Digest

Basketball

Franklin to the fore as Shanxi sinks Sharks

Jamaal Franklin scored a game-high 36 points to help the Shanxi Brave Dragons beat the Shanghai Sharks 106-87 in Tuesday night's CBA action in Taiyuan, Shanxi province.

Eric Moreland had eight points, 11 rebounds and three assists, while Yuan Shuai scored 20 points. James Nunnally (21 points) and Dong Hanlin (19) top-scored for the Sharks.

Elsewhere, Guo Ailun had 31 points and seven rebounds as Liaoning Flying Leopards defeated the Nanjing Monkey Kings 126-107.

Former NBA player Lance Stephenson lost some front teeth in a brutal collision with Bayi's Tian Yuxiang last Sunday, but the American recovered sufficiently to notch 30 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

Lee joins long list of wounded Warriors

Yet another member of the Golden State Warriors is injured, with two-way guard Damion Lee now out because of a broken right hand.

The injury occurred during Golden State's 122-108 home loss to the Utah Jazz on Monday night.

Lee underwent an MRI exam on Tuesday that revealed a non-displaced fracture of the fourth metacarpal. The team said he will be reevaluated in two weeks.

Lee joins a long list of injured players on the depleted Warriors, who are 2-9 following five straight trips to the NBA Finals.

Stephen Curry had surgery on his broken left hand and will need another procedure next month to have pins removed. He expects to be playing again come spring.

Klay Thompson is recovering from surgery on his knee and could miss the entire season.

"It's challenging. It's been kind of the theme so far. It's not exactly ideal but it's the reality," said Warriors head coach Steve Kerr of his reduced roster. "You don't spend a whole lot of time lamenting anything. You just keep going."

Baseball

MLB probes Astros cheating allegations

Major League Baseball has expanded its investigation into the Houston Astros after The Athletic website reported the team stole signs during home games in 2017 by using a camera positioned in center field.

The report on Tuesday quoted pitcher Mike Fiers, who played for the Astros that season, and three other unidentified people with the club. The Astros won the World Series that year. Two sources told The Athletic that Houston used the system into the playoffs while another source said it ended before the postseason.

The website said the process was started by a struggling hitter and a coach, neither of whom was identified. The camera at Minute Maid Park was connected to a television monitor in the tunnel between the Astros' dugout and clubhouse, according to the The Athletic, and team employees or players would communicate expected pitches by banging a trash can to signal offspeed pitches.

The Astros said in a statement the team "has begun an investigation in cooperation with Major League Baseball" and declined additional comment.

Baldelli and Shildt win Manager of Year awards

Rocco Baldelli of the Minnesota Twins was named American League Manager of the Year, and Mike Shildt of the St. Louis Cardinals won the National League honor, MLB Network announced on Tuesday.

The 38-year-old Baldelli is the youngest person to win the top manager honor. The Twins went 101-61 and won the AL Central title under Baldelli in his first season on the job.

"What I can say is nobody takes on the responsibility of working in baseball or doing a job like this for personal accolades," Baldelli said. "I do everything that I can but it doesn't matter necessarily. You need an entire group."

The 51-year-old Shildt is the first winner of the manager award to not have professional playing experience. His Cardinals won the NL Central with a 91-71 record.

"My personal goal was to play in the big leagues and I got to college at UNC Asheville and realized that was not going to happen," Shildt said. "I was a below-average college player and I set my sights on being the best coach I could be and the journey has led me here."

Athletics

American athletes slam Diamond League cuts

USA Track and Field's athletes grouping on Tuesday lashed out at World Athletics' plans to cut several events from next year's Diamond League series, accusing the sport's global governing body of being "out of touch".

In an open letter to World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe, USATF's athletes advisory committee called on the global body to reverse plans to axe the triple jump, the 200 meters, steeplechase and discus from the Diamond League program.

The IAAF, which changed its name to World Athletics this week, announced the overhaul on Nov 6, claiming the moves would help streamline Diamond League events in an effort to make meetings more attractive for television audiences.

However, the moves have been greeted with howls of protest across the athletics world, while American triple jump star Christian Taylor has announced the launch of a global group aimed at giving athletes a bigger say in the sport.

Soccer

Injured Salah ruled out of Egypt's qualifiers

Mohamed Salah has been ruled out of Egypt's African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Kenya and Comoros with an ankle injury.

Egypt released a statement on its official Twitter account on Tuesday confirming the Liverpool star will miss the games, along with a picture of the striker with a protective boot on his left ankle.

Egypt hosts Kenya in its opening Group G qualifying match on Thursday and visits Comoros on Monday.

Salah has scored six goals for Liverpool this season and was on target in Sunday's 3-1 win over Manchester City, which took his side eight points clear of second-place Leicester City at the top of the English Premier League.

However, the 27-year-old has been unable to complete 90 minutes in the Premier League since hurting his ankle at the start of October.

Xinhua - Agencies