LAS VEGAS — U.S. forward LeBron James likely will miss Friday's basketball exhibition against Canada as he recovers from a mild right ankle sprain.

James shot baskets on the sidelines but was held out of a scrimmage at Valley High School Wednesday.

James injured his ankle when he landed on Kevin Durant's foot during a Tuesday scrimmage between Team USA and a select squad of young NBA players. James said it improved overnight, and he moved without a limp after reporters were admitted to the gym at the end of practice.

"It's a lot better today than it was yesterday," he said.

HARMONY— Seneca Valley High graduate and Harmony resident Julie Marlowe was named an all-academic honorable mention in women's softball by the Ohio Athletic Conference.A sophomore third baseman for John Carroll University, Marlow carries a 3.78 grade point average as a computer information systems major.

WASHINGTON, Pa. — Slippery Rock High graduate Beth Reefer has been named captain of the Washington &Jefferson College women's soccer team.A senior psychology major in the pre-med department, Reefer is a three-year letterwinner at W&J.

EMLENTON — East Butler's 9- and 10-year-old baseball all-stars will compete in the Section 1 Tournament this week as the Little League District 25 champion.Farmer's National Bank Field in Emlenton is hosting the event.Meadville, MYAANational and DuBois are the other teams in the tournament, which carries a pool-play format, followed by a championship game.East Butler plays MYAANational at 7:30 p.m. today, DuBois at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Meadville at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The title game is at 2 p.m. Sunday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Butler graduate Eddie Hay, a member of the Ohio State University men's gymnastics team, was one of 10 Buckeye gymnasts to earn first-team College Gymnastics Association All-America Scholar Athlete honors this year.Athletes must have a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher to earn first-team honors. Ohio State finished second in the 2008 national gymnastics academic team standings with a GPAof 3.41, trailing William &Mary's 3.42.