SPORTS digest

Schools host Military Appreciation Night

Howland, Niles, Poland and Girard are all participating in the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s efforts to have a statewide Military Appreciation Night on Friday.

Niles hosts Howland and Girard hosts Poland in boys basketball Friday night. Admittance for current and retired military veterans is free at each game.

At Niles, students and staff will be wearing “Hoops for Troops” t-shirts that will be for sale. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Wounded Warrior Project. Donations to the Wounded Warrior Project can be given at the door.

Cavs’ Love questionable against Phoenix today

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio

Cavaliers forward Kevin Love was limited in practice with a sore back and is questionable for Thursday’s game against Phoenix.

Love didn’t have any contact during Wednesday’s practice, the Cavs’ first since returning from a six-game road trip. Coach Tyronn Lue said Love participated in the first half of the workout.

During the portion open to media, Love moved well while taking part in a shooting drill. He has missed four games this season, two with a knee issue and one while recovering from food poisoning.

NCAA Council rejects June signing period

NASHVILLE, TENN.

A proposed June signing period for college football recruits has been rejected by the NCAA’s Division I Council, but a possible December signing period remains very much in play.

The council modified a proposal for flexibility in the recruiting calendar at the NCAA’s annual convention on Wednesday by removing a request for a 72-hour signing period that would have started on the last Wednesday in June. The council acted on the recommendation of the NCAA’s football oversight committee.

At its convention last week, the American Football Coaches Association supported the December signing period but came out against the June date.

The proposed calendar, which still includes a 72-hour December signing period, awaits a vote from the council in April.

Murray, Federer advance at Australian Open

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

An hour after his win, Andy Murray still hadn’t been able to get any video to see how he twisted his ankle and tumbled to the ground.

There’s a good chance the most-viewed clip by that stage at the Australian Open was of the between-the-legs shot by enigmatic local hope Nick Kyrgios late Wednesday in his surprising loss to Andreas Seppi in the second round.

The third day of the season-opening Grand Slam had gone generally to script until the evening.

Roger Federer’s progress was straight-forward, beating 20-year-old qualifier Noah Rubin 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (3) to maintain his record of never failing to reach the third round at the 18 Australian Opens he’s contested.

Oregon strength coach suspended for month

The University of Oregon suspended football strength and conditioning coach Irele Oderinde one month without pay after three players were hospitalized following a series of intense workouts last week.

The school announced the decision in a statement Tuesday evening and detailed a review of the incident. It added that all future workouts have been modified and the strength and conditioning coach will now report to director of performance and sports science Andrew Murray instead of coach Willie Taggart, who apologized in the statement.

Oregon’s statement detailed that players began an offseason conditioning program last Tuesday after six weeks away from “football-related activities” and Oderinde led those workouts.

Three days into the sessions one player complained of “muscle-soreness and displayed other symptoms of potential exercise-related injury.” The medical staff took “appropriate action” and two other players later complained of the same symptoms.

Staff/wire report