SPORTS DIGEST || East-Poland game moved to Wednesday

East-Poland game moved to Wednesday

POLAND

Tonight’s East-Poland boys basketball game has been postponed until Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. At 7 p.m., Poland’s girls team will play Hubbard.

Poland’s ceremony to honor boys head coach Ken Grisdale for his 400th victory has been postponed until the Jan. 26 game against Fitch.

Boardman, Salem seek HOF candidates

Nominations for the Boardman High School Athletic Hall of Fame’s 2016 class will be accepted until Feb. 26. Candidates must be BHS graduates for at least 15 years.

Nominations may be made online at the website boardmanboosters.org, or through the BHS Athletic Office at the high school.

The Salem High School Athletic Hall of Fame is accepting nominations for the class of 2016 through Feb. 28. Athletes must be graduates for at least 10 years and coaches must be retired for at least five to be eligible. For teams, at least 10 years must have passed since they competed.

For more information, email shs.athletichof@gmail.com.

Fitch’s Conklin to get state honor

AUSTINTOWN

Rob Conklin, Fitch Athletic Director, will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ohio Track & Field Coaches Association on Jan. 29 in Columbus.

Conklin has been a coach and meet manager for numerous meets including OHSAA district and regional championships. He also has served on the state championship hurdle crew.

USA names candidates for Olympics team

LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony are a step closer to a fourth Olympics, and Stephen Curry is in position for his first.

The NBA stars were among 30 players selected Monday as finalists for the U.S. basketball team that will attempt to win a third straight gold medal.

The final 12-player roster for Rio de Janeiro will be chosen this summer. If James and Anthony are on it they would become the first American men to play in four Olympics.

The other candidates for Rio are: Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City); Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan (Clippers); Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge (San Antonio); Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala and Harrison Barnes (Golden State); Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love (Cleveland); Dwight Howard and James Harden (Houston); Anthony Davis (New Orleans); Paul George (Indiana); DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay (Sacramento); John Wall and Bradley Beal (Washington); Jimmy Butler (Chicago); Mike Conley (Memphis); DeMar DeRozan (Toronto); Andre Drummond (Detroit); Kenneth Faried (Denver) and Gordon Hayward (Utah).

Tigers, Upton agree on 6-year contract

DETROIT

The Detroit Tigers have agreed to a $132.75 million, six-year contract with free-agent outfielder Justin Upton. The deal was pending a physical, and Upton can opt out after two seasons.

The 28-year-old Upton gives the Tigers another powerful bat in the middle of the lineup and fills a need in left field after Detroit traded slugger Yoenis Cespedes at the deadline last year. Upton hit .251 with 26 home runs and 81 RBIs for the San Diego Padres last season.

It was another big move for the Tigers, who are coming off a last-place finish in 2015 but signed right-hander Jordan Zimmermann earlier this offseason. Detroit also traded for closer Francisco Rodriguez, but it was unclear how high the Tigers would be willing to increase a payroll that also includes big commitments to Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander, Victor Martinez, Anibal Sanchez and Ian Kinsler.

The expensive agreement with Upton could put Detroit in a position to challenge World Series champion Kansas City, which dominated the AL Central last year after the Tigers had won the division the previous four seasons.

Staff/wire report