Done partying in St. Anton, new US ski standout Macuga seeks a 2nd World Cup victory in Cortina

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — The party at St. Anton’s Krazy Kanguruh après-ski bar lasted into the early hours of Monday morning when the U.S. Ski Team’s newest standout celebrated her first World Cup victory last weekend.

“I think we were home by 2. So not too bad,” said Lauren Macuga, who won a super-G in Austria on Sunday. “But it’s just been crazy. Every day it settles in a little more. Like I just realized, it actually happened.”

Happened it did. And now comes the hard part: backing it up.

More eyes will be on Macuga this weekend when she races in a downhill and another super-G in Cortina. And at her first major event: next month's world championships in Saalbach-Hintergleem, Austria.

“It’s always interesting when you win your first race and there’s different expectations and pressure and all sorts of things change,” U.S. head coach Paul Kristofic said. “One of the challenges is to manage all of those things and stay focused on the task. And that’s what we’re working on with her.”

At 22, Macuga is just getting started in her career. Her sisters are also on U.S. teams: Sam Macuga is a ski jumper and Alli Macuga skis moguls.

“I’m kind of just trying to treat it like normal,” Lauren said. “I mean, I want to do it again, don’t get me wrong.”

Macuga was still racing with a helmet that had a question mark on the front where a sponsor’s brand could be during Friday’s downhill training session. But she inferred that she might have finally found a sponsor.

“We’ll have to see tomorrow,” she said. “It will be a surprise.”

Macuga is also known for her collection of bucket hats. She wore one featuring an American-flag design after her victory in St. Anton. On Friday, her hat had a banana design.

“It’s just too funny. How can I not?” Macuga said.

Led by Lindsey Vonn’s record 12 wins, the U.S. team has often fared well in Cortina, which will also host women’s skiing at next year’s Milan-Cortina Olympics.

Jacqueline Wiles finished second in the Cortina downhill last year for her second podium finish at the premier stop on the women’s circuit

“She’s a natural born downhiller,” Kristofic said of Wiles. “And this course suits her super, super well.”

Breezy Johnson also showed speed in Friday’s final training session by placing fourth behind only Sofia Goggia, Federica Brignone and Lara Gut-Behrami — three of the circuit’s best skiers.

Johnson recently returned from a 14-month ban after three violations of anti-doping whereabouts rules. She raised $150,000 to fund her own training sessions while she was out, and to hire her own coaches.

“It was a lot of work to raise the money and figure out the budgets and stuff like that,” Johnson said. “But in the end it was making the best out of a tough situation. And I’m really happy to be back with the girls.”

Vonn, of course, is also back, having recently come out of retirement at age 40.

Meanwhile, Mikaela Shiffrin is still working her way back from a puncture wound during a fall while pursuing a record-extending 100th World Cup win in Killington, Vermont, in November.

AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

United States' Isabella Wright speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill training, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

United States' Jacqueline Wiles speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill training, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

United States' Breezy Johnson speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill training, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

United States' Lauren Macuga speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill training, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

United States' Lauren Macuga gets ready for an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill training, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

MIAMI (AP) — Bam Adebayo scored 29 points, including three long jumpers in the final minutes, and Norman Powell added 27 as the Miami Heat squandered a 20-point lead before recovering to beat the Phoenix Suns 127-121 on Tuesday night.

Powell hit a 3-pointer with 48 seconds left to put Miami ahead for good, and Andrew Wiggins made a pair of free throws to seal the game after Phoenix's Dillon Brooks was called for a flagrant foul with 11.5 seconds remaining.

Adebayo pushed his career total to 9,461 points — two more than Alonzo Mourning for No. 2 on Miami's list, with Dwyane Wade's 21,556 points the franchise record. Tyler Herro scored 23 for Miami, which snapped a three-game slide.

Brooks and Grayson Allen each scored 25 for Phoenix, which had won three straight. Devin Booker finished with 24 points, nine rebounds and nine assists for the Suns, while Mark Williams added 18 points and 14 rebounds.

Phoenix was trying to overcome a 20-point deficit for the second time this season; the Suns trailed by 20 to Sacramento on opening night. They're now 0-11 in games in which they trailed by at least 20 since, but had a chance on Tuesday.

The Heat led by 20 after Herro made a 3-pointer on the opening possession of the second half, and the lead was still 17 when Booker was called for an offensive foul with 9:17 left in the third quarter — a play that the Suns challenged.

They won the challenge, and the game immediately changed.

Booker made the two free throws that got awarded instead, starting what became a 13-0 run. A three-point play by Oso Ighodaro with 0.1 seconds left in the third tied the game at 92, and a 3-pointer by Collin Gillespie with 9:13 left gave the Suns their first lead of the night.

Phoenix led by as many as six in the final minutes, before Adebayo and Powell sparked the Heat comeback.

Suns: Visit Detroit on Thursday.

Heat: Host Boston on Thursday.

AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NBA

Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen (8) looks to pass past Miami Heat guard Norman Powell (24) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Phoenix Suns guard/forward Dillon Brooks (3) drives forward defended by Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (22) and guard Tyler Herro (14) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Phoenix Suns guard/forward Dillon Brooks (3) reacts as he is fouled by Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (22) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives forward defended by Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (22) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Heat center/forward Bam Adebayo (13) shoots over Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams (15) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)