Bahamas vs USVI in feature game tonight
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
AFTER losing out on the title last year in the championship to Curacao, the US Virgin Islands men’s baseball team is here to go all the way and win the 2025 Caribbean Baseball Cup Championships.
Henry Jackson, the manager of the 22-member team, said they were disappointed in losing in extra innings to Curacao last year, but they have beefed up their lineup in a bid to take it all this year.
"We're better than last year," he stated. "I'm positive that we will get the job done. The coaching staff that we have put together really believe in these guys. So we're confident that we can win it all this year."
The US Virgin Islands will meet The Bahamas in the feature game tonight at 7pm in the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium following the opening ceremonies. Like The Bahamas, St Maarten is concentrating on their pitching department to carry them through the tournament that runs through Monday.
The winner will earn the final spot for the CAC Games, scheduled for July 24 to August 8 in Santo
United
States Virgin Islands:
‘We’re confident that we can win it all this year’
Domingo, Dominican Republic. "Pitching and speed is going to be our strength," said Jackson. He noted that they were amazed from last year when they came to participate in the tournament on the artificial surf that they will play on."
Rafael Jackson III, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on November 25, said this is his third time coming to The Bahamas and, as usual, he's enjoying himself. "I feel very good. We're more focused, more goal-oriented after coming second last year," he said. "We want to set the tone
and let everybody know we're here to take it home this year."
Jackson III, an anchor on the outfield, said they had a couple of players from last year's team who couldn't make the trip this year, so they have some new additions. "They are perfect for the culture of our team.
They should be goal-oriented too," he said. "We will line them up and get them ready to go."
With the new artificial turf that they're playing on, Jackson III said it's different from the "old school stuff" that they have in the US Virgin Islands. "I like it, especially with
everything so modernised with the locker room and bathrooms so close by," he stressed. "I like it."
While they are focused on playing the game, Jackson said they are also enjoying the "conch salad" business they experienced. "It's like we're at home," Jackson summed up.
Team Bahamas falls to Canada 94-88 in Toronto
By JONATHAN BURROWS Tribune Sports Reporter
jburrows@tribunemedia.net
TEAM Bahamas put forward a determined
performance but came up short 94-88 against Canada on Monday night at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto in their second game of the FIBA
Basketball World Cup 2027 Americas Qualifiers.
The game marked a significant improvement from Friday’s opening matchup in Nassau, where
The Bahamas lost 111-75 at the Kendal G. L. Isaacs Gymnasium. From the jump, The Bahamas showed better offensive rhythm and
shot-making than in the first game. They outscored Canada in the final period, closing the gap to single digits behind efficient guard play and stronger ball movement. The Bahamas finished with multiple double-figure scorers and steadier execution compared to their first matchup.
“We saw what they did to us in the first game and went to film and made some key adjustments that helped us to stem the tide, especially with the zone, which really threw them off, we started right at the tip and it affected them running their sets, and the guys really just fought tooth and nail for 40 minutes,” said coach Moses Johnson.
Garvin Clarke led the way with 20 points. He shot 6-of-13 from the field, including 4-of-10 from three and a perfect 4-of-4 at the line. Clarke also added 13 assists, two rebounds, one steal and one block. His ability to generate offence and facilitate in the absence of starting guard Franco Miller helped pull The Bahamas within reach.
“Garvin was special last night, he really stepped up to the plate when we really needed him. We were down a few guys, and it was next man up mentality and Garvin Clarke really exemplified some leadership and stepped up to the plate. He was very confident and was hitting some big shots and making some big plays, we needed it and he came through,” said Johnson.
Following Clarke, Domnick Bridgewater scored 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting. He knocked down five two-pointers and hit 2-of-7 from deep while adding six assists, three rebounds
and three steals. Bridgewater’s activity on both ends kept Bahamas in transition opportunities and gave the team needed scoring surges. The unsung hero of the night, Rashad Davis delivered one of the most efficient performances of the game with 15 points. He shot a perfect 6-of-6 from the field, including 4-of-4 on two-pointers and 2-of-2 from three. Davis also added five rebounds, three assists and three steals while contributing solid defensive possessions in the second half.
Isaiah Mobley also reached double figures with 16 points and added six rebounds, two assists, four steals and two blocks as one of the team’s most active interior defenders while veteran forward Jaraun "Kino" Burrows contributed 12 points adding seven rebounds, five assists and three steals, giving The Bahamas extra interior presence.
“Kino Burrows is the veteran leader and in the locker room and outside the locker room he was just exceptional. When we went down about 18 points Kino told the guys it was not gonna happen and the guys responded well,” said Johnson.
Their defensive switch to zone created turnovers and disrupted Canada’s rhythm at times, but Canada’s scoring depth held firm down the stretch along with untimely turnovers by Team Bahamas helped Canada to secure the win.
As the team makes its way back to Nassau, they now face preparation for qualifiers in February where they will face Jamaica and Puerto Rico.
EYES ON THE PRIZE: The United States Virgin Islands men’s baseball team.
Ronan ‘youngest female black belt’ in Bahamas
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sport Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
COMPETITOR'S Edge School of Martial Arts, in christening their new location in the Wong's Plaza, hosted a belt promotion day for several of its members on Monday.
The highlight of the day was when sensei Roland Evans got to place a provisional black belt around the waist of his daughter, Ronan Evans.
As the youngest Bahamian female black belt, Evans, along with Kenwolf Stanley, received the highest promotion, while others moved up the ladder from white to yellow, to orange, to green to blue.
Sensei Evans said while they decided to move from No.6 Madeira Street to their new location, they decided to host the ceremony during the opening of their new location.
"I think we've outgrown the last place that we occupied, but I think we will have more opportunities here where we teach the traditional form of karate," Evans said.
"We are also international so we get to train and compete with the best of the best."
While the students took their examinations about a month ago, Evans said they decided to wait for their belt promotion until they got into their new home.
At the age of five, Evans said his daughter came home one day and told him she was interested in competing in martial arts.
And her father, sensei Roland Evans, gets to place provisional black belt around her waist
He said he took her to a few karate schools, but she cried because she indicated that she only wanted him to train her.
"I was humbled by that," Evans said. "I only got back into martial arts because of her. Now that she's a black belt, the youngest female black belt in the country, I was proud of the investment that I made in her." Ronan Evans, who will turn 10 on Sunday, December 7, is a fifth grade student at Temple Christian School. She put in a lot of hard work to accomplish her historic feat, although she was shocked when she heard she was getting it.
"Without my sensei teaching what he taught me, I would not have made
it," said Evans, who has won numerous medals both locally and internationally.
"He taught me that the small mistakes could be costly. The competition for me internationally is harder than the ones here, but I push hard to get it."
Stanley is a 25-year-old who started competing in martial arts from the age of 14, but has only been a part of the Competitor's Edge School of Martial Arts for the past six to seven months.
But he said it was a special moment for himself as well as Evans.
"I think that moment will inspire other students to get their black belt too. But it takes a lot of work."
For the past two years, Terrence McSweeney Jr has
been participating in martial arts under sensei Evans. He said it was a well-deserved achievement for Ronan Evans.
"If you come to any of our classes, you can see that she knows all the moves," he said. "Those of us in the lower belts have seen that she has a lot of knowledge."
McSweeney, who got promoted from blue to green, said as a 20-year-old he has learned a lot in a short space of time.
"He is very in-depth in his training," McSweeney said.
"So a lot of little things that you would overlook, he makes you do them so you can get faster and stronger.
He's done a very good job with us."
Faith Augustave, a nineyear-old fifth grader at TA Thompson Primary School, said she's been here for the past two and-a-half years and she's excited and thrilled to see the progress she has made.
She noted that she was even more pleased with Ronan Evans, whom she noted is not her biological sister, but they enjoy a very good bond together.
The event attracted some of the movers and shakers in martial arts.
The Bahamas Martial Arts Alliance, according to secretary Jasadette Hepburn, came out in numbers with vice president sensei
French from kung fu and vice president sensei Simone Francis from karate.
"This is definitely a huge achievement and so we just wanted to be here to show our support for what sensei Roland Evans is doing here. While he's no longer actively involved in the sport, sensei George Brennen said it was his pleasure to come out and support sensei Evans and his school.
"I've been out of it for a while, but I think there are things that we need to change to make things better again," he said. "I think sensei Evans is doing a great job and I just wanted to give him my support."
MEMBERS of the Competitor’s Edge School of Martial Arts who got their belt promotion pose with sensei Roland Evans.
SENSEI Francis, sensei French and sensei George Brennen pose with sensei Roland Evans and black belts Kenwolf Stanley and Ronan Evans.
SENSEI Roland Evans with black belt competitors Kenwolf Stanley and Ronan Evans.
ST
baseball team finished fourth in last year’s Caribbean Baseball Cup Championships.
St Maarten has something to prove in the Caribbean Baseball Cup Championships
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
ST Maarten’s baseball team has much more to prove after last year's fourth-place finish in the Caribbean Baseball Cup Championships.
Manager Marvin Gario said their aim is to improve upon their performances as they return for the championships starting today through Monday at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium.
St Maarten's opening match is at 3pm today against the Dominican Republic.
Team’s opening match against Dominican Republic 3pm today
"Our guys are feeling good. We're enjoying the weather, the food, the sea and the atmosphere," said Gario, whose team attended the Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Rawson Square on Monday night. "We went out and sat down in the stands and enjoyed the show. It was nice to see."
Gario, however, said it's all business as they play against teams from The Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, defending champions Curacao and
runners-up the US Virgin Islands.
The winner will earn the final spot for the CAC Games, scheduled for July 24 to August 8 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
"We're going to have fun and the rest will come," said Gario. "That is our motto. But we will take it day by day and game by game and see what the other teams will bring to the table. We're coming hard."
Raul Jacobs, who was born and raised in St
Maarten, but now resides in the Netherlands, said anything he can get to represent his country, he's prepared to go.
He remembered his initial trip here 15 years ago to participate in the Little League Baseball Tournament.
He noted that he can't forget that trip.
"I feel good about this trip. We're playing on a beautiful field," said Jacobs, now a 28-year-old utility player who can both infield and out.
NPBA Division One: Island Development Rebels beat Island Hoops Titans 52-46
By JONATHAN BURROWS
Tribune Sports Reporter jburrows@tribunemedia.net
NIGHT-league action in the New Providence Basketball Association (NPBA) continued on Monday night at the A.F. Adderley Gymnasium with a Division One matchup between newcomer Island Hoops Titans and Island Development Rebels. The Rebels beat the Titans 52-46 in a very slowpaced game. For the Rebels, Braithe Ferguson led the way with 19 points and nine rebounds, anchoring their offence and helping secure the win.
On the Titans’ side, Dwaijanel Dorsett was the top scorer with 12 points, though his efforts were not enough to overcome a tough night shooting. Shooting efficiency was a major issue for both sides.
The Titans connected on just 27 per cent of their field-goal attempts and managed only 19 per cent from beyond the arc.
The Rebels fared only slightly better, hitting 31 per cent from the field and 22 per cent from three-point range. The lack of offensive rhythm contributed to a slow, gritty contest.
The Titans entered the game as a newly formed
night-league team under the banner of “Island Hoops,” entering NPBA Division One for the first time this season.
Island Hoops was launched in 2025 as a grassroots basketball movement by Dorsett, along with Benjamin Clarke, Wendell Dean and Jadyn Gomez. Their vision: to rebuild a basketball culture in Nassau after local runs dwindled, and to organise a safe, structured and competitive environment for players of all ages.
What first began as informal outdoor sessions has grown into regular games hosted at indoor gyms like D.W. Gymnasium and Anatol
Local Sports Calendar
SOFTBALL
BFS CONCLAVE
THE Bahamas Softball Federation will hold its national softball conclave on Saturday in the Conference Room of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.
The Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture will officially open the conclave at 1pm. The theme for the event is "One Federation, One Vision Strengthening Softball Across Our Islands."
Dignitaries from all of the affiliated island associations are expected to be represented. The dress code is smart casual.
FLAG FOTBALL BYFFL'S
CHAMPIONSHIPS
THE Bahamas Youth Flag Football League will hold its 10th season Championship Day on Saturday at the multi-purpose field in front of the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium. Held in honour of Dominic 'Hollywood' Kikivarkis, the event will kick off at 11:30am. It is sponsored by the Royal Bank of Canada, Bahamas Waste and RoyalStar Assurance.
The entry fee is $5. Kids 12-and-under are free. Refreshments will be on sale. Prizes and giveaways
will be presented during the day.
TRACK CARIFTA CHARTER WITH the 2026 CARIFTA Games all set for Grenada over the Easter holiday weekend, persons are being encouraged to secure their seats on the Bahamasair-chartered flight. The charter will depart Nassau on Thursday, April 2 and return on Tuesday, April 7. The airfare is $1,099 per passenger. A non-refundable deposit of $200 per passenger is required. However, it can be transferred. Cash or direct deposits can be made at the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) under the account name: Bah Association of (business checking account). Transit No.95165/ Account No.1011089. Interested persons can contact Laura Pratt-Charlton at 357-3109 or Laketah Charlton at 468-5592 or email baaafriendsandfamily@gmail.com for more information.
BASEBALL HOME RUN DERBY
CLINIC THE organisers of the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby 2025 will host youth baseball and softball camp on Saturday, December 10,
at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium. The camp is designed for boys and girls between the ages of seven and 18 years. Check-in will begin at 3pm and the cmp will run from 4-6 pm. Interested persons can sign up at dbhrderby.com
TRACK ALL-BAHAMIAN
AWARDS
THE Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations is scheduled to hold its 2025 All Bahamian Awards ceremony on Sunday, December 14, starting at 6pm at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium. Under the theme: "Honouring the Spirit of The Bahamas: Every Athlete, Every Victory," the BAAA will use the opportunity to recognise all 2024-2025 national team members. A reception and dance will follow the presentations.
STAR PERFORMERS
MEET
THE Star Trackers Track Club is scheduled to hold its 23rd edition of the Star Performers Track and Field Classic on Saturday, January 24, from 9am to 6pm at the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium.
The event, sponsored Baker Concrete International Division Greyco Limited, will be
Rodgers Gymnasium and now, the Titans represent their expansion into formal night-league competition.
“Being a brand-new team in Division One we expect some growing pains. We just need to tighten up how we execute.
“Once we clean up the small mistakes, get our conditioning right, and start making smarter plays when the game gets tight, we’ll be good,” said Jayden Gomez, the team's assistant coach.
With Monday’s result, the Titans fall to 0-4 on the season, still desperately searching for their first win in Division One. As a fledgling franchise in league play, they face a steep challenge.
open to competitors in all age groups to the open divisions for boys and girls and men and women.
Interested persons can contact Laura Pratt-Charlton at 357-3109 for more information.
RED-LINE
SONJA KNOWLES
TRACK CLASSIC
RED-LINE Athletics, “Where Champions are Made,” will hold its sixth annual Sonja Knowles Track Classic over the weekend of January 31 and February 1.
The event will take place at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium on January 31 from 11am to 6pm and Sunday, March 1 from 1-6 pm. Competition will be held in the various age groups from under-7 to masters. Medals and trophies will be presented to the various winners.
Interested persons are urged to contact club founder and head coach Tito Moss at 425-4262 for more information.
LEGENDS
TRACK
THE Legends Track and Field’s Devynne Charlton Invitational is scheduled for Saturday, February 7 at the Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium. The meet, to be held in
"Being a lot older and still getting a chance to represent my country makes me so proud.
“The pride is boasting off us right now representing our country in such a beautiful tournament. It feels great. This is a beautiful field." If St Maarten plays up to their expectations, Jacobs said they will play hard every game and give it their best to win. The ball is round, but we will do everything in our power to ensure it falls on our side."
Looking at the makeup of St Maarten's team, Jacobs said their strength is definitely in their defence and speed.
"We have the ability to play small ball, defend behind the pitchers, so if things are close, we will be playing behind the pitchers. Our pitching and our defence is what we will rely on to keep us in the games."
Gario said they couldn't find a better location to host the championships.
"The turf here at the stadium, the people, the food, it's all good," he stated.
"The guys are just getting accustomed to it. It's an amazing trip here."
honour of world indoor
60m hurdles record holder and two-time champion Devynne Charlton, will have her younger sister Anthaya Charlton as one of the special guests.
Powered by Speed Capital, it will feature athletes competing from the ages of seven to the open categories for boys and girls.
T-BIRD FLYERS
THE T-Bird Flyers will hold its 2026 Track Classic, held in memory of the late Gregory Clarke, on Friday, January 9, starting at 6pm and Saturday, January 10 at noon at the Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium. Interested persons are urged to contact Foster Dorsett at 427-3883 for more details.
ROAD RACE
MACEDONIA
AS a part of its 60th anniversary, Macedonia Baptist Church will hold a Family Fun Run/Walk race that is open to the general public on January 24. The dual event is scheduled to start at 6am at the church on Bernard Road, Fox Hill. The categories include male and female 15-and-under, 20-and-under, 40-and-under, 60-and-under and over-60 with awards presented to the first three finishers.
The walk will leave the church and head west on Bernard Road to the junction at Wulff and Soldier Roads. The competitors will turn around and head east back to the church. The run will also leave the church and head west on Bernard Road onto Soldier Road, head south to Prince Charles Drive, head east to Fox Hill Road, head north to Bernard Road and head west back to the church. Interested persons can call 426-7265 or 324-1583 for more details.
BAHAMAS AQUATICS
BAHAMAS Aquatics has a pair of swim meets on its calendar for the rest of the year in New Providence and Grand Bahama. • Nassau at Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex December 5-6 - BEAST
Maarten’s
ISLAND Development Rebels player brings the ball up court in NPBA action.
Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr/Tribune Staff
Cade Cunningham’s late surge propels Pistons past Hawks 99-98
By The Associated Press
DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham scored eight of his 18 points in the final 3:21, and the Detroit Pistons rallied to beat the Atlanta Hawks 99-98 on Monday night.
Atlanta had a chance to win with 0.1 seconds left, but Jalen Johnson couldn’t convert a tip-in as time expired.
Jalen Duren had 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Pistons, who won for the 15th time in 17 games. Caris LeVert added 14 points and made two key defensive plays down the stretch.
Johnson had 29 points and 13 rebounds for Atlanta, which had won four of five.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 26 points and Onyeka Okongwu scored 20.
Neither team led by more than five points until LeVert made it 74-68 with the last basket of the third quarter.
Detroit created possessions with relentless pressure on the glass — it had more offensive rebounds than Atlanta had defensive rebounds for much of the game — but gave them back with 22 turnovers in the first three quarters.
The Wizards battled back, however, taking a twopoint lead on Middleton’s 3-pointer with 52.2 seconds remaining. Antetokounmpo — who was called for a violation in the first half for not shooting a free throw quickly enough — was fouled with 39.3 seconds left and made one of two. Then McCollum stepped back and sank a 3-pointer at the end of the shot clock to make it 127-123.
HEAT 140, CLIPPERS 123 MIAMI (AP) — Norman Powell scored 30 points against his former team, Bam Adebayo had 27 points and 14 rebounds in 32 minutes and Miami downed reeling Los Angeles.
Tyler Herro and Andrew Wiggins each scored 22 for the Heat, who trailed by two early in the second quarter before going on a 30-2 run. Miami also hit 24 3-pointers, tying a franchise record done on two previous occasions.
Miami went on a 12-0 run in the first 2:02 of the third quarter, all on 3-pointers, two of them by Adebayo. That turned a 20-point halftime lead into a 32-point edge and the outcome was not in serious doubt again.
WIZARDS
129, BUCKS 126
WASHINGTON (AP) — CJ McCollum scored 28 points, including a 3-pointer with 14.4 seconds remaining that helped Washington outlast Milwaukee.
The Wizards (3-16) have won two of three following a 14-game losing streak, and Milwaukee only managed a split in two games against Washington and Brooklyn — two of the NBA’s worst teams. It was tied at 115 after former Bucks standout Khris Middleton made a 3-pointer for Washington.
Then Giannis Antetokounmpo nearly lost control of the ball while being fouled on a drive, but managed to flip it up and in for a threepoint play with 3:36 to play. Then Antetokounmpo slammed down an alleyoop on Milwaukee’s next possession.
Kawhi Leonard scored 36 and Ivica Zubac finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Clippers. They started the season 3-2 and have gone 2-14 since, falling to 5-16 — the worst 21-game start for the franchise since a 4-17 beginning to the 2010-11 season.
James Harden scored 11 points for the Clippers in 20 minutes, and didn’t play in the final 22:34. The Clippers were outscored by 39 points when he was on the floor.
NETS 116, HORNETS 103 NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Porter Jr. scored 35 points, Noah Clowney had 18 and Brooklyn beat Charlotte.
Nic Claxton added 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for Brooklyn, which had lost four in a row.
Reserves Danny Wolf and Drake Powell each scored 10 points. Porter went 7 for 11 from 3-point range. The Nets went 17 for 43 from beyond
the arc, compared to 12 for 32 for the Hornets. Kon Knueppel scored 18 points for Charlotte, which had won two in a row. LaMelo Ball had 12 points and 14 assists, and Collin Sexton finished with 15 points.
CAVALIERS 135, PACERS 119
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)
— Donovan Mitchell scored 43 points to lead Cleveland to a victory over Indiana. Mitchell, who made 16 of 27 shots from the field, also had nine rebounds and six assists. Jaylon Tyson added 27 points on 10-of-13 shooting and a team-high
11 rebounds. Evan Mobley and DeAndre Hunter each scored 13 for the Cavs. Pascal Siakam had 26 points for Indiana, and Andrew Nembhard scored 21. Garrison Mathews, who signed a second 10-day contract Monday with the Pacers, added 15 points — hitting all three of his attempts from 3-point range. Jay Huff also scored 15. The Cavaliers shot 51% from the field while the Pacers shot 49%. Cleveland had a 48-36 rebounding edge. Indiana had 14 turnovers, six more than Cleveland.
MAGIC 125, BULLS 120 ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Desmond Bane scored 18 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter, helping Orlando beat Chicago.
Bane made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:23 left, sparking an 8-0 run for the Magic. He also capped the decisive sequence with a foul shot that made it 117111 with 2:11 to go. Bane was 12 for 17 from the field. He also had six rebounds and five assists. Franz Wagner scored 25 points for Orlando, and reserve Anthony Black had 22 points and nine
rebounds. The Magic won for the sixth time in seven games. Josh Giddey had 22 points, nine rebounds and six assists for Chicago in its fourth consecutive loss. Matas Buzelis scored 21 points, and Nikola Vucevic had 20 points and 11 rebounds.
MAVERICKS 131, NUGGETS 121 DENVER (AP) — Anthony Davis scored a season-high 32 points in his second game back from injury, and Dallas beat Denver.
Rookie Ryan Nembhard had 28 points and 10 assist, both career bests, to help Dallas win consecutive games for the first time this season. Cooper Flagg added 24 points for Dallas, which hit 16 of 31 shots from 3-point range.
The loss was the fourth straight at home for Denver, three of them against teams without winning records. It also spoiled a career night for Spencer Jones, who had 28 points, and Nikola Jokic’s 11th triple-double of the season. He finished with 29 points, a season-high 20 rebounds and 13 assists.
The already short-handed Nuggets played the fourth quarter without Jamal Murray, who was slow going to the locker room at halftime. He went to the floor in the first minute of the third quarter, hung back at the defensive end and then walked gingerly to the locker room but returned a few minutes later.
JAZZ 133, ROCKETS 125
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Lauri Markkanen scored 29 points and Keyonte George added 28 as Utah outlasted Houston.
Kevin Durant, off target much of the game, scored 16 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter for Houston. Alperin Sengun had 31 points and tied a career high with 14 assists. Amen Thompson added 23 points for the Rockets (13-5), who had won five straight on the road. Sengun’s contested layup pulled the Rockets to 126-123 with 52.7 seconds remaining, but George hit 5 of 6 free throws and added a steal down the stretch to seal the win. The teams played Sunday night in Utah and the Rockets rolled to a 129-101 victory. This one was quite the contrast as the Jazz led almost all game. George went scoreless with eight turnovers.
DETROIT Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, left, gestures while speaking with guard Jaden Ivey during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, December 1, 2025, in Detroit.
(AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Ayton just misses another double-double
Suns snap Lakers’ 7-game winning streak with 125-108 victory despite Booker’s early exit
By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dillon Brooks scored 33 points, Collin Gillespie added 16 of his careerhigh 28 in the fourth quarter, and the Phoenix Suns emphatically snapped the Los Angeles Lakers' seven-game winning streak with a 125-108 victory Monday night.
Devin Booker scored 11 points before leaving with two minutes left in the first quarter with a right groin injury, yet the Suns improbably played a remarkable game in their leading scorer’s absence. Gillespie hit a career-best eight 3-pointers for Phoenix, which had lost three of four. The Suns forced 22 Lakers turnovers and streaked to a 21-point
lead in the third quarter, blowing out Los Angeles despite Luka Doncic's 38 points.
Austin Reaves added 16 points for the Lakers, who were playing their third home game in four nights.
Deandre Ayton contributed 12 points, nine rebounds, one assist and a steal. Los Angeles was mostly listless after Doncic scored
Clippers have a slew of future Hall of Famers. And at 5-16, they have a slew of problems
By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Basketball Writer
MIAMI (AP) — Chris Paul is going to the Hall of Fame in a few years. James Harden is headed there as well. Kawhi Leonard seems another lock to get the call, and it shouldn't be a surprise if coach Tyronn Lue does one day, too.
The Los Angeles Clippers have a lot of big names. They also have a lot of big problems.
A largely lackluster 140123 loss Monday night in Miami dropped the Clippers, generally considered a championship contender entering the season, to 5-16. Yes, Bradley Beal is hurt and lost for the season. Yes, the team is old — as in oldest-team-in-NBA-history old. But the Western Conference is already getting away from the Clippers, who are ahead of only New Orleans on that side of the standings.
“Everybody wants to get a win,” Leonard said. “And we're not finding one at the moment.”
Here's just some of what happened on Monday night: The Clippers missed 11 consecutive shots and let Miami go on a 30-2 run in the first half, gave up 12 unanswered points in 122 seconds to open the second half, and just when it seemed there was a tiny chance — what had been a 38-point Heat lead was trimmed to 12 with 2:00 left — Miami scored nine straight points in 52 seconds. Lue took out his entire starting five just 1:26 into the second half; four eventually got back into the game, while Harden never returned to the floor.
Why? It seemed like a benching, but that wasn't clear. Lue went to the Clippers' postgame interview room almost immediately after the game ended, saw nobody inside, and departed because no one was there to ask questions. Lue couldn't be faulted for that. But it doesn't seem as though the Clippers have any answers right now anyway.
“I would have never guessed that they were going to be 5-16 and where they’re at right now," said Miami's Norman Powell — who is on pace for the best season of his career, even better than the career-best numbers he put up last season with Los Angeles.
The Heat are thrilled to have Powell.
The Clippers are probably kicking themselves for moving him. Powell alone might not have been enough to prevent this miserable start, but he's clearly missed.
And there's already some grumbling around the league about how Oklahoma City — the defending NBA champion off to a 20-1 start this season — could end up with the Clippers' first-round draft pick as part of the Paul George deal that sent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to the Thunder years ago.
“There's a fine line in this league, particularly now when there's parity and way more teams going for it and then you're seeing this new wave of teams that haven't necessarily been at the top of their conferences and see opportunity," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after Miami's win over the Clippers.
"There's a lot of younger, ambitious teams. But those are Hall of Famers over there.”
It’s going to take a Hall of Fame effort to right this ship. Only seven teams in NBA history have started 5-16, or worse, and made the playoffs. It happened somewhat recently; New Orleans pulled it off in the 2021-22 season.
But only one of those seven teams recovered from such a bad start and won a playoff series — the 1977-78 Seattle SuperSonics, a team near and dear to the heart of Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, who tried to save the Sonics before he wound up buying the Clippers.
“Just got to keep scrapping, got to keep belief,”
Lue said before Monday's game. “It's not going to be easy, but if you do things the right way things are going to start falling in line.” There's three-fourths of the season left to play, but the Clippers — a franchise with 14 consecutive winning seasons, the longest active streak in the league — sure seem to be running out of time to figure out how this will work.
Otherwise, a team that hoped to play into May and June might see big changes long before then.
20 points in yet another phenomenal first quarter.
LeBron James finished with 10 points, barely keeping alive his incredible streak of scoring in double digits in 1,297 consecutive regular-season games.
James made a 3-pointer with 6:51 left to preserve the streak, which began January 7, 2007 — less than three weeks after Cooper
Flagg was born. Brooks scored 23 points on 11-of-16 shooting in the first half, taking the offensive lead with Booker sidelined. Gillespie took control in the second half with a series of big perimeter shots.
Up Next Suns: At Houston on Friday. Lakers: At Toronto on Thursday.
SUNS centre Mark Williams, lefty, and Lakers centre Deandre Ayton reach for a rebound during the first half on Monday night in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J Terrill)
CLIPPERS forward Kawhi Leonard (2), centre Ivica Zubac (40) and guard Kris Dunn, right, walk off the court after being substituted during the second half against the Heat on Monday night. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
(AP
Dolphins are finding ways to win games despite ‘Tuna’s’ struggles
By ALANIS THAMES AP Sports Writer
MIAMI
GARDENS,
Florida (AP) — Some of the first words out of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's mouth after Sunday's win over the New Orleans Saints were praise for running back De'Von Achane and Miami's defense.
If not for the two, the Dolphins may not have been celebrating a victory at all.
Achane's 134 yards rushing and the defense's three takeaways and pivotal stops down the stretch helped the Dolphins edge the Saints 21-17 after a lackluster showing from Tagovailoa and Miami's passing game.
Outside of the opening possession that Achane capped with a 29-yard rushing touchdown, the Dolphins struggled to finish drives and settled for four field goals the rest of the way.
Tagovailoa appeared unsettled and hesitant, completing just 52% of his passes with several bad misses — including an interception that he floated into double coverage — and was sacked four times. He finished with just 157 yards passing and threw his NFL-leading 14th interception, which matches his career high from 2023.
“(Improvement) definitely starts with me,” Tagovailoa said, “starts with my performance with how I distribute the ball, how I operate the guys.”
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel praised his team for winning its third straight game after a 1-6 start, however it may have looked, but he also said Miami's success ultimately depends on how well Tagovailoa is playing.
"As the quarterback of the team, his job is to lead us to victory," McDaniel said Monday. “And there's a lot of things that go into that ... It wasn't his best game. So you're trying to find why and improve it so that he can have his best game when his best game is required.”
Despite recording only 134 yards passing and going 4 for 12 on third down, the Dolphins rushed for 164 yards as a team.
Miami's offensive identity has shifted from a high-flying passing attack to a run-first approach, but McDaniel acknowledged that formula may not work every week.
“At some point we’re going to have to execute in the near future,” McDaniel said, “because in the NFL, if you have success in a phase or success in running the
ball, people will overcommit. And you’ll eventually need to pass to win. I think that will be a big thing that we’ll be working on this coming week.”
What's working The running game and defense have powered Miami's winning streak. Miami's defense has allowed just 14.3 points over the past three games and has forced seven turnovers since Week 10. The Dolphins have averaged 176.7 yards rushing during their three-game streak, the best mark in the NFL since Week 10, along with 5.6 yards per carry.
What needs help The passing game. The Saints limited WR Jaylen Waddle and TE Darren Waller, but the biggest
concern in the passing game is Tagovailoa, whose lack of mobility and inability to evade pressure is proving to be a hindrance.
Stock up LB Chop Robinson and S Minkah Fitzpatrick. Robinson had his best game of the year on Sunday — only the second start of his career — with 1 1/2 sacks, three quarterback hits and a tackle for loss. Robinson was also involved on the Dolphins' crucial 4th-and-1 stop of Saints quarterback Tyler Shough that ended the game.
Some may have questioned the Dolphins' decision to trade All-Pro CB Jalen Ramsey and TE Jonnu Smith to the Steelers in exchange for Fitzpatrick last offseason, but that
is proving to be one of the Dolphins' most fruitful moves of 2025.
Fitzpatrick is having a stellar season, highlighted by his dominant performance Sunday.
He had a strip sack of Shough that led to a fumble recovery in the first half, then intercepted Shough in the fourth quarter on a 2-point try and returned it to the opposite end zone for a defensive 2-point conversion.
Stock down Tagovailoa. He has struggled all season, even with his accuracy, which has been a strength his entire career. One year after completing a career-high 72.9% of his passes, Tagovailoa has a 67.2% completion rate this season.
Injuries FB Alec Ingold is day to day after suffering a stinger in Sunday’s game.
Next Steps Miami travels to face the New York Jets on Sunday.
The Dolphins picked up their first win of the season when they beat the Jets in Week 4, which was also the game where WR Tyreek
Hill suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Key Number 7 — The number of games this season in which Tagovailoa has failed to reach 200 yards passing. He hadn’t had more than three such games in a season since 2021, his first year as a starter.
MIAMI Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (29) intercepts a pass and runs for a defensive two-point conversion during the second half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, November 30, 2025.
Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Annual Derek Jeter Invitational coming to Baha Mar for fourth consecutive year
DEREK Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation has announced that the highly anticipated Derek Jeter Invitational (DJI) presented by AMS will return to Baha Mar The Bahamas’ leading integrated resort destination – from December 15 to December 18, 2025.
"Every day, we witness the life-changing impact that The Turn 2 Foundation has on young people – empowering them to pursue their goals, overcome challenges, and lead healthy lifestyles while setting a positive example for others,” said Derek Jeter.
“The funds raised during this event will enable Turn 2 to equip even more youth with the tools and opportunities they need to flourish as agents of change and build bright futures.
“We are grateful to AMS for their commitment to our mission, proud to collaborate with Baha Mar once again, and look forward to gathering with our friends and supporters,” explained Jeter.
Dozens of stars from across sports and entertainment will join the Baseball Hall of Famer for two days of competitive golf at Baha Mar’s Jack Nicklaus signature design Royal Blue Golf Course, along with a series of special events held throughout the resort, benefiting Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation and its programmes empowering youth. Some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment will attend this year’s golf tournament, including: Anthony Anderson, Tiki Barber, Kevin Connolly, Kevin Dillon, D-Nice, Jerry Ferrara, Andruw Jones, Angie Martinez, Tino Martinez, John McEnroe, Ahmad Rashad, Ja Rule, CC Sabathia, Nick Swisher, Chris Tucker, Heidi Watney, Michelle Wie West, Bernie Williams and Dontrell Willis.
This year’s DJI kicks off Monday, December 15, with a welcome party and celebrity-packed red carpet at Baha Mar’s new, fully immersive Jon Batiste’s Jazz Club, which blends the musician’s New Orleans heritage with the vibrant spirit of Bahamian culture. The two-round celebrity-amateur golf tournament, pairing one celebrity with four amateur participants, will begin Tuesday, December 16, at the 18-hole Royal Blue Golf Course.
That evening, guests will gather for a celebration at Marcus at Baha Mar Fish + Chop House, emceed by Angie Martinez and powered by performances from legendary rapper, actor and entrepreneur Ja Rule, along with award-winning DJ, artist, and philanthropist D-Nice.
The tournament will continue into Wednesday, December 17, with festivities concluding Thursday, December 18.
“We believe in being growth partners to our clients, our media companies and agencies and the communities around us,” said Kimberly Armstrong, chief marketing officer at AMS.
“The Turn 2 Foundation serves as a growth partner to youth, opening doors and building future leaders. Supporting this event is a natural extension of those shared values and the community impact we’re committed to across the media industry.”
As part of the event, The Turn 2 Foundation will support the local community in The Bahamas by donating $50,000 to the Baha Mar ResortFoundation. Since its opening in 2017, Baha Mar has supported a wide array of causes spanning community, culture and conservation throughout The Bahamas.
“We are incredibly honoured to host the annual Derek Jeter Invitational for
a fourth consecutive year at Baha Mar,” said Graeme Davis, president of Baha Mar. “Most importantly, we are proud to continue our partnership with the Turn 2 Foundation, benefiting impactful youth development and community programmes both in the United States and here in The Bahamas.”
Proceeds from this year’s DJI will support The Turn 2 Foundation’s programmes, which empower youth to rise above negative influences, strengthen their leadership skills, create positive change and achieve their full potential.
Turn 2 started its golf event in Tampa in 2003, and over the years has grown the initiative into events that have been held in Las Vegas and The Bahamas, contributing millions of funds to advance its mission.
Previous guests have included stars such as Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Ken Griffey, Jr.,
The Turn
during his rookie year with the New York Yankees in 1996. Since its launch, Turn 2 has worked to help young people reach their full potential by creating and supporting initiatives that promote leadership development, academic achievement, positive behavior, healthy lifestyles and social change.
Cal Ripken, Jr., Russell Wilson, Josh Duhamel, Anthony Anderson, Tyler Cameron, Jorge Posada, Rob Riggle, Nate Burleson, Bode Miller, Brandi Chastain, Tino Martinez, Miles Teller, Brian Baumgartner, Joey Fatone, Benjamin Bratt, Frankie Muniz, Haley Joel Osment, Paige Spiranac, Blair O’Neal and Jerome Bettis, among others, along with past performances by Pitbull, Snoop Dogg, Flo Rida, Jason Derulo, T.I., Ludacris, Miguel and Busta Rhymes. Derek Jeter established
2 Foundation