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Paarl Royals in playoffs courtesy dominant spin unit, consistent home show
"Keeping things simple is a big part of doing well here. In the past, we've had quite explosive players. Sometimes they come off, sometimes they don't. This season, there's been a lot more consistency, and playing well at home contributes to that."
The Boland, 50 kms inland from Cape Town, is hot and dry in peak summer, and the surfaces get more difficult for run-scoring as the season grows long. Saturday's pitch, which was slow and low, was a perfect example of that. Fortuin has spent his early domestic career here and has played five years of T20 franchise cricket for teams based in Paarl: two years with Paarl Rocks in the now-defunct Mzansi Super League, and three in the SA20. He has adapted his game for exactly these conditions, particularly with the new ball.
Fortuin is often used in the powerplay to put the pressure on upfront and usually also make a few crucial incisions. Across the three seasons of SA20, Fortuin's economy rate of 6.08 in the powerplay is the best among bowlers who have delivered at least 15 overs in that phase. His 20 wickets in the same period is the joint most with Marco Jansen. It includes the likes of Quinton de Kock, Dewald Brevis and Ryan Rickelton (all twice); Devon Conway, Faf du Plessis, Kyle Mayers and Kusal Mendis; and on Saturday, the destructive Afghan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
In another country, Fortuin's record and reputation might see him walk straight into the national squad. But the presence of Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi means he plays infrequently for South Africa, and has also missed out on the Champions Trophy squad. Fortuin said the snub is "not something I can comment on right now" as he focuses on SA20 success, where Royals have set the pace, particularly with their spinners.
"Looking at their team, we were trying to find the seamers when we saw the line-up," Rilee Rossouw, Capitals' captain, said. "It's definitely something different. It's something that we are not so accustomed to, especially here in South Africa. Credit also has to go to their bowlers and how they went about their business."
That statement might apply to the tournament as a whole. Royals have only lost one game so far - to their neighbours MI Cape Town - and have won all four at home. This is the third successive season that Royals have made it to the knockout stage, but have yet to make a final. And they will be wary of dropping form at the business end, as they have done in the past.
In 2023, they won five of their first eight matches, and then lost two of the last three. Last year, after only losing only one of their first six matches, they finished on a five-match losing streak, including defeat in the knockouts.
"So we won't count our chickens too early," Fortuin said. "The past two seasons, we've had good starts and then sort of fallen away towards the back end. So we'll take it game by game."
There, Royals coach Trevor Penney expects his seam attack, and specifically Ngidi, who has not played for the last three matches, to step up.
"We've got the balance. We've got the seamers that are ready to jump in," Penney said. "With Lungi, we know big fast bowlers like him, they sometimes needed a couple of weeks to get back into that full flow and the rhythm. It's a tough thing for fast bowlers. He was out [with a groin injury] for like eight weeks. So he's on a programme where he's almost back now. So we played him in the first few games so he could get some game time. And I'm sure when we go to the Highveld, he's going to be straight back in."
Before that, Royals will sign off from Paarl with a match against Durban's Super Giants on Monday in a goodbye to a crowd that has ridden the wave of their winning streak.
"They're very passionate. The nice thing is that they're actually quite knowledgeable as well, so they appreciate small bits of cricket here and there," Fortuin said. "You certainly hear it when you're not doing well, which is a bit of extra motivation as well. The vibe here is incredible. And in the future, I do hope that we can play games here at the back end of the tournament. It would be quite cool to eventually have a home final if something like that happens."
With a capacity of 10,000, Boland Park is the smallest of the SA20 venues, and has yet to host a playoff game.
Stats inputs from Sampath Bandarupalli
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's correspondent for South Africa and women's cricket
Mooney calls for Australia to put on a show in Ashes Test
Mooney, who was masterful in the third T20I with an unbeaten 94 off 63 balls, conceded there was an element of disappointment in the fact the Test wasn't a live contest in terms of the Ashes, but on the flip side hoped that it would allow the team to play with freedom.
"It's going to be awesome," Mooney said. "We obviously don't get to pull on the baggy green too often. The pink ball behaves a little bit differently so that'll create some challenges. I'm just really looking forward to the spectacle of the game to be honest.
"We're pumped that we're 12-0 up. It certainly would have been nice if we played the test match while the series was still on the line, maybe earlier in the series, but that wasn't to be. I think on an individual front and as a group it's come at a great time for us to basically just show off our skills and really enjoy playing the four-day game."
"I take pride in the fact that I can offer the coaching staff and selection panel different options," Mooney said. "Whether it's batting order or behind the stumps or in the field. It'll be a nice challenge for me wicketkeeping and batting in that middle order role, so looking forward to what that's going to present and hopefully I'm just warming Midge's spot for a little while."
Should Healy be fit it leaves Australia with an interesting selection call to make given she has moved down the order in Test cricket in recent years. She would likely have to slot back in at the top alongside Phoebe Litchfield unless the selectors were also able to find room for Georgia Voll.
There is one vacancy from when Australia last played a Test, against South Africa at the WACA, with Sophie Molineux out injured. Georgia Wareham could come into the side to partner fellow legspinner Alana King, although the pink-ball factor may bring Megan Schutt into contention as another seamer. Wareham has only played one previous Test, against India in 2021.
Ash Gardner is expected to be fit after a calf injury kept her out of the T20I series.
Source: Lions promote LBs coach Sheppard to DC
DETROIT -- The Lions didn't have to look far to find their new defensive coordinator.
Detroit promoted former linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard to replace Aaron Glenn in the vacant coaching role, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler on Saturday, confirming an NFL.com report.
After a record-breaking 15-win season in Detroit, Glenn and former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson accepted head coaching positions with the New York Jets and Chicago Bears, respectively.
Sheppard joined the Lions' staff as an outside linebackers coach at the beginning of coach Dan Campbell's tenure in Detroit in 2021. For the past three seasons, he coached the entire linebackers group and has a knack for developing young talent.
Sheppard, 37, spent eight seasons in the NFL from 2011 to 2018 playing for Buffalo, Indianapolis, Miami, the New York Giants and Detroit. He was a third-round pick (68th overall) in the 2011 NFL draft by the Bills.
After losing in the NFC divisional round to Washington as the No. 1 seed, Campbell said he would evaluate internal and outside candidates to help fill the coaching vacancies before he chose Sheppard as his defensive coordinator.
"I think we've got guys on staff that I think are more than qualified and would be outstanding in those roles, but that does not mean that I'm not looking outside either," Campbell said Jan. 20. "So, I want what I believe is going to be as close to what we have been as possible, and we don't lose what we're about and our identity, and like what you just asked, we're going to stay true to who we are, and if you're somebody that doesn't feel comfortable with that, then no, I don't -- this isn't the job for you."
Jets complete overhaul, turn to Mougey as new GM
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Completing their leadership overhaul, the New York Jets hired Darren Mougey as their general manager Saturday.
Mougey, a longtime Denver Broncos scout and executive who became their assistant GM in 2022, will team with newly hired coach Aaron Glenn -- a brain trust with no previous experience in their new positions. It's a bold pairing by the Jets, who are trying to reboot after a turmoil filled season and a 14-year playoff drought.
At 39, Mougey is the third-youngest GM in the NFL and two years younger than quarterback Aaron Rodgers, whose future with the Jets will be determined in the coming weeks. Mougey is expected to have a traditional GM role, meaning he has final say on personnel decisions and control of the 53-man roster. Glenn, who was involved in the hiring, will have significant input.
"Darren is a trusted NFL executive who has experience working with an impressive collection of football leaders," Jets chairman Woody Johnson said in a news release. "He is a proven talent evaluator who impressed us with his vision for this team. His partnership with Coach Glenn will revitalize this organization. I am proud of the thorough search we undertook and that it led us to the two best individuals to lead our football team going forward."
Mougey replaces Joe Douglas, who was fired Nov. 19 after five-plus seasons on the job. Under Douglas' stewardship, the Jets were 30-64. Phil Savage served as the interim GM.
Mougey called his new job "one of the great honors and privileges of my life."
"I could not be more excited to work alongside Coach Glenn to build a championship team that will make Jets fans proud," he said in the release.
The Jets took an unconventional route by hiring their coach before the GM. A dual announcement was expected Wednesday, when Glenn's deal was finalized, but things changed.
Washington Commanders assistant GM Lance Newmark appeared to be the front-runner because he was the first candidate to receive a second interview. He and Glenn seemed to be a natural fit, considering they worked with the Detroit Lions from 2021 to 2023. Both interviewed Tuesday at the team facility, but the Jets met again with Mougey and Cincinnati Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown.
Mougey and Glenn, 52, have no previous working relationship, only an indirect connection -- Broncos coach Sean Payton. Glenn was on Payton's New Orleans Saints coaching staff, and they have remained close. Glenn participated in in-person interviews with Mougey and Brown on Thursday at the Jets' facility.
The Jets interviewed 15 candidates, including five with previous GM experience.
Ironically, one of their former GMs -- Mike Tannenbaum -- was involved in the search. Tannenbaum founded The 33rd Team, a media and technology company that was retained by the Jets to compile and vet candidates. Former Minnesota Vikings GM Rick Spielman also assisted. Spielman received a positive report about Mougey from his former assistant GM in Minnesota, George Paton, the Broncos' current GM.
Tannenbaum, now an ESPN analyst, was 36 when the Jets hired him in 2006. Mougey is their youngest GM since. The only current GMs younger than Mougey are the Cleveland Browns' Andrew Berry (37) and the Chicago Bears' Ryan Poles (39), according to ESPN Research.
Mougey played college football at San Diego State. He began as a quarterback, playing behind current Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell, but was switched to wide receiver. He had brief stops with the Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals, but he never made a regular-season roster.
Mougey got into scouting with the Broncos, working his way up from a scouting intern (2012). He was hired by Broncos legend John Elway and went from area scout (2015 to 2019) to assistant director of college scouting (2020) to director of player personnel (2021) to his most recent role as the assistant GM.
Mougey worked for three ownership groups and two general managers, experiencing the high of a Super Bowl championship after the 2015 season and the low of an eight-year playoff drought that ended this season under the Payton rebuild.
Mougey worked alongside Paton, who in 2022 made the ill-fated Russell Wilson trade -- regarded as one of the worst in recent NFL history. The Broncos surrendered a huge package of draft picks, including two first-rounders, for the fading star, who lasted only two seasons in Denver and left a massive cap hit.
On the positive side, Mougey was part of a front office that has drafted well in recent years. From 2021 to 2023, it selected four players on the current All-Pro team -- cornerback Pat Surtain II, guard Quinn Meinerz, kick returner Marvin Mims Jr. and edge rusher Nik Bonitto (second team). Quarterback Bo Nix, Denver's 2024 first-round pick, enjoyed a promising rookie year.
Mougey walks into a massive job, one that will require a culture overhaul. The Jets haven't produced a winning season since 2015, and their playoff slump is the longest in North American sports. Since 2015, they've gone through four coaches -- Todd Bowles, Adam Gase, Robert Saleh and interim Jeff Ulbrich, who replaced the fired Saleh on Oct. 8.
There are some building blocks on the roster, but Brown must decide on Rodgers and formulate a long-term plan at quarterback. Another pressing issue is the future of wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who is eligible for a contract extension and could request a trade.
The Jets own the No. 7 pick in the draft and have eight total picks, but they have only $25 million in cap room, according to Roster Management System. They have 23 unrestricted free agents, including six starters. It will take some creative cap management to improve the roster under these restrictions.
Amid Mahomes angst, NFL eyes replay on slides
For all those complaining that Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes gets too many calls, relief soon could be on the way.
NFL replay assist is expected to expand this offseason into plays that could include the quarterback slide, league sources told ESPN on Saturday.
The NFL enacted replay assist in 2021 to allow replay officials and designated members of the officiating department to assist with on-field calls in limited game situations.
Replay assist has been used during games when there is clear and obvious video evidence, such as the spot of the ball or a foul, a complete or incomplete pass and touching of the ball or a line.
Beginning in 2024, the league expanded replay assist to add additional areas in which information could be provided when there was a penalty flag already on the field, including fouls for hits heading out of bounds, fouls for blows to the head of a quarterback and elements of intentional grounding.
Now, additional elements could be added this offseason. Replay assist came into question in the third quarter of last weekend's AFC divisional playoff game, when Mahomes scrambled out of the pocket, slid beneath two lunging Texans defenders and still drew a 15-yard penalty on Houston for unnecessary roughness.
"Oh come on," ESPN analyst Troy Aikman said during the telecast as the penalty was called on the play. "I mean, he's a runner and I could not disagree with that one more. He barely gets hit."
Aikman said the league has "got to address it in the offseason."
"You can't, as a quarterback, run around and play games with the defenders and then get called for a penalty," Aikman said.
The NFL's competition committee meets throughout the offseason before typically voting on rules changes in late March at the league's annual meeting, which this year will be held in Palm Beach, Florida. The competition committee will discuss expanding replay assist, and it is likely to include quarterback slides.
The belief around the league is that there's no reason not to bring further objectivity and clarity to a play that fans in the stadium or at home can see.
Texans star pass rusher Will Anderson Jr., who was flagged earlier in last Saturday's game for roughing the passer, said Houston "knew it was going to be us versus the refs going into this game."
Mahomes, however, pushed back on the idea that the Chiefs get favorable treatment from officials.
"I don't feel that way,'' Mahomes said Wednesday as the Chiefs began preparations for Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills. "At the end of the day, the referees are doing their best to call the game as fair and as proper as they possibly can.
"All you can do is go out there and play the game that you love as hard as you can and live with the results. ... I feel like I've just continued to play the game, and I just try to win, and whatever happens kind of happens.''
Hawks' Johnson to have more tests on shoulder
Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, already ruled out of Saturday night's home game against the Toronto Raptors, will continue to be sidelined as he has further medical testing on his injured left shoulder, the team announced.
Johnson sustained the injury when he blocked a layup attempt by Toronto's Scottie Barnes in the second quarter of Atlanta's 122-110 road loss Thursday.
"[Johnson] will be listed as out as he undergoes further medical testing and evaluation," the Hawks said in a statement Saturday afternoon. "His injury and status will be updated as appropriate."
Johnson missed five games with a right shoulder problem and returned on Jan. 18.
He leads the Hawks with 10.0 rebounds per game. He is second in scoring average (18.9), assists per game (5.0) and minutes per game (35.7). All four averages are career bests.
Atlanta selected Johnson with the 20th pick of the 2021 NBA draft out of Duke. In his four-year career, he averages 11.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 23.6 minutes per game over 184 games (94 starts).
PARIS -- The desire to play with Victor Wembanyama may someday draw fellow stars to the San Antonio Spurs, but he's already attracting the next generation.
That was the message Saturday from A.J. Dybantsa, who is the nation's top-rated high school player and potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft. Dybantsa, who committed to BYU in December, traveled to Paris this week for the NBA's Global Games and to get an up-close look at Wembanyama, telling ESPN he would like the Spurs to draft him next year so they can pair up.
"I think Victor is just ridiculous; the things he does are just crazy," said Dybantsa, whose Utah Prep (Hurricane, Utah) high school team had the week off. "I just think we would've been a crazy duo. Now the odds of that happening are very slim. But I mean, it was just a thought that came up in my mind when he got drafted. But you never know."
The Spurs have nearly equaled their win total from last season already, and with Wembanyama improving, the odds of the Spurs being at the top of the 2026 draft when Dybantsa is projected to go do make the short-term chances of the pairing a little hard to see at the moment.
The 6-foot-9 Dybantsa, who turns 18 on Wednesday, coming to see these Paris games this week is a reminder of two years ago when a 19-year-old Wembanyama sat courtside at a Detroit Pistons-Chicago Bulls game. Wembanyama was the central attraction in Saturday's game against the Indiana Pacers, a progression Dybantsa would like to follow.
"That's the goal," Dybantsa said.
Last weekend, Dybantsa scored 25 points in a loss to Monteverde Academy in a showcase game in Springfield, Massachusetts, that was televised on ESPN2. He's soon to return to the U.S., where he is working on his game. It's a little unclear what position he might play at the next level, but Dybantsa has shown a talent for playing both on and off the ball.
"I'm working on improving my shot. I'm trying to shoot 40% from the 3-point line," he said. "Obviously I've got to extend my range because the farther up I go, the farther the [3-point] line gets."
In win, Edwards sets Wolves' career 3-point mark
MINNEAPOLIS -- Anthony Edwards scored 34 points and became the Minnesota Timberwolves' career leader in 3-pointers in a 133-104 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.
Edwards made 14 of 23 shots from the floor and scored 23 points in the second half as Minnesota pulled away after leading by 11 at halftime.
His third 3-pointer was No. 976 of his career, passing Karl-Anthony Towns for the most in Timberwolves history.
Edwards was spectacular in the win:
Shot 9 of 10 for 20 points on uncontested field goal attempts
Attacked inside, shooting 10 of 13 inside the paint
Shot 9 of 9 for 20 points directly off a pass
Timberwolves shot 9 of 11 for 21 points off his pass
Nuggets shot 5 of 12 with Edwards as the primary defender
Julius Randle had 21 points, and Rudy Gobert had 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who won their second straight.
Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 25 points. Nikola Jokic added 20 points and 11 assists for Denver, which had won four straight and eight of its past nine. Jokic grabbed just three rebounds, ending his streak of five straight triple-doubles.
Minnesota never trailed, scoring a season-high 40 points in the first quarter when it shot 69.2% (18 for 26) from the field.
Nuggets: Denver had won six straight on the road and its 14-8 road record was the third best in the Western Conference. Saturday's defeat began a five-game trip.
Timberwolves: Minnesota made a season-high 53 field goals and its 55.8% shooting from the field was the team's second-best mark of the season.
Up next
Both teams are back in action Monday. The Nuggets will visit Chicago and the Timberwolves are hosting Atlanta.
ESPN Research and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Wemby reflects on 'amazing' 2-game stay in Paris
PARIS -- The final tally for Victor Wembanyama's trip in Paris: two games, 50 points, 23 rebounds, eight assists, six blocked shots, two courts dedicated, one trip to the Eiffel Tower, a Fashion Week appearance, a Champions League match attended and about a million high-fives.
And one win. It wasn't the two he wanted during this homecoming. But there were other moments to make this trip back to Paris worth remembering.
"This week was amazing," Wembanyama said. "I was just seeing my family. I'm not trying to get emotional, but everybody did their job to making this week incredible."
Saturday's outcome wasn't what he wanted: Indiana beat San Antonio 136-98, with Tyrese Haliburton scoring 28 for the Pacers. But at least one thing was to Wembanyama's liking, sort of. He noted during the Olympics that the French are very passionate about their national anthem, and that when it's performed before sporting events, the fans tend to drown out the performer by singing it themselves.
That wasn't exactly the case Thursday, when the Spurs-Pacers series began. Wembanyama's appeal was evidently heard by the French over the next 48 hours; the voices from the stands were much louder Saturday. It still wasn't what he wanted, but it was better.
"I appreciate the effort," Wembanyama said.
He and the Spurs landed Monday, and he quickly took his team to a dinner and a shopping trip. Tuesday, he went back to his hometown of Le Chesnay and dedicated two outdoor courts before appearing at Fashion Week. He was at a Paris Saint-Germain soccer match against Manchester City on Wednesday. Game 1 was Thursday, the Eiffel Tower on Friday, Game 2 on Saturday, then flying back to San Antonio.
And there was a lot more on that itinerary.
"I can't imagine what it was like for Vic to come back home and play," Spurs guard Chris Paul said. "I know he was so excited. But it's a lot of responsibility that comes with that. Every media outlet, every event, trying to see your family that you don't get to see that often. And Vic is one of those guys who tries to sign every autograph."
Wembanyama dominated the opener Thursday, scoring 30 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in San Antonio's 30-point win. The Pacers made it a point of emphasis to do a better job against him Saturday, and Indiana coach Rick Carlisle believed his team did that.
He wasn't wrong. The Pacers were aggressive and didn't let Wembanyama get into a prolonged rhythm. But even Carlisle was a bit surprised when he looked at the stat sheet and saw that Wembanyama finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds.
"You don't stop that guy," Carlisle said. "He still had 20 and 12."
Wembanyama and the Spurs fought back from a 15-point halftime deficit, briefly took the lead in the third, then fell apart as the Pacers ran away.
"At some point, he'll look back on this and realize what a treat it was," Paul said. "We wish we could have won both games for him."
It's unknown when Wembanyama will play in France again. He'd love to be part of games in Paris every year, and though it would seem a safe bet the NBA will send the Spurs back one day, an annual occurrence might be unlikely.
He knows this, and that's one of the reasons he tried to cherish every second of this trip.
"I did my best to make this week special for my team, for my family, my friends," Wembanyama said. "But people still found ways to surprise me, to make things feel like it mattered for them, and I matter for them. So, it's priceless."
Carter watches No. 15 raised to rafters by Nets
NEW YORK -- When Vince Carter's preferred Nos. 6, 12 or 23 were not available as a freshman basketball player at Florida's Mainland High School, he took some advice from his mother, Michelle.
"My mom told me: 'Find a number and make it famous,'" Carter said.
Carter and his much-celebrated No. 15 reached new heights again when the Brooklyn Nets retired it at halftime of their game Saturday against the Miami Heat.
Carter's family, his former Nets teammates, ex-coach Lawrence Frank, team president Rod Thorn and fellow Nets number retirees Julius Erving, Bill Melchionni and Buck Williams were on hand to see Carter become the seventh Nets player with his number retired.
"This is truly something my family and I will cherish forever," Carter said during the ceremony. "To be the seventh number to go up is insane. It is an honor to be up there with you gentlemen.
"No. 15 Carter is going up there, but we're going up there together."
Carter spent the game seated next to Erving, his boyhood idol. Former teammates Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson sent congratulatory messages, as did New York-area luminaries Eli Manning, Queen Latifah and rapper Fabolous.
Carter's number banner will reside directly next to Kidd's No. 5, which is fitting since they were drivers of one of the most successful eras in team history. Carter also credited Kidd for reinvigorating him after the Nets acquired Carter from the Toronto Raptors in December 2004.
"There was new life," Carter said of coming to New Jersey. "My role in Toronto was just give me the ball, and I'll get you a [basket]. But when I got here, they had a guy ... he made the game easier for me."
Though he played only 374 games over four-plus seasons with the Nets, Carter holds the team record for single-season points (2,070 in 2006-07) and is third in the team history in total points (8,834). He ranks fourth in 3-pointers made (638) and playoff points (701).
He helped the Nets reach the postseason three times, and they twice won a playoff series before falling to the eventual Eastern Conference champions (the Miami Heat in 2006 and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2007).
"During that era, they never were able to get over the top, so they'll probably never be recognized the way they should have been," said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who was a Miami assistant when it won the league title in 2006. "That was a damn good basketball team, and [Carter] was a massive part of it."
Carter, who is in his first season as a Nets television analyst, retired in 2020 after an NBA-record 22 seasons at age 43 and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024.
"I love seeing how his game evolved from when he first came in," Spoelstra said. "From just being a dunker to being an impossible [player to] guard ... and then he was able to be one of the very few in this league that could transition gracefully. That's really amazing. It speaks to the type of human being he is."
Despite playing 11 seasons after New Jersey traded him to the Orlando Magic in 2009 and spending time with eight NBA teams, Carter said some of his best days came with the Nets.
"We had fun, but we understood when it was time to lock in," Carter said. "We hung out and actually enjoyed each other and played for each other, and that's what made the game fun.
"I went out and did my job and had a darn good time doing it."
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