SPORTS SECTION E
MONDAY, JULY 9, 2018
Wimbledon, Page 7
Junior golfers ‘putt’ Bahamas 5th overall WILDCATS By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
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eam Bahamas produced a trio of top five finishers against elite junior golf talent in the region at the 31st edition of the Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships. The team concluded the final round in fifth place in the race for the Hank James trophy, following the three-day competition hosted at the Caymanas Golf and Country Club in Caymanas Estate, Jamaica. Puerto Rico led the field from start to finish and claimed their 11th consecutive title. The best finishes for the Bahamas came from Ashley Michel and
Sophie Anand in the Girls’ Under15 and Haylie Turnquest in the Girls’ U-18. Michel closed out the competition tied for third place with Yae Eun Kim of the Dominican Republic. Michel shot a final round of 86 after she shot a second round 82. She shot an opening round 79 on day one for a score of 247 (+31). Anand finished fifth in the division with a score of 248 (+32) after shooting a low of 79 on day one, 86 on day two and 83 on day three. Turnquest secured fifth place in her division and finished with a three-day total of 249 (+33). She shot an opening round 82, followed with an 87 and shot a tournament low of 80 in round three. In the Girls’ 11-13, Tyesha Tynes shot a low of 95 on day one but
shot a second round 102 and third round 105. She finished in ninth place with a score of 302 (+86). Cameron Riley and Xavier Robinson finished 12th and 15th respectively in the U-18 Boys’ division. Riley closed out the competition with rounds of 84 on day three and a low of 77 on day two. He opened with a score of 81 in round one for a total of 242 (+26). Robinson produced his tournament low of 85 in the final round. He shot a 96 on opening day and followed with scores of 90 and 85 for a total of 261 (+45). In the Boys’ U-15 division, Saketh Hedge was 10th and Dominic Greives finished 14th. Hedge closed the tournament with an 83. He began with his best round of 79 and shot an 84 on
day two to produce a total of 265 (+49). Greives’ best round came on day one when he shot 84, bookended by rounds of 89 and 92. He shot 265 (+49). In the Boys’ U-13, Matthew Deveaux was the lone competitor for the Bahamas. He shot a low of 92 on day three after he shot a second round 99, following his opening round 92. He finished with a score of 298 (+82), No. 15 in the division. In 2017, Team Bahamas produced a pair of top three finishers and finished fifth at the 30th edition of the event, hosted at the St Andrews Golf Club in Maraval, Trinidad and Tobago. They also finished fifth in 2016 and 2015 after fourth place finishes in 2014 and 2013.
Deandre Ayton shines in the Summer League By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net AS the Las Vegas Summer League tipped off, Deandre Ayton has showed flashes of the athleticism and basketball IQ on both ends of the floor that led to his selection as the top overall pick in June’s NBA Draft. In his summer league debut on July 6, Ayton finished with 10 points (4-6 field goals) and eight rebounds in 22 minutes in an 92-85 win over the Dallas Mavericks. He followed with 21 points (8-11 field goals) and 12 rebounds in a 71-63 win over the Sacramento Kings. Ayton and the Suns will take to the court Monday at 9:30pm against the Orlando Magic to finish pool play prior to the single-elimination tournament. This will be the first year all 30 teams will participate in the Las Vegas Summer League. Ayton’s first basket came on an alley-oop finish. New Suns head coach Igor Kokoskov used his new centre on post ups early in the game, however the Mavericks went to double teams often. While the Suns built a large lead, Ayton was used primarily in pick-and-roll situations. Defensively, he was caught on switches on the perimeter but was able to stay with second-year guard Dennis Smith Jr.
ROUT THE PANTHERS 22-0 IN NPSA By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net THE defending champions Sunshine Auto Wildcats, playing their third game in three consecutive nights, saved their best performance for the last as they whitewashed the Hennessy Panthers 22-0 in the New Providence Softball Association’s double header in the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex on Saturday. The performance came after the Wildcats got nipped 4-3 by runners-up Johnson’s Lady Truckers on Thursday night and, in a make-up on Friday, they avenged the loss by holding off the youthful Platinum Lady Sharks 9-6. Also on Saturday night, Platinum routed the BTC Warriors 12-3 in the ladies’ feature contest. In the men’s feature contest on Friday, the Commando Security Truckers knocked off the Chances Mighty Mitts 9-1 to make up for their embarrassing 25-0 blowout loss to the defending champions C&S Hitmen on Thursday. • Here’s a summary of the games:
PHOENIX Suns’ Deandre Ayton dunks against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half of an NBA summer league game in Las Vegas on Friday. (AP Photo/John Locher) It was his first game action in nearly four months since his Arizona Wildcats were eliminated in March in the NCAA tournament.
In game two, Ayton went head-to-head with second overall pick and former high school teammate Marvin Bagley. Bagley finished with 15
points and seven rebounds. At minicamp, Ayton spoke to Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic on his progress. “It’s cool. I’ve just got to live up to the
hype. Now I’m playing against some competition. We’re scratching each other, fighting each other.
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Wildcats 22, Panthers 0 Veteran Linda Knowles proved that she can still throw the ball, tossing a one-hitter with two strike outs and walking three to get her third victory in as many starts this season for Sunshine Auto in just three innings of play as the game was stopped by the mercy rule. “I feel good. I am just trying to get back in shape so I can help these young girls and let them know I still got the ball,” Knowles said. “The ball is still in my court. I just have to stay in shape and I know when I’m needed, I can come out and deliver.” To back her up offensively, third sacker Thela Johnson, the ace of the pitching staff, was 2-for-3 with three runs batted in (RBI) and scored as many times, while catcher Ruthann Simms was 2-for-3 with two RBI with two runs scored as well. Left fielder Daria Cambridge was 2-for-3 with four runs; second sacker Mechelle Moss was 2-for-4 with two
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BLTA adjusts Fed Cup team as Russell opts not to travel By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net WITH the most successful player Larikah Russell opting not to travel as the player/captain, the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association has made some adjustments to the team that will represent the
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Bahamas in Zone B of the Americas Group II of the Fed Cup. The tournament is scheduled for July 18-23 in Guayaquil, Ecuador. BLTA president Darnett Weir confirmed over the weekend that after Russell declined to submit a written confirmation to serve on the team, they decided to replace her with Sierra Donaldson, who will join touring pro Kerrie Cartwright and collegians Danielle Thompson and Simone Pratt when they take on Bermuda, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras and Trinidad & Tobago in the round-robin format. The seven teams will be placed in two different pools with the winners of each pool advancing to the playoffs to determine which team will advance to the Americas Zone Group I in 2019. Host Mexico already clinched the other spot by beating Peru 2-0 in Zone A that was completed in Metepec, Mexico, on June 23.
The team will now Only Donaldson be captained by Marvin will not make the Rolle, who recently trip to Barranquilla, served in that capacColombia, as Rusity when he led the sell was selected by men’s Davis Cup team the Bahamas Olympic in Costa Rica to a 2-1 Committee to serve as win over the host nation the captain of the team to advance out of the of Cartwright, ThompAmericas Zone III and son and Pratt. back into Zone II for Russell indicated 2019 along with Honduthat she declined the ras on June 2. opportunity to travel RUSSELL “After Larikah chose with the Fed Cup team not to serve, we went because she felt disrewith the next person who was spected by the BLTA when they Sydney Clarke, but she was not only selected her to be the player/ available,” Weir said. “So we went captain for Fed Cup and didn’t to the next eligible person, who submit her name to the BOC for was Sierra Donaldson. We made the CAC Games. After a clash our selection of the players from with the BLTA over what was the Open Nationals results in determined to be an “oversight” December, 2017.” for the CAC Games, she said she Weir said the team is scheduled opted not to go with the Fed Cup to leave on July 16 and once they team. are done, they will head to the She indicated that when she Central American and Caribbean asked for a letter from the BLTA Games. to request time off for her job to
travel with the Fed Cup team, they assumed that she was not interested in going to the CAC Games. But Russell said the BLTA never approached her about the CAC Games. Additionally, Russell said they had nominated Ricardo Demeritte Jr to travel as the captain so that Russell could concentrate on playing, but the BLTA selected Rolle. Russell said she was just disappointed that the BLTA made a decision on the CAC team selection without consulting her. “I’ve been working hard all year to be included on these two teams,” she stated. “I didn’t want to just be considered as a captain. I’m just tired of being disrespected, but I’m not going for them. I’m just going for the experience and to be able to help the girls out. But I’m just not interested in going to Fed Cup again.”
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