5th Clark Noonan tournament on tap
BANGOR, Maine — Twenty teams made up mostly of current or former college players will participate in the 5th Annual Clark Noonan Memorial Basketball Tournament this weekend at Bangor High School’s Red Barry Gym.
Pool play with four pools of five teams each is scheduled for Friday and Saturday with a single-elimination tournament to tip off Sunday with the top 16 teams competing.
Games begin at 4 p.m. Friday on two courts, followed by games beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday. Eight games are set for Friday and 22 on Saturday.
On Sunday, games begin at 8 a.m. with 15 single-elimination contests scheduled, followed by the championship at 5 p.m.
Admission is $5 each day for all games but kids under 12 get in free. Proceeds benefit an annual scholarship for a Bangor High School athlete.
Sea Dogs outfielder named All-Star
PORTLAND, Maine — Portland Sea Dogs’ outfielder Aneury Tavarez has been added to the 2016 Eastern League All-Star Game roster. Tavarez will join teammates Jake Romanski and Williams Jerez in Akron, Ohio on July 13 for the midsummer classic.
Tavarez, 24, is making his first career All-Star appearance in professional baseball. The Dominican native is hitting .302 with 12 doubles, four triples, two home runs, 24 RBI, and a team-high eight stolen bases in 59 games.
Tavarez hit .413 (26-for-43) in 18 games in June. He had a career-high five hit performance on June 17 at Richmond.
In 2015, Tavarez was the starting right fielder for the Dominican Republic in the Pan Am Games in Canada and hit .318 with seven runs, four RBI, and two walks in six games.
The Red Sox signed Tavarez as an international free agent in 2010.
Tavarez fills the roster spot that was opened when Hartford Yard Goats’ outfielder David Dahl was promoted to Triple-A.
Tirico to call NFL preseason games
Mike Tirico will be the play-by-play voice for NBC’s two NFL preseason games, the network announced Wednesday.
Tirico, 49, joined NBC on July 1 after leaving ESPN.
Tirico will be joined by analyst Cris Collinsworth to handle NBC’s coverage during the third week of the preseason. Their debut together will take place on Thursday, Aug. 25 when the Atlanta Falcons take on the Miami Dolphins in Orlando, Fla., and three days later Tirico and Collinsworth will handle the game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Jaguars in Jacksonville.
No announcement was made regarding Tirico’s regular-season NFL duties. Tirico, who had hosted ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” since 2006, is expected to work on NBC’s new “Thursday Night Football” series.
“As promised, Mike will contribute to all of our biggest events,” NBC Sports executive producer Sam Flood said in a statement. “From Royal Troon to Rio to the NFL, and that’s just the start.”
Next week, Tirico will host NBC’s coverage of The Open on NBC and Golf Channel. He was the main announcer at the British Open for ABC and ESPN starting in 1997 lasting through 2015.
Tirico also will host NBC’s daytime coverage of the Rio Olympics beginning Aug. 5.
Saints sign Tapp
The New Orleans Saints have added to the depth of their defensive line by signing veteran Darryl Tapp to a one-year contract on Wednesday.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed for the defensive end, who played in all 16 games with the Detroit Lions last season.
Tapp, who was a second-round selection in the 2006 draft, is expected to vie for playing time behind stars Cameron Jordan and Bobby Richardson.
The 31-year-old Tapp recorded 2 1/2 sacks and 43 tackles in the last two seasons with the Lions.
To make room for Tapp, the Saints released tight end Jack Tabb.