WNBA’s Caitlin Clark and the Fever are a playoff team and hungry for more

WNBA’s Caitlin Clark and the Fever are a playoff team and hungry for more
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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark drives past Los Angeles Sparks guard Kia Nurse in the second half of a WNBA basketball game in Indianapolis on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP)
WNBA’s Caitlin Clark and the Fever are a playoff team and hungry for more
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Kelsey Mitchell of the Indiana Fever guards against Odyssey Sims of the Los Angeles Sparks in the third quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on September 04, 2024 in Indianapolis. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Updated 05 September 2024
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WNBA’s Caitlin Clark and the Fever are a playoff team and hungry for more

WNBA’s Caitlin Clark and the Fever are a playoff team and hungry for more
  • Since June 1, Indiana is 17-8 and has victories over each of the league’s top three teams along
  • It also stopped the league’s longest streak of consecutive games played with a losing record at 189

INDIANAPOLIS: Indiana Fever coach Christie Sides slept through her team’s historic playoff-clinching moment Tuesday night. Rookie guard Caitlin Clark watched the decisive game, then went to bed.
For the WNBA’s top-drawing team, the end to a seven-year playoff drought on a night it didn’t play seemed a little, well, unceremonious.
On Wednesday morning, the Fever’s world changed. The team that endured seven straight losing seasons, had won only 30 games over the previous four years and started this season 1-8 was the toast of Indianapolis.
“I usually go to bed by 9:30, 10 o’clock every night, but I did set my alarm for midnight to wake up and I actually just turned it off. Didn’t even look,” Sides said. “So this morning, I woke up to some really awesome text messages.”
Losses by Chicago and Atlanta gave the Fever their first postseason berth since Tamika Catchings retired in 2016, even if Sides wanted just one of those teams to win so the Fever could clinch it on their home court in front of another near-capacity crowd.
Still, nobody was all that upset, and the fans still had plenty to celebrate Wednesday night when Indiana beat Los Angeles 93-86 behind a triple-double from Clark, who also became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 100 3-pointers in a season (she now has 102).
During pregame warmups, beaming smiles could be found on faces all around — Clark, the former Iowa star who has taken women’s basketball to unprecedented heights; Kelsey Mitchell, the seven-year veteran who will finally get her first taste of playoff basketball; and especially Sides, who on Wednesday was named WNBA coach of the month, a first for the Fever.
While this was the goal from the moment Indiana drafted Clark with the No. 1 overall in pick, it was never a gimme.
“Definitely, cool,” said Clark, who swept the league’s monthly honors for player and rookie of the month. “It doesn’t even have to come down to the wire for us, and I think that’s special. Like you can just relax and play basketball and have a lot of fun. Yeah, we accomplished that, but there’s still so much more left on the table.”
It’s not just Clark who realizes what’s possible.
Guard Erica Wheeler appeared in four playoff games during her first two WNBA seasons and it took her eight more to make it back. It’s been so long, the playoff format has changed, as has her role — playing behind Clark.
But as one of four Fever players with postseason experience, she can bring some important perspective.
“The job is not done,” Wheeler said. “We still have six, seven more games and we can’t think ahead like that. Me being a vet, I know that for a fact. So for me, it’s not time to think about the playoffs. You’ve got seven games left.”
Just three months ago, the postseason appeared unlikely.
A brutal early schedule coupled with Clark starting her pro career just five weeks after completing a 39-game college schedule contributed to Indiana’s early woes. The Olympic break gave Clark a much-needed breather and a young team time to figure out how to jell.
Since June 1, Indiana is 17-8 and has victories over each of the league’s top three teams — New York, Minnesota and Connecticut — along with a three-game season sweep of Phoenix, all while stopping the league’s longest streak of consecutive games played with a losing record at 189.
“We were able to keep it together and they focused on the things we kept talking about — creating good habits, relentless effort, togetherness and toughness,” Sides said. “We focused on those things and that’s what mattered.”
Having Clark didn’t hurt, either.
Clark continues to be the league’s feature attraction, routinely drawing sellout crowds and large national television audiences. Business Insider recently reported that this year’s secondary-market ticket prices had nearly doubled year over year — before the Olympic break.
Indiana also leads the league in home, road and overall attendance, and the Fever have appeared on each of the 13 highest-rated telecasts this year. It’s easy to imagine big audiences should Clark face record-setting rookie Angel Reese of Chicago, established stars Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner of Phoenix or Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart of New York in a playoff series.
Indiana is a league-best 9-2 in its last 11 games. And with five more home games and a regular-season finale at Washington, the Fever could cause the WNBA’s top teams some restless nights.
“It’s definitely a big moment for this place, but at the same time, I came in with the expectation this was going to happen,” Clark said. “For me, this isn’t a party. It’s great, I feel like it’s a great accomplishment, but there’s much more left to be done. Yeah, we made the playoffs, but I’m not just happy to be in the playoffs. I think we have the kind of team that can and advance going one game at a time.”


UEFA investigates English ref Coote over footage of alleged drug use at Euro 2024

UEFA investigates English ref Coote over footage of alleged drug use at Euro 2024
Updated 58 min 4 sec ago
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UEFA investigates English ref Coote over footage of alleged drug use at Euro 2024

UEFA investigates English ref Coote over footage of alleged drug use at Euro 2024
  • “A UEFA ethics and disciplinary inspector has been appointed to evaluate a potential violation of the UEFA disciplinary regulations by the referee, Mr. David Coote,” UEFA said
  • The report said the incident was filmed one day after Coote’s last match duty, the quarterfinal between France and Portugal

NYON: UEFA started another investigation into English match official David Coote on Thursday after a video allegedly showed him using cocaine during the European Championship.
“A UEFA ethics and disciplinary inspector has been appointed to evaluate a potential violation of the UEFA disciplinary regulations by the referee, Mr. David Coote,” UEFA said in a statement.
Coote worked as a video review specialist at Euro 2024, where match officials stayed at a hotel near Frankfurt. He was an assistant supporting the lead VAR official at eight games.
British daily The Sun published a video late Wednesday appearing to show Coote snorting the drug using an American banknote.
The report said the incident was filmed one day after Coote’s last match duty, the quarterfinal between France and Portugal. France won a penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw.
Coote was suspended on Monday by the English match referees body after a different cellphone video circulated of him making offensive comments with friends about former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp. That body and the English FA started investigations.
UEFA already withdrew Coote from match duty for national team games this week after the first video was published.
The games he worked at Euro 2024 included host Germany’s 2-0 win over Denmark in the round of 16 that included a controversial penalty award for handball. The lead VAR official at that game, Stuart Attwell, was involved in some of the tournament’s most debated decisions.


Sinner doping case could have been communicated more efficiently, ATP chair says

Sinner doping case could have been communicated more efficiently, ATP chair says
Updated 14 November 2024
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Sinner doping case could have been communicated more efficiently, ATP chair says

Sinner doping case could have been communicated more efficiently, ATP chair says
  • A decision by an independent tribunal to clear Sinner of wrongdoing was appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency in September
  • The Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport is expected to make a final ruling on the case early next year

TURIN: There “could have been better communication” in explaining the rules involved in Jannik Sinner’s doping case, ATP Tour chairman Andrea Gaudenzi acknowledged Thursday.
However, Gaudenzi said at the ATP Finals that anyone hinting that a “double standard” was applied because of top-ranked Sinner’s status is “unfair because the rules have been the same.”
Sinner is playing at home this week for the first time since it was announced before his US Open title that he tested positive for an anabolic steroid in two separate drug tests in March.
The case wasn’t made public until August.
“I learned the day before we all learned,” Gaudenzi said in his first public comments on the case. He spoke in a round-table discussion with international reporters.
“And to be honest, I’m happy about that. I really thank the ITA (International Testing Agency) and our representatives there for intentionally keeping me and our entire team in the dark because that’s how it should be.
“It should be completely independent and that was agreed by the (parties). It was a shock, but obviously comforted by the evidence afterward.”
A decision by an independent tribunal to clear Sinner of wrongdoing was appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in September and the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is expected to make a final ruling on the case early next year.
Sinner’s explanation was that the banned performance-enhancer entered his system unintentionally through a massage from his physiotherapist, who used a spray containing the steroid to treat his own cut finger.
WADA is seeking a ban of one to two years for Sinner.
“We are completely external and it’s (an) independent process,” Gaudenzi said. “I generally think has been a fair process. It was really done by the book and by the rules. Maybe there could have been better communication in explaining those rules, and that is something that I would urge every party involved to work better in the next time.”
ATP Finals future will be revealed
Gaudenzi said he plans to announce on Sunday the future host of the ATP Finals. The contract with Turin expires next year and there is an option to move the event to nearby Milan at a bigger arena being built for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.


Saudi goal disallowed in scoreless draw with Australia

Saudi goal disallowed in scoreless draw with Australia
Updated 14 November 2024
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Saudi goal disallowed in scoreless draw with Australia

Saudi goal disallowed in scoreless draw with Australia
  • Green Falcons thought they had won in the 93rd minute when Sultan Al-Ghannam rifled home from just inside the box
  • Mitch Duke clashed heads with goalkeeper Ahmed Al-Kassar who came out to clear the ball, but VAR showed the infringement was outside the box

MELBOURNE: Saudi Arabia had a goal disallowed in added time in a scoreless draw with Australia, a result that did neither side any favors in their bid to qualify for World Cup 2026.
Despite several chances in front of a sold out AAMI Park in Melbourne, the breakthrough both teams desperately needed never came.
The Saudis and their new French coach Herve Renard thought they had won in the 93rd minute when Sultan Al-Ghannam rifled home from just inside the box.
But the flag went up, with one of his teammates offside.
“We had some good opportunities but we have to go give our opponent credit. First half we didn’t play very well,” said Socceroos coach Tony Popovic.
“We were not very good with the ball while they were sharp and energetic.
“We improved significantly in the second half, which is good,” he added.
“Overall, it’s a point and we move forward but certainly we can improve.”
The stalemate played into the hands of Group C leaders Japan and opened the door for Bahrain to leapfrog them as Asian qualifying reached the halfway mark.
Australia and the Saudis both have six points, four behind table-toppers Japan who can stretch their lead further when they meet Indonesia in Jakarta on Friday.
Bahrain, on five points, host China later in Riffa and will move into second spot if they win.
Just the top two seal their place at the 2026 World Cup in North America, with third and fourth forced into another round of Asian qualifying.
Australia must now lift themselves for a difficult trip to Bahrain next week, while Saudi Arabia travel to Indonesia.
Popovic made just one change from the team that drew with Japan in Saitama last month with Standard Liege midfielder Aiden O’Neill in for Luke Brattan.
Renard, who was appointed a fortnight ago in place of Roberto Mancini, swung the axe with just four survivors from their last match, a goalless draw with Bahrain.
Both sides started at a frenetic pace and in a big moment on 12 minutes the referee awarded Australia a penalty after Mitch Duke clashed heads with goalkeeper Ahmed Al-Kassar who came out to clear the ball.
But VAR showed the infringement was outside the box.
The first decent effort did not come until the 27th minute when Saudi midfielder Nasser Al-Dawsari whipped in a shot from a tight angle. Goalkeeper Joe Gauci saved at the near post.
Gauci made another crucial stop on the cusp of half-time, charging off his line to pluck the ball off the feet of Feras Albrikan in a one-on-one situation.
Australia had the brighter second half, creating far more chances with Riley McGree and Duke whipping in shots that were blocked.
They had a glorious opportunity with seven minutes left when substitute Brandon Borrello beat the offside trap.
But instead of shooting he opted to pass and the chance was wasted, before the last-minute drama with the disallowed goal.


Maxwell’s power-hitting and Australia pace flatten Pakistan in a rain-shortened T20

Maxwell’s power-hitting and Australia pace flatten Pakistan in a rain-shortened T20
Updated 14 November 2024
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Maxwell’s power-hitting and Australia pace flatten Pakistan in a rain-shortened T20

Maxwell’s power-hitting and Australia pace flatten Pakistan in a rain-shortened T20
  • Match started after a three-hour delay and was shortened to seven over per side
  • Pakistan made 64-9 in response to Australia’s 93-4, losing five wicket in first 15 balls

BRISBANE: Glenn Maxwell’s robust 43 off 19 balls helped Australia thump Pakistan by 29 runs in a rain-shortened first Twenty20 on Thursday.
After a nearly three-hour delay due to lightning and rain, the match was shortened to seven overs per side.
Maxwell powered Australia to 93-4 and Pakistan reached only 64-9 after slumping to 16-5 inside the first 15 balls.
Nathan Ellis (3-9) and Xavier Bartlett (3-13) ran through the top order before No. 8 batter Abbas Afridi’s unbeaten 20.
“Certainly had a lot of fun out there,” Maxwell said. “We thought we had enough on the board … the bowlers did a great job. There was a few of us who had packed our bags expecting the game to be called off, so it was a mad rush to get ready.”

Pakistan’s Haris Rauf and Usman Khan (left), celebrate the dismissal of Australia’s Matt Short during the T20 cricket international between Pakistan and Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane, Australia, on November 14, 2024. (AP)

Maxwell followed scores of 0, 16, 0 in the preceding one-day international series won by Pakistan 2-1 by smacking three sixes and five boundaries. He played some extravagant lap shots to third man against the pace of Haris Rauf (1-21) and Naseem Shah (1-37).
Maxwell fell in the penultimate over when he hooked Abbas Afridi (2-9) to backward square leg but Marcus Stoinis provided a final flourish with an unbeaten 21 off seven balls. Stoinis smashed 20 runs in Shah’s last over with two fours and six.
None of the top six Pakistan batters reached double figures.
Sahibzada Farhan hit Spencer Johnson for two successive boundaries off the first two balls he faced before mistiming a pull shot off the fourth ball and holing out at midwicket.
Mohammad Rizwan, in his first match as the Pakistan skipper, fell to the first ball when he top-edged Bartlett to point. Usman Khan was caught at third man in the same over.
Ellis struck twice in his first over when Babar Azam was caught in the deep and Jake Fraser-McGurk snapped his third catch as Irfan Khan also offered a tame catch at deep midwicket.
Pakistan was 24-6 in the fourth over when Salman Ali Agha scored only 4 in his debut T20, guiding a sharp, short Bartlett delivery to Australia first-time captain Josh Inglis on the run.

Pakistan’s Abbas Afridi bats during the T20 cricket international between Pakistan and Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane, Australia, on November 14, 2024. (AP)

Leg-spinner Adam Zampa clean-bowled Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah off successive balls in the last over to complete the rout.
“It was difficult to keep things normal in a seven-over game,” Rizwan said. “Got to give credit to Maxy, his style worked really well.”

Australia’s Adam Zampa, right, celebrates with teammates after defeating Pakistan during the T20 cricket international between Pakistan and Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane, Australia, on November 14, 2024. (AP)

The second T20 is in Sydney on Saturday, and the last in Hobart on Monday.


ICC Champions Trophy promo confirms Pakistan as host

ICC Champions Trophy promo confirms Pakistan as host
Updated 14 November 2024
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ICC Champions Trophy promo confirms Pakistan as host

ICC Champions Trophy promo confirms Pakistan as host
  • The video comes days after the ICC informed Pakistan that India had declined to play in the country
  • Pakistan has said it is not interested in a hybrid hosting model adopted during last year’s Asia Cup

ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council’s promotional video for the Champions Trophy 2025 has portrayed Pakistan as the tournament host, with the global governing body for cricket promising a “thrilling competition” in a statement released on Wednesday.
The video comes just days after the ICC informed Pakistan that India had declined to play tournament matches in the country, prompting Pakistani authorities to rule out the hybrid hosting model adopted last year for the Asia Cup, where India played all its matches in Sri Lanka.
Political tensions between the two countries have led the Indian team to avoid traveling to Pakistan since 2008, with both sides only competing in multination tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
The ICC has not directly commented on the situation, though the promotional video clearly showed visuals communicating that the tournament will be arranged in Pakistan.
It promo displayed an unconventional logo, which the ICC said was designed to be “bold, loud, confident, and fun,” saying the visual identity was digital-first while calling it a dynamic, typographic logo.
“The two weeks of thrilling competition the event is renowned for is reflected in the bold and loud edge to the brand,” ICC Chief Commercial Officer Anurag Dahiya said in a statement. “The new elements are accompanied by the distinctive white jackets which nod to the history of the Champions Trophy and its unique, global appeal.”
The men’s Champions Trophy is set to return in 2025 after about eight years, with Pakistan clinching the title in the 2017 final against India.
The tournament was last held in England.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi that are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games scheduled to be held between February 19 and March 9.