Sports
Plenty of new faces as Utah, Alcorn State begin season
Feb 29, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes guard Gabe Madsen (55) lays the ball up against the Stanford Cardinal during the second half at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images Even diehard fans of the Utah and Alcorn State men’s basketball teams might need to keep rosters handy as their programs tip off the season Monday night in Salt Lake City.
The host Runnin’ Utes and the Braves from Lorman, Miss., both underwent wholesale changes since they last stepped on the hardwood in March for a real game.
Utah’s new-look team features nine newcomers, including seven transfers: Miro Little (Baylor), Ezra Ausar (East Carolina), Brady Smith (Salt Lake Community College), Keanu Dawes (Rice), Mike Sharavjamts (San Francisco), Zach Keller (Wake Forest) and Mason Madsen (Boston College). They are joined by two international freshmen, Joul Karram of Israel and Ibi Traore of Mali.
Gabe Madsen, Lawson Lovering and Hunter Erickson highlight a group of eight returners for the Utes. Madsen (the twin brother of Mason) is the top returning scorer, having averaged 13.6 points while hitting a single-season school-record 105 3-pointers in 2023-24.
“These early-season games, we just have a lot of newness to us,” Utah coach Craig Smith said after his team defeated CSU Pueblo 98-62 in an exhibition on Oct. 29.
Erickson came off the bench to lead the Utes with 17 points, while Gabe Madsen, Little, Sharavjamts, Ausar and Lovering were in the starting lineup.
This will be Utah’s first season in the Big 12. Although the Utes finished tied for sixth in the Pac-12 and made an NIT appearance last year after going 22-15 overall, they were selected to finish last in their new 16-team conference this season.
Alcorn State, which finished second in the SWAC in 2023-24 after back-to-back regular-season championships, has even more new faces in its program.
“We’ve got a whole new team,” Alcorn State coach Landon Bussie said. “This is probably the most teaching I’ve had to do since I’ve been coaching. … I have 13 or 14 new guys.”
The Braves will lean on transfers Marcus Tankersley (Detroit Mercy), Willie Lightfoot (Odessa College) and Keionte Cornelius (Jackson State). Bussie described the 6-foot-4 Tankersley, who averaged 16.6 points last year, as “a guy who can play at a high level.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
White Sox reinstate OF Everson Pereira (concussion)
Apr 18, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Chicago White Sox right fielder Everson Pereira (28) reacts after hitting a double during the second inning against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images The Chicago White Sox reinstated outfielder Everson Pereira from the seven-day concussion injured list on Monday.
Pereira, 25, sustained the injury on June 17 after crashing into the wall following a leaping catch at Yankee Stadium.
He is batting .232 with four doubles, three home runs and seven RBIs in 21 games this season with the White Sox.
Chicago optioned outfielder Junior Perez, 25, to Triple-A Charlotte in a corresponding move.
Perez has batted .171 with three homers and six RBIS in 22 games since making his major league debut on June 18.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Timbers signing Dutch F Vincent Janssen
Apr 3, 2022; Portland, Oregon, USA; A view of the Portland Timbers logo before the game against the LA Galaxy at Providence Park. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images The Portland Timbers are finalizing a deal to sign Dutch forward Vincent Janssen, The Athletic reported on Monday.
Janssen, 32, is a free agent after departing Belgium’s Royal Antwerp earlier this summer.
He reportedly will not occupy a designated roster slot in Portland, where he could fill the vacancy opened by Felipe Mora’s recent departure to Liga MX side Atletico San Luis.
Janssen had 13 goals and seven assists in 40 appearances across all competitions last season with Royal Antwerp.
He previously played in North America with Mexico’s Monterrey from 2019-22, tallying 24 goals, in addition to stints with Turkey’s Fenerbahce, England’s Tottenham Hotspur and the Netherlands’ AZ and Almere City.
Internationally, he scored seven goals in 22 caps with the Netherlands and participated in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reds place Spencer Steer (wrist) on 10-day IL
Jul 26, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Cincinnati Reds second baseman Spencer Steer (7) is checked on by Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona (77) and training staff during a game against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fifth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images The Cincinnati Reds placed versatile infielder/outfielder Spencer Steer on the 10-day injured list Monday due to a right wrist sprain.
Steer was injured while making an awkward swing on Sunday when facing St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Kyle Leahy in the fifth inning. He fouled off the pitch and began shaking the hand.
A trainer and Reds manager Terry Francona had a conversation with Steer before the decision was made to have Edwin Arroyo finish the at-bat. Arroyo lined out and replaced Steer in the field at second base.
Steer, 28, is batting .238 with 16 homers and 40 RBIs in 98 games. He has started 27 games at first base, 26 in left field, 23 in right field, 14 at second base and two in center field.
Steer is in his fifth season with the Reds. He has 82 homers, 301 RBIs and a .242/.327/.739 slash line in 586 career games.
Steer has been rumored to be a possible trade candidate ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline.
Cincinnati recalled infielder/outfielder Ivan Johnson from Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move. He went 0-for-5 in four games with the Reds earlier this season.
The Reds host the Cleveland Guardians on Monday night in the first of a three-game set.
–Field Level Media
White Sox reinstate OF Everson Pereira (concussion)
Report: Timbers signing Dutch F Vincent Janssen
