From The Associated Press

TORONTO — James Johnson set a Grey Cup record with three interceptions to help the Saskatchewan Roughriders beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 23-19 on Sunday night for their first Canadian Football League title in 18 years.

The former Arkansas State player, selected the MVP of the game, returned his first interception 30 yards for a second-quarter touchdown, and sealed the game in the final minute with his third.

“I’m trying not to cry. I’m trying to hold back,” Johnson said. “It’s a great feeling. I can’t believe it.”

Kerry Joseph threw a 29-yard TD pass to Andy Fantuz in the fourth quarter, and Luca Congi added three field goals for the Roughriders, also CFL champions in 1966 and 1989.

“We fought so hard. It was a tough game,” Joseph said. “It wasn’t my best game, but I kept fighting and we kept fighting as a team.”

The Blue Bombers, playing without star quarterback Kevin Glenn, failed in a bid to win their first title since 1990.

Ryan Dinwiddie, making his first CFL start after Glenn broke his arm last week, threw a 50-yard scoring pass to Derick Armstrong. Troy Westwood made two field goals, and Winnipeg scored six points on three conceded safeties.

“We lost the turnover battles in the biggest game of the year,” Winnipeg defensive tackle Doug Brown said. “If Kevin Glenn isn’t hurt this game isn’t even close.”

Joseph was 13-of-34 for 181 yards and an interception and ran for 101 yards on 10 carries. Dinwiddie was 15-of-33 for 225 yards.

Golf

• Ames sinks rich putt on final hole to defend Skins Game title

INDIAN WELLS — Stephen Ames chuckled about his mostly mediocre 18 holes of golf. He can laugh all the way to the bank.

With $650,000 at stake on No. 18, Ames coolly knocked his 7-foot birdie putt into the center of the cup to win the Skins Game. The only other hole he won was the first, a day earlier.

Taking the title for the second year in a row, Ames finished with nine skins and $675,000 of the $1 million purse.

Five-time champion Fred Couples, playing in the 25-year-old tournament for the 14th time, also won nine skins, pocketing $325,000 to push his career earnings in the made-for-TV event to more than $4.2 million.

Couples won three skins and $75,000 on the first day with a bunker shot into the hole for an eagle on No. 4, then picked up $250,000 with a 5-footer for birdie on No. 10 to begin the second day.

Masters champion Zach Johnson and Brett Wetterich, making their Skins Game debuts, were shut out.

Each player donates 20 percent of his winnings to a charity of his choice, and Wetterich had picked Big Oak Ranch. Ames’ donation will go to the Ames Foundation, and Couples’ to California wildfires victims.

Alpine Skiing

• Austria’s Schild wins second straight World Cup slalom

PANORAMA, British Columbia — Austria’s Marlies Schild raced to her second straight slalom victory, beating world champion Sarka Zahrobska of the Czech Republic by 0.68 seconds.

Resi Stiegler was the top American, finishing ninth in 1:41.68. Julia Mancuso was 16th in 1:42.77, and Lindsey Vonn was 29th in 1:45.05.

Italy’s Denise Karbon won the giant slalom Saturday.

In the men’s competition, defending overall champion Aksel Lund Svindal won the season opening super-giant slalom, his second victory of the World Cup season.

Steven Nyman was the top American, finishing 13th in 1:30.35. Scott MaCartney was 17th in 1:30.60, and Bode Miller 25th in 1:30.90.

NBA

Knicks coach Thomas takes on own players in 1-on-1 games

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — No concerns about the embattled point guard in New York. He buried a jumper in the face of his defender. Then he blew by another for a layup. OK, so Isiah Thomas can still play.

The Knicks coach followed practice with 1-of-1 matchups against Nate Robinson, Jared Jeffries, Mardy Collins and Fred Jones. Thomas said it was the first time he played his players this season, but he didn’t fear hurting their confidence. “I think I hurt mine more than theirs,” he said.

Though he has come under criticism in New York as the Knicks’ coach and president, there has been no questioning Thomas the player. He led the Detroit Pistons to two NBA titles in a Hall of Fame career, averaging 19.2 points and 9.3 assists, and helped Indiana win an NCAA title.

But Thomas wasn’t testing himself to see if he could replace Stephon Marbury, the point guard he recently demoted for a few games.

“I ate a lot of turkey over Thanksgiving and I haven’t had a chance to exercise,” Thomas said. “Basketball’s still a good way to exercise, and it’s still a fun thing for me.”