03142018 sports

SPORTS SECTION E

TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018

Boxer Carl Hield qualifies for CAC Games

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

DESPITE the fact that he left on a “wind and a prayer,” Carl Hield can now breath a sigh of relief after qualifying for the Central American and Caribbean Games.

Not deterred by the Bahamas Amateur Boxing Federation’s disclosure that there wasn’t any money to send any of the local amateur boxers to Tijuana, Mexico, this week for the CAC qualifying tournament, Hield was able to come up with his own funding and now he’s on his way to Barranquilla, Colombia in July.

Hield, the only Bahamian to make the trip to Tijuana, Mexico, won his opening round match on Sunday with a 4-1 decision over Canadian born Jamaican Joshua Fraser in the 69-kilogram or

BAHAMIAN boxer Carl Hield.

147-pound welterweight category.

The win propelled Hield into the quarter-finals and a berth in the CAC Games.

In an interview with The Tribune, Hield thanked God for giving him the strength and the knowledge to step into the ring and accomplish his goal.

He said despite all that he had to go through to get to Mexico, he could not have done it without the support of his sister Carla, his mother, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the Amateur Boxing Association. “The fight was good, but I already had it focused in my mind that I needed to win the first fight because it would qualify me for the CAC Games,” Hield said. “So once you win, you automatically qualify, so I didn’t want to take any chances in trying to qualify. I wanted to get it done as quickly as I could.”

After dominating the first two rounds, Hield said fatigue started to seep in during the third round, but he had to pull up his socks and get the job done.

“I pushed my way through it and I got it done,” Hield said. “I now have to fight the Cuban, who was a finalist in the last CAC Games, so I will see what happens on Wednesday.”

Hield, accompanied in the ring by his Cuban coach Ernesto Aroche Moreno and Raynold Cox from Trinidad & Tobago, said there was no way that he wasn’t going to qualify for the CAC Games.

“When I got there, I was a little frustrated with everything that was going on,” he said. “But thanks to God everything worked out for the CAC Games. It was very, very

SEE PAGE 4

Jones and Flame on brink of elimination

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

J

onquel Jones and her Shanxi Xing Rui Flame are on the brink of elimination and face an early deficit in the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association Finals.

The Flame dropped the first two games of the series to the top seeded Beijing Great Wall as the series got underway this week.

The championship series continues the regular season rivalry between Jones of the Connecticut Sun, the WNBA’s most improved player, head-to-head with the league’s reigning MVP Sylvia Fowles of the Minnesota Lynx, who leads the Great Wall.

In game one, Beijing outlasted Shanxi with an 84-81 win. Jones finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots, while Fowles scored 23 and grabbed 15 rebounds.

In game two, Jones added another double double with 20 points and 15 rebounds but her team suffered an 82-55 loss.

Fowles finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, one of five players in double figures to lead a balanced scoring attack.

Beijing won the rebounding battle 41-29, including 32 on the defensive end.

Game three is scheduled for Wednesday, March 14, and is a must-win situation for the Flame. Fowles and the Great Wall got the better of both regular season matchups against the Flame and remain undefeated against them this season. Jones ended the regular season averaging a team-high 29.3 points, 18.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists over 31 games for Shanxi Xing Rui.

The WCBA is the top-tier professional women’s basketball league in China and is the women’s counterpart to the Chinese Basketball Association.

The 2017-18 WCBA will include a 26-round regular season and playoffs, as well as All-Star weekend on January 20, 2018. The league expanded by two clubs this year to bring the total number of teams to 14. The top eight teams advanced to the playoffs.

Back in the United States, Jones’ Connecticut Sun will open the 2018 season by hosting a two-day preseason event involving the Dallas Wings, New York Liberty and Los Angeles Sparks May 7-8 at Mohegan Sun Arena.

The Sun will close out the preseason on Friday, May 11, hosting the Atlanta Dream at 7pm in Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport.

Jones’ last offseason propelled her into becoming the WNBA’s Most Improved Player, an All-Star and an All-WNBA Second Team selection, leaving fans and pundits eager to see what this offseason will bring.

Sun head coach and GM Curt Miller told the team’s website that the outlook for the franchise includes higher expectations this season after last year’s playoff run.

“The 2017 Sun played with moderate expectations and therefore played the majority of the season with little pressure. We must embrace that there will be higher expectations during the 2018 season,” he said.

“We need to stay focused on our preparation, attitude and effort. I believe our locker room culture and chemistry will remain the key to help us deal with the higher expectations throughout the season.”

JONQUEL JONES, of the Bahamas, and her Shanxi Xing Rui Flame are on the brink of elimination and face an early deficit in the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association Finals.

Kerrie Cartwright advances to the main draw

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net WITHOUT any time to celebrate her doubles victory with her American partner Kariann PierreLouis, Kerrie Cartwright was right back in action in her third and final 12th Lyttos Beach ITF Pro Circuit Tournament in Heraklion, Greece.

Page 5

Cartwright, 25, pulled off a 7-5, 6-3 decision over Domenika Turkovic from Croatia in the third round to advance to the main draw that will get started today at the Lyttos Beach Hotel.

It’s the third tournament in three weeks that Cartwright is playing in Greece and she told The Tribune that she’s performing as well as she expected.

“I think I’m playing really good,” she said. “I’m staying calm and trying to play smart, not making any bad decisions.”

While the main draw will get underway today, Cartwright is not scheduled to play until Wednesday.

“I don’t know who I play next and I do not like to look into the draw,” stated Cartwright, who will be matched against Tatiana Pieri of Italy in the first round of the main draw. “I am just going to take it one step at a time.”

Cartwright may also have double duties that day as she teams up with American Harris Caldwell, who replaces Kariann

KERRIE CARTWRIGHT Pierre-Louis, whom Cartwright teamed up with to win the doubles title on Saturday. Pierre-Louis, 19, suffered a shoulder injury in the last tournament and had to withdraw from this tournament.

Caldwell, 17, lost in her first round singles in the qualifying round.

“Harris and I haven’t played together before so it will be new for both of us,” Cartwright said.

“With Kariann, she knows my game and I know her game and that makes a difference when playing with someone new. It’s just going to be more like going with the flow while we are playing and seeing what works and what doesn’t.”

In the first two tournaments in Greece, Cartwright got eliminated in the quarter-final in singles and she and Pierre-Louis didn’t get out of the quarter-finals in doubles in the first tournament that ended on March 4. And in the second tournament that was completed on Saturday, Cartwright got knocked out in the first round in singles and her and Pierre-Louis went on to win the doubles crown.

Cartwright, the only Bahamian female with a ranking in the Women’s Tennis Association, is listed at 1,005 in singles.

Naughty, PAGE 3

BAHAMAS SELECTED TO HOST JUDO JR WORLDS PREVAILING over several developed nations that vied for the honour, the Bahamas has been chosen to host the Judo Junior World Championships in October this year, announced D’Arcy Rahming, president of the Bahamas Judo Federation.

The Junior Worlds are the third most high profile tournament in the sport, surpassed only by the Senior Worlds and the Olympics.

This unprecedented distinction for Bahamas Judo follows the phenomenal progress of local competitors on the world stage over the last few years and will attract the gaze of the global judo community, bringing hundreds of attendees to New Providence and TV viewers in more than 100 countries worldwide.

World level judo tournaments are regularly attended by world leaders such as Russia’s Vladimir Putin, the UAE’s Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Prince Albert II of Monaco, Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev, and Mongolia president Khaltmaagin Battugla, as well as a host of other political and business leaders.

On hand this week for the official announcement will be several of world judo’s leading lights, including International Judo Federation Advisor to the President (IJF) Daniel Lascau, IJF development director Jose Rodriguez and President of Judo Canada and secretary general of the Pan American Judo Confederation Mike Tamura.

Local dignitaries will include the directors of youth, sports, sport tourism and education. Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Michael Pintard is expected to bring remarks during Thursday’s press conference at 11:30am in the Imperial Ballroom of the Atlantis resort.

ARMBRISTER

DONTE DEFEATS CHING IN 1ST ROUND DONTE Armbrister, the Bahamas No. 1 in Boys’ 18s and also currently the No. 1 ranked male internationally for The Bahamas on the International Tennis Federation junior circuit, is participating in the Panama Bowl ITF Junior tournament being held this week in Panama.

Armbrister, 16, defeated Luis Ching of Panama earlier today in the first round with a score of 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. Armbrister will play next the winner of Andrew Dale of USA (the No. 2 in the tournament) or Daniil Savelev of Russia. Dale won the ITF Goombay Splash here in Nassau in November of last year.

Armbrister has teamed up with Cleeve Harper from Canada for doubles.

PAGE 2, Tuesday, March 13, 2018

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Bahamas celebrates another theme night with the Miami Heat FOR the past five years, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation has been celebrating a theme night with the Miami Heat organisation, as part of its cultural exchange and partnership. On March 1, they did so again, during the Heat’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Thousands of fans who attended the game watched a series of videos showcasing The Bahamas’ beautiful and picturesque waters, activities and culture on the large jumbotrons inside the packed American Airlines arena. The Islands of The Bahamas is the preferred vacation destination for the players, fans, families and friends of the Miami Heat organisation.

Scores of patrons, including Bahamian NBA champion and former Lakers player, Mychal Thompson, stopped by the Bahamas’ booth to register to win a round trip ticket for two to Nassau, inclusive of

EVENT MARKS 5 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP four-days three-nights stay at the all-inclusive Breezes Super Clubs Resort. British Colonial Hilton Hotel in Nassau also provided a three-days two-nights stay for the sweepstakes.

Alonzo Mourning, 2006 NBA champion and vice president of player programmes for the Miami Heat, along with Greg Rolle, senior director of sports, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, presented the lucky sweepstakes winners with their prizes.

Mr Rolle said “the partnership with the Miami Heat has been an invaluable and mutually beneficial one, as both entities are known for their strong, propelling and respected brands. We have very much enjoyed our relationship with the Miami Heat over these past five years, and we are grateful to them for the exposure and continued

support and love they and their patrons have given to our nation”.

As part of its five-year partnership with The Bahamas, the Miami Heat has conducted joint marketing and promotions to its various networks with the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, hosted scores of underprivileged children to its games from the Bahamas, including the Children’s Emergency Hostel and Ranfurly Home for Children in Nassau and Urban Renewal in Grand Bahama.

The Miami Heat organisation has also conducted two training camps for its athletes in The Bahamas, two photo and film shoots in the Bahamas for its dancers as well as each year, brought along many of its corporate partners, fans and families to vacation in The Bahamas.

ALONZO MOURNING, 2006 NBA champion and vice president of player programmes for the Miami Heat, along with Greg Rolle, senior director of sports, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, present the lucky sweepstakes winners with their prizes.

BAHAMIAN NBA champion and former Lakers player, Mychal Thompson, stopped by the Bahamas’ booth to register to win.

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Tuesday, March 13, 2018, PAGE 3

A look at three potential 1st round picks for the Cowboys on defence LAST week we looked at three potential first round picks at wide receiver for the Cowboys, picking No. 19 in this year’s draft.

This week we look at three potential first round picks on the defensive side of the football.

Derwin James, S, FSU James has the desired physical traits and mental makeup of an All-Pro safety who has the ability to not only set a tone but change the course of games.

Although James is extremely athletic and talented, he still has room for improvement as a run defender and in coverage.

James’ talent is best utilised in an active, attacking capacity in a robber role or near the line of scrimmage where he can support the run, blitz and handle physical coverage responsibilities.

Already considered one of the most impactful defenders in college football after his freshman year because of his tall, chiseled frame, long arms for sure tackling, and relentless nature, much was expected of James heading into 2016.

He delivered in the opener against Ole Miss (eight tackles, interception), but unfortunately, a left lateral meniscus tear suffered in the second week of the season put him on the sideline for the rest of the year.

Expectations were already through the roof for James as an All-Florida pick from Haines City High (94 tackles, four INT in eight games), where he was the top DB recruit in the country.

He racked up Freshman All-American and thirdteam All-ACC (league media) honours after an outstanding freshman season where he played in all 13 games, starting the final eight (91 tackles, 9.5 for loss, 4.5 sacks, five pass break-ups, two forced fumbles). James had 14 stops, two for loss, and a sack against Houston in the 2015 Peach Bowl.

James’ junior season went about as expected,

as he earned second-team AP All-American and firstteam All-ACC honours with 84 tackles, 5.5 for loss, two interceptions, 11 pass break-ups, and a blocked kick.

He started 12 games on the year, skipping the Independence Bowl to focus on preparing for the NFL Draft.

Cowboys fans brace yourself for a trade up by the Cowboys to secure this gem.

Vita Vea, DT, Washington Dallas has always had the philosophy the nose tackle is a throw-away position where they can get by with an average player because the role isn’t key to what they do.

However when that role can be manned by an exceptional athlete who demands the offence’s full attention on every snap? A rarity at this particular position in Dallas.

Then Vea becomes even more of a necessity for Dallas.

So if James is unattainable, then I see no problem with the Cowboys bringing in Vea, a 6-foot-5, 346-pound behemoth who has the agility of a running back.

Vea’s combination of size and light feet are rare.

In fact, even at about 350 pounds he was lining up as an edge rusher at times in 2016 to take advantage of his genetics.

While only starting five of 14 games played as a sophomore, Pac-12 coaches voted him second-team all-conference after he compiled 39 stops, 6.5 for loss, and five sacks. Vea played in all 13 games as a reserve in 2015, posting 17 tackles, three for loss, and a sack. His play late in the year portended a bright future, though, as he forced a fumble against Washington State in the Huskies’ Apple Cup win and had a sack in their bowl game.

Tremaine Edmunds, LB, VT Edmunds combines elite size, speed and

THE

PRESS BOX ZELAYA

BY INIGO ‘NAUGHTY’ ZENICA

VIRGINIA Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds runs a drill during the NFL football scouting combine on Sunday. (AP)

FLORIDA State defensive back Derwin James runs a drill during the NFL football scouting combine yesterday. (AP) explosiveness into a productive, versatile linebacker package that will have evaluators salivating.

Edmunds has posted high-impact production over the last two seasons and he still has room to get bigger and better. He will make mental mistakes and his instincts are subpar, but he has an ability to mitigate those issues with his athletic ability.

Edmunds can play in any alignment at any linebacker spot and has All-Pro potential no matter where he lands.

Edmunds is the son of Ferrell Edmunds, a twotime Pro Bowler at tight end with Miami (1989-90).

Three of Ferrell’s sons actually signed not with his alma mater of Maryland, but with the Hokies (though the oldest, Trey, transferred to play running back at Maryland for his final season in 2016).

Tremaine and his brother, Terrell (safety), are now

NPWBA: Operators knock off the Connectors 59-50, Angels stop Cheetahs 46-38

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net THE Bommer G Lady Operators and the Foxy Lady Angels won the New Providence Women’s Basketball Association double header played at the DW Davis Gymnasium on Saturday night.

In the opener, the Lady Operators knocked off the Lady Connectors 59-50 and the Lady Angels got by the Lady Cheetahs 46-38 in the feature contest.

The games were played following Thursday night’s action when the Lady Operators stunned the Lady Angels 80-39 behind Brianna Stevens’ 18 points and the Cheetahs won over the Connectors 60-42 as Briontar Riley and Tanea Bowleg led the attack with 16 apiece. The games completed the second week of the season, which according to president Mynez Cargill, should be an exciting one with just four teams entered.

“Even though there are only four teams, I definitely see a new look,” Sherman said. “I see a start of something good whereby we have a group of younger players in the league this year. The Foxxy Angels, coached by Anthony Swaby, have an entire team of high school players, so that is a plus for women’s basketball.

“The Cheetahs is basically the same with about 50 per cent of their players

seem to be younger players, so I am impressed to see the amount of young players who would have entered the league this year. That is a plus for the league and a good start to the sustainability of the league right now.”

The Lady Operators, coached by Donnie Culmer, is one of the more experienced teams and should be a contender for the title. The Lady Cheetahs is coached by Deven ‘Dee’ Johnson and the Lady Connectors by Perry Darling.

The teams will play atleast three rounds with games on tap every Thursday and Saturday before they begin the playoffs.

• Here’s a summary: Lady Angels 46, Lady Cheetahs 38 Antonicia Moultrie, in 32 minutes and 53 seconds, scored 13 points as she went 5-for-10 from the field, 2-for-3 from behind the three-point arch and 1-for-2 from the free throw line with four steals, three assists and three rebounds to lead Foxxy to victory.

Veronaye Charlton had 10 points with two assists and two steals, while Latavia Brennen had nine points, 14 rebounds and three steals. Dwaniqua Rolle added seven points, three rebounds and three steals.

Briontae Riley had 11 points and four steals to pace the Lady Cheetahs.

Tanica Joseph was their next best scorer with six

points, eight rebounds and two assists. Tanea Bowleg had five points.

Lady Operators 58, Lady Connectors 50 Sharell Cash, in 23:06 seconds, exploded for 12 points on 5-for-5 from the field and 2-for-2 from the foul line to go along with three assists in the win for the Lady Operators.

Britenique Harrison had 11 points, 11 rebounds, seven block shots and two steals to help out. Garcia Hanna had nine points, seven rebounds, four steals, two assists and a block, Shaniqua Thompson had eight points, four steals and two assists, Tracy Lewis had six points, three rebounds, two assists and as many steals and Alkeia Rolle chipped in with five points.

In a losing effort, Shanell Frazer had a game high 19 points on 6-for-16 from the field, 1-for-4 from the threepoint line and 6-for-6 from the charity stripe in 32:49 minutes.

Kristineque Moss added 10 points, eight assists and five rebounds, Lakeisha Rolle had eight points and seven rebounds and Samara Barr chipped in with seven points and nine rebounds.

Thursday 7pm - Lady Operators vs Lady Angels 8pm - Lady Connectors vs Lady Cheetahs Saturday 7pm - Lady Cheetahs vs Lady Operators 8pm - Lady Angels vs Lady Connectors

leaders on Tech’s defence.

One of the top linebacker recruits in the country, Tremaine played in 13 games as a true freshman, starting twice, recording 11 tackles on the year. His 2.5 tackles for loss came against Tulsa in the Independence Bowl, portending his successful sophomore year.

Edmunds, who is tall and long for a stack linebacker, attacked open lanes to become a second-team All-ACC pick in 2016, starting 14 times and compiling 106 tackles, 18.5 for loss, 4.5 sacks. He had an interception in the team’s Belk Bowl appearance against Arkansas.

NFL scouts loved what they saw from Edmunds as

WASHINGTON defensive lineman Vita Vea is seen at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday. (AP) a junior, as did the Associated Press, who named him third-team All-American.

He was also a first-team All-ACC selection in 2017, recording a team-high 109 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles.

Edmunds is the perfect complement to Sean Lee and Jaylon Smith, two

integral and extremely talented but injury prone components of the Dallas defence.

Edmunds also can be considered plug and play from day one, especially if free agent, starting LB, Anthony Hitchens departs in free agency as expected.

So don’t be surprised to hear his name called by the ‘Boys if he’s still there at 19.

The Pick Is In ....

I see the Cowboys trading up for Derwin James, S, FSU. The missing piece to the new ‘Legion of Boom’ being created by Chris Richard in Dallas.

The addition of James will give the Cowboys one of the best and more talented young secondaries in the entire NFL. • Naughty presents ‘Mischief and Mayhem in da AM’ from 6am to 10am, Monday to Friday and ‘The Press Box’ sports talk show on Sunday from 10am to 1pm, on KISS FM 96.1.

Comments and questions to naughty@tribunemedia.net

PAGE 4, Tuesday, March 13, 2018

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DWIGHT COLEBY AND HILLTOPPERS ACCEPT BID TO PLAY IN THE NIT

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net IT may not be on the main stage in the NCAA Tournament but several Bahamian NCAA Division I basketball players will still have postseason opportunities.

Dwight Coleby, Travis Munnings and Calvin Anderson will be featured in tournaments as their programmes formally accepted invites following Selection Sunday.

Coleby and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers accepted a bid to play in the National Invitational Tournament, March 12-30, played at various regional venues.

The Hilltoppers (24-10) are a No.4 seed in the the tournament and will host No. 5 seed Boston College Eagles (19-15), 10pm March 14 in the EA Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

The winner will advance to play either Southern California or North Carolina Asheville in round two.

This is the 14th NIT appearance for the Hilltoppers in school history after they finished in third-place in the Conference – USA regular season standings.

WKU just missed an NCAA tournament berth with a narrow 67-66 loss to

the Marshall Thundering Herd in the C-USA title game on Saturday night.

A trip to the 2013 NCAA Tournament was the last postseason season appearance for the programme prior to this NIT bid.

“You look at where we were two years ago and the issues we were facing then and you look at where we are now, literally one basket away from the NCAA Tournament,” WKU athletic director Todd Stewart said to ABC 13-WBKO in Bowling Green.

“Now three days later to have a home game against an ACC team is another great opportunity.

“This is a team that won 24 games and the opportunity to still be playing is one I know everyone certainly appreciates.”

The NIT is known as the second tier postseason tournament behind the main event, “March Madness.”

The tournament was founded in 1938 and the final rounds are played at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

This year’s field is highlighted by several teams considered “on the bubble” for the NCAA Tournament, including Baylor, Notre Dame, St Mary’s and USC. The field also includes several teams who were regular season conference winners.

Munnings, Anderson and the ULM Warhawks accepted a bid to participate in the 10th CollegeInsider. com Postseason Tournament. They will face Austin Peay, Thursday March 15 in Clarksville, Tennessee at 7pm.

The 2018 CIT began last night with four games on CBS Sports Network. The Hugh Durham Classic, Lou Henson Classic, Jim Phelan Classic and Riley Wallace Classic will be the first games of the postseason.

At the conclusion of each game a trophy will be presented to the winning team, which will then advance to the second round of the tournament.

The Coach John McLendon Classic will be played on Wednesday, March 14.

The CIT uses the old NIT model in which there is no set bracket. Future round opponents are determined by the results of the previous round. All games are at on-campus sites.

Georgia Southern eliminated the Warhawks in the quarter-finals of the SunBelt Conference tournament and they finished the regular season with a 16-15 record. Munnings was named a Second Team All Sunbelt selection and leads ULM in scoring (16.2 points per game), rebounding (7.2 per game) and minutes played (34.3 per game).

WESTERN Kentucky forward Dwight Coleby (22) looks to shoot while guarded by Marshall forwards Jannson Williams (3) and Ajdin Penava (11) during an NCAA college basketball game for the Conference USA men’s tournament title on Saturday in Frisco, Texas. (AP)

Boxer Carl Hield qualifies, has fists set on CAC Games FROM PAGE 1 cold, but I had to deal with it.

This is just a warm up for me to also get ready for the Commonwealth Games next month.

“This was my first fight in over a year, so it was a little hectic. Training is one thing, but when you are fighting, it’s another thing. It went how I wanted it to go, but I wasn’t

at that standard that I am accustomed to. I should be there by my next fight and that should help me to get peaked for the Commonwealth Games.”

Following the CAC qualifier, Hield will return to Cuba to continue his training before he joins Rashield Williams in the trip to represent the Bahamas in boxing at the Commonwealth Games,

scheduled for April 4-15 in the Gold Coast, Australia. But Hield said he needs to take care of some unfinished business in Mexico.

“We fought in the final of the last CAC Games and we do glove work in Cuba so know each other, so we know what we have to do,” Hield said. “It doesn’t matter whether I win or lose because I beat him in the first fight. This

games is not so much about winning, but qualifying for the CAC Games.

“When you reach Colombia, there’s where the medal counts.

So I will be in Colombia in July.

My objective is to get in as many matches as I could now that I qualified so I can be peaked and ready to compete in the Commonwealth Games. That’s why I

came here, although the federation told me they didn’t have any money to send anybody.”

Hield, 31, has won medals at both the Commonwealth Games and the CAC Games and he’s hoping that he can add to his collection when he heads to Down Under to the Gold Coast and Colombia for his next two major tournaments.

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Tuesday, March 13, 2018, PAGE 5

Westbrook’s 20th triple-double leads Thunder past Kings

By CLIFF BRUNT AP Sports Writer OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Russell Westbrook scored 17 points and notched his 20th triple-double of the season to help the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Sacramento Kings 106-101 last night.

Westbrook had 10 rebounds and 11 assists in the 99th triple-double of his career.

Paul George and Carmelo Anthony each scored 21 points for the Thunder, who moved into fourth place in the Western Conference standings.

Thunder centre Steven Adams left the game in the third quarter with a left hip contusion and did not return.

Just two days earlier against San Antonio, he hurt his left ankle in the third quarter and did not return.

Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 19 points and Garrett Temple and Justin Jackson each added 15 for the Kings.

Oklahoma City led 46-40 at halftime. George had 14 points and Anthony 13 for the Thunder.

Temple’s tip-in in the closing seconds of the third

quarter gave Sacramento a 79-78 lead.

The Thunder led 88-85 in the fourth quarter when Westbrook checked back in after a brief rest.

He got his 10th assist on a pass to Jerami Grant for a layup and his 10th rebound with just over 3 minutes to play. Westbrook’s lob to Grant for a dunk put the Thunder up 102-92 with just under 3 minutes to play.

Sacramento cut its deficit to 104-101 on a pair of free throws by Bogdanovic with 23 seconds left, but Brewer made two free throws with 17 seconds left to put it out of reach.

THUNDER forward Paul George, right, goes to the basket in front of Kings guard Buddy Hield (24) in the first half last night.

(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

MIDDLETON HAS 24, BUCKS SEND GRIZZLIES TO 18TH STRAIGHT LOSS

By CLAY BAILEY Associated Press MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Khris Middleton scored 24 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo added 20 and the Milwaukee Bucks sent the Memphis Grizzlies to their 18th consecutive loss with a 121-103 victory last night.

Brandon Jennings, signed to a 10-day contract by Milwaukee on Saturday, finished two rebounds short of a triple-double with 16 points and 12 assists.

Eric Bledsoe added 14 points, including a trio of baskets to stem a fourth-quarter Memphis rally.

Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies with 17 points, while Jarell Martin, Dillon Brooks and Ben McLemore scored 16 apiece.

Memphis, which trailed by as many as 19 in the third quarter, used its bench to push back into the game in the fourth. The reserves crafted a 14-3 run to pull within 97-91 with 6:34 left.

Bledsoe scored six of the Bucks’ next eight points, then added an assist to Antetokounmpo, running the lead back to 12 with 4:09 left. That was enough of a buffer for the Bucks to claim their second straight win.

Jennings came in firing and providing a fast pace for the Bucks. He scored 11 points before halftime and also dished out nine assists, helping Milwaukee to a 64-50 lead at intermission.

BUCKS guard Brandon Jennings (11) brings the ball upcourt in the first half last night against the Memphis Grizzlies.

(AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

Harden helps Rockets to easy 109-93 win over Spurs

By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer HOUSTON (AP) — James Harden scored 16 of his 28 points in the third quarter to allow the Houston Rockets to build a huge lead and sail to an easy 109-93 victory over the San Antonio Spurs last night.

The NBA’s leading scorer took a little while to get going a night after sitting out against Dallas with a sore left knee and had just 12 points at halftime.

Despite his slow start, the Rockets had a comfortable lead in the third and were still up by 13 after a basket by San Antonio’s Dejounte Murray with about eight minutes left in the quarter.

It was then that Harden took over, scoring the next eight points to start a 16-4 run that extended the lead to 82-57 with about 3 1/2 minutes left in the third and had coach Gregg Popovich calling for a timeout.

Harden had a 3-pointer and made three free throws after being fouled on a 3-point attempt to propel that spurt. He didn’t return in the fourth quarter with the game in hand.

The Spurs, who were without leading scorer LaMarcus Aldridge, got 14 points each from Bryn Forbes and Derrick White.

They lost for the fifth time in six games as they fight for a playoff spot.

San Antonio scored four quick points in the fourth quarter to get within 15.

But Houston scored the next eight points, with the last five

ROCKETS’ James Harden (13) tries to steal the ball from Spurs’ Patty Mills in the first half last night.

(AP Photo/David J Phillip) from Chris Paul, to make it 99-76 and end Paul’s night with about 8 minutes remaining.

Paul, who finished with 18 points and nine assists, wowed the crowd in that stretch, crossing

over Forbes before sinking a basket and then knocking down a 3-pointer on Houston’s next trip down the court.

The Rockets were up by 10 early in the third quarter before

using a 7-3 run, capped by a 3 from Trevor Ariza, to make it 61-47 with about 9 1/2 minutes left in the quarter before the big Harden-fuelled run put the game out of reach.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, March 13, 2018, PAGE 7

SILVA DOUBLE EARNS TITLE-CHASING MANCHESTER CITY 2-0 WIN AT STOKE STOKE, England (AP) — David Silva finished off two sumptuous moves to guide Manchester City to a 2-0 win at relegationthreatened Stoke yesterday, leaving the English Premier League leader two victories away from clinching the title.

There’s a growing possibility that City, which is 16 points clear, could wrap up a third league title in seven years by beating fierce rival Manchester United in the derby on April 7. The prospect would arise if City and second-place United both win their next game, against Everton and Swansea respectively.

Silva side-footed home a cross from fit-again winger Raheem Sterling to give City a 10th-minute lead against a team that is next to last in the standings.

City dominated thereafter and Sterling won back possession to start the move that led to the second goal.

Gabriel Jesus looped the ball across the box for Silva to hook in a finish in the 50th.

Silva took his tally of league goals to eight in a season that has been disrupted for the playmaker while he makes regular trips back to his native Spain because his prematurely born son is receiving medical attention.

He was there last week, with City manager Pep Guardiola allowing Silva to miss the second leg of its Champions League last-16 matchup against Basel.

Sterling was influential on his return to the team after missing five games because of injury, and he should have capped his display with a goal of his own.

Running clean through in the 80th minute, Sterling delayed his attempt to round Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland. He finally did so, but Stoke’s defence recovered by then.

While City is off for some warm-weather training in Abu Dhabi amid a twoweek break from league play, Stoke resumes its bid to escape relegation with a home game against Everton on Saturday.

MANCHESTER City’s David Silva, right, celebrates scoring his second goal during the English Premier League soccer match against Stoke City at the Bet 365 Stadium in Stoke on Trent, England, yesterday.

(AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 70° F/21° C Low: 43° F/6° C

TAMPA

TONIGHT

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Not as warm with clouds and sun

Partly cloudy

Mostly sunny and pleasant

Mostly sunny and delightful

Mostly sunny and pleasant

Sunshine and nice

High: 77°

Low: 64°

High: 78° Low: 63°

High: 76° Low: 61°

High: 78° Low: 66°

High: 80° Low: 65°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

81° F

63° F

85°-63° F

82°-65° F

84°-68° F

87°-69° F

High: 66° F/19° C Low: 49° F/9° C

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

almanac

E

W

ABACO

S

N

High: 69° F/21° C Low: 62° F/17° C

7-14 knots

S

WEST PALM BEACH High: 71° F/22° C Low: 49° F/9° C

8-16 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE E

W

FREEPORT

High: 72° F/22° C Low: 53° F/12° C

N

S

E

W

High: 72° F/22° C Low: 59° F/15° C

MIAMI

High: 73° F/23° C Low: 52° F/11° C

10-20 knots

KEY WEST

High: 69° F/21° C Low: 60° F/16° C

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 77° F/26° C Low: 64° F/16° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2018

High: 72° F/22° C Low: 66° F/19° C

N

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

tiDes For nassau High Today

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

5:53 a.m.

6:12 p.m.

2.5 2.1

12:19 p.m. 0.3 ---------

Wednesday 6:37 a.m.

6:56 p.m.

2.6 2.3

12:19 a.m. 0.1 1:01 p.m. 0.2

Thursday

7:19 a.m.

7:37 p.m.

2.7 2.5

1:04 a.m.

1:40 p.m.

Friday

7:58 a.m.

8:17 p.m.

2.8 2.6

1:46 a.m. -0.1 2:17 p.m. -0.1

Saturday

8:36 a.m.

8:56 p.m.

2.8 2.8

2:28 a.m. -0.2 2:53 p.m. -0.2

Sunday

9:14 a.m.

9:35 p.m.

2.8 2.9

3:09 a.m. -0.3 3:29 p.m. -0.3

Monday

9:53 a.m.

10:16 p.m.

2.8 2.9

3:51 a.m. -0.3 4:07 p.m. -0.4

0.0 0.0

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

7:21 a.m.

7:18 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

4:51 a.m.

4:03 p.m.

New

First

Full

Last

Mar. 17

Mar. 24

Mar. 31

Apr. 8

CAT ISLAND

E

W

High: 75° F/24° C Low: 69° F/21° C

N

S

E

W

8-16 knots

S

8-16 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 79° F/26° C Low .................................................... 70° F/21° C Normal high ....................................... 79° F/26° C Normal low ........................................ 65° F/18° C Last year’s high ................................. 85° F/29° C Last year’s low ................................... 67° F/19° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.22” Year to date ................................................. 6.60” Normal year to date ..................................... 3.54”

uV inDex toDay

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 77° F/25° C Low: 70° F/21° C

High: 76° F/24° C Low: 71° F/22° C

N

High: 75° F/24° C Low: 65° F/18° C

E

W S

LONG ISLAND

insurance management tracking map

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 71° F/22° C

8-16 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 80° F/27° 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: 78° F/26° C Low: 73° F/23° C

H

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 73° F/23° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 82° F/28° C Low: 73° F/23° C

N

E

W

E

W

N

S

S

8-16 knots

6-12 knots

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

Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday:

WINDS NW at 8-16 Knots WNW at 8-16 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NW at 6-12 Knots N at 8-16 Knots N at 6-12 Knots N at 7-14 Knots NE at 4-8 Knots N at 8-16 Knots NNW at 4-8 Knots N at 7-14 Knots NW at 8-16 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NNE at 6-12 Knots SW at 6-12 Knots S at 4-8 Knots NNE at 8-16 Knots NE at 7-14 Knots WNW at 6-12 Knots SSE at 4-8 Knots N at 8-16 Knots NNW at 4-8 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots N at 8-16 Knots N at 6-12 Knots

WAVES 4-7 Feet 3-6 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-2 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-6 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-5 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 2-4 Feet 2-4 Feet 3-5 Feet 4-8 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-2 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-5 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 76° F 76° F 77° F 77° F 76° F 76° F 78° F 78° F 77° F 77° F 75° F 75° F 77° F 77° F 79° F 79° F 79° F 79° F 79° F 79° F 75° F 75° F 79° F 79° F 76° F 76° F

PAGE 8, Tuesday, March 13, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

TIGER EFFECTS LEADS TO HIGHEST PGA TOUR RATINGS IN 5 YEARS

TIGER Woods lines up a putt on the 13th hole during the final round of the Valspar Championship golf tournament on Sunday.

(AP Photos/Mike Carlson)

Woods looks closer than ever to winning again

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer PALM HARBOR, Florida (AP) — The red shirt didn’t have a collar. His head doesn’t have quite as much hair. His lower spine has been fused.

Everything else about Tiger Woods is starting to look familiar.

For the first time since the late summer of 2013, Woods worked the fans into a frenzy on the weekend and keep them on their toes right to the very end. He wound up one shot — one putt — short to Paul Casey in the Valspar Championship. He broke par all four rounds and tied for second, the first time he had done either of those since the start of the FedEx Cup playoffs in August 2013.

All that did was turn attention to this week at Bay Hill, where Woods has won eight times and twice ended long victory droughts.

He won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2009 for his first victory after reconstructive knee surgery.

He won there again in 2012 for his first victory since the scandal in his personal life, followed by various leg injuries.

“It’s going to be good for me to get back,” Woods said. “I’ve had some great memories there.”

Casey ended a nine-year drought on the PGA Tour when he took the lead with three straight birdies on the back nine at Innisbrook, saved par over the last four holes for a 6-under 65 and then settled into a leather sofa in the locker room to see if anyone could catch him.

A playoff looked imminent when Patrick Reed tied for the lead with a birdie on the 14th hole and was in the middle of the 18th fairway, 133 yards away, for a chance at birdie for the win or a par to force a playoff.

And then someone else entered the picture.

Woods, who opened with a two-putt birdie to briefly share the lead, had gone 15 consecutive holes without a birdie and needed to finish birdie-birdie to catch Casey.

His tee shot on the par-3 17th was long, rolling out some 45 feet away.

From the time the ball left his club, there was something inevitable about the putt. Woods posed, waiting for the grain in the green to take over, and it did at just the right time. The ball moved left and dropped into the cup, setting off more pandemonium.

Brandt Snedeker, playing with Woods, just smiled.

Casey even got caught up in the emotion that swept over Innisbrook for four days.

“I loved his putt on 17.

That was amazing,” Casey said. “I thought he was going to hole the one on 18.”

Maybe next time.

But after a week like this, next time doesn’t seem all that far away — not with Bay Hill four days away, and the Masters a few weeks behind it.

Casey won on the PGA Tour for the first time since the Houston Open in 2009, a span of 132 starts, though he had won five around the world since. It was the second time he won a tournament with Woods in the field. The other occasion was in 2006 at the HSBC World Match Play at Wentworth, when Casey wore a red shirt Sunday. Woods had been eliminated at the start of the week.

Woods signed for his 70 and worked his way through the crowd of camera crews and officials to seek out Casey.

“It’s the only time he’s congratulated me immediately after a victory,” Casey said. “Normally, it’s the other way around.

That’s something special.

Just really cool. I’m sure he was disappointed he didn’t get the victory. I actually thought he was going to win today before the round started. I thought it was just teed up beautifully for him.

I said a couple times, ‘If I don’t win this thing, I actually want Tiger to win it.’

“I’m glad it’s this way.”

Casey, a 40-year-old from England, is among the players from the previous generation who want to see Woods at his best again.

Interest spikes, as record crowds and a big boost in TV ratings indicated. The energy makes a sleepy tournament feel just short of a major.

They remember the dominance. The young kids don’t.

“I just want the young guys to see what we saw for such a long time,” Casey said.

There might be a chance, which is remarkable considering the most recent timeline. Woods won by seven shots at Firestone in the Bridgestone Invitational in early August 2013 for his 79th career victory on the PGA Tour and still his last one.

Back problems first began to surface a week later. The following year, he missed the Masters after back surgery and returned too soon on a couple of occasions. Another back surgery followed in September 2015, then another a month later. He returned after 15 months and lasted two starts before he had fusion surgery.

Woods still didn’t know what his future held at the Presidents Cup last October. Then, on October 7, he posted a video of him hitting an iron. Eight days later, another video showed him hitting a driver.

Another eight days passed, and he was hitting a stinger.

What really gets attention are the results. He still hasn’t won. By all accounts, he’s getting closer.

ORLANDO, Florida (AP) — Tiger Woods was one shot away from a chance to win, and the PGA Tour had its largest television audience in five years.

NBC Sports Group says the final round of the Valspar Championship earned a 5.11 overnight rating, up 190 per cent over the previous year and the highest-rated PGA Tour broadcast since Woods won The Players Championship in 2013. That doesn’t include the majors.

Woods, returning from a fourth back surgery, was one shot out of the lead going into the final round. He had a 40-foot birdie attempt on the 18th hole to force a playoff with Paul Casey and came up short.

Golf Channel’s twohour window before the NBC telecast Sunday earned a 1.65 rating, its highest-rated coverage for the lead-in window since it began in 2009.

TIGER Woods reacts as his chip comes up just short on the 15th hole during the final round of the Valspar Championship.

TIGER Woods reacts to a missed putt on the 12th hole.

TIGER Woods plays his shot from the second tee.