SPORTS SECTION E
BAHAMAS RUGBY
Season Schedule, Page 13
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2016
Truckers in 2-0 hole but don’t count out the defending champs By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
T
he defending champions Commando Security Truckers find themselves in a 2-0 deficit in the New Providence Softball Association’s best-of-five championship series against the pennant winning C&S Hitmen. But manager Perry Seymour said not to count out his Truckers just yet. Once they can score a run and win a game on Saturday in the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex, they will be back on a roll again. “When you find yourself in a hole like we are, you have to start doing things differently,” Seymour said. “I’m looking to score one run first and then I’m looking to win one game and then I will go from there. “To bounce back, we have to play better than what we have
been doing now.” In the first two games of the series, the Hitmen, behind the superb pitching from mainstay Alcott Forbes, have been shutout. Forbes has been stingy on the mound, giving up just two hits with 13 strike outs in their 8-0 and 5-0 victories. Seymour, the new manager of the men’s national team, said the game of softball is made up of hits, runs and errors and right now his Truckers are finding it difficult to deal with Forbes. “He’s pitching a hell of a series and they have been getting some timely hits and making less mistakes than we have,” Seymour said. “They have just been taking advantage of us over the first two games.” Those games were played over the weekend as the NPSA was forced to reduce their championship series to a best-of-five series because of the damage Hurricane Matthew left behind to the lights at the park.
The NPSA, according to president Henry Dean, made the changes so that they can get their series completed in time to crown their champions to participate in the Bahamas Softball Federation’s National Round Robin that starts on November 4 at the stadium. So far, the Johnson’s Lady Truckers have stunned the pennant winning Sunshine Auto Wildcats, sweeping them in three straight games over the weekend to win the ladies’ title and to earn their trip to the nationals. On Saturday, the Truckers will attempt to stave off elimination when they take on the Hitmen at 1 pm. If necessary, game four will be played around 4pm. Should they go to a fifth and deciding game, they will play on Sunday. If they are not successful in coming back in the series, Seymour said they would have lost to a great organisation that is worthy of taking over their reigns.
“We will fight to the end,” Seymour said. “We have to show a way better showing for our people than what we have been doing for the last two games. “We have two players off the island. Hopefully they will be back for Saturday’s games. The schedule has been messing us up, but you can’t cry for softball. Whatever you get, you have to play with because everybody has the same problem.” The problem for the Truckers, according to Hitmen manager Darren Stevens, is the same that they have experienced in the first two games. “They’re going to see Alcott and more Alcott,” he predicted. “We’re not going to change anything, so they better get ready to see more Alcott Forbes. We’re not taking any chances. We have them down and we have to keep them under our feet.” Forbes’ battery mate Angelo Dillett said he doesn’t expect for Forbes to ease up against the
Truckers. “I would say he’s unbeatable right now the way he’s pitching,” Dillett said. “With the way we are working together, it’s going to be an awesome challenge for the Truckers. Ain’t nothing they can bring can beat us. We have to beat ourselves.” Dean said from the way he sees it, the Hitmen “are hot and their pitching is spectacular. The Truckers have to dig deep to overcome what seemingly looks like a sweep.” However, Dean said if they don’t get it together, they could end up like the Lady Wildcats, who were surprised by the threegame sweep from the Lady Truckers. “That was a surprise, but overall it went well,” said Dean in reference to their decision to shorten the series and play during the day. “I want to say that softball is alive and it should be even better next year.”
Klay vs Buddy tonight By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana – One of the highlights of the New Orleans Pelicans and Golden State Warriors matchup will be the first NBA meeting and celebrated Bahamian connection between Buddy Hield and Klay Thompson. Both teams come in looking for their first win after losses in their respective debuts and both players look to improve individually. Thompson, son of Bahamian basketball icon Mychal Thompson (former No.1 overall pick and two time NBA champion), vowed to be better than his uncharacteristic 11-point performance in a 29-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, on Tuesday. “It was pretty bad, myself, I was unusually bad. I didn’t bring the energy I should but I’m going to make up for it Friday (tonight). It’s weird because we’ve only had two regular season losses at home each year the last two years. We’ve been very spoilt so it’s an unfamiliar feeling when you lose. That’s a great thing. It was a weird feeling, no one really enjoyed it but we got some good work and I made a positive light out of it. “There were times I was too lazy and not getting after those loose balls like I should have. Regardless if it was October 25th I have to play with more edge. I will. I know I will.” Thompson, the two-time AllStar, shot just 5-13 from the field and 1-6 from three-point range. “I had like four open threes which were short which means I have to get my legs into it, which I will do Friday,” he said. “That was a good wake up call for us. We realise it’s a long season and we don’t want to peak in Novem-
CLASH OF THE BAHAMIANS: Buddy Hield and the New Orleans Pelicans face Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors tonight. (AP) ber-December we want to peak in May-June but it’s time to take every game serious, it doesn’t matter if it’s the regular season. It’s a matter of pride.” Hield also struggled in his season debut with four points and three assists on 2-8 shooting, 0-3 from three. Always a strong presence in the Bahamas, both Mychal and Klay are frequent participants in the annual Jeff Rodgers Summer Basketball Camp, while Klay’s brother Mychel was a member of the Bahamas’ national team at the 2014 Centrobasket tournament.
Prior to the draft, Thompson said he was proud of Hield for furthering the legacy of elite basketball in the Bahamas. “He’ll be a great scorer. He works so hard. He’ll be a tenacious defender. He’s physically gifted. He’s going to help somebody. He’s going to make a big impact,” he told CSNbayarea.com. “I’ve tried to tell people that he’s the next big thing. He makes me proud to see a guy coming from a little island in the Bahamas doing what he’s doing.” Many pundits have projected Hield’s NBA game to be compar-
GOLDEN State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, left, goes up for a basket against the Denver Nuggets. (AP) ative to Thompson’s due to their outside shooting and movement without the ball. The Pelicans and Warriors face
off 9:30pm tonight local time at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
Pelicans head coach: ‘He’s a rookie, he’s going to be fine’ By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana - Despite the slow start from Buddy Hield in the Pelicans’ season opener, head coach Alvin Gentry insists that he expects his highly touted lottery pick to have better performances. “He’s a rookie, he’s going to be fine. He’s going to come out here some nights and you will ask me about how great he is, so I’m not worried about that part of it. He’s a great kid, he’s going to work his butt off but he’s going to have ups and downs like everybody has that comes into this league not named Lebron James,” Gentry said. “He’s going to be in a po-
NBA DEBUT: Buddy Hield, of the Bahamas, finished with four points and three assists in the Pelicans’ 107-102 loss to the Denver Nuggets. SEE THE FULL STORY ON PAGE 14 sition where he’s going to have good nights and bad nights, as long as he has the confidence he has he’s go-
ing to be fine.” Hield finished with four points and three assists in the Pelicans’ 107-102 loss to
the Denver Nuggets at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Hield came off the bench
and in just under 17 minutes, shot 2-8 from the field and 0-3 from three point range. “I don’t read anything into this game at all for the long term. Anthony [Davis] is not going to average 50 and 16, I can pretty much guarantee you that. Buddy’s not going to go 1-7 every game. It was one game and he’ll be fine, I’m not worried about Buddy,” Gentry said. The Pelicans focus now shifts to tonight when they face the defending Western Conference champions Golden State Warriors at home in the Smoothie King Center. Hield said, in preparation to improve, it’s back to the film room and maintaining his confidence moving for-
ward. “It’s very disappointing,” Hield said. “Sucks to lose, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. But it’s the NBA, they tell me you have to forget about it and move on to the next one but I’m a sore loser so I have to worry about this one too. All I can do is watch film, get used to the game. Whenever coach calls my number, I get the opportunity, I just have to make the most of it.” Hield was productive during the preseason where he averaged 12.5 points per game on 43.2 per cent shooting from the field and 29 per cent shooting from three. He also added 3.5 rebounds, two assists and 1.3 three-pointers made in a team high 27.3 minutes per game.
PAGE 12, Friday, October 28, 2016
THE TRIBUNE
ANDY MURRAY OVERCOMES SLOW START TO BEAT SIMON IN VIENNA
Del Potro, Wawrinka advance to the Swiss Indoors quarterfinals BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — Two-time champion Juan Martin del Potro and top-seeded Stan Wawrinka advanced to the Swiss Indoors quarterfinals yesterday. Del Potro beat fifth-seeded David Goffin of Belgium 7-5, 6-3, while Wawrinka had 16 aces as he beat American player Donald Young 7-6 (4), 6-7 (3), 6-4. Both players held their serve in the first set and dropped it once in the second. Wawrinka, the US Open champion, took the only chance he got on Young’s serve in the deciding set. Del Potro, who won the Stockholm indoor title Sunday, extended his winning streak to seven matches — six against players higher in the standings than the 42nd-ranked Argentine player. Goffin, who beat Del Potro at the Shanghai Masters two weeks ago, struggled with his second serves and was broken once in each set. Del Potro won back-toback titles at Basel in 2012 and 2013 but missed the
last two editions due to left wrist injuries that dropped his ranking sharply. The 28-year-old will play No. 5 Kei Nishikori of Japan on Friday. Wawrinka, who was also taken to three sets in the first round, next faces Mischa Zverev of Germany, who beat Guido Pella of Argentina 6-4, 6-2. He broke Pella’s serve three times and saved both chances on his own serve. Earlier, fourth-seeded Marin Cilic — the 2014 US Open champion — had 10 aces in a 6-0, 7-6 (4) win over Pablo Carreno Busta. Cilic lost only five points in the first set against the 32nd-ranked Spaniard. The second set went with serve, and Cilic trailed in the tiebreaker before reeling off seven straight points. Cilic next plays Marcel Granollers of Spain, who beat eighth-seeded Jack Sock of the United States 6-3, 6-1. Earlier, Gilles Muller of Luxembourg earned a spot in the last eight against Federico Delbonis of Argentina. Muller beat Florian Mayer of Germany 6-3, 6-2.
ARGENTINA’s Juan Martin Del Potro serves a ball to Belgium’s David Goffin during their second round match at the Swiss Indoors tournament at the St Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, yesterday. (AP)
ALL EYES ON RONALDO AS SCORING SLUMP CONTINUES By SANDRA HARWITT Associated Press SINGAPORE (AP) — Angelique Kerber helped Dominika Cibulkova reach the semi-finals of the WTA Finals yesterday. Kerber, who had already advanced from the Red Group, beat Madison Keys 6-3, 6-3 to finish 3-0 in the round robin and eliminate her American opponent. Cibulkova beat Simona Halep 6-3, 7-6 (5) earlier in the day, giving her a 1-2 record. The top-ranked Kerber will be
playing in the semi-finals of the season-ending tournament for the first time after failing to advance in three previous attempts. In 2016, the German won the Australian Open and US Open, and reached the final at Wimbledon. “Today I wasn’t thinking about that I already was in the semis,” Kerber said. “It was important to go out to win the match and win all three matches. “Now I’m going to the semis with three really good matches which gives me a lot of confidence.”
In the match with Keys, half of the 18 games resulted in service breaks. Kerber broke Keys’ serve on six of seven offerings, while Keys took advantage of three of four break points. “I think today I, again, played with nerves,” Keys said. “I have to learn to separate my feelings and emotions when I’m in highstress situation. It’s something I need to work on.” Keys and Halep, who had her left knee taped for the early match, also finished the group with 1-2 records, but finished behind Cibulkova in the standings.
“This win is really, really big for me,” Cibulkova said. “I feel relieved. It seems like I’m playing my best tennis under biggest pressure.” Svetlana Kuznetsova, who is 2-0 in the White Group, has already qualified for the semifinals. The second semi-final spot from that group will be decided today when defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska plays Karolina Pliskova. Garbine Muguruza has already been eliminated from semi-final contention.
VIENNA (AP) — Top-seeded Andy Murray overcame a slow start against Gilles Simon of France before winning 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 and advancing to his 13th quarterfinal of the season at the Erste Bank Open yesterday. The Scot, who improved to 16-2 against Simon in their career matches, clinched his 12th straight win of the season after taking backto-back titles in Beijing and at the Shanghai Masters, where he beat Simon in the semi-finals. Murray broke Simon in the opening game of the match, but then struggled for rhythm as he dropped his first two service games. The second-ranked Scot broke back when Simon missed a set point and failed to serve out the set at 5-3, but then lost his own serve for a third time. Murray held off six break points early in the second set and finally looked to settle when he reeled off four straight games to level the match. From 2-2 in the final set, he did the same to close out the match. Murray, who is 11-1 in quarterfinals this season, takes on John Isner for a place in Saturday’s semi-finals. Earlier, Viktor Troicki advanced to his seventh quarterfinal of the season by defeating third-seeded Dominic Thiem 6-2, 7-5. Troicki, from Serbia, held serve throughout against the ninthranked Austrian but needed to save seven break points in the second set. The 28th-ranked Troicki will next play Spain’s David Ferrer, the defending champion, or Portugal’s Joao Sousa. Also, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga came back from 5-3 behind and saved a set point for Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber in the opening set before beating him 7-6 (6), 6-2. The sixth-seeded Frenchman, who won the event five years ago, improved to 10-1 against Kohlschreiber. Tsonga next plays Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas, who was a break down in the second set but won nine consecutive games to defeat Austria’s Jurgen Melzer, 3-6, 6-4, 6-0.
MOYES’ REPUTATION TAKING ANOTHER HIT AT SLUMPING SUNDERLAND By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer MANCHESTER, England (AP) — David Moyes called it just nine days into the season. Asked after consecutive losses whether it will be another relegation battle for Sunderland in the Premier League, the team’s recently hired manager said, “I think it will be. I don’t think you can hide the facts. That will be the case, yes.” Admirable honesty, sure, but exactly the kind of pessimism Sunderland fans didn’t want to hear so early in the season. It has set the tone for another woeful start to a league campaign by the northeast club. Sunderland is in last place in the Premier League, with just two points from nine games, and is the only side in England’s four professional leagues without a league victory this season. It’s the second consecutive season in which Sunderland has failed to win any of its first eight league games, which hasn’t happened since Bury did so in 1905 and 1906. With Arsenal heading to the Stadium of Light on Saturday on an unbeaten run of 13 matches in all competitions, the likelihood is Sunderland’s misery will be prolonged another week. Even for the greatest escapologists of the Premier League, staying up this season will be some feat. The Black Cats may have run out of lives. Sunderland has narrowly avoided relegation for the past four years via the same means: A midseason managerial change followed by a drastic upturn in late-season results. Steve Bruce was the last manager to complete a full season at Sunderland — and that was in 2009-10. Since then, Martin O’Neill (16 months across two seasons), Paolo Di Canio (six months), Gus Poyet (18 months across two seasons), Dick Advocaat (seven months),
MOYES and Sam Allardyce (nine months) have come and gone through the Stadium of Light’s revolving door. Moyes is the latest in the sorry cycle, and recent history suggests he will not last the season before the club’s American owner, Ellis Short, reaches for another saviour to keep Sunderland in the world’s most lucrative domestic league. “You can change one guy,” Moyes said, “but it has been proved in the past here, that is not the answer.” Moyes was in charge of Everton for 11 years before being hired by Manchester United in 2013 as Alex Ferguson’s hand-picked replacement with the aim of creating another dynasty at England’s biggest club. He lasted 10 months at Old Trafford, the job proving far too big for him. Moyes attempted to rebuild his reputation at Real Socieded in Spain, but was fired a day before completing a year in charge. Now it’s all going wrong at Sunderland. The squad lacks depth, although long-term injuries have robbed Moyes of key players such as goalkeeper Vito Mannone, midfielder Sebastien Larsson and forwards Adnan Januzaj and Fabio Borini. His policy of signing former players from Manchester United and Everton — injury-prone pair Steven Pienaar and Victor Anichebe among them — had an air of desperation about it. Worryingly, Jermain Defoe, the 34-year-old former England striker, appears the only reliable source of goals. Moyes’ latest disappointment occurred on Wednes-
day, when Sunderland lost 1-0 at Southampton in the fourth round of the English League Cup. Near the end of the match, Moyes was dismissed from the dugout for swearing at an official when a penalty was not awarded for his side. Has the 53-year-old Scot simply lost his touch? “Our luck’s out at the moment, but it will change,” Moyes said. It hadn’t by Thursday. The plane flying Sunderland’s players home from the Southampton match reportedly failed to take off in thick fog late Wednesday, meaning they were left stranded on the south coast. That’s hardly the best preparation for Arsenal’s visit. • Here’s what else to look out for in the Premier League this weekend: TOTTENHAM VS. LEICESTER Leicester has lost by a three-goal margin in each of its last three Premier League away games: 4-1 at Liverpool and Manchester United, and 3-0 at Chelsea. It doesn’t get any easier for the champions, who must visit unbeaten Tottenham on Saturday, four days before playing in the Champions League against FC Copenhagen. WEST BROMWICH ALBION VS. MANCHESTER CITY Pep Guardiola is in the worst run of his managerial career after City’s winless streak extended to six games with a loss to Manchester United in the League Cup on Wednesday. While City remains top of the league, Guardiola will avoid the kind of criticism that has been aimed at coaching rival Jose Mourinho at United this season. West Brom is possibly the most dangerous team in the league from set pieces, and that is an area its manager, Tony Pulis, will surely target at The Hawthorns on Saturday.
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, October 28, 2016, PAGE 13
Congrats to the Johnson’s Lady Truckers on NPSA title victory IT IS not how you start, nor how you get there. Most importantly, it’s how you finish. • The Finish Line, a weekly column, seeks to comment on the state of affairs in local sports, highlighting the highs and the lows, the thrills and the spills and the successes and failures. THE WEEK THAT WAS The passing of Hurricane Matthew may have been a blessing in disguise for the New Providence Softball Association. While the association was affected by the destruction to the lighting facilities at the Banker’s Field, the executives made a decision to reduce their playoffs and championship series to best-of-three and best-offive respectively. It worked in their favour as the association got a chance to play during the day and, although one of the ladies’ games got postponed from Saturday to Sunday, one of the two champions was crowned. Congratulations to the Johnson’s Lady Truckers, who stunned the pennant winning Sunshine Auto Wildcats in three straight
games to clinch the ladies’ title. All three games were quite entertaining, but it was disheartening for the Wildcats fans to watch as their team got dismantled down the stretch in the first two games after leading the Lady Truckers. The Lady Truckers, on the other hand, got a fantastic performance from Marvelle Miller as she pitched all three games in two days and was also potent on the offensive end, along with Theola Johnson. It was a series matched with youth against experience and, in this case, the former prevailed as the Lady Truckers celebrated the sweep. The Truckers’ coaching staff that included Darren Bowleg and Ernestine Stubbs did a great job in motivating their young players to stay focused on the task ahead of them. The Lady Wildcats, managed by Anthony Bullard and coached by veteran players Hyacinth Farrington and Vernie Curry, obviously didn’t have the pep in their step as they did all season long and it hurt them in the long run when it counted the most - in the postseason. Johnson’s sponsor Sher-
SPORTS NOTES FINANCIAL BOWLING LEAGUE THE MVP in Financial Bowling League competition last night was Kevin B Williams of the Strike Force with an impressive 243 high game and a 619 high three game set. The runners-up were Greg Taylor also of Strike Force and Perry
man Johnson was just as elated as his team. He was able to pull one over his two arch-rivals, Deanza ‘Sonny’ Cox of Sunshine Auto and Bommer George of the Bommer G Lady Operators. These three sponsors have been raging a rivalry that has transcended from the basketball court to the softball diamond in the ladies’ division. It’s a good, healthy rivalry that has not only drawn attention to them, but also to both of the leagues as they have been the centrepieces of the competition in recent years. All three teams have traded the championship trophies and should be commended for the level of enthusiasm that they brought to the gymnasium and the park whenever they matched up against each other. Unlike the men, it seems as if there is more interest
Williams of the Moonlight Strikers who both downed the pins for second high sets of 595. Williams also struck for the second high game of 233. The most outstanding player for the ladies were Angie Smith of the Moonlight Strikers and Kayla Nixon of the BTC Night Hawks who tied with 515 high three game sets. Smith also toppled the pins for the second high game of 190 with Xynea Johnson of Deloitte & Touche striking
the high game of 191. The team scores for the evening were as follows: Rubis Oil Stars 2, Leno Corporate Services 1; Strike Force 2, BTC Night Hawks 1; Moonlight Strikers 2, Best Deal Kirki Bar 1; Deloitte & Touche 3, Forsythe Communications 0. RUGBY BRU ACTION The Bahamas Rugby Union is scheduledto hold its traditional season opener on Saturday at the
All eyes on Cristiano Ronaldo as scoring slump continues By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer MADRID (AP) — The Spanish league is off to a tight race atop the standings, with five teams separated by only three points. Yet, most of the talk entering the weekend is about whether Cristiano Ronaldo will end his scoring slump. Real Madrid leads the league ahead of its match at Alaves on Saturday, but not thanks to Ronaldo’s recent performances. The forward is enduring his worst start to a season since joining Madrid in 2009, having scored only four goals in nine matches. “When you’re used to scoring almost 70 goals a season, it’s almost like an addiction for goals,” Madrid reserve forward Alvaro Morata said. “For us, he is the most important player in the team and I hope that he scores lots of goals, but he is not a machine. He is a human being. Even if he comes from another planet and is different, he also has the right to miss.” Ronaldo also scored five goals in two games with Portugal, against Andorra and the Faeroe Islands in World Cup qualifying, but that’s no reprieve to the demanding Madrid fans. He was jeered by the crowd at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium after another disappointing performance in a 2-1 win against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. “The fans demand a lot of players,” Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said. “The Bernabeu is special and we know it. Cristiano knows it and he is used to it. The important thing is to continue with our work.” Ronaldo has scored only two goals in the Spanish league — in a 5-2 win against Osasuna in September and a 6-1 rout at Real
REAL Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during a Spain’s La Liga soccer match against Athletic Bilbao at Santiago Bernabeu stadium last Sunday. (AP) Betis two weeks ago. He also scored two goals in the Champions League, one in a 2-2 draw at Borussia Dortmund and one in a 2-1 win over Sporting Lisbon, when his free-kick goal started a late rally. “Of course he wants to score more,” Madrid defender Marcelo said. “He is a player who helps a lot and not only with goals, also with his work on the pitch.” The game against Osasuna was the first of the season for Ronaldo. He hadn’t played since injuring his left knee in the final of the European Championship, which Portugal won. Ronaldo seems fit and has had plenty of scoring chances, but has not been able to capitalise on them — including on some he usually converts. Zidane says he is not worried and that it’s just a matter of time before he starts finding the net again.
off the court and the field in regards to which sponsor will reign supreme, compared to which team actually wins. It’s good for both leagues as there is a continuation of some of the previous matchups that fans were eager to view like the T-Bird Flyers versus the Budweiser Eagles in men’s softball or the Kentucky Colonels vs the Beck’s Cougars in basketball. It’s also a good selling tool for the promotion of the leagues because fans can have something exciting to look forward to whenever they come out to watch the games. Hopefully, the fans will come out this weekend to watch the conclusion of the men’s series, although the C&S Hitmen are on the verge of a sweep after two shutout victories behind the awesome pitching of mainstay Alcott Forbes. Game three is set for 1pm
The 31-year-old was among the Madrid players rested in the team’s 7-1 win over Cultural Leonesa in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday. He is set to return to the lineup on Saturday, when Zidane’s team tries to defend its Spanish league lead against promoted Alaves. Sevilla, one point behind Madrid, plays at Sporting Gijon on Saturday, while third-place Barcelona hosts last-place Granada in its 1,500th game at the Camp Nou. Contrary to Ronaldo, Barcelona’s Lionel Messi is enjoying one of the best starts of his career with 14 goals in 11 matches. He has more goals than Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema combined. Fourth-place Villarreal plays at Eibar on Sunday, and fifth-place Atletico Madrid, which led the league entering the last round, hosts Malaga on Saturday.
“WHILE THEY WERE NOT ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY HURRICANE MATTHEW, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD TO SEE TEAMS FROM EXUMA AND LONG ISLAND COME TO TOWN TO COMPETE. BETTER STILL, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EVEN MORE ADVANTAGEOUS IF THE BSF HAD TAKEN THE NATIONALS THIS YEAR TO ABACO WHERE I’M SURE THE FANS WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE RECEPTIVE TO COMING OUT AND SUPPORTING THE GAMES THAN HERE IN NEW PROVIDENCE, ESPECIALLY WITH SO MANY PEOPLE STILL TRYING TO FULLY RECOVER FROM THE STORM.” Saturday at the Banker’s Field. The Week Ahead Following the completion of the NPSA championship this weekend, the focus of attention will be switched to the Bahamas Softball Federation’s National Round Robin Tournament that will be played next weekend at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. So far, Andros, Grand Bahama and New Providence are tipped to compete in the ladies’ division, while Grand Bahama, New Providence, Abaco and Eleuthera are scheduled to make up the men’s package. While they were not adversely affected by Hur-
Winton Rugby Centre with the President’s XV taking on the Vice President’s XV. The regular season will commence on November 5 with Baillou taking on Buccaneers in the Nassau Cup. Condolences The rugby family would like to offer our condolences to the Charlton brothers who lost their mother to illness last week. The funeral will be held in Freeport on November 12.
ricane Matthew, it would have been good to see teams from Exuma and Long Island come to town to compete. Better still, it would have been even more advantageous if the BSF had taken the nationals this year to Abaco where I’m sure the fans would have been more receptive to coming out and supporting the games than here in New Providence, especially with so many people still trying to fully recover from the storm. Nonetheless, the BSF has decided to bring all the action to New Providence so let’s get ready for some keenly contested softball games, despite the fact that there might be fewer teams than originally anticipated.
Women’s National Team The ladies will be travelling to Trinidad to compete in the RAN 7s November 12-13. They’ve been training hard for this for the last three months and a lot of credit has to go to the coaches Kevin Salabie and Peter Lunn who have really put the hours in. The girls will be selling food at Winton for the next two games in order to help raise funds for the trip, so please show them some support.
PAGE 14, Friday, October 28, 2016
THE TRIBUNE
HOWARD, MILLSAP, HARDAWAY LEAD HAWKS PAST WIZARDS 114-99 By PAUL NEWBERRY AP Sports Writer ATLANTA (AP) — Dwight Howard dominated the boards in his Atlanta debut, Paul Millsap scored 28 points and Tim
Hardaway Jr ignited the newlook Hawks to a 114-99 victory over the Washington Wizards in their season opener last night. Howard grabbed 19 rebounds to go along with 11 points, just
what the Hawks expected from their new center, and it certainly wasn’t unusual for three-time All-Star Millsap to lead the way in scoring. But Hardaway’s performance was totally unexpected given
the way he struggled in his first season with the Hawks, when he was largely confined to the bench and even forced to spend time in the D-League. He scored 21 points, matching his high in an Atlanta
uniform, and broke open a close game with back-to-back 3-pointers in the fourth. The Hawks, who led only 8180 heading to the final period, outscored the Wizards 33-19 over the final 12 minutes.
SEASON OPENER: New Orleans Pelicans guard Buddy Hield (24), of the Bahamas, finished with four points and three assists in his team’s 107-102 loss to the Denver Nuggets at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Wednesday night.
Buddy on ‘Rookie Learning Curve’ By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — It was far from the debut he expected, but Buddy Hield remains confident in his adjustment to what he calls the “Rookie Learning Curve.” Hield finished with four points and three assists in the New Orleans Pelicans 107-102 loss to the Denver Nuggets at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Wednesday night. “It was okay, just steady nothing too exciting, nothing too flashy, I had some good opportunities I just have to finish those opportunities. I just have to learn from every mistake I make, have to watch a lot of film, just have to do a better job and be better. I’ll watch the film, see what we did wrong and just learn from it for next game,” Hield said following the game. “All I can do is watch film, get used to the game. Whenever coach calls my number I get the opportunity, I just have to make the most of it.” Hield came off the bench and in just under 17 minutes, shot 2-8 from the field and 0-3 from three-point range. “I’m still adjusting, I haven’t come off the bench in a while since early at Oklahoma. I’m getting used to the feel but I’ll be fine though. Rookie learning curve, I’ll get through it,” he said. Jusuf Nurkic led the Nuggets with 23 points and nine rebounds, Will Barton added 22 points, Danilo Galinari scored 15 and Wilson Chandler added 12 to help Denver overcome an historic performance from Pelicans’ All-Star Anthony Davis. Davis finished with 50 points, 16 rebounds, seven steals, five assists and four blocked shots to lead New
NBA DEBUT: Buddy Hield warms up before Wednesday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets. Photos: 10thYearSeniors.com Orleans. Tim Frazier added a double double - 15 points and 11 assists - E’Twaun Moore scored 10 and Lance Stephenson added eight off the bench. Denver led comfortably throughout and by as much as nine when they scored five points on a 9-2 run that made it 60-46 late in the first half. Despite a late surge by the Pelicans where they came within three, the Nuggets were able to withstand the run by timely defensive plays and making 7-8 free throws down the stretch. Hield checked in for the first time at the 6:13 mark in the first quarter after Moore picked up two early fouls. On his first touch, in a pick-and-roll situation, he missed a floater coming off a screen as defenders keyed on Davis. Hield began the game with a 0-3 start before his first make, a driving layup, again off the pick-and-roll
for his first score. Pelicans’ head coach Alvin Gentry called the loss disappointing but not one that would have a lasting impact on the team. “It’s the first game you play. That’s the only thing about it. Somewhere along the line you’re going to play 41 home games and 41 on the road. I think the excitement is for a guy like Buddy [Hield] who is a rookie. His first game in the NBA and first regular season game in the NBA,” he said. “I don’t read anything into this game at all for the long term. Anthony’s not going to average 50 and 16, I can pretty much guarantee you that. Buddy’s not going to go 1-7 every game. It was one game and he’ll be fine, I’m not worried about Buddy.” The Pelicans focus now shifts to tonight when they face the defending Western Conference champions Golden State Warriors at home in the Smoothie King Center.