The Sports Report: UCLA men’s basketball team lands a big name

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

From Ben Bolch: As Mick Cronin set out to restore UCLA to national prominence after its first losing season in nearly a decade, one of the critical questions was whether he would turn to transfers or freshmen.

Why not both?

The Bruins on Wednesday supplemented their massive haul of transfers with a second freshman when Harvard-Westlake star point guard Trent Perry signed with the school. After initially signing with USC, Perry reopened his recruitment after Trojans coach Andy Enfield departed for Southern Methodist.

Perry’s commitment represented a second major triumph for UCLA over its crosstown rival after USC small forward Kobe Johnson announced his transfer to the Bruins earlier this spring.

A McDonald’s All-American who was also selected The Times’ player of the year, the 6-foot-4 Perry averaged 18.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game last season while helping the Wolverines repeat as state Open Division champions. Widely regarded as a team player and defensive grinder who can also knock down three-pointers, Perry could serve as a backup to UCLA point guard Dylan Andrews and eventually replace him if Perry stays in college for multiple seasons.

“We are thrilled that Trent Perry has chosen to become a Bruin,” Cronin said in a statement. “He has had a very successful high school career at Harvard-Westlake, where he was extremely well-coached by Dave Rebibo. Time after time, he stepped up in big moments and led his team to victory.

“He’ll graduate as a back-to-back California state champion and the Gatorade California Basketball Player of the Year, along with a host of other impressive individual accolades. Trent has established himself as a dynamic playmaker, and we believe that he has a very high ceiling as his game continues to develop. We’re looking forward to having him in Westwood.”

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LAKERS

From Steve Henson: It seems far too soon to be mourning the death of Darius Morris, the memory of the irrepressible point guard stepping into the Lakers’ starting lineup in a 2013 playoff series and shining still fresh in the minds of so many.

Yet a spokesperson with the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner confirmed that Morris died May 2 in a private residence. He was 33. The spokesperson said it could take up to three months for the cause of death to be determined.

What will endure are memories of Morris’ exuberant personality and winning smile while playing for the Lakers alongside his mentor Kobe Bryant after starring at Windward High in Mar Vista and the University of Michigan.

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NBA PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE

All times Pacific

Second round

Western Conference

No. 1 Oklahoma City vs. No. 5 Dallas
at Oklahoma City 117, Dallas 95 (box score)
Thursday at Oklahoma City, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Saturday at Dallas, 12:30 p.m., ABC
Monday at Dallas, 6:30 p.m., TNT
*Wednesday at Oklahoma City, TBD, TNT
*Saturday, May 18 at Dallas, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
*Monday, May 20 at Oklahoma City, 5:30 p.m., TNT

No. 2 Denver vs. No. 3 Minnesota
Minnesota 106, at Denver 99 (box score)
Minnesota 106, at Denver 80 (box score)
Friday at Minnesota, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Sunday at Minnesota, 5 p.m., TNT
*Tuesday at Denver, TBD, TNT
*Thursday, May 16 at Minnesota, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
*Sunday, May 19 at Denver, TBD, TBD

Eastern Conference

No. 1 Boston vs. No. 4 Cleveland
at Boston 120, Cleveland 95 (box score)
Thursday at Boston, 4 p.m., ESPN
Saturday at Cleveland, 5:30 p.m., ABC
Monday at Cleveland, 4 p.m., TNT
*Wednesday at Boston, TBD, TNT
*Friday, May 17 at Cleveland, TBD, ESPN
*Sunday, May 19 at Boston, TBD, TBD

No. 2 New York vs. No. 6 Indiana
at New York 121, Indiana 117 (box score)
at New York 130, Indiana 121 (box score)
Friday at Indiana, 4 p.m., ESPN
Sunday at Indiana, 12:30 p.m., ABC
*Tuesday at New York, 5 p.m., TNT
*Friday, May 17 at Indiana, TBD, ESPN
*Sunday, May 19 at New York, TBD, TBD

*-if necessary

DODGERS

From Mike DiGiovanna: Dave Roberts has seen his share of hot streaks during his nine years as Dodgers manager — you don’t win 100 games or more in five of the last seven seasons without going on a few tears.

But he’s not sure he’s seen the Dodgers string together as many complete games, combining starting pitching, relief pitching, offense and defense, as they have during this current run, which continued with Wednesday’s 3-1 victory over the Miami Marlins before 40,702 in Chavez Ravine.

Teoscar Hernández drove in all three Dodgers runs on an RBI single in the first inning and a tie-breaking two-run homer in the sixth, and Gavin Stone threw seven superb innings, giving up one run and six hits, striking out four and walking none, as the Dodgers won for the 14th time in 16 games and extended their win streak to seven.

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Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter agrees to plead guilty to stealing $17 million

Dodgers box score

MLB scores

MLB standings

ANGELS

Jo Adell hit his fifth homer of the season and added an RBI single and the Angels slipped by the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4 on Wednesday.

Brandon Drury added two hits, including an RBI double during a three-run outburst in the sixth by Los Angeles, which won its first series in more than a month by taking two of three from the Pirates.

Zach Neto also had two hits for the Angels. Kevin Pillar, a day removed from six RBIs in a shutout win, had a hit and scored a run for Los Angeles. Adam Cimber (3-0) worked 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Carlos Estévez worked a perfect ninth for his sixth save.

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Angels box score

MLB scores

MLB standings

LAFC

LAFC advanced to the Round of 16 in the U.S. Open Cup with a 3-1 win against the Las Vegas Lights at Cashman Field on Wednesday night.

After a scoreless first half, LAFC scored first when a cleared corner kick was contained and sent to Timothy Tillman on the left wing. His cross was finished on a header by Kei Kamara for his first goal with LAFC, giving them a 1-0 lead just two minutes after the break.

Las Vegas’ Shawn Smart tied it in the 56th minute, but LAFC’s Cristian Olivera broke the deadlock when he tapped home Omar Campos’ deflected cross in the 70th minute. Olivera then put the match out of reach in stoppage time with his second goal.

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LAFC stats

NHL PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE

All times Pacific

Second round

Western Conference

C1 Dallas vs. C3 Colorado
Colorado 4, at Dallas 3 (OT) (box score)
Thursday at Dallas, 6:30 p.m., TNT
Saturday at Colorado, 7 p.m., TNT
Monday at Colorado, TBD, ESPN
*Wednesday at Dallas, TBD
*Friday, May 17 at Colorado
*Sunday, May 19 at Dallas, TBD

P1 Vancouver vs. P2 Edmonton
at Vancouver 5, Edmonton 4 (box score)
Friday at Vancouver, 7 p.m., ESPN
Sunday at Edmonton, 6:30 p.m., TBS
Tuesday at Edmonton, TBD, ESPN
*Thursday, May 5 at Vancouver, TBD
*Saturday, May 18 at Edmonton, TBD
*Monday, May 20 at Vancouver, TBD

Eastern Conference

M1 New York Rangers vs. M2 Carolina
at New York 4, Carolina 3 (box score)
at New York 4, Carolina 3 (2 OT) (box score)
Thursday at Carolina, 4 p.m., TNT
Saturday at Carolina, 4 p.m., TNT
*Monday at New York, TBD
*Thursday, May 16 at Carolina, TBD
*Saturday, May 18, at New York, TBD

A1 Florida vs. A2 Boston
Boston 5, at Florida 1 (box score)
at Florida 6, Boston 1
Friday at Boston, 4 p.m., TNT
Sunday at Boston, 3 p.m., TBS
Tuesday at Florida, TBD
*Friday, May 17 at Boston, TBD
*Sunday, May 19 at Floria, TBD

*-if necessary

THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1930 — Gallant Fox, ridden by Earl Sande, wins the Preakness Stakes by three-quarters of a length over Crack Brigade. Gallant Fox becomes the only Triple Crown winner to win the Preakness a week before the Kentucky Derby.

1961 — Jim Gentile of the Baltimore Orioles hits consecutive grand slams in the first and second innings of a 13-5 rout of Minnesota.

1987 — Oriole Eddie Murray is 1st to switch-hit HRs in 2 consecutive games.

1993 — The Phoenix Suns beat the Lakers 112-104 in overtime to become the first NBA team to lose two playoff games at home and come back to win three straight games.

1999 — Marshall McDougall hits six consecutive homers and knocks in 16 runs — both NCAA records — in Florida State’s 26-2 rout of Maryland.

2004 — Jay Bouwmeester scores the winning goal, and Canada rallies to beat Sweden for the second straight year in the gold-medal game at the world hockey championships, 5-3.

2006 — Joffrey Lupul becomes the first player in NHL playoff history to cap a four-goal game with an overtime score, netting the game-winner at 16:30 of the extra period to give the the Ducks a 4-3 victory over Colorado.

2010 — Dallas Braden pitches the 19th perfect game in major league history, a dazzling performance for the Oakland Athletics in a 4-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

2011 — The ATP and WTA tennis rankings are released with no American man or woman in the top 10 for the first time in the 38-year history of the rankings. Mardy Fish and Andy Roddick are Nos. 11 and 12, while Serena and Venus Williams were Nos. 17 and 19, respectively.

Compiled by the Associated Press