden Grizzlies (11-9, 7-2 Horizon League).

“I’m just really proud of these guys. I haven’t taken many teams in our 14 years in the league up here and went back-to-back like we did — maybe one or two times,” Oakland head coach Greg Kampe said. “Took them off of what we came off of, make this business trip, and played the way we played two nights in a row. I’m really, really pleased with the kids.”

Ramel Bethea finished with 11 points and four blocks for the Phoenix (11-9, 6-3). Justin Allen added nine points and six rebounds for Green Bay. Marcus Hall also had nine points and four assists.

___

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

DETROIT (AP) — Alex DeBrincat scored 36 seconds into overtime to give the surging Detroit Red Wings a 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Sunday.

Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Lucas Raymond and James van Riemsdyk also scored for Detroit. Patrick Kane assisted on Sandin-Pellikka’ goal, moving him two points shy of Mike Modano’s record of 1,374 career points by a U.S.-born player.

John Gibson made 19 saves for his 15th victory in his last 17 games. The Red Wings improved to 9-4 in overtime games.

Drake Batherson had a goal and an assist for Ottawa. Dylan Cozens and Shane Pinto also scored, and James Reimer made 30 saves.

DeBrincat’s team-high 26th goal was set up by Andrew Copp as Detroit kept pace with Tampa Bay atop the Atlantic Division standings. The Red Wings have won six of their last seven games.

The Senators took a 2-0 lead 5:05 into the game. Batherson scored on a rebound and Cozens converted in front off a feed from Brady Tkachuk during a power play.

Sandin-Pellikka’s power-play goal came on a shot from the point at 7:16 of the period to get the Red Wings on the scoreboard. Raymond’s shot from the high slot over Reimer’s glove at 6:06 of the second period tied it at 2-all.

Van Riemsdyk’s power-play goal off a rebound with 3:07 left in the period involved some nifty stick work. He maneuvered the puck between his legs and shot it over Reimer’s pad with the stick behind the back.

Pinto’s tip-in during another power play in the final minute of the period tied it once again.

Up next

Senators: Visit Columbus on Tuesday.

Red Wings: Visit Toronto on Wednesday.

MADISON HEIGHTS — Both were happy to be there, but there could only be one to emerge between Walled Lake Central and West Bloomfield Saturday afternoon.

Ultimately, the Vikings outpinned the Lakers 220-212, 191-180 in the finals to win the 2026 Oakland County boys bowling tournament.

“We haven’t really done well here (recently),” Walled Lake Central head coach Jeff DeSlippe said. “But I’d say this is probably one of the biggest highlights we’ve ever had (as a program). It’s a career win.”

Walled Lake Northern, who won the regional the Vikings were in last postseason, finished top of qualifying with a 3,907 total, followed by South Lyon East (3,866), but the margins were slim for the top-3 as the Vikings came in just behind that at 3,863.

When match play began, WL Central defeated Avondale (201-156, 171-132), Detroit Catholic Central (197-174, 232-178) and then Clarkston (223-200, 212-212) in the semifinals to reach the championship.

“We felt pretty confident going in, and I don’t think we were too concerned about anyone really until West Bloomfield,” DeSlippe said.

In singles play, Vikings senior Connor Martin was dominant, his best competition proving to be runner-up Joe Lindholm of Troy (717), who rolled a 300 in his first game. That pair aside, there were fewer than 10 other scores of 250 or higher throughout the singles portion, but Martin compiled scores of 235, 257 and 267 for a series total of 759.

“It’s incredible,” Martin said. “I’ve never shot that high of a series before ever in high school. I was nervous at first, but throughout the day I got better. I was just making good shots, being happy.”

Martin, who went to states as a freshman, now has a special tool in his box that has taken him up a level.

“I gave him my bowling ball (I used in) my men’s league,” DeSlippe said. “I found a new ball that I don’t like as much. Now I’m just wondering if I can get the ball back.”

“Yes, very,” Martin responded when asked if he’s been improved since he began utilizing it. “It goes through the pins better, hits them stronger.”

Central’s next-best performer in individual play was Justin Jensen, who finished 15th individually (636), followed by Aaron Dorfman (33rd, 605).

West Bloomfield was the more unexpected of the two to reach the final. Beyond the Knights, Cougars and Vikings, The Lakers finished 10th in qualifying behind Southfield A&T, Oxford, Catholic Central, Lakeland and South Lyon. North Farmington, Royal Oak, Lake Orion, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, Avondale, Clarkston and Mott also qualified to the Round of 16.

West Bloomfield had just one bowler inside the top-40 individuals in Mason Ermis, whose output of 647 was good for 12th. Collectively, the Lakers beat South Lyon, then Waterford Mott and Lake Orion to reach the final.

Photo gallery from the 2026 Oakland County boys bowling tournament

As far as West Bloomfield's first-year head coach Reg Watts is aware, this is the first time the program has reached the finals of the county tournament. "As a matter of fact, this is our first year winning trophies."

While the Lakers were in a strong regional last postseason, led by Troy Athens, who won last year's county tourney, they finished fifth in that regional. On top of it, they graduated seven seniors.

"Last year, we were pretty good," Watts said. "But this year, a couple of my guys bowled a lot over the summer, some of them that were JV (last year). I'm really deep in good bowlers this year."

Watts also believed that his team could take it up a notch in the last stage Saturday. "I guess my guys just woke up," he said. I knew there was another level. We were performing below my expectations at the beginning of the tournament, but I expected us to do well."

He said this also raises the ceiling on what the Lakers can achieve this postseason, adding, "It does, because we've never made it (this far here) before. This is the second trophy for us this year, not the last .. and I have most of my bowlers -- Mason, Jayden (Watts), Brenden (Doyle), that's my core -- coming back next year, so we'll be even stronger."

After Martin and Lindholm, the rest of the top-10 individuals were Oxford's Dom Hambly (696 series), Walled Lake Northern's Ethan Faurote (685), Southfield A&T's Anthony Jones II (682), Clarkston's Gavin Pittman (676), WL Northern's Hunter Clary (674), A&T's Aiden Mason (661), and South Lyon East duo Dain Virdee (657) and Thomas Martin (651). Mason had the best individual one-game score aside from Lindholm's 300 with a 276.

Astro Lanes in Madison Heights hosted the Oakland County boys bowling tournament on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. Walled Lake Central edged West Bloomfield in the finals to win the title.

SEATTLE (AP) — Jeremy Fears Jr. scored 19 points and No. 12 Michigan State beat Washington 80-63 on Saturday for its fourth straight victory.

The Spartans (16-2, 6-1 Big Ten) won in their first game at Washington since 1957.

Fears was 6 of 9 from the field and made 7 of 8 free throws in his fourth straight game with at least 15 points. He also had five assists.

Kur Teng added 11 points, hitting three 3-pointers.

Zoom Diallo led Washington (10-8, 2-5) with 18 points, and Hannes Steinbach had 17 points and nine rebounds. The Huskies have lost four of five, three of them against teams ranked 12th or better.

Washington was without guard Desmond Claude. He announced Friday on social media that he was “stepping away from all on-court activities” due to health concerns stemming from a sprained ankle in fall workouts that forced him to miss the first four games of the season. In 12 games (nine starts), he averaged 13.3 points.

Up next

Michigan State: At Oregon on Tuesday night

Washington: At No. 8 Nebraska on Wednesday night.

— By JOSH KIRSHENBAUM, Associated Press

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Elliot Cadeau scored 17 points and No. 4 Michigan defeated Oregon 81-71 Saturday afternoon at Matthew Knight Arena.

Nimari Burnett scored 15 points and Aday Mara added 12 points as Michigan (16-1, 6-1) won its second straight game following its lone loss of the season. Morez Johnson Jr. scored nine points in 17 minutes despite foul trouble and Yaxel Lendeborg added six and a game-high 10 rebounds for the Wolverines, who shot 49% from the field and outrebounded the Ducks 36-30.

Sean Stewart scored a career-high 22 points to go with eight rebounds for Oregon (8-10, 1-6), which dropped its fourth straight game. Kwame Evans Jr. had 18 points and seven rebounds while Takai Simpkins scored 12 for the Ducks.

Oregon played without its two leading scorers as senior center Nate Bittle, who averages 16.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, is likely out for a month after injuring his foot last week in a loss at Nebraska. Junior point guard Jackson Shelstad, who averages 15.6 points and a team-high 4.9 assists per game, missed his fifth straight game with a hand injury.

Oregon led 41-40 at halftime and opened the second period with a basket from Stewart before Burnett answered with a 3-pointer. Oregon went back up 47-46 on a dunk from Devon Pryor before Michigan went on a 12-2 run to take a 58-49 lead.

Oregon got within 74-68 on a basket by Stewart with 3:33 to play, but Cadeau made a layup and Johnson added a bucket to put the Wolverines ahead 78-68 with 2:28 left in the game.

Up next

Michigan: The Wolverines return home to face Indiana on Tuesday.

Oregon: The Ducks host No. 12 Michigan State on Tuesday.

— By STEVE MIMS, Associated Press

The Detroit Lions are still going through the painstaking process of dissecting what went wrong in a disappointing 2025 season, but just around the corner are several opportunities to revamp the roster and get ready for a playoff push in 2026.

For Part 2 of our three-part offseason blueprint, designed to help prime you on every second of the Lions’ offseason, we’re taking you through several steps of the player-acquisition process, from which in-house free agents the team could look to bring back in 2026 to the positions they could be targeting when free agency opens for the entire league.

In the first part, we gave an overview of Detroit’s staffing changes, college All-Star games, and the NFL Scouting Combine. In the next, we’ll cover the NFL Draft, extension-eligible players, fifth-year options, the NFL’s schedule release, and the offseason workout schedule.

In-house unrestricted free agents (End of season through training camp)

League-wide free agency doesn’t begin until March, but teams can start re-signing their own free agents at basically any point. The Lions have big decisions to make about several players who contributed to wins not so long ago.

Quarterback: The Lions’ lone free-agent quarterback (other than C.J. Beathard, who was on the practice squad) is Kyle Allen, who has a seemingly good chance of returning. Allen was extremely reliable in training camp and had a strong showing throughout much of the preseason. While we didn’t get to see how it looked during the regular season, Allen has significant starting experience and is a high-floor backup for Jared Goff.

Wide receivers/tight ends: One of the more intriguing decisions the Lions will make this offseason is on wide receiver Kalif Raymond, who’s been with the team since 2021 and embodies the culture they’ve built. At 31, is it time to move on? The Lions’ other free-agent receiver is Tom Kennedy, who’s a restricted free agent because of service time despite being the second-longest tenured member of the team. Kennedy, 29, seems like a lock to be here for training camp.

Meanwhile, the Lions could upgrade the competition in the tight end room by moving on from Shane Zylstra and Anthony Firkser. Both were solid depth players after the team lost its top two players, but neither is likely to challenge Brock Wright for the No. 2 job behind Sam LaPorta, and Lions coach Dan Campbell said he wants to bring more competition to training camp next season.

Offensive line: One of the biggest reasons to believe in a Lions bounceback is that the offense returns every 2025 starter. Of course, one or two of the positions along the offensive line might need an upgrade, but that’s generally a positive for a top-five unit.

On the O-line, Detroit will have the opportunity to reshape its depth. There seems to be a decent chance that the team’s first-choice backups are on their way out, with Dan Skipper mulling retirement and Kayode Awosika being a healthy scratch during desperate portions of the season. Interior lineman Trystan Colon also had his ups and downs, but could certainly stick around as a depth option.

We are intrigued by tackle Jamarco Jones, who was the top candidate to win Detroit’s backup tackle job before a season-ending ankle injury. While Jones, 29, is no spring chicken, there’s a sense the Lions really like him as a depth piece.

Defensive line/defensive end: There’s a big opportunity to reshape the defensive line this season, with seven of the Lions’ defensive free agents coming from that unit, and five of those players being edge defenders. On the interior, the Lions still could have plenty of use for D.J. Reader, so long as it’s at a much lower price than the $11 million annual salary he signed for two years ago, and likely have a strong interest in bringing back Roy Lopez, who was arguably the most cost-effective signing of the 2025 offseason. Levi Onwuzurike, who missed the entire season with an ACL injury, is a wild card. He had a breakout season in 2024 but missed the entire next season after getting a below-market deal, so there’s no telling what outside interest will look like for him.

On the edge, the Lions can and should seriously consider reshaping the room. Marcus Davenport and Josh Paschal have often been injured — Paschal missed the entire season with a back injury — and have been, at best, replacement-level players when healthy. I could see the team bringing back Tyrus Wheat, a restricted free agent who was a waiver claim and didn’t get many defensive opportunities, but flashed when he was on the field.

Lastly, we have Al-Quadin Muhammad. After an 11-sack season, which nearly doubled his career-best, his services are expected to be in high demand. But he’s also 30 years old and has much less of a track record than, say, a Za’Darius Smith, who ended up signing with the Philadelphia Eagles for just $4.5 million guaranteed before ultimately retiring. I’d expect the Lions to try everything to bring him back; the question is whether another, more desperate team will outbid them.

Linebackers: Alex Anzalone is the headliner of Detroit’s upcoming free-agent class. He was one of Campbell’s original soldiers back in 2021 and became one of the league’s most valuable linebackers as the Lions became a juggernaut in 2023 and 2024. His attempt to ink an extension last offseason did not come to fruition, and it might be tough to re-sign him after Detroit extended Derrick Barnes to the tune of $8.5 million annually the previous offseason.

Barnes has yet to become the player Anzalone is now, which makes their decision on what to do with Anzalone interesting. From Anzalone’s perspective, he’s 31 and yet to receive a big payday (relative to his high-end linebacking peers), which could play into his decision-making over the next few months. But at his age, it’s understandable why the Lions might be hesitant to give him the money he wants. It seems the writing is on the wall after last offseason, but perhaps the two sides can find some middle ground after another full season behind them.

Elsewhere in the linebacking unit, the Lions will have to make decisions on a pair of young players in Malcolm Rodriguez and Trevor Nowaske. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Lions keep both. They’ve invested quite a bit into each player’s development. As for Ezekiel Turner and Zach Cunningham, I wouldn’t be surprised to see either player at training camp this year. Grant Stuard certainly could be back as a special-teams ace. Still, he mentioned the opportunity to play on defense drew him to Detroit last offseason, and that ultimately didn’t happen much, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him seek a new opportunity.

Secondary: This time last year, cornerback Amik Robertson was a full-blown fan favorite for his role in the team’s division-clinching, Week 18 win against the Minnesota Vikings. But now, after Robertson was repeatedly picked on after being thrust into action as a starting outside cornerback, it seems the two parties are headed toward an amicable split. The Lions could bring Robertson back to challenge for the starting nickel corner job, but part of his appeal was his ability to bounce outside when needed, and he was a liability in that role this season.

The rest of the Lions’ reserve free agents in the secondary actually put together solid campaigns. Cornerback Rock Ya-Sin was arguably Detroit’s best cornerback over the entire season and should be a high priority this offseason. Avonte Maddox and Daniel Thomas played well in most of their appearances at safety, with both players also contributing on special teams.

Rounding out this group is safety Jalen Mills, a late-season signing, and cornerback Arthur Maulet. Again, it wouldn’t be surprising to see either of these players in training camp next year — but that’s probably about the extent of their expectations.

Special teams: After finishing his two-year contract with the Lions, kicker Jake Bates is an Exclusive Rights Free Agent (ERFA), a designation for players with fewer than three accrued NFL seasons. The Lions have complete control over the negotiation; they’ll either be able to sign him to a multi-year deal or tender him a qualifying offer at league minimum, which he must accept. Bates had more misses in 2025 than he did the year prior, but Detroit still has full belief he’ll eventually be one of the league’s best, and he’s certainly got the talent to do so.

Free-agent negotiation period begins (March 9)

Free agency doesn’t officially open until the new league year begins on March 11 (4 p.m.), but teams can get a head start on negotiations when the legal tampering window opens on March 9 (noon). These two days are some of the most exciting on the NFL calendar.

New league year begins (March 11, 4 p.m.)

Players who are not under contract for the 2026 season are officially set free from their previous deals at 4 p.m. on March 11, when they can formally put pen to paper on signing with a new team. Additionally, teams must submit qualifying offers to restricted free agents before this time, or they’ll lose the first right of refusal if and when a player signs an offer sheet elsewhere. With the start of the new league year, the trade market also reopens.

Tenders: The Lions have three restricted free agents (RFAs) this offseason: Nowaske, Wheat and Kennedy. RFAs are players with exactly three years of service time who are technically eligible to sign with any team, but the original team has the right of first refusal — or, in other words, the ability to match — on any contract signed by said player if they submit a qualifying offer (or “tender.”) They’re kind of like franchise tags but for players of a lower caliber. For example, the Lions used a right-of-first-refusal tender on tight end Brock Wright during the 2024 offseason and matched a contract offer from the San Francisco 49ers.

There are four types of tenders teams can use on RFAs, each with a different salary for the player and a different level of compensation for the original team. But for our purposes, we’re not going to get bogged down by the different avenues Detroit probably won’t use to keep this group of players.

The only tender Detroit could conceivably use on one of these players is a right-of-first refusal tender, but even that carries an annual salary in the neighborhood of $3.3 million. It’s unlikely that’s applied to Wheat, a recent waiver claim, or Kennedy, who primarily resides on the practice squad. Detroit could decide to tender Nowaske, considering they’ve watched his development and were upset about briefly losing him via the waiver wire a few years ago. But even then, they might be scared off by the salary.

Free agency: We’ll eventually do a position-by-position deep dive into all of the Lions’ free agency needs and available players, but for now, we’re taking a big-picture look at how they could approach the acquisition period. Unlike last offseason, when the Lions returned most starters from a team that went 15-2, there are several major holes on this roster — even if some of that is because of injury.

The biggest weakness is their offensive line, where they’ll have to replace at least one player, and maybe two. Detroit should find an upgrade from Graham Glasgow at center and make a move to protect against the potential retirement of left tackle Taylor Decker.

The latter is easier said than done; it’s going to be hard to find a tackle worth his salt that also would be content with being a backup, should Decker decide to play one more year. That’s potentially an acquisition better-suited for the draft, but we know Lions general manager Brad Holmes doesn’t like to shoehorn his team’s needs when drafting.

The Lions also will need to overhaul their defensive end group, with Aidan Hutchinson and Ahmed Hassanein being the only two players under contract. They’ll also likely be looking for an Anzalone replacement, as well as a safety or two to quell the uncertainty caused by injuries to Brian Branch (Achilles) and Kerby Joseph (knee).

It’s also important to remember free agency is essentially a full offseason endeavor. Once the initial wave of signings comes in at the start of the new league year, hundreds of quality players will still be looking for their next team.

Trades: The Lions could certainly improve their team via trade, which they did during the 2024 offseason by trading a third-round pick for cornerback Carlton Davis III.

But they’re already down a pair of third-round picks, used to acquire wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa in last year’s draft, and Holmes has been wont to stockpile draft capital rather than use it to acquire veteran pieces. It’s hard to imagine an already shorthanded Holmes punting on more draft picks. Still, it’s an avenue Holmes has used before, and after watching Detroit’s 2025 season fall apart, perhaps he’ll be more motivated to mortgage the future for 2026.

Potential cap casualties

Salary cap casualties are an unfortunate reality of life in the NFL. As I mentioned in last year’s Blueprint, projecting players to lose their jobs is not a fun part of the job. But teams are constantly looking for ways to reduce their salary cap hits, and cutting veteran players on expensive contracts is a critical way of doing so. Here are players whose release could provide cap relief.

Graham Glasgow, center: All told, the Lions don’t have many veterans whose release could provide substantial cap room, but Glasgow does fit the bill. He had a rough season after making his third position change in as many years, and could be nearing retirement — even if he wouldn’t say so directly. When asked whether he still plans to be a Lion in 2026 on locker-room cleanout day, he simply said that he’s still under contract. The Lions would incur $2.9 million in dead money and save $5.6 million by releasing Glasgow. While that’s not bad for a potential starter, it’s very expensive for a backup who’s already reached his ceiling.

David Montgomery, running back: Montgomery’s future with the team is in flux after a season that saw his role drastically reduced. Holmes acknowledged a disconnect between how Montgomery was used and how he deserves to be used, saying the situation could result in an amicable split — even if that’s not the outcome Holmes prefers. Cutting Montgomery would incur $4.9 million in dead money for 2026 and free up $3.5 million.

Brock Wright, tight end: Rounding out our group of potential cap casualties is Wright, who ended the season on injured reserve with a trachea injury. In this scenario, the juice probably isn’t worth the squeeze. Detroit adores Wright, who’s entering the final year of his contract, and what he does as a blocker. They’d only save $2.7 million by cutting him, which is likely less than it would cost to replace him. But with few other options for cap relief, perhaps the Lions will consider moving on.

Looking ahead

The Lions have a number of tough decisions to make about players who’ve helped build a winning culture in Detroit, and with each new offseason bringing fresh contract extensions for Detroit’s drafted stars, the margin for error only continues to shrink.

We’ll conclude our three-part series Friday with a look at the NFL Draft, fifth-year options, extension-eligible players, the NFL’s annual schedule release and Detroit’s offseason practice programs.

Junior Harlem Simpson finished with a team-high 28 points, leading four double-digit scorers in Birmingham Groves’ 80-48 win at Royal Oak Thursday night.

She was joined in double figures by teammates Mallory Killian and Jacey Roy, who each scored 15 points, as well as Sophie Schwanik, who ended with 13.

Lydia Dickens scored 10 points, Dimyah Jackson had nine, and Alyssa Rozycki and Kolbie Roelofs each had seven in the loss for the Ravens (4-6, 0-2 OAA White).

After starting 0-2, the Falcons have won six straight. That includes an 83-39 win on Jan. 13 in which Simpson poured in 42 points (and pulled down 14 rebounds), Killian had 17 points and six assists and Roy had nine points and steals each.

More girls basketball

WEST BLOOMFIELD 54, OXFORD 41 >> The Lakers won their second in a row at home on Thursday night and improved to 5-3 on the season. West Bloomfield head coach Darrin McAllister collected his 102nd win after hitting the century milestone on Dec. 28 against Cass Tech in a 59-48 victory.

FARMINGTON HILLS MERCY 54, DETROIT KING 17 >> Caroline Paluk tallied 11 points and Abby Bores ended with 10 to help the Marlins improve to 7-1 on the year Wednesday evening.

TROY ATHENS 56, WARREN WOODS TOWER 43 >> Madi Stencel had 15 points, Laityn Dennis had nine and the tandem of Kaitlyn Piggott and Gabby Bieniek each finished with seven in the fourth win in a row by the Red Hawks (8-2) on Tuesday.

ROMEO 52, TROY 35 >> Maci Zeiter scored a team-high 20 points and Rachel Zapatka added a handful for the Colts (5-2) in Tuesday’s loss to the Bulldogs.

SOUTH LYON EAST 52, MILFORD 47 >> Kaitlyn Therrian scored a team-high 15 points on Tuesday for East, who improved to 9-0 overall and 2-0 in the LVC. Ashlyn Lutz finished with a game-high 17 points and Madison Cornett added nine for the Lady Mavs (6-2, 2-1).

LINDEN 54, ORTONVILLE BRANDON 35 >> A hot start and a solid rebounding effort wasn’t enough for the Blackhawks (2-6) on Tuesday evening. Ellza Rizzo had 14 points, nine rebounds and five steals, freshman Avery Odinga had 14 points and seven rebounds and sophomore Maddie Heverly pulled in 10 boards in the loss.

Boys basketball

MADISON HEIGHTS LAMPHERE 57, CLINTONDALE 29 >> Evan Landstrom led all scorers with 20 points, while teammates Mychael Foster and Gavin Abbott chipped in 16 and 10, respectively, and Jack Robinson dropped 10 assists in Wednesday’s road win by the Rams (8-2).

MADISON HEIGHTS MADISON 63, HAZEL PARK 51 >> Madison pulled away in the second half to claim the MAC Bronze Division win Wednesday. Myani Franks scored 17 points to lead the Eagles (4-6, 1-1). Christian Payne added 12 points, Christian Barnett followed with eight points and Nehemiah Patman also scored eight points for Madison.

BIRMINGHAM SEAHOLM 46, TROY ATHENS 29 >> Evert Wertz scored 16 points, Bryan Pohl had nine and Brody Feldmaier added seven in the victory by the Maples (4-7, 2-0 OAA Blue) on Tuesday.

BLOOMFIELD HILLS 66, TROY 47 >> Daron Mason scored a team-high 18 points, while Meyer Saperstein (15), Carter Hartfield (11) and Brennan Bies (10) also finished in double-digits for the Black Hawks (9-2, 2-0 OAA Blue) Tuesday night.

WALLED LAKE CENTRAL 62, SOUTH LYON 52 >> Evan Brown carried the scoring load for the Vikings (7-5, 3-0 LVC) in Tuesday’s win. Johnathan Matthew had 13 points, plus Asa Clay and Anthony Camacho both chipped in a dozen for Central in its league conquest.

ROCHESTER ADAMS 58, LAKE ORION 44 >> The Highlanders (8-4) won their third game in a row on Tuesday and their sixth in the last seven contests. Lake Orion dropped to 5-5 overall despite 20 points from Nathan Giacolone and 10 from fellow senior Jackson Shoskey.

Hockey

ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARY’S 10, TRENTON >> Already cruising to victory, the Eaglets scored half of their goals in the third period Thursday evening. Matthew Mourad scored twice, Daniel Ramos scored and assisted three times and Charlie Roberts scored his team-best 17th goal of the year for St. Mary’s (12-4).

CRANBROOK-KINGSWOOD 8, PORT HURON NORTHERN 0 >> The Cranes outshot the Huskies 22-7 in the second period Thursday evening and cashed in during that span with goals by Matthew Mooradian, Kyle Braunscheidel, Efe Oztorun and Jack Shenkan. On top of that, Oztorun added another goal in the third and Cam Rocchini finished with a goal and three assists for Cranbrook (11-4).

UTICA EISENHOWER 8, M-1 UNIFIED 0 >> The Griffins (3-15) produced 22 shots, but couldn’t put one past Eagles netminder Connor Holmes in Thursday’s defeat.

BIRMINGHAM UNIFIED 3, ROCHESTER UNITED 3 >> Neither team could net a game-winner in overtime Wednesday’s matchup. Goals by Dylan Turnbull, TJ Maguet and Connor Cichocki had Rochester (16-2-1) leading 3-1 and gunning for a victory until Ryan Sloan and Connor Bozek hit in rapid succession to tie it up for Birmingham. Ryan Sloan also scored for BU (10-6-1) in the deadlock.

SOUTH LYON UNIFIED 4, SALEM ROCKS 0 >> SOUTH LYON UNIFIED 4, SALEM 0 >>Connor Day and Jackson Curtiss each put two goals in during Wednesday night’s win by Unified (15-2). Nathan Ligi, Braden Hillebrand, Aidan Herrera and Ryan Laird all had a pair of assists and Keegan Korpi recorded the shutout.

ROYAL OAK – The Detroit Catholic Central Shamrocks got eight goals from as many different players and routed Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice 8-0 Thursday night.

The score stayed close for most of the first two periods. The Shamrocks led just 3-0 with three minutes to play in the second period. But then a couple of deflections 20 seconds apart made it a 5-0 game and things started to unravel on the Warriors.

Catholic Central dominated the game from start to finish. Its forecheck and depth were relentless; and while Brother Rice had flashes of offense, the game was largely played in the Warriors’ defensive end.

“I was very pleased. I like the way we played. I like the plays we made,” Shamrocks head coach Brandon Kaleniecki said. “I thought we were very hungry on the puck. The forecheck was really crucial in terms of taking away time and space and giving us opportunity to play in the offensive zone, which is where we want to be. Every team wants to be in the offensive. The game is a lot of fun when you can do that,” he added.

Still, goalie Drake England kept Brother Rice hanging around on the scoreboard most of the night. England turned in an outstanding performance, stopping 54 shots, including 40 of the first 43 shots he saw. But eventually, the Shamrocks just had too many shots from point-blank range and pucks started finding the net late in the second period, a trend that continued after the last intermission.

“He (England) played really, really well. I thought we were hanging in there pretty good in the second period and then they got a couple bounces, one deflection out in front and then one from behind the net, and that sort of broke us there I think, because it started going downhill at that point,” Warriors head coach Kenny Chaput said.

Photo gallery of No. 2 Detroit Catholic Central vs. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice in MIHL North hockey action

Sean Goff, Nicholas McQuaid, Luke Perdue, Myles Schlack, Elian Szerlip, Lucas Szmagaj, Dominic Testani, and Gabe Thompson all scored for Catholic Central, while Ryan Dye and Jackson Leiter each had two assists.

“That’s the story of our team,” Kaleniecki said. “It’s good to see you have goals coming from all different angles, all different guys, all four lines. With our team this year, we kind of have to be that way; and I think that makes us the type of team that we can be successful with,” he added.

As displayed by Thursday's performance, the goalscoring has been well-distributed this season for Kaleniecki's side. No one has hit double-digits yet, though Szmagaj and Thompson are now one away. Dye leads the team in both assists (18) and points (25), while Goff and Sam Masek have 11 and 12 assists, respectively.

Maxxon Sulla, who has split time between the posts this season with Nicholas Kogut, earned the shutout against the Warriors.

Detroit Catholic Central improves to 15-1-1 as it chases yet another state title. The Shamrocks have been a bit less dominant in the regular season than in the last two years, but Catholic Central are still ranked second in the state and should be among the favorites to add another trophy to the case when the state playoffs finish in Plymouth this March.

“Obviously, the record is what it is. We try not to dwell on it when it’s going well or when it’s not. Whether we’ve got a couple more losses or not in our pocket before the end of this year, it’s really about just getting to the point where we really like the team that we are and what we’re capable of when it comes time to play in the playoffs,” Kaleniecki said.

Meanwhile, the Shamrocks still have work to do to claim another league title, leading the Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League North Division by just one game over Cranbrook. Detroit Catholic Central is 6-0 in league play and hosts Clarkston in a non-league match up this Saturday before traveling to Trenton next Wednesday for their next MIHL game.

Brother Rice is 4-15. The Warriors will face Orchard Lake St. Mary’s next Wednesday.