In brief: A ‘home’ game for Knicks’ Turiaf

NBA: New York center Ronny Turiaf is confident the summer arrival of star forward Amare Stoudemire and other new players will help the Knicks get back to the NBA playoffs.

Former Gonzaga University star Turiaf (pictured above) will play in front of his home crowd tonight when the Knicks face the Minnesota Timberwolves in Paris in the second game of their European preseason tour.

Turiaf, a former Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors player, was traded to the Knicks during the offseason. He has high expectations about his relationship with Stoudemire, who came to the Knicks from the Phoenix Suns.

“My job is to make things easier for Stoudemire,” the 27-year-old Frenchman said.

Associated Press

GU’s Vandersloot on Wooden list

Women’s basketball: Gonzaga University senior guard Courtney Vandersloot was named to the Women’s John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 30.

Vandersloot also made the list last season.

Ichiro loses Japanese record

Baseball: Former major leaguer Matt Murton broke Ichiro Suzuki’s record for the most hits in a single season in Japanese Professional Baseball.

Murton’s two-run single to center in the second inning for the Hanshin Tigers against the Yakult Swallows on Tuesday was his 211th hit of the season.

Ichiro set the record of 210 in 1994 when he played for the Orix BlueWave.

When Ichiro set the record, the regular season consisted of 130 games. Since then, the season has been extended by 14 games and Murton was playing in his 142nd game.

Associated Press