SPORTS SUMMARY

Back for a 4th Olympics run, LeBron James says gold is all that matters

LAS VEGAS (AP) — LeBron James didn’t need another Olympic experience to complete some missing box on his resume or add to a legacy that was secured long, long ago. He decided to play this summer for one simple reason — because he wants to. Taking his first steps toward becoming the first U.S. men’s basketball player to compete at the Olympics in three different decades, James hit the floor Saturday with the team that the Americans are sending to the Paris Games later this month. Training camp opened in Las Vegas, the start of a 5 1/2-week quest where the only acceptable ending will be the U.S. winning gold for a fifth consecutive time.

Looking a lot like dad, Bronny James makes NBA Summer League debut

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Bronny James looked so much like his famous father LeBron James just during warmups it had fans and others at Chase Center doing double-takes. Oversized headphones on his ears and dressed in full Lakers gold as he geared up for his NBA Summer League debut, the Lakers rookie even exhibited some familiar mannerisms and facial expressions. If all goes as planned, the 19-year-old James and his dad would become the first father-son pair to play in the NBA at the same time — and on the same team no less. Bronny started the game for the Lakers.

Ben Rice becomes 1st Yankees rookie to hit 3 homers in a game in a 14-4 rout of Red Sox

NEW YORK (AP) — Ben Rice became the first Yankees rookie to homer three times in a game and drove in seven runs as New York snapped a four-game slide with a 14-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday. Alex Verdugo hit a two-run homer and D.J. LeMahieu also drove in a pair of runs as the Yankees won for the fifth time in 19 games. Aaron Judge added two hits. Rafael Devers had a long homer and two RBI for Boston, which had its five-game winning streak halted.

Twins’ Jose Miranda gets a hit in 12th consecutive at-bat, tying MLB record

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jose Miranda of the Minnesota Twins singled in the fourth inning for his 12th straight hit in an at-bat. MLB says that ties the longest streak in major league history. Miranda entered the game Saturday against the Houston Astros with 10 consecutive hits. He was hit on the arm in his first plate appearance. After being examined by the Twins training staff, Miranda remained in the game. In the second inning, he drove Hunter Brown’s first pitch into center field for an RBI single. He’s now tied with Johnny Kling in 1902, Pinky Higgins in 1938 and Walt Dropo in 1952 for the longest such streak.

Netherlands into Euro 2024 semifinal against England after beating Turkey

BERLIN (AP) — The Netherlands came from behind to beat Turkey 2-1 on Saturday and book its place in the European Championship semifinals. An own goal from Mert Muldur in the 76th minute, only six after Stefan De Vrij canceled Samet Akaydin’s first-half header for Turkey, was enough for the Dutch in the last of the quarterfinals. The Netherlands will next face England in the second semifinal in Dortmund on Wednesday. Spain faces France in the first on Tuesday.

England beats Switzerland in a penalty shootout to reach Euro 2024 semifinals

DUESSELDORF, Germany (AP) — England beat Switzerland 5-3 in a penalty shootout to reach the semifinals of Euro 2024 after a 1-1 draw in extra time. England converted all of its first four penalties before Trent Alexander-Arnold won the game with the fifth. Manuel Akanji saw Switzerland’s first penalty kick saved to leave his team trailing. England, which lost the Euro 2020 final to Italy in a penalty shootout, goes on to play either Turkey or the Netherlands in Dortmund on Wednesday for a spot in the final.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Greece beat Luka Doncic, Slovenia to advance to Olympic qualifying final

Thomas Walkup had 19 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo added 13 points in 21 minutes and Greece moved one victory from the Paris Games, eliminating Luka Doncic and Slovenia 96-68 from the semifinals of the Olympic qualifying tournament. Doncic finished with 21 points in the game Saturday in Piraeus, Greece, which marked the first time the two NBA megastars faced one another while representing their senior national teams. The matchup was one of eight semifinals taking place to determine the last four berths in the men’s basketball field for the Paris Games. Greece will meet Croatia on Sunday in the final of the Greece tournament.

No. 1 Iga Swiatek loses in Wimbledon’s third round to Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan

LONDON (AP) — No. 1-ranked Iga Swiatek has lost in the third round of Wimbledon to Yulia Putintseva 3-6, 6-1, 6-2. Saturday’s result ended Swiatek’s 21-match winning streak. She is a five-time Grand Slam champion, including four titles on the red clay at the French Open — most recently last month — and one on the hard courts at the U.S. Open. The All England Club’s grass has always given her the most trouble at any major tournament as a pro. Swiatek has only once been as far as the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. That was last year, when she lost at that stage.

Davis Thompson takes 2-shot lead into the final round of the low-scoring John Deere Classic

SILVIS, Ill. (AP) — Davis Thompson had nine birdies on the vulnerable TPC Deere Run. That gave him a 62 to match his career low on the PGA Tour. It also gave him a two-shot lead going into the final round. That two-shot lead probably doesn’t feel like much this week. Thompson already is at 21-under par. He leads Aaron Rai and Eric Cole by two shots. More rain was expected in the morning. Seven players are within five shots of the lead. That includes Florida State sophomore Luke Clanton, who tied for 10th last week. Jordan Spieth shot 63 and was seven back.

Chicago street course offers a tricky opportunity for winless NASCAR Cup Series drivers

CHICAGO (AP) — Alex Bowman sees a Chicago street course full of possibilities. He also sees a major potential problem. Bowman says, “All the winners behind us in points make my life harder for sure.” That’s the situation for a group of NASCAR Cup Series contenders fighting for five remaining spots in the playoffs after Joey Logano became this season’s 11th different winner last weekend in Tennessee. Martin Truex Jr., Ty Gibbs, Ross Chastain, Chris Buescher and Bowman occupy the last five playoff spots on points at the moment. Truex is in a strong position with seven races left in the regular season, but a win for a driver below Bowman in the standings could shake up the playoff field once again.