AP Sports SummaryBrief at 4:04 a.m. EST

Soccer writer Grant Wahl dies at World Cup match in Qatar

LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Grant Wahl, one of the most well-known soccer writers in the United States, died early Saturday while covering the World Cup match between Argentina and the Netherlands. U.S. media seated near him said Wahl fell back in his seat in a section of Lusail Iconic Stadium reserved for journalists during extra time of the game. Reporters adjacent to him called for assistance. The reporters said emergency services workers responded very quickly. The reporters later were told that Wahl had died. Wahl was covering his eighth World Cup. He wrote Monday that he had visited a medical clinic while in Qatar. He said he was given antibiotics and cough syrup for a possible case of bronchitis.

Lopez layup, Mavs FT woes save Bucks after Giannis fouls out

DALLAS (AP) — Brook Lopez hit a wide-open layup off an inbounds play with seven seconds to go, and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Dallas Mavericks 106-105. The Bucks held on despite Giannis Antetokounmpo fouling out with 2:55 remaining. The Greek Freak finished with 28 points to end an eight-game run with at least 30 points. Luka Doncic had 33 points and 11 assists and put Dallas ahead on a layup with 29 seconds to go. But the Mavericks couldn’t make their free throws late. The Bucks won their fourth consecutive game while ending Dallas’ three-game winning streak.

Messi, Argentina advance to semifinals at World Cup

LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Lionel Messi’s quest to win the World Cup moves into the semifinals after Argentina beat the Netherlands 4-3 in a penalty shootout. Messi converted his penalty in the shootout and Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez saved two attempts. Lautaro Martinez scored the clinching penalty. The match finished 2-2 after extra time. Messi scored one goal and set up another. The Netherlands equalized in the 11th minute of second-half stoppage time. Argentina will play Croatia in the semifinals on Tuesday.

Croatia beats Brazil on penalties in World Cup quarterfinals

AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) — Croatia knocked Brazil out of the World Cup by beating the five-time champions 4-2 in a penalty shootout in the quarterfinals. Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic saved a penalty attempt by Rodrygo and Marquinhos later hit the post. Neymar had scored late in the first half of extra time to give Brazil the lead but Croatia equalized when Bruno Petkovic scored in the 117th. Neymar’s goal moved him into a tie with Pelé as Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 77 goals. Croatia will next face either Argentina or the Netherlands.

76ers recover in OT after blown lead to beat Lakers 133-122

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid had 38 points and 12 rebounds, De’Anthony Melton scored a career-high 33 points off the bench and the Philadelphia 76ers recovered after blowing a nine-point lead in the final 30 seconds of regulation to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 133-122 in overtime. Anthony Davis had 31 points and 12 rebounds, while LeBron James scored 23 points for the Lakers. James (sore left ankle) and Davis (illness) both missed a loss in Toronto on Tuesday. Russell Westbrook had 12 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, joining Magic Johnson as the only Lakers with a triple-double off the bench.

Griner’s home, but WNBA players still competing overseas

More than half of WNBA players are competing abroad this winter to supplement their incomes. But due to the 10-month saga that All-Star Brittney Griner endured in Russia, her colleagues avoided that country and are fanned out in Australia, Turkey, Italy and other places. Griner returned to the United States on Friday after a high-level prisoner exchange. The WNBA and NBA salaries are vastly different. And playing overseas can be lucrative for professional women’s players. But the WNBA has increased its marketing deals with players to have them stay in the U.S. during the offseason and promote the league.

Nelson scores 2 to lead Islanders to 6-4 win over Devils

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Brock Nelson scored twice, Cal Clutterbuck had a goal and an assist and the New York Islanders beat New Jersey 6-4, handing the first-place Devils just their second regulation loss in 21 games. Anders Lee, Casey Cizikas and Oliver Wahlstrom also scored, and Mathew Barzal and Alexander Romanov each had two assists as New York improved to 8-2-0 in their last 10 trips to Prudential Center. Semyon Varlamov made 25 saves. Jack Hughes had a goal and an assist, and Nico Hischier, Tomas Tatar and Dawson Mercer also scored for the Devils. Dougie Hamilton, Jesper Bratt and Jonas Siegenthaler each had two assists. Vitek Vanecek gave up four goals on 17 shots before he was replaced by Akira Schmid, who finished with 13 saves.

Georgia QB Bennett is old-school Heisman Trophy contender

NEW YORK (AP) — Thirteen of the last 14 Heisman Trophy winners to enter the NFL have done so as first-round draft picks, including all 11 quarterbacks. Stetson Bennett is a contender from another era of college football. The Georgia quarterback already has a national championship ring. At 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, Bennett is no lock to be drafted at all, but has become a bona fide college football star. Bennett is one of four Heisman finalist quarterbacks along with USC’s Caleb Williams, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and TCU’s Max Duggan.

Coyotes end 19-game losing streak to Bruins with 4-3 win

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Lawson Crouse scored his second goal with 13.5 seconds left in the third period and the Arizona Coyotes returned home to end a 19-game losing streak to the Boston Bruins with a 4-3 victory. The Coyotes returned from a 14-game trip to play at Mullett Arena for the first time since Nov. 3. They got off to a great start when Josh Brown scored 23 seconds into the game and led 3-2 on Crouse’s third-period goal. The NHL-leading Bruins tied it on Nick Foligno’s power-play goal with 5 1/2 minutes left, but Coyotes closed it out in the closing seconds after an icing was called off.

Griner in ‘good spirits’ in US after Russian prisoner swap

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Brittney Griner has returned to the United States, nearly 10 months after the basketball star’s detention in Russia made her the most high-profile American jailed abroad and set off a political firestorm. Griner’s status as an openly gay Black woman, her prominence in women’s basketball and her imprisonment in a country where authorities have been hostile to the LGBTQ community brought tremendous attention to her case. Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine after her arrest complicated matters further. The deal saw Griner exchanged Thursday for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout. But the U.S. failed to win freedom for another American. Asked if more such swaps could happen, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that “everything is possible.”