AP Sports SummaryBrief at 11:46 p.m. EST

By The Associated Press

New York Yankees drop ban on beards, 49 years after it was imposed by owner George Steinbrenner

TAMPA. Fla. (AP) — The New York Yankees have dropped their ban on beards, 49 years after it was imposed by owner George Steinbrenner. Current owner Hal Steinbrenner, son of The Boss, announced the change Friday before the team’s spring training opener. Hal Steinbrenner says in a statement: “It is the appropriate time to move beyond the familiar comfort of our former policy.” As recently as Monday, the Yankees had left reminders on the clubhouse chair of each player to arrive clean shaven the following morning for photo day, which was ignored by closer Devin Williams.

Arrest made in theft of luxury cars from Miami athletes Carson Beck, Hanna Cavinder

MIAMI (AP) — Authorities have made an arrest in the theft of three luxury cars from a home where Miami quarterback Carson Beck and basketball player Hanna Cavinder were staying. Tykwon Anderson was arrested Thursday afternoon. The 20-year-old is one of four men accused of stealing the vehicles, including a Lamborghini. Deputies with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office responded to the couple’s home early Thursday morning. Beck and Cavinder told investigators that someone stole a silver Mercedes-Benz AMG, a red Lamborghini Urus and a white Range Rover while they were asleep. Online court records didn’t list an attorney for Anderson.

4 Nations Face-Off shatters expectations as a hockey showcase. The Milan Olympics are up next

The 4 Nations Face-Off was a one-off, a tournament with no past and no future, a trimmed-down version of the World Cup of Hockey staged because the NHL’s best players have waited so long for something of its kind. With tens of millions watching in the U.S. and Canada, it exceeded all expectations, with play on the ice better resembling a Stanley Cup Final or the Olympics than the All-Star Weekend festivities it replaced. In the grand scheme of things, the NHL, its players and the sport of hockey all came out as winners.

Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley power East-leading Cavaliers to 142-105 blowout of Knicks

CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points, Evan Mobley added 21 and the Cleveland Cavaliers bullied the New York Knicks from the start, winning 142-105 in a matchup of two of the East’s best teams. Only the Cavs looked elite, winning their sixth straight and improving the NBA’s best record to 46-10. Jalen Brunson scored 26 and Karl-Anthony Towns 23 for the Knicks, who beat Chicago in overtime on Thursday. New York couldn’t use a back-to-back as any excuse as the Cavs won in Brooklyn a night earlier. Cleveland got a scare in the first half when All-Star guard Darius Garland hit his head on the floor while taking an awkward fall. He shook it off and stayed in.

Michigan agrees to multiyear contract extension with coach Dusty May during successful debut season

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan has agreed to a multiyear contract extension for Dusty May, who this season became the first basketball coach in school history to win his first 13 home games. The school announced the move on Friday two hours before tipping off against rival Michigan State. May made it clear he is happy with the 12th-ranked Wolverines and had no interest in being the next coach at Indiana. Hoosiers coach Mike Woodson is stepping down after the season. In May’s debut season, Michigan has won 20 games for the first time in four years.

For Dominican baseball hopefuls, age fraud cases and a curveball from Japan reflect a broken system

BANÍ, Dominican Republic (AP) — Despite years of corruption and criticism, the entry point for talented players from the Dominican Republic into Major League Baseball’s development pipeline remains a Wild West form of free agency. Scouts fan out across the Caribbean country in search of talented players as young as 10 years old who then live and train at academies in hopes of reaching a handshake deal on a multimillion-dollar contract with an MLB franchise before they’re 16. There are mounting examples of players being pressured to falsify their age by as many as seven or eight years to increase their value.

Roki Sasaki reveals marriage in social media post during Dodgers camp, like Shohei Ohtani last year

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Japanese phenom pitcher Roki Sasaki has revealed that he is married. That even caught Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts by surprise. When asked Friday if he had gotten Sasaki a wedding gift, Roberts said he didn’t even know the 23-year-old pitcher had a girlfriend. Sasaki revealed his marriage in an Instagram post. He didn’t name his wife or any specific details of their wedding. His surprise wedding announcement at Dodgers spring training came a year after two-way Japanese star Shohei Ohtani did the same thing, stunning the organization by revealing his marriage in an Instagram post.

Mark Williams’ agent says center ‘should have been a given an opportunity’ to play for Lakers

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The agent for Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams says the Los Angeles Lakers should not have failed his client’s physical examination. It was a move that ultimately resulted in the trade being rescinded after the deadline. The Hornets agreed to send the 7-foot Williams to the Lakers on Feb. 6. However, after Williams reported to the Lakers, the team said he failed his physical. Agent Jeff Schwartz said in a statement Friday that the “the overwhelming sentiment, after conferring with multiple, nationally recognized doctors, is that the Los Angeles Lakers should not have failed Mark Williams on his physical.” The Lakers declined to comment through a team spokesman.

With Wembanyama’s season now over, the Spurs and the basketball world wait for what’s next

The French sports newspaper L’Equipe published a photo of Victor Wembanyama across the entirety of its front page on Friday, the San Antonio star looking down with his hands on his hips. “Coup D’Arret” was the headline in big, white letters. “Coup D’Arret” was the headline in big, white letters. The translation, in this case, means Knockout Blow. For now, yes, Wembanyama’s season has been dealt a knockout blow. Deep vein thrombosis in the right shoulder is the diagnosis, meaning he has a blood clot. The Spurs have been told that doctors believe this is not a career-threatening issue.

4 Nations Face-Off final between US and Canada drew record betting action

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Canada’s 3-2 overtime victory over the United States in the championship game of the 4 Nations Face-Off set single-game hockey betting records. BetMGM Sportsbook said the game Thursday night was the most bet-on hockey game in its history. Caesars Sportsbook also said the championship attracted heavy action. The game was second in bets placed at Caesars only to last season’s Game 7 victory by the Florida Panthers over the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final.