03302017 sports

SPORTS SECTION E

THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017

Bahamas tops Aruba in Junior Fed Cup

By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

T

he girls of the Junior Fed Cup continued their winning streak with their second consecutive match sweep in as many days and earned an opportunity to compete for the championship in the main draw.

Seeded No.3 in the draw at the Pre-Qualifying Junior Davis Cup and Junior Fed Cup event for the North/Central American and Caribbean, hosted in El Salvador, the Bahamian trio is led by Sydney Clarke (15) along with teammates, Elana Mackey (13) and Sydni Kerr (15).

Powered by Mackey and Clarke, they scored a 3-0 win over Aruba in just six total sets yesterday.

Mackey opened play with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Aethielle Kelkboom followed by a Clarke win over Kayla Solagnier 6-0, 6-3. They paired up in doubles to defeat Kelkboom and Solagnier 6-3,6-3.

The team is coached by Bradley Bain.

“The girls now advance to the main draw in the final eight, we have a shot at the championship and I like our chances wherever we are. It’s a toss up,” he said.

“We have some strong teams in Guatemala, El Salvador and Puerto Rico but I feel like we can play with them. We just need to win one of the singles. We have fairly good doubles teams with either combination so I like our chances in our first-round match, whomever it is.”

The win over Aruba follows a 3-0 win over the US Virgin Islands on Tuesday.

Mackey opened play with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Natasha Messier.

Clarke followed with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Lisa Messier.

Clarke and Kerr clinched the win in doubles with a 5-7, 6-2, 10-7 win over the Messier team. They completed play in Group C in second place with the opening day lost to the hosts as the only blemish on the win-loss record.

The boys in the Junior Davis Cup draw did not fare as well and will be relegated to the playoffs for the standings from 9-18.

The team includes Donte Arm-

SYDNEY CLARKE in action.

(FILE photo) brister (15), with teammates Kofi Denali (13), and Denali Nottage (13) both from Freeport, Grand Bahama. They are seeded No. 5 and are coached by Ricardo Demeritte. The team suffered a 2-1 loss to Barbados yesterday.

Nottage lost 0-6, 3-6 to Kaipo

Marshall followed by Armbrister’s 6-2, 6-4 win over Romani Mayers.

In doubles play Armbrister and Bowe won 3-6, 4-6.

The Bahamas won its opening day match against Nicaragua 2-1.

According to its website, the Junior Fed Cup and Junior Davis Cup by BNP Paribas were launched by the ITF in 1985 as the 16-and-under World Youth Cup, and rebranded in 2002.

BNP Paribas has been the title sponsor of the Junior Davis Cup since 2002, before going on to sponsor Junior Fed Cup in 2005.

The finals have been held in 14 countries in the competition’s 29year history.

Participating nations include the Bahamas, Barbados, Nicaragua, Aruba, Dominican Republic, Panama, Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Jamaica, Guatemala, Grenada, Honduras, Trinidad & Tobago, El Salvador, Curacao, Costa Rica, Guyana, and the US Virgin Islands A total of 18 countries are participating in the Junior Davis Cup event and 15 for the Junior Fed Cup event.

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Playoffs, Page 17

MCDONALD’S ALL-AMERICA: AYTON HELPS WEST TEAM TO 109-107 VICTORY

By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net SHARING the floor with the top high school basketball recruits in America, Bahamian prep star DeAndre Ayton made the sort of impact that has the University of Arizona Wildcats fan base excited for the fall.

Ayton finished with eight points, a game high 11 rebounds and three steals in a 109-107 win for his West team over the East last night at McDonald’s All-American Game at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.

Ayton received the start and played 20 minutes. He posted six points and six rebounds in the first half as the West trailed 56-50.

Missouri commit Michael Porter Jr was named the MVP after posting 17 points and

SEE PAGE 17

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PROSPECTS MAKING AN IMPACT

By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP: Students of Garvin Tynes, Carmichael, Gerald Cash and Carlton E Francis Primary Schools participated in the New Providence Primary Schools’ volleyball competition at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium yesterday.

SEE MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 16 Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

YOUNG Bahamian minor league prospects have made impacts with their respective franchises throughout spring training, setting the stage for highly anticipated regular seasons.

The Tampa Bay Rays are looking forward to finally seeing extended playing time from highly touted switch-hitting shortstop Lucius Fox, who was traded to the organisation late last season.

The Tampa Bay Times recently featured the promise of his upcoming season.

On August 1, Fox was traded to the Rays along with Matt Duffy and Michael Santos in the deal which sent left-handed pitcher Matt Moore to the

SEE PAGE 16

Golden Boy’s Reno Johnson intends to change weight class

By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net BAHAMIAN boxer Tureano Johnson was recently able to maintain his status as the IBF No.1 middleweight contender and looks to capitalise on his title shot in the near future as the current title holder’s camp indicated an intention to change weight class this year.

Middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin’s trainer Abel Sanchez said that they plan on moving up to super middleweight after one or two additional fights as a middleweight. Sanchez says Golovkin will fight in June, either against Johnson or Billy Joe Saunders.

Johnson appeared as a guest on “The Nahaja Black Show” on ZSR 103.5 yesterday and again challenged the unified champion from Kazakhstan to make the fight happen.

“That is going to be my next fight, we will know the details very soon. It will most likely take place early in the summer and it

will be one of the biggest fights in boxing history because I am going to pull off the upset. The boxing world is going to be upset that this is going to happen but they’re going to have to take it for what it is,” he said.

Johnson was originally intended to face Golovkin last April.

However, the fight never took place for a myriad of reasons.

“We were given a contract we signed and he chose to go elsewhere, making excuses. He called me high risk, low reward and the fight did not happen,” he said.

Johnson returned to the ring after being sidelined for nearly a year and-a-half and improved to 20-1, 14 knockouts. He scored a second round knockout over Fabiano Pena who fell to 16-7-1, 13 knockouts.

Johnson overwhelmed Pena nearly at the outset of the first round and recorded a pair of knockdowns on Pena early on. Pena’s corner stopped the fight during the second round, awarding the technical knock out victory to Johnson at the 2:38 mark.

It was his first fight under Oscar

TUREANO JOHNSON De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions stable since making the switch in September 2015, a move that was expected to send him on the fastrack to an eventual title shot and prominence in the division.

Johnson, 31 injured his shoulder in a unanimous decision win over Irishman Eamonn O’Kane on October 17, 2015. With the win, he became the mandatory number one contender. He further damaged the rotator cuff just ahead of his scheduled fight with

Golovkin. That fight was set to take place on April 23, 2016 but Johnson was forced to pass on it to undergo surgery.

“I was sidelined for 17 months and it had put me in such a depressing mood but I went out last week and did what I had to do.

Being out for so long I was really anxious. I didn’t care who my opponent was, I just wanted to get back in the ring,” he said. “I was pretty anxious to enter the ring after such a long absence, but I was reminded by my team that I am the IBF No.1 ranked middleweight contender. Being absent for so long for my rotator cuff was not ideal, and I know that injuries happen, but now that we got this fight out of the way, and we shook out the nerves a bit, I am ready to take on the big guys out there and demonstrate that I am still someone to fear in this division.”

In January, Johnson was initially set to make his return to the ring.

However, he failed to make the weight for his scheduled 10-round middleweight bout against Antonio Gutierrez of Mexico and the fight was scratched from the

undercard of Francisco VargasMiguel Berchelt.

Johnson came in at 161.5 pounds, just over the maximum middleweight range of 154-160 pounds. Gutierrez and his camp then decided to call off the fight.

“Unfortunately I was not prepared to make that weight. We did everything we can to try and lose that weight. I was just one pound and-a-half overweight, which was unusual,” he said. “I thank God that I was able to get another opportunity. It was a great moment standing in front of the crowd again. Although I won, I wanted to go a longer time in the ring and it was very disappointing. I hadn’t even gotten warmed up yet.”

Sanchez said Golovkin’s goal is to target Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, and if that is not able to be solidified, they will move up to competing at 168 pounds.

“He [Golovkin] wants to fight in June. If it’s not Saunders, then it could be Tureano Johnson,” said Sanchez. “If the guys are bigger and can take it, better for us as fans. We get a better fight. We’ll see who it is in June.”

PAGE 16, Thursday, March 30, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

NEW PROVIDENCE PRIMARY SCHOOLS VOLLEYBALL COMPETITION

Eye on the ball

STUDENTS of Garvin Tynes, Carmichael, Gerald Cash and Carlton E Francis Primary Schools take part in the New Providence Primary Schools’ volleyball competition at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium yesterday. On the heels of their softball and baseball competition last year, the competition continues 10am daily until the championship games for both the boys’ and girls’ divisions.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYERS FROM PAGE 15 San Francisco Giants. He was limited to just a single game in the Instructional League with the Rays before he was sidelined with a foot injury.

Rays farm director Mitch Lukevics admits he knows “hardly anything” about Fox’s game at this point but is intrigued at his projection.

“We’re really anxious to see him (play) for more than a day,” Lukevics said. “We’re anxious to see him play now and see how the tools play. Other than rehab and doing some workouts, he’s relatively unknown to us.”

He made his much-anticipated pro debut last season for the Giants with the Augusta GreenJackets of the South Atlantic Class A League.

In 75 games, Fox hit .207 with 46 runs scored, 25 stolen bases, slugging .277, an on-base percent-

age of .305, an OPS of .582, two home runs, four triples and six doubles.

“That’s a tall task for a firstyear player, and he handled his own,” Lukevics said.

Rays manager Kevin Cash and bench/infield coach Tim Foley each gave their take on their early indication of Fox. “He has an ‘it’ factor,” Cash said.

Foley added: “He’s a goodlooking kid. He’s got the actions to play shortstop. Good glove. I liked him. We liked what we saw.”

Fox plans to make good on the promise that saw the Giants make him one of the highest paid international signees.

“People asked me all the time if I had a Plan B, because I always said I wanted to be a professional baseball player,” he said. “I told them I don’t have a Plan B, honestly. I was just thinking baseball, baseball, baseball. I never had a fallback plan, so I’m just going to work hard here and hopefully have a long career in the major leagues.”

In action on the field in the minor leagues, Jasrado Chisholm made headlines with an intriguing

exchange with Giants star pitcher, Johnny Cueto in his last outing.

Chisholm’s at bats against the 2016 All-Star starter were chronicled through several media outlets because of the aggressive nature of the 19-year-old shortstop, one of the top prospects in the Arizona Diamondbacks organisation.

In the first at bat, Chisholm was struck out, caught looking on an inside fastball after which he smiled and nodded at Cueto.

The second time up, he took a pair of major swings before Cueto offered some advice prior to another strikeout on a breaking ball.

“I was having fun with the kid,” Cueto said through translator Erwin Higueros. “I was telling him to keep his eye on the ball, because every time he would swing, he’d look away from the ball.”

Chisholm finally got the upperhand in the third at bat when he lined a single to left centre, but advantage would be brief. After Cueto laughed and pointed his glove to Chisholm following the hit, he promptly picked him off at first base.

“He probably doesn’t know I have a quick move,” he said. “I

was having fun with a kid who wanted to actually hit against me.”

Cueto missed the first three weeks of camp to take care of his father.

The Diamondbacks currently list Chisholm as the No.3 prospect in the minor league pipeline headed into the 2016-17 campaign.

He excelled in Rookie League play and showed flashes of the potential the Diamondbacks looked forward to when they signed him as a free agent and was named to the annual Pioneer League vs. Northwest League All Star Game.

He appeared in 62 games for the Ospreys and in 249 at bats, he hit .281 with nine home runs, 37 RBI and 13 stolen bases. He finished with an on base percentage of .333, slugging percentage of .446 and OPS of .779 Anfernee Seymour was also on the move last season and now with a full season in the Atlanta Braves’ deep talent pool of minor leaguers, has an opportunity to make his impact in the system.

Last August, Seymour was traded from the Miami Marlins to the

Atlanta Braves in a three-player deal which also saw the Braves acquire pitcher Michael Mader in exchange for relief pitcher Hunter Cervenka.

He entered the Braves’ lists of prospects ranked at No.19, according to MLB.com’s 2016 Prospect Watch.

Braves minor league beat writers Jeff Jones tracked Seymour’s progress through camp headed into the season.

“Seymour walked in the first, promptly stole second and scored on a base hit. He is really, really fast, he beat out a slow roller to the pitcher in his next AB and almost had another infield single in his third and final at bat. He started in CF and made some good plays but also misplayed a fairly easy pop up that should’ve been an out. He is raw period so that is to be expected though. With his true 80 grade speed the team will find a position for him to play.”

In 125 games last year, Seymour hit .257 with 72 runs scored, 43 stolen bases and 31 RBI. He has recorded a slugging percentage of .303, an OBP of .296 and an OPS of .599 and 149 total bases.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, March 30, 2017, PAGE 17

NEW PROVIDENCE BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS

Regulators force Game 5

ON THE REPLAY: The Mr Ship It Freight Regulators fought off elimination and forced a deciding game five against Commonwealth Bank Giants in the New Providence Basketball Association men’s semi-final series at the AF Adderley Gymnasium last night. Eugene Bain posted 25 points and 20 rebounds to lead the Regulators to an 84-75 win to tie the series 2-2.Gamaliel Rose scored 17, Cruz Simon added 13 points and Brian Bain scored 12 for the Regulators. Jeffrey Henfield led five Giants players in double figures with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Michael Bain Jr scored 13, both David Taylor and Gibran Smith scored 11 and Tehran Cox scored 10.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

DEANDRE AYTON HELPS WEST TEAM TO WIN MCDONALD’S ALL-AMERICAN FROM PAGE 15

eight rebounds.

All that is left in Ayton’s storied high school career is his final elite all-star showcases, the Jordan Brand Classic.

Ayton, the consensus No.2 player in the class of 2017 and commit to the University of Arizona, will headline the roster for the Jordan Brand Classic, to be hosted on April 14 at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York.

He was recently named the USA Today All-USA Boys Basketball First Team.

In his final game for the Hillcrest Academy Bruins in Phoenix, Arizona, Ayton finished with 29 points and 22 rebounds to lead his

team to a 70-61 win over Gainsville Florida’s The Rock in the Grind Session World Championship.

He led the team to a 33-6 record and national title in Grind Session, averaging 26 points, 15 rebounds and 3.5 blocks.

The McDonald’s All-American Game is an All-Star game for American and Canadian boys and girls high-school basketball graduates. Consisting of the top players, each team plays a single exhibition game after the conclusion of the high-school basketball season, in an East vs West format.

Ayton was the only Arizona commit named to the list of the top 24 high school players.

His West team included other top players such as Gary Trent Jr (Prolific Prep/Duke), Brian Bowen (la Lumiere/Undecided), Troy Brown Jr (Centennial/Oregon), Trae Young (Norman North/ Oklahoma) and Brandon McCoy (Cathedral Catholic/Undecided), who all appeared in the Nike EYBL Bahamas exhibition game this summer.

The East team included Nike EYBL Bahamas alumni, including Mohammed Bamba (Westtown/Undecided), Wendell Carter Jr (Pace Academy/Duke), Quade Green (Neumann-Goretti/Kentucky), Mitchell Robinson (Chalmette/Western Kentucky), Collin Sexton (Pebblebrook/Ala-

bama), Lonnie Walker (Reading/ Miami, PJ Washington (Findlay Prep/Kentucky), and Jarred Vanderbilt (Victory Prep/Kentucky).

The University of Kentucky Wildcats had four signees in the game while 12 universities will be represented and six players were still uncommitted.

Ayton said he used the opportunity to add even more players to join him on a talented recruting class for the Wildcats.

“I like the recruiting class, it’s pretty deep. We have Brandon Randolph and Alex Barcello coming in, so we have good size and a pretty good group of guys,” he told ESPN. “I’m really trying to get Trevon Duval and Brian

Bowen to come to Arizona too because they’re still undecided.

I’m trying to get the best of the best.”

Ayton said he wanted his twoyear tenure at Hillcrest to be remembered long after he graduates.

“I hope people will know that one of the best players came through here and that I’ve left my mark with a goal to always be a role model,” he said. “Hillcrest Prep has helped me with the competitiveness that I can bring to Arizona and always knowing to play hard and not take plays off.

Even when you think no one is watching, somebody always sees you.”

PAGE 18, Thursday, March 30, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

Venus beats No. 1 Kerber in quarter-finals

By STEVEN WINE AP Sports Writer KEY BISCAYNE, Florida (AP) — Venus Williams whacked a winner on her fifth match point, then spun and threw a celebratory fist toward her father, who watched from the front row while munching popcorn.

The taste of victory never gets old.

Venus and her dad have been coming together to Key Biscayne for 20 years, and she moved a step closer to her first title in the event since 2001 by beating topranked Angelique Kerber 7-5, 6-3 last night in the Miami Open quarter-finals.

It was Williams’ 15th career win against a No. 1 player, but her first since 2014.

Four-time Key Biscayne runner-up Rafael Nadal advanced to the men’s semifinals by beating American Jack Sock 6-2, 6-3.

Nadal’s opponent Friday will be Fabio Fognini, who became the first unseeded player in 10 years to reach the men’s semis at Key Biscayne when he beat 2016 runner-up Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-2.

The tournament was once known as the Williams Open because of the way Venus and Serena dominated.

Now Venus, seeded 11th and 36 years old, is in the semi-finals for the first time in seven years.

Her younger sister, an eight-time Key Biscayne champion, is out with a knee injury. But their father and coach, Richard, is attending a tournament for the first time in nearly a year after battling health issues.

He watched the quarterfinal in the photo pit along the baseline.

“My dad is one of the loves of my life and the reason I’m here in this game,” Venus told the fans, who responded with cheers.

Later she added, “He has always loved popcorn.

We always ate popcorn together when I was a child.

That’s a great childhood memory.”

Venus’ opponent tonight will be No. 10 Johanna Konta, who became the first British woman to reach a semi-final at Key Biscayne by beating No. 3 Simona Halep 3-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2.

VENUS WILLIAMS, of the US, celebrates winning her match against Angelique Kerber, of Germany, in straight sets in the quarter-final match at the Miami Open last night. Williams defeated Kerber 7-5, 6-3.

(AP Photo/Mario Houben)

“She’s living the dream,” Williams said. “I’ve got a dream too.”

No. 2 Karolina Pliskova will play No. 12 Caroline Wozniacki in the other semi-final.

Williams has enjoyed a resurgence this year, reaching the Australian Open final before losing to her sister. She took charge against Kerber when the German double-faulted on the final two points of the opening set, and broke serve twice more early in the second set to pull away.

Kerber saved four match points before Williams closed out the victory with a backhand winner.

It was a matchup of offence against defence, with Williams the more aggressive player, charging the net often.

“Sometimes I didn’t quite get it over that line, but I kept going for it,” Williams said. “I was aggressive, and that’s when I play my best.”

Kerber stayed rooted to the baseline and was on the defensive even when she served, facing 13 break points and losing serve five times.

She’ll remain No. 1 next

week despite her loss. She reclaimed the top ranking this month after Indian Wells, replacing the sidelined Serena Williams.

Venus improved to 61-13 at Key Biscayne, where she made her debut in 1997 and won the title in 1998, 1999 and 2001. She lives 90 minutes north in Palm Beach Garden and considers the tournament her hometown event.

She was the oldest woman to enter the draw but hasn’t been taxed physically, winning every set in her four matches.

Nadal is playing Key Biscayne for the 13th time, making it his longest title drought at any tournament.

He committed only 12 unforced errors against the No. 13-seeded Sock, rallied from a break down in the second set and improved his lifetime record against Americans to 60-9.

Fognini, 29, matched his best showing in an ATP Masters 1000 event. By beating the No. 2-seeded Nishikori, Fognini improved to 9-44 against top10 players, and he became the first Italian man to reach a semi-final at Key Biscayne.

NBA CAPSULES THUNDER 114, MAGIC 106 ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Russell Westbrook had 57 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 114-106 overtime win over the Orlando Magic last night.

Westbrook, a leading MVP candidate, led the Thunder from behind by as many as 21 points in the second half as he recorded his 38th triple-double of the season. And like the 13-point outburst in the final three minutes against Dallas on Monday night for the win, Westbrook was again the catalyst as he hit big shots in the fourth quarter, including the tying 3-pointer with 7.1 seconds remaining to force the extra period.

Enes Kanter added 17 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for the Thunder, and Victor Oladipo had 13 points while returning to Amway Center for the first time since being traded by the Magic last June.

Evan Fournier finished with 24 points and Terrence Ross added 23 for the Magic.

BUCKS 103, CELTICS 100 BOSTON (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 22 points and nine rebounds, and the Milwaukee Bucks knocked the Boston Celtics out of first place in the Eastern Conference.

Malcolm Brogdon, one of the leading contenders for NBA Rookie of the Year, finished with 16 points and nine assists. He had six key points in the final 2:46 to help Milwaukee fend off a late Boston charge.

The Bucks (39-36) have won five of six, including four straight on the road.

Boston (48-27) had won four in a row.

The loss put the Celtics back in second in the East, percentage points behind idle Cleveland. Isaiah Thomas led the Celtics with 32 points. Avery Bradley added 12 points and 10 rebounds.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

OKLAHOMA City Thunder’s Russell Westbrook (0) is greeted by fans as he leaves the court after last night’s game against the Orlando Magic.

Oklahoma won 114-106 in overtime.

(AP Photo/John Raoux) HEAT 105, KNICKS 88 NEW YORK (AP) — Goran Dragic had 20 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, and the Miami Heat breezed past the New York Knicks.

Reserve James Johnson added 18 points for the Heat. Josh Richardson finished with 17 points as Miami (37-38) improved to 26-8 since an 11-30 start.

Kristaps Porzingis had 20 points and eight rebounds for the Knicks, who were eliminated from postseason contention for the fourth straight season since winning the Atlantic Division in 2012-13. Carmelo Anthony was scoreless in the first half and finished with nine points on 4-of-12 shooting. The Knicks fell for the ninth time in 11 games.

HORNETS 110, RAPTORS 106 TORONTO (AP) — Marco Belinelli scored 21 points, Kemba Walker had 19 and the Charlotte Hornets beat the Toronto Raptors.

Walker hit two big 3-pointers in the final 2 minutes, including one that gave the Hornets a 104-101 lead with 37.5 seconds left.

He also had four rebounds and two assists, helping Charlotte (34-41) stop Toronto’s six-game win streak.

The Hornets went 8 for 10 from 3-point range in the fourth quarter. They finished the night 16 for 32 from beyond the arc.

DeMar DeRozan scored 28 points for Toronto (45-30), and Jonas Valanciunas had 14 points and 15 rebounds. The loss prevented the Raptors from clinching home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

HAWKS 99, 76ERS 92 PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Dwight Howard had 22 points and 20 rebounds to lead the Atlanta Hawks over the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Hawks have won two straight following a seven-game losing streak that stunted their push in the Eastern Conference play-

off standings. Atlanta is still in the fight for a fifth seed with Milwaukee, Indiana and Miami.

Tim Hardaway Jr and Kent Bazemore each scored 19 points for the Hawks.

Richaun Holmes led the Sixers with 25 points and Dario Saric had 15. Saric was only 5 of 18 from the floor, but remains the leading contender for NBA Rookie of the Year.

PELICANS 121, MAVERICKS 118 NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Anthony Davis had 30 points and 13 rebounds, DeMarcus Cousins added 29 points and 16 rebounds in his return from a two-game absence, and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Dallas Mavericks.

Back from a right ankle sprain, Cousins played 40 minutes. His baskets included a 29-foot 3-pointer at the end of the first half and he was 10 of 12 at the free-throw line. Davis’ highlights included an offensive rebound and dunk with 1:50 left as New Orleans won for the seventh time in 10 games.

Jordan Crawford’s 15-point performance included a 22-foot jumper that put the Pelicans up 121-116 with 47 seconds left.

Dirk Nowitzki had 23 points for Dallas, which lost its third straight. Harrison Barnes scored 19 and Seth Curry 18 for the Mavericks.

GRIZZLIES 110, PACERS 97 MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Mike Conley matched his career high with seven 3-pointers on his way to 36 points, helping the Memphis Grizzlies top the Indiana Pacers.

Vince Carter had 21 points and eight rebounds, and Zach Randolph finished with 17 points as Memphis snapped a four-game losing streak.

Paul George led the Pacers with 22 points, Aaron Brooks, who provided an early spark from outside the arc, had 18 points, and Thaddeus Young finished with 16. Indiana lost for the fourth time in five games.

EASTERN CONFERENCE