09252018 SPORTS

SPORTS

SECTION E

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2018

Shortstop Larikah Russell crowned batting champion

MABELINE MILLER

MILLER ELECTED INTERIM CEO OF BAAA

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net MABELINE Miller, the assistant secretary of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA), was elected to serve as the interim chief executive officer with full oversight of the upcoming annual general meeting and election of officers.

Miller, the mother of Olympic 400m gold medallist, “Golden Girl” Shaunae Miller-Uibo, won the post 9-8 over BAAA first vice president Tonique Williams during the voting procedure by the executives last week.

In the lead up and execution of the AGM and elections November 23-24 at Thomas A Robinson National Stadium, Miller will head a committee that includes Williams, Philippa Willie and Winston Marshall.

“After the election, whoever is voted in as the president will have the right to appoint their own CEO,” Miller said.

“But for now, the IAAF (International Amateur Athletic Federation) constitutes that we must have a CEO in place before the elections.”

Even though it’s only an interim term, Miller said she’s delighted to pioneer the way, especially as a woman, in the newly created position that is mandated by the IAAF, the worldwide governing body for the sport.

“For the past two terms, I have been serving as the assistant secretary to the general secretary,” Miller said.

SEE PAGE 2

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

hortstop Larikah Russell, on the verge of helping the Sunshine Auto Wildcats repeat as the New Providence Softball Association ladies’ champions, won the 2018 batting title.

Russell, playing in her third year in the league since coming from Grand Bahama, posted a batting average of .625 per cent in 24 or more at bats as compiled by NPSA’s chief statistician Rozina Taylor and released by chief umpire Thomas Sears.

“It feels pretty good. There are a lot of good offensive players in the league, so to come out on top is quite an honour,” said Russell of her first title that she hopes to complement with Sunshine Auto winning another league title when they play game five tonight in the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

In 24 appearances, Russell ripped 15 hits with 10 runs batted in (RBI) and scored 18 times to lead the ladies’ batting race. Shevette Taylor, the Johnson’s Lady Truckers’ infielder, was the runner-up with 37 at-bats, 25 runs on 22 hits and 22 RBI for a .595 average.

“I got in a lot of work with my brothers because they are very good offensively,” said 33-year-old Russell, who attributed her success to siblings Larry and Desmond. “They really helped me so I want to thank them for that.”

Rounding out the top five are Russell’s team-mate Ruthann

outfielder Lamar Watkins had 14.

Ferguson also led in runs scored with 22. Hitmen’s outfielder Rodney Forbes was second with 20, Alcott Forbes had 17, Hitmen’s infielder Philip Johnson had 16 and Watson finished the top five with 15.

Not done yet, Ferguson also had the most RBI with 21. Burrows had 18, Warriors’ DeAndre Rigby had 17 and Hitmen’s versatile Keiron Munroe ended up with 16.

And in the home run category, Ferguson drilled a total of nine to lead the way. Rigby had four and

DEANDRE Ayton’s development was one of the main talking points of Phoenix Suns’ media as the front office and teammates raved about the potential of the top overall pick.

Ayton, the former Arizona Wildcats centre, was introduced to the local media at Talking Stick Resort Arena and is expected to be a linchpin of the franchise for the foreseeable future.

“It’s a lot of work, these dudes take this stuff seriously,” Ayton said of his early NBA experiences thus far. “I’m all in.”

Ayton said he has exchanged texts with former Sun and Hall of Famer Steve Nash, which he called “helpful” in his preparation and defining his role with the team.

“There are a lot of big dudes, a lot of great shooters like Ryan Anderson, Dragan Bender, those guys they were born with a jump shot,” he said. “I’ve got to be down low and be the mean guy.”

Suns’ franchise guard Devin Booker, who recently signed a five-year $158 million contract, highlighted Ayton as one of the reasons for the team’s turnaround this season.

“His ability to learn, and willingness to learn, are key.

He comes in here every day and he doesn’t act like he knows it all. He knows he’s very talented but still open to listen to coaches, listen to Tyson [Chandler], everything I say, he goes out there and he does it right away,” Booker said.

“Just seeing that already - somebody that’s willing to get better and work hard, it’s very special to see, especially with the talent that he has, the body frame that he has, he’s going to be a very special player in this league.”

Selected No.1 overall by the Suns, Ayton was considered one of two frontrunners for the Kia Rookie of the Year award

SEE PAGE 3

SEE PAGE 2

SUNSHINE Auto Wildcats’ shortstop Larikah Russell has won this year’s batting title in the New Providence Softball Association.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

Sherman Ferguson claims men’s title

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

SHERMAN Ferguson, the quiet slugger for the BTC Elite Warriors, has been named the New Providence Softball Association men’s batting champion.

Ferguson, who is normally walked in clutch situations with runners on base and first base unoccupied, posted a .571 average to win the title in 25 or more at-bats as recorded by chief statistician Rozina Taylor and released by chief umpire Thomas Sears.

In 28 at bats, Ferguson ripped 16 hits, nine of which were home runs, drove in 21 runs (RBI) and scored 22 runs.

AYTON AND THE SUNS OPEN TRAINING CAMP

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

S

SEE PAGE 3

TIGER, Page 5

C&S HITMEN’S ALCOTT FORBES NAMED CO-RUNNER-UP Alcott Forbes, the talented pitcher for the defending champions C&S Hitmen, was the co-runner-up with his .464 average. In his 28 atbats, Forbes had 13 hits, 10 RBI and scored 12 times.

Commando Security Truckers’ Austin Hanna was the other corunner-up with his .464 average. In his 28 at-bats, Hanna had 13 hits, eight RBI, two homers and scored 12 runs.

Angelo Watson, the Truckers’ outfielder, led the league in hits with 19. Ferguson followed with 16, outfielder/pitcher Martin Burrows Jr, of the Hitmen, had 15 and Truckers’

Coach Tito Moss forms Red Line Athletics Track Club

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH Dianne Woodside-Johnson taking a break from coaching and the Club Monica Track Club, assistant coach Tito Moss has formed the Red Line Athletics Track Club, the newest club to join the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations.

Moss, a former distance runner at St Augustine’s College, said with some of the athletes, including his daughter Megan, Adrian Curry, Denvaughn Wyhmns and Jardian Thurston, preparing for CARIFTA next year, he decided to ensure that they have the continuity in their training.

“After I decided to just train a small group of athletes, more athletes have asked if they could join,” Moss said.

“So what I did, I got a constitution drafted for the requirements for the BAAA and I wrote out the goals and philosophies of the club and started to put it together. It just built from there.”

HEAD coach Tito Moss takes a selfie in front of members of the newly formed Red Line Athletics track club.

As a new club, the BAAA will place the Red Line Athletics on probation for a year.

The club will be based at St Augustine’s College and will include some athletes that don’t compete for the Big Red Machine.

“The name Red Line Athletics is not just a coincidence,” Moss said. “It goes with St Augustine’s College.”

With about 22 athletes involved, Moss will be assisted by Jason Edwards, a level four jumps coach and the head of the Athletic Department at St Augustine’s College.

“We would expect the senior kids who have been doing some work with me with core and fitness to continue to excel,” Moss said.

“At the same token, they are also going on collegiate visits so I am helping them to navigate their choices.

“In addition to that, we have some younger kids who are in the seventh, eighth and 10th grades like Otto Laing and Shamar Bain, who we hope to make

SEE PAGE 4

PAGE 2, Tuesday, September 25, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

Buddy looks to improve his game for Kings

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net COMING off what he called “one of the best summers” of his life, Buddy Hield is poised to make improvements to his game and for the Sacramento Kings in the 2018-19 season.

Hield took centre stage as the Kings opened training camp with Media Day yesterday at the Golden 1 Center Practice Facility in Sacramento, California.

“I think it was one of the best summers of my entire life. Just working out, travelling, having fun and being a young guy, it was great,” Hield said. “There’s a lot of young guys on this team, we’ve finally been gelling together and it’s been great. We’ve just got to keep getting better, learning about each other and we can’t wait to get on the floor and get after it.”

Hield finished last season as the Kings second-leading scorer averaging 13.5 points (.446 field goal

percentage, .431 threepoint percentage, and 88 three throw percentage), 3.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.06 steals in 25.3 minutes per game. He started just 13 of his 80 appearances in his second season.

“As you get older and more experienced you start to figure out what works and what does not work in the NBA. Sometimes you make a play for a teammate and it comes back to you, it’s just making the right plays, playing together as a group. Realising it’s not about scoring the ball, but getting wins, we’re all doing great, we’ll all be happy at the end of the day.”

Hield noted improvements to his game and his workout regimen in the offseason that the Kings’ fanbase should expect to see this season.

“My playmaking ability - just passing, working with ball screens and passing cross court off the ball screens with either hand, left or right, that’s my biggest improvement

SACRAMENTO Kings guard Buddy Hield. (AP) something I’ve been working on. When the opportunity presents itself, I’ll show you everything I’ve been working on,” he said. “I’ve been in the weight room, I just work on the right things. I’ve just been working on being cut and more fit. I’ve been working on my plyometrics, lifting, running and just working on things to be more fit.”

With that improved playmaking ability, Hield said he would be fully prepared to see some action at the point guard position.

“I have confidence I can do that. Why not?” he said.

“We’re packed at the point guard spot, but you never know, this is the NBA, it happens where I may have to move to the one, coach may draw up a play where I have to bring the ball down or we have a offence where I get it, I push it and we go but I’m available that’s why I’ve been working so hard on stuff like that, there’s nothing wrong with making plays for your teammates.

Teammates like that.”

This summer, Hield was back in Grand Bahama to host the fourth edition of his summer basketball camp. He hosted the threeday event simultaneously in Freeport and Eight Mile Rock, Grand Bahama.

He also participated with the senior men’s national team in the third window of FIBA Americas World Cup qualification in Puerto

Rico. Hield scored 19 points and Team Bahamas escaped with an 83-82 win over the Dominican Republic to close out the third window for the team’s only win of the round.

The Kings exercised its team option on Hield moving forward for the 2018-19 season during a season of accolades.

Hield participated in the Mountain Dew Kickstart Rising Stars Challenge, the Taco Bell Skills Challenge and he was also one of several players who hosted various NBA Cares Clinics during the NBA All-Star weekend.

He helped the World Team to a 155-124 win over Team USA at the marquee event for the league’s second and first-year players.

Hield’s numbers were in MVP contention with 29 points, five made threes, three rebounds and three assists.

However, Kings teammate Bogdan Bogdanovic would go on to win the award.

LeBron ‘humbled’ to join Lakers, expects ‘something special’

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer EL SEGUNDO, California (AP) — LeBron James realises the size of the challenge he accepted when he joined the Los Angeles Lakers. After eight consecutive NBA Finals appearances, he knows his new team isn’t a true contender with Golden State and the NBA’s elite just yet.

The superstar welcomed every step in the process yesterday as he began his next chapter in purple and gold.

James finally made his first formal appearance as a member of the Lakers at their media day, nearly three months after he left Cleveland for a four-year, $153.3 million free-agent deal. In between posing for photos in his new gold No. 23 uniform, the 33-year-old superstar revealed part of the motivation behind his decision to join an iconic franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs in five years.

“No matter what uniform I’m in, I’m always humbled that I’m able to play this game at this level,” James said. “I think we all know that this franchise has been a historical

AYTON from PAGE 1 in a NBA survey that polled the league’s incoming rookie class. “His post presence, ability to score on the block will be key,” Booker said. “He’s surrounded by a lot of shooters too and I think that’s going to give him a lot of space to operate. If you’ve watched the NBA the past two seasons that’s what it’s turned into – a big that’s very athletic, can guard guards and I think he has the ability to do that also. So he’s very special and I’m very excited.”

Anderson came to the Suns last month in a trade alongside De’Anthony Melton in exchange for Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss.

A career 38 per cent three-point shooter, Anderson, who is expected to stretch the floor and provide spacing in the Suns’ offence, raved about Ayton’s skillset.

“He’s so skilled, fundamentally, physically, he can run the floor well, his touch is amazing. He reminds me of a lot of different players. I had a chance to play with Dwight obviously, Anthony Davis, I remember Anthony was raw talent but he was right there. DA is advanced, obviously his size is there but his ability to handle the ball, shoot, score

franchise in this league for years. ... That’s an excitement in its own right. And then it’s just always humbling for me when I get a chance to be a part of something special.”

The burgeoning entertainment mogul also politely scoffed at the notion his numerous interests in film and television production would be any distraction from his day job. Moving to Hollywood was not his motivation for going West, he insisted.

“My decision was based solely on my family and the Lakers,” James said.

“I’m a basketball player.

I play ball. That’s what I do.”

James joined the Lakers along with veterans Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee, Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasley this summer. They’ll team up with the Lakers’ talented young core to change the face of a 16-time champion franchise emerging from the worst half-decade in its lengthy history.

But James made it perfectly clear he won’t judge his achievements in Los Angeles solely on championships, particularly not during these Lakers’ first season together. down low, but also he’s a very smart and mature player. He’s got a very bright future, I’m excited to help him to give him a little space on the court to work around,” Anderson said.

“In previous teams I know I’ve been able to help talented centres and give them some space. And I know we’ve already started a really great dynamic just in the few weeks we’ve been playing together.”

This season also represents a new era for the Suns on the sidelines with the debut of head coach Igor Kokoskov. Kokoskov said his role will be to adjust to the strengths his new team has, which includes Ayton becoming a focal point on both ends of the floor.

“He’s a very talented player, he’s a skilled rookie he’s very young. He hasn’t put a basket in the hoop in the NBA so everything is new to him. It’s really our job and my job to help him find himself,” Kokoskov said. “He’s a skilled centre, there are tools that he can add so my job is to help him define his role, to find his game and to play to his strengths but it’s going to be really up to him as far as where he puts his name and how far he wants to go in this business.”

Another talking point surrounding training camp was the continued criticism of Ayton by Philadelphia 76ers centre Joel Embiid.

LOS Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James fields questions yesterday during media day at the team’s practice facility.

(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) “I don’t believe the only thing that’s a success in marking a season is winning a championship,” James said. “There’s only one champion, but that doesn’t mean you’re not successful. There’s going to be wins and losses, but what you control is how you prepare every day.

“We’re a new ballclub coming together. They have some returning guys, but as far as the ballclub, we’re all new to each other.

So we have to take our bumps and our bruises.

There’s going to be good times. There’s going to be bad times. That’s what happens when a team is new. But if we continue to work the process and we continue to sacrifice for one another and put in the commitment and the time to being great, everything else will fall into place.”

This perspective contrasts sharply with the ring-or-bust mentality held

PHOENIX Suns’ Deandre Ayton at media day yesterday. (AP) On draft night, Embiid took to Twitter to respond to comparisons between the two players: “Don’t compare Ayton to me either...I play defence,” he said.

Embiid, in an interview on ESPN’s The Jump at 76ers media day last week, said that Ayton will struggle at times adjusting to the learning curve as a rookie.

“He’s about to get his ass kicked this year,” Embiid said at the 76ers’ practice facility in Camden, New Jersey. As he did on draft night, Ayton once again took the high road

in response to the verbal jabs. “I can’t really say anything,” he said. “I haven’t put the ball in the hoop (in an NBA game). I have to let my game do the talking.”

The first matchup between the Suns and the 76ers this season takes place on November 19.

Suns general manager Ryan McDonough said the organisation does expect Ayton to go through an adjustment period, but insists that he will become an impact player in the league. “He does some things that not a lot of guys

by Kobe Bryant, the last superstar to wear this uniform. Two seasons after Bryant’s retirement, the Lakers have been replenished by the arrival of James and the veterans that he assembled around him.

“I think this is a great start for the Lakers to get back to championship calibre,” said McGee, who just won two championship rings in Golden State. “For me personally, I feel like this is everybody’s dream as a basketball player, to put on the purple and gold and compete for a championship.”

But on their first formal day together, nobody suggested the Lakers are remotely ready to compete with the Warriors, who would have four consecutive championships if James hadn’t won the Cavs’ first championship in legendary fashion instead in 2016.

“We’ve got a long way to go to get to Golden State,” James said. “They can pick up right where they left off, starting with training camp. ... We’re picking up from scratch, so we’ve got a long way to go. We can’t worry about what Golden State is doing.” in the NBA can’t do. We realise there will be a learning curve, especially on the defensive end of the floor.

We realise that a lot of bigs will go at him, try to get him in foul trouble, guards will get him in pick and rolls and try to attack him so there will be some growth there,” he said.

“He seems like a pretty quick learner so and just watching him over the past few months, when you tell him something or show him something he’s able to adopt it and put it into his game pretty quickly, which is what the great players I’ve been around have been able to do.

“I think, at a minimum early he’ll score around the basket, get lobs and get putbacks, get to the free throw line and put a lot of pressure on defences. He brings a vertical threat, an over the top threat that we haven’t had recently and frankly not many teams in the league have at all.”

The Suns will host training camp September 25-29 at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona.

This will be the sixthstraight year and 22nd time overall that NAU and the City of Flagstaff will host Suns training camp. Phoenix first used Flagstaff as a training camp site in 1986 and held camp there for 16 of 19 years from 1986 through 2004.

STEELERS HOLD OFF BUCS 30-27 TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Ben Roethlisberger threw for 353 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 30-27 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last night.

Capping a tumultuous week in which star receiver Antonio Brown made headlines by shouting at an assistant coach on the sidelines and getting into a spat on social media, the Steelers (1-1-1) built a 20-point lead before holding on for their first win.

MILLER from PAGE 1 “In the absence of the general secretary, I would act as the general secretary.

“The work is a little different than what I am doing right now. It’s a good feeling, but the workload is basically the same.”

In her new role, Miller will have the responsibility of keeping all of the BAAA members informed about the elections and getting everything prepared.

“The track and field season is down right now, so there’s nothing much to do,” Miller said. “There’s nothing pending for the BAAA. I’ve always had access to the IAAF website for the BAAA so as those communications continue to come in, I will answer those.

“But the main thing is to prepare the BAAA and the membership for the elections.”

While there is an office manager in Ann Thompson, Miller will oversea that operation. Miller has indicated that she won’t be seeking any positions during the elections. Her husband, Shaun, is the current president of the Coaches Association.

The BAAA elections are set to begin at 9:30am on Saturday, November 24. It will follow the AGM that is scheduled for 6pm Friday when the president and treasurer reports will be made.

The deadline for nominations is set for 30 days prior to the elections. There has been a lot of interest swirling about some of the persons who are expected to be vying for the various positions.

Drumeco Archer, the current secretary general, has already indicated that he will be challenging incumbent president Rosamunde Carey for the top spot. And Grand Bahamian Ravanno Ferguson is looking to challenge Tonique Williams for the first vice president spot.

Ayton’s first impression on the NBA landscape produced his first league-wide award when he was named to the 2018 All-NBA Summer League Second Team. Ayton led the team with 14.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and one blocked shot per game while shooting 59.5 per cent from the field as he was one of just seven players in the Las Vegas Summer League to average a double-double.

When the Suns selected Ayton with the first overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, it represented an historic moment for Ayton, the franchise and The Bahamas.

With Ayton’s selection, The Bahamas joined the United States, Canada, Nigeria and Australia as the only countries with multiple No.1 overall NBA draft picks. It also represented the first No.1 pick made by the Suns in franchise history and the first No.1 pick from the University of Arizona.

He was the ninth consecutive college freshman to be selected with the first overall pick. During his lone season at Arizona, Ayton led the NCAA with 24 double-doubles, a PAC-12 freshman record. He averaged 20.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per game while shooting 61.6 per cent from the field, and was “Karl Malone Power Forward” of the Year consensus First Team All-American.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, September 25, 2018, PAGE 3

Cowboy nation, it’s time to give Garrett ‘The Clapper’ the axe AFTER another nauseating performance by my Dallas Cowboys this past Sunday, the cries for head coach Jason Garrett, alias “The Clapper”, to be axed grows even louder throughout Cowboys nation.

It has already been speculated that former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator, and current Cowboys DB’s coach Kris Richard will become Rod Marinelli’s successor to become the Dallas Cowboys next defensive coordinator.

Marinelli in fact contemplated retirement after the completion of the 2017 season, but decided to give it another go in 2018. Who knows what Marinelli will do at the end of this season.

Richard already has an excellent résumé and good track record as a DC from his time with the Seattle Seahawks (2015-2017).

The Seahawks’ infamous ‘Legion of Boom’ defence had one of the better units in the league over those three seasons.

Thus Cowboys fans are fired up about what he can do in Dallas.

I personally feel he was brought to Dallas, not just to rejuvenate the defence, but potentially audition for the head coach position, especially if incumbent head coach Jason ‘the Clapper’ Garrett, falters yet again in getting the ‘Boys to the postseason.

Take a closer look at the hiring of Richard by the Dallas Cowboys.

Richard is one of the top up-and-coming coaches in the league, and is highly respected amongst his peers around the NFL. There is definitely more to this hiring. One has to ask the question, would Richard really take a step back

THE

PRESS BOX AZELAYA

BY INIGO ‘NAUGHTY’ ZENIC

DALLAS Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett talks to reporters following Sunday’s 24-13 loss to the Seahawks in Seattle.

(AP Photo/John Froschauer) from being DC to become the DB coach/passing game coordinator in Dallas?

Jerry Jones is an awesome salesman.

He obviously convinced Richard that a huge career opportunity may be waiting in the wings for him sometime soon.

Before agreeing to join the Cowboys, Richard interviewed for the head-coaching job with the Indianapolis Colts. To

already be considered a head-coaching candidate exemplifies the rise to Richard’s career.

So replacing a failing Garrett mid-season, if necessary, is plausible.

It’s no secret Garrett and crew are on thin ice this season.

If he doesn’t at least get the Dallas Cowboys into the playoffs this year, he could be looking for a new job, which would create

DALLAS Cowboys QB Dak Prescott waits for a snap in the first half of Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.

(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) a vacancy at head coach.

This could be the kind of opportunity Kris Richard is looking for.

Let’s be real, from what I’ve seen the first three weeks of the NFL season, someone is going to have to replace Jason Garrett if he fails again, this season.

Sooner or later.

Kris Richard is a no brainer. And I’m all fairness, it’s the exact same way Garrett became head coach of the Cowboys when he replaced Wade Phillips, mid-season after the ‘Boys started 1-7 under Phillips.

History may be getting ready to repeat itself in ‘Big D.’

• Naughty presents ‘Mischief and Mayhem in da AM’ from 6am to 10am, Monday to Friday and ‘The Press Box’ sports talk show on Sunday from 10am to 1pm, on KISS FM 96.1.

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Ferguson starting on the offensive line for Bearcats

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net CHRIS Ferguson has stepped into the starting role on the offensive line for the Cincinnati Bearcats and has been one of the driving forces behind the team’s dramatic improvement from a season ago.

The Bearcats remained undefeated on the season and improved to 4-0 with a 34-24 come from behind win over the Ohio University Bobcats.

Cincinnati has already matched its win total from last year’s 4-8 season and their best start to a season since 2012. Ferguson and the offensive line led the Bearcats to 150 rushing yards on the day and has topped the 150-yard

SHERMAN FERGUSON from PAGE 1

Truckers’ D’Juan Seymour came through with three.

Warriors’ infielder Richard Bain led the most stolen base category with four, while Watkins, Forbes and Chances Mighty Mitts’ Christin Wright all ended up with three apiece.

In the pitching category, Warriors’ ace Jeffrey Woodside pitched 41.2 innings to lead the field. Alcott Forbes got in 37 innings, Truckers’ Eugene Pratt had 34, Mighty Mitts’ Kayle Carey had 26 and Hitmen’s Martin Burrows Jr had 23.

Alcott Forbes had the best earned run average with a stingy 0.19 average.

Eugene Pratt trailed with 0.41; Jeffery Woodside was 5.71; Martin Burrows Jr 5.92 and Kayle Carey 12.38.

Forbes had the most wins with seven, Pratt had five and Burrows Jr four.

And Alcott Forbes’ name also showed up with the

FERGUSON mark in each of the season’s first four games. They have totalled 14 rushing touchdowns on the year, surpassing its number of rushing scores from each of the past two seasons (11 in 2017, eight in 2016). Ferguson and the offensive line also did not allow a single sack Saturday afternoon.

Bearcats running back Michael Warren III rushed

for 124 yards and two touchdowns while quarterback Desmond Ridder threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for a touchdown.

“I can’t do it by myself,” Warren said. “The O-line did a great job again today.”

Trailing 21-0 with 5:45 left in the first half, UC scored 34 points to mount its largest comeback since trailing Pittsburgh 31-10 (also 21 points) with 1:26 left in the second quarter and winning 45-44. UC’s game-clinching 92-yard drive was its longest of the season in terms of yardage.

The Bearcats open their American Athletic Conference slate by travelling to UConn on September 29.

The game is scheduled to begin at 3:30pm and air on CBS Sports Network.

TOP 20 BATTERS (25 OR MORE AT-BATS) Player

Team AB R H RBI HR AVG.

Sherman Ferguson Warriors 28 22 16 21 9 .571 Alcott Forbes Hitmen 28 17 13 10 0 .464 Austin Hanna Truckers 28 12 13 8 2 .464 Lamar Watkins Truckers 31 15 14 3 0 .452 Philip Johnson Hitmen 26 16 11 10 2 .423 Martin Burrows Jr Hitmen 37 13 15 18 1 .405 Angelo Watson Truckers 47 15 19 10 1 .404 Rodney Forbes Hitmen 25 20 10 5 2 .400 Keiron Munroe Hitmen 31 10 12 16 0 .387 Stephen Russell Truckers 36 9 13 6 1 .361 D’Juan Seymour Truckers 27 10 9 8 3 .333 Deandre Rigby Warriors 35 9 10 17 4 .286 Jordan Gibson Warriors 31 11 8 10 0 .258 Christopher McPhee Mighty Mitts 28 3 7 7 0 .250 Tori Rolle Mighty Mitts 28 9 7 4 0 .250 LeVaughn Ferguson 25 7 6 9 0 .240 Christin Wright Mighty Mitts 28 4 6 4 0 .214 Michael Butler Mighty Mitts 33 6 7 11 0 .212 Moses Kerr 27 6 5 2 0 .185 Chedi Ferguson Mighty Mitts 28 4 5 2 0 .179

most strike outs with 84.

Eugene Pratt had 59; Jeffery Woodside 55; Martin

Burrows Jr 29 and Mighty Mitts’ Victor Grant trailed with 19.

SUNSHINE Auto Wildcats’ shortstop Larikah Russell has won this year’s batting title in the New Providence Softball Association.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

RUSSELL

from PAGE 1 Simms with 27 atbats, 11 runs, 15 hits and seven RBI for a .556 clip; Yvanna McDonald of the Lady Panthers with 26 atbats, 11 runs, 14 hits, eight runs and one homer with a .538 and Lady Warriors’ versatile Melinda Bastian, who had a .528 clip from 36 at-bats, 18 runs, 19 hits, 10 RBI and three homers.

Lady Sharks’ infielder Sari Albury won the most hits category with 23, followed by Taylor with 22; Bastian 19; Lady Sharks’ infielder Sophia Cartwright with 17; Lady Wildcats’ outfielder Daria Cambridge and Lady Truckers’ infielder Mia Turner with 16 each.

Albury also took the most RBI category with 28. Taylor had 22, Cartwright 17, Taylor 15 and Lady Panthers’ Amariage Taylor with 14.

Turner scored the most runs with 30, Lady Sharks’ Danisha Woodside and Shevette Taylor both had 25, one more than Lady Truckers’ outfielder Dawayna Pratt with 24; Cambridge had 23 and Albury ended up with 22.

In the home run category, there was a three-way tie for first place with Albury, Bastian and Lady Sharks’ Keshelle Robinson all producing three.

And on the most stolen bases, Woodside led with 15, Pratt and Mia Turner both had 13 and Lady

TOP 20 BATTING AVERAGES (24 OR MORE AT-BATS) Player

Team AB R H RBI HR AVG.

Larikah Russell Shevette Taylor Ruthann Simms Yvanna McDonald Melinda Bastian Keshelle Robinson Tyrice Curry Kenyoka Ingraham Sari Albury Nadia Thompson Ramona Hanna Sophia Cartwright Daria Cambridge Kendalia Turner Mia Turner Shaquel Bain Jeanette Hilton Latoya Johnson Dwayna Pratt Amariage Taylor Truckers’ Kendalia Turner and Lady Sharks’ Aliyah Johnson both finished with 10.

In the pitching category, Sunshine Auto’s mainstay Thela Johnson took three of the four statistical titles. She pitched the most innings with a total of 44, three more than Lady Truckers’ Valencia Gibson with 41. Lady Panthers’ Cara Gilbert had 38 and both Lady Sharks’ Taylor Cartwright and Lady Warriors’ Ashanti Darville had 30 apiece. Gibson beat

Wildcats 24 18 15 10 0 .625 Truckers 37 25 22 22 1 .595 Wildcats 27 11 15 7 0 .556 Panthers 26 11 14 8 1 .538 Warriors 36 18 19 10 3 .528 Sharks 25 14 13 13 3 .520 Wildcats 28 18 14 7 0 .500 Sharks 27 16 13 6 1 .481 Sharks 49 22 23 28 3 .469 Warriors 30 16 14 4 0 .467 Sharks 25 17 11 10 1 .440 Sharks 39 16 17 17 2 .436 Wildcats 37 23 16 13 0 .432 Truckers 28 18 12 6 0 .429 Truckers 40 30 16 15 2 .400 Truckers 29 17 11 10 0 .379 Warriors 30 12 11 9 0 .367 Panthers 30 15 11 11 1 .367 Truckers 36 24 13 10 0 .361 Panthers 34 15 12 14 1 .353 out Johnson for the best earned run average with a 2.88 average. Johnson was 3.79, while Cartwright was 4.43; Gilbert 7.12 and Darville rounded the top five with 8.22.

Johnson, however, produced the most wins with eight. Albury had seven; Gibson six and Cartwright five. And Johnson also struck out the most batters with a total of 62. Gibson was her nearest rival with 49. Cartwright finished with 32; Gilbert had 27; Albury 26 and Darville 21.

PAGE 4, Tuesday, September 25, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

Leonard says he is ready to go after quadriceps injury

By IAN HARRISON Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — Kawhi Leonard spoke publicly in his first appearance as a Toronto Raptor and said he is physically ready to play.

Leonard joined the Raptors in a summertime blockbuster trade with the San Antonio Spurs. How long he stays in Toronto is unclear but the former NBA Finals MVP and twotime defensive player of the year who was limited to nine games last season because of a right quadriceps injury insists he is ready to go as the team gets ready for training camp in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Sharing a podium with Raptors president Masai Ujiri, who pulled the trigger on the trade that included acquiring forward Danny Green and losing DeMar DeRozan, Leonard

addressed the biggest question about him: His health.

“Right now I’m feeling great, ready to play basketball.” Leonard said.

“Throughout the summer I worked on my body. Took it step-by-step, just getting fully healthy, getting ready to make this extra step this season.”

The usually reserved Leonard also attempted to offer the crowded a room a little insight about himself.

“I’m a fun guy,” Leonard said. “Obviously, I love the game of basketball. I mean, there’s just more questions you have to ask in order for me to tell you about myself. I just can’t give you the whole spiel. I don’t even know where you’re sitting.”

Even after he located the reporters, Leonard was characteristically brief but managed to make his feelings clear, starting with his reaction to the July 18 trade that ended a sometimes fractious seven-year

TORONTO Raptors NBA basketball team player Kawhi Leonard is shown during a press conference at media day yesteday. (AP) relationship with the Spurs and sent him to Toronto.

“Excited,” Leonard said.

“I’m coming to a great city that loves basketball, a great organization and I’m happy Danny was coming with me as well.”

A free agent next summer, Leonard said he arrived in Toronto “with an open mind,” but wasn’t

ready to talk about what that means long-term.

“My focus is on this year, this group that we have, and us striving to get to a championship,” he said. “We all want to win, and if you’re looking into the future, you’re going to trip over the present.”

To land Leonard, Toronto gave up DeRozan,

a team icon and four-time All-Star. San Antonio also got center Jakob Poeltl and a 2019 protected first-round draft pick.

DeRozan’s departure wasn’t the only big offseason change in Toronto.

The Raptors also fired Dwane Casey, who was later named NBA Coach of the Year, and replaced him with former assistant Nick Nurse. The rookie head coach said Leonard’s diverse skill set will help bolster a “versatile” Raptors roster.

“He can guard smalls and bigs and he can score in and out,” Nurse said. “That’s really cool.”

The architect of the offensive overhaul that saw Toronto dramatically increase its 3-point shooting last season, Nurse suggested there may be more to come this season thanks to the addition of Leonard and Green. “We could,” Nurse said. “On

paper, our team has gotten better from behind the line.

We’ll see how that all plays out.”

One player who might take more 3-pointers is holdover point guard and four-time All-Star Kyle Lowry, DeRozan’s close friend.

Lowry, who had also not spoken publicly since the trade, disputed the notion he was miffed at Ujiri’s move.

“I’m here to do my job,” Lowry said. “One thing about me is I’ve always been prepared to come in, work, and try to win a championship. My mindset never changes: Come to work for the Toronto Raptors, try to win a gold ball.”

With Leonard along for the ride this season, that goal might be within reach for the Raptors.

“It’s going to be fun, man,” Lowry said. “An opportunity like this, you’ve got to take advantage of it.”

PARKER, WALKER EAGER TO BUILD HORNETS INTO A WINNER TOGETHER

By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Tony Parker is excited about finishing his impressive NBA career with the Hornets after 17 seasons with the Spurs. Kemba Walker said he wants to stay in Charlotte, too.

The two point guards are at vastly different stages of their careers, but both share the same goal — to make Charlotte a perennial playoff team.

Parker expects no less.

He’s already told his new teammates, “Don’t mess with my playoff streak.”

The 36-year-old Parker has never missed the playoffs, winning four NBA championships along the way. Walker has become a two-time All-Star despite playing on a Hornets team that hasn’t won a playoff series since Parker’s rookie season in 2001-02.

Walker, 28, will become a highly sought after free agent next season but said he emphatically

Monday that he has no desire to join a so-called super team.

“I don’t want to be nowhere else,” said Walker, the Hornets’ all-time leading scorer. “You see guys who are on elite teams. I don’t want to do that. I want to create something special here in Charlotte, something that we have never had here before. I want to create some consistency.”

Walker said he’s “confident” the Hornets will try to resign him next summer, adding “I just have that feeling.”

Parker’s decision to leave the Spurs for the Hornets shocked many around the NBA world given his loyalty to coach Gregg Popovich, but not fellow Frenchman and close friend Nicolas Batum.

They’ve played together for years with the French national team and have formed such a close relationship over the years that they consider each other brothers. Batum, the Hornets small forward, said he and Parker discussed the prospect of coming

CHARLOTTE Hornets’ Tony Parker poses for a photo during the team’s media day.

(AP Photo/Chuck Burton) to Charlotte before it came to fruition.

Along with playing alongside Batum again, Parker liked the idea of playing for new Hornets

coach James Borrego, a former Spurs assistant, and owner Michael Jordan.

“Growing up, Michael Jordan was my idol,” said Parker, who signed a two-year, $10 million contract with Charlotte. “I would wake up at 3 in the morning (in France) to watch all of his games.

So for me it is like coming full circle to play the last couple of years for his team. It’s a great honor.”

Parker will have to make adjustments though.

Outside of an injury-plagued season a year ago, he’s always been a starter.

But this year he will have to take a backseat to Walker, a role he said he’s ready to accept.

However, Borrego said Walker and Parker will often be paired together in the backcourt in the fourth quarter of tight games.

“Tony is very comfortable in fourth quarter situations,” Borrego said. “We will be in that fourth quarter situation a ton this year — and we have to close. Now

it’s up to me and my staff to figure out how to close with those guys on the floor.”

Parker said it doesn’t matter what his role is with the Hornets, saying “I’m up for anything.”

“If I finish games, great. If I don’t, that’s fine too,” Parker said. “... Kemba needs to be that leader on the court. I will help him out being a different type of leader.”

Parker said that means helping Walker take the next step in his progression as a point guard, particularly improving as a ball distributor.

“I was in the same spot as him once. I was a good scorer. But to be a great point guard you have to do both,” Parker said. “You have to know when to score and when to pass and involve your teammates. He’s made the last two All-Star games, but I told him, ‘Hey, All-Stars is great, but it’s better to win and have success in the playoffs.’”

Walker couldn’t agree more.

“I just want to win,” Walker said.

MEMBERS of the newly formed Red Line Athletics Track Club.

Coach Tito Moss forms the Red Line Athletics Track Club FROM PAGE 1 the CARIFTA team next year. So hopefully they can make that spring to the next level.”

Although Club Monica Track Club will still be in existence, WoodsideJohnson indicated that she decided to take a break from coaching and has given her blessing to Moss and Edwards in the formation of their new club.

“I’ve learned a lot from Dianne and I hope to tailor it and craft some of my own philosophies that I have learnt over the years and we will continue to encourage these kids to develop

their mind, body and physical fitness.”

With some of the top athletes in the club on the verge of graduating in 2019 and entering college, Moss said they will be pursuing universities in the United States where Bahamians Rolando ‘Lonnie’ Greene and Norbert Elliott are the head coaches.

“We are going on a collegiate visit to Kentucky in November to the University of Kentucky where Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie is an assistant under Lonnie Greene and sprinter Divine Parker is a freshman,” Moss said.

“We’ve already had about 25 coaches who

contacted me about Adrian Curry and about 24 about Megan. So it’s a lot for us to consider. We can only go on five visits and I’m also trying to assist other athletes like Oscar Smith and Raymond Oriaki. I’m using this opportunity to help as many people because Megan can only go to one college.”

Woodside-Johnson, an accounts teacher at St Augustine’s College, is considering how she will be able to assist the Big Red Machine athletic team.

However, she wished Moss and the Red Line Athletics every success in their new venture. “I wish him the best and I wish the athletes

the best,” Woodside-Johnson said.

At the time of taking a break from coaching, Woodside-Johnson had about 60-70 athletes registered in Club Monica that was established about 15 years ago - in May 2003 - in honour of her now deceased mother, Monica Woodside.

Woodside-Johnson, a level five certified coach, was the first Bahamian female to coach at both the 2016 Olympic Games and the 2017 International Amateur Athletic Federation’s World Championships, the latter of which she served as the head coach.

TITO MOSS, head coach of the Red Line Athletics Track Club.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, September 25, 2018, PAGE 5

Tiger Woods winning adds to Ryder Cup buzz

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France (AP) — Already the most intense competition in golf, the Ryder Cup doesn’t need help to boost the excitement.

Tiger Woods managed to take it to another level.

He looked like the Woods of old by leading the final 36 holes of the Tour Championship, not letting anyone near him until it was too late, a vintage performance made all the more remarkable by four back surgeries and a future that looked bleak only a year ago.

Woods was a vice captain at the Presidents Cup a year ago this week and said he envisioned a scenario where he never returned to competition. One PGA Tour event into his return, Jim Furyk selected him as a vice captain for the Ryder Cup. And then he picked him for the team. And then Woods won for the first time in more than five years.

“It’s obviously a nice buzz for our team,” Furyk said yesterday, a few hours after the American charter plane landed in Paris.

The entire US team was on a charter that arrived in Paris at about 12:45pm. European captain Thomas Bjorn arrived late last week, as did a few of his players. Six of them were at East Lake for the Tour Championship. The first official day of practice is today.

Monday was as much a time to reflect on Woods as it was to rest up for a busy week at Le Golf National.

“I spent 25 years playing professional golf with Tiger Woods on the scene, and any time he does anything great, that’s a story. And that’s where we want to see him,” said Bjorn, the only player to be paired with Woods over 72 holes and beat him. That was in Dubai in 2001.

“He does so much for the game of golf,” Bjorn said. “Watching that last night, I thought it was brilliant. It was great for the greater aspect of the game.”

The television ratings show as much.

NBC Sports Group said the overnight rating from the Tour Championship was 5.21, the highest-rated telecast in the 12-year history of the FedEx Cup playoffs, which cover 48 events featuring some of the strongest fields of the year.

That was the highest rating of the year this side of the majors, and the highest for the Tour Championship dating to 2000.

TIGER Woods holds the golf club shaped trophy on Sunday after winning the the Tour Championship golf tournament in Atlanta.

(AP Photo/John Amis) “In the end, whatever it is these 24 guys are going to do this week, the game of golf needs that boost of somebody like him that transcends the game to the masses,” Bjorn said.

“So for everyone in golf, it’s brilliant.”

Now that Woods is back on his game, the hope for Furyk and the US team is that he’s not back to Ryder Cup form.

For all that he has achieved — 80 victories on the PGA Tour, 14 majors, No. 1 in the world for 683 weeks — he has a 13-17-3 record in Ryder Cup matches, and he has played on only one winning team since his first one in 1997.

“We don’t fear anyone because we’ve played against them so many times before individually,” Bjorn said.

“But we respect our opponents and know what we are up against. What stands on the other side we know is one of the strongest American teams of all time. ... We do what we do as a European team, and then we

go out and take that on the golf course, and that’s all 12 Americans. It’s not one individual.”

Europe has done it well over the years.

The Americans have not won the Ryder Cup away from home since 1993, a drought Furyk has been hearing about since he was appointed captain in January 2017. The Americans have confidence from winning big at Hazeltine two years ago — Woods was a vice captain that week — and from a team that boasts nine major champions.

That makes them favourites on paper. And that means little, as recent history would suggest.

Even with the loss two years ago, Europe still has won eight out of the last 11 times dating to that ‘93 American victory at The Belfry. “I’m not sure you really need extra motivation in a Ryder Cup,” Furyk said. “Obviously, I think there’s a thorn in their side, and it’s been that since 1993, and there’s some veteran players that have played on a number of these teams that have never won

on foreign soil. It’s not anything I need to mention in the team room. They are well aware of it, and they are well aware of how difficult it is to win in Europe.”

Furyk, meanwhile, did well not to add to the hyperbole over Woods winning again. Woods was trending in that direction, from the brief time he held the lead on Sunday at the British Open to his runner-up finish at the PGA Championship.

How much did Woods contribute to the buzz Sunday night?

The Americans had a room set aside in a hotel near the Atlanta airport for a team dinner before flying to France. “We had a whole group of guys waiting in the team room, and then a giant roar when Steve Stricker walked in the room after his victory,” Furyk said with a laugh.

Stricker, a vice captain for the US team, won his first PGA Tour Champions title in South Dakota. “Nice to have those two guys play so well, and start us off pretty well this week,” Furyk said.

THE TIGER IS BACK, AND GOLF IS BETTER FOR IT

By PAUL NEWBERRY AP Sports Columnist ATLANTA (AP) — They had waited more than five years for this moment.

No way were those frail little ropes, strung up on flimsy poles, going to hold them back.

No way were they listening to those red-shirted marshals, a bit of terror in their eyes as they pleaded futilely for everyone to come to their senses.

They had to feel it, touch it, see it with their own eyes.

Maybe that was the only way to persuade themselves that this most remarkable of comebacks had actually happened.

Tiger Woods.

A winner again.

The staid ol’ Tour Championship became a boisterous street party late Sunday afternoon, the fans storming down the middle of the 18th fairway like a bunch of crazed college kids laying siege to a football field after a last-second victory.

“Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!” they chanted over and over, looking very much like they may storm the Tudor-style clubhouse, the roar carrying all the way to Peachtree.

It was thrilling, exhilarating, even a bit frightening for those caught in the middle of the mob.

Then again, it was not an unexpected reaction given what Woods has meant to the game of golf — to the entire sporting world, really.

“From one goat (greatest of all time) to another I can only imagine what @TigerWoods is feeling today,” tweeted Michael Phelps, the winningest athlete in Olympic history.

“Pumped to be watching this today!! Have fun out there today my man!!!”

USA Captain Jim Furyk, left, and Europe Captain Thomas Bjorn pose with the trophy yesterday at the end of a news conference ahead of the Ryder Cup at the Golf National in Guyancourt, outside Paris, France. The 42nd Ryder Cup Matches will be held in France September 28-30 at the Albatros Course of Le Golf National.

(AP Photo/Francois Mori) Despite an influx of talented young players in recent years, golf just hasn’t been the same since Woods went away, his brilliant career derailed by debilitating injuries and personal demons.

As NBC analyst Roger Maltbie put it, “He doesn’t just move the needle, he is the needle.”

But that needle looked broken beyond repair as days without a win grew to months, the months without a win grew to years. It had been 1,876 days since his last victory, and even Woods had moved on from the idea of ever winning another golf tournament.

He was more concerned about his quality of life.

“The low point was not knowing if I’d ever be able to live pain-free again,” Woods said.

“Am I going to be able to sit, stand, walk, lay down without feeling the pain that I was in. I just didn’t want to live that way.

Is this how the rest of my life is

going to be? (If so), it’s going to be a tough rest of my life. So, I was beyond playing. I couldn’t sit. I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t lay down without feeling the pain in my back and my leg.”

On April 19, 2017, he underwent surgery for the fourth time, this time to fuse his lower back.

About six weeks later, he was arrested on suspicion of DUI after being found asleep behind the wheel of his car with the motor running.

Woods blamed it on a bad combination of pain medications. Everyone figured he’d gotten hooked on drugs as a way of coping with a body that never stopped hurting. The idea of ever playing competitive golf again — much less winning — seemed downright ludicrous.

Then, miraculously, the dark cloud lifted.

Woods got himself cleaned up. The pain went away. Just four months after reporting he couldn’t hit the ball more than 60

yards, Woods rejoined the PGA Tour and made the cut in his first event at Torrey Pines.

By the time the summer rolled around, he was in the mix at the major championships.

He earned a spot on the US Ryder Cup team.

He played his way into the finale of the FedEx Cup playoff.

Finally, on a blistering fall day in Atlanta, he made it official.

The comeback was complete.

“I just didn’t know whether or when this would ever happen again,” he said. “I just didn’t know if I could ever piece together a golf swing.”

Woods wasn’t fully aware of all the commotion going on behind him as he strolled down the 18th fairway, chatting and smiling with playing partner Rory McIlroy in the final group.

When he got up to the green, Woods could finally survey the remarkable scene. It reminded him a bit of Jack Nicklaus winning the US Open at Baltusrol in 1980, the crowds invading the course as the Golden Bear wrapped up a victory that defied those skeptics who thought he was all washed up at age 40.

“Jack Is Back,” the scoreboard famously proclaimed.

“I just didn’t have the tight pants and the hair,” Woods quipped. “But it was all good.

There was no message on the East Lake leaderboard.

This time, the most telling moment came after Woods teed off at the 14th hole, which dissects the walk to the tee for No. 17.

His closest challenger, Billy Horschel, was heading that way.

He saw Woods coming.

He stopped to let him pass.

It only seemed right.

Tiger Woods is back.

And golf is better for it.

A TIMELINE SINCE WOODS LAST WON A TOURNAMENT ATLANTA (AP) — A timeline between the 79th and 80th victories on the PGA Tour for Tiger Woods: Aug. 4, 2013 — Wins the Bridgestone Invitational for his 18th World Golf Championship title and 79th victory on the PGA Tour.

March 31, 2014 — Has back surgery and announces he will miss the Masters for the first time.

June 26, 2014 — Returns to the PGA Tour and misses the cut at the Quicken Loans National.

Aug. 8, 2014 — Misses the cut in the PGA Championship and says he will take the rest of the year off, including the Ryder Cup, to get healthy.

Dec. 7, 2014 — Returns at the Hero World Challenge and ties for last in an 18-man field at Isleworth, his home course, 26 shots out of the lead.

Feb. 1, 2015 — Looking like an amateur with his short game, shoots 82 in the Phoenix Open to miss the cut. A week later at Torrey Pines, withdraws after 11 holes and says he could never get his glutes activated.

Feb. 11, 2015 — Announces he is taking time off to work on his game, saying that “my play, and scores, are not acceptable for tournament golf.”

April 9, 2015 — Returns at the Masters, his chipping issues gone, and ties for 17th.

June 6, 2015 — Shoots an 85 in the third round of the Memorial, his highest score as a professional.

Aug. 14, 2015 — Misses the cut in his third straight major at the PGA Championship.

Aug. 23, 2015 — After sharing the 36-hole lead, ties for 10th in the Wyndham Championship and fails for the first time to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs when playing at least 10 times on the PGA Tour.

Sept. 16, 2015 — Has a second back surgery.

Oct. 28, 2015 — Has a third procedure on his back.

Dec. 1, 2015 — In a somber press conference at his Hero World Challenge, Woods says of his future, “So where is the light at the end of the tunnel? I don’t know.”

He says he wants to play again and anything else he achieves will be “gravy.”

Dec. 4, 2016 — Returns to competition at the Hero World Challenge, makes 24 birdies and finishes 15th in an 18-man field, 14 shots behind.

Jan. 27, 2017 — Makes first PGA Tour start since the Wyndham Championship in 2015 and misses the cut at Torrey Pines.

Feb. 3, 2017 — After opening with a 77 at the Dubai Desert Classic in calm conditions, withdraws before the start of the second round because of back spasms.

April 19, 2017 — Has a fourth surgery, this one to fuse his lower back.

May 30, 2017 — Woods is arrested and briefly jailed in Jupiter, Florida, on suspicion of DUI. Police find him asleep behind the wheel of his car in the early morning with the engine running. He attributes it to a bad combination of pain medication.

Sept. 27, 2017 — A vice captain at the Presidents Cup, Woods says he has no idea what his future holds because he’s only hitting 60-yard shots.

Oct. 7-23, 2017 — Woods posts three videos on Instagram of a smooth iron swing, a driver and his stinger.

Oct. 27, 2017 — Woods pleads guilty to reckless driving and agrees to enter a diversion program. Prosecutors drop the DUI charge under the plea agreement.

Dec. 3, 2017 — Returns to competition at the Hero World Challenge, posts three rounds in the 60s and ties for ninth against an 18-man field, 10 shots behind.

Jan. 28, 2018 — In his return to the PGA Tour, makes the cut on the number and ties for 23rd at Torrey Pines.

Feb. 20, 2018 — Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk announces Woods as one of his vice captains, says Woods still wants to make the team.

March 11, 2018 — Before enormous crowds at Innisbrook, makes par on the 18th hole to finish one shot out of the lead at the Valspar Championship.

March 18, 2018 — One shot behind in the final round at Bay Hill, yanks tee shot out-of-bounds on the 16th hole and ties for fifth.

July 22, 2018 — Takes the lead in the final round of the British Open, only to make double bogey on the 12th hole and finish in a tie for sixth.

Aug. 12, 2018 — Closes with a 64, his lowest final round ever in a major, and is runner-up to Brooks Koepka in the PGA Championship.

Sept. 4, 2018 — Announced as a captain’s pick for the Ryder Cup, his first playing appearance since 2012.

Sept. 23, 2018 — Wins the Tour Championship for his 80th career victory on the PGA Tour.

PAGE 6, Tuesday, September 25, 2018

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CRYPTIC PUZZLE

1 Having favourites, relatively speaking (7) 4 It was abnormally restricted in Victorian times (5) 7 Continue being visibly a stupid person (4) 8 Not rare words of praise (4,4)

Down 1 It’s a different thing after dark (5) 2 Irritates but turns out to be all right at heart (8) 3 Gives encouragement to drink? (6) 4 Point to one duke or

10 Does one have to fight to

another (10)

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5 A much revered

12 Make a mistake and throw out the drink (6) 13 They represent a man’s following (6) 15 Still of use to writers, say? (10) 18 Sign to be careful with the new coat (3,5) 19 It’s bound to secure advance accommodation (4) 20 Way to tear or take off clothes (5) 21 Leaves a just reward (7)

figure (4) 6 The gardener likes to see it overgrown (7) 9 Source of ghostly light? (6,4) 11 Popular pro (2,6) 12 Untidy hands creep inside the ship (7) 14 Attacked for being drunk? (6) 16 One agreement about another for couples (5) 17 Wake up cooler (4)

EASY PUZZLE

Across

Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution

Yesterday’s Easy Solution

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Across: 1 Minor planet, 9 Upstart, 10 Erupt, 11 Need, 12 On the air, 14 Septet, 16 Assert, 18 Doomsday, 19 Plod, 22 Union, 23 Coinage, 24 Good heavens.

Down: 2 Issue, 3 Oval, 4 Patent, 5 Amethyst, 6 Emulate, 7 Sunny-side up, 8 Star-studded, 13 Reasoned, 15 Proviso, 17 Gauche, 20 Learn, 21 Kiev.

Down: 2 Iceni, 3 Earl, 4 Armour, 5 Stockpot, 6 Notched, 7 Steal a march, 8 Switchboard, 13 Reversal, 15 Othello, 17 Measly, 20 Askew, 21 Fair.

*SP: Spoke – Helpline 0333 202 3390

Across

Down

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2 Prosperous (8)

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18 Abandoned (8)

14 Maintenance (6)

19 Acting gently (4)

16 Pious (5)

20 Permitted by law (5)

17 Pull with

21 Quick-tempered (7)

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THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, September 25, 2018, PAGE 7

Luka Modric crowned world footballer of the year

By ROB HARRIS AP Global Soccer Writer LONDON (AP) — Luka Modric broke a decade of award dominance by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi after being crowned world footballer of the year

by FIFA yesterday.

Marta won the women’s award for a sixth time.

Modric was voted FIFA’s best player in the 2017-18 season after winning the Champions League for a fourth time in five seasons with Real Madrid and leading Croatia to its first World Cup final where it lost to France.

Messi and Ronaldo were the only winners of world soccer’s main individual award from FIFA in various guises since 2008, both winning five titles each.

Messi didn’t make the three-man shortlist and skipped the trip to London.

And as a new dawn in FIFA’s awards history broke inside London’s Royal Festival Hall, Ronaldo also didn’t turn up at the ceremony to be dethroned in

person by his former Real Madrid teammate despite being in the final three alongside Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah.

“Two guys we don’t know,” actor Idris Elba, who hosted the show, said after revealing the world XI of the year and highlighting the absence of Messi and Ronaldo in the room.

Ronaldo, who left Madrid in the offseason to join Italian champion Juventus, was knocked out of the World Cup in the round of 16 with European champion Portugal.

Salah scored a record 32 goals in a 38-game English Premier League and helped Liverpool reach its first Champions League final in 11 years.

At 1.72 metres (5-foot-8), Modric was doubted early in his career because of his height.

“These things were not a burden, they only further motivated me,” Modric said at the World Cup. “You don’t have to be a strapping lad to play football.”

The cloud over the 33-year-old playmaker is that he was charged with perjury in March in an investigation linked to his transfer to Tottenham from Dinamo Zagreb in 2008. Prosecutors claimed Modric gave a false court statement last year about his financial deals with a former Zagreb director.

FAIR PLAY German forward Lennart Thy won the fair play award after missing a game for Dutchside VVV-Venlo to help a leukemia patient.

Thy donated blood to enable doctors to generate stem cells that could make a transplant possible for a leukemia patient and possibly save their life.

WOMEN’S PLAYER Marta won her first FIFA player of the year award since 2010 after leading Brazil to Copa America Femenina glory. She also scored 13 goals as Orlando Pride reached the NWSL playoffs.

TEAM OF THE YEAR Goalkeeper: David De Gea (Spain, Manchester United) Defenders: Dani Alves (Brazil, Paris Saint-Germain), Raphael Varane (France, Real Madrid).

Sergio Ramos (Spain, Real Madrid), Marcelo (Brazil, Real Madrid).

Midfielders: Luka Modric (Croatia, Real Madrid), N’Golo Kante (France, Chelsea), Eden Hazard (Belgium, Chelsea).

Forwards: Kylian Mbappe (France, Paris Saint-Germain), Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid/ currently Juventus)

CROATIA’S LUKA MODRIC, nominee for the Best FIFA Men’s Player award, arrives yesterday for the ceremony of the Best FIFA Football Awards in the Royal Festival Hall .

(AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

COACHES No French player was on the shortlist but Didier Deschamps was voted manager of the year after becoming only the third man to win the World Cup as a player and coach. The coach award in the women’s game went to Reynald Pedros, the Frenchman who led Lyon to French league and Champions League glory.

inside Idrissa Gueye, and curled a left-footed shot around Ashley Williams and into the top corner.

GOAL Salah didn’t leave emptyhanded, picking up the Puskas Award for his goal in the Merseyside derby in December 2017.

Salah’s goal in Liverpool’s 1-1 draw against Everton was a mixture of strength and footwork. Receiving a pass from right back Joe Gomez, Salah shrugged off Cuca Martina, twisted

GOAL KEEPER Thibaut Courtois added the FIFA goalkeeper award to the Golden Glove he collected in Russia for helping Belgium to third place with three clean sheets.

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

TONIGHT

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Partly sunny

Partly cloudy with a shower late

A t‑storm in spots in the afternoon

Partly sunny with a thunderstorm

Sunshine and breezy with a shower

Mostly cloudy, a shower in the p.m.

High: 89°

Low: 78°

High: 89° Low: 78°

High: 89° Low: 77°

High: 88° Low: 77°

High: 88° Low: 77°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

98° F

84° F

97°-85° F

97°-83° F

97°-83° F

94°-83° F

ORLANDO

High: 90° F/32° C Low: 75° F/24° C

TAMPA

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 79° F/26° C

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

N

almanac

E

W

ABACO

S

N

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 82° F/28° C

6‑12 knots

S

WEST PALM BEACH High: 91° F/33° C Low: 77° F/25° C

6‑12 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE E

W

FREEPORT

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 78° F/26° C

N

S

E

W

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 78° F/26° C

MIAMI

High: 90° F/32° C Low: 80° F/27° C

6‑12 knots

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 86° F/30° C Low .................................................... 74° F/23° C Normal high ....................................... 87° F/31° C Normal low ........................................ 74° F/24° C Last year’s high ................................. 91° F/33° C Last year’s low ................................... 79° F/26° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.06” Year to date ............................................... 41.89” Normal year to date ................................... 28.15”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 78° F/26° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2018

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

N

KEY WEST

High: 91° F/33° C Low: 84° F/29° C

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 81° F/27° C

N

S

E

W

7‑14 knots

S

7‑14 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

tiDes For nassau High Today

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

8:38 a.m.

8:55 p.m.

3.2 3.2

2:34 a.m.

2:52 p.m.

0.5 0.5

Wednesday 9:16 a.m.

9:32 p.m.

3.3 3.2

3:09 a.m.

3:32 p.m.

0.5 0.5

Thursday

9:55 a.m.

10:11 p.m.

3.4 3.1

3:45 a.m.

4:13 p.m.

0.4 0.5

Friday

10:36 a.m.

10:53 p.m.

3.4 3.0

4:22 a.m.

4:57 p.m.

0.4 0.6

Saturday

11:21 a.m.

11:39 p.m.

3.4 2.9

5:03 a.m.

5:45 p.m.

0.5 0.7

Sunday

12:11 p.m. ‑‑‑‑‑

3.3 ‑‑‑‑‑

5:49 a.m.

6:39 p.m.

0.6 0.8

Monday

12:32 a.m.

1:08 p.m.

2.8 3.3

6:42 a.m.

7:40 p.m.

0.6 0.9

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

7:00 a.m.

7:03 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

7:45 p.m.

7:20 a.m.

Last

New

First

Full

Oct. 2

Oct. 8

Oct. 16

Oct. 24

CAT ISLAND

E

W

uV inDex toDay

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 81° F/27° C

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 81° F/27° C

N

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 81° F/27° C

E

W S

LONG ISLAND

insurance management tracking map

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 80° F/27° C

7‑14 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 87° F/31° C Low: 81° F/27° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS RAGGED ISLAND High: 86° F/30° C Low: 81° F/27° C

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 81° F/27° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 88° F/31° C Low: 81° F/27° C

N

E

W

E

W

N

S

S

8‑16 knots

8‑16 knots

marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR

Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday:

WINDS SE at 6‑12 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ENE at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots

WAVES 3‑6 Feet 3‑6 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑6 Feet 4‑7 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑6 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet 3‑6 Feet 4‑7 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 4‑8 Feet 4‑8 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑5 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 87° F 87° F 87° F 87° F 85° F 84° F 84° F 85° F 84° F 83° F 84° F 84° F 87° F 86° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 84° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 85° F 86° F 84° F

Covering The Bahamas for over 40 years.

NEW PROVIDENCE | GRAND BAHAMA | ABACO | ELEUTHERA | EXUMA

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PAGE 8, Tuesday, September 25, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

Full of surprises, Dolphins are undefeated with Patriots next

By STEVEN WINE AP Sports Writer DAVIE, Florida (AP) — Ryan Tannehill says when he calls a trick play, even his offensive linemen get excited.

And why not? Razzle dazzle is a big reason the surprising Miami Dolphins are undefeated.

“I’m all for anytime everybody gets excited about a play call,” play-caller and coach Adam Gase said with a chuckle yesterday.

“The worst is when the quarterback says he doesn’t believe it’s going to work. That’s when you get a little nervous.

“If I feel like guys really like something, we’ll get to it.”

They’re likely cueing up something exotic for the New England Patriots, where the Dolphins play Sunday with a chance to end their streak of nine consecutive losses in Foxborough.

The Dolphins used a receiverto-receiver pass and two wideout sweeps to score three touchdowns Sunday and rally past Oakland 28-20. With the win, Miami improved to 3-0 for only the third time since the Dan Marino era and took a two-game lead over the other three teams in the AFC East, including perennial power New England.

How much is left in Gase’s bag of play-calling tricks?

“A lot,” he said.

Sunday’s surprises allowed the Dolphins to spring their speed — NASCAR on grass, as receiver Jakeem Grant called it. He and receiver Albert Wilson each scored on a jet sweep, and Wilson threw his first NFL pass for a 52-yard touchdown to Grant .

Fun, right?

“When you win,” Gase said, “it’s fun.”

The Dolphins had practiced the three plays for weeks and chose the right time to call them. The scores helped erase a 17-7 secondhalf deficit.

“The play comes into the huddle, and everyone kind of gets excited,” Tannehill said. “Anytime there’s a big-shot call or a

MIAMI Dolphins wide receiver Jakeem Grant leaps into the stands to celebrate a touchdown with fans in the second half against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday in Miami Gardens.

(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) trick play, you can feel the offensive line kind of get excited.”

The defensive line, too.

“It’s a lot of fun watching guys run down the sideline untouched,” defensive end Cameron Wake said.

Wilson did just that, sprinting into the clear on his 74-yard jet sweep catch and run. The Raiders’ reaction?

“They got behind me so quick, I didn’t really see their faces,” Wilson said.

Zing.

He did see Grant, exchanging a high five with his teammate as they ran strike for stride into the end zone.

The 5-foot-9 Wilson and 5-foot-7 Grant are part of the fastest receiving corps in team history. Kenny Stills can fly too, as he has showed while averaging 20.4 yards on nine catches this season, three for touchdowns. Running back Kenyan Drake is also swift, giving Miami yet another quickstrike option.

“Coach always tells us just go out there and run — a lot of

defenders are going to be terrified by speed, so just take off and run,” Grant said.

It’s not really that simple. The trick plays require perfect timing, and talent.

The receiver-to-receiver pass involved a fake pitch by Tannehill, a handoff to Frank Gore and a lateral to Wilson.

The former high school quarterback then rolled to his right as he threw a pass right on the money, as had been the case daily in practice.

“I know how hard that is to be running full speed laterally and make that throw,” Tannehill said.

“During the week, he was consistent on making a perfect throw. It wasn’t ever a question. He never stretched Jakeem out or made him adjust really. After I saw him run it the first time I thought, ‘He’s got this. He doesn’t need any tips.’”

After the game Wilson tweeted: “& he can pass !!”

Grant made the catch at the 35-yard line and broke two tackles en route to the end zone,

motivated by an earlier conversation with Wilson.

“All he told me was, ‘Make sure you score. And if you get tackled by one man in the open field, you owe me $100,’” Grant recalled.

“Now he owes me $100.”

The Dolphins know trickery will take them only so far. The early schedule has been soft, injuries are mounting, and keeping Tannehill healthy is a must.

Vegas is so unimpressed by the Dolphins that they’re a touchdown underdog at struggling New England.

But Gase, who came to Miami in 2016 with a reputation as an offensive wiz, finally seems to have the right personnel for his playbook. That includes the versatile Wilson, acquired last offseason from the Kansas City Chiefs.

“We have so much stuff,” Wilson said. “I’m ready for everything he calls — every run play, every pass play. Whatever he has for me, I’m ready for it.”

The Dolphins hope the defence won’t be.

49ERS LOSE QB GAROPPOLO TO SEASON-ENDING KNEE INJURY

By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer SANTA CLARA, California (AP) — Jimmy Garoppolo’s addition last season immediately turned around the fortunes of the San Francisco 49ers. Now the 49ers will have to go back to life before Garoppolo for the rest of the season.

The Niners announced yesterday that Garoppolo tore the ACL in his left knee while making a cut late in a loss at Kansas City, sidelining him for the rest of the season.

The injury deals a serious blow to the 49ers (1-2), who had planned their rebuild around Garoppolo and now must turn again to C.J. Beathard at quarterback.

The Niners struggled with Beathard and Brian Hoyer last season before the midseason addition of Garoppolo changed their fortunes. San Francisco won the final five games last year after Garoppolo took over as starter and the team rewarded him with a $137.5 million, five-year contract.

The 49ers will have to wait another year to earn dividends on that investment. Garoppolo got hurt in the fourth quarter of a 38-27 loss Sunday when he was scrambling toward the sideline and decided to cut up field instead of going out of bounds. Garoppolo’s left knee buckled just before Kansas City cornerback Steven Nelson delivered a big hit, ending what was supposed to be his first full season as a starter after just three games.

Expectations were high in San Francisco this season that the team could end a four-year playoff drought after Garoppolo had a full offseason to immerse himself in coach Kyle Shanahan’s offence. But with Garoppolo and new running back Jerick McKinnon both knocked out for the season with torn ACLs in September, those high hopes have been put on hold.