AUSTIN, Texas — Dennis Johnson, the star NBA guard who was part of three championships, died Thursday, collapsing after his developmental team’s practice. He was 52.

PHOENIX — Mike Piazza appears perfectly comfortable with his new gig, even if he’s really not.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.  — Russ Ortiz expects nothing less than to be in San Francisco’s rotation as the fifth starter this season.

Today

Napa native Lucas Euser and six other cyclists led Stage 4 of the Amgen Tour of California for close to 180 kilometers Thursday.

SACRAMENTO — The Vintage High School girls basketball team went on quite a run to make the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs.

Six local wrestlers are on their way to Stockton for the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Tournament at University of Pacific today and Saturday.

Ben Turman introduced himself to Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon race directors in an e-mail that contained his personal records and background in running earlier this month.

The Napa High School junior varsity and varsity Spiritleaders competed in the United Dance Association Northern California Championships at the Sacramento Convention Center on Feb. 17.

IN THE WESTERN DESERT, Egypt — Three ultra-endurance athletes have just done something most would consider insane: They ran the equivalent of two marathons a day for 111 days to become the first modern runners to cross the Sahara Desert’s grueling 4,000 miles.

• Napa River

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Rob Phillips still remembers his first horse, a paint named Mickey he got more than 50 years ago. It was the start of a lifelong love affair with horses that’s led to plans for an endurance race over the Santa Fe Trail.

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. — The air quality at two of the most popular winter spots here continues to improve, a new study finds.