AP Sports SummaryBrief at 5:25 p.m. EST

Doctors: Damar Hamlin communicating, showing improvement

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s doctors say the player has begun to communicate in writing with his family and others who have been at his bedside since going into cardiac arrest Monday — and his first question was “did we win?” Doctors at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center said in a conference call with reporters that Hamlin remains critically ill and in the hospital’s intensive care unit. But they say it appears his neurological function is intact, meaning he can follow commands and move. The developments come as the Bills return to practice for the first time since Hamlin collapsed during the first quarter of Buffalo’s game against the Bengals.

AP sources: NFL will not resume Bills-Bengals game

Two people familiar with the decision say the NFL won’t resume the Bills-Bengals game that was suspended Monday night after Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin collapsed and went into cardiac arrest on the field. Both people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the league is still figuring out how to determine playoff seedings and scheduling. The NFL Players Association must approve changes. The Bills-Bengals game had major playoff implications. Buffalo entered Monday night needing a win to maintain the AFC’s No. 1 seed. The Kansas City Chiefs currently hold that spot. The Bengals had a chance to earn that top seed with two more wins and a loss by the Chiefs.

Bengals’ Higgins says ‘I’m in a good place right now’

CINCINNATI (AP) — Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins said he’s “in a good place right now” after hearing from Damar Hamlin’s mother about his improvement on Thursday. Higgins was involved in the hit that came right before the Buffalo Bills safety collapsed and went into cardiac arrest on the field during the game Monday night. Doctors say Hamlin has made “remarkable improvement” in the last 24 hours. In his first public comments since Hamlin collapsed and the game was suspended, Higgins says he feels good “just knowing that he’s OK, he’s doing better, and it makes me feel better inside.”

Texas fires Chris Beard amid felony domestic violence charge

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas has fired basketball coach Chris Beard, who faces a felony domestic family violence charge after his fiancée told police he strangled and bit her. The school sent Beard’s attorney a letter that said the coach was “unfit” for the position. Beard had been suspended without pay since Dec. 12. He had five years left on a seven-year guaranteed contract. Police responded to an emergency call to Beard’s house. The woman initially told officers that Beard choked her from behind, bit her and hit her during an argument. Beard’s attorney has said Beard is innocent and that his fiancée later denied she was choked.

James, Durant lead early in NBA All-Star starter voting

NEW YORK (AP) — LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets may be headed toward yet another NBA All-Star Game rematch. James is the overall leader in All-Star balloting so far. Durant leads all Eastern Conference players in early voting returns. That puts them on track to be All-Star captains for the third consecutive year. James has been a captain five times and his teams have gone 5-0 under that All-Star format. The game is Feb. 19 in Salt Lake City.

Get Smart: Kirby’s carves his own path to dynasty at Georgia

ATLANTA (AP) — Kirby Smart was paid $8,000 in his first coaching job at Division II Valdosta State. Now, he’s one of college football’s most dominant forces. He is the $10 million-a-year architect of a potential dynasty at Georgia. The top-ranked Bulldogs have a shot at becoming the first team in a decade to win back-to-back national titles. When you consider what Smart has done since taking over in 2016, the journey takes on a far more impressive luster. The Bulldogs were a very good program under Mark Richt. Smart made them great.

At Fisk University, gymnastics makes a giant leap for HBCUs

Fisk University will make history this week when the school’s women’s gymnastics team becomes the first Historically Black College or University to compete at the NCAA level. The Bulldogs are competing in the Super 16 in Las Vegas. Their debut for the Nashville-based school comes barely a year after the program launched. Participation in gymnastics by women of color has risen dramatically thanks in part to the success of Black Olympic champions like Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles. Fisk coach Corrinne Tarver says the long-term goal is to prove that HBCU programs can compete at the highest level in the NCAA.

Cardiac events a frightening, familiar sight in the NHL

The horror that swept across the NFL when Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin collapsed and went into cardiac arrest during a game this week was all too familiar to members of the hockey community. At least five players experienced a heart-related issue in the NHL over the past 25 years. All of them collapsed during games. All of them survived. The NHL has updated its policies and required more robust medical support at games. Experts say that’s key and adjustments should continue to make sure medical staffs and teams are always prepared.

Football fans grapple with violent side of a beloved sport

NEW YORK (AP) — The harrowing on-field collapse of Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin has forced some fans to confront a truth they’ve always known but hated to think about: Football, a game with violence in its DNA, can go from exciting and joyous to dark and tragic in a flash.  Now, as Hamlin remains in critical condition in a Cincinnati hospital, fans like Max Cerone are reflecting on their relationship with the sport they love. Cerone says he’s thinking of the players who put their bodies at risk but are often not seen as regular human beings.  Other fans are grappling with the perennial question of whether to allow their kids to play.

Transfer Alissa Pili leading way as No. 8 Utah starts 14-0

Leading scorer Alissa Pili has No. 8 Utah off to a 14-0 start and the program’s highest AP ranking in school history. The 6-foot-2 forward who transferred in from Southern California this season has seamlessly meshed with the Utes. She brings a physical presence down low that she owes to playing football and wrestling in her hometown of Anchorage, Alaska. Pili is averaging 19.7 points along with a team-best 6.1 rebounds and was recently named to the midseason top 25 watch List for the John R. Wooden Award. It’s an award that recognizes the outstanding player in college basketball.