CLIPPERS TO PLAY IN HOOSIER GYM

COLUMBIANA — The Columbiana boys basketball team will play Springfield Local on Dec. 29 in the gym where the 1986 film ‘Hoosiers’ was filmed.

The gym is located in Knightstown, Indiana serves as a museum to the film while actively hosting high school basketball games throughout the year.

The East Palestine and Western Reserve boys basketball teams played a game in the gym in 2025.

PULISIC BROKE LEG

U.S. star Christian Pulisic fractured his right leg during the Americans’ World Cup loss to Belgium and will be sidelined for several weeks.

Pulisic has a bone bruise and a microfracture of his tibia and fibula, the U.S. Soccer Federation said Thursday. The diagnosis was made after an X-ray and MRI on Tuesday.

He would not have been able to play during the remainder of the tournament had the U.S. advanced.

Pulisic is expected to resume training before AC Milan’s Serie A opener at Torino on Aug. 23.

Pulisic hit a leg of Belgium captain Youri Tielemans while attempting a shot in the 52nd minute of Monday’s 4-1 round-of-16 loss at Seattle. He remained in the game but was hobbling and Sebastian Berhalter replaced him in the 59th minute.

Pulisic failed to score in the World Cup, missing one of the Americans’ five matches because of a calf injury and leaving two other games early. He has 30 goals in 90 international appearances.

Pulisic, who turns 28 in September, is entering his fourth season with Milan.

RIGGINS No. 44 TO BE RETIRED

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — The Washington Commanders are retiring John Riggins’ No. 44 during the upcoming NFL season, the team announced Thursday.

The Hall of Fame running back will be honored in a ceremony at halftime of the team’s game against the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 8.

“There are certain players whose impact goes far beyond statistics, championships and accolades: They become woven into the identity of a franchise,” controlling owner Josh Harris said in a statement. “John Riggins is one of those players. …Our fans not only admired him, they identified with him. He is authentic, unapologetically himself and deeply connected to the people around him. John has meant so much to this franchise, our fans and the game of football.”

Riggins is the organization’s all-time leading rusher with 7,472 yards and 79 touchdowns on 1,988 carries and helped the team win the Super Bowl in the 1982 season.

The fan favorite nicknamed “Riggo” was the MVP of that Super Bowl for his performance best known for his memorable 43-yard TD run in the fourth quarter that put Washington ahead of the Miami Dolphins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992.

Riggins is the seventh player to have his number retired by the team, joining Sammy Baugh, Bobby Mitchell, Sean Taylor, Sonny Jurgensen, Darrell Green and Art Monk. Green, Monk and Riggins have all happened since Harris’ group took over from longtime owner Dan Snyder.

CHERUNDOLO TO LEAD OLYMPIC TEAM

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga (AP) — Former American defender and Los Angeles FC coach Steve Cherundolo was hired Thursday by the U.S. Soccer Federation to lead the American men’s under-23 team through the 2028 Olympics.

It was not clear whether the 47-year-old from San Diego would become a candidate to become the national team interim coach if a new deal isn’t worked out between the USSF and Mauricio Pochettino, whose contract expires this summer. The national team can play four friendlies in the FIFA international window from Sept. 21 to Oct. 3.

Cherundolo made 87 appearances for the U.S. from 1999 to 2012 and was part of three World Cup rosters. He played for Hannover for 15 seasons through 2014 and made 415 Bundesliga appearances, the most by an American.

TOP SPRINTER INJURED

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Gout Gout says he’ll have to withdraw from the world junior championships after straining his hamstring in training, a decision that takes one of the rising stars of track and field out of next month’s meet.

“Unfortunately I suffered an injury to my left hamstring last night at training in Brisbane,” the 18-year-old Australian sprinter posted on Instagram on Thursday. “I received this morning the MRI report, unfortunately the news is not good and I will not be able to compete in Eugene.”

Gout said his focus now was on rehabilitation for the hamstring tear and he planned to “come back in 2027 better and stronger and faster.”

“I have no other possibility but to accept this situation. I understand this is part of athletics.”

Gout has already spent time training with Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles and has set an international record faster than Usain Bolt could produce at the Under-20 level. He was a strong favorite for gold at the Aug. 5-9 world juniors in Eugene, Oregon.

He was due to compete in the 200 meters — he already holds the under-20 world record in that event — and was part of Australia’s 4×400 relay team.

Gout launched onto the international athletics scene while still a student at high school.