The Iowa Boys State Basketball Tournament begins today at Wells Fargo Arena, in Des Moines. The action begins at 10:30-a.m. in Class 1-A, when #1 seed Danville (25-0) takes on #8 seed Fairbank/Wapsie Valley (17-8). The second game begins at 12:15, when #4 Storm Lake/St. Mary’s (24-1) takes on #5 Oakland/Riverside (24-1). You can hear that game on KJAN beginning at 11:45-a.m.

The other afternoon match ups in Class 1A include at 2-p.m. , #2 Lone Tree (25-1) vs. #7 seed Boyden Hull (22-3), and at 3:45-p.m., #3 Traer/North Tama (25-1) vs. #6 Ankeny Christian Academy (24-1).

The Class 2A boys take to the hardwood at Wells Fargo Area tonight. At 6:35-p.m., it’s #4 seed Stanwood/North Cedar (21-3) vs. M-F-L/Marmac (24-0). And the nightcap game pits #1 seed Sheffield/West Fork (24-0) vs. #8 Dike-New Hartford (17-9), at 8:15.  The winners of today’s games move on to the semi-finals on Thursday.

VIERA, Fla. (AP) — Rafael Furcal had hoped to make his spring training debut Sunday. Instead, the 35-year-old shortstop was told to stop baseball activities. Trying to come back from a torn ligament in his right elbow, the three-time All-Star has been told he must have additional medical tests. With Furcal out indefinitely, Pete Kozma and Ronny Cedeno are the likely candidates to take over at shortstop unless there is a trade.

St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny has a ruptured disc in his back. Matheny, a major league catcher from 1994-06, is scheduled to have an epidural injection Monday to reduce inflammation and get a particle off a nerve. If the injection doesn’t help alleviate pain, he says surgery would “have to be something we would consider.” Starting his second season as the Cardinals’ manager, Matheny has had back issues for several years. He did not travel with the team to Kissimmee on Friday, citing back pain and food poisoning. He returned to manage the Cardinals on Saturday in Jupiter.

VIERA, Fla. (AP) – Ryan Zimmerman went 1 for 3 with an RBI single in his first spring training game following shoulder surgery, helping the Washington Nationals defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-6 Sunday.  Zimmerman had arthrosopic surgery on his right shoulder on Oct. 25. An All-Star in 2009, Zimmerman hit .282 with 25 homers and 95 RBIs for NL East champions last season despite the injured shoulder, which needed cortisone shots in June and September. He was the designated hitter against the Cardinals rather than playing his usual third base.

Washington starter Ross Detwiler gave up one run and four hits in two scoreless innings and struck out four in his last appearance before joining the U.S. for the World Baseball Classic.  Chad Tracy hit a two-run homer and a double for Washington, and Zach Walters had a game-ending single off Eduardo Sanchez in the ninth.   Shane Robinson homered for St. Louis, and Pete Kozma had three hits.