SPORTS
MONDAY, MAY 19, 2025
Terrence Jones sets new national record
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor
Terrence Jones established a national record, Anthonique Strachan showed she’s back, Anthaya Charlton soared again and twin sisters Cassie and Casidra Thompson got their own spotlight over the weekend.
They led a relatively good showing by a number of elite and collegiate athletes in action in various meets overseas.
Atlanta City Games
Although he didn’t win, Grand Bahamian Terrence Jones clocked 14.93 for second place and a new Bahamian national record in the Piedmont Men’s 150 metres elite race in Atlanta, Georgia, shattering Chris “Fireman” Brown’s previous national record of 15.10 that he ironically established on the same day in 2018 at the
Manchester City Games in Manchester, United Kingdom.
Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala stunned the field in taking the tape in 14.70. American Matthew Boling was third in 15.15. JAAA All-Comers
Slowly making her way back to full form, sprinter Anthonique Strachan laid it all on the track at the Kingston National Stadium in easily winning the women’s 200 metres.
Competing for the MVP Track and Field Club where she continues her training in Jamaica, Strachan sped to an impressive win in 22.86. She was unchallenged as her nearest rival and MVP team-mate Jonelle Smith was a distant second in 23.33.
While she’s not sure what’s next for her, Strachan told The Tribune she was just pleased to get in a creditable performance in the half-lap race.
“It was a good run and I can’t complain after a year of no 200 metres,” Strachan said. “I never expected anything. I just wanted to finish healthy.”
Southeastern Conference
After emerging as one of the collegians indoors, Florida transfer Anthaya Charlton continued to shine, this time taking the SEC Outdoor Championship title in the women’s long jump at her former school at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky.
Charlton, who went on to compete at the World Indoor Championships, soared 21-feet, 2 3/4-inches or 6.47 metres on her third attempt to snatch the victory.
Her only other mark posted was 20-11 1/4 (6.38)
on her first attempt, which would have still given her the win as second place went to Mariia Horielova, a sophomore at Alabama, who did (6.37m) on her fourth attempt. Charlton, in her junior year, also showed her
versatility with her speed in the 200m where she was third in 11.14. Only JaMeesia Ford, a sophomore at South Carolina, in 11.06 and Tima Godbless, a sophomore at LSU, in 11.06, were faster in first and second respectively.
GSSSA crowns senior girls, boys soccer champions
It was an improvement for Charlton, who had the seventh fastest qualifying time of 11.36 in the preliminaries. And it was an unusual clash that featured two Bahamians running
LIKE her new teammate Rhema Collins, guard
Denika Lightbourne is just as eager to suit up in a new uniform with the Florida International University Panthers women’s basketball team.
The Bahamian duo came out of the transfer portal and have decided to join forces with the Panthers and coach Jesyka BurksWiley for the 2025/2026 season. Over the weekend, the duo got a glimpse of what to expect as they worked out together at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium under the supervision of local coaches Anthony Swaby and Donnie Culmer.
They were also joined by Tanisha Seymour, a sophomore at Davis & Elkins College and a member of their Senators women’s basketball team.
The 5-foot, nine-inch Lightbourne played her sophomore season this past year with the University of Dayton for the past two seasons after graduating from Tallulah Falls High School in Georgia.
She played in just 15 of her team’s 31 games this season, averaging 1.2 points and 0.8 rebounds per game, while setting or tying season-highs with five points, one three, two rebounds and one assist at GW. Lightbourne also had four points in a season-high 17 minutes at Rhode Island and scored a season-high four points and was perfect from the field against Tennessee.
AS the sport of pickleball continues to grow in The Bahamas, Kevaughn Ferguson decided to venture into the Family Islands, hosting his first prize money doubles tournament over the weekend.
The event was staged at the brand new Harbour island Pickleball
Tricia Fernandes to win the final 11-7 over the squad of Justyn Thompson and national team member Robert Griffin to cart off the initial title. Third place went to the duo of Ferguson and Paul King. They were followed by the pair of India Hicks and Shannon Francis in fourth and the combo of Sophia Taylor and Shaq
NATIONAL AQUATHLON/ TRIATHLON
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
CRUISE CONTROL: Sprinter Terrence Jones in action. INSET - Anthaya Charlton.
GSSSA crowns senior girls, boys soccer champions
to contact coach Corrington Maycock at 395-6381, coach Quell Harris at 818-2095 and or coach Acaci at 445-3915 for more information.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 matchup. Lots of prizes, including round trip tickets, will be up for grabs.
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.
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 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 NATIONALS
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. SOFTBALL THOMPSON/ WILLIAMS MEMORIAL SLOW PITCH
TOURNAMENT
THE Friends for Life Committee will host a joint Paul ‘Dingus’ Thompson 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
CHAMPIONS: CR Walker Knights nipped RM Bailey Pacers 4-3 to win the senior girls’ championship in the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association soccer
CHAMPIONS: Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves knocked off Government High Magics 5-1 for the senior boys’ championship at the Roscoe Davies Developmental Center, Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr
Another day of celebrations for Cleveland Eneas track & field team
IT was another day of celebrations for coach Mariska Thompson and her Cleveland Eneas track and field team.
A special assembly was held on Friday for the track team for winning their New Providence Public Primary Schools Sports Assocation’s ninth track and field championship title.
“It was good to see that our hard work and dedication, and being persistent, does pay off,” Thompson said.
“We began our offseason training in November, 2024 and with the support of our principal, Mrs Avinel Smith, our parents and my hardworking and dedicated athletes, we did it.
“And most importantly, with the help of our almighty God and my number one fan, my husband, Renatus Thompson. I’m grateful and thank God for everything he has blessed Cleveland Eneas with.”
During the celebrations, Thompson also recognised the achievement of their athletes who performed exceptionally well at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s Frank “Pancho” Rahming National Primary Schools Track and Field Championship.
“We did well there, placing top three in five divisions,” Thompson said.
“So we celebrated both our inter-school and the national championships,” she added.
Kaydin Thompson, a fourth grader, was awarded the most outstanding athlete at the nationals where he won both the 100 metres and 1,200 m and the high jump.
He was presented with a special award. Other athletes of note were Bradley Davis, winner of the 100m at both the inter-school and nationals and LaFay Curtis, second at nationals.
Cleveland Eneas captured about 12 medals and as many appearances in the finals at the nationals. Cleveland Eneas also won the open division with their victory in the mixed
relay with the team of Bronique Flowers, LaFay Curtis, Kaydin Thompson and Bradley Davis and they ended the meet with the team of Bradley Davis, Caden Thompson, Jalen
McPhee and Raselle Rigby closing out with their win in the boys’ 4 x 400m.
In between, Cleveland Eneas also got second in the 4 x 100m.
“I’m very proud of them.
“It shows that hard work does pay off,” Thompson summed up.
The team was treated to the movies at IMAX at Fusion Superflex.
CLEVELAND Eneas track and field team members with their medals, certificates and championship trophy.
Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr
COACH Mariska Thompson and her Cleveland Eneas track and field team were recognised for winning the New Providence Public Primary Schools Sports Assocation’s ninth track and field championship title.
DENIKA LIGHTBOURNE LOOKING FORWARD TO PLAYING FOR FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY PANTHERS
But she admitted that she wanted more and that was why she entered the portal and chose FIU.
“Playing time and a new environment” was one of the reasons for Lightbourne, the daughter of La-Shandra and Deniko Lightbourne, to move on.
“Dayton was a beautiful school. It created a family environment with a coaching staff who cared and supported me, so I was really grateful for what they offered.
“But at FIU, I just hope to grow and expand my game. I am looking forward to making my family proud and becoming a better player. With that support, I know I could do it.”
So is the opportunity to play alongside her new Bahamian teammate in Collins.
“It’s going to be fun, real fun,” Lightbourne said.
“Rhema is really funny, she
has a really good personality, so it will be a lot of fun just being close to her.”
And with FIU so close to home, Lighbourne said she won’t have to worry about being “home sick” because the commute to The Bahamas to and from Florida is only about half an hour away.
“It’s good to be back home,” said Lightbourne, who will be here until around June 7 before she heads to FIU.
“I remember the first thing I ate when I got back three days ago was some conch from Bamboo Shack. I still have to get my conch fritters.”
As for basketball, Lightbourne acknowledged that she was grateful to coaches Swaby and Culmer for taking the time out to work out with her, Collins and Seymour.
“It was tiring,” said Lightbourne after the practice. “They are giving us the chance to work on our
game. We need to continue to work out and to try to get better.”
Collins, a forward who transferred from the University of Mississippi and Bahamian head coach Yolett McPHee-McCuin,
said she was happy to get the chance to work out with her new team-mate as well as Seymour.
“I was happy to see both of the players. I knew them from high school,” Collins said. “So it was good to get
that workout in. It was a good workout. Hopefully we will get to spend some time outside practice as well.”
Swaby, a long-time advocate for women’s basketball as a coach at
all levels, including the national team, said it was good to have Culmer, his “partner in crime” to assist him especially with his medical condition.
“Next to me, he’s the best women’s coach in the Bahamas,” Swaby stated.
“So together, we feel we can help these young ladies out while they are home,” he added.
For Culmer, who also coaches the mini, junior and men’s basketball, he welcomed the players home and he indicated that he wished more of the players could return home so the Bahamas Basketball Federation could get a chance to see who is available to play on the national team.
Although McPheeMcCuin has been selected by the federation as the head of the women’s national basketball programme, Collins said she hopes that they can assemble the team so she can represent the country.
CHAMPS: Philip Major Jr and Tricia Fernandes sharing their championship trophy. RUNNERS up Kevaughn Ferguson and Robert Griffin with
PICKLEBALL: PRIZE MONEY DOUBLES TOURNEY ROCKS ROMORA BAY IN ‘BRILAND’
Gibson rounded out the
in
“The performances were great,” Ferguson said. “This is something new in Harbour island where we played with something on the line so it was more intense but
everyone had fun as well.” Ferguson said the focus will now switch to the Pickleball Cup that will be held in October in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where a team from Harbour Island has already committed to compete.
Terrence Jones sets new national record
behind each other in the preliminaries of the 400m between Tennessee’s junior
Javonya Valcourt and Florida’s sophomore Quincy Penn.
But just before they could get started, there was
a collision between Valcourt and Arkansas’ senior Rosey Effiong as the two unexpectedly head butt each other in the arm up to the lead off of their heat.
Both eventually got up, albeit Effiong, a little slower, as they regrouped. Effiong went on to win the heat in 51.17 to advance to the final.
But Valcourt’s second place in 52.35 was a little short with 11th, while Penn was 27th after she got fourth in 54.06.
Atlantic Sun Conference
Grand Bahama’s twin sisters Cassie and Cassidra Thompson took the spotlight for Jacksonville University at the ASUN Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
In the women’s 200m, Cassie Thompson powered through for the win in 23.24, while fellow Bahamian Troynelle Miller of Central Arkansas, did not finish. Thompson had the third fastest qualifying time of 23.90 and Miller of Central Arkansas, got the ninth and final spot in 24.57.
The Bahamian duo also contested the 200m with Cassie Thompson taking second in 11.47 and Miller was third in 11.52 as they trailed Central Arkansas’
winner Raghan Allen, who clocked 11.42. It was a slightly different outcome in the preliminaries as Allen took the fastest time of 11.49, followed by Miller in 11.68 and Thompson in third in 11.78.
In the women’s 400, Cassidra Thompson picked up her win in 53.28 as she improved on her second fastest qualifying time of 54.59 in the preliminaires.
Taylin Segree of Austin Peay was second in the final in 53.81.
The Thompson sisters also ran on Jacksonville’s victorious women’s 4 x 400m relay team that finished in 3:39.70, while Central Arkansas was fourth in 3:49.83.
Big Ten Conference
In the men’s javelin at the Big Ten Conference, Nebraska’s junior Keyshawn Strachan threw the men’s javelin 240-7 (74.34m) on his final attempt to secure fourth place. He also had two other throws of 217-10 (66.40m) and 240-3 (73.24m) on his second and fourth tries.
His team-mate Arthur Petersen, a senior at Nebraska, won with 258-10 (78.91m).
Grand Bahamian Zion Campbell, a junior at
Minnesota, was 13th in the men’s 200m in 20.89, just missing out on the 12th and final spot to advance to the final. And in the 100m, his time of 10.42 for 12th place kept him three spots shy of getting into the final. Atlantic Coast Conference
University of Miami sophomore Calea Jackson didn’t fare as well as anticipated at the ACC Outdoor Championships in WinstonSalem, North Carolina. In the women’s discus, she only got off one throw with a heave of 127-0 (38.72m). for 12th place. Louisivlle’s sophomore Jayden Ulrich won with 206-54 (62.89m).
Jackson was also 17th in the women’s hammer with one toss of 176-2 (52.79m).
California got a sweep with Giavonna Meeks, a sophomore, taking the title with a personal best of 222-8 (67.86m).
Conference
USA At the 2025 CUSA Outdoor Track and Field Championship, Shayann Demeritte, a freshman at Louisiana Tech, had double duties in the sprints, placing in the 200m, she was 17th overall in 24.46 after she got 18th in the 100m in 11.94.
Indea Cartwright, a senior at Liberty, had the sixth fastest qualifying time in the women’s 100m hurdles in a time of 13.50 going into the final last night. Big 12 Conference Olympian Antoine Andrews, a junior at Texas Tech, did not get to finish the final of the men’s 110m hurdles at the Big 12 Championships at the Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence, Kansas.
Houston’s senior Jamar Marshall Jr won in a meet record of 13.13. He also had the fastest qualifying time of 13.37 with Andrews with the third best of 13.46 in the preliminaries. Andrews also advanced to the 200m final, but did not start. He came out of the preliminaries with the fourth fastest time of 20.59.
Junior College Championships Antonicia Moultrie, a sophomore at Garden City Community College, missed making the final of the women’s 400m hurdles at the 2025 NJCAA D1 Outdoor Championships at the Goweans Stadium in Hutchinson, Kansas. Moultrie, a versatile basketball player, was ninth
SHOWN, from left to right, coach Anthony Swaby, Tanisha Seymour, Rhema Collins, Denika Lightbourne and coach Donnie Culmer.
Philip Major Jr and Tricia Fernandes.
Intriguing Colorado Duo Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Thunder roll into West finals with 125-93 rout of Nuggets in Game 7
By CLIFF BRUNT AP Sports Writer
OKLAHOMA
CITY
(AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder grew up on Sunday.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points, Jalen Williams added 24 and the Thunder rolled into the Western Conference finals, beating the Denver Nuggets 125-93 in Game 7.
The top-seeded Thunder will host the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves starting Tuesday. It’s Oklahoma City’s first trip to the conference finals since 2016.
Oklahoma City went a league-best 68-14 in the regular season, becoming the youngest team to win at least 60 games. To back up their status as the best team in the league, the Thunder had to get past three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and a Denver squad that won the NBA title in 2023 and beat the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games in the first round this year.
Coach Mark Daigneault said his players handled the pressure well.
“There’s not many games, you wake up in the morning and you know that you’re going to remember the game for the rest of your life, and Game 7 is one of them,” he said.
“To be able to focus through that and perform the way these guys did today was very impressive,” he added.
Jokic had 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Nuggets. Aaron Gordon, a key player for Denver throughout the playoffs who hit the winner in Game 1 against the Thunder, started despite a strained left hamstring. He had eight points and 11 rebounds in 24 minutes.
“What he played with today, I don’t know many people that would even attempt to go out there and
run up and down,” Nuggets interim coach David Adelman said. “And he did it in Game 7 against Oklahoma City on the road. That that was one of most incredible things I’ve ever seen. He was
extremely close to not playing. I was surprised.”
The Thunder fell behind by 11 in the first quarter, but took the lead early in the second. Oklahoma City outscored Denver 39-20 in the period to take a 60-46
KNICKS BEAT CELTICS
By BRIAN MAHONEY AP Basketball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks viewed reaching the Eastern Conference finals as just another step in a season that’s not over. It’s not time to celebrate.
Try telling that to the thousands of fans dancing and chanting inside and on the streets all around Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks reached the conference finals for the first time in 25 years and ended the one-year NBA title reign of the Boston Celtics with astonishing ease, rolling to a 119-81 victory in Game 6 on Friday night.
On the way to their postgame press conference, Josh Hart showed Mikal Bridges a video of a fan climbing a light pole outside the arena.
“I’m new here but just know how much New York loves their sports, especially the Knicks,” Bridges said.
“So, excited to be a part of it.
“They enjoy it for us right now but obviously we got way more to go.” Brunson and OG Anunoby each scored 23 points for the Knicks, who will face the Indiana Pacers, the same team they met in their last conference finals appearance in 2000.
Game 1 is Wednesday night in New York.
“It’s a great win. We advance. You look at that, but you also understand you have to get ready for the next series,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said.
“The Pacers are a terrific team and we’re going to have to be ready.”
The Knicks hadn’t won a playoff series on their home floor since the 1999 East finals.
So the celebrating started late in the one-sided first half and was sure to carry on deep into the night around the arena.
Bridges scored 22 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 for the Knicks, whose 38-point margin of victory was their largest in a postseason game.
Jaylen Brown scored 20 points for the Celtics, who lost leading scorer Jayson Tatum to a ruptured Achilles tendon in Game 4 but believed they still had enough to get it back to Boston for Game 7 and keep their title defence alive. It was quickly clear that wasn’t happening. Boston coach Joe Mazzulla began pulling his starters in the third quarter after the deficit reached 41 points.
“We didn’t have the same team this year that we had last year,” Celtics guard Derrick White said.
lead at the break. Gordon was called for a flagrant-1 foul for elbowing GilgeousAlexander in the face early in the third quarter. Gilgeous-Alexander made both free throws, and then Williams hit a short jumper
to give Oklahoma City a 66-46 lead.
Cason Wallace got loose on a fast break and dunked on Jokic to put the Thunder up 78-57, sparking delirious roars from the crowd. Oklahoma City cruised
from there and now hopes to make another leap.
“We’re better now than we were at the beginning of the series, and it’s because of them,” Daigneault said.
“They pushed us to the limit.”
“Every year it’s a different team.
“We had a goal at the beginning of the year and we fell short.”
New York blew it open with a 13-3 run that made it 49-27, a surge highlighted by 6-foot-1 guard Deuce McBride’s chasedown block of White’s shot that led to Hart’s second straight
basket while being fouled. Ben Stiller and Lenny Kravitz shared a handshake and hug afterward along celebrity row, where the A-listers were standing and cheering much of the night, the same as the fans sitting near the top of the arena. The Knicks led 64-37 at halftime, a 27-point lead that matched their biggest in a playoff game in the
OKLAHOMA City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2), Alex Caruso (9) and the bench celebrate late in the second half of Game 7 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Denver Nuggets yesterday in Oklahoma City.
(AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
NEW York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson (11) gestures to fans during the second half of Game 6 in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Boston Celtics on Friday, May 16, 2025, in New York.
Photo/ Frank Franklin II)
Twins shut out Brewers 7-0 for 13th straight victory
By The Associated Press
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Pablo López combined with three relievers on a threehitter as the Minnesota Twins beat the Milwaukee Brewers 7-0 on Saturday for their third straight shutout and 13th consecutive victory.
The Twins haven’t allowed a run since giving up six of them in the third inning of an 8-6 victory at Baltimore in the second game of a doubleheader Wednesday. Milwaukee has been shut out in four of its last five games, the first time that’s happened in franchise history, according to Sportradar. According to Sportradar, the last team to get shut out four times in a five-game stretch was the Miami Marlins in July 2022.
Ryan Jeffers went 4 for 5 with a homer and double, and Kody Clemens went 3 for 5 with a homer as the Twins collected 18 hits.
López (4-2) struck out six and allowed two hits and two walks in six innings. Justin Topa, Jorge Alcala and Kody Funderburk each pitched one inning of relief.
The Twins took control of the game by scoring single runs in each of the first six innings. Four of those runs came off Tobias Myers, who was sent to the minors earlier this week before getting called back up when lefthander Jose Quintana went on the injured list.
Jeffers opened the scoring by hitting a 420-foot shot to left-center with one out in the first inning. He also doubled and scored in the third, singled in the fourth and singled in the eighth.
Myers (1-1) allowed 11 hits over 3 2/3 innings while striking out four and walking nobody.
METS 3, YANKEES 2
NEW YORK (AP) — Francisco Lindor hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the ninth inning and New York Mets beat the Yankees in the Subway Series to remain the only team without a three-game losing streak this season.
Juan Soto went 1 for 4 with a walk and is 1 for 6 in his first two games back in the Bronx in a matchup between division leaders since leaving the Yankees for a record $765 million, 15-year contract with the Mets.
DJ LeMahieu and Cody Bellinger homered for the Yankees, who had won seven of their previous nine games.
Luis Torrens walked with one out in the ninth off Fernando Cruz (1-2), Brett Baty reached on an infield hit and Tyrone Taylor was hit by a pitch. Lindor’s 293foot fly easily scored speedy pinch-runner Luisangel Acuña. Reed Garrett (1-1) retired LeMahieu on a bases-loaded flyout to end the eighth and Edwin Díaz got three straight outs, remaining perfect in 10 save chances.
CUBS 7, WHITE SOX 3
CHICAGO (AP) — Dansby Swanson homered and Pete Crow-Armstrong drove in two more runs to help the Chicago Cubs beat the Chicago White Sox. Miguel Amaya also had two RBIs as the NL Central-leading Cubs improved to 4-1 on a six-game homestand. Matthew Boyd (4-2) struck out eight while pitching six innings of three-run ball.
The Cubs set a franchise record with their seventh consecutive victory against the White Sox. The all-time series between the crosstown rivals is tied at 74 wins apiece.
Chase Meidroth and Tim Elko went deep for the lastplace White Sox in their third consecutive loss. Sean Burke (2-5) allowed five earned runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. Meidroth led off the game with a drive to left for his first career homer. But the Cubs grabbed control with four runs in the second.
Walks by Moisés Ballesteros and Nico Hoerner loaded the bases for Amaya, who lined a tworun single into left field. With two out and runners on second and third, CrowArmstrong lined another two-run single to center.
Crow-Armstrong homered and drove in a career-high six runs in Friday’s 13-3 victory in the series opener. The 23-yearold center fielder is batting .327 (18 for 55) with six homers and 17 RBIs in his last 14 games.
BLUE JAYS 2, TIGERS 1
TORONTO (AP) — Ernie Clement hit a game-winning single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning and Toronto rallied to beat Detroit.
Jeff Hoffman (4-2) worked one inning for the win as Toronto stopped Detroit’s winning streak at four.
Trailing 1-0, Toronto tied it in the eighth on an RBI single by pinch-hitter Alejandro Kirk.
Tigers right-hander Reese Olson walked one and struck out six in six innings. Bo Bichette had a leadoff single against Olson in the first inning, but the Blue Jays didn’t get another hit off the Tigers right-hander.
Tyler Heineman drew a leadoff walk in the third, but was erased on a double play. Olson retired the final 11 batters he faced.
NATIONALS 10,
ORIOLES 6
BALTIMORE (AP) — Luis Garcia Jr. had two RBIs to fuel a six-run first inning, and Washington won, hours after Baltimore fired manager Brandon Hyde.
Soon after arriving at the ballpark, the Orioles learned the team dismissed Hyde and made third base coach Tony Mansolino the interim manager.
Hyde guided Baltimore into the postseason in 2023 and 2024, but this year the Orioles started 15-28 and were mired in last place in the AL East when general manager Mike Elias decided to make a change.
It didn’t help Saturday. In the top of the first inning, Nationals leadoff hitter CJ Abrams hustled to second base on a routine single, Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins misjudged a flyball that soared over his head and Washington scored four runs before Baltimore recorded a single out.
The key blow was Garcia’s two-run single, but there were also two doubles and a triple.
The first six players in the batting order scored in Washington’s first six-run first inning since May 14, 2021, at Arizona. Kyle Gibson (0-3) gave up six runs and six hits while getting just two outs.
RAYS 4, MARLINS 0
MIAMI (AP) — Drew Rasmussen threw a seasonhigh six innings of four-hit ball, Yandy Díaz had two hits and two RBIs and Tampa Bay beat Miami. Jonathan Aranda and Chandler Simpson singled twice and drove in a run each for the Rays, who scored their runs in the fifth inning against Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara. Rasmussen (2-4) struck out seven for his first win since March 31. Simpson left in the ninth after he was thrown out the plate and collided with Marlins catcher Nick Fortes. Simpson remained on the ground while tended to by the training staff before walking to the dugout.
Alcantara (2-6), who lost his sixth straight outing, gave up four runs and five hits in five innings.
REDS 4, GUARDIANS 1
CINCINNATI (AP)
— Will Benson and Rece Hinds hit solo home runs as Cincinnati won its third straight game, beating Cleveland.
Brent Suter allowed four hits in three innings before five relievers combined to allow a run on four hits for the Reds, including a 1-2-3 sixth inning by Luis Mey (1-0).
Lyon Richardson relieved Suter and allowed Daniel Schneemann’s solo homer, his sixth, leading off the fifth to put the Guardians ahead 1-0.
Slade Cecconi (0-1) was reinstated from the 15-day injured list to start Saturday for the Guardians after recovering from a left oblique strain he suffered during spring training.
Cecconi allowed just two hits through four innings, but Benson tied the score 1-1 with his third homer leading off the fifth. Benson has homered in three straight games for the first time in his career.
PHILLIES 5, PIRATES 2
PHILADELPHIA (AP)
— Zack Wheeler pitched six shutout innings, Bryson Stott homered and drove in three runs, and Philadelphia defeated Pittsburgh. Stott launched his fourth homer of the season off starter Carmen Mlodzinski (1-4) in the third and
knocked in two runs an inning later with an opposite-field single. Wheeler (5-1) posted another strong outing, allowing three hits and a walk. It was his second consecutive scoreless start, and he’s gone 16 innings without giving up a run.
Bryce Harper had two hits and an RBI. Harper has reached base 11 times in his last 17 plate appearances, logging seven hits and four walks. Kyle Schwarber added an RBI double for the Phillies, who have won 14 of 19.
Mlodzinski lasted 3 1/3 innings, allowing four runs and seven hits.
RANGERS 5, ASTROS 1
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Joc Pederson broke a tie with a two-run home run in the sixth inning, Wyatt Langford hit a solo shot in a two-run seventh and Texas beat Houston.
Tyler Mahle (5-1) allowed the one run over six innings, keeping his ERA at 1.47 — ranking third in the AL.
The Rangers have taken two of the first three games of the four-game series.
Pederson, hitting .123 with four RBI to that point as Texas’ primary DH this season, followed Marcus Semien’s one-out single off Ronel Blanco (3-4) with a drive to right-center for his second homer of the season.
Langford’s homer off Bennett Sousa immediately followed Josh Smith’s sacrifice fly that scored Sam Haggerty. Haggerty led off with a walk and was picked off first base, but he reached third when first baseman Christian Walker threw low to second base.
The Astros took a 1-0 lead four batters in when Walker hit a 3-2 fastball for an opposite-field double to score Isaac Paredes.
CARDINALS 1, ROYALS 0 KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jordan Walker homered and Miles Mikolas pitched six sharp innings to lead surging St. Louis past Kansas City.
Mikolas (3-2) allowed two hits with four strikeouts and two walks for the Cardinals, who have won three straight and 12 of 13. St. Louis is 7-1 on a nine-game trip to three cities, winning all three series.
Walker connected leading off sixth. Iván Herrera’s two-out single in the fifth was the only other hit for the Cardinals.
Kyle Leahy permitted two hits in two innings of relief and Ryan Helsley finished the four-hitter for his ninth save.
Hard-luck loser Noah Cameron (1-1) went 6 1/3 innings in his second major league start. The 25-yearold left-hander from St. Joseph, Missouri, became the first pitcher to begin his career with consecutive starts of 6 1/3 or more innings without giving up more than two hits in either one.
Kansas City stranded five runners and has been held to four or fewer runs in seven of the last eight games. The Royals have scored four or more 38 times this season, secondmost in the majors.
RED SOX 7, BRAVES 6
BOSTON (AP) — Rafael Devers homered leading off the bottom of the ninth inning against Pierce Johnson, sending Boston to a comeback win over Atlanta that snapped its four-game losing streak.
Jarren Duran had a tworun homer and a tying two-run single for the Red Sox, who had dropped 10 of 15.
Atlanta’s Matt Olson and Marcell Ozuna hit consecutive first-inning homers off Lucas Giolito, helping the Braves build a 5-0 lead before the Red Sox came charging back with two runs in the seventh and two in the eighth.
Drake Baldwin added a two-run homer for Atlanta, which lost for only the fifth time in 14 games.
Aroldis Chapman (3-2) struck out three in a scoreless inning for the win. Eli White had three singles and a couple of nice running catches on back-toback plays in the fourth for the Braves.
It was the second straight night that Olson was the front end of back-to-back homers after he hit a solo shot in a series-opening victory Friday.
ROCKIES 14, DIAMONDBACKS 12 PHOENIX (AP) — Jordan Beck hit two homers and a triple, driving in three runs and scoring four to
rally Colorado from a fiverun deficit to a victory over Arizona.
Ezequiel Tovar had five hits, including his first homer this season, and the major league-worst Rockies (8-37) snapped a four-game losing streak by handing the Diamondbacks (24-22) their first loss in 152 games when scoring at least 12 runs.
Beck launched a leadoff homer and Hunter Goodman hit a two-run shot as Colorado grabbed a 3-0 lead against Zac Gallen three batters into the game. Beck’s eighth homer — a tiebreaking two-run shot off Ryan Thompson (1-1) in the seventh inning — put Colorado up 13-11.
Tovar went 5 for 6 and finished a double shy of the cycle.
MARINERS 4, PADRES 1
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Cal Raleigh led off the seventh inning with his 15th home run to break a tie, Dylan Moore had a two-run single in the ninth and Seattle beat San Diego.
Andrés Muñoz got the final four outs for his league-leading 14th save after Raleigh tied the Yankees’ Aaron Judge for the AL homer lead. Raleigh’s homer was the first allowed by reliever Adrian Morejon (1-2) this season.
Raleigh and Donovan Solano drew one-out walks on both sides of a bunt single by Randy Arozarena off reliever Alek Jacob in the eighth. Moore singled to left for a three-run lead. Raleigh walked twice and has 30 this season.
GIANTS 1, ATHLETICS 0 (10 INNINGS)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Wilmer Flores drew a bases-loaded walk on the ninth pitch from Mason Miller with two outs in the 10th inning to bring home Willy Adames and send San Francisco to a win against the Athletics on Saturday night.
Miller (0-2) intentionally walked Mike Yastrzemski to bring up Flores with the game on the line a night after the Giants slugger hit three home runs with a grand slam and drove in eight runs in a 9-1 win. Miller walked LaMonte Wade Jr. to start the inning with Adames as the automatic baserunner at second. Camilo Doval (3-1) tossed a perfect ninth for the win in the 2-hour, 23-minute game.
ANGELS 11, DODGERS 9 LOS ANGELES (AP) — Logan O’Hoppe, Taylor Ward and Matthew Lugo homered and the Los Angeles Angels spoiled Clayton Kershaw’s season debut, beating the Dodgers to take the first two games of the three-game series. Kershaw allowed three runs and threw 38 pitches in the first inning. The threetime National League Cy Young Award winner lasted four innings, giving up five runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Shoulder, toe and knee injuries limited Kershaw to seven games last season, and his 2025 debut was delayed as he recovered from multiple offseason surgeries.
O’Hoppe had two hits with a career-high five RBIs. Reid Detmers (1-2) allowed a run in two innings of relief for the win. Kenley Jansen got four outs against his former team for his eighth save this season.
MINNESOTA Twins’ Ryan Jeffers reacts after his home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning of a baseball game on Saturday May 17, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
ARSENAL SECURES RETURN TO CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ON DAY OF FAREWELLS FOR EVERTON AND VARDY
By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer
ARSENAL has sealed its place in next season’s Champions League. Nottingham Forest still has a shot at making it, too.
On an emotional afternoon of farewells for Everton and Jamie Vardy, Arsenal claimed the most telling win in the Premier League yesterday by beating Newcastle 1-0 thanks to Declan Rice’s outside-ofthe-area curler.
It earned Mikel Arteta’s team the second automatic Champions League spot, alongside already-crowned Premier League champion Liverpool. The five teams below them are battling for the remaining three qualification places in Europe’s lucrative elite club competition and the fight couldn’t be closer with a week left in the season.
Newcastle stayed in third place, tied on points with Chelsea and Aston Villa and just one point ahead of Manchester City and Forest, which held on to
beat West Ham 2-1 and stay alive in the race for a topfive finish. That would be a remarkable achievement for Forest, which narrowly avoided relegation last season.
City has a game in hand, at home to Bournemouth on Tuesday, and can jump to third with a win. Forest finishes the season at home to Chelsea in what could yet prove to effectively be a Champions League playoff. Another beauty from Rice
Two superbly executed free kicks against Real Madrid in the Champions League this season demonstrated Rice’s ability from long range and he showed off that talent again against Newcastle, meeting an inside pass from Martin Odegaard with a first-time shot that whipped into the far corner.
ARSENAL’s Declan Rice celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match against Newcastle United at Emirates stadium in London yesterday. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
and then losing to Paris Saint-Germain in the semis.
“We obviously went so hard in the Champions League and our form dropped in the Premier League,” Rice said. “We have to be at the level every single week ... the league slipped away a few weeks ago and it was really tough to take.”
Newcastle, which was without star striker Alexander Isak because of a groin injury, finishes the season at home to Everton and will almost certainly qualify for the Champions League with a win.
A tribute to Awoniyi
a goalpost in a match last weekend.
The Forest captain held Awoniyi’s shirt up to the crowd after scoring, with the team having warmed up wearing shirts with Awoniyi’s name and No. 9 on the back — with a message on the front reading, “We’re all with you Taiwo.”
Winning farewell to Goodison
Everton said goodbye to Goodison, its home of 133 years, with a 2-0 victory over Southampton thanks to two goals by Iliman Ndiaye.
game and then filled the stadium with an energy that Everton manager David Moyes wants to bottle.
“The scenes outside the stadium were incredible,” Moyes said, “and it felt like a club which has needed some big days and some big things in the future. So let’s hope this is the start of it.”
Vardy delivers on his big day
It was a special day, too, for Vardy, who was playing his 500th and last match for Leicester exactly 13 years to the day he joined from nonleague Fleetwood Town.
“What I can promise is that I will do my very best (to win a trophy) and I will give my life, and get every drop of everybody here to squeeze it and get the best (out of them),” Arteta said.
Arsenal’s form in the league dipped while getting past Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals
Arsenal is looking good for a third straight runnerup finish in the league, with the manager and his players yet to perfect balancing domestic and European campaigns in their search for a first major trophy since 2020.
Morgan Gibbs-White and Nikola Milenkovic were the scorers for Forest at the Olympic Stadium, before West Ham mounted a late comeback and saw in-form forward Jarrod Bowen reduce the deficit.
Gibbs-White dedicated his goal to teammate Taiwo Awoniyi, who is recovering in the hospital from emergency abdominal surgery after colliding with
Fans wept and former stars, like Wayne Rooney, took part in an “End of an Era” post-match party inside one of English soccer’s classic stadiums that will continue to be in operation.
It will be the new home of Everton’s women’s team from next season, while the men’s team is headed to a nearby 53,000-seat stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
Tens of thousands of fans gathered in the streets outside Goodison before the
He marked the occasion by scoring against Ipswich with his 200th goal for the club he famously helped to win the Premier League against the odds in 2016.
It was the first goal in Leicester’s 2-0 win over Ipswich and Vardy was given a guard of honour by teammates when he was substituted in the 80th minute.
Fulham scored two goals in a three-minute span from 2-1 down to win 3-2 at Brentford.
Intriguing Colorado Duo
The NBA’s final 4 is set
THUNDER, KNICKS, WOLVES AND PACERS REMAIN, AND PARITY
By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer
THE parity era continues in the NBA.
The New York Knicks haven’t won an NBA championship since 1973.
The Indiana Pacers won their most recent title that year — in the ABA. The Oklahoma City Thunder franchise has one title in its history, that coming in 1979 when the team called Seattle home. And the Minnesota Timberwolves have never even been to the NBA Finals.
Meet the NBA’s final four.
When Commissioner Adam Silver hands one of those teams the Larry O’Brien Trophy next month, it’ll mark a league
first — seven championship franchises in a seven-year span. There hasn’t been a back-to-back NBA champion since Golden State in 2017 and 2018. From there, the list of champions goes like this: Toronto in 2019, the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, Milwaukee in 2021, Golden State in 2022, Denver in 2023 and Boston last season.
It’s the longest such run of different champions in NBA history; Major League Baseball, the NHL and the NFL have all had longer ones, and not too long ago, either.
But for the NBA, this is different. The league wanted unpredictability, especially after four consecutive Cleveland-vs.-Golden State title matchups from 2015 through 2018.
And things have been highly unpredictable since. No matter what the Finals matchup is this year, the NBA will be seeing 11 conference-champion franchises in the span of seven seasons.
“We’ve still got eight more wins to achieve our ultimate goal,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. “We’ve still got two more series. We’re only halfway there.”
The season is over for 26 of the NBA’s 30 clubs. But the fun stuff is just starting. Conference finals start Tuesday The Western Conference finals — No. 6 seed Minnesota vs.
York — begin Wednesday night in Manhattan. The Wolves lost the West finals last year; the Pacers lost the East finals a year ago.
“You’ve got to have big dreams,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “You don’t know how often you’re going to be in this position.”
Indeed, the championship window for teams doesn’t seem to be staying open as long as it did in the past.
Boston was a huge favourite to win its second straight title; the Celtics didn’t get out of Round 2, in part because they couldn’t hold onto big leads and in part because Jayson Tatum ruptured his right Achilles tendon in that series with the Knicks.
“Upset or not, whatever it is, we beat a great team,” Knicks guard Jalen Brunson said. “They obviously lost a huge piece ... but they’re still a great team.”
Damian Lillard tore an Achilles tendon in Round 1, ending Milwaukee’s hopes. Cleveland, the top seed in the East, bowed out in Round 2 against Indiana after a slew of Cavs were dealing with health issues. Stephen Curry strained his hamstring; that was all it took to doom Golden State’s chances in Round 2 against Minnesota.
“He’s our sun,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. “This is a solar system. He’s our sun.”
And now, the NBA solar system is about to see a new star holding the trophy.
The next one There is nobody left in these playoffs who has been an NBA Finals MVP. Not even close.
In fact, there are only seven players left — Indiana’s Pascal Siakam, Aaron Nesmith and Thomas Bryant; Knicks teammates P.J. Tucker, Cam Payne and Mikal Bridges; and Oklahoma City’s Alex Caruso — who have appeared in a Finals game. And most of those appearances didn’t add up to much; Siakam is the only player left in these playoffs with more than 100 Finals points.
So, who will the next Finals MVP be? Maybe Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Canadian guard and likely MVP from the Thunder? The “Mr. Clutch” award winner, Brunson from the Knicks? Anthony Edwards, the presumed next face of the league from the Timberwolves? Tyrese
REIGNS AGAIN
Haliburton, the dazzling guard and Olympic gold medallist who keeps getting overlooked by everyone outside of Indiana?
None of them would be surprise choices.
“Our ultimate goal isn’t just the Western Conference finals,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “You’ve got to go through there to get there.”
Who has the edge?
If the NBA’s final four was its own league this season, taking just the headto-head results between those four clubs would suggest the Thunder are the clear favourite.
Oklahoma City went 6-2 against the other three conference finalists, while New York and Indiana both went 3-4 and Minnesota went 3-5.
The Thunder swept the Pacers and Knicks, and the Pacers swept the Timberwolves. As far as the head-to-heads going into the conference finals, Oklahoma City and Minnesota split four meetings — with the Timberwolves outscoring the Thunder 475-472
— while the Knicks went 2-1 against Indiana, with all three games decided by at least 11 points.
“You can feel good about it, feel however you want to feel about it,” Haliburton said of getting to this point.
“But at the end of the day, we’re not done. We know we all have a bigger goal at mind. Our goal wasn’t just to get to the Eastern Conference finals and be done. Our goal is to win a championship.”
MINNESOTA Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) celebrates a win against the Golden State Warriors after Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series on May 15 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
INDIANA Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, left, celebrates 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, May 13, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
OKLAHOMA City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) celebrates after the team’s win against the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs yesterday in Oklahoma City.
(AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)