Kierstyn Milner scored 19, Gabby Ponder 9, and Elicia Threatt and Cedrianna Evans 8 each as No. 3-state ranked Spalding High topped visiting No. 24 Kendrick 58-43 Friday night to advance to the Elite 8-round of the Class AAAA State Tournament for the fifth year in a row.

The Griffin High soccer teams were swept by Luella Thursday night at Memorial Stadium in Griffin, the Lady Bears losing the opener 7-0 and the Bears losing the nightcap 7-1. Shown here is GHS’s Kailyn Hayes on a throw-in during the early match. Both Griffin High teams are in action again Tue…

ATLANTA — Coming off a third straight NL East title and within one win of a spot in the World Series, the Atlanta Braves have extended the contract of manager Brian Snitker through the 2023 season.

Two local girls high school basketball teams march into the Sweet 16 round of their respective state tournaments here today, looking to advance to next week’s Elite 8.

Jamari Piercy scored 14 points and Quay Baker 12 as Griffin High’s season came to an end with a 55-50 loss to defending state champion and No. 5-state ranked Woodward Academy in the opening round of the Class AAAAA State Tournament Wednesday in College Park.

Hatcher Bailey tossed a complete-game, three-hit shutout and Ben Griffin drove in three runs as Spalding High topped crosstown rival Griffin High 10-0 in five innings Wednesday night at Jaguar Field.

LANSING, Mich.  — A former U.S. Olympics gymnastics coach with ties to disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar killed himself Thursday, hours after being charged with turning his Michigan gym into a hub of human trafficking by coercing girls to train and then abusing them, authorities said.

ATLANTA — Georgia Tech football’s 2021 spring game will be held on Friday night, April 23 at Bobby Dodd Stadium, Georgia Tech athletics announced Thursday.

PHOENIX  — Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker was selected Wednesday to replace injured Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis in the NBA All-Star Game.

LANSING, Mich.  — A former U.S. Olympics gymnastics coach with ties to disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar was charged Thursday with two dozen crimes, including sexual assault, human trafficking and running a criminal enterprise.

Shelby Berry scored 12 points, Kierstyn Milner 11, Gabby Ponder 10 and Elicia Threatt 9 as No. 6-ranked Spalding High topped Dougherty 42-38 in the opening round of the Class AAAA State Tournament on Tuesday in Albany.

Leah Turner scored 21, Samiah Puckett 12 and Aaliyah Duranham 10 as No. 12-state ranked Griffin High topped Jonesboro 59-39 in the opening round of the Class AAAAA State Tournament on Tuesday at The House in Griffin.

GENEVA — Did the Australian city of Brisbane just get picked as the host of the 2032 Olympics?

NORTH PORT, Fla.  — The Atlanta Braves claimed outfielder Guillermo Heredia off waivers from the New York Mets on Wednesday.

American League MVP José Abreu has tested positive for COVID-19 and will remain away from the Chicago White Sox for at least the next few days.

The sheared-off front of the wrecked SUV told part of the story, and the officers on the scene filled in the rest. Tiger Woods was lucky to be alive, they said, thanks to modern safety technology and a big dose of good luck.

LOS ANGELES — In a career filled with remarkable comebacks, Tiger Woods faces perhaps his toughest recovery of all.

HAMPTON — Griffin’s Cody Hall won a Pro Division race and took second in another in the Furious Five series Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Atlanta manager Brian Snitker expects to approach key pinch-hit situations with renewed confidence this season as he looks at the Braves' newly bolstered bench.

This is a bizarre season for the NBA in a bizarre time for the world.

SALT LAKE CITY  — Once again, Utah overwhelmed Charlotte with a barrage of 3-pointers.

On Saturday the Griffin High girls basketball team finally learned — nearly 72 hours before tipoff — which team it opens against when the Class AAAAA State Tournament begins Tuesday.

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Hawks will host their third annual HBCU Night presented by Chase on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at State Farm Arena.

FLOWERY BRANCH — The Atlanta Falcons have named Roderick Moore Jr., and Bobby Thomas assistant strength and conditioning coaches, and named Mario Jeberaeel a diversity coaching intern. Additionally, Paul Rice, Charles Walker, Sal Conti and Patrick Kramer have been named football analysts.

Gonzaga and Baylor remain atop The Associated Press men's college basketball poll in a week of little change.

NBA players are apparently not easily impressed — even by other NBA players.

SEATTLE — The NFL says the first position-specific helmet created for its players represents a major step in helmet technology, though it must still undergo testing by the league and the players’ union before being authorized for use.

PHOENIX — The sport of baseball, much like the rest of the world, is craving normalcy after a full year of disruptions caused by the pandemic.

Melvin Blocker’s RBI double in the top of the fifth highlighted an 11-1 loss this week at Upson-Lee in the season opener for Spalding High in Thomaston.

Three local public school basketball teams play opening-round games when the state tournaments beginning next week.

COLUMBIA, S.C.  — A look at the weekend action around the Southeastern Conference:

A look at the upcoming weekend around the Atlantic Coast Conference:

ATLANTA  — The NBA had done a lot of things right during the pandemic.

Pike County sent an unprecedented 14 wrestlers — amazingly one in each classification — to the Class AAA State Meet last week at the Centreplex in Macon.