UConn Men's Basketball

Newton and Karaban are Teammates Again, Team USA Off to 2-0 Start

UConn Huskies Recap (WNBA/NBA/MLB) Monday 8/31/26-Sunday 9/6/26
September 7, 2026
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HUSKY FANS REJOICE! TRISTEN NEWTON AND ALEX KARABAN REUNITE

Tristen Newton and Alex Karaban are teammates once again.

After Newton was waived by the Houston Rockets back on August 27th, it was only a matter of time before the former Husky found a new home. Newton was an All-G League First Team member last season after averaging 25.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. So when the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Houston Rockets G League affiliate) announced that they had traded Newton’s player rights to the Stockton Kings (Sacramento Kings G League affiliate) this past Thursday, UConn fans expressed their excitement:

Now it remains unclear how often Karaban and Newton will be on the same floor together. Karaban might earn playing time for the Sacramento Kings right out of the gate when the regular season starts next month. However, it would not also be surprising to see the Kings send down Karaban to the G League once the Stockton Kings season starts a few weeks after the NBA regular season. There is also a chance Newton and Karaban could be on the floor at the same time during the NBA preseason.

The Kings organization have now added two players that come from a winning culture. The Husky duo won 68 games together at UConn, including the 2023-2024 Big East regular-season and 2024 Big East Conference tournament title, as well as back-to-back national championships in 2023 and 2024.

Former Husky sharpshooter Joey Calcaterra, who was a teammates of both Karaban and Newton, played for the Stockton Kings in 2025 when they won the G League championship.

JOEY CALCATERRA BACK IN THE NORTHEAST

And speaking of Joey “California”, this past Tuesday, the Long Island Nets (Brooklyn Nets G League affiliate) acquired Calcaterra’s returning player rights from the Memphis Hustle (Memphis Grizzlies G League affiliate).

The former Husky sharpshooter averaged 4.3 points per game in three contests for the Hustle last season. Calcaterra’s home games will now be played at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.

BUECKERS, STEWART, COLLIER AND TEAM USA OFF TO 2-0 FIBA WORLD CUP START

The United States has started Group D play with two straight wins over China and Italy. On Friday, Paige Buckers scored 14 points off the bench in a convincing 94-61 victory against China. Breanna Stewart (Seven points, seven rebounds, one block) and Naphessa Collier (Four points, four rebounds) both started for the U.S.

Then on Sunday in a much closer contest, the Americans snuck past Italy 55-52. Bueckers scored seven points with five rebounds. Collier netted six points, and Stewart recorded just five points on 1-of-9 shooting from the field.

FRANCE, WILLIAMS TAKE DOWN JUHASZ & HUNGARY

In both teams’ opening games of the 2026 FIBA World Cup, France easily defeated Hungary 99-53 to open Group B Play. Gabby Williams scored 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 3-of-5 from behind the arc, along with four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Dorka Juhasz posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

WILLIAMS DOES IT ALL AGAINST KOREA

Husky fans are more than used to seeing Gabby Williams making crazy athletic plays both during her time at Storrs and at the pro level.

Williams added another to her highlight reel on Saturday:

Gabby picked off the long court pass like a defensive back, crossed over a defender and then finished with a strong layup in transition. Williams went on to score 14 points with four rebounds, three assists and three steals to help lead France to a resounding 95-69 victory over Korea.

France improved to 2-0 in Group B Play.

DORKA JUHASZ LEADS HUNGARY TO HISTORIC VICTORY

In Hungary's second 2026 FIBA World Cup game, Dorka Juhasz scored a game-high 19 points along with 16 rebounds in a 71-67 Hungary win over Nigeria on Saturday. The victory gives Hungary its first FIBA World Cup win in 28 years.

Hungary is now 1-1 in Group B Play.

AUSTIN PETERSON MAKES MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUT

Austin Peterson was called up to the big leagues on Friday and made his MLB debut on Saturday with the Cleveland Guardians against the Detroit Tigers. The right-hander threw two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while fanning three Tigers hitters. He pitched the eighth and ninth innings of a 6-0 Tigers victory. 

Peterson became the seventh different Husky to appear in an MLB game this season, a program record. Peterson, Anthony Sears and Kyler Fedko have all made their major league debuts this season.

SEARS MAKES FIRST CAREER MLB START

Andrew Sears made his first career major league start on Friday in Game 2 of a doubleheader between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians. Sears went 5 ⅔ innings, allowing four hits, one run, two walks while striking out four batters in a Guardians 4-3 loss.

After allowing a leadoff single to Steven Kwan in the bottom of the first inning, Sears retired the next four Guardians hitters, including striking out Angel Martinez on a 95 mile per hour fastball for the first out of the second inning. The southpaw did not let a Guardians batter touch third base until the sixth inning after Nathaniel Lowe drove in Jose Ramirez to cut the Tigers’ lead to 3-1. 

That would end up being the final batter of the game for Sears, who threw a career-high 93 pitches. The 5 ⅔ innings is his longest appearance of his young career. The Tigers wound up losing the game 4-3 in 10 innings.

KAY STRUGGLES CONTINUE

For the third straight start, Anthony Kay could not get out of the fifth inning after allowing six runs on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts in the Chicago White Sox’s 6-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Saturday. Kay cruised through the first two innings, retiring all six Twins hitters in order. He did not allow a hit until the fourth inning, when Minnesota scored two runs. The Twins added three more runs in the fifth after Ryan Jeffers delivered a three-run home run into the left field seats.

Kay is now 9-8 on the year with a 4.47 ERA. He last earned a win on August 8th.


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