Magnolia Hotshots’ Zavier Lucero during a game against Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the 2026 PBA Governors’ Cup.-Lucero is expected to play a crucial role for Gilas Pilipinas in the Asian Games. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–Zavier Lucero is looking to carry his role as one of the best defenders in the PBA into Gilas Pilipinas when it tries to retain the gold in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

The Magnolia forward will be among those coach Tim Cone and his staff are going to bank on to make Gilas efficient at making stops during the course of the continental meet.

READ: Gilas Pilipinas at Asian Games 2026: What you need to know

“It’s going to be super important,” Lucero said during a recent virtual press conference arranged by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).

“I think everyone on this team has the capacity to be a good defender. If we just defend as a team, I think that’s the most important thing. No one can stop the team by himself,” he added.

Lucero is one of the tallest players on the team at 6-foot-6, though he’ll likely play the role of guarding not just the shaded lane, but multiple positions.

“I’m taking my role as I take my role on any team [which is] first to defend,” he said. “So I think everyone’s taken that approach and if we can work together as a team, play team defense, and rebound, that should help our offense.

READ: Shorter Gilas crew to run foes to the ground in defense of gold

“And that’ll help us to be able to outrun these teams and play to our advantage,” added Lucero.

Gilas’ defense will have plenty of work that needs to be done after being handed an 81-55 loss by South Korea in the first of two tune-up games in Suwon.

More than its offensive woes was Gilas allowing South Korea to knock down nine triples, seven coming from Hyungjun Lee.

That game also saw Lucero appearing for 30 minutes and finishing with three points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals.

India Women: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Bharti Fulmali, Richa Ghosh(w), Deepti Sharma, Prema Rawat, Nandani Sharma, Shree Charani, Kranti Gaud, Gunalan Kamalini, Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav.

Pakistan Women: Muneeba Ali(w), Shawaal Zulfiqar, Gull Feroza, Ayesha Zafar, Sadaf Shamas, Fatima Sana(c), Umm-e-Hani, Eyman Fatima, Tuba Hassan, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal, Saira Jabeen, Momina Riasat, Eman Naseer, Waheeda Akhtar

Last year, the Vikings’ defensive line was being led by Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. The pair of veterans eventually got leapfrogged by Jalen Redmond as the clear DT1.

Going into 2026, Mr. Redmond is now the elder statesman since Allen and Hargrave have been cut. Redmond finds himself at 27 years old and is going into just his third full NFL season. He’ll be leading what is an unusually young cluster of trench talent.

The Vikings’ Defensive Line is Unusually Young

If the expected occurs, the Vikings’ defensive line will see the depth chart look accordingly (starters are in bold and practice squad in italics):

Of those options, the eldest is Jones, the practice squad nose tackle who just got added a few days ago. He’s a 28-year-old veteran with limited upside but some utility insofar as he’s a large, experienced player who could probably gobble up blockers in a pinch. He’ll be playing a depth role as a possible Sunday call up. The other practice squad talent, Mr. Ritzie, is 23.

As for talent on the roster, it’s a lot of young fellas. Look at the ages attached to each player:

• Jalen Redmond: 27
• Levi Drake Rodriguez: 26
• Ty Ingram-Dawkins: 23
• Elijah Williams: 23
• Caleb Banks: 23
• Domonique Orange: 22

Do the tally by adding up all of those ages and then dividing the number by six (the amount of defensive linemen). What’s the average? Just 24 years of age.

Of those options above, Redmond is the most experienced even as he’s somebody who is only working into his third full NFL season. Pretty wild, right? He first got into the NFL as an undrafted talent in 2023 but had Carolina move on. His rookie season arrived in 2024 before he fully solidified himself in 2025.

Quite possibly, we’ll end up looking at 2026 as Jalen Redmond’s true breakout.

Both of Redmond and Rodriguez are going into their third NFL seasons. Ingram-Dawkins and Williams are moving into sophomore seasons. Banks and Orange are about to set sail on their rookie years.

Again, it’s a youthful crew.

Defensive coordinator Brian Flores has more than earned the benefit of the doubt. Pivoting toward unproven youth under the DC should be cause for excitement rather than consternation. Newcomer Ryan Nielsen has been coaching defensive linemen for a long time even if he’s just getting to Minnesota. If you ever get the chance, go to practice and watch Coach Nielsen go to work teaching the linemen. He’s a technician who appears to be ultra detailed as a teacher.

The Vikings’ defensive line will look to win the trench battle in Week 1 when the Green Bay Packers visit Minnesota.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

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The LSU Tigers and Clemson Tigers face off in a marquee Week 1 matchup Saturday night to begin their 2026 college football seasons. Lane Kiffin debuts as head coach of LSU, matching wits with four-time national championship-winning coach Dabo Swinney and Clemson, a rematch of a Week 1 matchup last year, won 17-10 by LSU. Each team is looking to bounce back from subpar 2025 seasons; LSU finished 3-5 in the SEC, Clemson was 4-4 in the ACC. Visit our DraftKings promo code review and get $200 in bonus bets as a new user after $5+ in wagers here:

Kickoff is set for 7:30 ET from Tiger Stadium in Baton Rogue, La. After opening at -9.5, host LSU is favored by 10 points in the latest Clemson vs. LSU odds, while the over/under is 50.5. LSU is -389 on the money line, while a Clemson win would return +306. Before making any LSU vs. Clemson picks, check out the Clemson vs. LSU predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model. 

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Top Clemson vs. LSU predictions

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Enric Mas extended his lead of the Vuelta a Espana in a reverse result to the last time the race summited the Sierra de la Pandera, as Marco Brenner took his first grand tour stage win and only his third pro victory.

24-year-old Brenner was part of a four-rider group who got clear on the category-one final climb, chasing down a late flyer by Santiago Buitrago and passing him for the biggest win of his career.

“I think yes [it’s the best day of my career],” a beaming Brenner said. “I cannot really believe it yet, I wasn’t feeling super until now, not feeling like myself, struggling with some sickness early in the race and a crash.

“I really wanted to show myself and my teammates that I can be up there. On the final climb I could feel that I actually have the kick today, and in the end I started believing it. You live for days like today, I guess.”

Spain’s Mas lost time to rival and eventual champion Primoz Roglic when the race visited the Andalusian climb in the 2022 edition, one of two in which Mas has finished runner-up to the Slovenian.

But this time he added another 25 seconds to his lead over the four-time champion, accelerating away on the upper slopes on another day in which his Movistar squad got their tactics exactly right.

Roglic slipped to third overall, 2’10”, as Felix Gall – who could not be separated from the maillot rojo despite the Swiss rider’s best attempts – moved up to second, 2’06” behind Mas.

As expected all the drama came on the final climb of the day, Sierra de La Pandera, an 11.8km monster averaging 7.5% but with multiple sections – including towards the summit – of 15% and some hitting gradients of 17%.

The 154.5km stage from Jaen was the last major mountain stage of the second week, and as in previous days an enormous breakaway got up the road, with UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider Kevin Vermaerke the first to break clear.

The American attacked with 53km to go but his solo charge was brought to an end by Georg Steinhauser with 14km remaining.

The lead chopped and changed on the final climb until a final quartet was established, with Brenner reacting superbly to a late attack by king of the mountains leader Buitrago – despite being caught zipping up his jersey at the exact moment Buitrago launched.

Brenner bridged across quickly and edged ahead of him in the final kilometre, punching the air as he crossed the line.

The last time the Sierra de la Pandera featured in the Vuelta Richard Carapaz won the stage and his EF Education-EasyPost squad attempted to lead him out for more heroics this time around.

But Movistar wrestled back control, leading the peloton up the punishing slopes, until the Ecuadorian launched from a heavily reduced group of favourites. Only Gall, Mas and Roglic were able to keep pace with the former Giro d’Italia winner before he and Roglic were distanced.

Gall suffered a blow earlier in the stage as he lost a second key lieutenant in as many days: after Gregor Muhlberger abandoned during stage 13 Jordan Labrosse withdrew partway through stage 14, with the balance of power within the peloton shifting towards Movistar ahead of a difficult final week.

But the Swiss produced another fine climbing performance to leapfrog Roglic, a key move ahead of stage 18’s individual time trial, where Roglic is expected to gain significant ground on both Gall and Mas.

There were no other changes to the order of the top eight in the general classification, with Britain’s Oscar Onley remaining in fifth place and in the best young rider’s jersey, 5’44” behind Mas having lost another 1’15”.

The race continues on Sunday with a hilly 189.7km run from Palma del Rio to Cordoba.

In the Tour of Britain Cees Bol won stage 4 in Leyburn as British rider Lewis Askey lost the overall lead to Tim Wellens; the Belgian leads him by 21 seconds going into the final stage.

Enzo Le Fee scored a late penalty to rescue a point for Sunderland in a lively 1-1 draw against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.

It was a moment of redemption for the midfielder, who embarrassed himself with a botched panenka spot-kick on this ground last season.

Regis Le Bris’ side were comfortably beaten that day in January but here they bullishly refused to go down easily after falling behind to Vitaly Janelt’s half-volley early in the second half.

At that stage, they looked like paying the price for failing to take advantage of a first half they had dominated, a contentious and highly drawn-out VAR check chalking off a goal from Dan Ballard whilst Le Fee struck a post and Brentford clung on more by luck than by design.

Keith Andrews suffered the misfortune of losing his captain Nathan Collins inside 20 minutes, then having gone behind, gambled on three half-time changes that looked to have paid off in the shape of Janelt’s strike and three points.

Then, in the 82nd minute, substitute Wilson Isidor went down with Keane Lewis-Potter’s hands on him. A penalty was the decision and there was catharsis for Le Fee as he got it right from 12 yards.

Sunderland were excellent in the first half. Ballard finished smartly into the bottom corner after eight minutes before a VAR check determined Kevin Danso, on his debut, had strayed offside and blocked goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher’s view.

Collins was forced off after clashing with Noah Sadiki. Deprived of their captain, Brentford were inches away from falling behind moments later when Le Fee struck the post with a powerful shot from 10 yards.

Thomas Meunier ought to have done better when firing a first-time effort straight at substitute Jannik Schuster.

The home side were struggling with Sunderland’s physicality and directness, particularly the runs in behind by Meunier and Nilson Angulo, and the unyielding midfield stewardship of Granit Xhaka.

Brentford could count themselves lucky to be level at the break and Andrews responded with three changes, which did the trick.

Suddenly it was Sunderland who had no outlet, no means of escaping their own half, and just before the hour the hosts led.

Nordi Mukiele did well to adjust and head away a dangerous cross, but no team-mate in blue was there to help him and finish the job, with Janelt allowed to stride onto the ball 15 yards out and strike it sweetly into the top corner.

Lewis-Potter should have settled it but miscued a volley into the ground and over, then Anthony put the ball in the net but was penalised for taking the ball from the hands of goalkeeper Robin Roefs.

Kelleher got down well to keep out Isidor’s free-kick, but with 10 minutes to go Sunderland levelled.

Lewis-Potter had his hands on Isidor but the award of a penalty appeared generous. However, Le Fee sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to earn a point and make amends for his profligacy here at the start of the year.

Newcastle United manager Matthias Jaissle shares his “mixed feelings” on their late 2-2 draw against Bournemouth, describing the goals conceded by his side at St. James’ Park as “slapstick”.

MATCH REPORT: Newcastle United 2-2 Bournemouth

Available to UK users only.

Cricket remains one of the most commercially valuable sports in the subcontinent, with India accounting for a significant share of the game’s financial activity. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has retained its position as the world’s richest cricket board, with an estimated net worth of $2.2 billion (around ₹18,760 crore), according to a report by Business Today.

The BCCI’s revenues are supported by media rights, sponsorships, international cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL). Cricket Australia ranks second with an estimated net worth of $79 million, followed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) at $59 million and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) at $55 million.

Top 10 richest cricket boards (as of September 5, 2026)

BCCI continues to reign at the top

The BCCI’s position at the top is not merely a reflection of India’s status as one of cricket’s biggest markets; it is the result of a highly developed commercial ecosystem around the sport. The IPL sits at the heart of that ecosystem, with its media rights alone having been sold for more than $6.2 billion for the 2023-27 cycle.

The board also benefits from sponsorships, ticket sales, merchandise, international cricket rights and its share of ICC revenues. India’s huge television and digital audience allows broadcasters and sponsors to command a premium, while the emergence of the Women’s Premier League has added another significant commercial property.

The BCCI’s dominance becomes clearer when compared with the rest of the list. At $2.2 billion, its estimated net worth is more than 27 times that of Cricket Australia, the second-ranked board at $79 million.

The financial strength also gives Indian cricket considerable room to invest in infrastructure, player contracts, domestic competitions and talent development while continuing to generate substantial commercial returns.

Australia, England continue to hold top-three spots

Cricket Australia remains second on the list with an estimated net worth of $79 million, while the England and Wales Cricket Board occupies third place with $59 million. Both boards have strong domestic cricket ecosystems and long-established international markets, helping them remain comfortably ahead of most other governing bodies. Australia’s financial strength is supported by the Big Bash League, international cricket and major broadcast partnerships. Its domestic and international rights, along with sponsorship agreements, provide multiple revenue streams beyond Test cricket.

The ECB, meanwhile, benefits from the commercial value of England’s international teams, domestic competitions and broadcast rights. The Hundred, alongside traditional competitions such as county cricket, adds another commercial property to its portfolio. The presence of two established cricket economies behind India underlines the financial divide at the top of the sport. However, even Australia and England remain far behind the BCCI, highlighting just how valuable India’s cricket market has become.

Pakistan claims fourth spot, Bangladesh fifth

The Pakistan Cricket Board occupies fourth place with an estimated net worth of $55 million, narrowly ahead of the Bangladesh Cricket Board at $51 million. Pakistan’s financial position has been helped by the growth of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which has become one of the country’s most important cricket properties. Along with the PSL, the PCB earns through international broadcast rights, sponsorships, ticket sales and its share of ICC revenues.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, sits fifth with an estimated net worth of $51 million. The BCB’s revenue streams include broadcast agreements, sponsorships, ticket sales and domestic cricket, with the Bangladesh Premier League providing an important franchise-based property. The narrow gap between Pakistan and Bangladesh shows how competitive the middle of the rankings is. While neither board comes close to the commercial scale of the BCCI, both have built sizeable cricket economies around strong domestic audiences and growing franchise competitions.

South Africa, Zimbabwe lead the bottom half of top 10 list

Cricket South Africa is sixth on the list with an estimated net worth of $47 million, followed by Zimbabwe Cricket at $38 million.

South Africa remains one of the sport’s historically important cricket markets and has multiple sources of income, including international broadcast rights, sponsorships and domestic competitions. Its financial position can also receive a major boost when India tours the country, given the enormous commercial value of India’s matches.

A previous estimate cited by NDTV suggested that a 30-day India tour could generate around $68.7 million for CSA.

Zimbabwe’s $38 million valuation puts it seventh, ahead of Sri Lanka, the West Indies and New Zealand. The remaining three boards are valued at $20 million, $15 million and $9 million, respectively.

Sri Lanka Cricket continues to benefit from international cricket and the Lanka Premier League, while the West Indies has the Caribbean Premier League as a major commercial property. New Zealand Cricket rounds out the top 10 at $9 million, despite operating in a market considerably smaller than those of the leading boards.

How cricket boards earn money

Cricket boards have traditionally relied on a combination of broadcasting rights, sponsorships, ticket sales and international cricket, but franchise leagues have transformed the financial model. The biggest boards can now monetise almost every major part of the sport — from television and digital rights to jersey sponsorships, stadium advertising, merchandise and hospitality.

Domestic T20 leagues have become particularly valuable because they provide boards with additional broadcast and commercial properties. The BCCI’s IPL is the clearest example, but Australia’s Big Bash League, Pakistan’s PSL, Bangladesh’s BPL and the Caribbean Premier League also contribute significantly to their respective cricket ecosystems.

Another important source is the ICC’s revenue distribution. Full-member boards receive a share of the international governing body’s earnings, while bilateral series can generate substantial broadcast and sponsorship income.

Hosting a high-profile team such as India can be particularly lucrative because of the size of the Indian audience and the resulting demand from broadcasters and advertisers. International fixtures, therefore, are not merely sporting events but major commercial assets.

Together, media rights, sponsorships, franchise leagues, ticketing, ICC distributions and commercial partnerships determine how successfully a cricket board can convert the popularity of the sport into financial strength.

The Arizona Diamondbacks visit the Houston Astros on Saturday, September 5, 2026 at 7:15 p.m. ET from Daikin Park, Houston, TX.

The Houston Astros enter at 73-69 (.514), while the Arizona Diamondbacks sit at 74-68 (.521). Ethan Pecko (1-0, 6.23 ERA) takes the mound for the Astros, while Brandon Pfaadt (7-2, 3.49 ERA) starts for the Diamondbacks.

Below, we’ll give you all the details you need to know about how to watch this game.

How to Watch Diamondbacks vs. Astros

Players to Watch

Houston needs its biggest bat front and center in this matchup, and Alvarez has been that guy all season. He leads the Astros in home runs with 37, batting average at .317, and RBI with 94 while carrying a .434 on-base percentage and .601 slugging percentage. For a Houston lineup that ranks fifth in MLB with 184 home runs, he is the clearest game-changing threat.

This matchup puts extra weight on every middle-of-the-order plate appearance because Arizona’s pitching staff has been steadier than Houston’s over the full season, posting a 4.15 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. Alvarez is the hitter most capable of cutting through that with one swing. When he is driving the ball, Houston’s offense looks far more dangerous.

For Arizona, Moreno stands out as the bat most likely to pressure Houston across multiple at-bats. He leads the Diamondbacks in batting average at .299 and is tied for the team lead with 68 RBI, while adding an excellent .379 on-base percentage and .467 slugging percentage. In a game where Arizona may need to string together quality plate appearances, his profile fits the moment.

The Astros’ pitching staff has allowed 588 walks this season, so Moreno’s ability to reach base and keep innings alive could shape the flow of the night. He gives Arizona a steady offensive anchor, and that matters against a Houston club fighting to protect first place in the AL West.

Speed changes the picture for Arizona in this matchup, and Carroll brings the most of it among the projected starters. He is expected to play after being in the lineup Wednesday despite lower-back discomfort, and his season line still shows impact: 19 home runs, 61 RBI, a .335 on-base percentage, a .466 slugging percentage, and 21 stolen bases.

Arizona’s 98 stolen bases rank tied for 11th in MLB this season, and Carroll can stress the Astros in ways that go beyond extra-base power. One sharp night from him can turn singles into scoring chances fast, like a spark catching dry grass.

Diamondbacks vs. Astros Odds

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Chelsea attempted 34 shots in the game, their highest total in a WSL match since the start of last season.

James hit the ground running with a superb strike that flew into the roof of the net within 11 minutes and Chelsea fans expected the floodgates to open.

Villa barely laid a glove on their opponents and had only five touches in Chelsea’s box.

But, against the run of play, Noelle Maritz’s shot ricocheted off goalkeeper Hannah Hampton and bounced in off Chelsea defender Veerle Buurman late on.

Villa boss Natalia Arroyo threw her arms in the air and their supporters punctured the silence of disbelief that fell across Stamford Bridge.

“If you analyse the performance and the statistics, then you would say it’s crazy that we didn’t win. We created so many opportunities,” said Bompastor.

“The reality of football is that if we were two or three nil up then the game is over. It’s a completely different game in the second half.

“We have to speed up the game, keep that momentum and sustain that. We need to make sure we accelerate to kill the game. That is not what happened today.

“At the end, we are all frustrated because it’s not a good result.”

Bompastor’s biggest frustration was that she could do little to help.

With summer signing Melvine Malard out with a minor injury picked up in training and Mayra Ramirez still continuing her recovery, attacking options were limited.

England forward Aggie Beever-Jones led the line, taking the baton from recently-departed Sam Kerr, but her confidence is clearly low.

She had opportunities but scuppered them and when she did eventually put the ball in the net, it was ruled out for offside.

“What can we do in this scenario? We have to stay confident, stick together and work hard,” said manager Bompastor.

“In football some of these things are mental. It’s the mentality – the mindset of being ruthless and clinical in the box.

“The best teams don’t need many opportunities. They just need one or two and maybe that’s enough to win the game. That is something we need to work on.”