WEST POINT, N.Y. — Army filled its football coaching vacancy by heeding a core West Point value: History matters.

Rich Ellerson grew up around Black Knights football and is leaving his coaching job at Cal Poly to come to a place he knows well. His father and two brothers graduated from the U.S. Military Academy, where brother John led the 1962 team to a 6-4 record. And he’s worked before with former Army coaches known for running successful schemes on both sides of the ball.

Ellerson replaces Stan Brock, who was fired Dec. 12 after a pair of 3-9 seasons. This season ended with a 34-0 loss to Navy. Brock, a former New Orleans Saints offensive lineman, was Army’s offensive line coach for three years before replacing Bobby Ross in early 2007.

BASKETBALL

Lakers and Celtics draw big ratings on Christmas

NEW YORK — The Christmas Day game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics was the highest rated regular-season NBA game in four years.

The rematch of last season’s NBA finals earned a 5.3 fast national rating on ABC, the network said.

BASEBALL

Giants nab Johnson

SAN FRANCISCO — The Big Unit is heading home to the Bay Area.

Randy Johnson and the San Francisco Giants agreed to a one-year contract Friday, meaning the 45-year-old pitcher will go for his 300th win with a new team.

Johnson, a 21-year big league veteran who spent the past two seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, was born in Walnut Creek, Calif., about 30 minutes from the Giants’ waterfront ballpark.

The five-time Cy Young Award winner has 295 victories after going 11-10 with a 3.91 ERA in 30 starts last season.

HORSE RACING

Jockey Thompson dies

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. — Jockey Sam Thompson Jr. died Christmas Day, five days after he was thrown from a quarter horse following a race at Los Alamitos.

The 36-year-old rider had been on life support at Los Alamitos Medical Center since the Dec. 20 accident. Thompson’s family had him taken off life support Thursday, medical center spokesman Orlando Gutierrez said.

Harems Dynasty, a 2-year-old filly, threw Thompson after finishing seventh in the eighth race. The Los Alamitos Race Course season ended Dec. 21.

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

Fighter shot to death

NAMPA, Idaho — Mixed martial arts fighter Justin Mark Eilers was shot to death during a domestic disturbance, police said. He was 30.

Eilers, a Boise resident, was identified Friday as the victim of the Christmas night shooting in southwestern Idaho. Canyon County Coroner Vicki DeGeus-Morris said Eilers died of a single gun shot wound to the chest, and the death was ruled a homicide.

James Robert Malec, 48, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder.

Canyon County sheriff’s office deputy Gary Deulen said the investigation is ongoing, but described the shooting as a domestic disturbance.