Traditions practice range opens Friday
HOLDEN — The practice range at Traditions Golf Club and Learning Center will open for the season on Friday morning at 9 a.m.
Patriots to be honored by Obama
The Super Bowl champion New England Patriots will be honored by President Barack Obama at the White House on April 23.
The Patriots went 12-4 last season and capped it off with a Super Bowl win over the Seattle Seahawks. They will return to the White House for the first time since 2004, when they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX.
NBA to start HGH testing next season
The NBA will begin testing for human growth hormone next season, the league and National Basketball Players Association announced Thursday.
Beginning in 2015 training camps, NBA players will be subject to three random, unannounced HGH tests each year — two during the season and one in the offseason — and players also will be subject to reasonable-cause testing, the league and union said.
The penalties for HGH will be the same as for other performance-enhancing drugs: A positive test will result in a 20-game suspension, a second violation will beget a 45-game ban, and a third positive test will result in banishment from the league.
No charges against Howard after abuse probe
ATLANTA — National Basketball Association star Dwight Howard will not face criminal charges in Atlanta related to allegations of child abuse involving his 7-year-old son, police said on Thursday.
An Atlanta police spokesman said the agency had closed its investigation into unspecified accusations against one of the league’s marquee players, a center for the Houston Rockets, but provided no further comment on the probe.
An earlier investigation into the same allegation by the child’s mother in Florida also was closed with no charges pursued against Howard, his attorney has said.
Thunder might turn to Donovan
University of Florida head coach Billy Donovan made his interest in NBA positions known at the end of the college basketball season, and a good friend might just make room for him in Oklahoma City as the Thunder sit out the postseason.
Yahoo Sports first reported mutual interest existed between the two sides.
Donovan, 50, who signed a contract extension with the Gators in March, has only a $500,000 buyout clause and is a longtime friend of Thunder general manager Sam Presti.
NHL won’t fine Cameron
NHL officials plan to discuss Ottawa Senators coach Dave Cameron’s comments with him, but he will not be fined for his angry comments about Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban following the Canadiens victory in Game 1 on Wednesday.
Right winger Mark Stone suffered a microfracture of his right wrist on the play, the Senators announced Thursday morning, and his availability for the rest of the series is unknown.
Subban received a five-minute major and a game misconduct after he slashed Stone.
Petteway leaving Nebraska for NBA
Nebraska guard Terran Petteway declared for the NBA draft, joining teammate Walter Pitchford.
A Texas Tech transfer, Petteway returned to Texas last week following the death of his mother. He is scheduled to graduate in May, which factored into the decision.
A two-time All-Big Ten selection, Petteway started every game the past two seasons and averaged 18.1 points per game during his career with the Cornhuskers.
Jaguars extend Posluszny’s contract
The Jacksonville Jaguars added a year to linebacker Paul Posluszny’s contract on Thursday while reportedly lowering his salaries and guaranteeing more money.
He was due to make $7.45 million in each of the next two years, but he will now earn $15 million — potentially up to $18 million — over the next three, a source told NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.
Posluszny, 30, was limited to seven games in 2014, when his season was ended early by a torn pectoral muscle. Posluszny recorded 69 tackles and two sacks.