SPORTS digest

Neu places eighth in NCAA prelims

JACKSONVILLE, FLA.

Youngstown State hammer thrower Connor Neu took eigth at the NCAA Track and Field East Preliminary to advance to the NCAA championships.

He opened with a toss of 65.39m (218-11) which put him close the qualifying distance on his first attempt. On his second throw, Neu had his best effort of 66.73m (218-11) which moved him solidly into sixth place. Two throwers moved past Neu in round three as he had a final toss of 65.42m (214-7).

Neu will compete in the championships on June 8 in Eugene, Ore.

Springfield’s Crowe going to Mount Union

NEW MIDDLETOWN

Springfield’s Quinn Crowe is continuing her track career at Mount Union, the school announced on Thursday.

Crowe was also on the Tigers’ volleyball team. Crowe recently competed the Division III regional in Navarre in the shot put.

Sarah Dowd named Academic All-American

AUSTIN, TEXAS

Youngstown State softball player Sarah Dowd was named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America Third-Team on Thursday.

Dowd, a junior psychology major, graduated in three years and carries a 3.91 cumulative GPA. Dowd batted .305 with 42 runs scored, 11 home runs, seven doubles, 35 RBIs and had a .554 slugging percentage this season.

Warriors stave off elimination, beat OKC

OAKLAND, Calif.

Stephen Curry scored 31 points, raising his arms in the early moments to awaken Golden State’s raucous crowd, and the defending champion Warriors staved off elimination with a 120-111 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals.

The MVP made a snazzy layup late and dished out six assists, while Klay Thompson added 27 points as Golden State sent the best the best-of-seven series back to Oklahoma City for Game 6 on Saturday night. Golden State trails 3-2 and is trying to become just the 10th team to rally from a 3-1 deficit.

Kevin Durant scored 40 points and Russell Westbrook added 31 points for the Thunder.

Curry, LeBron lead All-NBA first team

NEW YORK

Stephen Curry has knocked down another honor.

The dead-eye point guard who led the Golden State Warriors to a record 73 wins in the regular season was named to the All-NBA first team Thursday. The league’s MVP was the only player named on all 129 ballots in voting by a panel of writers and broadcasters.

Curry was joined on the first team by Cleveland’s LeBron James, Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan.

On the second team are: Thunder forward Kevin Durant, Warriors forward Draymond Green, Sacramento center DeMarcus Cousins, Clippers guard Chris Paul and Portland guard Damian Lillard.

Serena, Venus both win 6-2, 6-1 at French Open

PARIS

First it was Serena Williams’ turn to overpower an opponent 6-2, 6-1 on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Shortly after that was over Thursday, her older sister Venus entered the very same French Open arena and won by the very same score.

Back in 2002, when neither was yet 22, the American siblings contested the final at Roland Garros, one of their eight all-in-the-family Grand Slam title matches — and they haven’t played each other at any stage in Paris since.

That’s due in part to Venus’ troubles at the clay-court tournament, where, now nearly 36, she moved into the third round for the first time since 2010 by relinquishing only three games in 54 minutes against American qualifier Louisa Chirico. Defending champion Serena’s similarly simple victory against 81st-ranked Teliana Pereira of Brazil lasted 12 minutes longer.

Staff and wire reports