Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Group I 
Latvia (3-1) 
Greece (3-1) 
Belgium (2-2) 
Turkey (2-2) 
Serbia (1-3) 
Great Britain (1-3)Once Kristaps Porzingis visits his home country Latvia, he can't catch a break
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The Irish will have representation at the World Championships.
The hockey World Championships are back, and two former Notre Dame players have made the final cut for the U.S. team. Those players are defenseman Matt Hellickson and goaltender Cal Petersen. That makes 16 former Notre Dame players to have played in this event. The tournament will run from May 21 to June 6 and take place in Latvia.
Hellickson recently completed his fourth and final season for the Irish, during which he was an alternate captain. In 146 collegiate games, he scored 52 points, 13 of which were goals. A 2017 seventh-round pick of the New Jersey Devils, he recently began his professional career with their AHL affiliate in Binghamton. Through four games, he has yet to register a point, but he has 19 penalty minutes.
Petersen, making his second World Championships appearance, was in net for the Irish for three seasons from 2014 to 2017 and became the first goaltender in program history to serve as captain as a senior. He had a 53-39-15 record and a .924 save percentage while earning 11 shutouts. He just completed his first full season with the Los Angeles Kings, appearing in 36 games. During that time, he accumulated a 9-18-5 records with a 2.89 GAA and .911 save percentage.
With the No. 11 pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors selected young big-man Andris BiedriÅÅ” out of Latvia.
With scrimmages underway in the NBA’s restart, the Golden State Warriors are outside the Orlando Bubble. Their league-worst 15-50 record didn’t earn the Warriors a trip to Disney World. Instead, the Warriors will be in line for a top-five draft pick for the first time since 2002.
While mock drafts try to predict what Bob Myers and Steve Kerr will do when Golden State is on the clock, Warriors Wire is looking back. Before October’s draft, Warriors Wire isĀ rewindingĀ through Golden Stateās draft history to highlight some of the most memorable selections ā trades, surprises, busts, sleepers and everything in between.
In 2004, the Golden State Warriors turned to Latvia with their first-round pick.
In 2004, the Orlando Magic were on the clock to kick off the draft. The Magic selected Dwight Howard out of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy with the first overall pick. After prospects like Shaun Livingston, Andre Iguodala, Ben Gordon, Josh Childress and Luol Deng went off the board in the top 10, the Golden State Warriors were on the clock at No. 11.
After a 37 win season, general manager Garry St. Jean landed Andris BiedriÅÅ” out of Latvia in the first round.
Before coming to the Bay Area, BiedriÅÅ” played two seasons with the Latvian team KB Skonto.
As a rookie, the 18-year-old played in 30 games for the Warriors, averaging 3.6 points and 3.9 rebounds in 12.8 minutes per game. After three years in the league, BiedriÅÅ” production grew to 10.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per contest in 2007-08.
BiedriÅÅ” was a key piece in Golden State’s upset of the Dallas Mavericks in the “We Believe” year. The seven-footer played in 11 postseason games in 2007, tallying 6.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for the Warriors.
The 2004 first-round draft pick went on to play nine seasons with the Warriors. BiedriÅÅ” capped off his 10-year career in 2014 after playing one season for the Utah Jazz.
Other notable members of the 2004 draft class included Prentiss High School’s Al Jefferson, Oak Hill Academy’s Josh Smith. St. Benedict’s Prep’s J.R. Smith, Brazil’s Anderson Varejao and Saint Joseph’s Jameer Nelson.
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The Mairis Briedis-Yuniel Dorticos fight, scheduled for March 21 in Latvia, has been pushed back to May 16 as a result of coronavirus.
Now itās the turn of Mairis Briedis vs. Yuniel Dorticos.
The World Boxing Super Series final and cruiserweight title fight between Briedis and Dorticos, scheduled for March 21 in Riga, Latvia, has been pushed back to May 16 as a result of the coronavirus threat, the BBC reported.
The site remains the same. And tickets for March 21 will be honored on May 16.
Latvian officials have banned events with more than 200 people until April.
“We will adapt to the new situation, keep training and wait for the green light,” said Briedis, a Latvian who will be challenging for Dorticosā 200-pound title.
“Looking forward to fighting in front of my fans when it’s safe! Take care of yourself, people.”
Said Dorticos: “I understand the impracticality and therefore l will have to wait until May to win the tournament. I ask that everyone be careful and take the necessary steps to stay healthy during these challenging times.”
Read more:
Mairis Breidis-Yunier Dorticos fight could be moved and/or delayed
The Mairis Breidis-Yunier Dorticos cruiserweight showdown might have to moved and/or be postponed because of a Latvian ban on public events.
Another significant fight is in jeopardy because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Mairis Breidis-Yunier Dorticos cruiserweight final in the World Boxing Super Series might have to moved and/or be postponed because of a Latvian ban on public events.
The bout is scheduled for March 21 in Riga, Breidisā hometown. Latvia has imposed a month-long ban, starting Friday.
āThe World Boxing Super Series has learned, as a consequence of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, the government of Latvia has decided that all public events, meetings, processions and pickets with more than 200 participants are banned as of March 13 (until) April 14,” the WBSS said in a statement.
“We are assessing the consequences for the WBSS cruiserweight final, scheduled for March 21 in Riga, with local authorities and the fighters’ teams. We will make a further statement in the coming days.”
The bout has already been subjected to delays. Neither Briedis (26-1, 19 KOs) nor Dorticos (24-1, 22 KOs), a Cuban living in Miami, has fought in about nine months.
The World Boxing Super Series will return for a third season later this fall, according to WBSS organizer Nisse Sauerland.
The third season of the World Boxing Super Series has a working date, but the weight classes are still up in the air.
Nisse Sauerland, who runs the WBSS with his brother Kalle, told FightHubTV at the Caleb Plant-Vincent Feigenbutz post-fight press conference in Nashville that he expects the next installment of the tournament will begin in the last quarter of the year.
āWeāre gearing up for season three, which will start September, October time,ā Sauerland said.
The season two cruiserweight finals between Yunier Dorticos and Mairis Briedis has been set for March 21 in Riga, Latvia.
Sauerland, however, wouldnāt tip his hand as to which weight classes they would be concentrating on for their next installment.Ā
āMe and my brother have sort of given up calling weights,ā Sauerland said. āBecause whenever (somebody says), āah, that would be a great weight, middleweights,ā then suddenly loads of things happens and it just doesnāt become possible. Itās just like a dream that doesnāt come true.Weāll start calling that closer to the time. Boxing can change very quickly.ā
Sauerland says he expects to finalize which weight classes will be featured in the next season by āMay, June time.ā
As for the weight classes that heās most personally keen on, Sauerland cited a few.
“Lightweights would be great. There’s a lot of weight classes I like at the moment,” he said. “Middleweight, super middles again. Lots of interesting weights out there.”Ā
Since its inception in 2017, the WBSS has been heavily lauded for finding a way to get the best fighters to face each other in an otherwise fragmented sport beleaguered by internal politics. Cruiserweight Oleksandr Usyk and super middleweight Callum Smith were anointed as the winners of the first season. Last year, the WBSS crowned Josh Taylor and Naoya Inoue as (partially) unified titleholders in the junior welterweight and bantamweight tournaments, respectively.
Mairis Briedis will face Yuniel Dorticos in the final of the WBSS on March 21 at the Arena Riga in Riga, Latvia, Briedisā hometown.
Mairis Briedis will vie for the World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight championship in a familiar locale.
Briedis will face Yuniel Dorticos in the final of the tournament on March 21 at the Arena Riga in Riga, Latvia, Briedisā hometown. The fight will be streamed on DAZN.
Briedis (26-1, 19 KOs) defeated Noel Gevor by a unanimous decision in the quarterfinals and then stopped Krzysztof Glowacki in three rounds in the semis to reach the WBSS championship match. Dorticos (24-1, 22 KOs) beat Mateusz Masternak by a unanimous decision and knocked out Andrew Tabiti in 10 rounds.
āIām really looking forward to the final,ā said Briedis, the tournamentās No. 1 seed. āIt is fantastic for Latvia to be able to host an event of such magnitude. Millions and millions of eyes worldwide will be watching whatās happening at the Arena Riga on fight night.
āIt is going to be a thrilling fight as Iām facing one of the very best cruiserweights on the planet. The stake is so high and both of us are only looking for one thing ā to win it all.ā
Dorticos, a Cuban emigre, is known for his punching power.
āBriedis, you better prepare yourself for war,ā said Dorticos, the No. 2 seed. āLetās give all the fans around the world a spectacular all-time classic. Come fight night you will know why Iām called the āKO Doctorā. The Muhammad Ali Trophy has my name engraved already.ā
Oleksander Usyk won the inaugural WBSS cruiserweight tournament to establish himself as the top 200-pounder and then moved up to heavyweight. The winner of the March 21 fight also will be seen as the No. 1 cruiserweight.
Briedis lost a majority decision to Usyk in January 2018, which arguably was the toughest fight of Usyk’s career.
Here are the previous winners of the Muhammad Ali Trophy, signifying the tournament champion:
2018-19: Naoya Inoue, bantamweight
2018-19: Josh Taylor, junior welterweight
2017-18: Aleksandr Usyk, cruiserweight
2017-18: Callum Smith, super middleweight
