Sports briefs

NCAA rules Florida’s Gak ineligible to play in 2016-17
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida center Gorjok Gak will not be eligible to play as a freshman next season.
The Gators announced today that the NCAA cleared Gak for enrollment this fall but denied his ineligibility for the 2016-17 season. The 6-foot-11, 205-pounder from Australia will be allowed to practice and take part in basketball-related activities, but not games.
He attended high school at Victory Rock Prep in Bradenton. If he meets progress marks, he will be cleared to play as a sophomore in 2017-18 and have three seasons of eligibility left.
Gak averaged 13.8 point and 9.3 rebounds last season at Victory Rock. He signed with the Gators in April after being released from a national letter of intent he signed with Oklahoma State last November. He requested his release after the Cowboys fired Travis Ford.

Sun Belt chief envisions stability despite Big 12 expansion
NEW ORLEANS — Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Karl Benson says he can’t rule out Big 12 expansion plans affecting his own conference.
Still, Benson calls the Sun Belt’s planned membership “perfect” in terms of geography and positioning members for growth.
Speaking at the conference’s football media day Monday, Benson says a Sun Belt chancellor would be “foolish” not to take calls from the Big 12 or another BCS conference. However, he says the Sun Belt’s increased competitiveness, revenues and travel advantages make leaving for another other mid-major conference less attractive.
Football-only members Idaho and New Mexico State are leaving the Sun Belt after 2017. Coastal Carolina becomes a full football member in 2018, when the Sun Belt will have 10 teams in seven Southern states and stage a league championship game.

Falcons release return specialist Devin Hester before camp
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons have released star return specialist Devin Hester before the opening of training camp.
Hester is a three-time All-Pro who set an NFL record with 20 career returns for touchdowns.
A turf toe injury knocked out most of his season in 2015. He had 269 total return yards during the last five games of the year. The injury prevented him from full participation in offseason workouts.
The Falcons expect wide receivers Eric Weems and Devin Fuller and running back Tevin Coleman to compete for spots on kickoff and punt returns.
Players report for training camp Wednesday and open camp Thursday.

U.S. Olympic women hold off select team 88-84
LOS ANGELES — Maya Moore hit four free throws in the final 40 seconds to help the U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team survive a stiff test from a U.S. select team with an 88-84 victory on Monday night.
After trailing for most of the first half and building a 12-point lead in the third quarter, the select group rallied.
Trailing 73-61, Natasha Howard helped fuel a 16-3 run by the select team which took a 77-76 lead with 4:05 left.
Howard’s three free throws with 1:13 remaining gave the younger team an 84-82 lead.
Breanna Stewart hit a layup and Moore hit her free throws to rally the Olympic team to victory.
Moore and Elena Delle Donne scored 11 points each to lead the U.S.
Howard scored 24 points and Jewell Loyd added 20 for the select group.
The Olympic team will play three exhibition games against France, Australia and Canada on the East Coast before heading to the Rio Olympics.

Rangers sign Sergey Zborovskiy to entry-level contract
NEW YORK — The New York Rangers have signed defenseman Sergey Zborovskiy on an entry-level contract.
General manager Jeff Gorton announced the signing of the team’s third-round draft pick in 2015 today.
Zborovskiy skated in 64 games with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League this past season, collecting eight goals and 17 assists along with a plus-15 rating. The 19-year-old established WHL career-highs in goals, assists, points, and power play goals (two), and he tied his WHL career-high in plus/minus rating.
The 6-foot-4, 200-pounder skated in 12 playoff games and had five assists this past season.
Zborovskiy has skated in 135 career WHL games over two seasons with Regina, registering 11 goals and 33 assists.