12192016 sports

SPORTS SECTION E

NFL SUNDAY

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

Dolphins win, Pg 21

‘Major Pain’ prevails

By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

C

aribbean Showdown II became a showcase for Bahamian talent in the ring as local fighters emerged with wins in three of the four bouts at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

In the main event of the card, Meacher “Major Pain” Major remained undefeated at home with a second round stoppage over Roberto Acevedo of Puerto Rico.

Major improved to 23-6-1 with 18 KOs while Acevedo fell to 1318-3 and has lost six consecutive fights.

Following a lengthy delay with ring issues, the fighters had issues of their own once punches began to fly. Both fighters received warnings from the referee on several occasions in the first round and on several occasions.

Acevedo swung after the first round Bell and connected with Major’s head as he turned to return to his corner, which prompted the hometown favourite to turn around and stare down the visitor.

In the second round, Major came out of the corner as the aggressor and delivered a combination which had Acevedo in trouble backed against the ropes.

Acevedo resorted to tie ups and retreating to the ropes, but showed little signs of offence in the round.

After one such exchange, Acevedo refused to leave his corner, much to the dismay of his trainer, and the fight was called in favour of Major.

“The fight, it was a good fight, it didn’t end the way I wanted it to but I’m thankful for the win. I really wanted to knock him out.

FATHER MARCIAN PETERS CHAMPIONS CROWNED

FIGHT CALLED AFTER PUERTO RICAN REFUSES TO LEAVE HIS CORNER

By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net AFTER scores of games played over the course of the week-long tournament, the 31st edition of the Father Marcian Peters basketball tournament closed out Saturday afternoon with a slate of new winners in each of the six divisions.

The Woodcock Hurricanes (Primary Girls), Kingsway Academy Saints (Primary Boys), SC McPherson Sharks (Junior Girls), Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins (Junior Boys), Harbour Island Cougars (Senior Girls) and CC Sweeting Cobras (Intermediate Boys) emerged as champions in their respective divisions as the tournament returned to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s schedule.

Championship day featured several close finishes, with the six games decided by an average margin of 3.8 points per game.

In the Primary Girls’ championship, a duel between the top two scorers in the division all tournament long saw the Hurricanes complete a comefrom-behind effort late in the second half to take a 24-21 win over the St Cecilia’s Strikers.

Woodcock’s Adera Hamilton was named MVP and

RAY MINUS JR holds up Meacher Major’s hand after he (Major Pain) won the main event to remain undefeated at home with a second round stoppage over Roberto Acevedo of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Showdown boxing event at Kendal Isaacs Gym on Saturday night.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/The Tribune He was fighting kind of dirty in the first round and I started to get frustrated but I didn’t want to get away from my gameplan. I wanted to go in there and just annihilate him,” Major said.

“He was doing those tactics and that’s why I was getting frustrated.

I never fought against a fighter that used those before so I had to keep my composure. Always thankful for the win but I am disappointed

in the way it ended with him stopping.”

Even when Acevedo delivered his best shots, Major said he re-

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Rolle earns 3rd opportunity to represent Bahamas in the Pure Silk LPGA Classic

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net FOR the fourth year, professional golf teacher Georgette Rolle will get a chance to carry the Bahamian flag in the Pure Silk Bahamas Ladies Professional Golf Association Classic.

Over the weekend at the Ocean Club, Rolle earned her third straight appearance in the fifth annual event, scheduled for January 23-29 at the same venue on Paradise Island.

At the end of the two-day tournament to determine the Bahamian exemption against the world’s top female golfers, Rolle shot rounds of 80 and 79 for a +15.

She beat out Racquel Riley, who will get a chance to play for a qualifying spot on January 23.

She finished as the runner-up with identical scores of 83 for a +22.

Just one shot shy of tying Riley was Taneka Sandiford, who posted rounds of 80 and 87 for a +23.

The remainder of the field included collegian Inecia Rolle with 85 and 95 for a +36 and high schooler Ashley Michel with 88 and 95 for a +39.

Playing with an injured left thumb she sustained on Thursday in practice, Rolle said she was delighted that she was able to prevail in the end.

“Yesterday (Saturday) in the first round, I started out pretty poorly,” said Rolle after her performance in the clubhouse. “I had to dig really deep and try to grind out and finished one –over-par, which was quite steady.

“Today (Sunday), I came with the mindset to continue with the

4 DAYS TO KICKOFF

PRO GOLFER Georgette Rolle in action yesterday at the Ocean Club.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/The Tribune momentum that I had from the day before. I tried to get my score

down as low as I could. I think with the mindset and my thumb,

MLB PLAYER RICHARDSON TO HOST FREE ‘CAREER PATHS TO ATHLETIC SUCCESS’

it worked out. It felt good because there was high intensity out there for two days, but I had fun because I really hit the ball exceptionally well for the two days.”

As the teaching pro for her Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy that she operates at the Bahamas Golf Federation’s Driving Range at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex, Rolle said she has been able to keep busy and in shape.

But now that she’s qualified to compete in the Pure Silk Classic, she intends to head off to the United States for a couple of weeks to sharpen her skills and ensure that she’s ready for the challenge ahead of her.

Rolle, who turns 32 in February, qualified to compete in the Pure Silk during the initial year in 2013 and again from 2015-17. She has indicated that she would not only like to get a good birthday present for herself, but inspire the many youngsters who she teaches in her academy.

The only year she didn’t make it was 2014 when Riley earned that distinction. However, Riley fell ill and was unable to complete the qualifying rounds. But she’s hoping that she can redeem herself when the final qualifying round is held on January 23.

“The tournament was okay. I missed a lot of opportunities and I didn’t really catch up,” said Riley, a teaching professional at Baker’s Bay in Abaco. “I made it. The walking was good. I didn’t have any issues with it. I just couldn’t quite get my game together.”

She pinpointed her downfall for her putting.

MAJOR League Baseball player Antoan Richardson is using the offseason to join fellow professional athletes and industry executives in his home country - The Bahamas - for an educational forum designed to empower Bahamians interested in college athletics and professional sports.

Richardson, a pioneer in the resurgence of baseball in the Bahamas, whose MLB career includes seasons with the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees, among other teams, is hosting the free event – Career Paths to Athletic Success on January 6 to help athletes in The Bahamas discover what it takes to make it as a college and professional athlete.

“The growth of sports in The Bahamas is rapid and the success is evident as athletes like Shaunae Miller, Jonquel Jones, Buddy Hield and myself among others have risen to perform at the highest level of our respective sporting disciplines in recent years. Yet, there are too many stories of good athletes not getting to their full potential. It is my hope that with exposure to mentors, coaches and professionals that

SEE PAGE 22

SEE PAGE 22

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Pregame Popeyes Fan Fest starts at 10AM + Performance by the Bahamas All-Stars ®

PAGE 18, Monday, December 19, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

SENEGAL was the first African nation to qualify, beating out Egypt 5-2.

Senegal, Nigeria qualify for FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2017 TWO teams from Africa will make the long journey to The Bahamas in April to compete in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2017 after qualifying at last week’s CAFBeach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations 2016.

Senegal was the first African nation to qualify, beating out Egypt 5-2. Nigeria then eased to a 6-1 win against Morocco taking the second and final spot for the region.

Senegal has participated in five Beach Soccer World Cups to date with quarterfinal appearances in 2007 and 2011, representing their best finishes in their tournament history. Nigeria participated in four Beach Soccer World Cups and like Senegal, their best finishes in the tournament’s history were quarter-final appearances in 2007 and 2011.

Senegal and Nigeria now join The Bahamas, Tahiti, Italy, Portugal, Poland and Switzerland, who have all secured their spots in next year’s tournament.

“We are happy to welcome Senegal and Nigeria and all of their fans to our shores next year. We know that the entire continent of Africa will be tuned in to

NIGERIA eased to a 6-1 win against Morocco, taking the second and final spot for the region. the exciting tournament in The Bahamas next year, and we will not disappoint,” said Jeffrey Beckles, chairman of the Local Organising Committee.

“Both countries have had impressive showings in World Cups past and we expect them to bring the same

level of energy and skill to Nassau for the fans to enjoy. The world will be well represented at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 and we are looking forward to highlevel competition,” added Anton Sealy, president of the Bahamas Football As-

sociation.

Sixteen teams will face off on the white sands of Nassau, Bahamas April 27 to May 7 at a brand new state-of-the-art facility.

Beach soccer fans eagerly await the results of the upcoming tournaments for Asia, South America and

the North, Central America and Caribbean regions.

The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) will host its regional World Cup qualifiers in Nassau at the new beach soccer stadium on February 20-26,

2017. The CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship will see 16 teams from those regions compete for only two spots in next year’s Beach Soccer World Cup. The CONCACAF qualifier also serves as the official test event for next year’s main event.

BEACH SOCCER TEAM CELEBRATES CHRISTMAS AT DOWN SYNDROME CENTRE THE Bahamas national beach soccer team took some time away from its busy training schedule to celebrate Christmas with more than 40 students with down syndrome and other developmental challenges and disabilities last week.

Clad in Bahamas jerseys, elf hats and reindeer antlers, the beach soccer players arrived at the Down Syndrome Centre on Village Road with high energy and gifts for each of the students.

After exchanging several high

fives and hugs, the students were ready to learn some beach soccer skills. They were taught tricks and tips from some of The Bahamas’ top beach soccer stars.

“It was an honour for us to spend time with these amazing kids and adults. We wanted to not only have some fun with them this holiday season, but also show them that there are no limits to what they can do or achieve.

They all had smiles on their faces and really enjoyed playing soccer with us. Honestly, I think we

learned more from them than they learned from us,” said Gavin Christie, captain of the Bahamas beach soccer team.

The Bahamas Down Syndrome and Friends Centre is a learning facility for children and adults with down syndrome and other disabilities.

The centre currently facilitates 44 adults and children.

“We want to say thanks to the beach soccer team for being a part of our Christmas celebration.

We are so grateful to them and

to the entire community for seeing how special our kids are and that they do have a purpose and are valued,” said Cheryl Newell, president of the Bahamas Down Syndrome Association.

The Bahamas Football Association and the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2017 Local Organising Committee partnered with the Bahamas Down Syndrome Association to plan the Christmas party.

The students were treated to a fun day of soccer, games, bounc-

DOWN Syndrome Centre students enjoy the Christmas party with national beach soccer team members.

ing castle, pizza, cake and gifts.

Each student received a Bahamas soccer jersey. The team also donated several soccer balls to the centre for its Saturday soccer programme.

All of the students, their teachers and their families will attend the upcoming FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 as special guests of the Bahamas national beach soccer team.

The event is scheduled for April 27 to May 7 next year.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, December 19, 2016, PAGE 19

Watch Ayton advance in an exciting sporting 2017 AS WE bid farewell to the 2016, a year that has been tremendous for Bahamian sporting enthusiasts, it is time to cast our collective consideration to everything on the horizon for 2017. With the flip of the calendar comes a cadre of possibilities.

Buddy Hield, the Bahamas’ favourite son, will look to expand his tepid (in my opinion) rookie NBA campaign with the New Orelans Pelicans with that coveted rookie of the year award still wide open.

Since being drafted by the Pelicans, Buddy has managed to impress in spurts but consistency has remained a major question.

Managing only eight starts for the struggling Pelicans heading into last night’s matchup against the San Antonio Spurs, Buddy has certainly struggled to make inroads thus far.

But, luckily for him, rookie performances across the league have been trending average for much of the season.

As it stands, his biggest competition in the category are Magic’s Dario Saric, the Nuggets’ Jamal Murray and ‘The Process’ himself, Sixers’ Joel Embiid.

Coming off of his career best game last Thursday against the Indiana Pacers, a game in which he turned in a career-high 21 points while adding five threepointers, five rebounds and two assists, Buddy notched his sixth straight start, a stretch in which he is averaging a little over 30 minutes and 11 points per game.

On the year, Buddy is averaging 18.6 minutes, 8.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists so if Buddy can extend his recent stretch of good games and manages to

FOURTH QUARTER PRESS

BY RICARDO WELLSedia.net rwells@tribunem

“DEANDRE AYTON IS THE REAL DEAL. HE SHOWED DISCIPLINE AND GOOD WORK ETHIC, STAYING COMMITTED TO ATHLETIC ROUTINES AND HABITS WHILE HE WAS STUCK IN NASSAU.” build on them, he can start to put some separation between himself and the other top performers in the 2016 rookie class.

Next, we have the next big thing. Deandre Ayton is the real deal.

Yes Buddy is big - lottery pick, surefire NBA superstar big - but it is time that all Bahamians pay attention to the growth and development of Ayton.

Committing to Arizona in the fall, the seven footer is being compared to several of the greatest big men to ever play the game.

With those recent US visa issues that followed his latest trip home now behind him, the top rated player in the 2017 class is now all set to lead the nationallyranked Hillcrest Prep to a big season.

His heart and dedica-

tion to basketball is second to none. Ayton spent most of the time he was stuck in Nassau following the “Sand between your toes” tournament at a local gym pumping iron. Seriously.

Let’s keep it real. For most of us, time away from responsibilities back on home soil would result in bad eating trends and constant night outings with old friends, but Ayton showed discipline and good work ethic, staying committed to athletic routines and habits.

With most experts pegging him as a top pick if he enters the draft next year, the Bahamas could have back-to-back strong showings at the NBA draft.

Away from Buddy and Ayton, the Bahamas will play host to several of the world’s foremost sporting events in 2017.

NPBA: STINGERS CLOSE OUT YEAR WITH 2 STRAIGHT WINS THE PJ Stingers closed out the year by winning two consecutive games on the final weekend of regular season play for 2016 in the New Providence Basketball Association.

On Saturday night. the Stingers nipped the Island Game Pros 82-80 after holding off the Shockers 108-103 Friday night in their division one match-ups.

In other games, the Triple K Stampers won by default over the Future Ballers and the Breezes High Flyers flew past the Hype Basketball in a division II double header. On Friday, the Rockets blasted the Pros 100-86 in another division one encounter.

• Here’s a summary of the games played: Stingers 82, Pros 80: With 45 seconds left in the game, Domnick Bridgewater canned a jumper to put PJ’s up 82-77 and they held off Island Game for the win.

Bridgewater finished with 16 points, three assists and two rebounds, but Vernon Stubbs led the attack with 17 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

Devon Ferguson added 13 points with three rebounds and two assists, Randy Williams came off the bench and contributed 10 points and five rebounds and Ishmael Curtis had seven points and 11 rebounds.

Patrick Leadon had a game high 19 points and seven rebounds to pace the Pros. Both Derrick Ferguson and Judino Wilson had 16 points and two rebounds.

Ferguson also dished out four assists.

Stingers 108, Shockers 103: In a battle of the two halves, PJ rebounded after trailing 20-15 at the end of the first quarter and 42-30 at the half to out-score the Shockers 35-30 in the third and 18-13 in the fourth to come-from-behind for the big win.

Randy Williams came off the bench and netted 25 points with four rebounds, Batchelette LaFleur had 13 points and six rebounds,

THE NPBA now takes a break for the Christmas holiday, resuming play on January 7.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/The Tribune Devon Ferguson had 12 points and 11 rebounds, Vernon Stubbs had 10 points and seven rebounds and Domnick Bridgewater helped out with 10 points, six assists and five rebounds.

William Rigby had a game high 26 points with 13 rebounds and four assists to pace the Shockers. Salathiel Dean had 25 points, nine rebounds and five assists, Lamont Armaly had 12 points and three assists and Shakeil Adderley chipped in with 10 points, five rebounds and three assists.

High Flyers 62, Hype Basketball 42: Jeremy Neely scored 20 points with seven rebounds and five assists to lead Breezes to their division II victory as they opened an 11-5 lead at the end of the first quarter and held on for a 25-17 margin at the half.

Travis Stuart had 14 points and six rebounds and DeVontee Gibson helped out with 10 points and six rebounds.

In a losing effort, Alexander Bullard scored 11 points with four rebounds and

Adrian Thompson came up with eight points and eight rebounds.

Rockets 100, Pirates 86: After opening a 31-23 spurt in the first quarter, the Rockets extended their lead to 57-42 at the half and they never looked back the rest of the way.

Scottie Farrington pumped in a game high 26 points with eight rebounds and three assists to lead the Rockets. Corey Williams came off the bench with 12 points and four rebounds and Henderson Curry joined in contributing 12 points with three rebounds and two assists. Dancel Knowles added eight points with three rebounds.

For the Pirates, Tevin Hudson had 22 points and eight rebounds, Kronoff Dean also had 22 points with five rebounds, Domonique Fernander had 11 points, 14 rebounds and six assists and Kevin Wright Jr added 10 points.

The NPBA will now take a break for the Christmas holiday, resuming play on January 7.

DEANDRE AYTON (left) and BUDDY HIELD in action.

This year gave us Shaunae Miller and her “dive for gold” moment at the Rio Olympics, but 2017 brings with it two opportunities for Bahamian track and field fanatics to celebrate the talent the country has to offer - the IAAF World Championships in London next summer and the IAAF World Relays here at home in April at the Thomas A Robinson stadium.

Three months later, in

July, the stadium and the island of Nassau will play host to the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games.

Further, soccer fans would be able to see dozens of the world’s premier beach players on display at the Bahamas’ new $2.5m complex currently under construction at Malcolm Park West in the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup in April.

These events come in addition to the annual Pop-

eyes Bahamas Bowl, Battle 4 Atlantis, golf’s Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic and Tiger Woods Hero World Challenge - plus a host of local sporting events.

So here is a bit of advice.

Rest well this holiday season - 2017 looks busy!

• Ricardo Wells writes Fourth Quarter Press every Monday. Comments to rwells@tribunemedia.net

PAGE 20, Monday, December 19, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Spurs celebrate Duncan, beat Pelicans in fundamental fashion

By RAUL DOMINGUEZ Associated Press SAN ANTONIO (AP) — LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points and the San Antonio Spurs paid tribute to Tim Duncan on his jersey retirement night with a fundamentally strong performance in a 113-100 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans last night.

San Antonio won its fourth straight overall and fourth consecutive at home after a slow start at the AT&T Center.

The Spurs retired Duncan’s jersey after the game. The franchise cornerstone retired in the offseason after winning five championships and two MVPs in 19 seasons, all with San Antonio.

Duncan’s style of play led to the nickname “The Big Fundamental,” and the Spurs honoured him with their own rather seamless performance against the Pelicans.

San Antonio had six players score in double figures, had 31 assists on 42 baskets, committed just 13 turnovers and shot 49 per cent from the field. Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, who combined to form “The Big Three” with Duncan, combined for 28 points, seven assists and five rebounds.

Aldridge made the Spurs’ first points on a 20-foot jumper. San Antonio signed Aldridge to play alongside Duncan last season and eventually replace him as a dominant force at power forward.

Aldridge shot 6 for 15 from the field in 26 minutes.

Alexis Ajinca led New Orleans with 16 points. Anthony Davis was limited to 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting. Rookie guard Buddy Hield, of the Bahamas, scored 14 with two assists and three rebounds in 25 minutes.

TIP-INS Pelicans: F Solomon Hill missed

NBA CAPSULES WIZARDS 117, CLIPPERS 110 WASHINGTON (AP) — Bradley Beal scored 41 points, Markieff Morris had 12 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, and the

WESTERN CONFERENCE

the game to be with his wife after the birth of their first child. ... Quincy Pondexter has not played this season after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in March 2016. ... The Pelicans are 13-41 against the Spurs in franchise history, including just four wins in 28 games in San Antonio.

Spurs: San Antonio retired Duncan’s jersey following the game.

Among his former teammates in attendance to honour Duncan were David Robinson, Bruce Bowen, Sean Elliott, Malik Rose, Antonio Daniels and Will Perdue. The Spurs are 10-0 this season when Tony Parker scores in double figures. San Antonio has 30 alley-oop dunks in 26 games this season. They had 18 all of last season.

UP NEXT Pelicans: At New Orleans on Tuesday night.

Spurs: At Houston on Tuesday night.

Washington Wizards beat the Los Angeles Clippers 117-110 on Sunday.

John Wall added 18 points and 11 assists for the Wizards. They closed with a 22-8 run to win their third straight game and fifth in six.

Blake Griffin scored 26 points for the Clippers, but was held scoreless during a fourth quarter in which coach Doc Rivers was ejected.

DeAndre Jordan added 13 points and 17 rebounds, and Chris Paul had 13 points and 12 assists. Los Angeles had won four in a row.

Washington shot 80 percent (12 of 15) from the floor in the fourth after already coming back from an 11-point deficit in the third.

JAZZ 82, GRIZZLIES 73 MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Gordon Hayward scored 22 points and Rudy Gobert had 21 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks, helping Utah win a defensive battle.

The win —Utah’s fourth straight and seventh in the last eight — came after the Jazz broke open a close game with about four minutes remaining. Boris Diaw, Hayward and Shelvin Mack connected on a trio of 3-pointers, turning a 66-all tie into a Jazz win. Diaw had 11 points and Mack had 10.

Mike Conley led Memphis with 14 points, while Zach Randolph had 12 points and 11 rebounds. JaMychal Green added 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Memphis managed only 30 percent shooting on the night against the aggressive Jazz defense. That included the Grizzlies converting only 2 of 23 shots from outside the arc.

RAPTORS 109, MAGIC 79 ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — DeMar DeRozan scored 31 points and Jonas Valanciunas added 16 points and 13 rebounds, helping Toronto beat Orlando.

DeRozan has scored at least 30 points in four straight games and 15 times overall this season. Toronto exploded in the third quarter to open a 20-point lead and has scored 100 points in 14 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NBA. Toronto outscored the Magic 29-13 in the third quarter to break open a four-point halftime advantage.

Evan Fournier led the Magic with 15 points but was plagued by foul trouble try-

PELICANS guard Buddy Hield (24) shoots against Spurs centre Pau Gasol during the first half of last night’s game in San Antonio. (AP)

ing to guard the more physical DeMarre Carroll.

76ERS 108, NETS 107 PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid scored 17 of his career-high 33 points in the third quarter and hit a pair of free throws with 12.5 seconds left to lead Philadelphia over Brooklyn in a matchup of two of the league’s worst teams.

Embiid added 10 rebounds and Ersan Ilyasova had 22 points for the 76ers, who snapped an eight-game home losing streak while winning for the third time in 13 games.

A leading Rookie of the Year candidate, Embiid was 12 for 17 from the field, including 2 for 3 from beyond the arc, and 7 for 8 from the free-throw line.

Brook Lopez had 22 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Nets, who lost their ninth in a row on the road.

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — With his team 1-0 down and toiling against Arsenal, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola slipped and tumbled to the ground in the technical area after kicking the ball back into play.

Guardiola got back to his feet, dusted himself down and gestured to his team to keep going.

On a day of recoveries in the English Premier League, City answered its coach’s call.

City scored twice in a stirring second-half performance to rally to a 2-1 win over Arsenal in a match between two teams battling to stay in sight of in-form league leader Chelsea.

After Leroy Sane equalised in the 47th minute, Raheem Sterling scored the winner in the 71st minute when he collected a stunning cross-field ball from Kevin De Bruyne, cut inside and drove a low finish in at the near post.

City moved into second place and back to within seven points of Chelsea, which has won 11 straight games to take control of the title race nearly halfway through the season.

“Seven points is still a huge distance from a team who made 11 wins in a row,” Guardiola

said, who urged his team to “be there as much as possible and wait for (Chelsea) to fail.”

Tottenham also rallied to a 2-1 win after falling behind early to Burnley. Danny Rose grabbed the winning goal — in the 71st minute, like Sterling — to leave fifth-place Spurs a point behind Arsenal, its north London rival. Arsenal is nine points behind Chelsea.

In the day’s early game, Southampton recovered from falling behind in the sixth minute to beat Bournemouth 3-1, with striker Jay Rodriguez scoring twice.

• Here’s a closer look at Sunday’s games: MANCHESTER CITY 2, ARSENAL 1 Arsenal squandered a lead to lose 2-1 for the second time this week — and just like against Everton on Tuesday, Arsene Wenger blamed his players’ second-half tiredness as well as the referee.

“The referees are protected like lions in the zoo,” the Arsenal manager said, having complained that both of City’s goals should have been disallowed for offside.

Sane cancelled out a fifthminute goal from Theo Walcott by racing onto David Silva’s pass — potentially from a marginal offside position — to slot

EASTERN CONFERENCE

CELTICS 105, HEAT 95 MIAMI (AP) — Isaiah Thomas scored 23 points before getting ejected, Avery Bradley added 20 and Boston built a huge early lead on the way to beating Miami.

Al Horford had 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Celtics. They led by 22 in the first half and beat Miami for the fifth consecutive time.

Miami turned the ball over 23 times, and Boston converted those into 24 points. And the Heat, the worst free-throw shooting team in the NBA, went 6 for 14 from the line in the fourth quarter.

Goran Dragic led all scorers with 31 points for Miami. Hassan Whiteside finished with 23 points and 17 rebounds, all but one of those rebounds coming in the second half.

Thomas was ejected with 3:02 left for elbowing Justise Winslow in the face, bloodying the Heat forward and being assessed with a flagrant-2 after a lengthy review.

MAVERICKS 99, KINGS 79 DALLAS (AP) — Rookie Dorian Finney-Smith scored a season-high 17 points, leading six Dallas players in double figures.

After losing to Sacramento by 31 points at home 11 days ago, the Mavericks started fast. They made 11 of their first 15 shots and never trailed.

City, Spurs rally for victories on day of recoveries in EPL

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer

Deron Williams, Harrison Barnes and Wesley Matthews each scored 15 for Dallas.

DeMarcus Cousins scored 33 for Sacramento. The Kings were minus second-leading scorer Rudy Gay, who missed his third consecutive game because of a strained right hip flexor.

past Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech. Wenger also felt Silva was offside, and in Cech’s line of vision, when the goalkeeper was beaten by Sterling’s low shot.

Guardiola preferred to talk about the “exceptional pass” from De Bruyne that set Sterling free for the winner, which meant City has come out of a tough spell — capped by a chastening 4-2 loss at Leicester last weekend — with two straight victories this week.

“We are learning little by little,” said Guardiola, who has been criticised by some for not adapting his tactics to the Premier League.

TOTTENHAM 2, BURNLEY 1 Burnley manager Sean Dyche was aggrieved that Tottenham substitute Moussa Sissoko was still on the field to set up Rose for his winning goal.

Moments before playing in Rose, Sissoko had been booked for a high challenge on Stephen Ward.

“It was a blind challenge, a high challenge and simply a red card,” said Dyche.

Burnley took the lead against the run of play at White Hart Lane through Ashley Barnes in the 21st minute, but conceded a strike by Dele Alli six minutes later.

It was Spurs’ fourth win in

their last five games in all competitions BOURNEMOUTH 1, SOUTHAMPTON 3 Rodriguez has been looking for a performance to kick-start his career since returning from a long spell out with damaged knee ligaments.

Two second-half goals to cap a comeback at Bournemouth might just be it.

Rodriguez scored from close range in the 48th, then fired in a dipping shot from the edge of the area in the 85th to triple his goal tally for the league campaign.

Rodriguez had just forced his way into England’s squad when he sustained a cruciate knee ligament injury in April 2014 that ruled him out for more than a year. He had a poor 2015-16 campaign as he recovered from the injury, and had been below Charlie Austin in Southampton’s pecking order of strikers before Austin hurt his shoulder this month.

With Austin potentially out for up to four months, Rodriguez might have a prolonged run in Claude Puel’s team.

Nathan Ake’s header put Bournemouth in front in the sixth minute, before Ryan Bertrand equalised in the 14th.

Southampton climbed to seventh.

LIONEL MESSI MESMERISES IN BARCELONA’S 4-1 WIN AGAINST ESPANYOL MADRID (AP) — Lionel Messi put on a show in Barcelona’s final Spanish league game of the year, scoring once and mesmerising with his dribbling skills to set up two other goals in a 4-1 win against Espanyol in the city derby yesterday.

Luis Suarez struck the first two goals and Jordi Alba added another in a victory that left Barcelona three points behind leader Real Madrid ahead of the winter break. Madrid, which won FIFA’s Club World Cup in Japan this weekend, has a game in hand.

Messi dazzled the crowd at Camp Nou for the first time when he cleared four defenders outside the area — including by rolling the ball between the legs of one of them — before having his shot parried. Suarez pounced on the loose ball to score his second goal in the 67th minute.

“That was a PlayStation play by Messi,” Suarez said. “I wish he had ended it with the goal, it would have been one of the best in the last few years.”

A minute later, Messi used his pace and clever dribbles to get past four defenders again, and then passed for Alba to find the net from inside the area.

After nearly scoring following a neat feint that fooled two defenders inside the area, Messi finished the night in style by finding the net from close range after a pass by Suarez in the 90th.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, December 19, 2016, PAGE 21

Dolphins assured of first winning season since 2008

By STEVEN WINE AP Sports Writer DAVIE, Florida (AP) — The Miami Dolphins returned to South Florida from their latest win at 5am yesterday and were back at work a few hours later, smiling and chatty and betraying no signs of a short night’s sleep.

They’re too busy savouring success. “Winning is fun,” guard Jermon Bushrod said. “That’s what we get paid to do. You want to be in meaningful games in December, and you just want to win, because winning feels real good.”

It’s a new sensation in these parts, with the Dolphins (9-5) now assured of their first winning season since 2008 following Saturday night’s 34-13 drubbing of the New York Jets .

But the Dolphins are focused on a more ambitious achievement — making the playoffs.

“The more you win, the

DOLPHINS QB Matt Moore (8) walks off the field after playing against the New York Jets on Saturday night. (AP) more pressure the next game is,” Bushrod said.

NFL CAPSULES COWBOYS 26, BUCCANEERS 20 ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Ezekiel Elliott celebrated a short touchdown run by jumping into an oversized Salvation Army red kettle and the Dallas Cowboys closed in on home-field advantage in the playoffs with a 26-20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last night.

The Cowboys (12-2) bounced back after their franchise-record 11-game winning streak ended, hanging on after what looked to be a festive night following Elliott’s antics turned tense when Jameis Winston rallied the Bucs from a 17-3 deficit to a 20-17 lead.

Making his debut in the Sunday night spotlight, Winston threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns but had four turnovers, including an interception that led to Dan Bailey’s 38-yard field goal that gave Dallas a 23-20 lead early in the fourth quarter.

TITANS 19, CHIEFS 17 KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ryan Succop kicked a 53-yard field goal into the wind as time expired Sunday to give the Tennessee Titans a 19-17 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on a frigid afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium.

Succop, who spent the first part of his career with Kansas City, came up short on his first try at the winner, but Chiefs coach Andy Reid had called a timeout just before the snap. Given a second chance, Succop knocked it through with a couple feet to spare as the Titans poured off the bench to celebrate.

The Titans’ rallied from a 17-7 hole, and Derrick Henry’s second touchdown got Tennessee (8-6) within 17-16 with just over three minutes left. But Titans coach Mike Mularkey went for the 2-point conversion and the lead.

Marcus Mariota was pressured immediately and his pass never reached the end zone.

But the Chiefs (10-4), trying to clinch a playoff spot, were unable to run out the clock and Tennessee got the ball back with a minute left. With no timeouts, Mariota calmly found Rishard Matthews for 19 yards and Delanie Walker twice to set up Succop’s field-goal attempt.

TEXANS 21, JAGUARS 20 HOUSTON (AP) — Tom Savage threw for 260 yards after Brock Osweiler was benched in the second quarter, and Lamar Miller scored Houston’s only with less than three minutes remaining.

Jacksonville fired coach Gus Bradley after the game.

The win was Houston’s 10th straight in the division and left the Texans (86) tied with Tennessee for the AFC South lead. But Houston controls its playoff future with a 5-0 mark in the division.

PATRIOTS 16, BRONCOS 3 DENVER (AP) — Tom Brady overcame a slow start to lead the Patriots to a rare win in Denver, dealing a crushing blow to the Broncos’ playoff hopes.

Brady missed his first six passes for just the second time in his career; the first was way back on Oct. 12, 2003, against the Giants. But he came back to lead the Patriots (12-2) to a record eighth consecutive division title and a first-round bye.

Brady returned to the site of his worst beating, a 20-18 loss in the AFC championship 11 months ago when he was hit a career-high 23 times. This time, he brought a power run game and a much-improved O-line with him.

The result was just his third win

“Saturday was a big game for us, but it won’t be the

in Denver in 10 tries, and it was the Broncos’ hopes of defending their Super Bowl title that took a beating. The Broncos (8-6) lost for the third time in four games and were supplanted by the Dolphins for the sixth and final playoff spot in the AFC race with two weeks remaining.

RAIDERS 19, CHARGERS 16 SAN DIEGO (AP) — Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 44-yard field goal with 2:40 left, his fourth of the game, and the Raiders beat the Chargers in the Relocation Bowl to clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2002.

Playing before what looked like a home crowd at 70,000-seat Qualcomm Stadium, the visiting Raiders (11-3) earned a playoff nod on the same field where they made their last postseason appearance, an embarrassing 48-21 loss to Tampa Bay in the Super Bowl on Jan. 26, 2003.

PACKERS 30, BEARS 27 CHICAGO (AP) — Aaron Rodgers hit Jordy Nelson with a 60-yard pass to set up Mason Crosby’s 32-yard field goal as time expired in one of the coldest games ever played in Chicago.

Wide receiver-turned-running back Ty Montgomery ran for a career-high 162 yards and two touchdowns, and the Packers (8-6) earned their fourth straight victory despite blowing a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter.

They also moved ahead of Minnesota for second place in the NFC North and pulled within a game of division leader Detroit.

BILLS 33, BROWNS 13 ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The bumbling Browns are two losses short of becoming the NFL’s second team to go 0-16 in one season.

LeSean McCoy had a season-best 153 yards rushing and scored twice, and the Bills kept their slim playoff hopes alive.

The Browns dropped to 0-14, matching the second-worst start to a season set by the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and 1980 New Orleans Saints.

The 2008 Detroit Lions , meanwhile, are the NFL’s only team to go without a win in a 16-game season.

Cleveland has also lost 17 straight dating to last year, moving into a tie with the St. Louis Rams (2008-09) and Houston Oilers (1982-83) for the league’s sixth-longest skid. The Browns have now gone a calendar year since their last win, a 24-10 victory over San Francisco on December 13, 2015.

STEELERS 24, BENGALS 20 CINCINNATI (AP) — Chris Boswell tied the club record with six field goals, and Ben Roethlisberger threw a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.

The Steelers (9-5) have won five straight and can clinch the AFC North title with a victory at home next Sunday against Baltimore (8-6). As a first step, they rallied from a 14-point deficit — kick by kick — and eliminated the defending champions at a place where they’re right at home.

They beat the Bengals (5-8-1) in the opening round of the playoffs 1816 last January, getting the winning field goal with the help of penalties on Vontaze Burfict and Adam “Pacman” Jones. Burfict and Jones each got a personal foul on Sunday — Pittsburgh’s Marcus Gilbert had one as well — as the animosity continued.

So did the Steelers’ dominance at Paul Brown Stadium, where they’ve won four in a row.

RAVENS 27, EAGLES 26 BALTIMORE (AP) — The Ravens survived a desperate comeback bid by the Eagles, stopping a 2-point conversion with 4 seconds left.

biggest. I don’t want that to be the biggest game we play.

I want us to keep finding a way to win, because that’s what good teams do.”

With eight victories in the past nine games, the Dolphins are clearly better than in recent years, and the next couple of weeks will help determine how good they are. They play Saturday at Buffalo and then conclude the regular season January 1 against New England.

Nobody preaches one game at a time more than first-year coach Adam Gase, and when asked if he allows himself even a moment to be excited about success, he stuck with a response so familiar he considered it not even worth quoting. “I think you know what my answer is going to be,” Gase said. “It’s wasting paper and the internet. But that has been a great thing our players have embraced: Focus on what we’re doing right now.

“We play until somebody

On a wet and windy day, the Ravens maintained control of their playoff possibilities. If Baltimore defeats Pittsburgh on Christmas Day and Cincinnati in the regular-season finale, the Ravens will enter the postseason as AFC North champions.

Baltimore (8-6) led 27-17 with just over six minutes left when Joe Flacco threw an interception inside the Philadelphia 10 to give the Eagles (5-9) another chance.

GIANTS 17, LIONS 6 EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Odell Beckham Jr. made another one-hand touchdown catch to delight replay fanatics, the defense turned in another stifling performance and the Giants inched closer to their first playoff berth since 2011.

NFC North-leading Detroit (9-5) had won five in a row.

The win was the eighth in nine games for the Giants (10-4) and it gave them their best record through 14 games since 2008, when they were 11-3.

The formula was the one the team has followed in Ben McAdoo’s first season: just enough offense and a tough stingy, pass-rushing defense.

That unit has come up with big backto-back performances against two division leaders in Dallas (11-2) and Detroit, giving up 13 total points.

Eli Manning (20 of 28 for 201 yards) threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Sterling Shepard on a 75-yard opening drive. He then iced the game with a 4-yarder that Beckham caught with his left hand and then pranced into the end zone for a 11-point lead with 5:20 to play.

FALCONS 41, 49ERS 13 ATLANTA (AP) — Devonta Freeman ran for three touchdowns, Matt Ryan passed for two more and the Falcons clinched their first winning season since 2012.

Freeman rushed for 139 yards and capped his big day with a 34-yard touchdown run.

Ryan completed 17 of 23 passes for 286 yards, including a pair of 9-yard scoring tosses to Taylor Gabriel and Austin Hooper.

SAINTS 48, CARDINALS 41 GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Drew Brees snapped out of a two-game funk to throw for 389 yards and four touchdowns in the highest-scoring game in the NFL this season. Brees, who had no TDs and six interceptions his previous two games, completed 37 of 48 with no picks.

Brandin Cooks caught seven passes for a career-best 186 yards for the Saints (6-8), including touchdown plays of 65 and 45 yards.

David Johnson rushed for 53 yards and caught four passes for 55 yards for Arizona (5-8-1). The second-year back became the first player in NFL history to have at least 100 yards from scrimmage in the first 14 games of a season.

Johnson rushed for two touchdowns, giving him 17 TDs this season and 30 in the first 30 games as a pro.

VIKINGS 34, COLTS 6 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Andrew Luck threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns, Robert Turbin rushed for two touchdowns, Mike Adams forced a fumble and added an interception for the Colts (7-7).

Frank Gore rushed for 101 yards and Indianapolis won on the road for the fourth time this season, dominating a Vikings defense that has been among the best in the league.

Adrian Peterson had just 22 yards on six carries and lost a fumble in his first game back from a knee injury for the Vikings (7-7).

tells us not to. We just need to stick with that mantra.”

The Jets sure couldn’t stop them. The Dolphins completed their first sweep of their division rivals since 2009 as Matt Moore threw a career-high four touchdown passes in his first start since 2011. “I think I got a good pulse of the guys and how they were feeling, and even if I didn’t, I would probably fake it,” Moore said. “But I felt really good, and I knew the guys felt good.”

They looked good, too.

Kenny Stills had a reception covering at least 50 yards for the third time this year. Jarvis Landry turned a short pass into a 66-yard touchdown and surpassed 1,000 yards for the season, and Jay Ajayi became a 1,000-yard rusher.

On defence, Cameron Wake had a strip sack and his first career interception, and Tony Lippett added two interceptions, while Walt Aikens scored on special teams for the second

week in a row.

With quarterback Ryan Tannehill sidelined by a knee injury, the Dolphins found a way to compensate, as they’ve done with season-ending injuries to their best defensive back (Reshad Jones) and best offensive lineman (Mike Pouncey).

“Once again, somebody goes down, and everybody rallies and steps up their game,” Gase said. “You don’t hear our guys putting their head down and being upset. It’s that rallying cry of next man up.”

As a reward, most of the Dolphins have a shot at the first playoff game of their career.

“This is an amazing feeling to be in the position that we are in,” Landry said.

“I can’t remember in past years how many Dolphins teams were above .500 at this point in the year. So for us to be where we are is a testament to the hard work we’ve put in.”

THE STANDINGS

PAGE 22, Monday, December 19, 2016

Rolle earns 3rd opportunity to represent Bahamas in the Pure Silk LPGA Classic FROM PAGE 17 “Just knowing that I should have made those putts made me put too much pressure on the next and the next and the next shots,” she said. “Putting was it for me. I struck the ball very well and I hit almost every fairway and half the greens. But my putting failed me big time.”

While she enjoyed the competition, Riley said it was so close that anyone could have come out on top. After falling short, she has vowed to make a difference when she gets a second chance on January 23.

For Sandiford, she was just delighted to be home, even though she would have preferred to perform much better in the tournament. “Yesterday (Saturday) I played very well. I just left a few putts out there,” she said. “Today (Sunday) there was just a few errant shots, small minor things, but overall I’m happy and proud of the way I played. “I haven’t been playing much because I’m done with college and is now an assistant golf club at college in Oklahoma so I get to play maybe once or twice a week if I’m lucky. But seeing it from a different angle, I’m learning to be a better player. I am better than I was last year and hopefully next year I will be better than I was today.”

After playing locally for the past 11 years as a junior, Inecia Rolle is starting to get to the level where she wants to be, thanks largely to her athletic scholarship at Chowan University where she’s making her impression in her freshman year.

But 18-year-old Rolle will be the first to tell you that her coaching staff at Chowan won’t

be as pleased as they would like with her performance in the tournament.

“The weather was so good, I should have played much better than I did in my past two times trying out,” Rolle said. “With the game of gold, you have to take what it gives you and not try to force anything or everything will just go out of control.

“But it was a great opportunity to get this chance again to try out for the Pure Silk Tournament. This will definitely help to mature me as a golfer as I continue to grow.”

With her fall season completed since the end of October after turning in some low scores in four of the five tournaments she played in, Rolle said if she had at least gotten to get in some work, she would have done much better. She summed up her performance by saying that she just simply “couldn’t putt, couldn’t chip. I could barely hit the ball. Everything was just out of the window.”

As the youngest member of the tournament, 13-year-old Michel did her best in her debut at such a high level in the three years she’s been involved in the sport. “It was rough. The first day was just a nightmare with the weather, but today was better,” said the CH Reeves’ ninth grader. “I expected to shoot in the 70s, but it didn’t turn out that good. “It could have been worse, but with this being my first time trying out, the ladies were competitive and I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong.”

Glenn Archer, president of the BGF, said they had envisioned a bigger turnout of competitors, but he congratulated

GEORGETTE Rolle in action yesterday at the Ocean Club.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/The Tribune the five players who participated. “The weather wasn’t the best yesterday (Saturday), but it was much better today,” today, (Sunday) but it was better,” he said. “We just have to get this to a point where our players can get better and get more exposure to good competition before getting into major events like the Pure Silk.”

While he congratulated Rolle on getting her exemption into the main event, he noted that Riley still has a chance when she competes in the qualifying

round of the main event at the start of the week long tournament in January.

Robbie Lening, the general manager for Pure Silk, said it’s a testament of the hard work of the five golfers to weather the conditions and still compete at a high level. “We didn’t have great weather the first day, but they got through the adversity,” he said. “They are all very talented, so it will be interesting to see how they further develop their skills as they move forward.”

‘Major Pain’ gets win after Roberto Acevedo refuses to leave his corner mained unphased and had his goal in mind of winning the fight and moving on to new opportunities, including chasing the British Commonwealth title.

“He caught me with a good shot but it wasn’t anything serious. It just woke me up a little bit to know that I was in for a fight. I was looking forward to this, I never took him lightly, I’m just grateful to god for the opportunity. Now it’s back to the drawing board and getting ready to fight again next year and all the opportunities I have ahead of me in 2017.”

The highlight of the night came in the co-main event matchup where the prefight prediction of Bahamian heavyweight Bernard Rolle proved to be true. Rolle won via first round knockout over Decius Delan of Haiti.

“I told yall what I came to do, I came to do this thing. Whatever I come to do I live up to what I say and that’s to knock him out in the first round,” Rolle said.

“This fight could have been even shorter. I was determined to put him away in the first couple seconds, but he was throwing some baby blows, it was only making me mad. I saw the opening and

‘boom’ I took it.”

Delan came out on the offensive early and Rolle seemed content absorbing shots and waiting for his opening. Rolle took several punches backed against the ropes and countered with a right hook that floored Delan and he was unable to continue following the standing eight count. It was a welcome return to the ring for Rolle who said he’s ready for his next challenge.

“I’ll be waiting patiently,” he said. “Whoever wants some can get some.”

In the most competitive bout of the evening, Lester Brown won by majority decision over

Haiti’s Pierre Enabe.

“I had a skilled opponent.

I was disappointed I couldn’t put him away but if I had just pushed a little bit harder than I did I know I could have gotten the knockout,” he said. “From here I’m just trying to get more fights in the US to boost my record and face some tougher opponents.”

The Haitian fighters began the evening with a win as Remy Felisier won by unanimous decision over local talent, Ivan Moxey.

The bout between Leon Bain and David “Pacesetter” Wallace was ruled as a no contest.

A RICHARDSON TO HOST CAREER PATHS TO ATHLETIC SUCCESS FROM PAGE 17 have been through it, we can bridge the gap between that talent and success,” said Richardson.

“It’s important to empower individuals in athletic fields with facts and relevant information so those with the desire will hopefully be better equipped to

chart a successful course. When individuals meet professionals in this industry and get an understanding of how relatable their stories are, it makes their dreams seem a little closer; it actually turns that dream into an attainable goal,” said Richardson.

Bahamian baseball player Albert Cartwright, who joined the professional ranks in 2007, will also speak on the panel along with MLB player Mike Bax-

FATHER MARCIAN PETERS WINNERS CROWNED FROM PAGE 17

MEACHER ‘Major Pain’ Major (left) won the main event to remain undefeated at home with a second round stoppage over Roberto Acevedo of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Showdown boxing event at Kendal Isaacs THE HIGHLIGHT of the night came in the co-main event matchup where Gym on Saturday night. the prefight prediction of Bahamian heavyweight Bernard Rolle proved to be Photos: Shawn Hanna/The Tribune true. Rolle won via first round knockout over Decius Delan of Haiti.

FROM PAGE 17

THE TRIBUNE

ter, Erik Bakich, head baseball coach at University of Michigan, and Rebecca Seesel, manager of International Baseball Operations for the Office of the Commissioner.

Richardson and Baxter both achieved early success as scholarship students at Vanderbilt University. They were teammates and roommates. Coach Bakich helped to recruit Richardson to Vanderbilt back in 2003. Ms Seesel and Richard-

son have worked together in the past to explore ways to grow the sport of baseball in The Bahamas. While baseball clubs are popular in The Bahamas, and the country has a history of MLB success, softball and not baseball is formally played at the secondary school level.

The panel will offer diverse perspectives as the representatives come from different sides of the business - athletes, coaches and administrators.

scored a game high 15 points, 12 of which came in the second half. Raynell Young scored 13 to lead the Strikers while Brianna Young scored the other eight. Tied at eight at the half, the Hurricanes won the third quarter 9-4 to take control for good and Hamilton’s six points in the fourth secured the win and withstood a late charge from the Strikers.

The Primary Boys’ division featured another close finish as the Saints got a late score on a putback from Leonardo Burrows for a 19-18 win over the Harbour Island Cougars.

Burrows scored six and teammate Tony Simmons finished with a team high nine to lead the Saints. Bryon Bullard led the Cougars with 12 points.

Simmons scored the first two field goals of the game as the teams tied at four at the end of the first and six at halftime. They took a nine all tie into the fourth quarter.

Bullard was unstoppable in the final period when he scored seven of his 12 points, including a three-point play that put Harbour Island ahead 18-15 with 47 seconds left to play. On the ensuing possession, Simmons drove baseline to score but was unable to convert the three-point play when he missed the go-ahead free throw. Burrows was there to grab the offensive rebound and score the putback.

The Junior Girls’ championship featured more late game heroics.

Michelle Butler’s jumper from the free throw line as time expired lifted the Sharks to a 14-12 win over the HO Nash Lions.

She was named the MVP with a team high five points. Adalia Tucker led the Lions with six.

In the Junior Boys’ title game, the Mystic Marlins pulled away late for a 33-23 win over the DW Davis Royals.

Cardio Woodside was named the MVP with a game high 12 points, while Donald Hanna scored seven and Tevon Dill added six.

Doris Johnson opened up the game on a 7-0 run en route to a 12-4 lead at the end of the first quarter, powered by six from Hanna.

The Royals’ full court trap clamped down defensively and limited the Mystic Marlins to just four points in the second and trim the deficit to 16-12 at the half. Both teams struggled from the field in the third and scored just four points apiece.

Woodside scored six of his 12 in the fourth quarter en route to leading the team to their first Father Marcian title in school history.

The Senior Girls’ division featured another first time champion when the Harbour Island Cougars outlasted the Teleos Cherubims, 13-12.

Breontae Bullard scored five while both Shantia Black and Tachante Johnson scored four to help the Cougars take at least one divisional trophy back to Harbour Island for the fourth consecutive year.

Marquella Dean finished with nine to lead Teleos.

The Intermediate Boys’ closed out play with the CC Sweeting Cobras’ 3125 win over the Jordan Prince William Falcons.

Joshua Anderson led the Cobras with 11, Joshua Forbes scored eight and Andre Thompson finished with seven points and 10 rebounds.

Mateo Taylor’s 13 points led the Falcons and Prince McPhee finished with four.

The Falcons took an early 5-1 lead before Thompson’s three and Forbes’ pair of free throws put the Cobras ahead, 6-5 to end the first. The Falcons tied the game at eight midway through the second, but the Cobras took a 13-10 lead into the half.

They opened the third on a 6-0 run to extend the lead to nine and took a 19-11 lead into the fourth.

The lead reached 10 in the fourth on a Rickey Moxey follow for a 28-18 lead.

Each of the division winners and runners-up were presented with trophies to champions and runners -up and MVPs. There are a plethora of pre-season and mid-season tournaments for senior boys - the Father Marcian tournament is one of the few venues for the other divisions to be showcased.

In the last edition, hosted in 2014, division winners included Freedom Baptist (primary girls), Temple Christian (primary boys), Harbour Island (junior girls), Aquinas College (junior boys), CR Walker (senior girls) and Queen’s College (intermediate boys).

In 2013, Harbour Island All Age School captured three of the six contested divisions – junior boys, intermediate boys and junior girls. Temple Christian won primary boys, The Carlton Francis Shockers won the primary girls’ division and CR Walker won senior girls.

The tournament traditionally features scores of teams from the primary girls and boys, junior girls and boys, intermediate boys and senior girls. The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s staff facilitates the event.

Father Marcian Peters, who passed away in 1981, was known as a national sporting icon for his contributions to basketball and softball as tools of social development. Today the tournament stands as the largest and most popular inter-school basketball event.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, December 19, 2016, PAGE 23

PAGE 24, Monday, December 19, 2016

THE TRIBUNE