12282016 sports

SPORTS SECTION E

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2016

‘Celebrating A Night With the Stars’

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net THE Star Trackers Track Club hosted an elaborate 15th Anniversary Recognition Gala Awards night at Holy Trinity Activities Centre.

Under the theme: “Celebrating A Night With the Stars,” the club honoured its founders David and Laura Charlton, as well as Eugene and Marsha Wright, on December 23.

In attendance were Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ president Rosamunde Carey and some of her executives, immediate past BAAA president Mike Sands and immediate past BAAA public relations officer

Alpheus ‘Hawk’ Finlayson.

Recognition was also given to James and Paige Campbell for their involvement in the club since its inception and both Beverly Wallace-Whitfield and Isabelle Johnson-Pratt, who are known as the club matriarchs.

The colourful Demetrius kept the audience in laughter as the master of ceremonies. Special music was provided by ‘Tingum Dem Band.’ David Charlton, who serves as the head coach, gave a history of the club’s formation and Wallace-Whitfield made a tribute to the Charltons for the role they played as coaches, mentors and organisers of the club.

Both Carey and Sands extended their congratulations to the club and Donella Bodie gave an

extensive review of the role and commitment that many of the parents have made to the club over the years.

Before the night was done, the club presented awards to the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated, the Alphi Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated, ZNS, Radio House, Island FM, The Tribune, Nassau Guardian, Kermit Taylor of Bahamas Athletics and Sports Radio for their support over the years.

The club also recognised some of their star scholar athletes for their stellar accomplishments over the academic terms from September 2015 to June 2016.

They included the following: Jaida Knowles, 3.64 at St Augus-

tine’s College; Darvinette Hanna, 3.12 at Palmdale Primary School; Chernise Maycock, 3.56 at St Thomas More; Emmanual Culmer, 4.00 at Eva Hilton Primary; Neugyen Culmer, 3.69 at Eva Hilton Primary; Bailee Miller, 3.76 at St Augutine’s College; Deja Campbell, 3.17 at St Augustine’s College; Benjamin Sherman, 3.40 at St Francis/Joseph; Anthaya Charlton, 3.66 at St Augustine’s College; Josiah Lockhart, 3.67 at St Francis/Joseph; Zaria Stapleton, 3.50 at St Francis/Joseph and Coren Alcime, 3.46 at Tambearly.

A number of the student athletes, who would have benefited from the club by attending college and universities overseas, were on hand to lend their support to the rising young stars of the club.

KING OF 2016

LeBron James, Pg 8

BAKER NEWMAN TAKES MEN’S TITLE

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net BAKER Newman was so upset that their final match was suspended that he wanted to complete the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s annual Giorgio Baldacci National Open Challenge at Old Forte Bay. So instead of coming back on Saturday at the National Tennis Centre, Baker Newman went on to successfully defend his men’s title Friday night when he came from behind for a gruelling three-set victory 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 in a match estimated to last four hours and 20 minutes combined at the two venues.

Spencer Newman, the No.2 seed and runner up, took the first set 6-4, but Baker Newman rebounded to hold serve at 2-2 in the second set when chair umpire Bradley Bain halted play.

Apparently, when the lights came on, they were not adequate for both players to continue playing. Although all of the lights came on, some were twisted away from the court following Hurricane Matthew and did not provide the neces-

SEE PAGE 4 CHAMPIONS: Old Dominion Monarchs celebrate after beating the Eastern Michigan Eagles 24-20 in the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/The Tribune

Monarchs win 1st bowl game in school history

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

B

ased on recent history, you knew the third matchup between the Old Dominion Monarchs and Eastern Michigan Eagles would come down to fourth quarter execution, setting the stage for a thrilling finish at the 2016 Popeyes Bahamas Bowl on Friday afternoon.

The Monarchs won their first bowl game in school history when they defeated the Eagles 24-20 at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium in the third edition of the game.

Senior quarterback David Washington was named the offensive MVP for completing 11 of 20 passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns.

Tied at 17-17 headed into the fourth quarter, Washington gave the Monarchs the go-ahead score when he connected with Jonathan Duhart for a five-yard touchdown pass on their opening possession.

His three touchdown passes on the afternoon were to three dif-

ferent receivers.

“Coach does a good job of putting us in situations preparing us for these moments and, even though they got back into the game, we just had to get back to our practice situations and things just started clicking like they were supposed to,” he said.

“I’ve been a part of this programme for years so I can’t tell you how much this means to be able to end my career here like this and getting it done with this group of guys. It feels like family.”

Junior running back Ray Lawry was the catalyst behind the Monarchs’ offence with 23 carries for 133 yards while their senior linebacker TJ Ricks was named the Defensive Player of the Game.

“If one guy does his job, everyone does their job, we always have the potential to come out with a win,” Ricks said. “It was my last collegiate game at ODU, it’s probably my favourite team and I was just overcome with emotion that we were able to realise this dream.”

The Monarchs ended the season 10-3 and on a six-game win

RAY LAWRY, of Old Dominion, holds his trophy after being named offensive player of the game. (AP) streak after the pre-season poll had them pegged to finish sixth in Conference-USA.

IESHA COMES OUT ON TOP

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

“We’re excited and grateful for how we were treated and all the wonderful people we met.

We made memories that will last a lifetime. You get caught up so many times in wins and losses that the life experiences can be lost on you, and I promise the Bahamas Bowl experience won’t be lost on us. I just wish we could stay for Junkanoo,” Monarchs head coach Bobby Wilder said.

“We just proved a lot to ourselves, and to people that had us ranked sixth in the conference in those summer meetings. This is the most memorable team I’ve ever been a part of. It’s a special group and I know no matter what my seniors do, wherever they hang their pads up they’ll always be back and a part of this family.

“It’s like we’re in second grade as a programme and there’s so much this programme can accomplish. If you believe in something you can do something special.

Regardless of where they had us picked to finish in August we just won 10 games, our school’s first

IESHA Shepherd said she knew it wasn’t going to be an easy run defending her women’s title at the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s 2016 Giorgio Baldacci National Open Tennis Challenge.

On Friday at the National Tennis Centre, top seed Shepherd had to fight to the end to secure a 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 win over No.2 seed Sydney Clarke in a classic showdown between two of the four ladies who will represent the Bahamas at the Fed Cup in Uruguay in July.

“I expected it to be competitive, but I didn’t expect the outcome of the final score,” Shepherd said. “I lost the first set. She played very well. I have to give it to her.

“I stayed at a certain level that I thought she was when I played her a while back. But I had to step up my level and won the second set. From then, I got my momentum up and I was up 3-0 in the third set and I went into a drought.”

Without knowing exactly what happened, Shepherd was broken twice as Clarke bounced back for a 3-3 tie.

SEE PAGE 2

SEE PAGE 4

PAGE 2, Wednesday, December 28, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: Old Dominion Monarchs celebrate after beating the Eastern Michigan Eagles 24-20 in the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl on Friday.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/The Tribune

MONARCHS WIN 1ST BOWL GAME IN SCHOOL HISTORY FROM PAGE 1 bowl game and that’s pretty cool.”

Old Dominion now has a 3-0 edge in the head-tohead matchup between Friday’s teams thus far. In 2014, they scored a 17-3 victory, followed by a 38-34 win last season.

The Monarchs took an early 3-0 lead on the opening drive and grabbed the momentum after they forced a turnover on downs from the Eagles offence.

Washington was intercepted by Eagles defensive back Vince Calhoun on the team’s second possession, but the Monarchs defence came up in response with a turnover of their own when Denzel Williams intercepted a Brogan Roback pass in the end zone.

The game saw its first touchdown in the second quarter when Washington escaped three defenders in the pocket and eventually found a wide open Vance Pascal for a 37-yard touchdown pass.

They took a 10-0 lead into the half, but the Eagles offence engineered a comeback led by Roback, who completed 26 of 46 passes for 300 yards and two touchdowns.

The Eagles got into the red zone on a pass interference call and Roback was able to find Sergio Bailey II open in the corner for a touchdown at the 12:04 mark in the third quarter .

The Monarchs responded

with a touchdown drive of their own, sparked by several big runs from Lawry and capped by Washington’s touchdown pass to Travis Fulgham.

Eastern Michigan answered that score with passes of 16 and 11 yards to Bailey and John Niupalau on the drive. Roback connected with Niupalau for a

five-yard score to make the score 17-14 and they tacked on another field goal to tie the scores heading into the fourth quarter. The Monarchs would score the go ahead touchdown on their opening drive and the Eagles best opportunity to tie, stalled in the redzone late in the fourth quarter when they had to settle for a 19-

yard field goal.

“It was just a matter of executing down the stretch.

They had the trust in me, it’s not a matter of if we would be able to get going but just when,” Roback said. “This wasn’t a vacation for us.

Our year-long goal wasn’t to go to a bowl game but to win it. It’s a tough pill to swallow, we came here

for business and it’s a little tainted with the loss.”

The Eagles finished the season 7-7 and lost on their first bowl appearance since the 1987 California Bowl.

“It’s a special team we have and just being on this trip preparing to achieve this goal was a very special feeling,” Eagles coach Chris Creighton said. “We

felt as though we were moving the ball, we had the interception and didn’t get the field goal off so you’re talking about potentially 10 points right there in the first half.

“We thought that we would be able to take it to the fourth quarter and wear them out but, unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.”

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, December 28, 2016, PAGE 3

Young tennis ace Jacobi offered contract to represent Tecnifibre

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net AFTER closing out the year with two contrasting performances in Florida, Jacobi Bain got some great news that can propel his career even further in 2017.

His father, Bradley Bain, confirmed that the management team has been able to secure a sponsorship withTecnifibre - a French manufacturer of sporting equipment, specialising in tennis and squash.

Tecnifibre replaces Head company, Jacobi Bain’s sponsor this year, providing him with all of his racquets and strings.

“They offered him a contract to represent them,” said Bradley Bain. “One of the reasons we decided to go with them is because they have a lot of training camps in Europe and anytime he’s in Europe, he can use their training camps because he’s a part of the Tecnifibre team.”

In addition to the racquets and strings that the young Bain will receive, Tecnifibre will also furnish him with tennis apparel to wear on the tour.

“As long as he continues to perform, they will offer him the privilege of representing them,” the older Bain said. “I think it’s a step up in the right direction. ”As he continues to improve and get better, I think more doors will be opened for him, so we will evaluate each on as they come along. So it’s fantastic to have somebody outside of the Bahamas recognising his talent.”

Bain said they have been working very hard to get his son the exposure he needed.

Jacobi Bain is coming

off an appearance at the Orange Bowl where he finished in the top eight.

“It shows that he’s right there with the best in the world,” his proud father stated. “So we have to keep there where he can play with the best players in the world. If he’s not there playing with them, then he’s going to get left behind.

“So we need to keep him in that environment. We’re getting a lot of promises, but it’s short on delivery. It’s expensive for him to play in Europe because there’s the travel, the coaching and the support isn’t coming locally.”

Bain, aged 13, 5-foot, 11-inches and wearing size 13 in tennis shoes, is currently enrolled in the Players Tennis Fitness Institution in Ellenton, Florida, where he is training with a player from Australia and another from Romania.

“He’s in a good environment for training and development,” the elder Bain said. “His coach is from Romania and runs the academy is doing an exceptional job.”

Jacobi Bain said there’s no reason why he should not be able to maintain the level of competitiveness.

“I just want to say thank you to my team for all of the help,” he said. “I just want to stay focus and after I received the racquets and I tried them out, I was happy to make the change.

“I’ve had a good time in Europe. I met a lot of people and so I’m looking forward to going back.

There are times when you run into people who don’t speak English, but they get around because if they don’t speak English, they basically understand what you’re saying.”

If there was any problem

JACOBI BAIN’s management team has been able to secure a sponsorship with Tecnifibre, a French manufacturer of sporting equipment, specializing in tennis and squash. that Bain experienced on the tour, it would have been a bit of racism where one player from Israel tried to spit on him. But Bain said it’s been a lot of fun and he gets to do what he enjoys the most, playing tennis.

Coming from his initial appearance in Europe, Bain

CARLOS MACKEY is hoping to take his television show ‘The Best of Sports World’ to the next level in 2017.

Taking ‘The Best of Sports World’ to the next level

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net CARLOS Mackey, who was responsible for bringing the first collegiate marching band to the Bahamas, is hoping to take his television show ‘The Best of Sports World’ to the next level in 2017.

During the National Football League season, Mackey said he attended the game between the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets on November 6 where he participated in their famous tailgate party.

“It was unbelievable what happened on the parking lot. It was a wonderful time,” Mackey said.

“Then during the game, I was up in the press box to watch the game and talked with some of the Dolphins’ top people.

“I was able to tell them how the Bahamian people love the Dolphins and a lot of Bahamians come over and watch the game

live. They are so passionate about the game and the Dolphins.”

During the trip, Mackey said he was able to interview a number of persons, whom he intends to feature on his show over the next few weeks on ZNS TV. Also while in Maimi, Mackey said he visited the Doral Country Club where he met Larry Little on the golf course and he also interviewed him for the show, along with Ted Hendricks and Henry Lawrence, who combined for nine Super Bowls.

Lawrence was a two-time Pro Bowler who played 13 seasons as an offensive tackle with the Oakland/ Los Angeles Raiders where he won three Super Bowl titles.

Hendricks was a linebacker for 15 seasons with the Baltimore Colts, the Green Bay Packers and the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, while Little was an offensive guard with the San Diego Chargers and the Miami Dolphins.

Little, a graduate of Bethune-Cookman, got his alma mater to come to the Bahamas to play Morris Brown in a big collegiate game that was organised

by Mackey in 1991. That same year, Little offered an athletic scholarship for Michael Wilson to attend Bethune Cookman.

The year before, Mackey was responsible for Florida Memorable University bringing their marching band to perform at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

On January 1, Mackey will return to Miami when they take on the New England Patriots.

Hopefully, Mackey said he intends to interview some more celebrities to showcase on his show that is aired on Saturdays at 5:30pm, Wednesdays at 8:30am and Fridays at 8pm on ZNS. The Best of Sports World will re-air the interviews from Mackey’s previous trip to Miami this morning at 8:30am on ZNS.

closed out the year by participating in the 55th Junior Orange Bowl Tournament in Key Biscayne, Florida where he got to the quarterfinal where he lost 6-1, 4-6, 14-12 to Xaiofel Wang from China. Wang won the Jr Orange Bowl boys’ 12 in 2016.

The performance came

after Bain won the boys’ 13 singles at the prestigious Lil Mo/Big Mo International Championships at the PGA Resort and Spa in Palm Beach Garden, Florida with a 6-2, 6-2 decision over top seed Gabrielle Guzauskas.

“I felt my performance was good in the last two

tournaments,” Jacobi Bain said.

“I won the first one and I got to the quarter-finals where I lost to the number one player in America. So I think my performance was very good.

“In the last tournament, I was leading in the second set, but I just got tired because this was my fourth third set and I was a little bit tired.”

Now ranked in the top 200 in Europe, Bain said he’s pleased with his performance because he played up to his potential, earning his first ITF points in the process.

In January, Bain said his son is expected to compete in two tournaments to jumpstart his season and he expects for him to pick up where he left off in 2016.

The first is the Nike International Junior in London and another in France.

“He ended 2016 ranked at 186 in Europe in the boys’ under-14 and next year he should get in the top 100 and that should get him in the grade one tournaments. So he’s getting up there with the best players, but we need to keep him up there.”

Bain said they are seeking any support they can get from corporate Bahamas in supporting his son because 2017 will be his final year under 14. After that, he will have all of the tools to play at a higher level.

“We’re going to send him back to Europe in AprilMay, so we are hoping that he will finish off very strong there,” the elder Bain said.

“We hope that everything will work out for him because next year we expect that he will be right there among the best players in the world in the under-14 division.”

PAGE 4, Wednesday, December 28, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Iesha comes out on top FROM PAGE 1 They both broke each other for a 5-5 tie before Shepherd got the final break to go up 6-5 and held for the win.

“It was a very competitive third set,” Shepherd said.

“She brought the competition to me today.”

But Shepherd said it was good to come out with another national title under her belt.

“Defending it feels sweet, but it feels just like another junior tournament,” she said. “The other women didn’t come to play, so it was a bitter-sweet moment.

I wanted to play against the other top players like Kerrie (Cartwright), Simone (Pratt) and Danielle (Thompson).

“I would have preferred to see how well I play against those players, but they didn’t show. I won the title again, so I have to be pleased with that accomplishment.”

For Clarke, who played extremely well in the first set, breaking Shepherd three times to take the early lead, had some problems in the second and third set and

it denied her the opportunity to celebrate with the title.

“I didn’t come out with the win, but I played awesome,” said the CR Walker 10th grader. “I was making shots in the first set and I knew if I eliminated the errors, I could have won the second set.

“But I had some mixed emotions because there were some times when I wanted to give up because I was not making my shots.

I realised that when she missed her shots, I should have capitalised, but I didn’t.”

While Shepherd, 17, got into the final with her 6-4, 6-3 win over 15-year-old Elana Mackey in the semifinal on Thursday, 15-yearold Clarke knocked off 16-year-old Sierra Donaldson 7-5, 6-2 in the other semi-final.

Also on Friday, Mackey pulled off the third place with a 6-0, 6-4 win over Donaldson. After easily taking the first set, Mackey fell behind 3-0 to start the second set. But she broke Donaldson as she fought back for a 3-3 tie.

Mackey broke again for a 4-3 advantage and again to

IESHA SHEPHERD in action during the final match of this year’s Giorgio Baldacci tournament at the National Tennis Centre.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/The Tribune secure the 6-4 win.

“I felt I played good and I kept her moving so I could put the ball away,” said Mackey, a 10th grader at Nassau Christian Academy.

“The strategy I had worked.

My serve was good. I got a lot of my first serves in.

“In the second set, I got kind of relaxed and I played lazy. I was down 3-0, but I

started to fight again and I played like I did in the first set and I won it.”

Donaldson said although she lost, she performed better than she did in the initial set. “I guess I didn’t execute my techniques. Hopefully next time I will be ready to do it,” she said. “The experience playing in the tournament was a very good

one. It was the same girls I played against before, so it was good.”

Shepherd, Clarke, Mackey and Donaldson earned their berths out of a field of seven in the week long tournament to represent the Bahamas in the Fed Cup tie in July in Uruguay.

Unfortunately, none of the senior players, includ-

ing Kerrie Cartwright, Simone Pratt and Danielle Thompson, participated in the tournament for a variety of reasons. Despite their absence, BLTA president Elwood Donaldson said the tournament turned out to be very competitive and he commended the junior players for performing at a high standard.

TEAM BAHAMAS: Shown (l-r) are Kevin Major Jr, Spencer Newman, Baker Newman and Marvin Rolle, who are expected to represent the Bahamas in the American Zone II Davis Cup tie against Venezuela in February.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/The Tribune

BAKER NEWMAN TAKES MEN’S TITLE FROM PAGE 1 sary lighting required, so the players opted not to continue under the conditions.

“This was one of the harder matches I have played in a while,” he said. “I was two points away from losing and the pressure was real.

“Defending the title was one thing, but having to do it against my older brother again was another thing.

That was difficult to overcome.”

Although he came out the victor, Baker Newman gave his older brother Spencer Newman a lot of credit for pushing him to the limit.

“I am very proud of my brother for the way he played,” he said. “It was great to see his level reach that high. It just makes me that much more excited for the tie that’s going to take place in February.”

Baker Newman, however, admitted that the change in venue made a big difference.

“The venue change was some serious adversity.

Playing under the lights was challenging for both of us,” he said. “I really just wanted to complete the match.

Coming back the next day and trying to finish the match was difficult to do.”

With the tournament complete, the Newman brothers will be joined by Kevin ‘KJ’ Major Jr and Marvin Rolle, who will form the team that will represent the Bahamas at the American Zone II Davis Cup against Venezuela in February.

“I am very happy to have won the tournament again.

But that is the last of my

concerns,” Baker Newman said. “I am set out to take down Venezuela alongside my older brother, KJ, and Marvin. I hope to see everyone come down and support.”

The quartet teamed up to pull the Bahamas out of the American Zone III last year in Bolivia. The first round American Zone II tie is now considered to be played in Florida instead of Venezuela.

Rolle and Major Jr were scheduled to play for third place. But after suffering a slight back injury during his hectic semi-final showdown against Baker Newman on Thursday, 21-year-old Major Jr was unable to play.

Rolle, 33, was eventually awarded third place. The player/captain, who specialised in doubles during the last Davis Cup tie, lost out to Spencer Newman in the other semi-final on Thursday.

The BLTA attracted one of the biggest fields of players since the inception of the tournament, but after the two rounds of preliminaries and playoffs, the Newman brothers, Major Jr and Rolle emerged as the cream of the crop for the second consecutive year.

The tournament provided an opportunity for the BLTA to showcase the top professional and collegiate players at the same time as they hosted the national team trials.

And for the past two years has been renamed the Giorgio Baldacci National Open Challenge in honour of the late coach, administrator and benefactor of the junior programme and the national teams, who died on November 10, 2012.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE MONDAY, DECEMBER 26TH

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, December 28, 2016, PAGE 5

Little time to celebrate for Gase and the playoff-bound Dolphins

By STEVEN WINE AP Sports Writer DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — Coach Adam Gase was at home late on Christmas night grading videotape of the Miami Dolphins’ most recent game when their first playoff berth since 2008 was secured.

Time to hit the pause button on the video, break out the eggnog and trade highfives with the wife? Apparently not.

“I don’t think there was a high-five,” a stoic Gase said Monday.

The first-year coach is unwilling to celebrate when there are more games to be won, and when a postseason berth was part of the plan from the start.

“This is kind of what we expected,” Gase said.

“That’s how you think as a coach.”

Others discounted the Dolphins’ chances, especially after a 1-4 start. But they’ve won nine of their

DOLPHINS’ head coach Adam Gase. (AP) past 10 games, often in harrowing circumstances, and clinched an AFC wild-card berth Sunday night when Denver lost at Kansas City.

Even relative newcomers to Miami such as secondyear Dolphins receiver Kenny Stills appreciate the magnitude of the playoff breakthrough.

“That monkey is off your back,” receiver Kenny Still said, “but we’ve still got a lot of things to do.”

The Dolphins (10-5) will travel to Pittsburgh or

Houston for the opening round of the playoffs, but first comes Sunday’s regular-season finale at home against AFC East champion New England (13-2).

While Miami is locked into a road game as a wild card, the Patriots are battling for home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. Gase said he won’t rest his starters.

“This is absolutely a team that, if you look past them, will embarrass you,” Gase said.

Oddsmakers figure that might happen — the Dolphins are 9½-point underdogs.

“I feel like the world wants to take us off track,” tackle Ja’Wuan James said, “but we’re going to just keep doing what we’ve been doing.”

They’ll likely go again with backup quarterback Matt Moore, who has thrown six touchdown passes in his two starts, both wins. No. 1 QB Ryan Tannehill is out of his leg cast after straining his left ACL and MCL two weeks ago. But he’s not expected to play against the Patriots, and it’s still uncertain he’ll return this season.

Jay Ajayi was “a little banged-up” but is expected to be fine after rushing for 206 yards in Saturday’s overtime victory at Buffalo, Gase said. Safety Isa Abdul-Quddus was awaiting MRI results for a neck injury that could further deplete the secondary.

ROOKIE STARS WANT WINS, EVEN WITH COWBOYS SECURE ATOP NFC

By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Sports Writer FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Dak Prescott can help the Dallas Cowboys set a franchise record with 14 wins.

Ezekiel Elliott could break Eric Dickerson’s 33-yearold rookie rushing record with a career high and a few more yards.

Other than that, Dallas doesn’t have much on the line in the regular-season finale at Philadelphia on Sunday. The Cowboys (132) are guaranteed the best record in the NFC, and the home-field advantage that goes with it, after beating the Detroit Lions 42-21 .

Prescott just wants to keep playing, and it’s not because of that franchise mark or because he could break the record he now shares with Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger for most wins by a rookie quarterback (13).

“I want to play every game,” said Prescott, whose 11-game winning streak put Tony Romo on the bench when the 10-year starter returned from a presea-

son back injury. “I want to keep this momentum going.

Any rep I can get is making myself better and I want to take advantage of those.”

Prescott is 47 of 56 passing for 491 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in two games since his worst as a pro in a 10-7 loss to the New York Giants. He has 23 touchdowns with just four interceptions and has risen to fifth on the NFL’s rookie passing yardage list with 3,630 yards.

If he plays long enough against the last-place Eagles (6-9), he needs 110 yards to pass Peyton Manning, who had 3,739 yards for Indianapolis in 1998.

Owner Jerry Jones said he isn’t worried about Prescott getting injured.

“Look at what Dak Prescott learned tonight and what’s now in his computer that wasn’t there before tonight,” Jones said.

“With him being a rookie, we really need all these reps he can get, including any reps we get this week and next week, because we want him to be as educated and as well-prepared and

have as much experience as he can when we get in the playoffs.”

Prescott was reminded after the Lions game that Oakland’s Derek Carr and Tennessee’s Marcus Mariota had their seasons end with broken legs in Week 16.

“It’s football,” Prescott said. “You think about those things, they happen.

You’re just reacting and playing ball. You have to take those chances.”

Jones has a different view on the injury issue with Romo, who hasn’t played since Thanksgiving last year. The question is whether he needs snaps in a game to be better prepared to replace an injured Prescott in the playoffs. Coach Jason Garrett hasn’t addressed the question of whether Romo will play.

“We don’t feel like we can gain anything from him running a few plays or a series of plays or several plays,” Jones said. “It would not be worth the risk.”

Elliott is more cautious than his rookie roommate, saying there’s a “bigger pur-

pose” than the NFL rushing leader reaching Dickerson’s mark of 1,808 yards from 1983. The former Ohio State star has 1,631 yards and would need 178 against the Eagles. He had his career high of 159 in Week 15 against Tampa Bay. But that doesn’t mean Elliott’s approach is any different from Prescott’s. The Cowboys weren’t holding back either, using a trick play against Detroit to get receiver Dez Bryant his first career touchdown pass on a reverse pitch and throw to tight end Jason Witten.

“We want to go out and win ballgames every week,” said Elliott, who has the third-highest rookie rushing total behind Dickerson and George Rogers (1,674 with New Orleans in 1981).

“We don’t care if we have the playoff spot clinched.

We don’t care if we have home field clinched. We just want to win ballgames.”

By beating the Eagles, the best rookie quarterback and running back in franchise history will have the ultimate club mark: victories.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27TH

The Dolphins have lost their best defensive back (Reshad Jones) and best offensive lineman (Mike Pouncey) to season-ending injuries. But they’ve taken advantage of a weak schedule while winning eight in a row in games decided by a touchdown or less.

As a result, Miami is in the playoffs for the first time since Stephen Ross became majority owner in 2009. He fired two coaches and two general managers before finding success with Gase, the NFL’s youngest head coach.

“I’m happy for our guys,” Gase said. “There are a lot of people that have been here for a long time, and they’ve been waiting for an opportunity to keep playing after the regular season is over. That was our goal when we started this whole process. This is the first step.”

The Dolphins will be seeded sixth and start the playoffs at Pittsburgh un-

less they win Sunday while Kansas City loses at San Diego. In that case, the Dolphins would be seeded fifth and open the postseason at Houston.

Miami beat Pittsburgh 30-15 in Week 6, and hasn’t played Houston this year.

The elimination of the defending Super Bowl champion Broncos left a postseason opening for Miami. While Gase said the telecast of the Denver game provided “background noise” while he worked Sunday night, some of his players were glued to the tube and relished the result.

“It’s kind of surreal, to be honest,” said long snapper John Denney, who has been with the Dolphins since 2005. “It was like, ‘Wow, this is happening.’ It has been in a while.”

“The DBs had a live group chat going,” safety Michael Thomas said.

“Guys were celebrating.

Other than that, back to work.”

THE STANDINGS

PAGE 6, Wednesday, December 28, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Pelicans stop the Mavericks, 111-104

By BRETT MARTEL AP Sports Writer NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans are giving themselves hope of becoming relevant in the Western Conference playoff picture by doing something they couldn’t in numerous narrow losses early this season — close out games.

Davis scored 28 points — including six in the final 2:12 — and grabbed 16 rebounds,

WESTERN CONFERENCE

and New Orleans beat the Dallas Mavericks 111-104 on Monday night for the Pelicans’ third victory in four games.

“Our season’s on the line,” said Davis, whose team has won just 12 of its first 33 games but sits three games behind Sacramento for the last playoff spot in the West.

“We’ve got a lot of games coming up, but we’ve got to win them at home.”

Pelicans reserve guard Langston Galloway made all five of his 3-point shots, hitting a couple with quick, decisive releases from 26 feet, and finished with 17 points.

“As soon as I cross past half court, I feel like that’s my range and I’m shooting from wherever,” Galloway said, grinning but perhaps only partly joking as teammate Solomon Hill mocked him playfully from a neighboring locker.

Davis finished his scoring with four important free throws and a 19-foot jumper.

He also got one of his two blocks when Harrison Barnes attempted a layup with 22 seconds left.

“Davis is going to get his 28 points. ...

We did a decent job on him,” Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. “The guy that beat us tonight is Galloway. He made five 3s and we never got close enough to him to even contest them.”

Deron Williams scored 24 points for Dallas, while Wesley Matthews scored 17 and Seth Curry 16.

NOWITZKI’S NIGHT Dirk Nowitzki, who’s been nursing a sore right Achilles tendon, scored 10 points in 17 minutes. As the Mavs have done lately, they gave Nowitzki all of his playing time in the first half. Nowitzki is optimistic the Mavs can start winning more during a January schedule that should give the club more rest.

“We’ll fight through it and somehow find a way to win some and get healthier and get going,” Nowitzki said.

CRUNCH TIME The Pelicans appeared primed to pull away when Galloway’s fourth 3 gave New Orleans an 88-77 lead early in the fourth, but Dallas responded with an 11-2 run that included 3s by Curry and Justin Anderson.

Galloway’s fifth 3 briefly gave New Orleans some breathing room, but Williams responded with a pair of 3s to make it 95-94 with 4:35 to go.

“We had a lot of miscommunication on two Deron Williams 3s, but coach called time out, we figured it out, we were able to make them take tough shots at the end,” Davis said. “We did a good job of closing this one out.”

EASTERN CONFERENCE

PELICANS guard Buddy Hield (24) in action against the Mavericks on Monday.

(AP Photos) Dallas didn’t hit another field goal until Williams’ layup with 47 seconds left.

TIP-INS Mavericks: Barnes finished with 15 points for Dallas, which shot 49.3 per cent (37 of 75) and combined for 13 3s. ... While centre Andrew Bogut missed his 11th straight game with a right knee injury, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said Bogut is “close” to returning and could play sometime this week.

Pelicans: E’Twaun Moore scored 16 points and Buddy Hield 14 for New Orleans, which shot 53 per cent (37 of 70), including 12 of 25 from 3-point range. ... Dante Cunningham scored 11 points, including a clutch 3 with 4:23 to go, and Hill had 10 points, capped by four clutch free throws in the last minute. ... Jrue Holiday struggled with his shooting, making just 2 of 11 shots, but he had 11 assists.

UP NEXT Pelicans: Host the Los Angeles Clippers tonight

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, December 28, 2016, PAGE 7

Liverpool’s prolific attack delivers in 4-1 win over Stoke LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Liverpool’s prolific forward line delivered again in a 4-1 win over Stoke in the English Premier League yesterday, lifting the team back into second place and within six points of Chelsea.

Liverpool fought back from conceding in the 12th minute at Anfield, with Brazil forward Roberto Firmino among the scorers with his sixth league goal of the season — three days after he was charged by police with drunk-driving in Liverpool city centre. Playmaker Adam Lallana equalised for the Reds in the 34th and Firmino added the second just before halftime.

Liverpool stretched the lead in the second half through an owngoal by Giannelli Imbula and Daniel Sturridge’s first league goal of the season with his first touches after coming on a substitute.

Liverpool reacted to wins for Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United on Monday with its own a day later, and it was the sixth time this sea-

son that Juergen Klopp’s team has scored four goals or more in a league game. It is no surprise that the Reds are the top scorers in the division with 45 goals in 18 games. “Confidence is not a problem of the team at the moment,” Klopp said. “We know about our quality, but obviously we don’t show it all the time.”

Liverpool’s players only got going once they fell behind to a rare Stoke goal at Anfield.

Erik Pieters provided the cross from the left and Jon Walters glanced in a header at the near post that Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet got a hand to but couldn’t keep out. It was only Stoke’s third league goal away to Liverpool in 40 years.

Stoke was the architect of its own downfall at times, with Lallana finding the net after Glen Johnson — one of three former Liverpool players in Stoke’s lineup — failing to clear a cross.

Firmino started despite his off-field issue and repaid Klopp’s loyalty by slamming home an angled left-foot shot that hit one

BRADLEY OUT AS SWANSEA MANAGER AFTER LESS THAN THREE MONTHS (AP) — Bob Bradley waited years for the chance to coach a team in one of Europe’s top soccer leagues.

When he finally got it, the job proved too big for him.

The 58-year-old American was fired as Swansea manager yesterday, just 85 days after taking over at the English Premier League struggler.

Bradley won two of his 11 matches in charge, with his fate sealed a day after a 4-1 loss at home to West Ham that left Swansea in the relegation zone. After taking training on Tuesday, Bradley later returned to the club’s training ground to be told he had been dismissed by Swansea’s American co-owners.

“I knew exactly what I was getting into when I came to Swansea,” Bradley said by text message, “and realised the hardest part was always going to be getting points in the short run.

“But I believe in myself and I believe in going for it.”

LIVERPOOL’s Alberto Moreno celebrates their win after the final whistle of the English Premier League soccer match against Stoke City at Anfield yesterday. (AP) a back-pass by Ryan Shawcross, round goalkeeper Lee Grant and slot a finish into the empty net.

It was Liverpool’s 100th goal since Klopp took charge in October last year, completing another big win ahead of the visit of Man City on Saturday.

post, careered across the line to hit the other and rebound in.

Imbula turned in a 60th-minute cross from the left wing by Divock Origi, who was then replaced by Sturridge.

In his first action of the game, Sturridge was alert to intercept

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Partly sunny

Mainly clear

Mostly sunny

Clouds and sun with a shower

Pleasant with clouds and sun

Some sun with a shower in spots

High: 82°

Low: 69°

High: 81° Low: 70°

High: 78° Low: 64°

High: 77° Low: 68°

High: 82° Low: 71°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

94° F

72° F

93°-73° F

79°-62° F

76°-67° F

88°-70° F

ORLANDO

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 62° F/17° C

TAMPA

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 64° F/18° C

ABACO

S

N

High: 77° F/25° C Low: 68° F/20° C

4-8 knots

S

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 64° F/18° C

4-8 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 67° F/19° C

S

E

W

WEST PALM BEACH

E

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 66° F/19° C

MIAMI

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 68° F/20° C

4-8 knots

KEY WEST

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 73° F/23° C

High

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 69° F/21° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2016

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 72° F/22° C

N

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

7:01 a.m.

7:16 p.m.

2.8 2.2

12:39 a.m. -0.2 1:29 p.m. -0.1

Thursday

7:40 a.m.

7:55 p.m.

2.9 2.2

1:18 a.m. -0.3 2:07 p.m. -0.1

Friday

8:17 a.m.

8:35 p.m.

2.9 2.3

1:57 a.m. -0.3 2:45 p.m. -0.2

Saturday

8:56 a.m.

9:16 p.m.

2.9 2.3

2:37 a.m. -0.2 3:24 p.m. -0.2

Sunday

9:36 a.m.

9:59 p.m.

2.9 2.3

3:17 a.m. -0.2 4:04 p.m. -0.2

Monday

10:17 a.m.

10:45 p.m.

2.8 2.3

4:01 a.m. -0.1 4:46 p.m. -0.2

Tuesday

11:02 a.m.

11:35 p.m.

2.7 2.4

4:49 a.m. 0.0 5:30 p.m. -0.2

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:54 a.m.

5:30 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

6:09 a.m.

5:16 p.m.

New

First

Full

Last

Dec. 29

Jan. 5

Jan. 12

Jan. 19

CAT ISLAND

E

W

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 74° F/23° C

N

S

E

W S

7-14 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Statistics are for Nassau through 1 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 79° F/26° C Low .................................................... 71° F/22° C Normal high ....................................... 78° F/26° C Normal low ........................................ 66° F/19° C Last year’s high ................................. 85° F/29° C Last year’s low ................................... 73° F/23° C Precipitation As of 1 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.00” Year to date ............................................... 49.61” Normal year to date ................................... 39.51”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

6-12 knots

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 74° F/23° C

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 74° F/23° C

N

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 72° F/22° C

E

W S

LONG ISLAND

insurance management tracking map H

tiDes For nassau

almanac

E

W

W

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

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

N

N

uV inDex toDay

TONIGHT

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 75° F/24° C

6-12 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 81° F/27° C Low: 75° F/24° C

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

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS RAGGED ISLAND High: 79° F/26° C Low: 75° F/24° C

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 75° F/24° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 83° F/28° C Low: 74° F/23° C

N

E

W

E

W

N

S

S

8-16 knots

8-16 knots

marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR

Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday:

WINDS NE at 4-8 Knots SSW at 4-8 Knots NE at 6-12 Knots NE at 4-8 Knots ENE at 6-12 Knots E at 4-8 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots ENE at 7-14 Knots NE at 6-12 Knots E at 3-6 Knots E at 4-8 Knots SSW at 6-12 Knots NE at 7-14 Knots ENE at 4-8 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots ENE at 7-14 Knots ENE at 7-14 Knots E at 6-12 Knots ENE at 7-14 Knots ENE at 6-12 Knots ENE at 3-6 Knots VAR at 3-6 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots ENE at 7-14 Knots NE at 6-12 Knots E at 4-8 Knots

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

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 76° F 75° F 79° F 79° F 78° F 78° F 80° F 80° F 83° F 83° F 79° F 79° F 78° F 78° F 81° F 81° F 80° F 80° F 79° F 79° F 77° F 75° F 79° F 79° F 78° F 78° F

PAGE 8, Wednesday, December 28, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

The king of 2016: LeBron James named AP Male Athlete of Year

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron James was jolted forward when the massive crowd swelled from the sidewalks and into Cleveland’s streets, surrounding the convertible that he and his family were riding in.

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

James looked at his wife, Savannah, their baby daughter and two sons and feared for their safety.

“We were kind of afraid for a second,” James said.

Then relieved.

Scanning the crowd, James spotted people dangling from lamp posts and traffic lights, even a few straddling window ledges to get a glimpse of the champion Cavaliers, who were being honoured with a oncein-a-generation downtown parade after their comeback in the NBA Finals.

James was awe-struck, and any concerns quickly melted away when he looked at the spectators’ faces and saw only smiles, laughter and tears of joy.

“Everybody was just rejoicing in grace and happiness,” James said, fondly reflecting on the pictureperfect day in June when Cleveland was transformed into a giant block party. “It was more than I could have ever imagined. It was unforgettable, unbelievable.”

And he had made it possible.

James, who ended 52 years of sports heartache by bringing Cleveland a championship and used his superstar platform to address social causes, was chosen as The Associated Press 2016 Male Athlete of the Year, an award he won previously in 2013.

Results of the vote by 59 editors from AP member newspapers and customers were announced yesterday.

James collected 24 firstplace votes, beating out a pair of Olympic legends: Michael Phelps (16) and Usain Bolt (9), the fastest men in water and on land who are not accustomed to finishing behind anyone.

Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant, the NL MVP who led his team to its first World Series title since 1908, tied for fourth with Golden State star guard Stephen Curry, last year’s winner. Cristiano Ronaldo, Von Miller and Andy Murray also received votes.

James joined Michael Jordan as the only NBA players to win twice. Jordan won it three straight years from 1991-94.

US Olympic gymnast Simone Biles was named AP’s top female athlete on Monday.

A rabid sports fan, James was flattered to be in the same class with Phelps, the 23-time gold medallist who added five more to his record collection at the Rio Olympics.

“To be that dominant in your respective sport, to see what he’s been able to do over the years, what he does in that water, man, it’s tremendous and very inspiring,” James said. “When you have that type of tenure to be able to dominate, when you know that the entire competition is gearing up to beat you — and only you — and you’re still able to come away No. 1 or always be at the top of the food chain, that’s very inspiring.”

That James received the honour in an Olympic year underscores the weight of his accomplishments.

CLEVELAND Cavaliers’ LeBron James dunks against the Toronto Raptors during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals in Cleveland on May 17. (AP) His third NBA crown was for Cleveland, delivering on a promise James made to a city that hadn’t celebrated a major championship since 1964 and had endured many torturous sports moments since.

James, whose game shows no signs of aging as he approaches his 32nd birthday in a few days, came up short in 2015, leading an injurydepleted Cleveland team to

the finals where they lost to the Warriors. And although James posted the best statistical series of any player in history, his critics were quick to point out his 2-4 record in the finals compared to Jordan’s 6-0.

The Cavs got a rematch with the record-setting, 73win Warriors. Led by Curry, the league’s unanimous MVP choice, Golden State was being talked about as

potentially the best team ever, an argument that gained steam when it took a 3-1 lead.

James, though, wasn’t going to be denied again. He scored 41 points in Games 5 and 6 and posted a tripledouble in an epic Game 7 that will be remembered for his chase-down block of Andre Iguodala in the closing minutes — a defensive gem that stands as the sig-

nature play of his magnificent career.

After the final horn, James collapsed on the floor and when asked moments later about his emotions, the Ohio native who proudly says he’s “just a kid from Akron,” screamed at the TV camera: “Cleveland, this for you!”

“At that moment,” James said, “I felt fulfilled. To know the history of our sports here and how heartbreaking at times it was for all those years that our fans had to go through, and the circumstances that we came back from, it was so fulfilling.”

James’ journey to his greatest triumph coincided with the passing of another great — the greatest of all — as Muhammad Ali died on June 4. During the playoffs, James watched tapes of Ali’s fights for motivation. It was in the spirit of the boxing legend and global ambassador that James stood on stage with close friends Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony at the ESPYs in July to decry violence against unarmed black men and encourage fellow athletes to do more to support local police and improve communities.

James later donated $2.5 million for a Smithsonian exhibit honouring Ali, and he’s producing a documentary on the champ.

“He’s definitely a person I’m inspired to be like, to have a social conscience about things,” James said.

“What I always saw in Ali was that he was always educated about everything he was speaking about. He was never just talking to be talking. There was a method to the madness.

“Ali definitely showed me the way.”