LeBron James has attracted some criticism for a slump in form recently. For example, the 39-year-old has not scored from behind the three-point line in his past 19 attempts.

However, his less-than-usual 10-point performance today unearthed a staggering statistic. James has scored in the double digits in his past 1,243 appearances. To put it another way, James hasn’t scored in the single digits since January 2007. Simply incredible.

And yes, this is the second intro in a row discussing LeBron and longevity. I still thought it was worth a shout.

$479,700
The sale price of a baggy green cap worn by Donald Bradman at auction. The cap was worn during the 1947/48 series against India, Bradman’s last on home soil. In six innings he averaged 178.75 runs and became the only Australian player to score 100 first-class centuries. During Bradman’s playing days, team members were given a baggy green for every series. 

"The Matildas have had a very consistent squad for four years and what's happened with that is it hasn't allowed opportunities for other players. One of the key things as a national team coach is you've got to play for the present but plan for the future. And I think, in all fairness, I don't think we've planned for the future well enough."
Matildas interim coach Tom Sermanni ahead of two upcoming matches against Taiwan. The Matildas will look to bounce back from successive losses to Brazil but will field a lineup missing many of the team’s incumbent players who have returned to Europe for club duties.

At the London Olympics in 1948, American high jumper Alice Coachman became the first Black woman from any country to win an Olympic gold medal. Coachman died in 2014 at the age of 90.

🏏 Victoria lost its first T20 match in the inaugural Global Super League competition to the Lahore Qalanders. The team from Pakistan’s capital won by 10 runs. The Global Super League is a new T20 tournament that brings together five teams from five places (Australia, England, Bangladesh, the West Indies, and Pakistan). Victoria’s next match is against English club Hampshire. 

⚽ The Central Coast Mariners lost 4-0 to Japanese club Yokohama FC in a group-stage match of the Asian Champions League. It was the Mariners fifth defeat from six fixtures, meaning last year’s A-League Champions will not progress to the Knockout stage of the tournament. The Mariners still have two Asian Champions League matches remaining, with the first on 11 February.

⚽ A group of human rights organisations in Guinea estimate the death toll from a crowd crush at a soccer match is 135. The original toll was 55 people. According to witnesses at the match, the final of a tournament being played for interim president Mamady Doumbouya, a red card incited the violence. Members of the crowd began throwing rocks and police responded with tear gas. The combination led to a state of mass panic as members of the crowd tried to flee the stadium. 

🏀 Jennie Sager has been named as the CEO of the WNBL, Australia’s top women’s basketball league. Sager will take charge on 2 January 2025 and will oversee the league’s change of ownership from Basketball Australia to the NBL and the Wollemi Capital Group Syndicate. The new ownership will commence on 2 April. Sager said: “The WNBL represents the pinnacle of women’s basketball in Australia, and I am honoured to take on this role”. 

Gjert Ingebrigtsen, father of Norwegian Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen, will stand trial after being charged with the alleged physical and mental abuse of his son.

Gjert coached three of his seven children, Jakob, Filip, and Henrik, all of whom competed at the Olympics in middle-distance running. Last year, the brothers publicly alleged that their father was physically violent and abusive. Gjert has not coached any of the brothers since 2022.

Court proceedings are expected to begin next month.

Gjert’s lawyers said: "Gjert Ingebrigtsen maintains what he has said all along, that he does not admit criminal guilt for the offences he has been charged with and that he has never subjected any of his children to either physical or mental abuse."

Public prosecutor Birgitte Budal Løvlund told media: “I can confirm that Gjert Ingebrigtsen on November 29th was indicted by our office for physical and mental abuse of his son Jakob Ingebrigtsen. The case has been forwarded to the district court of Sør-Rogaland for planning.”

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The former partner of Olympic boxer Harry Garside has pleaded guilty to domestic violence-related assault and stalking or intimidation. Ashley Alsione Ruscoe faced court in Sydney yesterday.

The charges were brought against Ruscoe for an incident in March last year. Garside was initially charged, but charges were dropped four weeks later after the Olympian’s lawyers submitted new evidence. Ruscoe was then arrested.

After pleading guilty in court yesterday, Ruscoe was placed on a two-year apprehended domestic violence order. She is prohibited from approaching or contacting Garside and anyone he has a domestic relationship with.

Garside first captured the public’s attention when he won a gold medal in the men’s 60kg weight division at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. He then found success at the Tokyo Olympics by becoming the first Australian boxer in 33 years to win a medal. At the Paris Olympics earlier this year, the 27-year-old was eliminated from the tournament in the round of 16.

Garside said: "Domestic violence is a serious problem in our country, and I encourage anyone affected to come forward — your voice matters, and you are not alone."

The magistrate reportedly said: “I accept they had a bad fight… I don’t doubt for a minute there were faults on both sides. It was obviously a toxic relationship.”

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