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SPORTS Tuesday 25 June 2024
Dearica Hamby replaces Sparks teammate Cameron Brink on US

3x3 Olympic team

By DOUG FEINBERG she’s come as a player.
AP Basketball Writer “I’m grateful to be a part of
NEW YORK (AP) — Before it and they considered me.
the season started, Deari- I wasn’t in the pool growing
ca Hamby wrote her goals up, I was 96 out of 100 as
down on a basketball. a high school player,” she
On the list was making the said. “So to be part of the
U.S. 3x3 Olympic team. 5 on 5 and 3 on 3 pool this
She didn’t initially achieve year was special to me.”
that because she wasn’t And now she can check off
one of the four members of one of the goals on the ball,
the squad chosen earlier this that Hamby said she carried
month. Now she can check around in the preseason but
that off after replacing Los was then relegated to a
Angeles Sparks teammate closet with her laundry. Now
Cameron Brink, who tore it’s time to bring it back out.
the ACL in her left knee last “I had a moment of clar-
week. ity before the season, and
“My heart breaks for her. wrote my goals on it for the
When she got the news she year,” she said.
made it and I got the news Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby dribbles down the court during the first half of a WNBA Other goals on the ball in-
basketball against the Minnesota Lynx, game Sunday, June 11, 2023, in Minneapolis.
I didn’t originally, we cried Associated Press clude getting at least one
together,” Hamby told The MVP vote, taking the Sparks
Associated Press in an inter- secutive Olympics that the “I think that should have Dearica Hamby’s addition to the playoffs and shoot-
view. “It’s kind of an ironic U.S. team had to replace been something original- to the USA 3x3 Women’s ing over 55% from the field.
situation. I’m sure if she one of its original players. ly done. Cam and I both National Team and we look Hamby also wants to aver-
wanted to have anybody Katie Lou Samuelson missed should have been on that forward to getting to work as age 18 points and 10 re-
replace her, she’d want it the Tokyo Games after she team,” she said. “I thought a squad very soon,” said Jay bounds.
to be me.” caught COVID-19 right be- it was a no-brainer, but the Demings, USA Basketball 3x3 Setting goals also rubbed
She joins Hailey Van Lith, fore the Olympics. She was committee is the commit- national team director and off on her older daughter
Cierra Burdick and Rhyne replaced by Jackie Young, tee.” member of the USA Basket- Amaya.
Howard on the squad that who helped the team go on Hamby was MVP of the 2023 ball 3x3 women’s selection “She made her ball, too,
will compete at the Paris to win a gold medal. 3x3 AmeriCup and was part committee. “USA Basketball and she made her goal to
Games next month. The U.S. Hamby said she was initially of the national team camp continues to keep Cameron meet Taylor Swift,” Hamby
won the inaugural 3x3 Olym- upset when she first didn’t in Springfield, Massachu- Brink in our thoughts as she said laughing. “All the stuff
pic gold medal in Tokyo in make the roster, feeling she setts, in April. focuses on her recovery.” on her ball is Taylor’s songs
2021. It’s the second con- deserved to be on the team. “It is an honor to announce Hamby reflected on how far and stuff about Taylor.”q

Mets closer Edwin Díaz faces a 10-game suspension after being

ejected for foreign substance on hand

CHICAGO (AP) — New York Carlos Mendoza said the grip on the ball.” through it, you know? We’ll we’ll get guys here that are
Mets closer Edwin Díaz is fac- umpire said he thought He’s the third Mets pitcher continue to piece it togeth- going to be able to get us
ing a 10-game suspension the pitcher had too much to be ejected for such an er and, yeah, guys are go- to the finish line when he’s
after being ejected from of a combination of rosin, offense in the last year. ing to have to step up. And out.”q
the team’s 5-2 win over the sweat and dirt on his throw- Smith, who was ejected and I’m pretty confident that
Chicago Cubs on Sunday ing hand. suspended 10 games last
night for having a foreign “The rules are the rules and year for a similar offense, got
substance on his hand. they made the decision to two outs in place of Díaz.
Díaz would be the eighth throw him out,” Mendoza Jake Diekman then came
pitcher suspended for sticky said. in and struck out pinch-hitter
stuff since MLB cracked Carapazza, the crew chief, Patrick Wisdom for his third
down on pitchers attempt- said in a pool report after save for the Mets, who have
ing to use foreign substanc- game it “definitely wasn’t won four straight series.
es to improve their grip and rosin and sweat” on Díaz’s New York has won 10 of
spin rates in 2021. Three of hand. 13 and is 13-6 in June and
them have been Mets, in- “We’ve checked thousands might need to find a tempo-
cluding Max Scherzer and of these,” Carapazza said. rary closer for the next two
Drew Smith last year. “I know what that feeling is. weeks.
The right-hander came on This was very sticky.” The Mets begin a two-game
in the ninth to try to seal the Díaz, who said he was “real- series against the visiting
victory for the Mets, but was ly surprised” by the ejection, Yankees on Tuesday before
tossed by third-base um- was not certain whether hosting Houston for three New York Mets relief pitcher Edwin Díaz, right, reacts after being
pire Vic Carapazza before he’ll appeal the suspension. games. ejected by their base umpire Vic Carapazza as manager Carlos
throwing a pitch after an “I use the same thing al- “Look, we’ve been through Mendoza looks down as he walks to the dugout during the
inspection of his glove and ways,” Díaz said. “I rub rosin a lot this year,” Mendoza ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in
throwing hand. and sweat and put my hand said. Chicago, Sunday, June 23, 2024.
Both Díaz and manager in the dirt a little bit to get a “We’ll find a way to get Associated Press