Thursday’s Sports

Mt Pleasant Lady Tiger State Powerlifting participants (L to R) Dori Macedo, Araceli Landaverde and her Region III scholarship award, McKinsee Oviedo and her state medal

MLB

On Wednesday, Shohei Ohtani fired his longtime friend and interpreter because of questions surrounding at least $4.5 million in wire transfers. They were sent from Ohtani’s bank account to a bookmaking operation. Multiple sources told ESPN that Ippei Mizuhara incurred the gambling debts to a Southern California bookmaking operation that is under federal investigation.

NBA

Minnesota Timberwolves fired an employee who police arrested and charged with felony third-degree burglary for allegedly stealing thousands of internal files. According to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday and obtained by ESPN, the files included “strategic NBA information” from a team executive. Somak Sarkar, 33, is in custody and faces a court hearing Thursday afternoon in Minnesota.

Wednesday

Thunder (48-20) 119 – Jazz (29-40) 107

Thursday

Bulls (34-35) at Houston Rockets (33-35) at 7:00 pm

Jazz (29-40) at Dallas Mavericks (40-29) at 7:30 pm

NHL

Stars (42-19-9) 5 – Coyotes (28-36-5) 2

The Stars extended their home points streak against the Coyotes to 19 games at 18-0-1. They last lost at home to the then-Phoenix Coyotes in regulation on Feb. 7, 2012. Stars hots Penguins Friday night at 7:00 pm.

COLLEGE

NCAAM

Thursday

No. 10 Colorado State (25-10) vs. No. 7 Texas (20-12) at Charlotte 5:50 pm TNT

No. 11 NC State (22-14) vs. No. 6 Texas Tech (23-10) at Pittsburgh 8:40 pm CBS

Jacksonville College, the only Christian Junior College in Texas, has announced that it will end its men’s and women’s basketball programs at the end of the current academic year. In a statement released Wednesday, College President David Erickson said the administration and board of trustees decided to provide the best opportunity for long-term financial stability and continue pursuing the school’s mission to provide Christ-centered training and teaching. The school will continue to offer soccer, golf, tennis, cross country, and track and field.

HIGH SCHOOL

After the Regional Powerlifting Meet at Pine Tree on the last day of February, three Lady Tiger lifters qualified for state. And over Spring Break, seniors Araceli Landaverde, and McKinsee Oviedo, junior Dori Macedo, and Coach Don Woods made the trip to Frisco for the Texas High School Women’s Powerlifting Association State Meet at the Comerica Center. The state meet brought an end to the Lady Tigers season but the Tigers will be lifting at the Texas High School Powerlifting Association State meet on March 21-23 at the Taylor County Expo Center in Abilene.