SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025
Soccer nationals adds juniors ‘for first time’
By BRENT STUBBS
Every year, the Bahamas Football Association has added a new dimension to its annual Samuel P. Haven Jr High School Soccer Nationals that will be held over the next two weeks in Grand Bahama and New Providence.
This year’s edition will return with the Northern divisional qualifying round in Grand Bahama this week and the addition of the junior boys and girls divisions for the first time when the nationals swing into high gear the following week.
The BFA revealed the latest developments during a press conference
yesterday in the VIP Room of the Beach Soccer Stadium at the foot of the Sir Sidney Poitier Bridge.
Among those present were organisers from the BFA, both the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) and the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA), along with some of the participating schools and sponsors.
Carl Lynch, deputy general secretary of the BFA, said after getting started in 2016 when the Queen’s College Comets won the initial senior boys’ title and St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine carted off the senior girls’ crown, they have improved the level of play going into the sixth edition this year.
“We are proud to partner with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, alongside the participating schools associations,” Lynch said.
With the return of defending champions Windsor School in the senior boys and Lyford Cay Dragons in the senior girls, Lynch said they are expected to host eight additional teams in both divisions from the GSSSA, BAISS, Grand Bahama Secondary Schools Sports Association, Abaco and Eleuthera.
“This year, we will return to Grand Bahama for the Northern Group playoffs for the second year as to give some of the Family Island schools an opportunity to advance,” Lynch said.
“We’re especially proud to be launching a New Providence Junior High School Tournament for the very first time.”
The tournament, according to Lynch, honours the legacy of the late Haven Jr, an accomplished athlete, coach and administrator, who also helped to shape football in The Bahamas for years as president of the Bahamas Football Association.
This year’s divisional sponsors are Dunkin’ Donuts for the senior girls and JS Johnson for the senior boys.
The community sponsors are IL Cares Foundation, PDC Corporate Accounting Services, Aquapure, Paradise Promotion
Products and Gatorade. Bruce Swann, who also serves as the tournament director, revealed that on Thursday and Friday, the Northern Group playoffs will take place with the senior girls and boys winners advancing to the nationals.
The national playoffs will comprise of two teams from Grand Bahama, the top team from Abaco and the top team from Eleuthera at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex.
The New Providence playoffs will get underway on May 21 and conclude on
May 28 when the winners will be determined to go into the nationals.
The nationals will get started with the semifinals on May 29 and the third place and championship games will be played on May 30, all at the Roscoe Davies Developmental Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.
While the GSSSA has not yet determined who their representatives will be, president Varel Davis said they will be ready. The GSSSA will have the
ALTHOUGH
The Bahamas didn’t have any participation in the World Relays over the weekend, Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ president Drumeco Archer was confident that the country will have some representation at the World Championships.
The World Relays, held in Guangzhou, China, was a qualifier for relay teams for the World Championships, scheduled for Tokyo, Japan, September 13-21.
Archer said the only reason The Bahamas didn’t send a team was because of the unavailability of the top athletes in the country to compete.
“We will be sending teams to meets within the area, whether that’s in Florida or in the region and we can get our teams qualified,” Archer said.
“By then, athletes will have returned home from school and we will have more legs. We just simply didn’t have the ammunition to take to China. So we’re looking at alternative competition as we speak.”
Without the deep pool of athletes to select from, like the other nations who participated, Archer said it didn’t make sense sending teams that would not have been competitive in the first place.
He noted that an injury to national record holder Steven Gardiner a week ago in Miami, Florida limited the pool for both the
DAY two of the John Brown University men’s basketball team turned out to be a lot more than expected, despite the inclement weather.
A number of high school players, including CI Gibson, Anatol Rodgers and DW Davis, showed up at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium yesterday although the session was switched from the CI Gibson Gymnasium.
Bahamian Dr Simeon Hinsey, who now resides in Arkansas, said his whole idea of bringing John Brown to The Bahamas is to give the local players a glimmer of hope for the future.
“The rain slowed things down, but it didn’t stop it,” he said. “We are just glad to be back here serving the kids. We’ve seen a lot of athleticism, a lot of talent. Our country is full of talent.
“But I just want to give them some hope and let
THE Bahamas Triathlon Association has announced that its 6th Aquathlon/Triathlon National Championships is scheduled for from May 24-25 in Jaws Beach. The event is open to all athletic levels. For more information, interested persons can visit bahamastriathlon.org.
TRACK OPEN HOUSE THE Blue Chip Athletics is slated to hold its Open House Invitation on Saturday, May 31 from 9-11:30am at the Queen’s College campus.
The competitors will get a chance to show off their skills in discus, shot put, javelin and the hammer throws. Interested persons are urged
SEE PAGE E2 May
LYFORD Cay International School’s Molly Lambson picks the
in Grand Bahama.
DRUMECO ARCHER ON WORLDS: ‘WE JUST DIDN’T HAVE SUFFICIENT LEGS TO MAKE A FULL TEAM’
FROM PAGE E1
mixed relay and the men’s 4 x 400m relay team.
“We just didn’t have sufficient legs to make a full team,” he said.
“But we will have athletes who will compete in individual events and they will prove to be quite successful.
“But at this juncture, in terms of numbers, we just don’t have the athletes available for us to have taken a team to China that would have been competitive.”
The top eight teams to advance to the final in both the men and women 4 x 100 and 4 x 400m as well as the mixed 4 x 400m relays automatically earned a berth at the World Championship.
Archer said there are some of the top athletes who are injured and would not have been available to compete, so they didn’t want to put any emphasis on taking a team that was not going to be competitive.
But with the Bahamas securing the bid to host the 2028 World Relays, Archer said it has nothing to do with whether or not The Bahamas participated this year in China.
Team Bahamas and the organising committee for the hosting of the World Relays should be treated separately,” he stated.
“We have an obligation as the federation to produce the best team and our resources just would not have allowed us to send a team that may not have
performed at the highest level at these relays.”
As for the hosting of the World Relays in 2028, Archer said the Local Organising Committee is still pushing forward in bringing the World Relays back to The Bahamas.
World Athletics gave birth to the World Relays here in The Bahamas at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium in 2014 and it remained here in 2025 and 2017.
However, the next two editions took place in Yokohama, Japan in 2019 and Chorzow, Poland in 2021.
The big event returned to The Bahamas in 2024.
But, this year, World Athletics took it to Guangzhou, China. The Bahamas put in a bid for the two editions,
but World Athletics offered it to Gaborone, Botswana for 2026 and will bring it back to The Bahamas in 2028.
It’s important to note that the 2028 edition of the World Relays will serve as a qualifier for the teams for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California. World Athletics hope to introduce the mixed 4 x 100 metre relay to the games, while the event will be added to the calendar for the World Championships in Tokyo. Archer was unable to say which relay teams The Bahamas will be aiming to qualify for at this year’s World Championships. It is important to note that the window closes on August 24.
Soccer nationals adds junior boys and girls divisions for the first time
FROM PAGE E1
benefit of having their champions decided by May 19 when they should have concluded their championship series. With the BAISS season long completed, Windsor, St Andrew’s and Lyford Cay will be the representatives in the senior boys division, while the girls will be Lyford Cay, Queen’s College and St Andrew’s.
to contact coach Corrington Maycock at 395-6381, coach Quell Harris at 818-2095 and or coach Acaci at 445-3915 for more information.
FAST TRACK SPRING FLING
INVITATIONAL
THE Fast Track Athletics Club is scheduled to hold its 4th annual Spring 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 provide fast competition, perfect prep for championship season
In the inaugural junior division, St Andrew’s and Lyford Cay will carry the banner for the BAISS in the boys and Windsor and St Andrew’s will be entered in the girls.
Sandre Hobbs, the conveyor for soccer in the BAISS, said while they wait on the winners from the government schools, they want to assure their rivals that the private schools are
and an unmatched island atmosphere in Grand Bahama.
For more information on the meet, persons can email fasttrackmanagement00@ gmail.com
BASKETBALL
DARRELL SEARS
SHOWCASE GRAND Bahamian basketball coach Darrell Sears is scheduled to host a basketball showcase May 16-18 at the St George’s Gymnasium.
The showcase will run from 6-10pm on day one, 8am to 5pm on day two and 10am to 1pm on the final day. Registration is opened to players in grades 7-12 and unattached with college eligibility. A number of visiting coaches from high school and colleges will be in town from the United States and possibly Canada to conduct the showcase. For more information, persons can call 242-6469557 or 242-533-6374.
SOFTBALL THOMPSON/ WILLIAMS MEMORIAL
SLOW PITCH
TOURNAMENT THE Friends for Life Committee will host a joint Paul ‘Dingus’ Thompson
coming and will put on a show.
Floyd Armbrister, representing the Ministry of Education, said with their motto “No child left behind,” they are delighted to partner with the BFA to ensure that the event is a success for both the junior and senior high school divisions.
He commended the BFA for putting together
and Cornelius ‘Money’ Williams Men and co-ed slow pitch invitational tournament over the Labour Day and Whit Monday holiday weekend, June 5-9.
The event will be staged at the Grand Bahama Sporting Complex softball field in Freeport, Grand Bahama and is expected to feature teams from Eleuthera, New Providence, Grand Bahama and the United States of America. For more details, interested persons can email friendsforlife242@ gmail.com
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
nationals, which he claimed for the first time will afford representation from all of the school leagues to be a part of the event.
JS Johnson’s marketing manager Jana Indi Johnson said their company has been in existence for over 100 years and they have always been dedicated to supporting the youth of the nation. When they were approached, they didn’t
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.
GSSSA SOCCER
THE Government Secondary Schools Sports Association is currently playing its soccer regular season action at the Roscoe Davies Developmental Center.
Junior girls and boys games are being played on Tuesday and Thursdays and the senior boys and girls are playing on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays. Games start at 4pm every day. The sudden death playoffs for the senior girls and boys are set for Wednesday, May 14, with the third place and championship game on Friday, May 16.
The sudden death playoffs for the junior girls and boys will be played on Thursday, May 15.
And the championship games played on Monday, May 19.
GOLF
WOMEN’S GOLF DAY
THE Flamingo Women’s Golf Association is scheduled to hold its second annual Women’s Golf Invitational Tournament at the Bahamas Golf Federation’s
hesitate in answering the call to sponsor the event.
Daria Adderley, BFA
women’s football council member, encouraged the general public to come out and support the youth of the nation in what is expected to be another grand event.
Public relations officer
Jurelle Nairn said tickets for the event are very affordable so there should
Nine-Hole Golf Range at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. The event is scheduled for May 30-31. Interested golfers can call 422-3744 or email flamingowomensgolfclub@gmail.com
CYCLING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
THE Bahamas Cycling Federation has announced that its 51st national road championships is all set to take place from June 6-7 in Mount Thompson, Exuma. The registration closes at 12am on June 2, 2025.
BASKETBALL
JOHNSON DEVELOPMENTAL
LEAGUE
THE 2025 Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnson Developmental League will take place from June 13 to July 12 at the CI Gibson Gymnasium from 9am to 1pm daily. Using the theme “Get Your Game to the Next Level,” the five weeks of development and skill building camp open to boys and girls basketball players of all high school ages. The registration fee is $60.
Interested persons can contact coach Kevin Johnson at 636-9350 or email coachkjjohnson@gmail.com for more information.
be no excuse from patrons not coming out and filling up the stands. All-access passes for eight days are priced at $25 for adults and $15 for students. Daily passes are only $7 for adults and $5 for students.
And for the junior championships only, the cost is $5 for adults and $2 for students.
JOHNSON BASKETBALL CAMP THE annual Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnson Basketball Camp will be held from June 23 to July 11 at the CI Gibson Gymnasium from 9 am to 1 pm daily.
“Come and be trained by the best coaches in the Caribbean,” is the motto of the camp, which is designed to help the boys and girls of all high school levels to “elevate your game to the next level.”
The registration fee is $120 per person and interested persons are urged to contact coach Johnson at 636-9350 or email coachkjjohnson@gmil.com. BASKETBALL 12th BOWLES CAMP
The International Basketball Association Bahamas will host its 12th annual Denykco Bowles Elite Skills Basketball Camp at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. Under the theme “Developing Champions on all levels,” the co-ed camp for boys and girls will run from June 23 to July 19. For more info, interested persons can contact 466-0049 or email ibabahamaspamthers@gmail. com or log into info info. ibsbsshamas.
DRUMECO ARCHER, president of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations.
ORGANISERS and school representatives at the Samuel P Haven Jr National Soccer Championship press conference.
US to open World Cup qualifying this fall against Nicaragua and Dominican Republic
By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer
THE U.S. will open qualifying for the 2027 Basketball World Cup in November against the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and a third nation that will be determined later this summer by the results of a pre-qualifier tournament.
The groups — and 68 of the 80 nations that are in the mix for the 31 open World Cup berths — were announced at Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday. Qatar is the only nation to have a World Cup spot assured; it has one because it will host the tournament in the summer of 2027.
The other 12 nations — eight from Europe, four from the Americas — that will play in qualifying will be determined this summer.
“The qualifiers are a special part of this journey,” FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis said. “The World Cup is not a threeweek event. The World Cup is in reality more than two years, as you can see. ... This is the key moment on the way to Doha.” Germany is the defending champion, having topped Serbia for the gold medal
at Manila in 2023. Canada beat the U.S. in that tournament for the bronze.
“When I started playing for the German national team in the late ‘90s, we would have never thought this was possible — that Germany will be World Cup champions,” said German great Dirk Nowitzki, the longtime Dallas Mavericks star who brought the World Cup trophy onto the stage for the draw on Tuesday night.
“I think that shows the growth of basketball in Germany and the rest of the world, in Europe, all over the place. It’s been fun watching basketball grow the last two decades and more. And really, anything is possible in the world now in basketball.”
The Americans have won the tournament five times, but not since 2014 — after finishing a recordworst seventh at China in 2019 and missing the medal stand again at Manila in 2023. It has been a challenge for the U.S. to field its best possible team for the World Cups, given that most stars tend to prefer playing in the Olympics and many can’t commit to a plan where they would be playing in a World Cup one
summer and the Olympics the following year.
“I’m excited,” USA Basketball great and 2025 Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinee Carmelo Anthony said.
“I think the world is excited. I think players are excited. I just think that intensity level, from what I’ve experienced in the previous World Cups, has shot up 10 times more than what it was before.
“I think the energy, I think that intentionality of the game, you see the passion of winning, not just from certain teams, you see it from all teams that are playing.”
A breakdown of the qualifying by region:
Americas Teams: 16 for 7 World Cup spots.
First-round qualifying dates: November 2025, February 2026, July 2026.
Second-round qualifying dates: August 2026, November 2026, February 2027.
Format: Four groups of four teams in the first round (six games per team). The top three teams from each group will move on to the second round.
Group A: United States, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, TBD.
Group B: Canada, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, TBD.
Group C: Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, TBD.
Group D: Argentina, Uruguay, Panama, TBD.
(There are four teams still yet to qualify)
(And those teams will be determined at a pair of prequalifying tournaments in August.)
Europe Teams: 32 for 12 World Cup spots.
First-round qualifying dates: November 2025, February 2026, July 2026.
Second-round qualifying dates: August 2026, November 2026, February 2027.
Format: Eight groups of four teams in the first round (six games per team). The top three teams from each group will move on to the second round.
Group A: Spain, Georgia, TBD, TBD.
Group B: Greece, Montenegro, Portugal, TBD.
Group C: Serbia, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, TBD.
Group D: Britain, Italy, Iceland, Lithuania.
Group E: Germany, Israel, Cyprus, TBD.
Group F: Latvia, Poland, TBD, TBD.
Group G: France, Belgium, Finland, TBD.
Group H: Slovenia, Czech Republic, Sweden, Estonia.
(There are eight teams still yet to qualify.)
(And those teams will be determined at pre-qualifying tournaments this summer.)
Asia Teams: 16 for 7 World Cup spots.
(Qatar already qualified as host nation, and will be the eighth World Cup team from Asia.)
First-round qualifying dates: November 2025, February 2026, July 2026.
Second-round qualifying dates: August 2026, November 2026, February 2027.
Format: Four groups of four teams in the first round (six games per team). The top three teams from each group will move on to the second round.
Group A: Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Guam.
Group B: Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan.
Group C: Iran, Jordan, Syria, Iraq.
Group D: Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, India, Qatar.
Africa Teams: 16 for 5 World Cup spots
First-round qualifying dates: November 2025, February 2026, July 2026.
Second-round qualifying dates: August 2026, February 2027.
Format: Four groups of four teams in the first round (six games per team). The top three teams from each group will move on to the second round.
Group A: Cameroon, South Sudan, Libya, Cape Verde.
Group B: Senegal, Congo, Madagascar, Ivory Coast.
Group C: Nigeria, Rwanda, Guinea, Tunisia.
Group D: Mali, Angola, Uganda, Egypt.
By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer
THE Minnesota Vikings get a double dip of international play in 2025 with trips to both Ireland and Britain as the NFL features a record seven overseas kickoffs this season, including forays into Germany and Spain.
The Vikings will play the Pittsburgh Steelers at Croke Park in Dublin on Sept. 28 in Ireland’s first NFL regular season game, and then they’ll fly over to London to face the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a week later on Oct. 5.
“Our experiences in London have always been memorable, so to return in 2025 as the first team to play in back-to-back international games in different
countries was something we could not pass up,” Vikings owner Mark Wilf said.
The Vikings are 8-0 in international games, including 4-0 in the regular season. The Vikings and Browns also played in London in 2017, the last time the Vikings were scheduled to visit Cleveland. That means they’re going to go 24 years between trips to Cleveland, with the next one in 2033. The matchups were revealed on Tuesday by the NFL as part of a series of announcements of notable games on each of the league’s broadcasters ahead of the full schedule release on Wednesday night. That’s also when the league will announce the Los Angeles Chargers’ opponent for its first
international game of the season in Brazil, on Sept. 5 at Corinthians Stadium in Sao Paulo. That’s where the Philadelphia Eagles began their Super Bowl quest last year with a game against the Green Bay Packers on opening weekend. The Brazilian game will be streamed for free to a worldwide audience exclusively on YouTube and YouTube TV, marking the platform’s debut as a live NFL broadcaster. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and YouTube chief business officer Mary Ellen Coe will announce the Chargers’ opponent Wednesday at YouTube’s 2025 Brandcast upfront event at Lincoln Center in New York. YouTube and the NFL also announced a multi-year
deal for the annual Super Bowl flag football game featuring creators and artists with additional international contests following the success of the inaugural game in February that drew more than 6 million live views.
In other international games, the Denver Broncos visit the New York Jets on Oct. 12 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London; the Los Angeles Rams visit the Jacksonville Jaguars a week later at Wembley Stadium in London; the Atlanta Falcons visit the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 9 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin; and the Washington Commanders visit the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 16 at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid.
This marks the 14th game in London for the Jaguars, as part of the team’s multiyear commitment to playing games in Britain. Overall, the NFL has played 39 regular season games in London. The six international matchups that were announced will all be on NFL Network and streamed on NFL+. The Colts-Falcons game in Berlin is the fifth regular season NFL game in Germany. Previous games have been played in Munich and Frankfurt. Peter O’Reilly, NFL executive vice president of club business and league events, said the largest-ever slate of international games “underscores our collective commitment to global growth as we continue our
journey to becoming a truly global sport.”
Also Tuesday, the NFL revealed on “Good Morning America” that the Super Bowl champion Eagles will play the Packers in Green Bay on Monday Night Football on Nov. 10. The rest of the MNF lineup will be announced today.
The Week 10 game at Lambeau Field pits the teams at the center of the tush push debate this offseason. Green Bay has proposed a ban on the Eagles’ short-yardage tactic, calling for the NFL to outlaw the quarterback sneak where teammates push him from behind.
The issue is expected to be debated at the league’s spring meeting next week.
GERMANY celebrates with the trophy after winning the championship game of the Basketball World Cup against Serbia in Manila, Philippines, on Sunday, September 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Intriguing Colorado Duo Knicks look to close out defending champion Celtics in Game 5. And T-wolves can do same to Warriors
By KYLE HIGHTOWER AP Sports Writer
BOSTON (AP) — Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves are on the brink of their second straight trip to the Western Conference finals. In the East, Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks are a win away from reaching the conference finals for the first time in 25 years.
New York wasn’t given much of a shot entering its semifinal matchup against a Boston Celtics team it went 0-4 against during the regular season.
There aren’t a lot of Knicks doubters now.
New York rode huge fourth-quarter performances from Brunson and Mikal Bridges to overcome a double-digit deficit for the third time in the series and defeat the defending champions 121-113 in Game 4. Brunson believes the Knicks brought a sense of urgency and desperation into the matchup.
“We’re playing a really good team, and I don’t even think we’re playing our best basketball yet,” Brunson said. “And we have a team that’s fairly new this year and we still have a long way to go to be the best team we can be and it’s always time to learn for us so we got to make sure we’re never satisfied.”
New York took a 3-1 series lead, and Boston suffered a devastating blow when star Jayson Tatum went down in the fourth quarter with a ruptured right Achilles tendon. Players from both teams walked over to offer support to Tatum as he writhed in pain on the court at Madison Square Garden. He had surgery yesterday. See story Teams leading 3-1 in the NBA playoffs have won 95.6% of the time, with only 13 teams in 293 tries coming back to win three straight games.
And that’s the same tough spot the Golden State Warriors are in after the Timberwolves’ 117-110 win on Monday.
Julius Randle led the way with 31 points, followed by Edwards with 30. Edwards got off to a sluggish start, but he scored 11 points during a 17-0 third-quarter run.
“I didn’t like how we were playing overall, and I didn’t like how I was playing
individually,” Edwards said. “I know I had to pick it up.”
The Warriors opened the series with a win at Minnesota and will have to win there again to keep their season alive. They’ll still be without star Stephen Curry, who missed his third consecutive game and was set to have his strained left hamstring re-evaluated today.
Jimmy Butler didn’t feel well before or during
Game 4 but coach Steve Kerr is counting on “Playoff Jimmy” showing up with the season on the line tonight. “He does whatever is necessary to win,” Kerr said. “And I’m confident that Game 5, he’s the ultimate competitor. He’ll be ready to roll.” New York Knicks at Boston Celtics When/where to watch: Game 5, 7 p.m. EDT (TNT).
Series: Knicks lead 3-1. BetMGM Sportsbook: Celtics by 4.5. What to know: The Celtics’ reign as NBA champions is in peril as they return home trailing the Knicks 3-1. Boston surrendered a double-digit, second-half lead for the third time in the series and lost Tatum to the torn Achilles tendon late in the fourth quarter. The Celtics hit a series-best 18
3-pointers in Game 4, but were just of 6 of 24 after halftime. They’ll have to contend with a Knicks team that got another strong night from Brunson, who continued to show why he was named the NBA’s clutch player of the year. He finished with 39 points and 12 assists — his sixth game this postseason scoring 30 or more — to help New York get within a victory of advancing to its first conference finals appearance since 2000. Golden State Warriors at Minnesota Timberwolves When/where to watch: Game 5, 8:30 p.m. EDT (TNT).
Series: Timberwolves lead 3-1.
BetMGM Sportsbook: Timberwolves by 11.5. What to know: The Timberwolves’ 1-2 punch of Edwards and Randle has been too much for Golden State, and without Curry, the Warriors don’t have the scoring power to stay with Minnesota. With Curry set for a re-evaluation of the hamstring he hurt in Game 1 last Tuesday, it would seem highly unlikely he would be thrust right back into action, even in an elimination game. The Warriors regularly put rehabbing players through on-court work before they return to game action. “We don’t need Superman. I play the long game,” longtime teammate Draymond Green said. Curry wouldn’t even get a chance to return if the Warriors don’t stave off elimination and force a Game 6 back home at Chase Center on Sunday. The Wolves knocked down 16 of 32 3-pointers Monday night while the Warriors were cold from long range again. After they managed only five 3-point attempts in the first half of Game 3 — missing them all — and finished 10 for 23 from deep, they were even worse in Game 4 at 8 of 27.
By KYLE HIGHTOWER AP Sports Writer
BOSTON (AP) — When Jayson Tatum toppled to the court, writhing in pain and grabbing at his right foot late in the Celtics’ Eastern Conference semifinals Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks, it looked like a potentially seasonaltering injury. Boston’s worst fears are now confirmed.
Tatum had surgery yesterday to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon that will sideline him for the remainder of the playoffs, the team announced.
The Celtics provided details on the extent of Tatum’s injury and announced news of the surgery a day after the six-time All-Star went down in the Celtics’ 121-113 Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks. It puts the hopes of the defending champions repeating and Tatum’s playing status for next season in doubt.
They did not give a timetable for his return, but said a full recovery was expected.
When Kevin Durant tore his Achilles tendon during the 2019 NBA Finals, he wound up missing the entire 2019-2020 season.
Tatum was carried off the court with 2:58 remaining in Monday night’s game. The Celtics had just turned the ball over and as Tatum moved for the loose ball, his leg gave out and he went down. He buried his face in a towel in obvious pain while grabbing at his leg above the ankle after the noncontact injury.
Tatum scored 42 points, his highest total during these playoffs and one of the best all-round postseason performances of his career, before he was hurt. The injury was Tatum’s second this postseason. He missed Game 2 of Boston’s 4-1 first-round series win over Orlando with a bone bruise in his right wrist. It was the first time he’d missed a playoff game in his career.
Now, Tatum’s teammates will face a daunting task that few teams before them have pulled off if they want to break an NBA record six-season drought without a repeat champion.
Teams holding a 3-1 lead in the NBA playoffs have gone on to win 95.6% of the time, with only 13 teams in 293 tries ever coming back
The 27-year-old Tatum is leading the Celtics in points (28.1), rebounds (11.5) and assists (5.4) per game for the second straight postseason. The Knicks lead the Celtics 3-1 in their Eastern Conference semifinals series. Game 5 is in Boston tonight.
from the deficit to win the series.
“Obviously, we all realise in our heads what this could mean. This part of the sport – it’s tough,” Celtics centre Kristaps Porzingis said Monday.
“We have to move forward. He don’t want us to be over here sad and not play our best basketball.”
To become the 14th team to overcome a 3-1 deficit, the Celtics will need big performances from a roster that has several players who have dealt with injuries this postseason.
All-Star Jaylen Brown entered the playoffs dealing with a right knee issue that has slowed him at times. Porzingis also has been slowed at times by the lingering effects of a viral illness that sidelined him for stretches in the second half of the regular season. Brown said Monday that his confidence remains high. “Get ready for the next one. Get ready to fight. Get ready to come out on our home floor and do what we need to do,” Brown said. “That’s the goal. Still the goal. We’ve got enough
in this locker room. So, I believe in my guys.”
Regardless of how this series or the rest of the playoffs play out for Boston, Tatum’s injury likely will alter how the franchise confronts this coming offseason. Including this year, the Celtics’ payroll will be over the salary cap and make them a luxury-tax team for the third straight season. That means they will be hit with the “repeater tax” for being over the cap threshold in three out of four seasons.
Their current payroll for next season is on track to come in around $225 million, which would mean a tax bill next year of almost $280 million. The combined potential $500 total price tag would be a league record. It is unclear whether the team’s incoming new ownership will want to keep paying those hefty taxes to maintain the current roster after agreeing to a purchase in March that is expected to have a final price of a minimum of $6.1 billion.
Tatum signed an NBArecord five-year, $314 contract last July that will begin next season. Brown is playing under a fiveyear, $304 million deal that kicked in this season. That means that trimming player salary is a possibility ownership could explore this summer. And with Tatum possibly missing all of next season, it could accelerate the front office’s timeline for reworking the current roster with an eye toward the future.
Jacobi Bain graduates from XULA
JACOBI Bain graduated this weekend from Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA), obtaining his bachelor’s degree in business management.
Bain was an outstanding tennis collegiate player, suiting up for the XULA Gold Rush men’s tennis
team from 2021-2025.
During his college tenure, Bain had a commendable collegiate tennis career. Bain played in a number of positions for XULA Gold Rush, including the No.1 doubles position and was ranked in the NAIA as high as No.3 in doubles
with his partner Suarez. In singles, Bain was the Red River Athletic conference player of the week five times (twice for this 2025 season), ITA Doubles Cup winner and along with his teammates claimed the HBCU National Tennis Championships.
Bain was instrumental in his team winning the team title of the HBCU championship in 2021. In 2024, he was named to the NAIA All America 3rd Team.
Bain’s 2025 season is not done yet as the team plays in the NAIA national
tournament next week.
The Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association congratulates Bain on a great achievement and an excellent collegiate tennis journey.
“We pray God’s blessings over Jacobi as he enters a new chapter of his life. We know he will continue to
shine bright,” the BLTA wrote.
in the collage above receiving his degree and with his tennis teammates. And also being honoured on Senior’s Day for his contribution to XULA Gold Rush tennis.
SINNER PASSES BIG TEST IN RETURN FROM DOPING BAN, ALCARAZ SETS UP REMATCH WITH DRAPER IN ROME
By ANDREW DAMPF AP Sports Writer
ROME (AP) — Topranked Jannik Sinner passed a big test in his return from a threemonth doping ban, beating accomplished clay-court player Francisco Cerundolo 7-6 (2), 6-3 yesterday to reach the Italian Open quarterfinals.
The 18th-ranked Cerundolo has a tour-best 18 wins on clay this year and was coming off a run to the Madrid Open semifinals.
Also, Cerundolo beat Sinner when they last met on the same court — and in the same round — two years ago.
It’s Sinner’s first tournament since he won his third Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January and he hasn’t dropped a set in three matches.
“Today I felt that I raised my level,” Sinner said. “It was a very long day … But
I need this. I’m happy to be back. I was three months out, so every situation for me, I feel very fortunate to be here, very lucky.”
Sinner extended his winning streak to 24 matches, dating back to October, and he said that reaching the quarterfinals was “a great result,” adding that “for the first tournament, I’m very, very happy.”
In February, Sinner agreed to a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency that raised some questions, since the three-month suspension conveniently allowed him not to miss any Grand Slams and come back at his home tournament.
Rome is the last big warmup before the French Open starts on May 25. The start of the match was delayed for several hours due to rain, turning it into a night match. But ticket-holders for the day session at the Foro Italico
hung around to see their home player and serenaded him with chants of “Ole, Ole, Ole; Sin-ner, Sin-ner” at all of the big moments.
A sign in the crowd read, “We are all Sinners.”
Sinner hung on during long rallies with Cerundolo and eventually found the range on his drop shot when it mattered most — during the tiebreaker.
When Sinner produced a stop-volley winner early in the second set he gestured with the fingers for the crowd to cheer louder.
Sinner then required a medical timeout for treatment of apparent blisters on his right foot. But he broke Cerundolo in the next game to take a 3-1 lead in the second set to take control for good.
Sinner will next face either freshly crowned Madrid champion Casper Ruud or Jaume Munar.
Sinner is attempting to become the first Italian man
to win the Rome title since Adriano Panatta in 1976. Alcaraz overcomes fatigue
In the other half of the draw, Carlos Alcaraz was made to work for a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 victory over Karen Khachanov that earned him a rematch with Jack Draper — who beat him earlier this year.
Alcaraz improved to 5-0 in his career against the 24th-ranked Khachanov.
“Physically I was struggling a little bit,” Alcaraz said. “Not any pain in any part of the body. I was just tired. I had to run a lot. I was really proud the way I fought (for) every ball.”
The third-ranked Alcaraz wore a long black brace that covered the upper portion of his right leg and stretched down to just below his knee.
Alcaraz withdrew from Madrid due to an upper right leg ailment that bothered him during the
Barcelona Open final. He also had a left leg injury.
Alcaraz, who won the Monte Carlo Masters in April, improved to 12-1 on clay this season. The four-time Grand Slam champion will next face No. 5 Draper, who rallied past Corentin Moutet 1-6, 6-4, 6-3. While Alcaraz holds a 3-2 career edge over Draper, the British player won their most recent meeting in the semifinals at Indian Wells, California, in March. Match point delay Lorenzo Musetti had set up a match point against Daniil Medvedev when their match was interrupted by rain. The contest was suspended for nearly three hours before the players finally came back out and Musetti closed it out by producing an inside-out forehand winner on the first point of the resumption. Musetti, a new entrant in
the top 10 of the rankings at No. 9, won 7-5, 6-4. Paolini into semifinals In the women’s tournament, Jasmine Paolini rallied past Diana Shnaider 6-7 (1), 6-4, 6-2 to become the first Italian woman to reach the semifinals in Rome since her doubles partner, Sara Errani, lost the 2014 final to Serena Williams.
Paolini was trailing 3-0 in the second set when the match was briefly stopped due to rain. Shnaider went on to hold serve and go ahead 4-0 after the suspension but then Paolini won six straight games to take the set.
“It was a good thing that it rained for five minutes. I got some coaching from Sara,” Paolini said of Errani, who was watching from the stands.
The last Italian woman to win the Italian Open was Raffaella Reggi, who took the 1985 title in Taranto.
Intriguing Colorado Duo
Edwards, Randle lead the way again as T-wolves beat Warriors 117-110 for 3-1 lead in the series
By JANIE MCCAULEY
AP Sports Writer
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)
— Anthony Edwards let it
fly from 30 feet just before the halftime buzzer and his 3-pointer provided some much-needed momentum that Minnesota took right into a commanding third quarter.
Edwards also spoke up to his team at halftime and Chris Finch credited that pep talk for setting the tone ahead of an impressive second half.
“At halftime, Coach came in and said we’re playing like we already won the series pretty much, I don’t really like that,” Edwards said, adding, “I told them we’ve only got two wins.” Edwards scored 30 points, Julius Randle had 31 and the Timberwolves beat the Golden State Warriors 117-110 on Monday night for a 3-1 lead in their Western Conference playoff series.
Staying close at halftime was key. “It was huge because it felt like one of those games where we were going to struggle to find a rhythm,” Finch said. “I thought we might be down eight, 10 at halftime with the way that we had played. Fortunately, I thought his shot made it pretty much an even game and if we came out with the type of purpose that we needed to I felt we were going to be OK.”
Now, it’s back home to Minneapolis for the Wolves with a chance to clinch the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series in Game 5 tonight.
The Warriors will still be without Stephen Curry, who sat out his third game in a row and is scheduled to
CHAVANO ‘BUDDY’ HIELD CONTRIBUTES 13 POINTS FOR GOLDEN STATE
have his strained left hamstring re-evaluated that day.
“We’re not going to Superman this thing,” Draymond Green said. “If he’s in a place where he can play, I’m sure he will.”
Edwards made consecutive 3-pointers and scored 11 total points in a decisive 17-0 Minnesota run that put the Timberwolves ahead 85-68 late in the third. They led 97-77 going into the fourth and the Warriors couldn’t catch up.
Edwards — coming off a 36-point performance in a Game 3 — hit that big shot that pulled Minnesota within 60-58 at the break. And the Wolves delivered in the second half again after also trailing by two points at halftime in a 102-97 victory in Game 3. Jonathan Kuminga came off the bench to score 23 points and convert 11 of 12 free throws for the Warriors, following up his 30-point performance in Game 3 with another gem.
Jaden McDaniels added 10 points and 13 rebounds for Minnesota.
Buddy Hield went down briefly 4:17 before halftime after McDaniels grabbed at the guard’s neck and pulled the back of his jersey.
The play went to replay review as fans chanted “You can’t do that!” but was deemed a common foul rather than a flagrant. Hield contributed 13 points, two steals and an assist but turned the ball over four times. Golden State has now dropped three in a row since Curry hurt his leg early in Game 1.
The Warriors were slow getting their offence and 3-point shooting going in a 102-97 loss Saturday and it was much of the same this game. Jimmy Butler and Green scored 14 points apiece. Even without Curry, Finch’s defensive game plan focused on keeping the Warriors from their dangerous 3-point flurries — and Golden State wound up 8 of 27 from deep.
WARRIORS guard Buddy Hield defends Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards in the third quarter in Game 4 of the NBA Playoffs Western Conference Semifinals on Monday.
PACERS ELIMINATE TOP-SEEDED CAVALIERS 114-105, ADVANCE TO THE EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer
CLEVELAND (AP) —
Tyrese Haliburton scored 31 points, Pascal Siakam added 21 and the Indiana Pacers advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight year with a 114-105 victory over Cleveland on Tuesday night, eliminating the top-seeded Cavaliers in five games.
The Celtics swept the Pacers last year in the East finals.
Indiana rallied from a 19-point deficit in the first half and took control after halftime as it won all three games at Cleveland’s Rocket Arena.
Donovan Mitchell, who missed the second half of Sunday’s game due to a sprained left ankle, led Cleveland with 35 points. Evan Mobley added 24 points and 11 rebounds. The fourth-seeded Pacers will now await the winner of the matchup between the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks. New York has a 3-1 advantage in the series with Game 5 tonight in Boston.
GOLDEN State Warriors’ Buddy Hield is fouled by Minnesota Timberwolves’ Jaden McDaniels in 2nd quarter of NBA Western Conference Semifinals’ Game 4 at Chase Center in San Francisco onMonday, May 12, 2025. Photos: Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle)
INDIANA Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, left, celebrates last night along with forward Pascal Siakam after scoring during the second half in Game 5 of an Eastern Conference semifinal NBA basketball playoff against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)