JJ Fiddler is a sportswriter and videographer who has been covering the Long Beach-area sports world for multiple newspapers since 2004. After attending Long Beach State and creating the first full sports page at the Union Weekly Newspaper, he adopted Long Beach as his home town and is a member of t...

LONG BEACH >> A career-high 39 points from senior guard Dante Williams helped the Saints (17-7, 7-1) hang on to beat La Salle, 102-95, in overtime on Friday night. The win keeps St. Anthony, ranked No. 6 in CIF Southe Section Division 4A, atop the Camino Real League standings and knocks the No. 7 La...

COMPTON >> Groundhog day came a couple days late, but still found its way to Dominguez High on Friday night as Lynwood came to town and mounted a fourth-quarter comeback and defeated the Dons by one point for the second time this season to capture the San Gabriel Valley League championship. The fina...

ORLANDO, Fla. >> The Clippers’ best players made their usual contributions Friday night. Lance Stephenson provided just enough of a boost late to ensure yet another victory. Chris Paul had 21 points and six assists, DeAndre Jordan had 12 points and 18 rebounds and the Clippers beat the Orlando Magic...

CARSON >> On one hand, the U.S. men’s soccer team dominated its opponent. On the other, it should have blown out Canada on Friday night at the StubHub Center in Carson. The U.S. won 1-0, but failed to do so convincingly. The game-wi ing goal didn’t come until the 89th minute, when Jozy Altidore used...

Here’s a look at Pat Haden’s highs and lows: Highs • Commitment to athletes No one can deny Haden showed deep loyalty and care for athletes. He even did exit interviews with seniors to see how he could improve the athletic experience. And he was a huge supporter of women’s sports. • Fired baseball c...

The No. 2 Long Beach State men’s volleyball team defended its home court in style on Friday night, topping No. 6 Stanford in four sets behind an excellent team performance, dropping the first set but coming back to win 21-25, 25-18, 25-20, 25-23. The Cardinal looked unstoppable in the first frame, a...

Key play: Corey Perry and Andrew Cogliano scored 1:41 apart in the third period and the Ducks took a 5-2 victory Friday from the Arizona Coyotes at the Honda Center. Perry’s goal was his team-leading 21st. The Ducks’ victory was their sixth consecutive. Pivotal performer: Ducks left wing Patrick Mar...

SAN ANTONIO >> In previous years, Kobe Bryant’s absence would spark conce s about his health or rustiness. But in his 20th and final NBA season, things have changed for Bryant beyond becoming more reflective and nostalgic. Instead, Bryant’s absence during practices and mo ing shootarounds this seaso...

The Ducks wanted an effective left winger to play on one of their top two lines after Carl Hagelin wasn’t as productive as needed after an offseason trade from the New York Rangers. David Perron wanted a fresh start after he didn’t fit as expected with the Pittsburgh Penguins. “Just knowing you’re a...

LONG BEACH >> Sometimes the right player is in the right place at the right time for a soccer team, and sometimes that happens twice in one week. That was the case for Long Beach Poly’s girls soccer team this week, as freshman midfielder Skylar Herrera came up with late goals in two games to most li...

LONG BEACH >> Long Beach Cabrillo High School has won two Moore League championships since opening its doors in 1995, and they’re both from head coach Pat Noyes’ boys soccer program. The No. 1 Jaguars (18-4-5, 8-2-1) clinched at least a share of the Moore League crown by limiting their own mistakes ...

SAN ANTONIO >> For one last time, Kobe Bryant will step foot in a city that almost became his second home during the playoffs. The Lakers’ star will also face a team that both brought elation and sorrow during his NBA career. When the Lakers (11-41) visit the San Antonio Spurs (41-8) on Saturday at ...

Congrats on surviving long enough to witness the spectacle of the Super Bowl that should be brought to you by the letter “L,” but instead is branded by the number “50,” as well as the symbols “$” and “@” and “#” and other random acts of emojis. To think, it started with a serene moment at the Colise...

SAN FRANCISCO — The city of Los Angeles might one day get a second National Football League team to join the Rams, but if NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has his way, it won’t be the San Diego Chargers or Oakland Raiders. Goodell, speaking at his a ual State of the NFL address Friday ahead of Super B...

CARSON — Ashley Cole freely acknowledges he once compared Major League Soccer to relaxing on a beach. The LA Galaxy’s new defender intends to show the world he didn’t move to Hollywood to sit in the sand. The Galaxy formally welcomed the English star and Belgian defender Jelle Van Damme on Friday, a...

USC a ounced Pat Haden will resign as athletic director June 30, but it doesn’t mean Haden is severing ties with the university. USC president Max Nikias said Haden “has agreed to a one-year term to guide our renovation of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Begi ing July 1, 2016, and ending June 30,...

There is only one question regarding USC’s next athletic director. Will the Trojans hire someone from outside to replace Pat Haden, who is resigning at the end of June? The last time USC hired an outsider as athletic director was in 1984, when Mike McGee left Cinci ati. The past two athletic directo...

Oscar De La Hoya had a Hall of Fame career as a fighter. He’s having a solid post-fight career as a promoter as well. Unfortunately, he must have lea ed as a fighter just how much a promoter deals in hyperbole. That much was evident this week when he a ounced Saul “Canelo” Alvarez of Mexico will mak...

CLEVELAND — With Joh y Manziel’s professional career in doubt and his personal life crumbling, his father fears for his safety. • PHOTOS: Troubled quarterback Joh y Manziel The troubled quarterback was under investigation by two police departments following allegations that he hit his former girlfri...