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OKLAHOMA TORNADO-DURANT DONATION

Thunder star Kevin Durant makes $1M tornado pledge

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The Oklahoma City Thunder are giving $1 million for tornado relief, matching a $1 million pledge by star player Kevin Durant.

The Thunder announced Tuesday that they'll give $1 million to the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and other disaster relief organizations helping after Monday's disaster in suburban Oklahoma City. Earlier in the day, Durant pledged $1 million to the Red Cross from his Durant Family Foundation intended to match other donations and be an incentive for more people to give.

Red Cross' regional CEO Janienne Bella said the organization was thankful for Durant's "generosity."

The Red Cross is accepting $10 pledges from people who text "REDCROSS" to 90999. People can also donate at the organization's website.

On Monday, Durant sent a message to his 4.1 million Twitter followers with Red Cross donation information.

OKLAHOMA TORNADO-NBA DONATION

NBA, NBPA pledge $1M to tornado relief

NEW YORK (AP) - The NBA and the players' union are combining to donate $1 million to tornado relief efforts in the Oklahoma City area.

The league and the NBPA announced the joint pledge on Tuesday. The money will be going to the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and other disaster relief efforts after a tornado devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday.

The donation follows $1 million pledges from the Oklahoma City Thunder and star forward Kevin Durant.

Durant says seeing the devastation in his adopted hometown was "tough to watch." But he also believes the community will band together to get through such a difficult time.

The Red Cross is accepting $10 pledges from people who text "REDCROSS" to 90999. People can also donate at the organization's website.

OKLAHOMA TORNADO-STOOPS

Tornado could be seen from Bob Stoops' home

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) - Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops says 1 of his graduate assistants and a strength coach had their homes destroyed in the tornado that hit suburban Oklahoma City.

Stoops told ESPN in an interview Tuesday that he doesn't know of any of Sooners players or their families who were hurt when the twister hit Moore on Monday.

Stoops' home is just south of Moore in the northern section of Norman, and he says his family saw the tornado through the back window of their home and was ready to go into their storm shelter. Stoops says he was at the football offices and watching on television.

The athletic department posted photos on Twitter on Tuesday of Stoops visiting with families displaced by the tornado who took shelter at the university.

OKLAHOMA TORNADO-BIG 12 TOURNAMENT

Big 12 delays baseball tournament after tornado

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The Big 12 is delaying the start of its baseball tournament in Oklahoma City after this week's deadly tornado.

The league announced Tuesday that the tournament will change from a double-elimination format to pool play and start on Thursday instead of Wednesday.

Conference spokesman Bob Burda says Oklahoma City leaders asked the Big 12 not to cancel the tournament and allow it to show "the strong Oklahoma spirit and to the resiliency of the Oklahoma people."

One pool will feature regular-season champion Kansas State, No. 4 seed Oklahoma, No. 5 seed Baylor and No. 8 seed Texas Tech. The other will feature second-seeded Oklahoma State, No. 3 seed West Virginia, No. 6 seed Kansas and No. 7 seed TCU. The championship is Sunday.

SHOCK-MOVES

Shock cut 3rd starter from last season in 2 days

TULSA, Okla. (AP) - The Tulsa Shock waived guard Scholanda Dorrell on Tuesday, their next-to-last cut before the start of the regular season.

In the past two days, the Shock have cut three players who started games for the team last season. Dorrell started eight times and played in 26 games, averaging 4.2 points. On Monday, Tulsa cut forward Amber Holt and center Chante Black. Holt started 18 games last season and Black 13.

The roster has undergone a significant overhaul with the addition of No. 3 overall draft pick Skylar Diggins, an offseason trade for Candice Wiggins and Nicole Powell and the return of Elizabeth Cambage after she missed last season to play in the Olympics.

One more player must be cut by Thursday.

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