SPORTS SECTION E
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2017
WNBA champions Lynx capture 4th title with 85-76 win over Sparks
NFL PICKS
Week 5, Page 3
MCPHEEMCCUIN, DOLPHINS LOOK TO WIN RINGS By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net IN her fifth year at the helm of the Jacksonville University Dolphins’ women’s basketball programme, Yolett McPhee-McCuin has set the bar high once again for the 2017-18 campaign. “Like every year the end goal is to win a championship,” she said after the Dolphins’ first practice of the season. Described as one of the toughest schedules in programme history, depth can be the deciding factor on how far the team goes. “This is the most depth we’ve had from top to bottom – which I’m extremely excited about. If we were playing tomorrow, I couldn’t tell you who was starting,” McPhee-McCuin said. “We have a lot of new pieces, we only have one freshman so we’re very mature. We brought in some junior college players. Our senior leadership has been phenomenal, this is year five for us as a programme and you can tell because there is a way we do things and for the most part the girls have bought into that so I’m excited about where we are going. They work hard and this is a group where the culture is starting to show.”
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MINNESOTA Lynx guard Seimone Augustus (33) and forward Maya Moore (23) embrace after the deciding Game 5 of the WNBA Finals last night against the Los Angeles Sparks in Minneapolis. The Minnesota Lynx won their fourth championship in seven years with an 85-76 victory over the Sparks. SEE THE FULL STORY AND MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 8 (Aaron Lavinsky/Star Tribune via AP)
Fox recognised as Rays’ baserunner of the year By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net THE Tampa Bay Rays lauded Lucius Fox and several of his minor league counterparts for their standout performances over the course of the season. Fox was recognised as the organisation’s Baserunner of the Year. His 30 stolen bases ranked second among Rays minor leaguers. He was successful on 30 of his 43 attempts (69.7 per cent). The Rays also awarded its Minor League Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, Defensive Player the Year, Relief Pitcher of the Year and MVPs for each of their nine affiliates. The winners were
honoured during an awards ceremony prior to the regular season finale against the Baltimore Orioles at Tropicana Field in Tampa. Fox finished the year ranked as the No.11 prospect in the franchise’s pipeline. He was assigned to the Charlotte Stone Crabs at the Single A-Advanced level in July. In 30 games with the club, he hit .235 with a .608 OPS, .350 OBP, one home run, three stolen bases, 12 RBI and 19 runs scored. After a last-place finish for the team in first half, Fox was one of the catalysts for the Stone Crabs as they turned things around and tied the franchise record for most wins in the second half of the season with 38.
LUCIUS FOX
The 20-year-old shortstop spent the previous 77 games with the Bowling Green Hot Rods of the Midwest League at the Single A-Full level. For the Hot Rods, Fox hit a career-best .278 and ranked third in the Midwest League with 27 stolen bases. He also ranked second on the team with 45 runs scored, collected 27 RBI and totalled a .362 OBP and a .722 OPS with two runs. Fox was also featured in the annual showcase of Major League Baseball’s top minor league prospects during the midseason All-Star classic. Fox drove in one RBI, but his Futures World team fell one run short in their rally and a 7-6 loss to Team USA at the 2017 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game.
Robinson ‘just lining balls’ with Diamondbacks By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net BOTH Kristian Robinson and the Arizona Diamondbacks had an opportunity to look ahead into the prospect of the future when he got an opportunity to hit in a major league ball park. Robinson, the team’s top international signee, and Pavin Smith, the team’s top draft pick of 2017, were hosted to batting practice at Chase Field in Phoenix Arizona as the Diamondbacks prepared to face the Kansas City Royals. “It’s basically like I’m hitting in a city. It’s like a video game, and I’m just lining balls all over the city. That’s what I like,” Robinson said to sports360az.com. “I thought
about this day once they told me I was going to take (batting practice), and I wanted to think about what I would do, just seeing the ball fly in a big league stadium, and that’s what I dream for.” Out of Maximum Development Academy, Robinson signed the most lucrative deal of any Bahamian player this international signing period when he reached an agreement near $2.55 million. Baseball America had Robinson ranked at No.9 among international prospects, while MLB Pipeline had him listed at No.15, the highest ranked of the group of Bahamians. According to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez, Robinson has the mix of athleticism and raw power makes him a contender and “has the
potential to be a breakout star in this year’s class.” The Diamondbacks selected Smith seventh overall in the first round of the Rule 4 Draft. He spent the past season with Hillsboro in Short Season Single A-Class. Robinson was one of four Bahamians to sign during the current international signing period. “I have to thank everyone for supporting me through this process. I have to thank God for giving me the drive, desire and determination for this game and to reach my goal of signing with the Diamondbacks,” Robinson said in July at his signing ceremony. “I have to thank the Diamondbacks for taking me to start my career and I have to say the start because this isn’t the
finish line for me. I hope to be in the majors very soon and I hope to stay there for a long time. The 6’3”, 195-pound outfielder joined a Diamondbacks organisation that already includes fellow Bahamians and Max D prospects Jazz Chisholm and DJ Collie. Cesar Geronimo, the Diamondbacks’ Latin American scouting director, said the next step for Robinson is to watch his progression toward the major leagues. “We are very excited to see this young talent here from the Bahamas,” he said. “It’s been great to scout him, great to see him play. We really think this kid here is going to be something special. I only wish that in 4-5 years from now you guys can see him on television.”
PRO BOXER SANDS TO SQUARE OFF WITH AMERICAN By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net BAHAMIAN heavyweight Amron Sands has learned the opponent for his next pro bout. Sands will face American Gary Kelly October 28 at Ice Entertainment’s “The Beginning” hosted at the Cocoa Beach Sports Complex in Cocoa Beach, Florida. The card will feature 10 bouts featuring up and coming fighters in the Florida area. Kelly, 38, comes in with a record of 1-5 and has lost five consecutive bouts following his successful debut in 2014. His last fight resulted in a seventh-round knockout at the hands of Romarick Ngoula in July 2016. En route to a sparring session in Miami, Florida, Sands said learning his opponent has slightly adjusted his training regimen, but the general approach remains the same. “He’s a southpaw, I’m a southpaw as well so I’ve just been training with a lot of left-handers getting ready for this fight,” he said. “You approach all fighters the same basically because you don’t want to underestimate anyone in the ring. “I’m still going into the fight focused on trying to get the win and see how things go from there. I’ve been doing a lot of training camps, but it doesn’t change
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