MILWAUKEE (AP) — Brandon Ingram scored 29 points, Scottie Barnes added 24 and the Toronto Raptors beat the slumping Milwaukee Bucks 111-105 on Thursday night.
The Raptors have back-to-back road victories to bounce back from a four-game skid. They won 106-96 at Miami on Monday night.
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Toronto Raptors' Immanuel Quickley (5) drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks' Kevin Porter Jr. (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Milwaukee Bucks' Bobby Portis (9) hits the ball away from Toronto Raptors' Immanuel Quickley during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Toronto Raptors' Brandon Ingram (3) drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks' Kevin Porter Jr. during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Toronto Raptors' Scottie Barnes (4) dunks past Milwaukee Bucks' Bobby Portis during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Toronto Raptors' Scottie Barnes (4) shoots against Milwaukee Bucks' Bobby Portis (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Milwaukee played a fifth straight game without Giannis Antetokounmpo as the two-time MVP recovers from a right calf strain. The Bucks also were missing Kyle Kuzma due to an illness. Toronto didn’t have RJ Barrett (knee sprain) or Jakob Poeltl (lower back).
The Bucks have lost 12 of their last 15. They will be away from home for 11 of their next 14 contests, including five straight starting Sunday and running through Dec. 29.
Sandro Mamukelashvili added 18 points for Toronto. Barnes had 11 rebounds to go along with his 24 points. Jamal Shead and Immanuel Quickley each provided 10 assists.
Bobby Portis scored 24 points, Kevin Porter Jr. 22 and Myles Turner 21 for Milwaukee. Porter also had 13 assists and seven turnovers, while Portis had 12 rebounds.
After trailing by as many as 11 points in the first half, the Bucks pulled ahead 59-57 on Portis' 3-pointer with 10:46 left in the third quarter. Toronto pulled back ahead 48 seconds later when Barnes hit a driving layup, drew a foul and converted the Raptors’ first free-throw attempt of the night to complete a 3-point play.
Toronto stayed in front the rest of the way.
Gradey Dick sank a 3-pointer to extend Toronto’s lead to 89-80 with 9:30 left, but Milwaukee rallied and cut it to 91-88 on Portis’ 3-pointer with 7:34 remaining. Toronto responded with a 10-3 run to make it a 10-point game.
Porter hit a basket to reduce Toronto’s lead to 101-96 with 2:28 left, but Quickley made two straight baskets to thwart Milwaukee’s comeback attempt.
Raptors: Host Boston on Saturday.
Bucks: At Minnesota on Sunday.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Toronto Raptors' Immanuel Quickley (5) drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks' Kevin Porter Jr. (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Milwaukee Bucks' Bobby Portis (9) hits the ball away from Toronto Raptors' Immanuel Quickley during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Toronto Raptors' Brandon Ingram (3) drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks' Kevin Porter Jr. during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Toronto Raptors' Scottie Barnes (4) dunks past Milwaukee Bucks' Bobby Portis during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Toronto Raptors' Scottie Barnes (4) shoots against Milwaukee Bucks' Bobby Portis (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
STATESVILLE, N.C. (AP) — A business jet crashed Thursday while trying to return to a North Carolina airport shortly after takeoff, killing all seven people aboard, including retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family, authorities said.
The Cessna C550 erupted into a large fire when it hit the ground. It had departed Statesville Regional Airport, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Charlotte, but soon crashed while trying to return and land, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said.
Flight records show the plane was registered to a company run by Biffle. The cause of the crash wasn't immediately known, nor was the reason for the plane's return to the airport in drizzle and cloudy conditions.
Federal Aviation Administration records show Biffle was rated to fly helicopters and single and multi-engine planes. It wasn't clear if Biffle was piloting the plane at the time of the crash.
Biffle was on the plane with his wife, Cristina, and children Ryder, 5, and Emma, 14, according to the highway patrol and a family statement. Others on the plane were identified as Dennis Dutton, his son Jack, and Craig Wadsworth.
“Each of them meant everything to us, and their absence leaves an immeasurable void in our lives,” the joint family statement said.
Biffle, 55, won more than 50 races across NASCAR’s three circuits, including 19 at the Cup Series level. He also won the Trucks Series championship in 2000 and the Xfinity Series title in 2002.
NASCAR said it was devastated by the news.
“Greg was more than a champion driver; he was a beloved member of the NASCAR community, a fierce competitor, and a friend to so many,” NASCAR said. “His passion for racing, his integrity, and his commitment to fans and fellow competitors alike made a lasting impact on the sport.”
The plane, bound for Florida, took off from the Statesville airport shortly after 10 a.m., according to tracking data posted by FlightAware.com.
Golfers playing next to the airport were shocked as they witnessed the disaster, even dropping to the ground at the Lakewood Golf Club while the plane was overhead. The ninth hole was covered with debris.
“We were like, ‘Oh my gosh! That’s way too low,’” said Joshua Green of Mooresville. “It was scary.”
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration were investigating.
The Cessna plane, built in 1981, is a popular mid-sized business jet with an excellent reputation, aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti said. It has two engines and typically seats six to eight passengers and two pilots.
In 2024, Biffle was honored for his humanitarian efforts after Hurricane Helene struck the U.S., even using his personal helicopter to deliver aid to flooded, remote western North Carolina.
“The last time I spoke with Cristina, just a couple of weeks ago, she reached out to ask how she could help with relief efforts in Jamaica. That’s who the Biffles were," U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, a Republican from North Carolina, said.
Wadsworth was Biffle's friend and helped him with odd jobs, including delivering supplies to places hit by Hurricane Helene, roommate Benito Howell said.
“He didn’t know how to say no,” Howell said of Wadsworth, who had worked for several NASCAR teams. “He loved everybody. He always tried to help everybody.”
The joint family statement also spoke about Dutton and his son Jack, saying they were "deeply loved as well, and their loss is felt by all who knew them."
With 2025 almost over, there have been 1,331 U.S. crashes this year investigated by the NTSB, from two-seat planes to commercial aircraft, compared to a total of 1,482 in 2024.
Major air disasters around the world in 2025 include the plane-helicopter collision that killed 67 in Washington, the Air India crash that killed 260 in India, and a crash in Russia’s Far East that claimed 48 lives. Fourteen people, including 11 on the ground, died in a UPS cargo plane crash in Kentucky.
Robertson reported from Raleigh, North Carolina. Associated Press writers John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; Jenna Fryer in Charlotte, North Carolina; Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska; Ed White in Detroit; and Sarah Brumfield in Washington contributed to this story.
FILE - Former driver Greg Biffle waves to fans prior to a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Darlington Raceway, Aug. 31, 2025, in Darlington, S.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley, File)
FILE - Greg Biffle smiles along pit row during qualifying for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Friday, Aug. 31, 2012, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/David Tulis, File)
FILE - Greg Biffle celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010, in Kansas City, Kan. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner, File)
First responders tend to the scene of a reported plane crash at a regional airport in Statesville, N.C., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)
First responders tend to the scene of a reported plane crash at a regional airport in Statesville, N.C., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)
First responders tend to the scene of a reported plane crash at a regional airport in Statesville, N.C., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)
This screengrab made from video provided by WSOC shows firefighting crews responding to a reported plane crash at a regional airport in Statesville, N.C., erupting in a large fire, Thursday, Dec. 8, 2025. (WSOC via AP)
