State tennis returns to Mason

MASON — The Ohio High School Athletic Association’s boys and girls state tennis tournaments will return to the Lindner Family Tennis Center for the next three years.

The Lindner Family Tennis Center is a $260 million investment by the Cincinnati Open, a professional tournament that has been held at the site since 1979. There are 31 outdoor tennis courts along with a six-court indoor facility with pickleball and padel courts.

It hosted OHSAA state tournaments from 2014-2022 before undergoing renovations. The College of Wooster hosted the state tournaments the last two years. Heartland Christian’s Cooper Grim has reached the state tournament the last two years and won his opening-round match both years.

“The Lindner Family Tennis Center is one of the finest tennis facilities in the country and we are thrilled that our student-athletes will be able have the experience of competing there for state championships,” said OHSAA executive director Doug Ute.

The OHSAA girls state tournament will be held Oct. 16-17, followed by the boys state tournament on May 28-29.

Cleveland Cavaliers go after backcourt depth

Needs: Cleveland doesn’t have many roster holes, but it does have a need for a big body in the middle to add depth. The Cavaliers have Jarrett Allen and NBA defensive player of the year Evan Mobley, but not much else when it comes to someone with size and who can be physical in the paint. That need was apparent during their second-round playoff loss to Indiana.

Who they drafted: The Cavs used the 49th overall pick Thursday on 21-year-old Duke guard Tyrese Proctor. They also had the No. 58 selection and took Saliou Niang, a guard from Senegal. Proctor is a good playmaker and shot 40.1% on 3-pointers last season. He could fill a need if the Cavs are unable to re-sign Ty Jerome or Sam Merrill, who are unrestricted free agents. The 21-year old Niang is a good defender but needs work on his jumper. He is expected to be with Virtus Bologna in the Euroleague next season.

NFL suspends Tucker for 10 weeks

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL suspended former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker for the first 10 weeks of the season on Thursday for violating its personal conduct policy.

The suspension takes effect on Aug. 26, which is roster cutdown day, and Tucker is eligible for reinstatement on Nov. 11. Tucker remains free to try out with and sign with a team. If he is signed, he can attend training camp and participate in preseason games. If he remains without a team, he can still serve the suspension and return in November.

The 35-year-old became a free agent after the Ravens released him last month in the aftermath of reports that he was accused of inappropriate sexual behavior by massage therapists. Tucker has maintained he did not act inappropriately while receiving professional treatment.

A five-time All-Pro, Tucker has played his entire 13-year career with Baltimore. He is considered one of the best kickers in NFL history, although 2024 was his worst season.

The Baltimore Banner since January has reported that more than a dozen massage therapists have accused Tucker of inappropriate sexual behavior.

A message seeking comment was left with Tucker’s publicist Thursday.

Tucker’s ban was similar to the one received by Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was suspended by the NFL for the first 11 games of the 2022 season. He was accused by more than two dozen women of sexually assaulting and harassing them during massage therapy sessions in Houston, when he played for the Texans. Two grand juries declined to indict him.