02212018 sports

SPORTS SECTION E

GOLF, PAGE 5

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2018

Timberwolves rout the Knights 65-41 on day 2

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

W

ith the return of point guard Dominic Bridgewater in their line-up, the Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves feel as if they can shake off the disappointment of losing the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association’s senior boys championship title and win the prestigious Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic.

Bridgewater, back in town after playing in high school in Florida last year, helped the Timberwolves secure a 65-41 rout over the CR Walker Knights in the feature game on day two of the week-long tournament at AF Adderley Gymnasium last night.

In the other games played, South Andros nipped the Mt Carmel Cavaliers 65-64, the Government High Magicmen clobbered the St Anne’s Bluewaves 70-38 and the GSSSA champions CC Sweeting Cobras blasted the St John’s Giants 68-36.

• Here’s a summary: Timberwolves 65, Knights 41 Despite only playing less than 10 minutes in the game, Bridgewater canned a game high 11 points to lead a balanced scoring attack for Doris Johnson as they played for the first time since they lost to CC Sweeting in the GSSSA final a week ago.

Bridgewater also had four rebounds and two steals.

No other player was in double figures for the Timberwolves, but K’Jay Nixon contributed nine points with four rebounds, Chrispen Rolle had seven points and seven rebounds and both Andre Calvert and Kirk Farrington chipped in with seven apiece. Devon Bonaby Jr added six points.

“We added Dominic Bridgewater back to the team for the tournament and so we are hoping that we can go all the way and win the title,” said Timberwolves’ coach Spurgeon Johnson Jr. “We went to the GSSSA championships without him, so we think that by adding him,

SEE PAGE 4

South Andros, GHS, St Anne’s and Cobras in the win column

HANGTIME: The Mt Carmel Preparatory Cavaliers yesterday defeated the South Andros High Barracuda on day 2 of the 35th Hugh Campbell Invitational at the AF Adderley Gymnasium. SEE MORE PHOTOS ON PAGES 4 & 8 Photo: Shawn Hanna/Trbune Staff

FIBA: TEAM BAHAMAS LOOKS TO FOCUS ON DEFENCE

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WHEN the second leg of the FIBA World Cup is played on Thursday and Sunday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, the key word for Team Bahamas against the Dominican Republic and Canada will be defence.

Team Bahamas, with a 13-member team selected, will play the Dominican Republic at 8pm Thursday, following an earlier matchup at 4pm between Canada and the US Virgin Islands.

Then at 8pm on Sunday again, the Bahamas will entertain Canada, while the Dominican Republic will face the US Virgin Islands at 4pm. Those two matches will be preceded by the final four matches of the Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic.

Bahamas men’s head coach Mario Bowleg said he likes the defensive makeup of the team, which is hoping for better results than the first leg when the Bahamas lost to Canada in Halifax and to the Dominican Republic here at home in November.

“I think from the practices we had, the guys feel a lot more comfortable,” Bowleg said. “Some of the lineups that we as a coaching staff had in mind, has began to change as the players start to perform as each practice goes along.

“The good thing is we have fellows who can defend and put the ball in the hole. Notice I keep talking about that word defence. You have to make stops in order to get out and score.”

The Bahamas will carry a team that comprises of Michael Bain, Shavanno Cooper, Leon Cooper, Alonzo Hinds, Abel Joseph, Robert Nortman, David Nesbitt, Jonathan Fairall, Christopher Turnquest, Keno Burrows, Kentwon Smith and Eugene Bain.

Fairall is the last man to join the team and with his performance in the France league where he was averaging double digits in scoring and rebounding, Bowleg said he will make a big difference in the middle for Team Bahamas.

He added that Kenton Smith, who missed the last window, is also shooting

SEE PAGE 2

Norris Bain: ‘Winning 6 Hugh Campbell titles was a tough order’

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

NORRIS Bain stands alone as the winningest coach in the history of the prestigious Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic. He has coached his Tabernacle Baptist Falcons to a record six titles.

But for Bain, who has passed the coaching mantel onto his former player turned assistant and now head coach Kevin Clarke, it was not an easy road to the top.

“Winning the Hugh Campbell has been difficult, but Tabernacle is now a brand in this country,” said Bain of the highly acclaimed senior boys’ basketball programme out of Grand Bahama.

“It’s going to be a while before they are not always contending.

Kevin (Clarke) got his first one last year and honestly, I expect him to get many more, but it’s going to be tough.”

While the Falcons, under coach Clarke, come in as the defending

champions, Bain was able to take the title back to Tabernacle after winning in 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2009 and 2010.

But as it was in the years when he roamed the sidelines, Bain said he anticipates that the CC Sweeting Cobras and CI Gibson Rattlers and their arch-rivals from Grand Bahama - Sunland and Jack Hayward Wildcats - will always be a force to reckon with.

The closest coach to at least tying Bain’s record is Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnson with the Rattlers. He won titles in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2014. Bain believes Johnson has the ability to catch him up and maybe even surpass him, but admits that it’s not going to be easy.

“Winning six Hugh Campbell titles was a tough order. That was not an easy feat,” he pointed out.

“The guys will have to work if they want to get it.

“I never set out to do it. It almost caught me by surprise when I was told that I did it.

NORRIS BAIN, assistant coach of the Bahamas men’s national basketball team.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

When I looked back over the years, I said maybe it should be more like 10 because I got so close, but I think I did such a poor job in some of them that I didn’t win. But it’s a feat and I’m happy that we did it.”

And looking back at all of them, Bain acknowledged that his last victory in 2014 was definitely his sweetest. “Those guys were with us since they were in kindergarten,” he said. “To see them win was an awesome feeling for them and for me so that definitely was special.”

Since then, Bain offered himself as a candidate on the political scene in Grand Bahama, first with the Free National Movement and then the Progressive Liberal Party. Each time he lost, but while he’s no longer coaching at the high school level, even though he still assists Clarke when they travel to compete overseas, he’s now making his contribution as an assistant coach on the men’s national basketball team.

Does he miss coaching at Hugh Campbell?

“No. I still go to the gym and I will go back this year to watch,” he said. “But I love doing this national team coaching and that kind of substitutes for not being at the high school level.

“High school in my opinion was more pressure. With the national team, I can relax a lot more and enjoy working with the professional basketball players when they come home.”

As for the Falcons, Bain said he’s confident that at the end of the tournament on Monday night, Tabernacle Baptist could be contending for another title.

And if everything goes as planned and guard Dominic Bridgewater, who played briefly in Florida last year, is allowed to play for the Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves, Bain said they could end up facing his Falcons in the big dance.

If not, he likes the Rattlers as a legitimate contender.

PAGE 2, Wednesday, February 21, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

TEAM BAHAMAS, with a 13-member team selected, will play the Dominican Republic at 8pm Thursday. When the second leg of the FIBA World Cup is played on Thursday and Sunday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, the key word for Team Bahamas will be defence.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

TEAM BAHAMAS LOOKS TO FOCUS ON DEFENCE AGAINST CANADA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FROM PAGE 1 the ball extremely well and he’s looking for him to make an impact, along with the return of CJ Hinds, who also was missed in the backcourt in November. “We are comfortable and we feel good and ready for Thursday,” Bowleg said.

Famed high school coach from Grand Bahama, Norris Bain, who will be a part of the coaching staff along with Wayde Watson and Quinton ‘Three Ounce’ Hall, said based on what he has seen in the four practices, the team has

definitely been upgraded in terms of the backcourt.

“I think Alonzo Hinds and Leon Cooper will bring a lot of experience this time around and I like the fact that we have a lot of guys that bring some size to the team,” Bain said.

“Definitely, we are way better defensively and that is a plus. We are going to get some stops and we will ride our horses down the end. We will have to go with the people who have the hot hands in the game.”

If they can make the necessary adjustments to their opponents’ style of play, Bain said there’s no reason why the Bahamas should not come out of the two

games with at least a win or even two.

“I like this team,” he summed up.

Eugene Bain, one of those players who will be relied upon to lead the defensive attack, said he’s delighted to be back on the team after missing the last window.

“I didn’t play in the last window, but I’m just happy and delighted to be able to play in front of my home crowd,” he said. “I think I bring some more toughness and scoring to the team and that is what we need, toughness and scoring.

“Also, this game, we will need some defence and I hope that we bring that and

play some defence. We just have to play together and do what our coaches say and should be great.”

In the last window, Carey didn’t put up the performance that many expected from him. But he has vowed to turn that around as he makes the adjustment from coming from Europe where the conditions are slightly different.

“After I watched the games we played and I heard how people have told me that we could have played a lot better, I think we just need to defend better,” Carey said.

“I like what the coaches are doing this time. They are giving us a lot more

freedom to play our role.

I think the last time, everybody was just trying to figure out their roles. But this time, the team knows what they have to do. It’s much more organised, so we really don’t have to invent anything.”

Carey, now in his rookie year with the Etoile Charleville-Meizeres in France, said he’s been holding his own in Europe and he’s eager to come home and show the Bahamian public that he’s improved on what he did in the last window.

“My league is in the top eight and (Keno) Burrows is in the top two in scoring, but it’s real physical. It’s different,” said Carey of his

team that is in 18th place at 4-15, but he’s contributing with an average of 10 points, four rebounds and three assists per game.

“Thank God I have a job. My mother and father have never seen that part of the world, so it gives them something to look forward to. Hopefully, I can get another shot at playing in the NBA, but if it doesn’t work out, I still have a job and I get to play basketball for a living.”

This week, 24-year-old Carey said he will be looking forward to playing the systematic basketball that he’s known for and if he does, he feels he can help the Bahamas be successful.

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THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, February 21, 2018, PAGE 3

Busy weekend of tennis for promising young players IT was a very busy weekend of tennis for the most promising young tennis players in The Bahamas with every contestant playing five or more matches at the National Tennis Centre.

The first in a series of five 2018 events in The Winterbotham IC Junior Series for 12 & under and 10 & under players had some exciting matches. All contestants played four matches in round robin groups on the first day with “Playoffs” on the second day.

In the older category Michael Major came through as the winner with a final win over Jackson Mactaggart. In the younger age group it was Jerrold Carroll from Freeport with a final win over BreAnn Ferguson.

However, the emphasis on the series is maximum tournament experience for all this group of emerging players

ASPIRING tennis players take advantage of the exposure, playing five or more matches at the National Tennis Centre. with everyone playing five or more matches. This is designed to help development of all this group and promote a new generation of tennis players in The Bahamas without the expense of going overseas.

The series moves on to The

Lleyton Hewitt Albany Tennis Academy for the second event April 14-15 then on to Baha Mar for the third event May 19-20. This will be followed in October and November with events in Freeport and at The Gym Club. The event, which has

SHOWN (l-r) are Michael Pintard, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Her Excellency Dame Marguerite Pindling, Governor General of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas and Carol Barnett, BTC Senior Manager for Events and Sponsorships.

Photo: Eric Rose

MINISTRY RECOGNISES BTC AS NATIONAL SPONSOR OF THE YEAR FOR SPORTS IN 2017 WITH an investment of over $1m in sports in 2017 alone, The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture has recognised BTC as the National Sponsor of the Year for Sports in 2017.

The year was an epic one for the country, as it hosted a number of major international and national sporting events, and BTC was title sponsor for just about every single event.

The events included the IAAF/BTC World Relays, FIFA World Cup Beach Soccer Games, The Commonwealth Youth Games, CARIFTA Track and Field and Swimming Championships, Flag Football and Basketball Smiles.

“BTC remains engrained in the community. Youth and sports are two major pillars in our community focus,” said BTC’s CEO Dexter Cartwright.

“We want to ensure that our young people have the opportunities that they need to succeed. 2017 was an exceptional year for sports in this country and BTC was proud to be the official partner.”

In addition to its corporate sports sponsorships last

year, BTC also continued its endorsement contracts for Bahamian sports superstars, including Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace, Jonquel Jones, Ramon Miller and

Demetrius Pinder. “BTC remains engrained in the community.

Youth and sports are two major pillars in our community focus,” Cartwright added.

BLTA approval, has been developed and is being run

by The International Tennis Club of The Bahamas (IC) and sponsored by Winterbotham Trust Company.

There are 40 IC’s around the world made up primarily of some of the best

players in those countries who, as well as organising senior events, give back to tennis - “the game for life” - through activities such as this. Their motto is “hands across the net, friendship across the ocean” and by talking with all the juniors

at these events they are also developing good attitudes as well as good tennis.

All the juniors, their coaches and parents were very enthusiastic about the event and its format with many signing up already for the next event in the series.

PAGE 4, Wednesday, February 21, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

35TH HUGH CAMPBELL INVITATIONAL

Rattlers rout the Suns 60-41

ON THE REPLAY: The CI Gibson Rattlers eased their way to a 60-41 win over the Temple Christian Suns on Monday as the 35th Hugh Campbell Invitational tipped off at the AF Adderley Gymnasium with the traditional inter-league matchups between BAISS and GSSSA schools highlighting day one.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Trbune Staff

Hugh Campbell: Anatol Rodgers, South Andros, GHS, St Anne’s and Cobras in the win column FROM PAGE 1 should carry us through.

“He was a little rusty. He missed a couple of lay-ups, but as the tournament goes on and more crowds come out to watch us play, he will get better and we will improve as a team.”

In a losing effort for CR Walker, Stanley Laguerre had 10 points and nine rebounds. Their best scorer was Steffan McKenzie with nine points and eight rebounds. Branton Adderley finished with seven points.

Although Anatol Rodgers led from start to finish, CR Walker was able to make a couple of runs at their lead. But every time the Knights got close, the Timberwolves mounted an attack to pull away.

After getting off to a slow start with a 15-13 advantage at the end of the first quarter, Anatol Rodgers broke away for a 31-22 halftime lead that they increased to 51-32 at the end of the third. The Cobras 68, Giants 36 If there were any doubts about whether CC Sweeting would still be on a high after winning the GSSSA title, they proved it in their match-up against St John’s College.

Brandon Strachan, coming off his most valuable player performance, ignited their charge with a game high 21 points with four rebounds and as many steals. Marco Beckford was also in double figures with 18 points, five rebounds and five steals. Jaydian Smith followed with seven points and Brent Smith chipped in with five.

The Cobras had an impressive 28-5 first quarter lead that they extended to 36-13 at the half. They put the game out of reach in the third as they went

HANGTIME: The Mt Carmel Preparatory Cavaliers yesterday defeated the South Andros High Barracuda on day 2 of the 35th Hugh Campbell Invitational at the AF Adderley Gymnasium.

SEE MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 8 Photos: Shawn Hanna/Trbune Staff into the final break with a comfortable 52-19 cushion.

Voushaun Bullard was the bright spot for the Giants as he scored 11 points with four rebounds.

Torrez Basden and Kyden Cash both had seven points.

Magicmen 70, Bluewaves 38 With three players in double figures, Davajio Taylor scored 17 points to pace Government, who broke away from a close 11-10 margin at the end of the first quarter for a 28-19 advantage at the half. They

went on to post a convincing 56-25 lead at the end of the third. Tevon Kemp added 15 points with seven rebounds, Justin Larose had 14 points, five rebounds and four steals and Bionte Anderson had a big game with nine points and 10 rebounds.

Derryn Johnson led St Anne’s with 17 points, 12 rebounds and five steals and two block shots, while Michael Wallace also had 17 points and five rebounds.

The only other player to score was Thayne Braynen with four points.

Cheetahs 65, Cavaliers 64 In the most keenly contested match-up of the day, South Andros was the first Family Island team so far in this year’s tournament to post a win. Of course, the fans are still waiting to see who will be the first team outside of New Providence and Grand Bahama to win the title.

The Cheetahs led 15-10 after the first quarter that they extended to 32-28 at the half. However, after the break, the Cavaliers stormed back to go up

45-42 at the end of the third and the two teams traded the lead in the fourth quarter before South Andros prevailed with the nail biter.

Kavano Porter had 22 points, 12 rebounds, two steals and as many blocks, while Mennalick also had 22 points in the win. Jeffrey Francis contributed 12 points, three rebounds, two steals and a block shot. Quinton Adderley added four points and three rebounds. In a losing effort for Mt Carmel, Gregory Kay lit up the nets for a game high 31 points with

eight steals, Eugene Neely had 14 points, eight steals and six rebounds and Jermaine Williams had eight points and six rebounds.

TODAY’S SCHEDULE 4pm - Mt Carmel vs TC 5pm - Tabernacle Baptist Academy vs CV Bethel 6pm - Agape vs St George’s 7pm - Gateway vs Doris Johnson 8pm - Patrick J Bethel vs Sunland Baptist.

9pm - Sir Jack Hayward vs CI Gibson

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, February 21, 2018, PAGE 5

FOGNINI DROPS TENNIS RACKET, STILL WINS POINT IN RIO OPEN

TIGER Woods walks off the first green during the second round of the Genesis Open golf tournament at Riviera Country Club in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood of Los Angeles on Friday.

(AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Woods misses cut at Riviera and moves forward to Florida

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy were talking down the 17th fairway at Riviera when they stopped for a moment as McIlroy began rehearsing elements of a swing. It looked for a brief moment like an impromptu lesson.

Not quite. They were talking about drivers and spin rates and other technical issues.

Woods isn’t looking for another coach.

McIlroy says all Woods really needs his time, beyond the additional two days he has off after Woods missed the cut in the Genesis Open.

“He’s very close. He is very close,” McIlroy said a second time for emphasis. “Give him a little bit of time. He’s still figuring a few things about with equipment, sort of in between drivers and whatever, but he’s close.”

That’s what Woods used to say when he was changing his swing on healthy knees and a back that had not been touched four times by surgeries. He used to get it sorted out eventually, winning majors with three different swings.

But now, the talk about being close is more about simply getting into contention.

Woods began his latest comeback with a tie for 23rd at Torrey Pines three weeks ago, a return that brought promise because of the difficult conditions and thick rough. He refused to call it a setback when he had eight bogeys in his round of 5-over 76 to miss the cut by four shots at Riviera.

“I missed every tee shot left and I did not putt well ... and consequently never made a run,” Woods said.

“I knew I had to make a run on that back nine and I went the other way.”

His hopes of playing the weekend at Riviera ended with a three-putt bogey from 40 feet on No. 11, a three-putt bogey from 80 feet on No. 12 and a tee shot he pulled badly to the left and into the trees, leaving his a 3-iron instead of a wedge into the green.

He made a third straight bogey.

Two weeks and six rounds into his return, he has work to do.

“I’m both pleased and also not very happy with some parts of it,” Woods said when asked what he thought of his game.

“It’s nice to be back competing again and to be able to go out there and play, practice after each round.

That’s been nice, something I haven’t done in years. So keep building.”

He gets back to the construction site next week at the Honda Classic.

Woods was asked at the start of the week if he would be better off as an assistant captain or a player for the Ryder Cup, assuming he had a good enough year to finish around 20th in the points, high enough to be considered for a pick.

His answer: Why not both?

One part should come true. Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk is expected to appoint Woods and Steve Stricker as vice captains Tuesday during the Honda Classic. That’s not an indication that Woods has lowered expectations or goals.

The unknown in this case is how much time he needs to get to where he wants to be.

It was announced Friday, after Woods began his second round, that he is playing the Honda Classic next week. “I’ve just got to play more tournaments,” he said.

Woods showed plenty of good golf.

His tee shot on the reachable par-4 10th, one

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Fabio Fognini of Italy dropped his racket and still won the set point in the first round of the Rio Open on Monday.

Fognini, seeded fifth, was serving for the second set against Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil when the racket slipped from his hand after serving. But it bounced back up off the clay, he snatched it, rallied with Bellucci and hit an overhead winner at the net to tie the score on sets.

Fognini, who had been down a set and 4-0, ultimately prevailed 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-2.

World No. 3 and top seed Marin Cilic of Croatia enjoyed less drama in his Rio Open debut beating Argentine qualifier Carlos Berlocq 6-3, 6-2.

This was Cilic’s first match since reaching the Australian Open final. He faces Gael Monfils or Horacio Zeballos next.

KERBER EASILY ADVANCES TO 2ND ROUND DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Sixthseeded Angelique Kerber needed less than an hour to beat Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-1 Tuesday in the first round of the Dubai Championships.

Fifth-seeded Caroline Garcia of France also advanced, beating Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 7-5.

Kerber was broken in the opening game but had no trouble the rest of the way against the 2016 runner-up. She broke back immediately and earned another break in the fourth game to take control of the match. She will next face Italy’s Sara Errani.

“I played a solid match,” Kerber said. “It’s always tough to play against her.

You never know what’s going to happen. She’s always a fighter.”

American 18-year-old Catherine Bellis followed up her quarterfinal appearance in Doha by beating Elise Mertens of Belgium 6-3, 6-3. Bellis, who lost to Simona Halep in Doha, will face Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza next.

“I’ve never played her before. It’s definitely going to be a new experience for me,” Bellis said. “She’s an unbelievable player and has been at the top of the game for a while now. It will be great for me just to see where my game lines up against another one of the top players.”

Samantha Stosur, one of the four Grand Slam champions in the field, lost 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 to the hard-hitting Anett Kontaveit of Estonia.

TIGER Woods (above) reacts to a putt that failed to drop on the eighth green.

TOP: Tiger Woods hits his tee shot on the 15th hole.

(AP Photos/Ryan Kang) of the most dangerous holes for any player who gets out of position, was close to perfection.

TIGER Woods hits out of a fairway bunker on the 17th hole.

The tee shot stopped just short of the left edge of the green, and Woods opted for a putter that he sent to the high side of a shallow green with perfect pace so that it caught the slope and trickled down to a few feet of the cup.

Tap-in birdies at No. 10 are rare.

His power was evident by hitting his driver out there with McIlroy and Justin Thomas. His putting was noticeably better at Torrey Pines and for one round — Thursday — at Riviera.

His concern over two tournaments has been his iron play, particularly distance control.

“One of my hallmarks of my whole career is I’ve always hit the ball pin-high with my iron shots, and I have not done that,” he said. “My wedge game is fine, but my normal irons shots that I’ve always had

dialed in for much of my career, it’s just not there.”

And neither is his scoring.

What stood out over two days is that Woods can’t afford to drop shots the way Thomas and McIlroy can. He doesn’t make birdies at a rate they can, mainly because he doesn’t give himself enough chances. It’s like every tournament is an old-style US Open where the premium is on par.

That should change over time.

“He struggled a little bit more today, but he hits enough good shots to know that if pieces it all together, he’s going to be right there,” McIlroy said.

“I think everyone just has to be patient with him — especially him being patient with it — and just give him time. It’s a good thing he’s playing next week just to get back at it.”

ISNER WINS REMATCH AGAINST ALBOT DELRAY BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Sixth-seeded John Isner overcame a slow start Tuesday to win his rematch against Radu Albot in the first round of the Delray Beach Open, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.

Isner lost to Albot last week in the first round of the New York Open, and had been beaten in the opening match of his three previous tournaments this year.

No. 9 Milos Raonic, last year’s runner-up to champion Jack Sock, swept the final five games and beat Taro Daniel 6-1, 7-5.

Ivo Karlovic, the 2015 champion, converted only one of 12 break-point chances and lost to Denis Shapovalov 7-5, 7-6 (4).

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, February 21, 2018, PAGE 7

MESSI SCORES VS CHELSEA AT 9TH ATTEMPT TO GIVE BARCA CL DRAW

By ROB HARRIS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Lionel Messi finally managed one of the few things he had yet to achieve in football.

At his ninth attempt, the five-time world player of the year finally scored against Chelsea, salvaging a 1-1 draw yesterday and halting his longest drought against any opponent after 730 minutes.

By cancelling out Willian’s opener, Messi also gave Barcelona a narrow edge in their Champions League round-of-16 matchup heading into the second leg at Camp Nou on March 14. The night’s other game produced a far more conclusive outcome with Thomas Mueller and Robert Lewandowski both scoring twice as Bayern Munich beat 10-man Besiktas 5-0.

It was far tighter at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea deploying Eden Hazard as a false nine and containing Barcelona’s energetic

pressing before being made to pay for a rare slip in concentration in the 75th minute.

Andreas Christensen, the 21-year-old centre back who displaced 32-yearold captain Gary Cahill from the starting lineup, passed laxly across his own penalty area. Barcelona capitalised. Andres Iniesta beat Cesar Azpilicueta to the ball, skipped past the defender’s attempt to tackle and squared for the unmarked Messi to turn into the bottom of the net.

It prevented Barcelona from slipping to only its second loss in all competitions since August.

“We lacked more clearcut chances, but the good thing is we managed to force an error out of them and score an equaliser,” Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said through a translator.

“We go back to the Camp Nou happy.”

Twice, though, Barcelona had gifted Willian the space to hit the post in the first half. It was third

“and did exactly what we expected.”

Described by Valverde as a “clash of styles,” this was not a meeting of equals.

While Barcelona enjoys a seven-point lead at the top of the Spanish league, Chelsea is in a scrap to even secure one of the Premier League’s four Champions League qualification places. Recent damaging defeats at Bournemouth and Watford have left Chelsea with only a one-point hold on fourth place — and no chance of defending its title with Manchester City 19 points ahead. Now Chelsea, which won its only European title in 2012, has to find a way to at least score at Barcelona next month to secure passage to the quarter-finals for the first time since 2014.

“We have to go there to attack and score because 90 minutes defending at the Nou Camp is an eternity,” said Cesc Fabregas, who joined Chelsea from Barcelona. “It is a suicide mission.”

CHELSEA’S WILLIAN, celebrates scoring his side’s first goal of the game yesterday during the Champions League round of sixteen first leg soccer match against FC Barcelona at Stamford Bridge stadium in London.

(Adam Davy/PA via AP) time lucky in the 62nd for Willian, who drifts in and out of the team but was the outlet of Chelsea’s most dangerous moments against the five-time European champions.

The Brazilian was left unmarked just outside the penalty area to receive a pass from Eden Hazard.

Sergio Busquets charged forward to block Willian but ended up on flat on his

BAYERN CRUISES TO 5-0 VICTORY OVER BESIKTAS

back after Willian shimmied past him. “We gave too much space to Willian to shoot,” Valverde said. “The pass to him was perfect, the control was perfect. And we just had to get closer to him.”

They didn’t. Willian picked out a gap in the defence to send the ball into the bottom right of the night. “We stayed compact, had a plan,” Willian said,

MUNICH (AP) — Thomas Mueller and Robert Lewandowski both scored twice as Bayern Munich defeated 10-man Besiktas 5-0 Tuesday to all but secure progress to the Champions League quarterfinals for the seventh straight season.

Bayern played with an extra man after Domagoj Vida was sent off early for bringing down Lewandowski as the last defender, but didn’t open the scoring until the 43rd minute when Mueller netted from close range. The floodgates opened after the break, though, as Kingsley Coman doubled the lead and Mueller grabbed his second midway through the second half.

Lewandowski polished off the win with two late goals to give Bayern a seemingly insurmountable five-goal cushion ahead of the second leg of the last-16 tie in Istanbul on March 14.

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 65° F/18° C

TAMPA

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Some sun with a shower; breezy

Partly cloudy

Partly sunny and breezy

Partly sunny and breezy

Mostly sunny

Partly sunny

High: 85°

Low: 73°

High: 86° Low: 72°

High: 85° Low: 70°

High: 84° Low: 71°

High: 85° Low: 70°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

87° F

75° F

88°-73° F

87°-68° F

88°-72° F

90°-73° F

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 70° F/21° C

almanac

E

W

ABACO

S

N

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 74° F/23° C

10-20 knots

S

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 74° F/23° C

10-20 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 74° F/23° C

E S

E

W

WEST PALM BEACH

W

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

N

N

uV inDex toDay

TONIGHT

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 68° F/20° C

MIAMI

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 72° F/22° C

8-16 knots

KEY WEST

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 73° F/23° C

Statistics are for Nassau through 1 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 84° F/29° C Low .................................................... 75° F/24° C Normal high ....................................... 77° F/25° C Normal low ........................................ 64° F/18° C Last year’s high ................................. 81° F/27° C Last year’s low ................................... 71° F/22° C Precipitation As of 1 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.00” Year to date ................................................. 5.69” Normal year to date ..................................... 2.47”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 73° F/23° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2018

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 73° F/23° C

N

High

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

11:24 a.m.

-----

2.4 -----

5:26 a.m. 0.0 5:42 p.m. -0.2

Thursday

12:01 a.m.

12:17 p.m.

2.7 2.3

6:22 a.m. 0.1 6:34 p.m. -0.2

Friday

1:00 a.m.

1:17 p.m.

2.7 2.2

7:25 a.m. 0.2 7:33 p.m. -0.2

Saturday

2:04 a.m.

2:24 p.m.

2.8 2.2

8:34 a.m. 0.2 8:39 p.m. -0.2

Sunday

3:11 a.m.

3:33 p.m.

2.8 2.3

9:42 a.m. 0.1 9:46 p.m. -0.3

Monday

4:15 a.m.

4:38 p.m.

3.0 2.4

10:46 a.m. -0.1 10:50 p.m. -0.5

Tuesday

5:16 a.m.

5:39 p.m.

3.1 2.6

11:44 a.m. -0.4 11:50 p.m. -0.7

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:40 a.m.

6:08 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

10:28 a.m.

11:36 p.m.

First

Full

Last

New

Feb. 23

Mar. 1

Mar. 9

Mar. 17

CAT ISLAND

E

W

tiDes For nassau

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 74° F/23° C

N

S

E

W

10-20 knots

S

12-25 knots

ANDROS

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 73° F/23° C

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 74° F/23° C

N

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 74° F/23° C

S

LONG ISLAND

insurance management tracking map

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 74° F/23° C

H

E

W

12-25 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 79° F/26° C Low: 74° F/23° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS RAGGED ISLAND High: 79° F/26° C Low: 74° F/23° C

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 73° F/23° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 82° F/28° C Low: 74° F/23° C

N

E

W

E

W

N

S

S

12-25 knots

12-25 knots

marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR

Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday:

WINDS E at 10-20 Knots E at 10-20 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots E at 8-16 Knots ENE at 12-25 Knots E at 10-20 Knots ENE at 12-25 Knots ENE at 12-25 Knots ENE at 10-20 Knots E at 10-20 Knots E at 10-20 Knots E at 10-20 Knots NE at 12-25 Knots E at 10-20 Knots NE at 12-25 Knots ENE at 12-25 Knots ENE at 12-25 Knots E at 10-20 Knots ENE at 12-25 Knots ENE at 10-20 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots E at 7-14 Knots NE at 12-25 Knots E at 12-25 Knots NE at 12-25 Knots E at 10-20 Knots

WAVES 4-7 Feet 4-8 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 5-9 Feet 6-10 Feet 6-10 Feet 6-10 Feet 4-7 Feet 4-8 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-5 Feet 5-9 Feet 6-10 Feet 4-8 Feet 5-9 Feet 8-12 Feet 8-12 Feet 3-5 Feet 2-4 Feet 4-8 Feet 4-8 Feet 4-7 Feet 4-8 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 73° F 73° F 78° F 78° F 80° F 80° F 79° F 79° F 79° F 79° F 76° F 76° F 77° F 77° F 80° F 80° F 79° F 79° F 79° F 79° F 76° F 76° F 78° F 79° F 80° F 80° F

PAGE 8, Wednesday, February 21, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

35TH HUGH CAMPBELL INVITATIONAL

South Andros tops Mt Carmel 65-64

ON DAY 2: The Mt Carmel Preparatory Cavaliers yesterday defeated the South Andros High Barracuda in the 35th Hugh Campbell Invitational at the AF Adderley Gymnasium.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Trbune Staff