INDIANAPOLIS — Solo Ball isn’t just a good shooter. He’s a great one. A net-shredder in the flesh. His 99 3-pointers last year — the fourth-most in a single season at UConn — prove that loud and clear. But with a Final Four clash with No. 3 seed Illinois looming in less than 48 hours, Ball admitted that he’s compromised right now due to the lingering impact of a painful wrist injury suffered in mid-December. Ball harkens back to a 15-day stretch in December where he landed awkwardly on his wrist against Butler, sat out against DePaul and re-aggravated the injury against Xavier.
UConn won all three games, but it came at a cost, and that debt is still being paid three full months later.
Ball saunters into UConn’s jam-packed locker room at Lucas Oil Stadiun on Thursday with a grin, but his heavily-taped wrist is impossible to ignore.
Even knowing the cost, Ball chose to manage the pain and deal with the mental anguish of losing a bit of control over a once-pure jumper.
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Ball is shooting just 29% from 3-point range this season. That’s far below his 41% threshold a season ago. He’s still somehow splashed 71 triples, which ranked fifth in the Big East, but the inconsistencies on a game-by-game basis — depending on how the wrist feels — can be equally maddening and illuminating as he navigates playing a hard game without his go-to weapon.
Ball bounces up and down
UConn’s Solo Ball shooting has dropped since a wrist injury on Dec. 15 vs. Butler. Since then Ball’s scoring average has dropped 3.7 points and he’s shooing 7.1 percentage points.
College basketball reference via Microsoft CoPilot
“I just want to stay on the court,” Ball said. “I’ve had to learn how to move on and try to affect the game in other ways. I’ll do whatever it takes to win.”
Ball went 0-for-5 from downtown, but Dan Hurley doesn’t believe UConn pulls off the epic come-from-behind, Elite Eight win over Duke without Ball’s steal and old-fashioned 3-point play with 3:42 to trim Duke’s advantage to just 67-65. Oh, and he chipped in with a huge offensive rebound with 91 ticks left that earned a trip to the charity stripe to put even more game pressure on the Blue Devils.
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Demary got the deflection, Alex Karaban made the extra pass and Braylon Mullins brought the rain for the game-winner, but those two winning plays in the clutch from Ball gave UConn major life, and he didn’t need to make a single jumper to do it.
“He’s such a threat, and he’s so capable,” Hurley said. “He played so great against Illinois and at MSG (Madison Square Garden, he made some shots, and that’s always good for a player going in versus an opponent because that matters to a player’s psyche. But he’s really guarded well for us in the Sweet 16 and in the Elite Eight, and when he’s not making shots, he creates so much spacing for the others. As long as he guards and rebounds and makes efforts and plays as hard as he can, he’s still like a 30-minute-a-game, incredibly valuable player for us.”
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Ball’s home zip code is usually out floating around the 3-point stripe, but he’s tried to crash the offensive glass with more fervor this year. After shooting just 48% on layups a year ago, Ball is up to 58% at the tin in 2025-26. Playing off two feet has helped Ball draw even more fouls. He’s already shot 27 more free throws than a year ago.
Ball don’t lie
Solo Ball’s wrist injury has impacted the types of 3-pointers he is trying this season vs. last.
Solo Ball’s shooting, explained
2024-25
2025-26
Unguarded catch-and-shoot 3-pointers
50%
36%
Guarded catch-and-shoot 3-poiters
33%
22%
Pull-up 3-pointers
43%
29%
Slowly but surely, Ball has tried to become more of a complete player, even if the 3-point decline gets the noise.
“How many hustle plays can I make just trying to do that? It’s just something I got to do more going into these next two games,” Ball says.
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UConn guard Solo Ball had to sit out after injuring his wrist vs. Butler in December.
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That grittiness from Ball has permeated throughout UConn’s locker room. Point guard Silas Demary Jr. is dealing with a nasty sprained ankle, but he’s on the floor. Forward Jaylin Stewart has dealt with a right knee injury, but he’s back on the floor at the most critical juncture of the season.
“It just speaks to our coach and our culture,” Stewart told CBS Sports. “None of us wants to let the guys down. And Solo been that way his whole life. Never wants to let his teammates down. He always wants to be out there fighting with us. He’s a tough guy. Nobody’s 100% this time of the year, so if you if you can get out there, you got to.”
Everyone has bumps and bruises as the 39th game of the season nears, but UConn is unquestionably the most beat-up team in the Final Four, with two linchpins like Ball and Demary operating below the peak of their powers.
“Winning means a lot to us, and just to have our best guys playing through injuries, knowing that no matter what we want to be on the floor and make those plays, I think it’s a testament to this program,” Demary told CBS Sports. “If we win it all, we’ll be remembered as guys that gutted it out and were able to play through injury no matter what.”
The move across to mainland tracks was a testing one for Geegees Mistruth, however the previous Tasmanian mare seized the greatest achievement yet by dominating the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville over the weekend.
Trained initially by Stuart Gandy, Geegees Mistruth triumphed in stakes company twice as a juvenile and ran places in three Melbourne Group contests in the 2024 Spring.
She collected two further Group 3 wins before heading to Mark Walker’s Cranbourne base, where she placed four times in six efforts amid stretches of bad luck, redeeming herself with the slimmest Saturday victory.
With Jordan Childs providing a flawless ride, the $31 longshot powered past Bridal Waltz ($6.50) bang on the line for a nose verdict, a mere whisker clear of repeat Sangster winner Charm Stone ($6.50) in third.
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Flying For Fun ($13) was a half-head adrift of Geegees Mistruth in fourth during the heart-stopping blanket finish, as assistant trainer Ben Gleeson hailed the long-awaited success for the promising four-year-old.
“Her journey this spring and the autumn just sums up racing. It’s a lot of lows, but when the highs happen, they’re worth it,” Gleeson said.
“This filly arrived in our care back in the spring, and she came over in great order. Stuart Gandy, who has done all the work with her as a young horse and done a wonderful job.
“We just sort of thought, God, when are we going to get some luck with her? At least we got her when it counted most.
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“She just peeled off their backs and I thought, ‘Oh, here we go.’
“She very rarely changes legs, and you sort of saw her do it for the first time in a long time.
“Credit to Jordy – he got his hands down in her neck and got the head down when it counted.”
For Childs, it represented a second Group 1 conquest, echoing his first from eight years prior in the 2016 Blue Diamond Stakes.
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“It’s been a long time between drinks,” Childs said.
“Written By in 2018, I’ve had quite a few placings in between in the big group ones, and I was sort of hoping my second one would come a bit sooner, but anyway, still very grateful for the ride and the connections.
“Once I presented her, she quickened up well, we were getting challenged by the other horses, and she was able to hold on.”
“I wasn’t sure (who won), and I was looking up the drone to see where it was going, and it was pretty close to me, but Zahra was there as well, so I wasn’t sure if it was me and him, and then he said that I won.
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“Winning another group one, it’s great.”
Punters can find excellent online bookmakers offering markets on Robert Sangster Stakes contenders.
Former Team USA women’s gymnast Jennifer Sey was a guest at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, D.C., on Saturday when shots were fired.
Sey told Fox News Digital her reaction to the shooting in an exclusive statement.
“Terrifying. Should have been an amazing night. I came to celebrate free speech and those who believe in it. As I walked in and there were protesters I was scared for a moment and then I thought it’s ok. I was wrong,” she said, adding she was forced to hide “under table.”
Jennifer Sey, the 1986 U.S. national all-around gymnastics champion, performs a split leap during competition.(XX-XY Athletics/Jennifer Sey)
Jennifer Sey is a former elite gymnast best known for winning the 1986 USA Gymnastics National Championship. A seven-time member of the U.S. Women’s National Team, she achieved this top national title after recovering from a broken femur in 1985. Her accomplishments also included a third-place team finish at the International Mixed Pairs and a second-place team finish at the USA-URS Dual Meet in 1987.
Sey, who is also the founder of the activist sportswear brand XX-XY Athletics, has become a prominent activist in the “save women’s sports” and general conservative movement in recent years.
Jennifer Sey founded XX-XY Athletics in March 2024 to emphasize the empirical truth of biology, she said.(XX-XY Athletics)
Chaos erupted at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner when gunshots were heard and President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the Washington Hilton ballroom Saturday night.
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Video from inside the event showed attendees diving under tables and taking cover as panic spread throughout the room.
Fox News’ John Roberts reported from the ballroom that shots were fired and that he had heard the suspected shooter was engaged by Secret Service.
Fox News anchor Bret Baier said he also heard shots fired, but noted they did not appear to originate from inside the ballroom.
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Sources told Fox News the individual never made it inside the ballroom, was taken into custody and removed from the scene.
President Trump was seen being quickly escorted out of the room by security, and White House officials tell Fox News Digital both he, the first lady and Karoline Leavitt are safe at this time.
Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
Carson Hocevar has left a positive review for Cleetus McFarland’s top-5 ARCA finish at Talladega. The Spire Motorsports driver was captured supporting McFarland on Saturday afternoon’s Alabama Manufactured Housing 200.
Driving the No.30 Ford, McFarland began on the tenth row and two spots behind his YouTube collaborator, George Siciliano. The Nebraska native chased down the field and entered the top 10 with the guidance of his spotter, Kevin Hamlin.
Hocevar caught the action from the sidelines and was cheering for McFarland the whole way. Under a NASCAR post dedicated to McFarland’s result, the Cup Series driver wrote,
“Was fun to watch.”
Cleetus McFarland and Carson Hocevar have been friends for a while now. The two were last spotted in NASCAR’s promo for the 2026 season.
Saturday’s result marks Cleetus McFarland’s second top-5 ARCA finish this season. The 30-year-old logged a P4 result at Rockingham earlier. Notably, McFarland was denied approval to compete in the O’Reilly race at Talladega.
“What an insane day of racing and the greatest race I’ve ever been a part of in my life right there…..honestly the most fun I’ve had with clothes on,” McFarland said.
“I did get a smidge emotional, because I was just like, when we were under caution, I was sitting there thinking, like, ‘Oh man, I’m at the front of the stamp pack’”, he added, “I know a lot of people are supporting me. And like, I just saw some guys with their sleeves cut off in the crowd; just like the third time we’ve gone by under costume, they were just like this. And I was like, man, so I’m so lucky, dude.”
Cleetus McFarland is slated for another ARCA race at Michigan International Speedway and an O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Nashville.
Fans can watch the Nashville race on CW. The 188-lap event is scheduled for Saturday, May 30, at 7:30 PM ET. The Michigan ARCA race is scheduled a week later on June 5.
Babar Azam with heated exchange with Umpire (Screengrab)
Babar Azam was seen engaged in a heated discussion with the umpire during PSL match between Peshawar Zalami and Lahore Qalandars after repeated ball changes early in the innings.The first incident occurred on the 11th ball, when Mohammad Basit bowled a back-of-a-length delivery to Mohammad Naeem, who cleared his front leg and swiped it over square leg for a boundary. The ball sailed beyond the ropes and could not be retrieved, forcing the fourth umpire to bring out a replacement.Just five deliveries later, on the 16th ball, Khurram Shahzad bowled another short-of-length delivery that Naeem dispatched over deep mid-wicket for a six. Once again, the ball was lost outside the boundary, prompting another replacement.Following these back-to-back incidents, Babar appeared visibly frustrated and was seen in an animated exchange with the umpire, questioning the need for yet another ball change so early in the match. The unusual sequence of events, two balls lost within the first three overs, sparked confusion and clearly did not sit well with the Peshawar Zalami skipper. In the 38th match of the Pakistan Super League 2026, Lahore Qalandars pulled off a thrilling six-wicket victory over Peshawar Zalmi at the Gaddafi Stadium. Zalmi posted a formidable 199/4, powered by half-centuries from Michael Bracewell and Babar Azam. In response, Lahore chased down the target in 19.3 overs, led by a crucial knock from Fakhar Zaman, with strong support from the middle order. The high-scoring contest saw nearly 400 runs scored, but Lahore held their nerve in the final overs to seal an important win and keep their playoff hopes alive.
Sep 11, 2025; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons running back Demond Claiborne (1) awaits the snap in the first half against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Luke Jamroz-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings had no youth in their running back room — until late Saturday afternoon. After a trade back into the 6th Round, interim general manager Rob Brzezinski drafted Wake Forest’s Demond Claiborne, and just like that, fans have a twinge of hope that a youth movement at tailback could be on the horizon.
Minnesota added burst, return value, and another backfield variable for Kevin O’Connell’s offense.
Veteran Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones will presumably get the bulk of carries early next season, but if injuries arise, Claiborne could be tapped on the shoulder.
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Claiborne Adds Speed to a Backfield That Needed More Juice
One drafted halfback is better than zero drafted halfbacks.
Wake Forest running back Demond Claiborne (1) accelerates through the line during first-quarter action against Virginia Tech, Oct 4, 2025 in Blacksburg, showing burst and vision at Lane Stadium while navigating traffic and looking to create a chunk gain early in a competitive ACC matchup on the road. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images
It’s Claiborne for MIN in Round 6
Vikings fans waited anxiously during the draft’s first five rounds for a new running back — that didn’t arrive. Then, after a trade with the New England Patriots, the drought ended.
Vikings.com’s Rob Kleifield announced, “The Vikings offense added speed you can’t teach in the sixth round. Minnesota selected former Wake Forest running back Demond Claiborne with the 198th pick of the 2026 NFL Draft on Saturday, jolting its backfield with a Second-Team All-ACC runner who has red-hot wheels. The Vikings vaulted up the draft board to snag Claiborne, sending No. 234 and a 2027 sixth-round pick to New England in exchange for 198, which Minnesota twice previously owned (the third time’s the charm).”
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“Claiborne, 22, led Wake Forest in rushing each of the past three seasons and followed up 1,049 yards on the ground in 2024 with 907 in 2025. In total, Claiborne carried 558 times in college for 2,599 yards and 26 touchdowns, including double-digit TDs in his final two go-rounds.”
On paper, the Claiborne draft pick doesn’t quite pack the punch of Jeremiyah Love (Arizona Cardinals) or Jadarian Price (Seattle Seahawks) from earlier in the draft, but for Minnesota, it’s a step in the right direction.
Get to Know Claiborne
Claiborne is 5’10” and 190 pounds. He has 4.37 speed, and after the Vikings lost Jalen Nailor, Rondale Moore (RIP), and Ty Chandler this offseason, the club desperately needs more speed. Claiborne is that.
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The strengths:
Change-of-direction fluidity
Special teams versatility
Balance
Intense breakaway speed
Weaknesses:
Does not have prototypical size of a workhorse running back
Fumbles
Pass protection will need a lot of work
Drops as a pass-catcher
Not tackle-breaking savant
The Ringer‘s Todd McShay on Claiborne: “Claiborne is an undersized back who is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. He ran the third-fastest 40 time among running backs at the combine. He doesn’t need much of a crease to pull away in the run game, after the catch, and in the return game.”
“He can press the line of scrimmage, get linebackers to commit and make late cuts. He can make defenders miss in the hole. He’s an effective cutback runner. He uses jab steps and hesitation to shake defenders in space. He’s not a power back, but he keeps moving his feet, and he breaks tackles with contact balance. Scouts have expressed concerns about his maturity and ability to control his emotions in the past.”
Claiborne is the first running back drafted by the Vikings since DeWayne McBride in Round 7 three years ago. Minnesota still hasn’t picked a tailback in the draft’s first four rounds since 2019. That drought continues.
Wake Forest running back Demond Claiborne (1) carries the ball against Georgia Tech during third-quarter play, Sep 27, 2025 in Winston-Salem, using quick cuts and lateral agility to find space at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium as the Demon Deacons push for momentum in an ACC contest. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images
McShay added, “He appeared to lose his cool when he spiked the ball after dropping a pass against North Carolina last season. Claiborne’s not built to carry a heavy workload in the NFL. Claiborne is unlikely to develop into a team’s primary ballcarrier, but he has the skill set to develop into an excellent complementary back.”
“There are backs that ran as well as Claiborne and didn’t reach their upside in the NFL and he carries a mid-round grade for a reason. De’Von Achane, a 2023 third-round pick, is an optimistic comparison. Achane is faster than Claiborne, but both players are explosive and possess similar frames.”
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Why the Pick Matters
Last year, the Vikings began to turn the corner into a competent rushing offense:
Vikings Rushing DVOA, NFL Ranking, in the Kevin O’Connell Era:
2025: 13th 2024: 20th 2023: 27th 2022: 27th
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But here’s the main problem:
Vikings Rushing Playcall % NFL Ranking in the Kevin O’Connell Era:
2025: 19th 2024: 18th 2023: 30th 2022: 30th
Minnesota ran the ball at the NFL’s 13th-best efficiency clip but ranked 13th-least in rushing playcall percentage. The Claiborne pick matters because he could inspire Minnesota to establish a more balanced offense.
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O’Connell’s offense will not be unlocked to its fullest potential until it runs the ball at a balanced rate, at least compared to other playoff-contending teams.
NFL Comparisons
Looking for a stylistic comparison for Claiborne? Say less.
The Achane comp is important for one reason: the Vikings plucked Achane’s offensive coordinator, Frank Smith, from the last four years as their new assistant head coach earlier in the offseason. Achane is 5’9 and 190 pounds. He’s not “supposed” to be a Top 8 NFL running back at his size. But he is.
Wake Forest running back Demond Claiborne (1) breaks into the second level against California defensive back Nohl Williams, Nov 8, 2024 in Winston-Salem, displaying speed and balance while attacking open space during first-half action at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium in a nonconference showdown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
The optimistic take? Smith can massage Claiborne into some variation of Achane in Minnesota. That’s the Holy Grail scenario.
Apr 18, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) celebrates after a three-pointer during the second half against the Denver Nuggets in game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo was ruled out after injuring his lower right leg in the first quarter and was late joined on the sidelines by injured teammate Anthony Edwards in the first half of Saturday’s 112-96 victory over the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of their playoff series in Minneapolis.
DiVincenzo sustained the injury on a non-contact play 79 seconds into the game. He planted his foot to go toward a loose ball, and he quickly went down as he grabbed toward the back of his right leg.
The team ruled out DiVincenzo before the end of the first quarter. ESPN reported that DiVincenzo, who left the arena at halftime in a wheelchair, hasa torn right Achilles.
Edwards, a four-time All-Star, appeared to hyperextend his left knee while leaping to defend Nuggets wing Cam Johnson’s drive to the basket with 2:43 remaining in the second quarter. He landed awkwardly and grabbed his left knee. Edwards was helped to the locker room.
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Minnesota ruled him out for the rest of the game just after halftime. Edwards, who had five points and three rebounds in 18 minutes, is slated to get an MRI to determine the injury’s severity.
The Timberwolves lead the best-of-seven series 3-1, with Game 5 on Monday in Denver.
DiVincenzo averaged 12.2 points per game and shot 37.9% from 3-point range during the regular season. He averaged 14.3 points in the first three games of the playoff series against the Nuggets.
Blistering fifties by Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma guided Sunrisers Hyderabad to a five-wicket win Saturday after teen prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi blasted 103 off 37 balls for Rajasthan Royals. Led by Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins, who made an impressive IPL return after a long injury layoff, Hyderabad chased down a target of 229 with nine balls to spare in Jaipur. Sooryavanshi torched the Hyderabad bowling attack after skipper Cummins won the toss and put Rajasthan in to bat. The 15-year-old Sooryavanshi hit four consecutive sixes in the opening over to set the tone, and then hit Cummins, bowling the second over, for a six off his first ball that he faced.
He hit 12 sixes and five boundaries in his power-packed innings, which ended in the 14th over with Rajasthan at 170-3.
After his opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal (10) fell early, Sooryavanshi was ably supported by Dhruv Jurel, who hit a 35-ball 51.
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South Africa’s Donovan Ferreira added a quick 33, and was the only other notable contributor for Rajasthan, who lost their momentum after Sooryavanshi departed.
Cummins bowled four tidy overs for Hyderabad and finished with 1-27.
Rajasthan paid heavily for missed chances early in the Hyderabad innings.
England’s Jofra Archer opened with a fiery spell, removing Australia’s Travis Head off the fifth ball, after wicketkeeper Jurel dropped a regulation catch at the start of the over.
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Archer finished with 2-34 and was the most potent Rajasthan bowler but recieved little support.
His fast-bowling partner, South Africa’s Nandre Burger, was wicketless in 3.3 overs and gave away 50 runs.
Kishan and Abhishek grasped the initiative and raced to 139 in the 10th over, before the latter fell for 57. Kishan followed soon after, out for 74 with Hyderabad at 166-3.
Heinrich Klaasen (29) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (36) took Hyderabad closer to the target before Salil Arora and Aniket Verma got them over the line.
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Cummins said it was a “really good win” and an ideal way to return to competition. His last outing was against England in the third Ashes Test at Adelaide in December.
“Never quite sure how it’ll come out first game (back),” he said.
Cummins also praised RR’s 15-year-old batting prodigy, calling him his new “favourite player”.
“Yeah, I think he’s my new favourite player. He hits the ball so hard, it’s great to watch. It’s good fun.
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“You’ve got to be right on the money as bowler. Because if you’re not, it’s going a long way. He’s impressive.
“He’s had a great start to his career. I love the way he plays. It takes the game on.”
(WIth Added Inputs)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo left Game 4 of their first-round series against the Denver Nuggets with a non-contact leg injury on Saturday. He was quickly ruled out for the game and later diagnosed with a torn right Achilles tendon, per ESPN. DiVincenzo will miss the remainder of the Wolves’ postseason run and will likely be out for most or all of the 2026-27 season.
The injury came after DiVincenzo missed a 3-pointer in the opening minutes of an eventual Minnesota win. He lunged to pursue an offensive rebound afterward and fell to the ground. That explosive push forward commonly precedes Achilles injuries, and though no two are alike, it was at least somewhat reminiscent of the ones suffered by Tyrese Haliburton, Jayson Tatum and Damian Lillard last postseason.
“He’s the heart and soul of so many things that we do,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said of DiVincenzo. “You could see the look in his eye when it happened, and you knew. We’ll love him and be there for him.”
The typical recovery for an Achilles tear is roughly a year. Tatum’s 10-month recovery gives DiVincenzo hope of returning next season, but given the history of Achilles tears, players tend to approach recovery extremely cautiously.
This is just the latest injury in a series that has been full of them. Aaron Gordon missed Game 3 for the Nuggets due to calf tightness, and Peyton Watson hasn’t yet suited up for Denver because of a right hamstring strain. Anthony Edwards has been dealing with runner’s knee, and in Game 4, he left the game in the second quarter after Nuggets forward Cam Johnson fell into his leg. He was ruled out for the night. The Wolves are leading the best-of-seven series, 3-1, heading into Monday’s Game 5.
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DiVincenzo has grown into an absolutely critical role player for the Timberwolves. After coming off the bench for the Timberwolves last season, he started all 82 games this season. He averaged over 12 points per game while shooting almost eight 3-pointers per night, and his defense has helped them absorb the loss of Most Improved Player Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
With Edwards also banged up, the Timberwolves will have to rely even more on bench guards Ayo Dosunmu and Bones Hyland. They’ve performed admirably in this series, but things are only going to get harder as this series progresses.
Daizen Maeda drove Celtic to a 3-1 victory against Falkirk as the champions moved level on points with William Hill Premiership leaders Hearts.
The Japan international scored twice and set up another as Martin O’Neill’s side overcame a tough test.
Maeda charged down a clearance from Keelan Adams before drilling the ball past the stranded Nicky Hogarth to give Celtic the lead in the 30th minute.
The Japan international then won the ball back before setting up Kieran Tierney to double the lead a minute before half-time.
Celtic had come under a period of sustained pressure prior to the opener and Falkirk got themselves back in the game in the when substitute Kyrell Wilson produced a brilliant finish in the 70th minute.
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But Maeda restored the two-goal cushion when he slotted home in the 83rd minute from Sebastian Tounekti’s low cross.
Daizen Maeda restored his side’s two-goal cushion against Falkirk (Getty)
Maeda had sent Celtic on their way to the Scottish Cup final last weekend by charging down a clearance from St Mirren goalkeeper Ryan Mullen and he again showed the value of his work ethic in the centre-forward role.
The recently-reinstated Green Brigade invoked the “spirit of 86” before the game with a huge replica of the away strip Celtic wore when beating St Mirren 5-0 to pip Hearts to the title on goal difference 40 years ago.
This Celtic team are some way off the free-flowing football of Davie Hay’s side, who won their final eight league games that season.
Goal difference is unlikely to be their saviour this year. Celtic are four goals worse off than Hearts, who play Hibernian at Easter Road on Saturday, and nine off Rangers, who are a point off the top ahead of their home match with Motherwell.
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But with three consecutive wins behind them, Celtic will give themselves a big chance if they can grind out another four and the home fans delivered the vocal support which could be crucial in home games against their two title rivals.
O’Neill handed James Forrest his first start since November while Falkirk had Hogarth and defenders Keelan Adams and Lewis Neilson in for the injured Scott Bain, Liam Henderson and Filip Lissah.
James Forrest made his first start since November (PA)
Celtic had the better of the opening stages without seriously threatening and they had a let off after some slack play allowed Brad Spencer to unleash a volley which Viljami Sinisalo pushed wide.
Leon McCann and Dylan Tait drove efforts off target for the visitors before Hogarth saved well from Anthony Ralston’s long-range effort.
Maeda opened the scoring from 30 yards and hit an ambitious strike straight at Hogarth from similar range after winning the ball back straight from the restart.
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Falkirk twice came close to an equaliser when Calvin Miller volleyed just wide and Tait headed off target from Spencer’s cross.
But Maeda’s pressing again paid off when he dispossessed Ben Broggio before setting up Tierney to finish off the underside of the bar from 15 yards.
Yang Hyun-jun had a goal disallowed for offside before Wilson lashed the ball into the top corner from McCann’s deep cross.
O’Neill sent on Alistair Johnston for his first game since aggravating a hamstring injury in October and Hogarth stopped Benjamin Nygren’s free-kick and a Liam Scales header before Maeda struck again.
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The Japan international missed a great chance for his hat-trick in the closing stages.
The NFL Draft has arrived. No more conjecture or hypothetical. Five months of preparations and the biggest job interview in the world will now become real.
Viewers have become accustomed to certain similarities. The best quarterbacks, edge rushers, offensive linemen and cornerbacks are towards the top, while running backs, safeties and linebackers are less prioritized at the top. In 2026, they throw out almost all the positional tendencies and trends.
The 2026 Draft has been called a one-quarterback draft. While that perception is accurate, it’s not a literal representation. There is one prospect that should become a franchise quarterback.
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Every other player from QB2-QB26 had less than ideal evaluations. While there is only one expected day one starter at the position, there are plenty of prospects to consider, even if they might need some development.
Social media reactions to QB selections in 2026 NFL Draft
2026 NFL Draft How to Watch
The 2026 NFL draft kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday in Pittsburgh (ESPN, ABC and NFL Network– available on Fubo), The Las Vegas Raiders will likely select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick.
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