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14—Cleveland Daily Banner—Monday, January 4, 2016 www.clevelandbanner.com SCOREBOARD Bears win Brawl in the Hall From STAFF REPORTS BRISTOL — The Bradley Central wrestlers returned to Cleveland with the championship trophy after winning the Brawl in the Hall tournament last weekend at Tennessee High School, in Bristol. The Bears closed out the tournament with 311 points to best Virginia 3A runner-up Cave Springs in the championship match. Host Tennessee High finished third with 232 points followed by Greeneville with 207 and Virginia High with 97. The Bears boasted four champions, with T.J. Hicks scoring five on AIr sports on tV All times eastern monday, Jan. 4 ColleGe BAsKetBAll 7 p.m. esPn — North Carolina at Florida St. esPn2 — West Virginia at TCU 9 p.m. esPn — Oklahoma at Kansas esPn2 — Virginia at Virginia Tech esPnU — Alcorn St. at Texas Southern nBA BAsKetBAll 7:30 p.m. nBA — Indiana at Miami 10 p.m. nBA — Memphis at Portland nHl HoCKeY 9 p.m. nBCsn — Los Angeles at Colorado Women's ColleGe BAsKetBAll 7 p.m. seC — Tennessee at Missouri 8 p.m. Btn — Rutgers at Iowa on tAP monday, Jan. 4 BAsKetBAll Lee University at University of West Alabama, 6:30 tuesday, Jan. 5 BAsKetBAll Bradley Central at Cumberland County Learning Tree, CAYA at Cleveland Christian, 5, 6 BoWlInG McCallie /GPS at Walker Valley, 4 WRESTLING Ooltewah at Walker Valley, 7 Wednesday, Jan. 6 BAsKetBAll Baylor at Walker Valley, 6 BoWlInG District 5 tournament at rhea County Bradley Central, Walker Valley participating thursday, Jan. 7 BAsKetBAll Cleveland State at Wallace State-Hanceville (Men), 3 Dogwood at Cleveland Christian, 6 WrestlInG Cleveland at Bradley Central, 7 Soddy-Daisy at Walker Valley, 7 Friday, Jan. 8 BAsKetBAll Cleveland at Ooltewah, 6 Soddy-Daisy at Walker Valley, 6 saturday, Jan. 9 BAsKetBAll Cleveland at Model, Ga., 6 Bradley Central at Stone Memorial, 7 Delta State University at Lee University, 2 WrestlInG soddy Daisy Invitational Cleveland Participating, TBA Walker Valley Duals, TBA sunday, Jan. 10 BAsKetBAll Cleveland State at Martin Methodist College JV (Women), 3 BAsKetBAll national Basketball Association eAstern ConFerenCe Atlantic Division W l Pct GB Toronto 21 14 .600 — Boston 18 15 .545 2 New York 16 19 .457 5 Brooklyn 10 23 .303 10 Philadelphia 3 33 .083 18½ southeast Division W l Pct GB Miami 20 13 .606 — Atlanta 21 14 .600 — Orlando 19 15 .559 1½ Charlotte 17 16 .515 3 Washington 15 17 .469 4½ Central Division W l Pct GB Cleveland 22 9 .710 — Chicago 20 12 .625 2½ Indiana 19 14 .576 4 Detroit 18 16 .529 5½ Milwaukee 14 21 .400 10 Western ConFerenCe southwest Division W l Pct GB San Antonio 29 6 .829 — Dallas 19 15 .559 9½ Memphis 18 17 .514 11 Houston 16 19 .457 13 New Orleans 11 22 .333 17 northwest Division W l Pct GB Oklahoma City 24 10 .706 — Utah 15 17 .469 8 Portland 15 21 .417 10 Minnesota 12 22 .353 12 Denver 12 23 .343 12½ Pacific Division W l Pct GB Golden State 31 2 .939 — L.A. Clippers 22 13 .629 10 Sacramento 13 20 .394 18 Phoenix 12 25 .324 21 L.A. Lakers 8 27 .229 24 sunday’s Games Chicago 115, Toronto 113 New York 111, Atlanta 97 Miami 97, Washington 75 Portland 112, Denver 106 L.A. Lakers 97, Phoenix 77 monday’s Games Toronto at Cleveland, 7 p.m. Minnesota at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. Indiana at Miami, 7:30 p.m. Boston at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m. Orlando at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. San Antonio at Milwaukee, 8 p.m. Sacramento at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m. Houston at Utah, 9 p.m. Memphis at Portland, 10 p.m. Charlotte at Golden State, 10:30 p.m. tuesday’s Games Milwaukee at Chicago, 8 p.m. New York at Atlanta, 8 p.m. Sacramento at Dallas, 8:30 p.m. Golden State at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m. nCAA soUtHeAstern ConFerenCe Conference All Games W l PCt W l PCt Kentucky 1 0 1.000 12 1 .923 Texas A&M 1 0 1.000 11 2 .846 Florida 1 0 1.000 9 4 .692 LSU 1 0 1.000 8 5 .615 Auburn 1 0 1.000 7 5 .583 South Carolina 0 0 .000 13 0 1.000 Alabama 0 0 .000 9 3 .750 Mississippi St. 0 0 .000 7 5 .583 Missouri 0 0 .000 7 6 .538 Mississippi 0 1 .000 10 3 .769 Georgia 0 1 .000 7 4 .636 Vanderbilt 0 1 .000 8 5 .615 Tennessee 0 1 .000 7 6 .538 Arkansas 0 1 .000 6 7 .462 saturday’s Games Auburn 83, tennessee 77 Alabama 68, Norfolk St. 49 Missouri 81, Savannah St. 5 0 Texas A&M 92, Arkansas 69 South Carolina 86, Memphis 76 Kentucky 83, Mississippi 61 Florida 77, Georgia 63 LSU 90, Vanderbilt 82 sunday’s Games No games scheduled monday’s Games No games scheduled soUtHern ConFerenCe Conference All Games W l PCt W l PCt Chattanooga 1 0 1.000 12 2 .857 Mercer 1 0 1.000 11 3 .786 ETSU 1 0 1.000 7 6 .538 Furman 1 0 1.000 7 7 .500 Wofford 1 0 1.000 4 9 .308 Samford 0 1 .000 9 5 .643 The Citadel 0 1 .000 7 7 .500 VMI 0 1 .000 5 7 .417 W. Carolina 0 1 .000 5 9 .357 UNC Greensboro 0 1 .000 4 10 .286 first-period pins to win the 113pound championship. Ryan McElhaney earned the championship medal at 120 pounds. McElhaney had four pins in the tournament with three coming in the first period. Knox Fuller took the top spot at 138 with four first-quarter pins and five pins overall. Donnie Beyer won first place at 152 and was voted Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. Joshua LaCoe placed second at 126 while and Austin Matthews finished second at 145. Matthews also received accolades from the coaches with saturday’s Games Chattanooga 84, The Citadel 78 Mercer 69, Samford 50 ETSU 82, W. Carolina 66 Furman 85, VMI 57 Wofford 87, UNC Greensboro 76 sunday’s Game No games scheduled monday’s Games ETSU at NC Central, 8 p.m. HoCKeY FootBAll national Football league All times est AmerICAn ConFerenCe east W l t Pct y-New England 12 4 0 .750 N.Y. Jets 10 6 0 .625 Buffalo 8 8 0 .500 Miami 6 10 0 .375 south W l t Pct y-Houston 9 7 0 .563 Indianapolis 8 8 0 .500 Jacksonville 5 11 0 .313 Tennessee 3 13 0 .188 north W l t Pct y-Cincinnati 12 4 0 .750 x-Pittsburgh 10 6 0 .625 Baltimore 5 11 0 .313 Cleveland 3 13 0 .188 West W l t Pct y-Denver 12 4 0 .750 x-Kansas City 11 5 0 .688 Oakland 7 9 0 .438 San Diego 4 12 0 .250 nAtIonAl ConFerenCe east W l t Pct y-Washington 9 7 0 .563 Philadelphia 7 9 0 .438 N.Y. Giants 6 10 0 .375 Dallas 4 12 0 .250 south W l t Pct y-Carolina 15 1 0 .938 Atlanta 8 8 0 .500 New Orleans 7 9 0 .438 Tampa Bay 6 10 0 .375 north W l t Pct y-Minnesota 11 5 0 .688 x-Green Bay 10 6 0 .625 Detroit 7 9 0 .438 Chicago 6 10 0 .375 West W l t Pct y-Arizona 13 3 0 .813 x-Seattle 10 6 0 .625 St. Louis 7 9 0 .438 San Francisco 5 11 0 .313 x-clinched playoff spot y-clinched division sunday’s Games Houston 30, Jacksonville 6 Washington 34, Dallas 23 Detroit 24, Chicago 20 Buffalo 22, N.Y. Jets 17 Miami 20, New England 10 New Orleans 20, Atlanta 17 Cincinnati 24, Baltimore 16 Pittsburgh 28, Cleveland 12 Indianapolis 30, Tennessee 24 Philadelphia 35, N.Y. Giants 30 San Francisco 19, St. Louis 16, OT Denver 27, San Diego 20 Seattle 36, Arizona 6 Kansas City 23, Oakland 17 Carolina 38, Tampa Bay 10 Minnesota 20, Green Bay 13 the finals Best Match Award. Edward Elkins took the runnerup spot at 170 with Brett Brown earning the second-place medal at 195. Three Bears finished the tournament in third with Bryson Bishop earning his medal at 106 pounds and Henley Headrick taking third place at 160. Two Bears came home with fifth-place finishes. D.J. Gibson and D.J. Adams stood on the podium at 220 and 295 pounds respectively. Kevin Gentry helped the Bears to the championship trophy coming through with a seventh-place finish at 182 pounds. PF 465 387 379 310 PA 315 314 359 389 PF 339 333 376 299 PA 313 408 448 423 PF 419 423 328 278 PA 279 319 401 432 PF 355 405 359 320 PA 296 287 399 398 PF 388 377 420 275 PA 379 430 442 374 PF 500 339 408 342 PA 308 345 476 417 PF 365 368 358 335 PA 302 323 400 397 PF 489 423 280 238 PA 313 277 330 387 nFl Playoff Glance Wild-card Playoffs saturday, Jan. 9 Kansas City (11-5) at Houston (9-7), 4:35 p.m. (ABC/ESPN) Pittsburgh (10-6) at Cincinnati (12-4), 8:15 p.m. (CBS) sunday, Jan. 10 Seattle (10-6) at Minnesota (11-6), 1 p.m. (NBC) Green Bay (10-6) at Washington (9-7), 4:30 p.m. (FOX) Divisional Playoffs saturday, Jan. 16 Cincinnati, Houston or Kansas City at New England (12-4), 4:35 (CBS) Minnesota, Washington or Green Bay at Arizona (13-3), 8:15 p.m. (NBC) sunday, Jan. 17 Seattle, Green Bay or Washington at Carolina (15-1), 1:05 p.m. (FOX) Pittsburgh, Kansas City or Houston at Denver (12-4), 4:30 p.m. (CBS) Conference Championships sunday, Jan. 24 AFC, 3:05 p.m. (CBS) NFC, 6:40 p.m. (FOX) Pro Bowl sunday, Jan. 31 At Honolulu Team Rice vs. Team Irvin, 7 p.m. (ESPN) super Bowl sunday, Feb. 7 At santa Clara, Calif. TBD, 6:30 p.m. (CBS) nCAA 2015-16 Bowl Glance Friday, Jan. 1 outback Bowl tampa, Fla. tennessee 45, northwestern 6 Citrus Bowl orlando, Fla. Michigan 41, Florida 7 Fiesta Bowl Glendale, Ariz. Ohio State 44, Notre Dame 28 rose Bowl Pasadena, Calif. Stanford 45, Iowa 16 sugar Bowl new orleans Mississippi 48, Oklahoma State 20 saturday, Jan. 2 taxslayer Bowl Jacksonville, Fla. Georgia 24, Penn State 17 liberty Bowl memphis, tenn. Arkansas 45, Kansas State 23 Alamo Bowl san Antonio TCU 47, Oregon 41, 3OT Cactus Bowl Phoenix West Virginia 43, Arizona State 42 monday, Jan. 11 College Football Championship Game Glendale, Ariz. Clemson (14-0) vs. Alabama (13-1), 8:30 p.m. (ESPN) saturday, Jan. 23 east-West shrine Classic At st. Petersburg, Fla. East vs. West, 4 p.m. (NFLN) nFlPA Collegiate Bowl At Carson, Calif. National vs. American, 6 p.m. (ESPN2) saturday, Jan. 30 senior Bowl At mobile, Ala. North vs. South, 2:30 p.m. (NFLN) FCs Playoff Glance Quarterfinals Friday, Dec. 11 Richmond 39, Illinois State 27 Jacksonville State 58, Charleston Southern 38 saturday, Dec. 12 North Dakota State 23, Northern Iowa 13 Sam Houston State 48, Colgate 21 semifinals Friday, Dec. 18 North Dakota State 33, Richmond 7 saturday, Dec. 19 Jacksonville State 62, Sam Houston State 10 Championship saturday, Jan. 9 At toyota stadium Frisco, texas North Dakota State (12-2) vs. Jacksonville State (13-1), Noon national Hockey league eAstern ConFerenCe Atlantic Division GP W l ot Pts GF GA Florida 39 23 12 4 50 106 85 Montreal 40 22 15 3 47 116 99 Detroit 39 19 13 7 45 1 00 106 Boston 37 20 13 4 44 116 102 Tampa Bay 39 19 16 4 42 100 95 Ottawa 39 18 15 6 42 111 118 Toronto 37 15 15 7 37 99 103 Buffalo 39 15 20 4 34 91 105 metropolitan Division GP W l ot Pts GF GA Washington 38 28 7 3 59 121 83 N.Y. Islanders 40 22 13 5 49 113 99 N.Y. Rangers 39 21 14 4 46 112 103 New Jersey 39 20 14 5 45 93 94 Pittsburgh 38 19 15 4 42 91 93 Carolina 39 16 17 6 38 92 110 Philadelphia 37 15 15 7 37 79 102 Columbus 40 15 22 3 33 103 127 Western ConFerenCe Central Division GP W l ot Pts GF GA Dallas 41 28 9 4 60 144 107 Chicago 40 23 13 4 50 111 97 St. Louis 41 23 14 4 50 101 100 Minnesota 38 20 11 7 47 101 90 Nashville 39 19 13 7 45 103 102 Colorado 39 18 18 3 39 109 110 Winnipeg 39 18 19 2 38 104 114 Pacific Division GP W l ot Pts GF GA Los Angeles 38 25 11 2 52 104 83 Arizona 38 18 16 4 40 107 122 Anaheim 38 16 15 7 39 73 90 Vancouver 39 15 15 9 39 95 110 San Jose 37 18 17 2 38 101 106 Calgary 38 18 18 2 38 101 121 Edmonton 40 16 21 3 35 101 122 NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss. saturday’s Games Edmonton 4, Arizona 3, SO Tampa Bay 3, Minnesota 2, SO Columbus 5, Washington 4, SO Detroit 4, Buffalo 3 Los Angeles 2, Philadelphia 1 Toronto 4, St. Louis 1 Florida 3, N.Y. Rangers 0 New Jersey 3, Dallas 2, OT Pittsburgh 5, N.Y. Islanders 2 Nashville 2, Carolina 1, OT Calgary 4, Colorado 0 Winnipeg 4, San Jose 1 sunday’s Games N.Y. Islanders 6, Dallas 5 Florida 2, Minnesota 1 Chicago 3, Ottawa 0 Anaheim 4, Winnipeg 1 monday’s Games Detroit at New Jersey, 7 p.m. Ottawa at St. Louis, 8 p.m. Los Angeles at Colorado, 9 p.m. Carolina at Edmonton, 9 p.m. Arizona at Vancouver, 10 p.m. tuesday’s Games Washington at Boston, 7 p.m. Florida at Buffalo, 7 p.m. Dallas at N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m. Chicago at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. Minnesota at Columbus, 7 p.m. Montreal at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. Winnipeg at Nashville, 8 p.m. Tampa Bay at Calgary, 9 p.m. loCAl notes BAseBAll BAseBAll InstrUCtIon Cleveland State Community College assistant baseball coach Ryne Foster will be offering baseball instruction and lessons for individuals or small groups. Lessons will be offered on weeknights and weekends for hitting, catching, infield play, outfield play and pitching. For times and pricing, contact coach Foster at (317)650-1064 or email [email protected]. HIttInG/PItCHInG CAmP The 2016 Walker Valley High School Hitting & Pitching Camp will take place at the WVHS Hitting Facility on Jan. 10, 17, 24, 31 and Feb. 7 Registration will be held Jan. 3, 2016. The cost for the camp is $100 per camp or $150 for both. Each camper will receive a camp T-shirt. For more information, contact Mike Turner at 595-2640 or Joe Shamblin at 364-6951. BAsKetBAll KIlBY InDIVIDUAl InstrUCtIon Individual basketball instruction for male and female elementary, middle school, high school and post graduate athletes is being offered by former Junior College and Universtiy coach L.J. Kilby. Coach Kilby brings 10 years of head coaching experience as well as 30 years experience in junior college, NAIA and NCAA Division I basketball. For more information, contact Coach Kilby at (423)596-2515. FIsHInG CleVelAnD BAssmAsters The Cleveland Bassmasters meet the first Thursday of each month at South Cleveland United Methodist Church at 7 p.m. Cleveland Bassmasters includes boaters and non-boaters and are associated with FLW. The club fishes and holds tournament on Chickamauga Lake, Nickajack Lake, Lake Guntersville, Lake Weiss, Watts Bar and Neely Henry. Dues for the Bassmasters are $35 quarterly. Other fees include $35 FLW joining fee, $8 insurance, $20 per year for biggest largemouth or smallmouth bass and $15 for tournament largemouth or smallmouth prize. For more information, contact Dewayne Lowe at 423-715-5772. trAnsACtIons sunday’s sports transactions BAsKetBAll nBA Development league RIO GRANDE VALLEY VIPERS — Acquired G Matt Carlino from the available player pool. FootBAll national Football league CLEVELAND BROWNS — Fired general manager Ray Farmer and coach Mike Pettine. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS — Released OT Reid Fragel from the practice squad. MIAMI DOLPHINS — Placed WR Rishard Matthews on injured reserve. Signed LB Mike Hull from the practice squad. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS — Signed RB Toben Opurum from the practice squad. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES — Placed NT Bennie Logan on injured reserve. Signed CB Randall Evans from the practice squad. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS — Fired coach Jim Tomsula. Placed LB Michael Wilhoite on injured reserve. HoCKeY national Hockey league CAROLINA HURRICANES — Recalled F Brock McGinn from Charlotte (AHL). CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS — Acquired F Richard Panik from Toronto for F Jeremy Morin. Loaned D David Rundblad to ZSC Lions (National League A-Switzerland). TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING — Assigned F Jonathan Drouin to Syracuse (AHL). American Hockey league AHL — Suspended Torontto LW Richard Clune one game. BAKERSFIELD CONDORS — Assigned G Ty Rimmer to Norfolk (ECHL). LAKE ERIE MONSTERS — Recalled F Peter Quenneville from Cincinnati (ECHL). TORONTO MARLIES — Assigned G Rob Madore to Orlando (ECHL). eCHl ECHL — Suspended Tulsa F Mathieu Gagnon eight games, Rapid City D Garrett Clarke and D Jonathan Narbonne five games, Tulsa G Kevin Carr three games and Tulsa F Emerson Clark one game. IDAHO STEELHEADS — Released G Will Gagnon as emergency backup. INDY FUEL — Signed F Adam Lapsansky. NORFOLK ADMIRALS — Released G Adam Courchaine. ORLANDO SOLAR BEARS — Released G Bobby Fowler as emergency backup. WHEELING NAILERS — Signed F Massimo Lamacchia. ColleGe GEORGIA — Named James Coley wide receivers coach, Dell McGee running backs coach and Marshall Malchow recruiting director. N.C. STATE — Fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada. NOTRE DAME — Announced WR Will Fuller and RB C.J. Prosise will enter the NFL draft. SOUTH CAROLINA — Announced G Shay Colley has left the women’s basketball team. AP Photo AtlAntA’s Kent BAzemore looks to pass as New York Knicks center Robin Lopez falls to the floor in the first half Sunday, in New York. Afflalo s cores 38 as Knicks beat Hawks NEW YORK (AP) — Arron Afflalo went right from in a slump to in the zone. Afflalo made his first seven 3point attempts and scored a season-high 38 points to lead the New York Knicks to a 111-97 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday. Afflalo was 14 for 17 from the field and finished 7 for 8 from behind the arc in nearing his career best of 43 points. “To shoot the ball the way he did and chase Kyle Korver defensively, which is about as hard of a job as you can have defensively as a guard in the NBA, was very impressive,” Knicks coach Derek Fisher said. The Knicks improved to 8-2 when Afflalo scores 15 or more points. “To be honest, I play 30-plus minutes,” Afflalo said. “If you’re going to have a player out there that long, he has to be effective. The way we have things structured offensively, I do think it’s important that as I do get more involved and engaged in the game, it gives us a better chance to win.” After shooting a combined 20 for 63 from the field in his previous six games, Afflalo hopes he’s broken his shooting slump for the long haul. “I want to play well and I want to play well consistently,” Afflalo said. “For me, consistency is more important than great games and very bad games. The more I can be counted on night in and out, the better it is for the team.” Robin Lopez finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Knicks. Kristaps Porzingis added 14 points. New York jumped to an 11-2 advantage and led most of the way in bouncing back from its franchise-worst fourth quarter in a loss at Chicago on Friday. “Credit to New York, they played well as a group,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “Obviously Arron Afflalo had a very good individual game. It just wasn’t one of our better days. I thought the effort was pretty good, our guys tried.” Paul Millsap scored 19 points and Kent Bazemore had 18 for the Hawks. Al Horford and Korver both scored 13. The teams meet again Tuesday in Atlanta. “We just didn’t have our game today and New York is part of the reason we didn’t have our game,” Budenholzer said. “We have them again on Tuesday. We’ll have to prepare, think about what it takes to execute better on both ends and we’ll do that before Tuesday.” BULLS 115, RAPTORS 113 TORONTO (AP) — Jimmy Butler broke Michael Jordan’s team record for points in a half, scoring 40 of his 42 after the break to lead the Chicago Bulls over the Toronto Raptors 115113 on Sunday. Jordan had 39, also in the second half, in a game against Milwaukee in 1989. Butler shot 14 of 19 in the final two quarters after a 1-for-4 start in the Bulls’ fourth straight win. Pau Gasol had his 17th double-double of the season with 19 points and 13 rebounds as Chicago beat Toronto for the second time in a week and a seventh consecutive time overall. DeMar DeRozan led the way for the Raptors with 24 points. HEAT 97, WIZARDS 75 WASHINGTON (AP) — Chris Bosh scored 23 points, Goran Dragic had 18 and the Heat dominated the undermanned Wizards. With just nine healthy players, Washington was outscored in the second quarter 25-7. The Wizards missed 20 of their 22 field goal attempts as the Heat took a 50-31 halftime lead. John Wall, who led Washington with 14 points, hit just six of his 21 field goal attempts. The Wizards shot just 34.1 percent and their 75 points were a season low. Miami allowed its fewest points of the season. TRAIL BLAZERS 112, NUGGETS 106 DENVER (AP) — CJ McCollum had 25 points and seven assists, leading the Trail Blazers to a victory over the Nuggets. Gerald Henderson scored 19 points and Al-Farouq Aminu had 14 for Portland, which has won four of its last five. Danilo Gallinari led the Nuggets with 29 points in his second game back from a sprained left ankle. Denver has lost six straight, two off its season high. LAKERS 97, SUNS 77 LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lou Williams scored a season-high 30 points, and the Lakers sent Phoenix to its ninth straight loss. The Lakers, coming off victories over Boston and Philadelphia, have won three in a row for the first time since Feb. 22-27. Rookie Larry Nance Jr. had 15 points and tied a season high with his second straight 14rebound game. Kobe Bryant sat out his second straight game because of a sore right shoulder. Brandon Knight had 25 points, nine assists and three rebounds for the Suns, who shot 36 percent from the field and trailed by as many as 38 points. Serena skips Hopman opener with injury PERTH, Australia (AP) — Serena Williams withdrew from her opening match at the Hopman Cup on Monday because of inflammation in her left knee, an early setback in her preparations for an Australian Open title defense. The top-ranked Williams practiced ahead of her scheduled season-opener against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the international mixed-team competition at Perth Arena, but withdrew from the match and was replaced by Vicky Duval. Duval lost 6-4, 6-1 to Svitolina and Alexandr Dolgopolov beat Jack Sock 6-4, 6-2 to clinch the best-of-three Group A match for Ukraine before the U.S. pair won the mixed doubles 6-2, 6-3. Williams said she expected to be able to join Sock in the U.S. team to play the Australia Gold team on Tuesday. Hopman Cup tournament director Paul Kilderry said Williams reported feeling pain in her knee on Sunday. “She wanted to give herself every chance to play, she warmed up this morning but common sense prevailed and she just thought today she can’t do it,” Kilderry said. After winning the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon titles in 2015, Williams narrowly missed completing a season Grand Slam when she lost to Roberta Vinci in the semifinals of the U.S. Open. For the 20-year-old Duval, who returned to tennis in August after overcoming Hodgkin’s lymphoma, filling in for Williams was a great opportunity. “I was kind of nervous because I was filling in big shoes. But I had a really fun time today,” Duval said. “I have a whole new outlook on life. I’m just really grateful to be back and do what I love.” Andy Murray had a 6-2, 6-2 win over Kenny De Schepper to giv e Britain a 1-0 lead over France in the night match. At the Brisbane International, 2015 finalist Grigor Dimitrov needed six match points before beating fifth-seeded Gilles Simon 6-3, 7-6 (10) to move into the second round. Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka returned from a layoff with foot and leg injuries with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Russian qualifier Elena Vesnina in her first competitive match since September, setting up a second-round match against No. 2-ranked Simona Halep. In other women’s singles, No. 6-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro advanced to a second-round match with local favorite Sam Stosur, the former U.S. Open champion who recovered from early service breaks in each set to beat Slovakian qualifier Jana Cepelova 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. Also advancing in Brisbane were with No. 7 Belinda Bencic, who beat Sara Errani 6-1, 6-2, and Vinci, who overcame former No. 1-ranked Jelena Jankovic 36, 6-2, 6-4. At the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, fourthseeded Svetlana Kuznetsova progressed to the second round, leading 6-2, 1-1 when Mona Barthel of Germany retired from their first-round match because of a stomach ailment. Fifth-seeded Sloane Stephens of the United States beat Polona Hercog of Slovakia 6-3, 6-3 and Irina Falconi ousted No. 6-seeded Coco Vandeweghe 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. Venus Williams, Ana Ivanovic and Caroline Wozniacki play their opening matches on Tuesday.