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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 7, 2016
Timberwolves stun Warriors in OT
(THE Sports Xchange) - The Minnesota Timberwolves stalled the Golden State Warriors’ pursuit of history, Tuesday night, riding a fourth-quarter comeback and Andrew Wiggins’ nine points in overtime to a shocking 124-117 victory. Minnesota, who trailed by 15 points in the first quarter and 17 with just 18 minutes to go, held Golden State without a field goal for the final 2:23 of regulation, then scored the first four points of the overtime session to propel itself to the unlikely win. Centre Karl-Anthony Towns had two key hoops midway the overtime to keep the Warriors at bay, helping deny Golden State a 70th win in the season. The Warriors (69-9) still have a chance to beat the Chicago Bulls’ all-time record win total of 72, but now they must sweep their final four games, including a home showdown today with the San Antonio Spurs (65-12). Golden State will take a 3 1/2-game lead over the Spurs into that game. A Warriors win would clinch the top seeding in the Western Conference playoffs. Golden State also visit San Antonio on Sunday. Reserve guard Shabazz Muhammad had a career-high 35 points, and Wiggins added 32 for the Timberwolves, who had lost three in a row, all to Western playoff clubs and
hopefuls. Golden State, meanwhile, lost at home for just the second time this season. The Warriors had a 114game win streak snapped in games where they led by 15
SHABAZZ MUHAMMAD or more points. The Warriors, who were on top 25-10 less than seven minutes into the game, enjoyed their biggest lead at 7154 in the third period. After an early 18-2 explosion that opened the 15-point lead, the Warriors struggled against a Timberwolves team that recorded wins at Oklahoma City, Memphis and Washington last month. Golden State led 86-78 entering the final period but saw that disappear into a 94-all tie with 6:40 to go. The Timberwolves seemed to catch a bad break when, down by three with 1:09 to go, a possible three-point play by star centre Towns was
overturned on a replay to an offensive foul. However, Minnesota shut down the Golden State offence and eventually forced overtime when Wiggins got to the basket for a driving hoop that tied the game at 106 with 19.8 seconds left. The Warriors then failed to get off a shot before the horn sounded to end regulation. Golden State scored just 11 points in overtime, missing eight of their 12 shots. Minnesota (26-52) won the game at the free-throw line, where it outscored Golden State 28-7. Muhammad went 15-for-17 and Wiggins 8-for-9 at the line. Towns finished with a 20-point, 12-rebound double-double, and Zach LaVine added 16 points for the Timberwolves, who opened a three-game trip by handing Golden State their first overtime loss of the season after six wins. Klay Thompson had 28 points and Stephen Curry 21 for the Warriors, but they combined for just 8-for-25 shooting on 3-pointers. Curry experienced an especially rough night, going 7-for-25 from the field and 4-for-14 from beyond the arc. He did lead all players with 15 assists. Andrew Bogut had a 10-point, 15-rebound double-double for the Warriors, and Harrison Barnes scored 20.
Australia’s women cricketers get bumper pay rise AUSTRALIA’S elite women cricketers will be able to earn in excess of A$100 000 ($75 590) a year for the first time in the 2016-17 season after Cricket Australia announced significant pay increases for top players yesterday. The increases for the players who make up the world number one-ranked Southern Stars team are part of a strategy to make cricket “the sport of choice for women in Australia”, CA Chief Executive James Sutherland said in a statement. “Cricket is a sport for all Australians and Cricket Australia will continue to invest heavily in the women’s game in the coming years,” he added. “Of the more than 1.2 million people of all ages currently playing cricket in Australia almost a quarter of them are women and girls. “That number continues to grow rapidly and we will continue to support females playing the game from backyard to baggy green.”
Top women players will now be able to earn a retainer of $65 000 a year for representing their country and $15 000 from Women’s Big Bash League teams, which, when combined with match and tour fees, would take their earnings into six figures. Cricket Australia said its spending on elite women’s cricket would increase from A$2.36M to A$4.23M and the players could also expect improved accommodation as well as less training in the week to enable them to work or study. The Southern Stars lost to West Indies in the World Twenty20 final last weekend but remain top of the world rankings ahead of England. The earning potential of the women players still lags a long way behind their male counterparts, however, with all-rounder Shane Watson taking home A$4.5M in 2014 from salary and endorsements, according to Australian magazine BRW.
World Champs arrive to a heroes’ welcome BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – World champions West Indies Women and a few players from the men’s champions side arrived here Tuesday to a heroes’ welcome, as the country celebrated their clean-sweep of the titles at Twenty20 World Cup which ended Sunday in India. The players touched down at the Grantley Adams International Airport just after 15:00hrs and were met on arrival by Sports Minister Stephen Lashley, Tourism Minister Richard Sealy along with the Barbados Cricket Association president and legendary former West Indies fast bowler Joel Garner. A large number of fans, family and well-wishers were also on hand at the airport to greet the players. They were then feted during a brief function before starting out on a motorcade which took them along the south coast, into the city before winding back to the Accra Beach located on the south coast. Garner, a member of the World Cup winning squad in 1979, said both teams had brought immense joy to the Caribbean with their achievements. “We are eternally grateful for the joy and happiness you’ve brought to us and like everything else there has been a lot of hard work and sacrifice put into your success,” Garner said during the ceremony. “I don’t think people really understand the hard work you put in to get to where you are and the hard work you put in to get to the end.” Last Sunday, West Indies Women chased down the highest-ever total in a T20 World Cup final to upset three-time defending champions Australia by eight wickets, and claim their first-ever title. In the second final, West Indies became the first team to win a T20 World Cup twice when they defeated England by four wickets in a dramatic last over. Lashley hailed the achievement of both teams, noting it was apparent that team spirit had played a key role in their success. “This evening I had the pleasure of greeting all of the members of both the women’s teams and of course the men’s team who came back to Barbados and I was really touched by, not only the excitement, but the team spirit they still carried with them on their shoulders,” Lashley said. “I believe that team spirit was instrumental in achieving success in the just concluded World series. I believe I speak on behalf of the entire Caribbean family when I say we salute you. We were there at the crease, on the pitch, on the boundary, everywhere literally, as you so carefully crafted that victory.” Women captain Stafanie Taylor said she was overwhelmed by the reception for the team. “The welcome was good, it was quite surprising. When they told us we had to stay back in the plane, we were wondering what was going on and then coming out to see everybody there it was an overwhelming feeling,” Taylor said. “We hope that we continue doing great things so we can get these feelings again. I’ve never had a motorcade before, it’s the first experience so I’m looking forward to it.” The full women’s team returned while of the men’s side, only Barbadians Sulieman Benn and Ashley Nurse, along with Grenadian Andre Fletcher and Trinidadian Samuel Badree, touched down here. Several other players flew to their respective home territories from London while the likes of Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Carlos Brathwaite, Jason Holder and Lendl Simmons all remained in India for Saturday’s start of the new Indian Premier League (IPL) season.