10312018 SPORTS

SPORTS SECTION E

Buddy, Page 3

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2018

Byron Ferguson making a name for himself in Greece

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

yron Ferguson Jr continues to shine in his pro volleyball career in Thessaloniki, Greece.

The 29-year-old, 6-foot, 6-inch middle blocker is back with the Iraklis, who are currently 1-1 since they resumed play in October to sit in fourth place in Greece’s A1 standings with a 13-9 win-loss record.

Iraklis split their first two games of the season, winning 25-14, 25-21 and 25-17 over the fifth ranked Kifisia, who are 13-9, on October 20 before losing to the No.2 ranked Paok 25-20, 25-17 and 25-19 on Saturday.

They will be back in action on Saturday when they take on the front running Olympiacos, who are still undefeated at 22-0.

“We played two games so far, winning one and losing the other and we play again on Saturday against Olympiacos, which should be a good game,” Ferguson Jr said.

“I’ve had a good season so far individually too, so I just hope that I can improve and so will our team. I know we can play much better than we are right now.”

To his credit, Ferguson Jr was named to the Dream Team, selected every two weeks. He was named as the first middle blocker on the latest team.

“That was very good for me,” said Ferguson Jr on his individual performance so far. “A few games I hit over 90 per cent in blocks and I’m second in the league in aces too.”

The 11-year pro attributed his early success to playing on the men’s national team as he returned to Greece a little more motivated to perform.

“I’ve been working really hard since I got

WITH the national high school tournament completed over the weekend, the Bahamas Softball Federation now switches its attention to the national round robin tournament this weekend.

Softball enthusiasts will congregate again at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex as the federation hosts teams from its affiliated island associations around the Bahamas from Friday to Sunday when the men’s and women’s national champions will be crowned.

The Sunshine Auto Wildcats and the Commando Security Truckers had about a month’s break since they captured the New Providence Softball Association ladies and men’s titles respectively.

Teams from Grand Bahama, Abaco, Eleuthera and Andros are all expected to be in town, but federation president Ted Miller said they are still waiting on confirmation from Long Island and Exuma.

“We would expect a lot of stiff competition,” Miller projected. “With the exception of Alcott Forbes, we will have all of the top pitchers competing in the men’s division. So that should be very exciting.

“And on the ladies’ side, we know that New Providence and Grand Bahama are going to be the two teams to watch as usual.

But over the years, teams from the other islands have been very competitive.”

The tournament comes with some controversy in the Eleuthera Softball Association where one of the men’s teams refused to continue playing in the championship after they were not able to obtain a financial statement from the league.

That team has since taken out an injunction to prevent the eventual winner from representing the ESA in the nationals. But Miller said having reviewed the

B

here,” Ferguson Jr stated.

“For me, I think our team should be better than we are, but we are in fourth place in the league.

“So I believe it’s only going to be an improvement for us from here.”

During his initial season last year, Iraklis finished fourth, but Ferguson Jr said they are looking to surpass that feat, especially with the additional games they will get playing in China and Portugal.

“In my first year in Greece, I played in the final, so because I already been there, I want to go back because it’s a good atmosphere,” recalled Ferguson Jr when he played with another team.

“So it’s to win obviously.

I want to get back there, but I would love it even more if we can go all the way and win the championship title. The Greek league is always competitive because we have a lot of Olympians and topranked players.”

For Ferguson Jr, who has been a key factor on the national team, the transition back to the

SEE PAGE 4

WHO WILL BE CROWNED NATIONAL SOFTBALL CHAMPIONS?

BYRON FERGUSON JR, of the Bahamas, in action in Thessaloniki, Greece.

SEE PAGE 3

NPWBA season promises to be exciting with more teams

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER hosting a successful preseason tournament for high school girls, the New Providence Women’s Basketball Association is now focusing their attention on the start of the 2018/19 season.

According to newly elected president Devin Johnson, the

PAGE 5

season promises to be an exciting one with an increase from four teams last year to about six to eight when they start on November 25. “Me and my executive team are focusing on the development of women’s basketball in the country,” said Johnson, who replaces Mynez Sherman.

“We want to develop the young women, not just to be better basketball players, but better individuals on the whole. We want to build well-rounded women and to see women’s basketball move to another level.”

The preseason tournament, held over the weekend at the DW Davis Gymnasium in honour of Dr Linda Davis, was just one step towards Johnson and his executives accomplishing their goal.

Johnson said their next project will be a primary school girls’ tournament so that they can concentrate on developing the players from a much younger age. “We just want to start a developmental

DEVIN JOHNSON, newly elected president of the New Providence Women’s Basketball Association, and Dr Linda Davis (left).

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff programme so that when they come into the league, the league would be more competitive and exciting and you will have more

people coming out to watch female basketball,” he stated.

“We all know that women’s basketball in our country has some

work to do and so I think if we can look at moving the time when we play to when the WNBA is playing during the summer time, we won’t clash with the men’s league.”

Johnson revealed that his executive team is preparing to start playing night league this year at the DW Davis Gymnasium on November 25.

His team is made up of Anastacia Moultrie, first vice president, Donnie Culmer, second vice president, Shadell Williams, third vice president, Britenique Harrison, fourth vice president, Latondra Brown, secretary, Denequa Carey, treasurer, Christine Charlton, public relations officer and Norman Humes, commissioner.

Based on what he saw over the weekend and how they collaborated in pulling off the tournament, Johnson said he feels they are all set for an exciting

SEE PAGE 2

PAGE 2, Wednesday, October 31, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

BAHAMIAN rower Ethan Stanhope (second from left) in action with his Brentwood College School teammates.

STANHOPE AND CREW MAKE A SPLASH BAHAMIAN rower Ethan Stanhope and the Brentwood College School (Mill Bay, British Columbia) coxed youth men’s quadruple scull crew earned a top half finish at the 54th Head of the Charles Regatta (HOCR).

This year’s regatta hosted over 11,000 athletes from 35 different countries over the two-day event October 20-21 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Stanhope, accompanied by Karl Draper, Axel Ewashko, Yannick Hillier and coxswain Erika de Asis Chan, formed Brentwood College School’s first HOCR entry since 2011.

None of the athletes had ever raced the course before.

HOCR features a time trial style of racing, with one boat sent off every 10 seconds. BCS was seeded at the bottom of the division but finished the three-milelong course in a time of 18:56 - roughly one minute behind the first place finisher New Canaan Crew

- earning them a guaranteed entry into next year’s regatta, one of the most prestigious and competitive in the world.

“To jump into a foreign boat on an unfamiliar, three-mile winding course and perform as well as they did, was a great way for the ‘Boston Project’ to finish the regatta,” said coach Brian Carr.

“Qualifying for next year’s regatta and starting in 11th place will give next year’s crop of athletes a better shot at one of the top 10 spots.”

Stanhope is one of a long line of Bahamians from the Nassau Rowing Club to compete in the regatta since 2012. The regatta wraps up a breakout year where Stanhope represented the Bahamas on the international stage at the Youth Olympic Games Qualifying Regatta and at the World Rowing Junior Rowing World Championships in the men’s single scull.

Most notably, he won the men’s club quadruple scull

at the US Rowing Club National Championships with his brother, William, in July.

“It’s been a great year to grow as a rower and a competitor,” he said. “I’m looking forward to training hard to race in some of Canada’s most prestigious regattas next year, but my real goal is to represent The Bahamas at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.”

The HOCR is challenging both in terms of level of competition, as well as navigation of the course which includes seven bridges and five critical turns where boat collisions at race pace are common.

Coxswain Erika de Asis Chan’s steering was key to the crew’s success.

“There were so many crews fighting for the optimal line, I had to encourage the crew to be more aggressive so we could overtake them,” she said of the key to the crew’s success.

“After an overwhelming first outing, I got a sense for the river and felt more

comfortable guiding the guys.”

Because of the prestige associated with the regatta, a lottery entry – which is how the Brentwood crew entered – is highly coveted. Senior Yannick Hillier called the experience “crazy,” saying that the crew “rowed well given the strong head wind conditions.”

Karl Draper encouraged the crew to “keep pushing hard” and “have a stronger and more controlled rhythm” as they entered the final mile, even with the 42 degree Fahrenheit weather.

Axel Ewashko remembered long training sessions in Mill Bay and how it helped them pass six crews.

“We rowed our best through rough water and strong cross and headwinds, but faith in each other, our coach, and our coxswain helped us have the best regatta experience we’ve ever had,” he said.

Stanhope’s participation in the regatta bodes well for the future of both

the Nassau Rowing Club and the new generation of rowers currently training on Lake Cunningham.

“We are so fortunate to have this first wave of Bahamians pave the way for the younger members of Nassau Rowing Club,” said head coach KariAnne Kulig. “They have set the bar high, and we are excited to have strong role models for our newest rowers.

“The Head of the Charles is one of the most exciting races in which to compete, and the Brentwood crew rowed brilliantly.”

The Brentwood crew wishes to thank coach Carr, the BCS rowing programme and teammates Laryssa Biesenthal and Debbie Sage for their support over the past several months to make their HOCR experience memorable.

DEVIN Johnson (fourth from left), the newly elected president of the New Providence Women’s Basketball Association, with officials in the NPWBA. TOP - Dr Linda Davis (fourth from right and far right with basketball) was honoured during the preseason tournament for high school girls at the DW Davis Gymnasium over the weekend.

Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

NPWBA season promises to be exciting with more teams FROM PAGE 1 season. “So far we have about six teams. Last year we had about four,” said Johnson, who coaches and is a referee in the league.

“But before we start, we hope to

confirm about eight teams ready to play. “We have about six teams confirmed so far, so hopefully we will have eight. It would be a jump from last year, whether we have six or eight teams. It would be a good boost for us if we could get more teams to participate.”

Right now on Saturdays, Johnson said coaches Anthony Swaby and Donnie Culmer conduct a high school training programme that has shown a lot of potential in players who will be competing in the league this year. “You could see the development in

them. That was why we put this tournament on for the girls to see the level where they are at and for their coaches to see what they need to work on before the school season starts,” he said.

“After this tournament, we hope that the coaches will go

back and work on their weaknesses and get the players ready to participate in night league and also on their various high school teams.

“We feel these players will play much better because of their involvement in our programme.”

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, October 31, 2018, PAGE 3

Who will be crowned national softball champions?

FROM PAGE 1

SACRAMENTO Kings’ Buddy Hield gestures after making a shot against the Orlando Magic last night.

(AP Photos/John Raoux)

SACRAMENTO Kings’ Buddy Hield (24) makes a shot over Orlando Magic’s Nikola Vucevic, left, during the first half last night.

Hield, Kings top Magic 107-99 for fourth straight victory

By DICK SCANLON Associated Press ORLANDO, Florida (AP) — Sacramento has had some success trying to outrun and outscore opponents. Against the Orlando Magic, the Kings turned to defense.

Buddy Hield finished with 25 points and the Kings defeated Orlando 107-99 on Tuesday night to extend their winning streak to four games.

“We got six stops in a row,” said coach David Joerger, referring to a 3 ½-minute sequence after their 13-point lead was cut to three.

“We had to get some stops and we got those stops. We locked back in and made some plays.”

Hield scored six points in a 13-2 run to close out the third quarter, and the Kings held on to match their longest winning streak since February 2017.

The Kings’ De’Aaron Fox, who played with a sore back, was doubtful until pregame warmups and struggled through a scoreless first half. Fox finished with 14 points, including eight in the fourth quarter.

“I felt like I had a great second half, a forgettable first half,” said Fox, who added that the back did affect him.

“But I felt like I had to push through it in the second half.”

Nemanja Bjelica finished with 21 points for Sacramento, and Willie Cauley-Stein added 14 points and

11 rebounds. Aaron Gordon had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic, who lost their third straight.

Terrence Ross came off the bench to score 17 points, and Nikola Vucevic finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds.

The Magic had assists on each of their first 11 field goals and led through most of the first half.

Two 3-pointers by Ross gave Orlando its biggest lead at 27-16 late in the first quarter.

Sacramento led for the first time at 55-52 when Bjelica made a 3-pointer with 1:17 left in the first half.

The Kings moved out to a 13-point lead before Ross and Jonathon Simmons led a

fourth-quarter charge by the Magic, who got as close as 94-91 with 4:50 left. “The inability to score in the third quarter was the biggest part of the game for us,” said Magic coach Steve Clifford.

“Our defense ignited our offense in the fourth quarter and gave us a chance, (but) we had a couple of things we need to do better late.”

But Orlando’s comeback bid fizzled due to seven turnovers in the fourth period and 11-for-43 3-point shooting in the game.

“I just feel like we can never get in control of the game,” Vucevic said. “We made mistakes on both ends. Offensively we had stretches where we just couldn’t get anything going.”

documents, there is no reason why they should refuse the team from Eleuthera from participating. “It just don’t make much sense to me because the documents that I saw, they don’t pan out to an injunction,” Miller said.

“It’s something that they will have to deal with after the nationals, but we don’t see no reason why we should deny their team from participating.”

This year, the federation was also hoping to complete the round robin here and take the men’s and women’s championship series to one of the Family Islands.

But Miller said they had to abort those plans after they were not able to secure the annual grant from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.

“Without the grant in hand, we didn’t have the funds to start setting the stage for the teams to travel next weekend,” Miller said.

“The sponsors that we have, we are using it for the round robin.

“We sought and requested the grant from the Ministry a while back, but we can’t get an answer from anybody on whether or not they are going to give us the grant or not. I just need them to tell me something.”

As a result of having the grant, Miller said they will reconstruct the format for the tournament, which will be confirmed with the teams during the technical meeting at 2pm Friday before the competition starts at 4pm.

The tournament comes on the heels of the federation joining forces with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to host the first National High School Softball Tournament.

Formerly known as the Austin Knowles National High School Tournament, the organisers introduced the junior high school division where the Charles W Saunders Cougars prevailed with both titles.

The Queen’s College Comets carted off both senior high crowns.

CAVALIERS BEAT HAWKS TO GET FIRST WIN AFTER FIRING LUE CLEVELAND (AP) — Rodney Hood scored a season-high 26 points, Cedi Osman added 20 and Cleveland ended its sixgame losing streak to start the season, beating the Atlanta Hawks 136-114 on Tuesday night in the Cavaliers’ first game since coach Tyronn Lue was fired.

The Cavs came in as the NBA’s only winless team, and Lue paid the price for club’s slow start.

But with Larry Drew serving as Cleveland’s “acting” coach while he tries to get the team to restructure his contract, the Cavs played a complete game — Cleveland had seven players in double figures — and avoided their first 0-7 start since 1995-96.

George Hill and rookie Collin Sexton scored 17 apiece, and Tristan Thompson had 13 rebounds for Cleveland.

Rookie Trae Young scored 24 and Alex Len 22 for the Hawks. Young scored a season-high 35 against the Cavs on Oct. 21, wrecking their home opener.

RAPTORS 129, 76ERS 112 TORONTO (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points, Pascal Siakam had 15 points and a career-high 15 rebounds, and Toronto bounced back from its first loss of the season by routing Philadelphia 129-112, handing the 76ers their 12th

consecutive defeat north of the border.

Kyle Lowry had 20 points and 13 assists, extending his streak of double-digit assist games to a career-best six.

Jonas Valanciunas scored a season-high 23 points and Serge Ibaka had 16 as the Raptors improved to 6-0 at home.

Joel Embiid scored 31 points, Robert Covington had 15 and JJ Redick scored 13 as the 76ers lost for the first time in three games. Philadelphia is 0-4 on the road.

Ben Simmons narrowly missed a triple-double, finishing with 11 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, but also committed 11 turnovers.

THUNDER 128, CLIPPERS 110 OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Russell Westbrook scored 32 points and had another run-in with Patrick Beverley in Oklahoma City victory over Los Angeles.

The Thunder outscored the Clippers 39-10 in the third quarter, and the only drama in the fourth was the dustup between Westbrook and Beverley.

Beverley dove at Westbrook’s left knee, and both were issued technical after jawing in front of the benches. Police officers stepped onto the court to help keep the teams separated. Upon review, Beverley’s foul was ruled a flagrant 1.

HAWKS’ Trae Young (11) passes against Cleveland Cavaliers’ Rodney Hood (1) in the first half last night in Cleveland.

(AP Photo/Tony Dejak) Westbrook tore the lateral meniscus in his right knee during the playoffs in 2013 when Beverley lunged for the ball as Westbrook prepared to call timeout.

Paul George also had 32 points, Steven Adams had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Dennis Schroder added 15 points for the Thunder, who won their second straight after four losses to start the season.

TRAIL BLAZERS 104, ROCKETS 85 HOUSTON (AP) — Damian Lillard and Jusuf Nurkic scored 22 points each, and Portland never trailed in a trouncing of struggling Houston.

The Rockets dropped their fourth straight in their second game without James Harden, who is out with a hamstring injury, to fall to 1-5. After entering the season with eyes on a championship, the Rockets have rarely even been competitive, dropping their four home games by an average of more than 17 points.

Now they face a seasonlong five-game road trip where they’ll likely be without Harden and fellow starter James Ennis (right hamstring) for at least the first game and possibly more.

Chris Paul led Houston with 17 points and nine assists in his second game back after a two-game

suspension for his role in a fight with the Los Angeles Lakers.

CELTICS 108, PISTONS 105 BOSTON (AP) — Kyrie Irving scored a season-high 31 points, Marcus Morris had 15 points and nine rebounds and Boston beat Detroit, handing the Pistons back-to-back losses after a 4-0 start.

Jayson Tatum scored 16, Jaylen Brown had 14 points and Al Horford scored 11 for Boston.

Blake Griffin had 24 points and 15 rebounds for Detroit, which couldn’t recover after scoring just 13 points in the third quarter.

The Pistons chopped Boston’s 14-point lead down to a point with 4:21 left to play, and then again with 12 seconds remaining, but couldn’t quite complete the comeback.

Boston, which beat Detroit on the road 109-89 on Saturday, is still the only team to beat the Pistons this season.

HORNETS 125, HEAT 113 CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Tony Parker had 24 points and 11 assists to lead a big night from Charlotte’s bench, and the Hornets beat Miami.

Behind Parker, who provided a spark all game long with his scoring, passing and decision-making, Charlotte’s reserves outscored Miami’s 66-46. Malik Monk

had 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including four 3-pointers, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist contributed 14 points and eight rebounds for the second unit.

Among the starters, Nic Batum had 20 points and Kemba Walker had 19, his lowest output of the season, as the Hornets beat the Heat for the second time in 10 days.

Walker still played a big role, helping squash a fourth-quarter comeback sparked by Dwyane Wade, who led Miami with 19 points and made four 3-pointers. Walker knocked down a pair of 3s in the final 3½ minutes to push Charlotte’s lead back to double digits.

GRIZZLIES 107, WIZARDS 95 MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Garrett Temple scored 20 points, Marc Gasol and Mike Conley added 19 apiece and Memphis sent Washington to its fourth straight loss.

Shelvin Mack added 14 for Memphis, which won its second straight and opened the season 3-0 at home.

Conley added seven assists, while Temple had seven rebounds.

John Wall led Washington with 22 points, while backcourt mate Bradley Beal scored 17 points.

Kelly Oubre finished with 16 points, and Otto Porter contributed 15.

PAGE 4, Wednesday, October 31, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

Paris Masters: Novak Djokovic defeats Sousa in straight sets

By JEROME PUGMIRE AP Sports Writer PARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic began his bid for a record-extending fifth Paris Masters title with a 7-5, 6-1 win against Joao Sousa in the second round on Wednesday.

Serving for the match at 5-1, Djokovic handed a towel to a male spectator who seemed unwell and who wiped his forehead with it.

The second-ranked Serb set up match point with an ace and sealed victory on his third match point when Sousa returned a second serve long.

The US Open champion won four of the last five tournaments he has entered, including Wimbledon, the US Open and most recently the Shanghai Masters.

Djokovic is seeking to reclaim the top ranking from Rafael Nadal at a tournament Nadal has never won.

Djokovic next faces Damir Dzumhur.

Dzumhur upset 14thseeded Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-3, while big-hitting Russian Karen Khachanov also advanced to the third round. He led 6-2, 2-0 against Matthew Ebden when the Australian retired.

Returning from a right knee injury, Nadal faces Spanish countryman Fernando Verdasco today, with 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer also in action against Milos Raonic.

Federer leads the bigserving Canadian 11-3 overall.

Federer’s last appearance at the Paris indoor event was a third-round loss to big-serving John Isner in 2015. There were

doubts Federer would play after a gruelling past week which saw him clinch his ninth victory at the Swiss Indoors and 99th overall.

“I feel good,” Federer told a news conference. “I feel like I recovered well from last week.”

The 37-year-old Federer is selective of when he plays in order to keep his body as fresh as possible, and he skipped the entire clay-court season for the second straight year.

With the season-ending ATP Finals in London starting on November 11, he is playing three straight tournaments.

But the third-ranked Federer feels comfortable with it.

“I feel like it’s better for me to play matches rather than practice,” Federer said. “As long as I don’t feel like I’m taking a chance on my health prior to London, that’s the key as well.”

Federer showed fighting qualities last week in Basel, where he was twice taken to three sets and went an early break down in three of his last four matches.

“I was a bit bumpy. But I was happy how I was fighting, how I was trying to figure it out in a different manner,” he said. “Last week was special to win the way I did it, in a different manner.”

Federer moved within 10 titles of Jimmy Connors all-time singles record.

He is cautious about his chances of success in Paris, where his only tournament victory came in 2011.

The Australian Open champion is drawn in the same half as Djokovic, Australian Open runner-up Marin Cilic and big-serving Kevin Anderson, who upset Federer in the Wimbledon quarter-finals this year.

IN this file photo, Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after defeating Borna Coric of Croatia in their men’s singles final match in the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China. Djokovic is in electric form heading into the Paris Masters, where he is well poised to wrestle back the No. 1-ranking from longtime rival Rafael Nadal. (AP) “I rarely play two or three tournaments in a row now. So starting on Wednesday and winning five matches in a row with this calibre (of players) is very difficult,” Federer said. “If I get close to the last four that would also be great.”

In first-round play Tuesday, there were wins for Mikhail Kukushkin, Gilles Simon, Daniil Medvedev, Marton Fucsovics, Raonic and Verdasco.

Gasquet will face Sock after beating Shapovalov PARIS (AP) — In a battle of different generations, home favourite Richard Gasquet beat Canadian teenager Denis

Shapovalov in straight sets to reach the second round of the Paris Masters, where he will face American defending champion Jack Sock.

The 32-year-old Gasquet was 3-0 down in the opening set but rallied to win 6-4, 7-6 (3) on Monday.

Another Frenchman was safely through after Adrian Mannarino beat compatriot Ugo Humbert 6-4, 6-2.

He next plays 10th-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan.

Nicolas Mahut is out of his home tournament, however, after losing to Frances Tiafoe of the United States 7-6 (1), 6-2. The 20-year-old Tiafoe will face fourth-seeded Alex Zverev of Germany.

Marco Cecchinato of Italy, who upset Djokovic

in the French Open quarterfinals, lost to Sousa 7-5, 6-3.

Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany will play fifthseeded Marin Cilic in the next round after recovering to beat Robin Haase 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-2.

Steve Johnson’s miserable run against Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain continued.

Bautista Agut improved to 6-0 against Johnson after winning 6-4, 7-6 (2) on Monday to set up a second-round meeting against ninth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov.

Elsewhere, Nikoloz Basilashvili won when opponent John Millman retired with a back injury after losing their first set 6-4.

LOVE COULD MISS SIGNIFICANT TIME WITH FOOT INJURY

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers All-Star Kevin Love could miss significant time with a foot injury that has bothered him since the preseason.

Love sat out his third straight game yesterday as the winless Cavs host Atlanta and look to end a six-game winless streak to start the season. On Sunday, the team fired coach Tyronn Lue. The Cavs are still working through contracts negotiations with assistant Larry Drew, who wants more security before he takes over.

Love has had more testing in recent days and doctors are reviewing results to plan his recovery.

General manager Koby Altman isn’t sure how long the Cavs might be without their best player.

“We’re still working through the diagnosis of what the best thing to do is,” he said. “To be honest with you, we’re unsure what we’re going to do in terms of a timeline. Our doctors in-house have looked at this. We’re actually going to consult with outside doctors as well to put together the best plan for him.

“It could be a number of games that he misses moving forward or it could be sort of a short-term thing to try and manage it. But to be honest we’re going to figure that out in the next couple days. This could be a number of games he could miss.”

The injury to Love only makes things tougher on the Cavs, navigating through their first season since LeBron James left for the second time. Love’s injury has affected his shooting. He’s making only 32 per cent of his shots while averaging 19.0 points and 13.5 rebounds.

Ferguson making name for himself FROM PAGE 1 professional one is one that he’s taking in strides.

“With the national team, there’s a lot of pressure on me. They expect for me to do a lot more,” Ferguson Jr stated. “Here, I have a big responsibility too, but it becomes so easy when you have a high calibre of players and coaches around you.”

Whether he wins or loses, Ferguson Jr said he just wants to continue to represent the Bahamas to the best of his ability. “As a professional player over here, I try to make the best of my opportunity here and then come home and help out the players there,” he said.

“So when I come home, I always try to get better and hopefully I can inspire some more players to do the same thing that I am doing.”

Ferguson Jr, the son of former veteran female volleyball player Margaret ‘Muggy’ Albury, said he will have about three weeks break in December, so he intends to return home to enjoy the Christmas festivities.

In total, Ferguson Jr said they should end up playing about 40 games during the season, including the Challenge Cup matches throughout Europe.

Ferguson Jr said he remembers how he was approached by an agent, who decided to work with him. He was then invited to try out for his first team, Gentofte in Denmark in 2011, and as they say, the rest is history.

He has been the first Bahamian to play in the professional league in Europe and was followed

by Shonari Hepburn, who played in Greece as well the past two years before he signed a deal to play with AKAA-Volley in Finland.

BYRON FERGUSON JR, of the Bahamas, in action in Thessaloniki, Greece.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, October 31, 2018, PAGE 5

Eagles trade 3rd-round pick to the Lions for Golden Tate

By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Golden Tate is bringing his show to Philadelphia.

The Eagles acquired the 30-year-old wide receiver nicknamed “Showtime” from the Detroit Lions for a 2019 third-round draft pick yesterday. Tate has 44 catches for 517 yards and three touchdowns this season. He joins Alshon Jeffery, Nelson Agholor and Jordan Matthews, giving Carson Wentz another target to go along with tight ends Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert.

“This is a guy we’ve had so much respect for,” Eagles personnel boss Howie Roseman said.

“I think our fans, our team, just getting him here, seeing what he brings on the field, off the field, to the practice field, the competitiveness, that’s what we’re looking for. It’s just

LIONS wide receiver Marvin Jones, right celebrates his 39-yard reception for a touchdown with teammate wide receiver Golden Tate (15) in the first half against the Seahawks Sunday in Detroit.

(AP Photo/Rey Del Rio) going to raise the level of everyone.”

Tate wrote on Twitter: “It’s been real DETROIT! I’ll love ya forever. Philly Philly let’s get it!!” He then posted a GIF of fictional Philly icon Rocky Balboa jumping up and down on the steps of the Art Museum with the caption: “Mood.”

“For more than four years, Golden displayed an unwavering commitment to not only his coaches and teammates, but also the city of Detroit,” Lions executive vice president Bob Quinn said in a statement.

“The impact he made on and off the field set an example for our team and

serves as a testament to his character.”

Tate averaged 93 catches, 1,056 yards receiving and five TDs the past four seasons in Detroit. He went to the Pro Bowl after the 2014 season. Tate spent his first four seasons with Seattle, helping the Seahawks win the Super Bowl his last season.

Tate played primarily in the slot for the Lions.

Agholor thrived in that spot last season, but has been used outside this season.

“You’re not just having one guy lined up in one particular (spot) and defences know where he’s going to line up,” Roseman said.

Tate is in the final season of a five-year, $31 million contract. The Eagles would likely receive a compensation pick after the third or fourth round if he leaves in free agency.

The defending Super Bowl champions Eagles are 4-4 and have a bye this week.

“We’re not going to sit on our hands. It’s hard to find really good players and this is a really good player,” Roseman said. “The message to our players, our coaches and our fans is that our foot is always going to be on the gas.”

JAGUARS TRADE PASS-RUSHER FOWLER TO RAMS FOR 2 DRAFT PICKS

By MARK LONG AP Sports Writer JACKSONVILLE, Florida (AP) — Dante Fowler is headed to an actual Super Bowl contender.

The slumping Jacksonville Jaguars traded the fourth-year pro and 2015 first-round pick to the undefeated Los Angeles Rams just before the NFL trading deadline yesterday.

The move gives the Rams an even more formidable front, which already had Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh and Michael Brockers.

The Jaguars (3-5) received a third-round draft pick in 2019 and a fifthrounder in 2020, decent compensation for a backup who would have become a free agent at the end of the season.

LOS Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley runs for a touchdown during the second half against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday in Los Angeles.

(AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

RAMS STILL TOP AP PRO32 POLL; CHIEFS AT NO. 2, PATS NO. 3

By SIMMI BUTTAR AP Sports Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Unlike in baseball, an NFL team in Los Angeles is still on top of its sport.

The Rams (8-0) finished the first half of their schedule perfect with a 29-27 win over the Green Bay Packers.

After holding off Aaron Rodgers, the Rams will look to stay unbeaten when they face another top quarterback in their matchup against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints.

“The Rams keep finding ways to win,” said Jenny Vrentas of The Monday Morning Quarterback.

“Next week they’ll face their biggest test yet, travelling to New Orleans for an NFC showdown.”

The Rams are the unanimous top team in the latest AP Pro32 poll for the sixth consecutive week.

They received all 12 firstplace votes and 384 points in balloting yesterday by media members who regularly cover the NFL. “Rams remain perfect with a comeback win over Aaron Rodgers’ Packers, and now it’s on to a critical three-game stretch against the Saints, Seahawks and Chiefs,” Newsday’s Bob Glauber said. “If they remain unbeaten after that, can 16-0 be far behind?”

Kansas City remained No. 2 with 365 points, but New England, which was tied with the Chiefs last week, slipped to No. 3 in the rankings.

The Patriots, who trail the Chiefs by only three points, host the Packers on Sunday night. “(Tom) Brady vs. Rodgers next up,” Fox Sports’ John Czarnecki said.

The Saints remained No. 4.

And LA’s other team, the Chargers, inched up a spot to No. 5.

The Carolina Panthers, who were tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers last week at No. 7, moved up a spot, while the Steelers remained where they were.

The Washington Redskins, who are in first place in the NFC East, moved up two spots to No. 8.

The Minnesota Vikings dropped four spots to No. 9 after their 30-20 loss to the Saints.

And the surging Houston Texans, who have won five in a row, moved up two spots to round out the top 10.

“With eight sacks and four forced fumbles, J.J. Watt has recaptured his form as a dynamic gamewrecker, triggering a five-game winning streak after a 0-3 start,” said Ira Kaufman of Fox 13 in Tampa, Florida.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, October 31, 2018, PAGE 7

Real Madrid goes after new coach to save its season

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer MADRID (AP) — The search is on for a new coach at Real Madrid.

With the team reeling from a demoralising loss to Barcelona and far from the top in the Spanish league standings, Madrid is looking for someone who can turn things around and save the season.

Former player Santiago Solari, coach of Madrid B, was in charge of practice yesterday, but the club was in a hurry to find a replacement.

Madrid fired Julen Lopetegui on Monday, saying it was time to “change the team’s dynamic while all of its objectives for the season were still reachable.”

The club said the team deserved better results with the quality of players it has. Under Lopetegui, Madrid won six matches, lost six and drew two.

The team is ninth, seven points behind leader Barcelona after 10 matches.

“Ultimately, the way a dressing room is managed is sometimes more important than a coach’s technical knowledge,” Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos

said after the Barcelona loss at Camp Nou. It wasn’t exactly clear what type of coach Madrid was looking for, whether it was a hardliner like Antonio Conte or a more compromising figure like Roberto Martinez. The team’s recent success came with the calm-mannered Zinedine Zidane. Then again, he had Cristiano Ronaldo.

Both departed in the offseason.

Madrid can go with the home solution again. Solari has been following the same path as Zidane, his former teammate and also a former coach of Madrid’s B squad.

“Nobody can be compared to Zidane,” Solari said on Tuesday. “We can leave him and his greatness alone. He was one of the greatest we have ever had at Madrid.”

Solari will be in charge today when Madrid faces third-division club Melilla in the Copa del Rey. The team then plays on Saturday at home against Valladolid in the Spanish league.

“I see the players motivated to get back to winning,” Solari said.

“This is a team of champions, of warriors. It’s a complicated moment but that’s when you see their character. We’ll go day by

“Respect is something that you earn, not that you impose,” Ramos said.

His arrival could also make it harder for Madrid to sign Belgium playmaker Eden Hazard, who was at odds with Conte at Chelsea.

Another drawback is that Conte still has money to receive from Chelsea, so reaching a financial agreement would not be something straightforward.

ROBERTO MARTINEZ The Spaniard gained prominence after leading Belgium to a third-place finish at the World Cup, and many back him over Conte because of his calmer demeanor.

“It seems like he is a better option,” said Jorge Valdano, a former Madrid player and coach who commentates on TV. “He is a coach who can help this team turn things around. He seems a better fit for Real Madrid.”

Against the 45-year-old Martinez is the fact he has no experience with a top club. His last job before taking over Belgium in 2016 was with Everton in England. In 2013, the former player led Wigan to the FA Cup title.

JULEN LOPETEGUI (AP) day, little by little, and then we’ll see what happens.”

• Here’s a look at the top coaches considered candidates to take over Madrid: ANTONIO CONTE The Italian is touted by Spanish media as the front-runner.

He carries the experience of having coached Chelsea and Italy, but against him is the fact that his authoritarian style may not bode well with a Madrid squad filled with strong-minded veterans.

An agreement with Martinez also isn’t straightforward as he remains under contract with Belgium for a few more months.

SANTIAGO SOLARI Solari is the interim coach and hasn’t been ruled out as a candidate for the permanent position.

The 42-year-old former Argentina midfielder played for Real Madrid in the early 2000s and has been back with the club for some time.

He helped the team win the 2002 Champions League, being involved in the play that led to Zidane’s superb winner in the final.

Solari also played for River Plate, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan.

He has been coaching Real Madrid B since 2016, taking over not long after Zidane left to coach the main squad.

OTHERS Others considered longshots but can’t be fully ruled out include Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho, the former Madrid coach who is struggling with Manchester United, and Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino.

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

ORLANDO

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 62° F/17° C

TAMPA

TONIGHT

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Partly sunny, a shower; breezy

Partly cloudy, a shower; breezy

Partly sunny and breezy

Some sun with a t‑storm; breezy

Clouds and sun, a t‑storm; breezy

Clouds and sun, a t‑storm; breezy

High: 85°

Low: 75°

High: 85° Low: 77°

High: 86° Low: 76°

High: 86° Low: 75°

High: 86° Low: 75°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

84° F

73° F

90°-79° F

93°-81° F

93°-74° F

92°-77° F

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 66° F/19° 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: 80° F/27° C Low: 77° F/25° C

8‑16 knots

S

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 71° F/22° C

8‑16 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 73° F/23° C

E

W S

E

W

WEST PALM BEACH

N

uV inDex toDay

TODAY

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 74° F/23° C

MIAMI

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 75° F/24° C

7‑14 knots

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 81° F/27° C Low .................................................... 73° F/23° C Normal high ....................................... 83° F/28° C Normal low ........................................ 72° F/22° C Last year’s high ................................. 79° F/26° C Last year’s low ................................... 71° F/21° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.00” Year to date ............................................... 43.82” Normal year to date ................................... 35.35”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 75° F/24° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2018

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C

N

KEY WEST

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 77° F/25° C

High

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

1:24 a.m.

1:56 p.m.

2.7 3.2

7:31 a.m.

8:31 p.m.

0.5 0.5

Thursday

2:32 a.m.

3:02 p.m.

2.7 3.2

8:41 a.m.

9:35 p.m.

0.6 0.4

Friday

3:41 a.m.

4:07 p.m.

2.8 3.1

9:52 a.m. 0.5 10:36 p.m. 0.3

Saturday

4:45 a.m.

5:08 p.m.

3.0 3.1

10:59 a.m. 0.4 11:31 p.m. 0.1

Sunday

4:43 a.m.

5:03 p.m.

3.2 3.1

11:00 a.m. 0.2 11:22 p.m. 0.0

Monday

5:36 a.m.

5:54 p.m.

3.3 3.1

11:55 a.m. 0.1 ‑‑‑‑‑ ‑‑‑‑‑

Tuesday

6:24 a.m.

6:42 p.m.

3.5 3.0

12:09 a.m. ‑0.1 12:46 p.m. 0.0

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 77° F/25° C

N

S

E

W

8‑16 knots

S

8‑16 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

tiDes For nassau

7:17 a.m.

6:30 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

12:05 a.m.

1:51 p.m.

Last

New

First

Full

Oct. 31

Nov. 7

Nov. 15

Nov. 23

CAT ISLAND

E

W

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

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C

N

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 76° F/24° C

S

LONG ISLAND

insurance management tracking map

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 78° F/26° C

8‑16 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 83° F/28° C Low: 79° F/26° C

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

H

E

W

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS RAGGED ISLAND High: 82° F/28° C Low: 78° F/26° C

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 78° F/26° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 84° F/29° C Low: 78° F/26° C

N

E

W

E

W

N

S

S

10‑20 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: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday:

WINDS NE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 10‑20 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 8‑16 Knots ENE at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 10‑20 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots ENE at 10‑20 Knots SE at 10‑20 Knots ENE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 10‑20 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots ENE at 10‑20 Knots ESE at 10‑20 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ENE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 8‑16 Knots NE at 10‑20 Knots ESE at 10‑20 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 10‑20 Knots

WAVES 4‑8 Feet 5‑9 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 4‑7 Feet 4‑7 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑6 Feet 4‑8 Feet 4‑8 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑5 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑6 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 4‑8 Feet 4‑8 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 81° F 81° F 83° F 83° F 83° F 82° F 85° F 85° F 81° F 81° F 82° F 82° F 84° F 84° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 81° F 81° F 83° F 83° F 84° F 84° F 83° F 83° F

Covering The Bahamas for over 40 years.

NEW PROVIDENCE | GRAND BAHAMA | ABACO | ELEUTHERA | EXUMA

INSURANCE MANAGEMENT

(BAHAMAS) LIMITED. INSURANCE BROKERS & AGENTS

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PAGE 8, Wednesday, October 31, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

Klay on fire!

GOLDEN State Warriors guard Klay Thompson celebrates after scoring a three pointer against the Chicago Bulls during the second half on Monday, October 29, 2018, in Chicago.

(AP Photos/Kamil Krzaczynski)

Thompson sets NBA 3-point record

By ANDREW SELIGMAN AP Sports Writer CHICAGO (AP) — Klay Thompson popped to the wing off a screen from Stephen Curry, caught the pass from Kevin Durant and dribbled to his left before launching the record 3-pointer.

The ball swished through the net. He raised both arms, pumped his fist and got mobbed.

Thompson broke Curry’s NBA record with 14 3-pointers and finished with 52 points to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 149-124 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Monday night.

Thompson set the mark when he nailed a 3 with just under five minutes remaining in the third quarter. He celebrated with teammates as they headed to the sideline for a timeout, with the Warriors leading 113-69.

Curry hit 13 3-pointers in a win over New Orleans on November 7, 2016.

“That’s what I do this for is those moments that you share with your teammates,” Thompson said.

“That’s why we play basketball. It’s a collective effort.

And I don’t know if I would be able to break these records I have gotten in my past like tonight without the system I play in or the team I play with, the guys I play with.”

Thompson hadn’t scored more than 19 this season

and made just 5 of 36 3-pointers in the Warriors’ first seven games. But he broke out in a huge way, making 14 of 24 from beyond the arc. And he did it in just 26 minutes before sitting out the fourth quarter. About the only thing that slowed down Thompson on Monday night was when he suffered a cut above his right eye that needed two stitches in the third quarter. He returned a few minutes later sporting a yellow headband.

The four-time All-Star guard hit 10 3’s and scored 36 as Golden State built a 92-50 halftime lead. It was the second-highest scoring half ever by an NBA team.

Phoenix had 107 in the first half of a 173-143 victory over Denver in 1990.

The Warriors also set an NBA record for 3-pointers in a half with 17 through the first two quarters.

“This is what it’s been like,” coach Steve Kerr said. “I can’t even tell you how lucky I am and how I feel every night watching these guys, how unselfish they are.”

Curry scored 23. Kevin Durant had 14 points and eight assists. And Chicago product Alfonzo McKinnie added 19 points and 10 rebounds as the two-time defending NBA champions improved to 7-1.

Zach LaVine and Antonio Blakeney led the Bulls with 21 points, and Wendell Carter Jr. scored 18.

GOLDEN State Warriors guard Klay Thompson celebrates after scoring a three pointer.

WARRIORS guard Klay Thompson (11) shoots against Chicago Bulls forward Justin Holiday (7) in the second half in Chicago.

Chicago probably would have been overmatched even at full strength. But with Lauri Markkanen, Kris Dunn, Bobby Portis and Denzel Valentine all out with injuries, this one got ugly in a hurry because of Thompson.

“He was due for a game like this,” LaVine said. “He saw one go in, and his eyes got as big as the basketball. It’s tough after that, because they’re looking for him. He’s running off of screens, and you can’t touch him anyway. It’s tough.”

Thompson nailed his first three 3-pointers and made six while scoring 22 in the first quarter.

By the time the second half rolled around, the Warriors were determined to see him set the mark. And it seemed teammates were doing all they could to assist on the record shot.

Durant was glad it was him. “The most important thing was I passed it to him on his 14th,” he said. “And I also passed it to Steph on his 13th. ... They wouldn’t have made those shots without me.”

Actually, Draymond Green had the assist on Curry’s record 13th 3 against New Orleans two years ago. Either way, this was quite a night.

“It’s the best feeling in basketball or one of the best feelings in basketball when you touch the ball and feel like it’s going in every time,” Thompson said.