Early start for Salem boys

SALEM — The Hubbard at Salem boys basketball game on Saturday has been changed to an afternoon start due to the girls sectional tournament game.

The boys junior varsity game will start at 1 p.m., followed by the varsity game at 2:30 p.m.

The Salem girls will host Struthers in a sectional tournament opener at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Mitchell leads Cavaliers

TORONTO (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 21 points and the East-leading Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Toronto Raptors 131-108 on Wednesday night for their fourth straight victory and eighth in the last nine games.

Tempers flared at the final buzzer after Cleveland’s Tristan Thompson dunked with four seconds left. Toronto’s Scottie Barnes and Jamal Shead confronted Thompson near center court for an exchange of words.

De’Andre Hunter scored 18 points, Sam Merrill had 16 and Darius Garland 15 for the Cavaliers in the final game for both teams before the All-Star break. Jarrett Allen added 13 points and 10 rebounds and Evan Mobley had 12 points and 15 rebounds

Hunter’s 3-pointer with 5:19 left in the third put the Cavs up 95-56. The 39-point edge was Cleveland’s biggest of the game.

RJ Barrett scored 27 points for Toronto after missing four games while he was in the concussion protocol. Barnes had 16 points and 11 rebounds. The Raptors have lost five of six.

Cleveland completed a four-game season sweep of Toronto. Three of the four meetings were double-digit wins and the combined margin of victory was 73 points.

Ohio State’s shooting clinic

COLUMBUS (AP) — John Mobley Jr. and Micah Parrish scored 21 points apiece and Ohio State led most of the way in a 93-69 victory over Washington on Wednesday night.

Bruce Thornton scored 17 points and reserve Aaron Bradshaw had 12 points after shooting 5 for 5, including 2 for 2 from 3-point range for Ohio State (15-10, 7-7 Big Ten).

The Buckeyes shot 58.2% (32 for 55), including 61.1% (11 for 18) from distance.

Reserve DJ Davis, Zoom Diallo and Tyler Harris each scored 14 points for Washington (12-12, 3-10). The Huskies’ lone lead occurred on Diallo’s layup 24 seconds into the game.

Sean Stewart’s tip-in gave Ohio State its first double-digit lead at 26-17 with 9:45 left before halftime. Parrish’s four-point play with 3:55 before intermission made it 43-31 and the Buckeyes led by double digits for the rest of the game. Parrish followed with a three-point play and Mobley sank a 3 for an 18-point lead. Ohio State went to intermission up 51-36.

Thornton’s 3 with 17:38 remaining gave Ohio State its first 20-plus lead at 59-38. Mobley made two free throws with 5:52 to go for an 86-56 lead.

The Buckeyes have won five of their last seven following a three-game losing streak.

Washington travels to Penn State for a Saturday contest. Ohio State host No. 20 Michigan on Sunday.

Minerva bowlers advance

DOVER — The Minerva boys advanced out of the Division II sectional tournament Wednesday at Boulevard Lanes.

The Lions finished sixth out of 25 teams with a scored of 3830, which was 90 pins out of second place.

Minerva senior Xander Mueller was seventh with a 663 series (198-235-230), while junior Owen Frazier was 25th with a 554 (191-216-147), senior Landon Jones 30th with a 547 (162-204-182), junior Kendrik Keister 33rd with a 539 (177-206-156), junior Lane Hawk (178-137) and senior Gage Eller (140).

Indian Valley senior Colton Long was the top individual with a 746 series (259-279-208).

The East Liverpool boys were 16th and the Beaver Local was 20th.

The top six teams and top six individual not on a qualifying team advance to the district tournament at Legacy Lanes, Coshocton on Feb. 20.

New Pirates first baseman out

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Newly acquired Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Spencer Horwitz is expected to miss most of spring training after undergoing surgery on his right wrist. Horwitz, acquired in a trade with Cleveland in December, will be out at least 6-8 weeks, though Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said Tuesday the team is not putting an exact timetable on a possible return.

The 27-year-old Horwitz hit .265 with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs in 97 games with Toronto last season. The Blue Jays shipped him to Cleveland in December and hours later the Guardians sent him to Pittsburgh.