SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2025
Boxers Hield, Williams bring home title belts
By BRENT STUBBS
With their two belts each in both hands, professional boxing champions Carl ‘King Flashy 242’ Hield and Rashield ‘Raw’ Williams were welcomed home by local trainer and mentor Ronn Rodgers as they prepare to travel next month to fight again on the same card.
The duo are back home briefly for some “rest and relaxation,” but it will be “business as usual” at Rodgers’ Strikers Boxing Club on Boyd Road as they stay committed to training.
“It’s good to be back home training here with Mr Ronn Rodgers and staying as fit as we can until we head off to training
camp,” said Hield, who was accompanied by his wife and motivator, Irina Chacon. “We will be working on our strength and conditioning.”
Hield, a 38-year-old super welterweight, said he’s looking forward to fighting in Colombia at the end of the month, along with Williams, who is a 35-year-old welterweight.
Appearing on the same card in their last fight in Macuto, La Guaira, Venezuela, on April 5, Hield won over Felipe Larez to stay undefeated at 11-0. He successfully defended his World Boxing Association’s FedeCaribe title and added the World Boxing Association’s FedeCaribe title to his collection.
Williams, on the other hand, won over Nestor Gonzalez to push his record to 13-3 with 11 knockouts. The National Boxing Association champion claimed the FedeBol AMB title in the process. Both fighters are looking forward to their next fights at the end of May, which will provide them with the opportunity to get a top 15 world ranking, if they are successful. So for both of them, it’s important to stay focused here at home.
“I’m grateful to be here with him. We both got a chance to win a title in the same ring in our last fight,” Hield said. “We travelled together as amateurs and now as pros, we’re trying to make the best of it.
“We’re trying to fight for a world title before the end of our careers. So we’re trying to stay ready until we get that shot.”
With the loss of his mother, Norma Hield, his greatest supporter, Hield said his wife has taken on
that role and she motivates him every morning to get up and train and stay in shape.
Williams, on the other hand, said there’s no greater feeling than to be able to spend some time with his family and friends.
“I just have to stick to the game plan, keep myself in shape. I have a fight coming up in June for a much bigger title.
“I feel good about myself because what we have accomplished so far is big, but there’s still more to come.”
As for his relationship with Hield, Williams said they were always childhood friends, but they got even closer when they were training together in Cuba in 2008. From then to now, they support each other whether they are fighting or not.
that Rodgers has become a confidant, who is always willing to lend a helping hand, no matter what situation they find themselves in. He noted that’s one of the reasons why they can trust him with helping them to train whenever they return home.
Rodgers, a former amateur boxer turned trainer and promoter, said he’s just doing whatever he can to help support the two Bahamian pros in their quest to become the world’s best.
“It’s always good when they come home. This gives us the opportunity to prove to the world that we can prepare them right here at home,” Rodgers said. “We want to encourage the youth of the nation that if both of them can do it, then they have the ability to do it as well.
SUNLAND BAPTIST PLAYERS
“We hosted a mini training camp for them before their last fight and they dominated their fights. They are both preparing to fight again in June in a World Boxing Council eliminator and, if they win, it will put them in the top 15 ranking and a chance to fight for a world title.”
Hield thanked all of his sponsors, too many to mention, for keeping him motivated to fight his last three bouts.
He also thanked Rodgers, who has been in his corner helping him to train in his gym whenever the opportunity presents itself. “I want to dedicate that last fight to him,” Hield said. “I have his full support. Whenever I need anything, he is always there. He was the main man making sure that everything went well for me out there.”
AFTER helping the Sunland Baptist Academy Stingers to establish themselves as one of the top high school basketball teams in the country, Grand Bahamian players Jason Williams and Jermaine Woodside are now headed to college on athletic scholarships to the United States.
At a press conference on Monday in Grand Bahama, both players in front of their family, friends and coaching staff, signed their letters of intent for Spoon River Community College in Canton, Illinois, as they prepare to play during the upcoming collegiate season.
Woodside, a 5-foot, 11-inch guard, served as the Stingers’ captain, having played for the past three years, while Williams, a 6-8 forward, was only with the programme for one year before he transitioned to the United States for a post-grad high school programme.
Both players, who hail from Abaco, expressed their excitement of playing basketball at the next level as they move from winning championships to becoming productive citizens.
Williams thanked God for giving him the strength, his family, including his parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles for pushing him and his coaches, Sunland Baptist, for affording him the opportunity to develop his skills and coach Bonnie Basden for “taking me in as a total stranger in your
‘BUDDY’ HIELD SCORES 15 IN WIN OVER ROCKETS
By JANIE MCCAULEY
Sports Writer By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Jimmy Butler converted three free throws with 58.7 seconds left, grabbed the game-clinching rebound with 4 seconds to go and then made two more free throws on the way to 27 points in his return from a pelvic injury, sending the Golden State Warriors past the Houston Rockets 109106 on Monday night in a heated Game 4 to take a 3-1 lead in the first-round playoff series. Fred VanVleet missed a 3-pointer under pressure at the buzzer.
The teams return to Houston for Game 5 in the best-of-seven series on Wednesday night as seventh-seeded Golden State tries to close out the No. 2 seed Rockets on their home floor.
Brandin Podziemski scored 26 points, Stephen Curry finished with 17 in the frantic finish and Chavano “Buddy” Hield hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with
ROAD TO TOKYO
THE Silver Lightning Track Club is scheduled to hold its annual Track and Field Classic on Saturday, May 10, at the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium, starting at 9am. The event, dubbed the “Road to Tokyo,” will be used as a qualifier for athletes wishing to make Team Bahamas that will compete at the World Championships
from September 13-21 in Tokyo, Japan. Interested athletes can contact coach Rupert Gardiner at 821-2836 for more information.
Olympics Bahamas has announced that its National Bocce Championships is
SEE PAGE E2
Williams also noted
WARM WELCOME HOME: Shown, from left to right, are boxer Carl Hield, trainer/mentor
Ronn Rodgers and boxer Rashield Williams.
Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr
UNIVERSITY OF THE BAHAMAS ATHLETICS
THE University of The Bahamas men’s soccer team’s unbeaten streak moves to four on Ronaldo Green’s hat-trick in their 3-1 win over Inter-17 FC on Sunday at the Roscow A.L Davies Soccer Fields.
The win kept UB at the top of the Bahamas Men’s Soccer League Division I with 10 points. They have a 3-1-0 win/draw/loss record with one game remaining.
Green netted two goals in the first half and completed his hat-trick with a goal in the second half.
UB’s captain, Marlon Barnes praised his team’s effort despite missing a few starters.
“Credit to the boys,” Barnes said. “The subs came on and understood the assignment and picked up where the players who came off and we all did well.”
It was clear from kick-off that UB was looking at breaking past Inter-17’s defense but was futile in the first seven minutes.
Green got the scoring underway for UB in the 10th minute off his own saved shot to give UB the 1-0 lead.
The 17th minute saw Inter-17 locking up the match at 1-1.
UB responded three minutes later when Green dribbled the ball in the 18-yard box and put it past the goalkeeper to put his side up 2-1.
UB looked to extend their lead in the first half but they did not find the back of the net as they led 2-1 at the half.
After the half, UB remained the clear attacking team but could not get past the goalkeeper early on. Green scored for UB in the 74th minute to give them the cushion with a 3-1 lead to complete his hat-trick on a right foot tap in.
It was his eighth goal in four Division I games and is in a two-way tie for the topscorer in that division.
“I am always excited to be on the scoresheet. What is best for us is those goals counted towards the win and that is all that matters,” Green said.
UB return to action Wednesday, April 30 with a clash against Western Warriors Titans in the Knockout Cup Semifinal first leg at 7 p.m. UB’s BMSL Division
wraps up Sunday, May 11 against
scheduled for this weekend at Stapledon School. The championships is slated to get started 2:30pm Friday until 5:30pm and continue 9:15am Saturday to 3pm. The official opening ceremonies is set for 11am Saturday. Teams from Abaco, Grand Bahama and Nassau will be battling it out for supremacy. It’s free entry for all spectators. For more information, contact 359-3558 or 422-3184.
RED-LINE YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS THE Red-Line Athletics Track Club has announced
that there has been a slight change in the events and schedule for its fourth annual Youth Track Classic. The classic, open to competitors from ages under-seven to under-16, is scheduled for Saturday, starting at 10am and Sunday, starting at 1pm, at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium. The registration deadline is set for 5pm today. Athletes still interested in participating are urged to register at redlineathletics242@gmail and smnbutler@yahoo.com
Photos by UB Athletics
PEACE ON DA STREET FAMILY
NIGHT
PLANS are underway for the staging of the Peace on Da Streets’ Basketball Classics’ Road to 30 years of existence.
The event, being organised by the Hope Center under the theme “Shooting hoops instead of guns,” will be held from July 14-19 at the Michael ‘Scooter’ Reid Basketball Center.
The highlight of the event will be the Family Night, scheduled for Sunday, July 20 at the Kendal Isaacs
Gymnasium when the finals in all of the divisions will take place, starting at 3pm. There will also be the Mr Ship It Three-point shootout and the Joe’s Slam Dunk Contest. The night will conclude with the exciting Clergy versus Politicians match-up. Lots of prizes, including round trip tickets, will be up for grabs. SPRING FLING
Fling at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex May 16-17. The event is open to competitors from throughout The Bahamas. The action is slated to begin at 5pm on Friday, May 16 and at 10am on Saturday, May 16. It promises to
UNIVERSITY of The Bahamas right back Alix St. Hilaire (Black #6) goes up for a header against Inter-17 FC Sunday, April 27, at the Roscow Davies Soccer Fields.
I play
Dynamos FC at 6 p.m.
UB Mingoes midfielder Ronaldo Green strikes the ball against Inter-17 FC.
MINGOES right back Alix St. Hilaire goes in for the tackle.
MINGOES left back Jeremy Holland (Black #3) fights for the ball.
UB Mingoes midfielder Kevin Thomas on the attack.
UNIVERSITY of The Bahamas Mingoes forward Philip Pilgrim (Black #10) hits the ground.
UB Mingoes defender Nathan Wells controls the ball.
UB Mingoes midfielder Andreas Cochinamogulos moves the ball forward.
Big Red Machine athletes leave an ‘impression’ on 2025 Penn Relays
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor
HIGHLIGHTED by the
Bahamas’ first 1-2 finish in the girls’ javelin and an impressive boys’ 4 x 400m relay run, the St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine left their impression on the 2025 Penn Relays.
Edwards said he could not have been prouder of what he saw from the Big Red Machine over the weekend in Philadelphia.
“It was one of perseverance. It’s been a very long year and these kids battled back from injuries and defeats and disappointments,” Edwards said.
He was referring to their loss to the Queen’s College Comets at the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools’ Track and Field Championships before they won the most divisions at the National High School Championships.
A prime example came in the girls’ javelin where Dior-Rae Scott, coming off her silver medal performance at the CARIFTA Games in Trinidad & Tobago, pulled off the victory, while Kamera Strachan, who didn’t make the
team, secured second place ahead of third place finisher Taysha Stubbs of Queen’s College, who won the CARIFTA gold medal.
“Dior-Rae was battling injuries all year, but she was resilient to go to Penn and be strong enough to get back into the groove and Kamera showed her disappointment in not making the CARIFTA team,” Edwards said.
“For most of the athletes who did compete at CARIFTA, it’s been a long year, but we were still pleased that they were able to put
together some solid performances at Penn.”
Edwards drew attention to the boys’ 4 x 400m relay team that saw Jahcario Wilson trip and fall on the first leg, but still managed to get up and pass the baton off in the pack. But it was the anchor leg by Eagan Neely, who stormed from about fourth place to run a brilliant anchor leg to propel the Big Red Machine to victory. The other two members of the team were Dylan Simon and Jireh Woodside. Neely and Wilson provided the
gold rush for the under-17 boys’ team at CARIFTA. While Neely pulled off a double feat in the 200m and 400m, Wilson captured a pair of gold in the 110 and 400m hurdles. The two also teamed up to win the gold in both the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400m relays.
Edwards said all of the other athletes performed exceptionally well in their events at the Penn Relays. He noted that the coaching staff and principal Marici Thompson was thrilled by the Big Red Machine’s overall efforts.
• Here’s a look at the results posted: High school girls’ javelin - Dior-Rae Scott won with 48.5 metres and Kamera Strachan came in second with 46.74m. The girls 4 x 100m relay team of Darvinique Dean, Khylee Wallace, Bayli Major, Madison Moss and Caitlyn Smith placed second in their heat in a time of 47.41 to qualify for the international final where they finished third in 47.90 for an overall ranking of 17 out of a field of 547 schools.
The girls’ 4 x 400m relay team of Alexis
and
placed 4th in their heat in 3:50.27 for an overall ranking of 19 out of 475 schools.
In the high school boys’ 4 x 100m relay, the team of Trent Ford, Eagan Neely, Jahcario Wilson, Nijae McBride and Shevano Nixon placed third in 43.01 to qualify for the international final where they placed second in 41.19 for an overall ranking of 83 out of 596 schools.
Despite falling and dropping the baton on the first leg, the boys 4 x 400m relay team of Wilson, Dylan Simon, Jireh Woodside and Neely ran 3:30.55 to win their heat to end up 37th overall in a total of 636 schools.
And on the field, the Big Red Machine got 11th and 12th from Damien Brice and Carlin Archer with leaps of 13.83m and 13.76m respectively.
“We are very pleased with the performances of our athletes from St Augustine’s College at the Penn Relays this year,” Edwards summed up.
“We are looking forward to next year.”
BAHAMAS HANDBALL FEDERATION PUTS TOGETHER INTERNATIONAL HANDBALL FEDERATION D LICENSE FIVE-DAY COACHING COURSE
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor
bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
DR Bojic Cacica likes what she’s seen so far from the local primary and high school teachers who are participating in the International Handball Federation’s D License Coaching Course. The five-day course, organised by the Bahamas Handball Federation, got started on Monday and will conclude on Friday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.
That is when the participants will sit an examination to receive their certificates. Cacica,
a lecturer from Croatia, is making her debut in The Bahamas, but she said she’s been so impressed by the participants that she hopes to return when the federation has a league up and running.
“It’s a great organisation by the federation and I’m happy that the international handball federation has given me the opportunity to be here to conduct the clinic,” Cacica said. “I’m happy that I can share my knowledge of handball here because the people have been very receptive to it. I’m really happy to see that they are developing in the right way.”
By the end of the course, Cacica said she hopes that the federation will be able to identify at least 8-10 coaches, who will be able to carry on and run a successful programme starting in the schools.” She noted, however, that handball is a sport that can be played at all age levels so eventually The Bahamas will be able to produce a national team that can compete in the various international tournaments.
Lawrence Hepburn, the first vice president of the federation that was formed in 2018, said the IHF could not have sent a more suitable instructor, who is
providing so much information to those in attendance.
“We are a novice country, but she’s working diligently with our coaches to move from theory to practical,” Hepburn said.
“We were in theory for a while and that was because we wanted to establish a good foundation.
“We wanted to have a good foundation with a strong mini programme where the coaches are beginning to teach from that early level so that they can get us from the bottom to the top.”
Once the clinic is completed, Hepburn said the federation, which is headed
by immediate past Bahamas Olympic Committee president Wellington Miller, would like to introduce some games and tournaments for the community to participate in.
“We want the mini handball programme to mirror that of football,” Hepburn stressed.
“We are looking from the kindergarten to the primary to the high school level to get them enthused to use their hands and throw the ball.”
Apart from the theory sessions where Cacica has been going through a lot of notes on how to play the game, Hepburn said
they have the goal posts for them to go through the practical aspect of the sport as well. The sessions are being held daily and will conclude on Friday.
Roberts, Darvinique Dean, Syrmiah Crawley
Daveigh Farrington
PRIMARY school teachers posing with IHF lecturer Dr Bojic Cacica and BHF executives at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.
COACH Jason Edwards with SAC’s 4 x 400m relay team of Dylan Simon, Jireh Woodside, Eagan Neely and Jahcario Wilson.
SAC girls 4 x 400m relay team of Symiah Crawley, Darvinique Dean, Alexis Roberts and Daveigh Farrington.
SAC’s javelin throwers Kamera Strachan and Dior-Rae Scott.
In tears, Sunland Baptist Academy players sign their letters of intent
FROM PAGE E1
home.” Throughout his journey, Wiliams said he found himself making one adjustment after the other, but he always managed to persevere. “I started playing basketball in 2022 and I came to Sunland in 2023 for one year. It was tough to switch over from Abaco to Freeport, but I got through it,” Williams said.
“In 2024, I attended a prep school in Orlando and it was tough and challenging, but I got to execute and I’m here signing for college.”
With a goal in mind to major in education in the classroom, Williams said he would like to help his school win a championship title as well.
To the players he left behind, Williams said: “Anyone could be next, so stay focused. Don’t be good, but be great.”
An emotional Woodside also thanked God for making it possible for him to be put in the position that he was in and he also thanked his support base that includes his family, friends and Sunland Baptist.
“It’s hard being a studentathlete, but when you have the support of your school,
your family and friends, it’s much easier,” he said. “I want to thank the coaches and staff at Spoon River College for giving me this opportunity to play college basketball and I won’t disappoint.
“I want to say thank you to uncle Cornell for taking me in and being that fatherfigure. I really appreciate it. I want to say a special thank you to Ms B for letting a stranger in her house like
Jason would say and being for me like a second mother and taking care of me.”
He also expressed his gratitude to coaches Marco Cooper and Jay Philippe for allowing him to emerge as the leader for the Stingers’ basketball team. But he also broke down as he gave his kudos to his mother, Shaleena Russell.
“I want to say thank you to my mommy for always being there for me,” said
Woodside, as he fought back the tears. “I want to say how proud I am to be your son and everything that I do, I do for you.
“You have always been there for me, for school, for basketball, for life, for bad times, for good times. I just want to say ‘thank you and for how proud I am of you for being the woman that you are. There’s no me without you mommy. Thank you.’”
Russell said she’s grateful and thankful for the opportunity that her son has been afforded through the efforts of coaches Basden, Philippe and Cooper.
“I’m very proud of my son for taking this chance to come to Freeport to play basketball. I supported him in every way that I could,” said the single parent. “It takes a village to raise a child and my family and friends have always been there to support me.”
Desrah Mckenzie, Williams’ mother, said she’s “super proud” of her son, Jason.
“He made me very proud today,” she stated. “He’s a good boy, very humble. I love him. He made me very proud.”
Philippe, the head coach, said both players played pivotal roles in helping Sunland Lutheran to become one of the elite basketball programmes, not just in Grand Bahama but in the country.
Philippe, a former player from New Providence who also went on to play college basketball and is also a sportscaster, said he knows talent when he sees it and these two players exemplify that.
“Jermaine has won three consecutive Grand Bahama high school championships and tip-off classics and Jason has won one for us and they both won Hugh Campbell and Best-of-theBest titles for us,” Philippe said.” “More importantly, we just want our remaining players to see that anything is possible.
“These guys came into the institution with big hopes and dreams. They all
say they want to play at the next level and today, by the grace of God, they get to show themselves and to put themselves in a good position for their families.”
Cooper, the associate head coach, said he had the opportunity to coach both players, but away from basketball, they both possess “great characters” and are considered to be good “leaders” and so he’s delighted to be a part of their lives.
“They are fine examples of what good student-athletes are here at Sunland,” said Cooper, a former player also from Abaco.
“They represent themselves properly in the classroom and then also on the basketball court.”
Basden, an assistant coach and one of the first females to coach in the Hugh Campbell Basketball Tournament, said she’s
had the privilege of being involved for so many years in the lives of the young men who came through Sunland.
“I thank God for the parents, who have allowed and trusted me with those young men and have trusted the programme and have trusted Sunland,” said Basden, whose home was a home away from home for the players.
“Jason and Jermaine, another leg of your journey is about to begin. In this journey, we’ve taught you all that preparation is the key and I think that all of us here have done a great job in preparing you guys.
“Now it’s time for you all to use your unique strength and ability to get ready for the challenges, get ready for God’s purpose and plan in your life. Go out there and do your best,” Basden advised them.
SUNLAND Baptist Academy players with family members, coaches and faculty staff.
SUNLAND Baptist Academy players look on.
SHALEENA RUSSELL, mother of Jermaine Woodside. SUNLAND’s guard Jermaine Woodside crying at signing.
SUNLAND Baptist Acadeny players Jermaine Woodside, left, and Jason Williams shaking hands.
Intriguing Colorado Duo
‘Buddy’ Hield scores 15 to help Warriors secure win over Rockets
Ayear a er quarterbacks dominated the top dozen picks, Miami s Cam Ward is the only sure re high pick among premier passers this year Bringing the intrigue into the dra are Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders and two-way star Travis Hunter who aims to play both cornerback and wide receiver in the NFL like he did in B oulder
Grand Bahamian also contributes two steals and three assists
Where will Shedeur Sanders land when teams gather in the land of Vince Lombardi to restock their rosters? at’s the biggest stor yline of the NFL dra in Green Bay Wisconsin, with mocks all over the map
3:32 left and scored 15 after joining the starting lineup. Hield also contributed two steals, three assists and four rebounds.
Alperen Sengun scored with 40 seconds left for Houston to make it a onepoint game. He had 31 points and 10 rebounds, while VanVleet hit a tying 3-pointer with 1:20 to play and scored 25 points.
Bypassing Colorado s precision passer could lead to deep regrets among talent evaluators, suggested longtime ESPN dra analyst Mel Kiper Jr Sanders overcame a substandard ground game and at times poor pass protection to throw for 37 touchdowns and more than 4,000 yards last season while completing more than 74% of his throws.
Butler was back after sitting out Game 3 with a pelvic contusion and deep gluteal muscle bruise suffered on a hard fall when he was fouled by Amen Thompson early in Game 2.
The second quarter Monday featured four technical fouls and a flagrant 1 in two separate tussles, including shoving during one sequence involving Curry, Draymond Green and Dillon Brooks.
With the game tied at 36, Curry dribbled down the sideline when Green put a hard screen on Houston’s Amen Thompson.
Bypassing on-the- eld workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine and the Big 12 pro day only added to the doubts that suddenly swirled around the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, who dr yly wondered how his son s stock could have slipped when he hasn t thrown an interception since the Alamo B owl At the conclusion of the year, a er 4,000-some yards, all of a sudden his arm is weak ” Deion Sanders cracked “I don’t know when his arm got weak. But he protects the ball He had the highest completion percentage in college football this past year He’s the pillar of consistency “ ’ de d Although Cam Ward, the consensus pick to go No 1
Brooks fouled Curry and he appeared to become angry about the push before going at Curry and Green. Curry received a technical for “taunting” Brooks, who also received a technical along with Green. Warriors rookie Quinten Post and Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr. flailed their arms at each other but avoided technicals upon replay review by the officials. Then with 2:44 left in the quarter, tempers flared again. Green received a Flagrant 1 foul for pushing Tari Eason’s face to the ground and Eason also received a technical. Green was dribbling when Eason went for a steal and the ball got loose and both players hit the floor trying to corral it. Green’s left leg was on the Rockets forward’s neck. Butler shot 7 for 12 in 40 minutes after he watched Curry overcome a slow start to finish with 36 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in Golden State’s 104-93 victory Saturday night without him.
STEPHON CASTLE WINS ROOKIE
By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer
STEPHON Castle made no secret about it: He wanted to be rookie of the year. And he got it done — by a wide margin. The San Antonio Spurs now have back-to-back winners of the award, with Victor Wembanyama last year and Castle this season. Castle was the fifth rookie in Spurs history to score more than 1,000 points.
It was one-sided in the voting. Castle got 92 first-place votes, easily topping runner-up Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks and third-place finisher Jaylen Wells of the Memphis Grizzlies. Risacher got five first-place votes, Wells got the other three.
“Coming in with all the confidence that I had in myself as a player, that was definitely a goal of mine from Day 1,” Castle said on TNT, which broadcast the unveiling of the results.
“I’m just happy I was able to execute it.” Castle’s win marked the second time in more than a half-century that one franchise went back-to-back with the top-rookie honour.
Minnesota’s Andrew Wiggins (now of Miami) and Karl-Anthony Towns (now of New York) were voted rookies of the year in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Wembanyama, on social media, paid tribute to Castle’s accomplishment. “Hustle, heart & just pure talent … all year long, you showed why you deserved this title !! So proud of you,” Wembanyama posted on X shortly after the results were revealed. The last instance of a team going back-to-back before that: 1973 and 1974, when Bob McAdoo and Ernie DiGregorio pulled it off for the Buffalo Braves.
“I get so excited watching him play,” said Chris Paul, Castle’s backcourt mate this season in San Antonio.
“The first thing that I want to see in a teammate or anybody is how competitive they are. That’ll take you further than talent any day. And I saw immediately was that he was competitive. I was like, ‘OK, cool. This is going to be easy.’” Castle led all rookies this season in points (1,190) and steals (74). Risacher finished strong, winning Eastern Conference rookie of the month for both February and March. Wells led
all rookies in games started (74) and 3-pointers made (138, matching the total posted by Washington’s Bub Carrington). Risacher — who hails from France, like Wembanyama — was looking to give the NBA the first instance of international players winning the award in consecutive years since Australia’s Ben Simmons and Slovenia’s Luka Doncic in 2018 and 2019. Wells was bidding to be Memphis’ first rookie of the year since Ja Morant in 2020. The rookie of the year award was voted on by a global panel of 100 writers and broadcasters who cover the league
SAN Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) has won the NBA Rookie of the Year award. (AP Photo)
WARRIORS’ Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield team up to control a loose ball against Houston Rockets’ Alperen Sengun in the first half of an NBA Playoffs’ First Round Game 4 at Chase Center in San Francisco on Monday. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
STEPHEN Curry (30) reacts to Buddy Hield’s (7) basket in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Houston Rockets in Game 4 (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
GOLDEN State Warriors Buddy Hield (7) scores on a steal against the Houston Rockets during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in San Francisco on Monday.
(Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
WARRIORS guard Buddy Hield (7) reacts after scoring during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets on Monday. (AP Photo/ Godofredo A Vásquez)
INTER LOOKING TO POWER BACK UP AHEAD OF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCH AT BARCELONA
By DANIELLA MATAR AP Sports Writer
MILAN (AP) — Strange things happen when Inter Milan plays Barcelona in the Champions League semifinals.
The last time the two teams met in the final four of Europe’s elite club competition, in 2010, Barcelona had to make a 15-hour journey by bus to Milan after an ash cloud caused by the eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull shut down airspace.
Barcelona lost that first leg 3-1 and a stout defensive performance by Inter in the return match saw it advance to the final 3-2 on aggregate — where it beat Bayern Munich to clinch a historic treble under Jose Mourinho.
Inter fortunately didn’t have to make a similarly arduous journey despite an unprecedented blackout bringing much of Spain and Portugal to a standstill Monday.
Power had almost fully returned to Spain early Tuesday morning and Inter’s charter flight took off as scheduled for Barcelona at around 5pm local time ahead of the first leg of their semifinal today.
Barcelona’s 17-year-old star Lamine Yamal said he was caught at the team’s training grounds on the outskirts of the city when power went out just after noon on Monday.
“The truth is that we didn’t know what to do. I
was with my teammates all day at the training centre,” Yamal said yesterday. “The blackout made us all very nervous. But of course now we are only thinking about the semifinal that we are very motivated to play.”
Recharging Inter Inter coach Simone Inzaghi will be hoping his team can power back up for the game as well. Inter heads to Barcelona following a dire run of results that has seen its dreams of another treble evaporate.
For the first time in more than 13 years, Inter has lost three straight matches without scoring a goal.
Since a 2-2 draw against Bayern in the Champions League quarterfinals, the Nerazzurri have lost 1-0 to both Bologna and Roma in Serie A and 3-0 to AC Milan in the second leg of their Italian Cup semifinal. That has also seen them been leapfrogged at the top of the Serie A table by Napoli, slipping three points behind the new league leader. “We must
always be ambitious, we have always shown that,” Inzaghi said Tuesday. “We don’t know how the season will end: the league no longer depends on us, in the Champions League we are among the best four teams in Europe. “These guys have given everything, clearly the last week was not positive but the team is fine, they are hungry, they will go into this semifinal with their heads held high, with a lot of desire and then we will see who will go to the final.”
Those three games, however, had something in common: Marcus Thuram was missing.
Thuram, who has been out with a left thigh issue, has scored 17 goals and provided nine assists across all competitions for Inter this season. Without the France forward, Lautaro Martinez has appeared fatigued attempting to carry Inter’s attack. And Marko Arnautovic, Thuram’s replacement, has been ineffective. But Thuram has returned
to training, although it remains to be seen whether he is able to start on Wednesday.
“Thuram trained with the team for the first time today, we hadn’t seen him since Bayern,” Inzaghi said. “We did some good work — short — he showed some good signs, but I have to evaluate tomorrow morning and I’ll talk to him again.”
Inter is seeking a second Champions League final in three seasons after it lost to Manchester City in the trophy match in 2023.
Dembele’s early goal gives PSG 1-0 win over Arsenal in 1st leg
By MATTIAS KAREN Associated Press
LONDON (AP) — Paris
Saint-Germain is leaving England on a high again and within touching distance of a second Champions League final.
Ousmane Dembele’s early goal gave PSG a 1-0 win over Arsenal yesterday in the first leg of their semifinal, and only a couple of late misses prevented the advantage from growing bigger.
“It was a great night,” PSG midfielder Vitinha said. “We could have scored more but we are glad for 1-0 and we will do everything in our power to go to the final.”
Having already eliminated Premier League champion Liverpool and Aston Villa in the knockout stages, PSG outplayed Arsenal as well in a stadium where it lost 2-0 in the league phase in October.
This youthful PSG side has come a long way since then, and once again showed that it’s a better team without superstar Kylian Mbappe — whose Real Madrid lost 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium in the quarterfinals. Despite that recent history, PSG showed no hesitation in taking the game to Arsenal from the start.
And Dembele opened the scoring in the fourth minute after he was left all alone in the area and was picked out by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for a firsttime finish that snuck in via the far post.
PARIS Saint Germain’s Ousmane Dembele celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at Emirates Stadium in London, England, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
The goal came after 26 consecutive passes in the buildup, which stats provider Opta said was the most for PSG in a Champions League game since at least 2003-04.
“We showed the kind of team we are,” PSG coach Luis Enrique said.
“We tried to play our way and scored the goal early playing the way we play.” It was the hosts who looked affected by the
moment — and the absence of suspended midfielder Thomas Partey — in their first Champions League semifinal since 2009.
They couldn’t cope with PSG’s pace in transition and the visitors’ lead easily could have been bigger after a dominant first half.
“They started quick with a goal and they dominated the first 15-20 minutes,” Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya said.
“It’s only halftime, we take positives.”
Kvaratskhelia caused Arsenal problems throughout and had a penalty appeal turned down in the 17th minute and a shot saved by David Raya in the 26th.
Raya made a better save in the 31st to deny Desire Doue as PSG continually was the more threatening team. At the other end, Gianluigi Donnarumma
denied Arsenal an equaliser on the stroke of halftime with a one-handed save to keep out a shot from Gabriel Martinelli.
With former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger looking on in the stands, the Gunners improved in the second half.
Mikel Merino thought he had equalised shortly after the break when he headed in a free kick from Declan Rice, but it was disallowed
for offside after a lengthy VAR check.
Donnarumma, who played a key part in the wins over Liverpool and Aston Villa, then had to make another low onehanded finger-tip save to steer Leandro Trossard’s shot wide after a quick counter in the 56th, but that was as close as Arsenal came to an equaliser.
“That’s the work of a goalkeeper, no? Save the team,” Luis Enrique said.
“They work every day for that.” PSG substitutes Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos both had chances to double the lead late on when clear through on goal. But Barcola shot narrowly wide and Ramos rattled the crossbar to keep Arsenal close going into the second leg in Paris next week.
“We have to go to Paris and win the game. We are more than capable of doing it,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said.
“If you want to be in the Champions League final, you have to do something special. And we are going to need to do something special in Paris.” Both teams are looking for a first Champions League title, and second final. PSG lost to Borussia Dortmund at this stage last year. The French side lost to Bayern Munich in its only Champions League final in 2020, while Arsenal was runner-up to Barcelona in 2006. Barcelona hosts Inter Milan today in the other semifinal.
INTER Milan’s Marko Arnautovic reacts at the end of the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Roma at the San Siro Stadium, in Milan, Italy, on Sunday. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Athletes of the Month
Tribune Sports has selected professional baseball player Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr and Olympic collegiate quarter-miler Javonya Valcourt as the Athletes of the Month for April.
The Tribune Sports section will recognise the efforts of athletes across all sporting disciplines and award a top male and female candidate at the end of each respective month, culminating with the athlete of the year distinction.
Female WinnerJavonya Valcourt
In what has been her best season at the University of Tennessee, the five-time All-American Valcourt was impressive in her 400-metre outdoor season opener, completing one lap around the track in a lifetime best 50.68 seconds to improve her mark as the No. 3 performer in school history.
The Bahamian Lady Vol junior finished fourth at the meet and currently ranks fifth in the NCAA for the 2025 outdoor season. With the performance, she also booked her ticket to the World Outdoor Championships in the one-lap race in Tokyo, Japan, in September.
Male WinnerJasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr
Chisholm Jr, playing in his first full season with the New York Yankees since he was traded there during the middle of the season last year from the Miami Marlins, is on an offensive tear with the long ball. Although he’s been hitting sparingly in some games, Chisholm Jr is in a nine-way tie for sixth for the major league lead in home runs and is tied with Aaron Judge for the most on the Yankees squad up to his selection. Stay tuned for May’s edition of Tribune Sports Athletes of the Month.
JAVONYA VALCOURT
‘JAZZ’ CHISHOLM JR
Intriguing Colorado Duo
Ayear a er quarterbacks dominated the top dozen picks, Miami s Cam Ward is the only sure re high pick among premier passers this year Bringing the intrigue into the dra are Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders and two-way star Travis Hunter, who aims to play both cornerback and wide receiver in the NFL like he did in B oulder
Back on their home courts, Lakers, Rockets determined to postpone elimination
By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer
Where will Shedeur Sanders land when teams gather in the land of Vince Lombardi to restock their rosters? at s the biggest stor yline of the NFL dra in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with mocks all over the map
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick saw the urgency he was anticipating Tuesday while his team practiced before what could be its final game of a tumultuous season.
Although Cam Ward the consensus pick to go No 1 overall to the Tennessee Titans, arguably brings more electricity to the position, Sanders skillset merits no sco
now: The Lakers and Rockets both get to play at home in Game 5 — and in Game 7, if either makes it that far.
Bypassing Colorado’s precision passer could lead to deep regrets among talent evaluators, suggested longtime ESPN dra analyst Mel Kiper Jr Sanders overcame a substandard ground game and at times poor pass protection to throw for 37 touchdowns and more than 4,000 yards last season while completing more than 74% of his throws.
“I would describe us as on edge,” Redick said. “As we should be.”
The Lakers aren’t the only high seed with its collective back against the gym wall heading into a highstakes tonight in the NBA playoffs.
“We have to play with a sense of desperation,” Redick said. “Can’t change what’s already happened, and you can’t feel sorry for yourself.”
Bypassing on-the- eld workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine and the Big 12 pro day only added to the doubts that suddenly swirled around the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, who dr yly wondered how his son ’ s stock could have slipped when he hasn’t thrown an interception since the Alamo B owl
The third-seeded Lakers and the second-seeded Rockets both won division titles this season while barely outlasting several competitors in the tight Western Conference, where only four wins separated second-seeded Houston from eighthseeded Memphis.
At the conclusion of the year
a er 4,000-some yards, all of a sudden his arm is weak, Deion Sanders cracked I don t know when his arm got weak. But he protects the ball He had the highest completion percentage in college football this past year He s the pillar of consistency
But the Lakers and Rockets are both on the brink of elimination now: The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors are taking 3-1 leads on the road with the chance to finish these first-round series and send themselves into a second-round matchup with each other.
The big-picture reasons why the Lakers and Rockets find themselves in this predicament are clear, and even logical.
That won’t make firstround exits any easier to swallow if they can’t rally from this daunting deficit.
The Lakers are still building their identity and teamwork after the midseason trade to land Doncic. Their new Slovenian superstar only played 21 games alongside LeBron James during the regular season — hardly enough time to figure out a consistent winning approach, as Los Angeles is learning in the first round against Anthony Edwards and the more tested Wolves.
But you ve got to understand when that last name is on your back you ’ re going to be attacked and ridiculed But we ’ re built for that. He was raised for this moment ” Kiper concurred saying Shedeur Sanders is accurate, he s precise –everything ever ybody wants. Decisionmaking, accuracy, toughness, he has Now, he’s 6-foot-and-a-half, can’t change that, right? But six-foot-and-a-half is more than good enough now in this day and age ”
“We definitely have to treat it like Game 7,” Luka Doncic said. “If you lose, you go home, no matter what. We can’t look in the future. Got to focus on this game, and then from there go on.”
The only advantage from earning those slightly higher seeds is arriving
“We don’t have much practice together, so it’s hard to get the chemistry on the court, but I think we’re ready for it,” Doncic said.
Shedeur Sanders
“We could have won some games (in the series). Little mistakes cost us, but we’re still confident we can win, and we’re going to go after (it with) everything.”
The Rockets got back in the playoffs after a fourseason absence with a revitalising season under coach Ime Udoka.
Houston won 52 games despite lacking a top-25 scorer and relying largely
on defensive intensity — but that formula hasn’t looked like enough to take four games from Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler. Golden State Warriors at Houston Rockets When/where to watch: Game 5, 7:30 p.m. EDT (TNT)
BetMGM says: Rockets by 4.5
The Warriors seized control of this feisty series Monday night by taking over in the fourth quarter. Butler did much of the work while playing through injury, scoring 23 points in the second half and 14 in the final period. For all their toughness, the Rockets’ lack of a top offensive player was glaring in Game 4.
Leading scorer Jalen Green didn’t get a bucket in the fourth quarter — not even taking a shot during the 7:02 he spent on the court — and finished with just eight points. Yet the Rockets will draw hope from the fact they kept it close, with Fred VanVleet missing a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Houston is hoping a return home will spark Green, who hit eight 3-pointers and scored 38 points in the Rockets’ Game 2 victory. Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers When/where to watch: Game 5, 10 p.m. EDT (TNT)
BetMGM says: Lakers by 5.5
Los Angeles is staggered after back-to-back losses at Minnesota despite leading in the fourth quarter of both games, including a seven-point advantage with five minutes left in Game 4. At least the Lakers are back in their downtown arena, where they compiled the NBA’s third-best home record this season — although that didn’t help in Game 1, which the Wolves won handily.
Edwards criticised the intensity of the Lakers’ home crowd earlier in the series, but he decided after Game 4 that Los Angeles’ downtown arena is a difficult place to play after all.
“I told them it’s going to be the toughest game that we’ve played all season, all
series, because everyone is going to be against us,” Edwards said.
“It’s going to be 300,000 people and then the Timberwolves, 12 players and the coaches and the people in the organisation that travels with us. Back against the wall in enemy territory.
These are the moments that we should live for — going on the road and trying to close a team out. It’s going to be tough, going to be a tough atmosphere, but it should be fun. If you like competing at the highest level, I told them it should be fun.”
Edwards thought the
Lakers looked tired in the fourth quarter of Game 4 after Redick curiously played the same five players for the entire second half — and many Lakers fans thought Edwards was correct, exposing Redick to some of the most significant criticism he has faced in his successful rookie season.
Redick rejected that notion yesterday, instead suggesting the Lakers’ poor execution down the stretch in their 19-point fourth quarter of Game 4 — with none of those points from James — were symptomatic of a fourth-quarter malaise throughout the series.
“Looking back now, what did we score, 19, 20, 13 in the fourth quarter (of the first three games)?” Redick asked.
“It’s a trend. More so than that, our two best players missed layups at the rim (in Game 4). I don’t think they missed layups because they were tired.”
AFTER RECORD-SETTING ROUND 1 WIN, CAVS HOPE THEY’RE JUST GETTING STARTED
By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer
MIAMI (AP) — Kenny Atkinson didn’t need a few months, or a few weeks, or even a few games before figuring out the potential of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He needed two practices.
Go back to training camp in Bradenton, Florida.
The Cavaliers were in Day 2 there, and one of Atkinson’s assistant coaches offered some early observations that have stuck with Atkinson for
the seven months that have followed. “He said, ‘We’re skilled, we’re smart and we play really hard.’ That was the immediate feedback,” Atkinson, in his first year coaching the Cavaliers, recalled this week.
“Those three things stood out. Your first impressions count, I guess.”
Those impressions were spot on, too.
Skilled, smart and hard-playing sums up the Cavaliers quite nicely, it turns out. They’re headed to the Eastern Conference
semifinals against either Indiana or Milwaukee, after the No. 1 seed on that side of the bracket simply dismantled the Miami Heat in a four-game sweep in Round 1.
Margin of victory in that series: 122 points, the most one-sided matchup in NBA playoff history.
Victory margins in Games 3 and 4, both on the road: 37 and 55 points.
“They’re going to be on probably a long run right now,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said when Game
4 ended, tipping his cap to the Cavs.
“They’re well-coached. They have a group that fits and plays the right way.
“So, we were humbled — but they had so much to do with a lot of how we looked.”
And Cleveland has done this to teams all season. OK, maybe not to this extent; the 55-point win in Game 4 was Cleveland’s largest this season, and the 37-point Game 3 win is now tied for its fourth-largest victory of the year.
But this Cavs team is doing something that not even the LeBron James teams in Cleveland did. Cleveland’s average margin of victory this season is now 10.5 points per game, on pace to be the best in franchise history.
Only nine teams have made it through a regular season and the playoffs with such a margin.
Cleveland star Donovan Mitchell was sitting with Cavs rookie Jaylon Tyson during the Game 4 runaway.
His message was simple: “This is your first playoff series ... and this (stuff) isn’t normal,” he said.
“We have a bigger goal in mind,” Mitchell said. “For us, it’s understanding that this is special. We’ve been doing special things all year. But we didn’t come here just to sweep in the first round and get to the second.”
They’re 68-18 so far this season, including playoffs. There are two teams in Cavaliers history that won more games in a full season: The 2008-09 team went 76-20, and the 2015-16
CAVALIERS forward Evan Mobley (4) scores against the Miami Heat during the second half in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series on Saturday in Miami. (AP Photo/ Michael Laughlin)
LOS Angeles Lakers’ Lebron James reacts after a call by a referee during the second half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)