SPORTS DIGEST || Five named to the NABC Honors Court

Five named to the NABC Honors Court

KANSAS CITY, MO.

The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) announced the NABC Honors Court on Wednesday, recognizing those men’s college basketball players who excelled in academics during the past season. The NABC Honors Court recognized five Youngstown State players. Those players are Brett Frantz, Cameron Morse, Stefan Rosic, Ryan Strollo and Tyler Warford. Youngstown State also received the NABC’s Team Academic Excellence Award.

YSU women’s basketball has top 25

YOUNGSTOWN

For the sixth time in the last seven years, the Youngstown State women’s basketball team posted one of the 25 best grade-point averages in the country. The Penguins tied for 24th on the 2016-17 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll that was released on Wednesday. YSU registered a team GPA of 3.492 during the academic year, which matched Kentucky for the 24th-best mark among all 349 Division I teams. Individually, Mary Dunn, Kelsea Newman and Melinda Trimmer carried a 4.0 GPA in both semesters. Sarah Cash and Izzy Meese both had a 4.0 during the fall, and Alison Smolinski and Kelley Wright posted a 4.0 in the spring. YSU had 14 of its 16 student-athletes earn at least a 3.0 in each semester.

Crawford choses T’Wolves over Cavs

MINNEAPOLIS

After meeting in the NBA Finals for three straight seasons, the Warriors and Cavaliers were in another duel this summer when both came calling for Jamal Crawford.

To the surprise of many, Crawford chose the Minnesota Timberwolves instead.

The veteran guard says that playing time and fit both were things he looked at when choosing a team that has not made the playoffs in 13 seasons. But he also says he didn’t want to go ring chasing, even at 37 years old.

Dallas PD suspends probe of Elliott

FRISCO, TEXAS

Dallas police have suspended an investigation into an incident at a bar involving Ezekiel Elliott, the latest off-field issue for the Cowboys’ star running back.

Police said Wednesday the investigation was suspended “due to the lack of a complaint,” and that no other witnesses had come forward. The statement said investigators had made several unsuccessful attempts to reach the 30-year-old man who was punched in the nose Sunday night.

Dallas coach Jason Garrett said Wednesday he hadn’t spoken to Elliott about the incident but planned to when players report to the practice facility Friday, a day before the team flies to California for training camp. Elliott wasn’t named in the original police report.

Elliott hasn’t been cleared by the NFL over a domestic dispute last year in Columbus, Ohio. The 2016 NFL rushing leader also was seen visiting a legal marijuana shop before a preseason game in Seattle last year, and was caught on video pulling down a woman’s shirt at a St. Patrick’s Day parade.

James Hardy’s death ruled a suicide

FORT WAYNE, IND.

The death of former NFL wide receiver James Hardy has been ruled a suicide by Indiana officials.

The Allen County Coroner’s Office said Wednesday that the 31-year-old Hardy died of “asphyxia due to drowning.” Michael Burris, chief investigator for the coroner’s office, says the determination of suicide was based on Hardy’s medical and psychiatric history, his contacts with law enforcement and other evidence, including some found on his body.

Hardy’s body was found June 7 at a dam along the Maumee River in his hometown of Fort Wayne. Relatives had reported the former Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens player missing a few weeks earlier.

The former Indiana star was a second-round pick of the Bills in 2008. Injuries limited him to 16 games over two seasons. He also played for Baltimore before being released in 2011.

Staff/wire report