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'The ball is tipped': Recollections of 'One Shining Moment'

“One Shining Moment” is set to return to millions of TV screens after unbeaten Gonzaga faces Baylor for the men's college basketball championship on Monday night. The set-to-song montage of highlights and lowlights from March Madness has become a fixture at the end of each season. It usually is filled with big plays, hugs and hand slaps, celebrations on court and in locker rooms, tears on the sidelines and in the stands. The AP asked dozens of players and coaches about “One Shining Moment” and nearly everyone involved in the tournament remembers watching the video or singing the song. 

Europe ramps up vaccinations as virus haunts Easter holidays

Thousands of people around France are spending the Easter holiday lining up for COVID-19 shots as the government tries to speed up vaccinations amid a new surge of infections. In Lyon, a soccer team opened its stadium for the holiday weekend as a mass vaccination center and provided 200 volunteers to help medical workers. But as Europe faced its second Easter Sunday in a row under the cloud of the pandemic, some French cities pushed back against President Emmanuel Macron’s insistence on vaccinating through the long holiday weekend. Spain, Italy and Germany kept some vaccination centers but others closed for the holiday.

Bayern-PSG rematch headlines Champions League quarterfinals

The Champions League resumes with first-leg matches in the quarterfinals and standing out is the meeting between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain. It is a repeat of last season's final. Bayern Munich has almost secured a ninth consecutive Bundesliga title and can turn its full attention to defending its Champions League crown though it will be without injured striker Robert Lewandowski. Real Madrid and Liverpool is a matchup between two of the aristocrats of European soccer with the teams having won the competition 19 times combined. Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund are in contrasting form ahead of their match. Porto is the surprise quarterfinalist as it plays Chelsea.

It's on: Gonzaga vs. Baylor for the national championship

Baylor opened the Final Four with a blowout, beating Houston 78-59. Gonzaga then beat UCLA 93-90 in overtime on one of the greatest shots in NCAA Tournament history. The Bears made a mockery of the first semifinal of the night, with five players in double figures and 11 3-pointers. Their defense stole the show, shutting down the Cougars while building a 25-point halftime lead. Baylor will face Gonzaga on Monday night after Jalen Suggs took one dribble after crossing half court and buried a 3 to give the Zags a shot at becoming the first undefeated team since Indiana in 1976.

AP survey: ADs concerned NIL will skew competitive balance

An Associated Press survey of Division I athletic directors found that nearly 73% believe allowing athletes to be compensated for use of their name, image or likeness will decrease the number of schools that have a chance to be competitive in college sports. Nearly 28% said many fewer schools would be competitive. Most of those surveyed were from smaller schools and not in the Power Five conferences. One participant says NIL rights are a game changer for college athletics. Others say the concerns are overblown.

Jordan says it foiled 'malicious plot'

A senior Jordanian official says that his country has foiled a “malicious plot.” Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi spoke at a news conference Sunday, a day after a half brother of King Abdullah was placed under house arrest. Safadi said Jordanian intelligence had intercepted certain communications at what he called the “zero hour.” He says it then "was clear they moved from design and planning into action.” He says some 14-16 people are under arrest.

Myanmar anti-coup protesters launch 'Easter egg strike'

Anti-coup demonstrators in Myanmar have taken to the streets holding painted eggs, in a nod to the Easter holiday. On Sunday in the biggest city of Yangon, one group marched chanting and singing protest songs and cradling eggs bearing the slogan “Spring Revolution.” Pope Francis in his Easter Sunday address prayed for the “young people of Myanmar committed to supporting democracy and making their voices heard peacefully." Myanmar’s military has violently cracked down on protesters and others in opposition since the Feb. 1 coup. The independent Assistance Association for Political Prisoners says the civilian death toll has reached 557.

New to DC, Buttigieg looks to build bridges with Biden plan

Two months into his job, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is forging a fresh path for his Cabinet role and in his life that could bridge gaps with Republicans when it comes to President Joe Biden’s agenda. He's been caught on Twitter biking home from work. He's made a pitch for Biden's massive public works plan at the popular SXSW conference in Texas. And he keeps up a dizzying pace of media interviews to sway the public. Biden has tasked Buttigieg and four other Cabinet members with selling the administration’s $2.3 trillion infrastructure and climate proposal. The plan offers big stakes for Buttigieg at the department.

Rikako Ikee qualifies for Tokyo Olympic after leukemia

Japanese swimmer Rikako Ikee has qualified for the Tokyo Olympics just two years after she was diagnosed with leukemia. She swam a qualifying time of 57.77 seconds in winning the 100-meter butterfly at Japan's national championships. She resumed training about a year ago but had said her goal was only to qualify for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. The 20-year-old would have been among the favorites in several Olympic races if she had not fallen ill. She won six gold medals in 2018 at the Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, which included the 50 and 100-meter freestyle, and the 50 and 100-meter butterfly. She also won gold in two relays, and added two silvers.

LEADING OFF: Ohtani back on the mound, Sanchez slugging

Shohei Ohtani’s quest to regain his reputation as a stellar two-way player gets a big test when he takes the mound for the Los Angeles Angels against the White Sox. The right-handed Ohtani had 10 impressive starts on the mound as a rookie in 2018 before needing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. He hasn’t been on the mound since except for two ineffective appearances last season. Also around the big leagues, Yankees catcher Gary Sánchez is off to a good start with two homers in two games, and MLB is facing fallout from its decision to pull July's All-Star Game from Atlanta's Truist Park to protest a new voting law.

Mercedes 1st modern player to open year 8 for 8, streak ends

Yermín Mercedes finally made an out, but not before becoming the first player since at least 1900 to begin a season with eight straight hits. The 28-year-old rookie for the Chicago White Sox got hits his first three times up Saturday night against the Angels before a flyout. On Friday night, Mercedes became the second player in the modern era to get five hits in his first career start, and the first to go 5 for 5. The previous best start to a season was by Cincinnati’s Chris Stynes, who began 1997 with seven consecutive hits. Mercedes was supposed to have the night off, but manager Tony La Russa said he earned his way into the lineup.

Overtime buzzer-beater ends Bruins impressive tourney run

UCLA challenged top-seeded Gonzaga for 45 minutes and came up just short. After Johnny Juzang thought he had forced a second overtime with a putback to tie the score at 90 with 3.3 seconds left, Jalen Suggs made a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to send the Bruins home. Instead of slowing things down and relying on defense as they had throughout their incredible tourney run, the Bruins traded baskets with Gonzaga. And it was almost enough. Juzang led the Bruins with 29 points.

SAG Awards to honor best performances — with some distance

Several Oscar hopefuls will reunite at Sunday’s Screen Actor Guild Awards, albeit in the same virtual, socially-distanced way that most gatherings have happened in the last year. Normally held in Los Angeles, this year’s ceremony will be a stripped down, hourlong affair that aims to deliver its annual celebration of the best film and television actors through pre-taped segments. The show will feature more of the SAG Awards’ signature opening “I Am an Actor” segments in which stars describe what their craft means to them. The show will air live on TNT and TBS at 9 p.m. Eastern.

NCAA fan's death prompts contact tracing in Indiana

Health officials in Indiana are investigating whether anyone was exposed to COVID-19 by Alabama residents. The move follows Friday night’s death of a Crimson Tide fan who was in Indianapolis for the NCAA Tournament last weekend. Luke Ratliff was 23. He was hospitalized shortly after returning to Tuscaloosa on March 29. That was one day after attending Alabama’s game against UCLA at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The Latest: Gonzaga stuns UCLA to keep perfect season alive

Gonzaga has given fans the NCAA championship game they wanted with a shot for the ages. Jalen Suggs banked in a shot from near midcourt at the buzzer, giving the heavily favored Zags a 93-90 overtime victory against upstart UCLA. Gonzaga, the No. 1 overall seed, will play second-seeded Baylor for the title Monday night. Those teams were 1-2 in The Associated Press Top 25 most of the season. The Bears manhandled Houston 78-59 in the other national semifinal.

Rock Your World rocks win in Santa Anita Derby; Baffert 2nd

Rock Your World won the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby by 4 1/4 lengths over 4-5 favorite Medina Spirit, preventing Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert from earning his 10th win in the West Coast’s prep for the Kentucky Derby. Rock Your World was ridden by Umberto Rispoli. The colt ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.17 and paid $12.40, $4.60 and $3.40 at 5-1 odds. It was Rock Your World's dirt debut after he won his first two starts on turf for trainer John Sadler. Rock Your World earned 100 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby on May 1.

Twins' no-hit bid vs Brewers ended with one out in eighth

Omar Narváez singled with one out in the eighth inning, ending a no-hit bid by José Berríos and the Minnesota Twins bullpen in a game where Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Corbin Burnes also pitched six hitless innings. Berríos dazzled over six hitless innings Saturday, and Taylor Rogers struck out the side in the seventh. Right-hander Tyler Duffey entered for the eighth, struck out Jackie Bradley Jr., walked Lorenzo Cain and allowed Narváez’s line-drive single to right. It was the first time pitchers matched each other over six hitless innings since the San Francisco Giants’ Jake Peavy and the New York Mets’ Jacob deGrom did it on Aug. 2, 2014. Both bids ended in the seventh.

Spieth tied for lead heading into Texas Open's final round

Jordan Spieth shot a 5-under 67 to move into a tie for the lead heading into the final round of the Valero Texas Open. Spieth and Englishman Matt Wallace are at 12 under after each player birdied their final two holes of the day. Wallace also posted a 67, and Charley Hoffman is alone in third at 10 under after shooting a 65. Hoffman was seven shots back after a bogey at No. 4, but he finished up with six birdies and sank a five-foot eagle putt at the 14th.

Reds scrap with Cards at plate, tangle in outfield, win 9-6

Nick Castellanos stood over, flexed and jawed at St. Louis pitcher Jake Woodford after scoring, stetting off a series of scuffles that included relievers shoving in the outfield as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Cardinals 9-6. The dustup began after Castellanos scored on a wild pitch and then got in the face of Woodford, who had plunked him. Catcher Yadier Molina took exception, grabbed Castellanos and it escalated from there. Castellanos was the only player ejected. Aristides Aquino replaced Castellanos and homered. Tucker Barnhart also connected and Tyler Mahle pitched five strong innings for the win. Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright was chased in the third.

USA Basketball picks Grant Hill as Colangelo's replacement

USA Basketball has announced that Grant Hill will be the replacement for Jerry Colangelo as its men’s national team managing director following the Tokyo Olympics. Hill won an Olympic gold medal with the U.S. at the 1996 Atlanta Games and was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018. The managing director role was created for Colangelo in 2005, after the Americans won bronze at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Colangelo has led a program that has won three Olympic gold medals and gone 97-4 in major competitions since. USA Basketball Board of Directors chair and retired Gen. Martin Dempsey said Saturday that Hill “is a proven leader of consequence and character.” 

Patchwork: Braves cover All-Star logo on jerseys, shift hats

The Atlanta Braves looked a little patchwork in their second game of the season. The All-Star Game patch that appeared on the right sleeve of the Braves’ jerseys during opening day was sewn over Saturday against Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Park. The logo was gone from their hats, too. The uniform change came a day after Major League Baseball announced that this summer’s All-Star Game was being moved out of Atlanta over the sport’s objections to sweeping changes to a Georgia voting law. The summer event had been scheduled for July 13 at Truist Park in Atlanta. A new site hasn’t yet been announced.

City running away with title, Liverpool closes in on Chelsea

Liverpool's 3-0 victory at Arsenal has provided a reminder of the quality that had the champions still leading the Premier League in December before imploding. Now it is Manchester City 17 points in front of Manchester United after winning 2-0 at Leicester. But Liverpool is now up to fifth and only two points behind Chelsea after Thomas Tuchel’s 14-match unbeaten start as manager surprisingly ended in a 5-2 loss to West Bromwich. Leeds beat last-place Sheffield United 2-1.

Hornets' Hayward out at least 4 weeks with right foot sprain

Gordon Hayward will miss at least a month after spraining his right foot during the Charlotte Hornets’ win Friday night over the Indiana Pacers. The team said in a statement that Hayward will be reevaluated in roughly four weeks. He was injured when he stepped on Myles Turner’s foot while driving to the basket in the second quarter and immediately crumpled. The 31-year-old is averaging 19.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game in his first season with the Hornets on a $128 million, four-year deal. Charlotte is already without rookie guard LaMelo Ball, out indefinitely with a broken right wrist.

Reds, Cards scrap at plate and outfield, Castellanos tossed

Nick Castellanos stood over, flexed and jawed at St. Louis pitcher Jake Woodford after scoring, setting off a series of scuffles between the Cincinnati Reds and Cardinals that included relievers shoving in the outfield on their way back to the bullpen. Castellanos was the only player ejected in the skirmish Saturday in Cincinnati. Castellanos, who homered on opening day and hopped out of the box before tossing his bat, was plunked by Woodford with two outs and none on in the fourth inning. A wild pitch soon sent Castellanos scampering home from third and he scored with a headfirst slide for a 7-2 lead, bumping into Woodford who took the throw from catcher Yadier Molina at the plate.