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SPORTS SECTION E

THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2019

BLTA names Davis and Fed Cup teams By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

he Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association named its Davis and Fed Cup teams set to represent the country in their respective events this year. Named to the Davis Cup team for men were Donte Armbrister, Justin Lunn, Kevin Major Jr, Baker Newman and Phillip Major Jr while Marvin Rolle will once again serve as team captain. The Fed Cup team for ladies will include Sydney Clarke, Sierra Donaldson, Kerrie Cartwright, Danielle Thompson and a player to be selected at a later date. Darnette Weir, president of the BLTA, said the organisation decided upon an independent committee to advise on the course of action for the national teams moving forward. “The BLTA’s selection criteria for its Davis Cup and Fed Cup teams are: top-ranked players on the ATP/WTA Tours and top finishers in the Giorgio Baldacci Open Challenge. These criteria have been in place for several years, however, even though there was a successful end to the 2018 Open Nationals we recognise that some

SHOWN (l-r) are Bjorn Ferguson, BLTA treasurer, Ceron Rolle, BLTA 1st vice president, Darnette Weir, BLTA president, Timothy Dames, BLTA assistant treasurer and Chilean Burrows, BLTA general secretary. A press conference was held at the National Tennis Centre yesterday to name the national teams for the Davis Cup for men and Fed Cup for women. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff of our top players did not respected individuals Turnquest (former BLTA to the two highest ranked play. In the spirit of trans- in the local tennis com- vice president). players, while the fifth parency and objectivity, the munity included Mickey According to Weir, player is selected by each board appointed a special Williams (Sports Hall of the executive board of respective team’s coach. independent committee to Fame and ITF Supervisor), the BLTA unanimously The Fed Cup event is set make recommendations Mark Knowles (former approved all recom- for the week of April 15. for the criteria to be used doubles World No.1, mendations made by the The Bahamas will know its for team selection for the three-time Grand Slam independent committee. date and destination of the Davis Cup and Fed Cup winner), Michael Butler The two finalists from Davis Cup when the draw teams.” (local coach, J Barrie Far- each of the main draws of takes place on February 5. The selection commit- rington (former BLTA the Giorgio Baldacci Open tee comprised of highly President) and Karen were selected, in addition SEE PAGE 3

AYTON ‘QUESTIONABLE’ FOR TONIGHT’S GAME By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net DEANDRE Ayton has missed the first games of his NBA career. He is now sidelined with an ankle injury and listed as “day to day” on the Phoenix Suns’ injury report. Ayton missed the Suns’ last two games and the team is in the midst of a five-game losing streak and a Western Conference worst record of 11-38. The No.1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft rolled his ankle in a January 19 matchup against the Charlotte Hornets. In the first quarter, Ayton attempted to follow a missed layup but landed on the foot of

teammate TJ Warren and sprained his left ankle. Ayton eventually played 22 minutes and finished with 10 points, two rebounds, a steal and block. The Suns host the Portland Trailblazers tonight at 9pm. Ayton is listed as “questionable.” On the season, Ayton is averaging 16.4 points and 10.6 rebounds per game while shooting 59 per cent from the field. One of the youngest teams in the NBA, the Suns’ struggles have been well publicised over the course of the season and frustration has mounted on several occasions. Ayton is one of 12 Suns players aged 26 and the

Tennis, Page 7

D’ANDRE VILMAR DUNK GOES VIRAL By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net D’ANDRE Vilmar appears to have regained the explosiveness and return to form from injury in his first season for the Missouri State-West Plains Grizzlies. Vilmar produced his most complete game of the season and a dunk over an opposing defender that went viral on social media in the Grizzlies’ 92-62 win over Arkansas Baptist College. He finished with seven points, seven assists and 12 rebounds in a season-high 20 minutes off the bench. Vilmar has emerged as a playmaker in limited minutes for the Grizzlies and followed that performance with six points, five rebounds and six assists in 17 minutes of an 89-82 win over Three River Community College. Over the first 10 games of the season, he played with no appearance over eight minutes. However, in his first start and extended time of the season, he posted 12 points in 94-90 win over Sunrise Christian Prep. The Grizzlies, 14-7 on the season, put their threegame winning streak on the line last night against State Fair Community College but the results were unavailable up to press time. The 6’4” guard out of Abaco was one of eight newcomers announced by

SEE PAGE 3

CAMPOS BECOMES FIRST PUERTO RICAN WEB.COM TOUR WINNER

CHARLOTTE Hornets’ Kemba Walker (15) drives past Phoenix Suns’ Deandre Ayton (22) during the first half on Saturday, January 19. (AP) team has started three rookies. “Coach emphasises sacrifice, but teach us exactly what that means as young players,” Ayton said

to AZcentral.com. “What do we have to give up, or offer up? Tell us our roles. That’s the main reason to know what to sacrifice.

“Explain it and we’ll know what our sacrifices are and whoever don’t do their job, confront them. Simple as that.”

GREAT ABACO, Bahamas (AP) — Rafael Campos won The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic in 25-mph wind yesterday to become the first Puerto Rican champion in Web. com Tour history. Campos closed with a 2-under 70 at The Abaco Club on Winding Bay for a one-stroke victory. The 30-year-old former Virginia Commonwealth player finished at 7-under 281 and earned $108,000. Vincent Whaley was second after a 72.

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PAGE 2, Thursday, January 24, 2019

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GOVERNMENT SECONDARY SCHOOLS SPORTS ASSOCIATION JUNIOR BOYS BASKETBALL HIGHLIGHTS

FIGHTING TIGERS STOP LIONS 47-32

ON THE REPLAY: AF Adderley Fighting Tigers junior boys earned a 47-32 victory over the HO Nash Lions in Government Secondary Schools Sports Association action at the AF Adderley Gymnasium on Tuesday. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

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Thursday, January 24, 2019, PAGE 3

Robinson finishes tied for 29th at amateur golf championships By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net DEVAUGHN Robinson once again represented the Bahamas among the region’s elite golfers at the Latin America Amateur Golf Championships. He finished tied for 29th in his fourth appearance at the event, hosted this year at the Teeth of the Dog Golf Course at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic. Robinson finished at +3 (291) through four rounds. He shot an opening round 76 where he recovered from a slow start with three bogeys and a double bogey on the front nine to birdie holes 12 and 18. Round two was his best of the tournament when he shot a 69 and birdied five holes with just two bogeys. He concluded the event with rounds of 74 and 72. In round four, Robinson’s final four holes included birdies on 15-16, par on 17 and an eagle on 18. Mexico’s Alvaro Ortiz clinched the LAAC with a 14-under-par total of 274,

DEVAUGHN Robinson (file photos) represented the Bahamas for the fourth time among the region’s elite golfers at the Latin America Amateur Golf Championships. two shots ahead of Luis Gagne of Costa Rica, who matched his closing round of 6-under-par 66. The 2019 field included 108 players. Invitations for the championship are sent to the leading players from the 29 IOC-recognised countries and territories from this region that are current members of the International Golf

Federation. Each country is automatically provided with two positions, which are to be filled by their best-ranked players from the World Amateur Golf Ranking. As champion, Ortiz will receicve an invitation to compete in the Masters Tournament, an exemption into The Amateur Championship, conducted by

The R&A and an exemption into the US Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible. Robinson’s history at the event has included 32nd in 2015, a career best finish of 19th in 2016, and tied for 30th in 2017.

D’Andre Vilmar dunk goes viral on social media FROM PAGE 1 Grizzlies head coach Chris Popp during the offseason. “D’Andre is an explosive athlete. He’s another player with national team experience. He comes in highly touted, having been recruited at the D1 level and rated as a four-star recruit by ESPN,” Popp said. He continues a recent Bahamian legacy with the Grizzlies after Radshad Davis completed two impactful years with the programme prior to his transfer to the Division I University of Texas - Arlington. After an injury shortened his senior season at the high school level, Vilmar took the prep school route in an effort to strengthen his recruitment for the class of 2018 when he joined the Redemption Christian Academy Lions prep school in Northfield, Massachusetts. He spent his high school senior season at the Paul VI programme in New Jersey following a transfer from Roman Catholic High in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. By the end of his junior season, Vilmar was making his way toward the ESPN 60 rankings. He was listed as a four-star recruit, ranked fourth in the state and 27th nationally at his position. That momentum stalled after just a few games into the preseason as a senior. Paul VI’s star recruit would be lost due to a season-ending knee injury on

For the Davis Cup, if it is held in September rather than April, the BLTA will host another tournament held to determine 3-5th place. Those players will comprise the team alongside the two top players from the Open Nationals selected in accordance with the BLTA selection rules. “The BLTA’s Board of Directors dedicates itself to leading by example in serving the needs of the federation and its members. We are committed to upholding a code of ethics and to act at all times in the best interest of the association and not for personal

America, Mexico and the Caribbean. The LAAC follows a model established by the Masters and The R&A when, in 2009, the organisations created the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) for the purpose of advancing the sport in that part of the world.

CAMPOS

talent there. ... My phone hasn’t stopped vibrating in my pocket since the putt dropped. I know they are celebrating back home.” Campos played the back nine in 3 under and equalled the second-best round of the day amid the blustery conditions. Two-time heart transplant recipient Erik Compton, who began the day tied for the lead, made a quintuple-bogey 10 on the par-5 eighth hole and shot 83 to finish in a share of 25th place.

from PAGE 1

Paul Imondi (70) was another stroke back, and Tyler McCumber (73), John Oda (76) and Willy Wilcox (76) followed at 4 under. “This first win means a lot,” Campos said. “For me, for Puerto Rico, for the kids to understand that I’m a kid from the island that worked my butt off and won a tournament. I hope this serves as motivation because we have great

WEB.COM THE BAHAMAS GREAT ABACO CLASSIC FINAL SCORES

D’ANDRE VILMAR, of the Bahamas, appears to have regained the explosiveness and return to form from injury in his first season for the Missouri State-West Plains Grizzlies. He produced his most complete game of the season and a dunk over an opposing defender that went viral on social media in the Grizzlies’ 92-62 win over Arkansas Baptist College. a seemingly routine play against Timber Creek. After spending the offseason rehabilitating, he decided to take the prep school route. At the

international level, he was a part of the Bahamas team that finished fifth at the FIBA Centrobasket Under17 Championship when he led the tournament in

scoring at 19.6 points per game and rebounding at 12.4 boards per game. He was also second in assists as he dished out 4.6 per game.

BLTA names Davis, Fed Cup teams FROM PAGE 1

Richard Gibson Jr and Paul Tsavoussis represented the Bahamas in 2018. In 2014, the Masters Tournament, The R&A and the USGA announced the formation of the LAAC in an effort to further develop amateur golf throughout the region, and specifically in South America, Central

gain,” Weir said. “The board will also exercise proper authority and good judgment in our dealings and continue to conduct the business affairs of the association in good faith, and with honesty, integrity, due diligence and reasonable competence”. The formation of the independent committee arose out of the controversy surrounding last December’s Giorgio Baldacci Nationals. The majority of the top male and female players still opted not to participate in the main draw of the event. Cartwright and Thompson and male competitors Kevin Major Jr, Newman and Philip Major Jr were all

absent from competition. Armbrister went on to win the tournament, defeating Lunn in the finals. Clarke defeated Donaldson to win the women’s draw. “Donte and Sydney have both done very well,” said BLTA 1st vice president Ceron Rolle. “Sydney ended the year top 200 in the ITF junior tour, Donte finished as high as No. 615 so we have players that are doing very well at the international level.” The Bahamas’ last appearance at the Davis Cup included the team of Jody Turnquest, Newman, Phillip Major Jr, and player/ captain Rolle. The team advanced to the American Zone II Davis

Cup competition. They prevailed with a 2-1 decision over Costa Rica. At the Fed Cup in July, the Bahamas’ team of Cartwright, Donaldson, Thompson and Simone Pratt lost to Ecuador in the Fed Cup Group II Zone B final. Rolle served as team captain. “The tennis community is very small and we all have a vested interest. We wanted to put together individuals who have expertise, knowledge and experience to put together a team,” said BLTA treasurer Bjorn Ferguson. “We thought their recommendations were reasonable, we adopted them and going forward we look to expand on that.”

At The Abaco Club on Winding Bay Great Abaco, Bahamas Purse: $600,000 Yardage: 7,141; Par: 72 Final Rafael Campos, $108,000 70-69-72-70—281 Vincent Whaley, $64,800 73-68-69-72—282 Paul Imondi, $40,800 69-71-73-70—283 Tyler McCumber, $24,800 70-65-76-73—284 John Oda, $24,800 68-70-70-76—284 Willy Wilcox, $24,800 69-70-69-76—284 Scottie Scheffler, $20,100 69-69-75-72—285 Brad Hopfinger, $18,600 67-70-76-73—286 Wade Binfield, $16,800 68-76-71-72—287 Brett Stegmaier, $16,800 71-68-75-73—287 Brett Coletta, $13,200 71-74-71-72—288 Vince Covello, $13,200 68-72-76-72—288 Cameron Percy, $13,200 73-66-72-77—288 Ryan Yip, $13,200 74-68-74-72—288 Kevin Dougherty, $10,500 72-69-75-73—289 Maverick McNealy, $10,500 69-73-75-72—289 Steven Alker, $7,590 75-69-76-70—290 Jamie Arnold, $7,590 75-68-74-73—290 Albin Choi, $7,590 71-72-75-72—290 Rhein Gibson, $7,590 73-70-73-74—290 Harry Higgs, $7,590 70-69-75-76—290 Billy Kennerly, $7,590 73-71-71-75—290 Max Rottluff, $7,590 70-66-80-74—290 Steve Wheatcroft, $7,590 74-70-72-74—290 Mark Anderson, $4,469 72-69-73-77—291 Blayne Barber, $4,469 73-70-74-74—291 Oliver Bekker, $4,469 70-68-81-72—291 Erik Compton, $4,469 69-65-74-83—291 Justin Lower, $4,469 75-71-76-69—291 Byron Meth, $4,469 70-73-74-74—291 Jimmy Stanger, $4,469 71-72-72-76—291 Carl Yuan, $4,469 71-69-75-76—291 Michael Gligic, $3,360 72-74-75-71—292 Sam Love, $3,360 74-71-73-74—292 Matthew NeSmith, $3,360 73-70-78-71—292 Charlie Saxon, $3,360 72-70-78-72—292 Robby Shelton, $3,360 75-70-75-72—292 Todd Baek, $2,646 71-72-79-71—293 Bo Hoag, $2,646 71-71-76-75—293 Timothy Madigan, $2,646 71-74-74-74—293 Brandon Matthews, $2,646 74-71-75-73—293 Nicholas Thompson, $2,646 72-74-72-75—293 Vince India, $2,160 72-72-75-75—294 Ben Taylor, $2,160 71-72-75-76—294 Xinjun Zhang, $2,160 71-72-77-74—294 Benjamín Alvarado, $1,875 71-75-72-77—295 Nelson Ledesma, $1,875 72-72-73-78—295 Justin Hueber, $1,755 75-69-79-73—296 Edward Loar, $1,755 72-71-76-77—296 Rob Oppenheim, $1,755 72-71-77-76—296 Zach Wright, $1,755 71-71-77-77—296 Brett Drewitt, $1,662 78-68-75-76—297 Lanto Griffin, $1,662 74-72-76-75—297 Tim Wilkinson, $1,662 73-71-78-75—297 Scott Gutschewski, $1,617 72-74-75-77—298 Lee McCoy, $1,617 71-73-80-74—298 Ryan Brehm, $1,584 70-75-77-77—299 Lee Hodges, $1,584 73-70-81-75—299 Chase Seiffert, $1,584 74-72-76-77—299 Brian Campbell, $1,560 74-72-77-77—300 Chris Baker, $1,548 71-73-83-75—302 Cody Blick, $1,536 69-69-81-84—303 Andy Zhang, $1,524 72-74-77-82—305 Andrew Novak, $1,512 74-72-83-77—306 Bryan Bigley, $1,500 74-71-80-86—311

PAGE 4, Thursday, January 24, 2019

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Pacers defeat the Raptors after losing Oladipo with knee injury By MICHAEL MAROT AP Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A promising season for the Indiana Pacers was instantly transformed when Victor Oladipo’s leg buckled and he fell to the floor in pain. Indiana showed earlier this season it can win without the All-Star guard, at least in the short term. Now, the third-best team in the Eastern Conference may have to push ahead without him for a much longer stretch. Oladipo was carried off the court on a stretcher during the second quarter of the Pacers’ 110-106 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night with a serious right knee injury. He is scheduled for an MRI on Thursday. “It is a serious injury and we’ll know more after the MRI,” coach Nate McMillan said. “We’re not going to speculate. It’s a tough situation. That kid has a beautiful spirit about him. He has always been one to try and to lift us up. We’ve got to lift him now.” Oladipo was injured as he scrambled to defend an outlet pass to Toronto’s Pascal Siakam and crumpled to the floor awkwardly . The severity was evident almost immediately as trainers draped a towel over the leg and players from both teams surrounded Oladipo while he was down. No replays were shown on the video screen that stretches from free-throw line to free-throw line, and fans began chanting Oladipo’s name. When he did leave the court, Oladipo received a standing ovation and

responded by waving to the crowd. “I didn’t see what happened,” Siakam said. “Watching the replay, he stuck his leg while he was falling. That’s when he hit me. It’s just an unfortunate situation. It’s really scary, it’s tough.” Losing Oladipo would be an enormous blow to the Pacers’ playoff hopes. He leads Indiana in scoring at 19.2 points per game and has emerged as a leader. But after going 0-6 without Oladipo last season, the Pacers went 7-4 without their best player as he recovered from a sore right knee in November and December. And they still managed to hang on for their third straight victory Wednesday night — their first over Toronto in six tries. “We’ve got to come together and play inspired basketball,” said Myles Turner, who had 13 points and 10 rebounds. “We can’t let this get us stuck in the mud. It’s emotional, but we have to overcome it and play.” It didn’t take long for supportive messages to start pouring in from around the league on social media. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James , Phoenix guard Devin Booker, Washington guard Bradley Beal and Oklahoma City’s Paul George were among the first to respond. Oladipo was acquired in a trade for George in the summer of 2017. “Prayers up VO,” George wrote on Twitter, with four sets of the praying hand emoji to emphasize his point. Thaddeus Young had 23 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Pacers, while Darren Collison added 16 points.

CLIPPERS CONTROL SECOND HALF, TOP HEAT 111-99 By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

INDIANA Pacers guard Victor Oladipo is taken off the court on a stretcher after he was injured during the first half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors in Indianapolis, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Toronto was led by Serge Ibaka with 23 points and 11 rebounds and Kyle Lowry with 20 points. The Raptors again played without Kawhi Leonard, O.G. Anunoby or Jonas Valanciunas, but still made things tough for Indiana following the injury. After jumping to a 24-16 lead at the end of one quarter, extending the margin to 30-10 early in the second and finishing the half on a 9-4 run to make it 59-47 at the half, the Pacers fended off the Raptors’ late charges. Toronto got as close as 98-97 after Ibaka made a 5-footer with 4:20 to play. But Young answered with a three-point play and the Pacers made just enough plays down the stretch to hold on. “It’s unfortunate,” Collison told the crowd. “We’ve

got to keep going for him.”” TIP-INS Raptors: Six players scored in double figures. ... Toronto was 12 of 39 on 3s. ... The Raptors had won three straight without Anunoby, Leonard and Valanciunas. Toronto dropped to 8-2 on the second night of back-to-backs and 11-3 this season without Leonard. Ibaka had his seventh double-double of the season and also had three blocks. Lowry had five rebounds and seven assists. Pacers: Have won five of six. ... Indiana improved to 22-1 when scoring 110 or more points. ... Bojan Bogdanovic had 16 points and Domantas Sabonis had 12 while playing through foul trouble.

LEONARD’S RETURN Leonard missed his fourth consecutive game to get some extra rest, but he’s expected to play Friday. The Raptors are 11-3 without Leonard. Anunoby missed his fifth straight game for personal reasons. Coach Nick Nurse said he hasn’t yet started considering what he’ll do with a full roster. “I have not thought about it, though I have had a couple of people mention it,” Nurse said. UP NEXT Raptors: Make the second stop on a threegame trip Friday at Houston. Pacers: Visits Memphis on Saturday, seeking their fourth straight win over the Grizzlies.

MIAMI (AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers know that little was expected of them this season. They’re still fighting to prove doubters wrong. Tobias Harris scored 22 of his 31 points in the first half, and the Clippers clamped down on defense after intermission to beat the Miami Heat 111-99 on Wednesday night. “We embrace it as a group,” said Clippers coach Doc Rivers, whose team is eighth in the loaded Western Conference even after a recent slide. “We heard all the talk. We’re pretty good. We have a lot of good players. We don’t have a superstar, though Tobias is slowly trying to change the narrative on that. But we have a lot of good guys that can play the game, and what we have most is team toughness.” Montrezl Harrell scored 14 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter for the Clippers, who outscored Miami 44-26 in the first 20 minutes of the second half. Lou Williams added 13 points and Avery Bradley scored 12, while Harris had seven rebounds and six assists for the Clippers. “Right from the beginning I liked our energy and I liked our pace,” Harris said. Hassan Whiteside finished with 22 points and 16 rebounds for Miami. Josh Richardson scored 17 points, Tyler Johnson added 15 and Dwyane Wade scored 13 for the Heat. The Heat lost by 12 — the exact margin in which they were outscored in second-chance points, 21-9.

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PHILADELPHIA 76ers’ Corey Brewer (00) collides with San Antonio Spurs’ Derrick White (4) chasing after a loose ball during the first half last night. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

EMBIID SCORES 33, LEADS 76ERS PAST SPURS By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid had 33 points and 19 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers used a pair of four-point plays in the fourth quarter to beat the San Antonio Spurs 122120 on Wednesday night. With a Sixers crowd chanting “MVP!” each time Embiid touched the ball, the All-Star center delivered a sensational performance. He even scored 16 straight points that kept the Sixers in the game. Landry Shamet ended Embiid’s personal run with a four-point play that pulled the Sixers within one. After the Spurs nudged ahead, Shamet hit a 3 to make it a three-point game and JJ Redick gave the Sixers a 121-120 lead with 1 minute left after he converted Philadelphia’s second four-point play of the fourth. The Spurs blew their chances to win: Philadelphia had a shot-clock violation but DeMar DeRozan had his shot blocked by Wilson Chandler. Corey Brewer went 1 of 2 from the free-throw line for a 122120 lead with 1.1 seconds left. San Antonio’s final

shot at sending the game into overtime was denied when Ben Simmons broke up an inbound pass headed for Marco Belinelli. DeRozan sat out the final possession. The packed house of 20,339 went wild as the Sixers closed on a 10-0 run while playing without star guard Jimmy Butler (sprained right wrist). Simmons had 21 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds. Redick scored 19 points. DeRozan led the Spurs with 26 points. Embiid went 13 of 28 from the floor and had two 3-pointers. Embiid, who had his NBA-best 33rd game this season with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, hit a 3 from the top of the arc and connected on the tying free throws the next time down to send the game into the fourth tied 96-all. The 76ers turned in the sequence of the half after Brewer’s 3 made it 51-48. Jonah Bolden blocked LeMarcus Aldridge twice on the same sequence and Simmons grabbed a loose ball off the second rejection. He took off and fed it to Bolden for a crowd-igniting dunk on the other end. Redick followed with a 3

for a 56-48 lead that had the four-point favorite Sixers rolling. TIP-INS Spurs: Belinelli, a former 76er, got a nice ovation when he checked into the game. 76ers: Simmons played with an upper respiratory infection and Embiid had tightness in his back. CELEB SIGHTINGS Rapper Biz Markie was in the house, and Phillies manager Gabe Kapler and players Aaron Nola and Rhys Hoskins rang the ceremonial bell. Former Spur David Robinson spent several minutes signing autographs for Sixers fans. PALESTRA POWER The Spurs held their shootaround at Philadelphia’s Palestra, the historic gym known as the basketball cathedral on Penn’s campus. “This is what you’re supposed to feel like when you play basketball,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “All these other arenas that we’re all in, they don’t do anything to your spirit. They don’t make you feel anything. You don’t fall in love.”

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Thursday, January 24, 2019, PAGE 5

Tiger returns to face strong field, strong course at Torrey By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer SAN DIEGO (AP) — Rory McIlroy had a week to remember his first trip to San Diego. He carried Northern Ireland’s flag during the opening ceremony of the Junior World Championship and later had a picture taken at Torrey Pines with a certain Mr Woods. That was 20 years ago. And it was Earl Woods, the father of Tiger. “Tiger was probably off winning majors,” McIlroy said with a laugh on the eve of his debut in the Farmers Insurance Open. McIlroy saw enough of the South Course — 10 holes on Monday, the pro-am yesterday — to appreciate why this public course along the Pacific bluffs has been known for years as Woods’ personal playground. Along with a Junior World title as a teenager, Woods has won the PGA Tour event seven times, and his most famous title at Torrey was that 2008 US Open for his 14th major. “You need to be a tremendous ball striker. You need to be a great iron player, a great short game,” McIlroy said. “And those have been the hallmarks of his game over the past 20-odd years. So I can see why he has done so well around here.” Woods gets his next crack when he makes his 2019 debut at Torrey Pines, with a chance to win consecutive PGA Tour starts for the first time in six years. Never mind that his last start was four months ago at the season-ending Tour Championship. All that did was ratchet up the

expectations, a far cry from a year ago when expectations were replaced by curiosity. Woods started last season after recovering from a fourth back surgery, unsure how he would respond from gouging out of thick rough or how much he would be able to play in the early part of the year. “Way different,” Woods said. “Last year was very fluid, and it was like trying to hit a moving target. It was quite interesting to try and figure it all out as the year progressed. This year I have a great understanding of what I can and can’t do. There’s not uncertainly that I had last year after what I did at the end of last year.” Woods brings a big buzz to a tournament that already has a lot going for it — good weather, gorgeous views of the Pacific, the first network coverage of the year (CBS) and the open week before the Super Bowl. Phil Mickelson is skipping his hometown event for the first time in 28 years, though there is no shortage of star power with Woods and McIlroy, Jordan Spieth playing for the first time in four years, Xander Schauffele, Masters champion Patrick Reed and Justin Rose, who remains No. 1 in the world. This is the first strong test of the year with a North course that has been upgraded and a South course renowned for hosting the US Open in 2008, with another one coming in 2021. McIlroy had only seen the South course on television. He was only 10 when he played the Junior World, not old enough to compete at Torrey. Instead, he played at Presidio Hills in

TIGER Woods smiles on the third green during the pro-am round of the Farmer’s Insurance Open golf tournament on the North Course at Torrey Pines Golf Course yesterday. (AP Photos/Chris Carlson)

TIGER Woods watches his tee shot on the fourth hole during the pro-am round of the Farmer’s Insurance Open golf tournament.

TIGER Woods watches his tee shot on the eighth hole during the pro-am round of the Farmer’s Insurance Open. downtown, where he made a hole-in-one and tied for eighth with a group that included Tony Finau. But it has felt familiar to him this week. “I feel like I’ve watched this tournament a lot on TV, whether it be US Open or this tournament over the years,” McIlroy said. “It’s funny, you get a sort of

perception of a golf course from TV, but then you play it and it does play very differently than I thought it was going to play.” Spieth hasn’t been back since the North course was redone and the nines were flipped, so he couldn’t figure out which hole he was on at times during the pro-am. But he remembers

where he made his pro debut in 2013 (he missed the cut) and the following year when he played with Woods for the first time. At Torrey, everything comes back to Tiger. Woods and Spieth practiced together Tuesday and at one point, Spieth asked him how long he had been coming to the tournament. “Ten years longer than you’ve been alive,” he replied to the 25-year-old Spieth. It was first tournament he attended with his father. It’s a course on which he has won eight times as a pro,

equal to his number of wins at Bay Hill and Firestone. And it’s a tournament where a tie for 23rd last year felt like an accomplishment because he wasn’t sure what to expect. “The fact that I was able to get through, I didn’t have any zinging down my leg like I did before, I didn’t have any problems at night recovering for the next day,” he said. “Those are big accomplishments. This year, it’s totally different. I know what I can do, so now it’s about finishing a little bit better and winning some events.”

SUPPORT THE BLOOD BANK

SAVE A LIFE GIVE THE GIFT OF

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BECOME A REGULAR DONOR ENGLAND’s James Anderson celebrates the dismissal of West Indies’ Shai Hope during day one of the first cricket Test match at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, yesterday. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)

ANDERSON LIFTS ENGLAND WITH FOUR WICKETS ON 1ST DAY VS WEST INDIES BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (AP) — James Anderson lifted England with a four-wicket burst to help restrict West Indies to 264-8 on the opening day of the first test yesterday. After West Indies reached 174-3, Anderson helped turn the contest in England’s favour, seeing off the settled duo of Shai Hope and Roston Chase, bouncing out Shane Dowrich and finishing with a caught and bowled off

captain Jason Holder. He closed with 4-33, while Ben Stokes pounded some life into a gentle pitch to claim three wickets. Hope led the West Indies batsmen with 57 runs off 148 balls before nicking an inside edge to the alert Ben Foakes, one of three half centuries on the day. Shimron Hetmyer, who had been dropped on three, finished with an unbeaten 56. England’s bowlers struggled throughout the

morning session and West Indies looked set to end the day well on top until Anderson used the new ball with devastating effect. Roston Chase fed Root at slip for 54, Dowrich got into a tangle when Anderson went short and Holder offered a simple return catch as the West Indies lost control. Stokes got in on the act once more before stumps, beating Kemar Roach for pace.

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PAGE 6, Thursday, January 24, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

23 22

FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN £100 CA

FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN £100 CASH read downtothe letters in the highlighted squares revea letters in the highlighted squares to reveal the mystery word. TO ENTER: call 0904 161 3700 and leave your 84915. calls cost £1.50 plus your telephone compa CARPE DIEM TO ENTER: call 0904 161 3700 and leave your answer and details, or t

JUDGE PARKER

tonight. or send your grid containing the answer in

84915. calls cost £1.50 plus your telephone company’s access cha B73 9BT. entries must benetwork postmarked by Septem Theanswer winner will theshaded first random correct tonight. or send your grid containing●the inbe the squares byent po NEED HELP? call 0904 161 1609 for 5 extra B73 9BT. entries must be postmarked by September 5 at the latest . SP ● The winner will be the first random correct entry drawn from all entry nAme NEED HELP? call 0904 161 1609 for 5 extra clues! calls cost £1.50 ADDreSS

nAme

aCross 14 Vodka 26 Praline, 2 THE DAILY EXPRESS 30-SEC Lorel Today’s answers: Beginner = 54;4intermed 16 Arg PoSTcoDe

ADDreSS MARVIN BLONDIE

PoSTcoDe

CrossdoU

Can you make two common five-letter THE DAILY EXPRESS 30-SECOND CHALLEN words from the nine letters given,

letter only=once? you can = 39 Today’s answers: Beginnerusing = 54;each intermediate 124; advanced

– but only if one letter features in both words in the squares on the right. There’s at least one way to do it, and you have to have the right letter at the crossover – but which one is it? Can you make two common five-letter See if you can find the answer within words from the nine letters given, our target time. If you need help, ring our clue-line using each letter only once? you can below to find out the crossover letter. solution tomorrow. – but only if one letter features in both

CrossdoUBT

Target times: Average: words in the squares on the right. a F H L 18it, mins 14 mins There’s at least one way to doExcellent: andGood: STUCK? CALL FOR A CL HAGAR THE HORRIBLE 10 mins you have to have the right letter at thesolution: 0901 322 560 Yesterday’s Halve your Target Time! crossover – but which one is it? HoBBy (across) *Calls cost 75p plus network See if you can find the answer sHooT within(down) our target time. If you need help, ring our clue-line below to find out the crossover letter. solution tomorrow.

TIGER

TarGeT

Target times: Average: 18 mins Good: 14 mins Excellent: 10 mins Yesterday’s solution: HoBBy (across) sHooT (down)

CALVIN & HOBBES

The Target

DENNIS THE MENACE Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so the each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

– or blac the main SOLUTIONAlphapu body of the alph 322 560 0901 322 5601 0901 chambers you have Both21st today’s words ingrid a mom Halve your Target Time! too! letters a centurycompany’s *Calls cost 75p plus your telephone below th Dictionary network access charge. grid is ‘r (1999 symmet edition) words, it

STUCK? CALL FOR A CLUE

e c A A B H

the main Alphapuzzle, every letter of TarGeT body ofToday’sthe used. But Good 15; very alphabet good 22; is excellent chambers you solution have to complete the 29 (or more). tomorrow. grid too! use the given 21st yesTerday’s soLUTion and black squares centuryaitch archletters archil chair char belowchat the chit grid to start. The chariot chart choir Dictionary gridhail is ‘rotationally choral cloth hair (1999 symmetrical’ in other HairCLoTH halo halt –haricot edition)harl harlotwords, hart it hatch hilt if lookshath the same

value (10) 8 Castles in the air? (5) 9 Witty saying of an unusually prim age (7) 10 What one may do with a stipend perhaps (5,2) 11 A desire to write a letter (5) 12 There’s a copy in the southeast for a writer (6) 14 Gets on the stage (6) 17 A negative in some trouble (5) 19 Issues Oriental blends (7) 21 Comparative vacuum? (7) 22 Such work is speculative (5) 23 I represent change and the readiness to accept it (10)

2 Daring type of blazer (7) 3 Reduced to the lowest level (5) 4 Found note in packing case (6) 5 In a giddy goat it may be musically excited (7) 6 Flier at the heart of 15 Down (5) 7 Stresses a ship seems to produce (10) 8 There’s opposition since rates were changed (10) 13 It may be fixed by one at variance (7) 15 Those who have them will be sorry (7) 16 Fear to make the initial mistake (6) 18 A nice change to be with an Eastern relative (5) 20 Agree to be keen (5)

Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution

Yesterday’s Easy Solution

Across: 1 Disown, 4 Tipcat, 9 Estonia, 10 Louse, 11 Gasps, 12 Descant, 13 Shorthanded, 18 Peacock, 20 Wiper, 22 Alike, 23 No entry, 24 Lights, 25 Leaned.

Across: 1 Refuse, 4 Strong,

Down: 1 Dredge, 2 Sites, 3 Windsor, 5 Idles, 6 Crusade, 7 Treaty, 8 Handshaking, 14 Healing, 15 Nowhere, 16 Sprawl, 17 Frayed, 19 Overt, 21 Put on.

Down: 1 Refute, 2 Forgo,

EASY PUZZLE

1 Perceive increase in

*SP: Spoke – Helpline 0333 202 3390

Down

9 Fervour, 10 Utter, 11 Thong, 12 Achieve, 13 Bring to book, 18 Macabre, 20 Lower, 22 Abuse, 23 Cutlass, 24 Artery, 25 Breezy. 3 Shotgun, 5 Tough, 6 On the go, 7 Garnet, 8 Break the ice, 14 Recruit, 15 Bolster, 16 Impala, 17 Trusty, 19 By ear, 21 Weave.

Across 1 In great demand (2,1,7) 8 Sudden intense effort (5) 9 Bring charge against (7) 10 Small-time gangster (7) 11 Up to the time of (5) 12 People of a state (6) 14 Hateful (6) 17 Push one’s way rudely (5) 19 As a whole (7) 21 Quick retort (7) 22 Quick to take offence (5) 23 Northeast part of US (3,7)

you turn down. s

yester Black A9, 12 7, 29, 35, B across Speakin C Copyrig Buff, D Jo Corgi, B E Depth. down: F Poster, Sponge G Evade, Kit. H

12 4

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*Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

Across

THe aLP

HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here? In making a word, each letter may be used The Target crack the the once only.cAn eachyou must contain Alphabeater? each grid and there must be at uses centre letter one number nine-letter word. noa letter represents words inleast plurals or –verb formssquare. ending As in “s”. or black in

call 0907 181 2585 for today’s Target solution

CRYPTIC PUZZLE

cAn you

uses a FT HlL w M o o sAlphabe Z number words in

TarGeT

T lw e c A A B H

Down 2 A muster (4-3) 3 Part of a flower (5) 4 Mysterious situation (6) 5 Confiscate (7) 6 Intended (5) 7 Very easy task (6,4) 8 In jail (6,4) 13 Supervised (7) 15 Enthusiastic reception (7) 16 To rule (6) 18 To mature (5) 20 Support for blackboard (5)

full solution

0907 181 2558

*Calls cost 80p per minute 21 plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

● Alterna

PLay More Crossw

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, January 24, 2019, PAGE 7

ONE POINT AWAY, SERENA STUNNED BY PLISKOVA AT AUSTRALIAN OPEN By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Four times, Serena Williams was only one point — a single point — from closing out a victory in the Australian Open quarter-finals. On the first such chance, at 5-1, 40-30 in the third set, she turned her left ankle awkwardly. The owner of the best serve in the sport would lose every point she served the rest of the way. And so it was that a startling reversal and result would follow yesterday at Melbourne Park, with Williams dropping the last six games of a 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 loss to No. 7-seeded Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic. “I can’t say that I choked on those match points,” Williams said. “She literally played her best tennis ever on those shots.” The 37-year-old American didn’t call for a trainer during the match and later wouldn’t blame the ankle for the way everything changed down the stretch, saying afterward that it “seems to be fine.” But instead of Williams moving closer to an eighth championship at the Australian Open and record-tying 24th Grand Slam title overall, it is Pliskova who will continue the pursuit of her first major trophy. “I was almost in the locker room,” Pliskova

told the Rod Laver Arena crowd, “but now I’m standing here as the winner.” Normally, Williams is the one manufacturing a comeback. This time, it was surprising to see her let a sizable lead vanish. Only twice before in 380 Grand Slam matches had Williams lost after holding a match point, at the 2010 French Open and 1999 Australian Open. In today’s semi-finals, Pliskova will face No. 4-seeded Naomi Osaka, who advanced by beating No. 6 Elina Svitolina 6-4, 6-1. The other women’s semi-final will be two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova against unseeded American Danielle Collins. In men’s action Wednesday, No. 28 Lucas Pouille of France reached his first Grand Slam semi-final by beating 2016 Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic of Canada 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-4. Pouille, who is coached by two-time major champion Amelie Mauresmo, had been 0-5 for his career at the Australian Open until last week. His next opponent will be 14-time major champion Novak Djokovic, who moved on when 2014 US Open finalist Kei Nishikori stopped playing while trailing 6-1, 4-1. Nishikori was treated for leg problems by a trainer. Williams’ surprising departure scuttled what would have been a muchanticipated rematch against

KAROLINA PLISKOVA, of Czech Republic, serves to United States’ Serena Williams during their quarter-final match yesterday. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill) Osaka, who beat her in the chaotic US Open final last September. This defeat is the earliest in Australia for Williams since 2014, when she exited with a fourth-round loss to Ana Ivanovic. Since then? She won the tournament in 2015, lost in the final in 2016, and won again in 2017 while pregnant, before missing last year’s edition a few months after the birth of her daughter. As for chasing Margaret Court’s all-time mark of 24 Slam trophies in singles, Williams said: “It hasn’t happened yet, but I feel like it’s going to happen.” The match against Pliskova was played under a stifling sun, with the temperature around 80 degrees

(25 degrees Celsius). Williams — coming off an intense three-set victory over No. 1 Simona Halep in the fourth round — often stepped into the patches of shade behind each baseline. She did not start well, not well at all. Her mistakes were mounting and deficit was growing. In the first set alone, Williams made more than twice as many unforced errors as her opponent, 11-5, a pattern that would continue throughout. By the end, the margin was 37-15. Looking increasingly frustrated, Williams would yell at herself after mistakes or gesture as if to say, “That’s NOT how I should be hitting the ball!” Add it all up, and Pliskova led by a

set and a break at 3-2 in the second. Only then did Williams get going. From there, she immediately earned her first break point of the match and converted it to get to 3-all, beginning a run in which she claimed nine of 11 games. “You don’t really feel,” Pliskova said, “like you’re going to win this match.” Serving for the victory at 5-1, 40-30, Williams was called for a foot fault — reminiscent of an infamous such ruling at the US Open a decade ago. During the ensuing point Wednesday, Williams twisted her left ankle and dumped a forehand into the net. She grabbed at her foot afterward, then

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 70° F/21° C Low: 44° F/7° C

TAMPA

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

A couple of showers and a t‑storm

Mostly cloudy with a few showers

A couple of showers and a t‑storm

Partly sunny with spotty showers

Mostly cloudy with spotty showers

High: 81°

Low: 70°

High: 78° Low: 65°

High: 76° Low: 64°

High: 77° Low: 65°

High: 77° Low: 66°

AccuWeather RealFeel

85° F

70° F

81°-62° F

74°-61° F

75°-61° F

76°-64° F

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.

almanac

ABACO

High: 77° F/25° C Low: 70° F/21° C

15‑25 knots

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 53° F/12° C

12‑25 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 59° F/15° C

W S

WEST PALM BEACH

uV inDex toDay

TONIGHT

High: 67° F/19° C Low: 44° F/7° C

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 62° F/17° C

MIAMI

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 60° F/16° C

10‑20 knots

KEY WEST

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 65° F/18° C

Statistics are for Nassau through 1 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 77° F/25° C Low .................................................... 68° F/20° C Normal high ....................................... 77° F/25° C Normal low ........................................ 65° F/18° C Last year’s high ................................. 82° F/28° C Last year’s low ................................... 71° F/22° C Precipitation As of 1 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.00” Year to date ................................................. 1.16” Normal year to date ..................................... 0.99”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 70° F/21° C

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 74° F/23° C

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

tiDes For nassau High

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

10:10 a.m. 10:41 p.m.

3.3 2.8

3:55 a.m. ‑0.8 4:36 p.m. ‑0.8

Friday

11:02 a.m. 11:38 p.m.

3.0 2.8

4:52 a.m. ‑0.6 5:28 p.m. ‑0.7

Saturday

11:57 a.m. ‑‑‑‑‑

2.8 ‑‑‑‑‑

5:52 a.m. ‑0.3 6:21 p.m. ‑0.6

Sunday

12:38 a.m. 12:54 p.m.

2.7 2.5

6:55 a.m. 0.0 7:17 p.m. ‑0.4

Monday

1:40 a.m. 1:55 p.m.

2.7 2.3

8:01 a.m. 0.1 8:14 p.m. ‑0.2

Tuesday

2:42 a.m. 2:56 p.m.

2.6 2.1

9:07 a.m. 0.2 9:11 p.m. ‑0.1

Wednesday 3:42 a.m. 3:56 p.m.

2.6 2.0

10:10 a.m. 0.2 10:07 p.m. ‑0.1

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:55 a.m. 5:49 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

9:51 p.m. 9:46 a.m.

Last

New

First

Full

Jan. 27

Feb. 4

Feb. 12

Feb. 19

CAT ISLAND

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 75° F/24° C

8‑16 knots

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

double-faulted and would go on to cede that game. Not a big deal, right? She still had a sizable lead. Except that three more match points would follow while Pliskova served, and she saved each one. “There’s nothing I did wrong on those match points. I didn’t do anything wrong. I stayed aggressive,” Williams said. “She just literally hit the lines on some of them.” Williams would again serve for the match at 5-3 — and again get broken. The owner of the most feared and respected serve in women’s tennis was broken for a third time in a row at 5-all, and Pliskova was on her way. “She got a little bit shaky in the end,” Pliskova said. “So I took my chances. And I won.” Osaka will carry a 12-match Grand Slam winning streak into the semi-finals. The 21-year-old from Japan moved closer to a second consecutive major championship by parlaying her aggressive and powerful style into a 31-11 edge in winners against Svitolina. “For me, right now, I just try to keep looking forward. So I’m not really satisfied. Like, I am happy that I’m here, but at the same time, I want to keep going,” said Osaka, who never had been past the fourth round at the Australian Open. “There is more matches to win.”

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 75° F/24° C

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 76° F/24° C

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 73° F/23° C

W S

LONG ISLAND

insurance management tracking map

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 76° F/24° C

10‑20 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 79° F/26° C Low: 76° F/24° C

Shown is today’s

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

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS RAGGED ISLAND High: 80° F/27° C Low: 76° F/24° C

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 76° F/24° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 82° F/28° C Low: 76° F/24° C

10‑20 knots

8‑16 knots

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

Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday:

WINDS S at 12‑25 Knots NNW at 10‑20 Knots SW at 8‑16 Knots N at 12‑25 Knots SE at 10‑20 Knots WNW at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 10‑20 Knots SSE at 8‑16 Knots SSE at 12‑25 Knots WNW at 7‑14 Knots SSW at 12‑25 Knots NNW at 10‑20 Knots SE at 8‑16 Knots WNW at 7‑14 Knots SE at 8‑16 Knots S at 8‑16 Knots SE at 10‑20 Knots WNW at 4‑8 Knots ESE at 10‑20 Knots SSE at 8‑16 Knots SSE at 6‑12 Knots W at 8‑16 Knots SE at 10‑20 Knots NW at 4‑8 Knots SE at 10‑20 Knots WNW at 7‑14 Knots

WAVES 6‑10 Feet 4‑7 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 5‑9 Feet 3‑6 Feet 6‑10 Feet 3‑6 Feet 5‑9 Feet 3‑6 Feet 4‑8 Feet 3‑5 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑2 Feet 5‑9 Feet 3‑5 Feet 4‑7 Feet 1‑3 Feet 8‑12 Feet 6‑10 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑2 Feet 4‑7 Feet 1‑3 Feet 3‑6 Feet 1‑3 Feet

VISIBILITY 3 Miles 8 Miles 3 Miles 3 Miles 8 Miles 3 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 3 Miles 3 Miles 3 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 3 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 6 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 3 Miles 3 Miles 8 Miles 6 Miles 8 Miles 3 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 74° F 74° F 76° F 76° F 75° F 75° F 79° F 79° F 75° F 75° F 79° F 79° F 75° F 75° F 80° F 80° F 78° F 78° F 79° F 78° F 76° F 76° F 78° F 78° F 75° F 75° F

PAGE 8, Thursday, January 24, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

B y ARNIE STAPLETON

AP P R O FOOT BALL WRIT E R

KEYS TO THE GAME

ATLANTA STADIUM FIELD ALREADY COVERED WITH SUPER BOWL PAINT By CHARLES ODUM AP Sports Writer ATLANTA (AP) — As if the road closures surrounding MercedesBenz Stadium were not convincing signs that the countdown to Super Bowl 53 has started in Atlanta, one look inside the facility drives the point home. The end zones and sidelines already are painted with the Patriots and Rams names and colours. That work was done less than 24 hours after New England beat Kansas City in the AFC championship game and the Los Angeles Rams beat New Orleans in the NFC game on Sunday. “You find out who’s here on Sunday and you

come here Monday and the team names are in the end zone,” Scott Jenkins, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium general manager, said Tuesday. “It’s pretty cool. It makes it real when you know who’s coming here to play.” Ed Mangan, the NFL field director, said there will be a fresh coat of paint laid down the day before the February 3 game. Most other necessary updates and modifications also are complete, including the installation of equipment for the pregame and halftime shows . There’s still one major question left unanswered: Will the retractable roof for the $1.5 billion stadium be open?

THE Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (AP) Officials for the NFL and the stadium are eager to show off the facility’s most distinctive feature, but even a billion dollars can’t buy a guarantee of good weather. Atlanta was dealt an ice storm for its last Super Bowl following the 2000 season. It’s too early to know if hopes for a dry day and milder temperatures will be

realised and the roof can be open. “It’s definitely something we’re talking about,” NFL senior director of events Eric Finkelstein said Tuesday as he stood on the freshly painted field. “We haven’t made a decision one way or the other. It probably won’t be decided if we’re going to have the roof open until we get much closer to the game and we

know the realities that are involved with that.” There were problems with the roof’s camera-lens type mechanism in 2017, the first year the stadium served as home for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and MLS Atlanta United. The roof was closed for all but one Falcons home regular-season game in 201 but was fully operational in 2018, when there were four open-air games. All along, it has been clear the NFL’s preference is to have the roof open for the Super Bowl. Jenkins said a compromise could be to have the roof open before the game and then closed by kickoff. “That would give us a little more leeway for the

temperature, but it’s going to be based on comfort for the fans,” Jenkins said. “I don’t think the long-term forecast is such that we’d play open, but we’d still like to open up the roof for some time and use it as part of the show and then shut it, so we’re thinking about that.” The NFL will make the decision. “We’ll take our lead from the NFL,” Jenkins said. “It’s really their event.” The stadium already has hosted other major events, including Alabama’s win over Georgia for the college football national championship game following the 2017 season and the recent MLS Cup won by the hometown Atlanta United.