02072019 SPORTS by tribune242

SPORTS SECTION E

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019

CARTWRIGHT SIGNS FOR EAGLES PAGE E03

GSSSA CHAMPIONS S Y O B R O SENI

MYSTIC MARLINS DEFEAT RATTLERS By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins squandered an eight-point fourth quarter lead but came up with clutch baskets down the stretch when it mattered most to take the GSSSA senior boys basketball title. Doris Johnson outscored the CI Gibson Rattlers 16-8 in the final five minutes to take game three and the series 67-59 last night at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. Malachi McCoy had 14 points and 16 rebounds to lead six Mystic Marlins players to score at least seven points. Janus Shepherd scored 14, Jaythan Belle had 10, Tyeko Lowe and Joshua Burrows each finished with nine while Matthew Saunders chipped in with seven.

Plays Lowe made several key plays down the stretch and his driving layup with under a minute left to play gave the Mystic Marlins a 60-55. He deflected a pass on the ensuing possession and Joshua Burrows’ finished the fastbreak layup to seal the win. Derico Burrows was the lone Rattlers player in double figures with 13 points while Jaden Strachan and Jaheed Sanusi each scored nine. The Rattlers entered the fourth quarter trailing by eight, but Derico Burrows scored five straight to cut the lead to three, 51-48 with 5:11 left to play. Sanusi tied the game with a threepointer on the very next possession, but Shepherd stole the inbounds pass and regained the Mystic Marlins lead with his fastbreak layup. Joshua Burrows went baseline for a floater on the next possession and after Strachan scored for the Rattlers, Lowe came up with an offensive rebound and putback for a fourpoint lead with just under two minutes remaining. Both teams set the tone early and the game opened with five consecutive field goals made before the first missed shot. Shepherd scored six in the opening quarter and was perfect from both the field and the free throw line. Joshua Burrows’ pull up jumper gave the Mystic Marlins a 21-14 lead at the end of the first. Rus-Shorn Strachan’s free throws made it 25-22 midway through the second, but McCoy and Michael Balfour would respond with back to back scores. Saunders followed with a three pointer to take a 10 point lead, 32-22. Emmanuel SEE PAGE E03

S L R I G R O JUNI

SCORPIONS DETHRONE THE LIONS By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

AFTER losing the first game of the series, the TA Thompson Scorpions completed the backdoor sweep to dethrone the HO Lions as Government Secondary School Sports Association junior girls basketball champions. Adriana Webster posted an incredible stat line as the Scorpions clinched the 2019 title with a 55-44 win over the HO Nash Lions yesterday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. Webster finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds, nine steals and six assists as the Scorpions

won the series 2-1. TA Thompson received key contributions from each member of the starting unit - Nathalya Lightbourne tied for a game high 20 points, Dominiqua Rolle scored eight, while Tania Kerr had eight points and 12 rebounds. Lightbourne was named the series MVP. Jonique Cunningham led the Lions with 20 points and nine rebounds, Geraniqua Bethel had 14 points and 11 rebounds and Elysa Gordon scored six. Last year’s series was also decided in three games and when the Lions eventually claimed their third consecutive title.

Scorpions head coach Donnavette Scavella said the effort on the defensive end was the deciding factor this time around.

Determined “We played lockdown defence, that was the difference in this game. The girls came out determined and they executed,” she said, “I have some seventh and eighth graders coming back so we look to be right back here again next year.” Tied at four early the Scorpions took a 9-4 lead and led 11-8 at the end of the first. The Scorpions separated

themselves with a run in the second. They got a layup from Webster, two baskets from Azaria Belotto, and a layup from Rolle to take their first double digit lead of the series, 19-8 at the 2:43 mark in the quarter. Gordon made a pair of free throws from the Lions to stop the run. Webster dished with another assist to Belotto who got behind defence for a fastbreak layup to take a 24-10 lead. Lightbourne’s floater capped an explosive quarter for the Scorpions where they outscored the Lions 18-4 and they took a 29-12 lead at the half. SEE PAGE E03

PAGE 2, Thursday, February 7, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

LOCAL FOOTBALL FANS HAVE ‘BUD LIGHT EXPERIENCE’ AT SUPER BOWL LIII By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

SUPER Bowl LIII produced several historic milestones with a pair of local football fans a part of the action, witnessing America’s most popular sporting event courtesy of Bud Light Caribbean and Bahamian Brewery and Beverage Company. Ricardo Walkes and Mario Tynes capped off their “Bud Light Experience” when they joined over 70,000 fans at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia to witness the New England Patriots claim their sixth Super Bowl title in franchise history with a 13-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Defences dominated the lowest scoring Super Bowl of all time and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady led one final drive which ended with a 41-yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal with 1:12 left, to seal the the win. Brady passed Charles Haley to become the only player with six Super Bowl titles. At 41, he also became the oldest quarterback to win a Super Bowl while Bill Belichick, 66, became the oldest coach to win a Super Bowl. Wide receiver Julian Edelman was named the MVP with 10 receptions for 141 yards.

Opportunity The Bud Light NFL Lovers duo had an opportunity to view the action first hand seats in the 300 level with a view from the northwest corner of the Rams’ endzone. While neither rooted for the Patriots to win the game - Walkes a fan of the Dallas Cowboys and Tynes a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers - both revelled in the excitement of the event and the weekend hosted by Bud Light. The Bud Light Experience began at the American Hotel in downtown the Atlanta, the hub of a busy weekend of events which included a series of concerts, tailgate parties and interaction with several NFL icons. Friday night featured a concert by the Imagine Dragons and Rob Thomas, while Saturday night

featured the final night of the Bud Light Music Festival, highlighted by performances from Bruno Mars and Cardi B. Saturday also featured a “Chalk Talk” series of discussions hosted by ESPN analyst Trey Wingo, former Rams wide receiver Isaac Bruce and former Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork.

Fans Wilfork noted the Bahamas as one of the places where he was surprised to find a strong contingent of Patriots fans and passionate football fans in general. The official beer of the National Football League, Bud Light’s regional Caribbean division along with local distributors Bahamian Brewery and Beverage Company continue to give fans an opportunity to experience the sights, sounds and feel of the game through it’s “NFL Lovers” campaign. Bud Light gave Bahamian contest winners an opportunity to experience the NFL firsthand during the regular season with visits to Miami Dolphins games at Hard Rock Stadium. The contest winers were on hand at Hard Rock to witness the Dolphins’ Miami Miracle win over the Patriots last December. The series culminated with a trip to Super Bowl LIII. In Nassau, Bud Light simultaneously hosted a Mega Watch Party for the second year at the Cricket Club Pub and Restaurant on West Bay Street. During Superbowl LIII, partygoers were connected to the winners live on location in Atlanta at the big game, connecting Bud Light patrons across two countries. The cricket bowl was transformed into a stadium atmosphere complete with a miniature football field, sideline bleachers, a trio of supersized LCD screens and interactive amenities for partygoers. PHOTOS: Kyle Ferguson/ JIGGY Productions

THE TRIBUNE

MYSTIC MARLINS DEFEAT RATTLERS

FROM PAGE E01 Alexander scored on a pair of steals and fastbreak layups to ignite the Rattler crowd, but Doris Johnson maintained a 35-27 lead at the half. Shepherd went baseline and scored on a driving layup on the opening play of the third to take a 10 point lead. The run continued and they led 44-30 at 5:14 mark when he left with an apparent leg injury. Balfour’s baseline jumper gave Doris Johnson 15 point lead and Lowe followed with a three-point play to go ahead 49-31 with under four minutes left to play in the third. The Rattlers got back to back threes from Burrows and Strachan to cut the lead to 10. Darryo Saunders followed with a layup on the next possession to trim it to single digits for the first time since the first quarter, 49-41, headed into the fourth. The Rattlers took game one, 74-57, behind 21 points and 12 rebounds from Rus-Shorn Strachan. The Mystic Marlins kept their season alive with a game two win led by 19 points and 10 rebounds from Janus Shepherd. The 2019 championship was a renewed chapter in the rivalry between the Mystic Marlins and the Rattlers after a two-year hiatus. It represented the fourth time in the last six years that the two schools met to decide the senior boys’ title.

Thursday, February 7, 2019, PAGE 3

NASHAD MACKEY RETURNS TO FORM FOR EAGLES AFTER INJURY By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

NASHAD Mackey returned to form following an early season injury and is once again performing like the standout senior leader of the Embry Riddle Men’s Basketball Programme. Mackey was named the Sunshine State Conference’s Defensive Player of the Week and led the Eagles to a pair of wins in the process. It was his third award of the season and fifth of his career. He averaged 16.5 points and 12 rebounds per game in the wins while also he also added five assists, three blocks, and three steals. He finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists in a win over Rollins. In the ensuing 60-56 win over the Tampa Spartans, Mackey scored 18 points, grabbed 16 boards, and collected three steals to lead the Eagles. The Eagles improved to 11-13 on the season, 3-9 in the SSC but won just their first conference home game of the 2018-19 campaign. The senior forward has undergone injury and become a new father as the Eagles have played below .500 basketball for much of the season. He recorded three double-doubles in the Eagles’ first three games, averaging 20.0 points and 11.7

RETURN TO FORM: Nashad Mackey (right) in action. rebounds per game but a November 11 wrist injury would be the beginning of the struggles for both him and the Eagles. Ten days after the injury, however, Mackey experienced a life-altering moment with the birth of his daughter, Malayah Rose on November 21. He returned to the court just over a month later on December 29 and posted a double double in his third game back. “Being a new father is a

getting better each day and making a run at the national tournament.” As a junior, Mackey produced a number of career milestones and postseason awards. He was named to the AllConference second team as well as the All-Newcomer team when the Sunshine State Conference office announced the 2017-18 men’s basketball postseason awards. Mackey made school history when he became the

MICHAEL CARTWRIGHT SIGNS FOR NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL EAGLES

SCORPIONS DETHRONE THE LIONS FROM PAGE E01 The Scorpions continued to build on the lead and Lightbourne scored the first basket of the third on the opening possession. TA Thompson quickly reeled off nine points capped by a Webster three pointer, for a 38-12 score. The Lions staged a late fourth quarter rally but it was too little too late as the 26 point second half lead proved to be too much to overcome. The Scorpions finished the regular season at 7-0. After a two game sweep of the CH Reeves Raptors in the semifinals, they lost their first game of the season to the Lions in game one of the championship, 43-28. The Scorpions rebounded to outlast the Lions 50-46 in game two.

blessing, especially being a senior in college,” he said. “It’s more motivation to work hard in the classroom and on the court. Being a father, full time student-athlete is challenging but once I prioritise, I handle it well. It’s also all about sacrificing, giving up an extra hour of sleep for an extra hour to get up shots before practice,” he said, “We play in arguably the best league in division two so every night is a challenge. I’m just looking forward to

first Eagles player to earn an All-Conference selection. He had an immediate impact on the programme as they transitioned to NCAA Division II with his record-breaking junior season. He averaged 17.3 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, both team leads. In 28 starts, he also set a new single-season double-doubles record with 23 on the year and ended the season with 13 such consecutive games. He posted a total of 350 rebounds, another school record, ranked second in NCAA Division II. He finished with nine 20-point games, including one 20-point, 20-rebound game in an upset of No. 10 Barry University. He also shot 88.8 per cent from the free throw line this season, ranked sixth among singleseason totals in programme history. The Eagles finished the season at 11-17, 5-15 in the conference. As the team’s leading returning scorer and rebounder, he took on a greater leadership role in his senior season. “Being a senior and captain of the team my roles are more than on the court controlling huddles. They are more of investing in all seventeen players - learning about them and their families, what motivates them or how the cope with stress,” he said.

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

MICHAEL Cartwright

MICHAEL Cartwright made it official with the North Carolina Central Eagles on National Signing Day. The senior offensive lineman signed his National Letter of Intent at the Champagnat High School campus yesterday in Hialeah, Florida, after he announced his commitment to the programme just over a week ago. Cartwright was one of eight members of the Champagnat football team to sign with various programmes yesterday. He will be a member of the first recruiting class for new Eagles head coach Trei Oliver. Oliver was announced as NCCU’s 24th head football coach last December. In 2018, the Eagles finished 5-6 overall, 3-4 in the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference. Cartwright becomes the second Bahamian player to matriculate from the Bahamas to Champagnat, to NCCU. Jamal Symotte was a member of the Eagles programme from 2012-2016. In his senior season, he was named a member of the All-Academic Team and All-MEAC Second Team after posting the team’s second-highest grade of 89 per cent on blocking assignments with 27 pancake blocks. Prior to his announcement, Cartwright was recently named to the Miami Herald’s All-Dade Class 5A Independent Football First Team. The 6’6” 293 pound offensive lineman recorded 65 pancake blocks on the season,

NBA

RANDLE SCORES 31, PELICANS BEAT BULLS 125-120 WITHOUT DAVIS By ANDREW SELIGMAN, AP Sports Writer CHICAGO (AP) — Anthony Davis watched near the end of the bench, looking sharp in a maroon sport coat as he waited to see if the New Orleans Pelicans would grant his wish. The All-Star forward wants to be traded. The Pelicans didn’t need him to beat the struggling Chicago Bulls. Julius Randle scored 31 points to lead New Orleans to a 125-120 victory on Wednesday night. Davis was healthy enough to return from a sprained left index finger that has sidelined him since Jan. 18. But the Pelicans opted to hold him out with Thursday’s trade deadline approaching. The six-time All-Star has made it known he wants out of New Orleans. He was even fined $50,000 by the NBA after his agent went public with that request. Davis’ teammates would hate to see him go. “Selfishly, I would love to be by

him every day like I have been this year,” fellow Chicago product Jahlil Okafor said. “At the end of the day I want him to be happy. If I’m being selfish, of course I’m going to say I want you to be my teammate.” Jrue Holiday insisted it won’t be awkward if Davis isn’t dealt. “Still a professional, still love having him around,” Holiday said. “Again, he’s like a brother to all of us. Having him here would be a joy.” Randle scored 19 in a blistering fourth quarter and finished six points shy of his season high. He hit 4 of 6 3-pointers and shot 10 of 18 overall, helping the Pelicans pick up the win after losing six of seven. Holiday and Cheick Diallo each scored 18, and Chicago product Jahlil Okafor finished with 13 points. The Bulls agreed to trade Jabari Parker and Bobby Portis to Washington for Otto Porter Jr. shortly before tipoff. Then, they lost for the 16th time in 18 games. “Everybody’s gotta step up,”

Lauri Markkanen said. “I thought the guys that played, they played well. We just adjust. Change is always tough, but next man up. It’s not the first time. I can’t say too much about it.” Markkanen led Chicago with 30 points and 10 rebounds. He tied a season high by nailing 5 of 10 3’s. Zach LaVine scored 28, and Kris Dunn added 18 points and eight assists. “We’ve got to do the little things,” Dunn said. “The little things help us win games, get over the hump, and that’s what we have to do. There’s some great fans. The journey we’ve been going through, it’s a rollercoaster ride, and they keep showing up to the building. We definitely appreciate that.” Randle hit two 3-pointers in a span of just over a minute in the fourth quarter to make it 113-100 with 4:05 left. LaVine drove for a dunk to cut it to 123-118 with 10.9 seconds remaining, but Randle then hit two free throws to make it a seven-point game. • MORE NBA NEWS ON PAGE E04

most among any lineman selected to the first team. Champagnat finished as runnersup after a 28-20 loss to the North Florida Christian Eagles in the Florida High School Athletic Association State Championships Class 2A State Championship game. The Lions concluded the season with four consecutive wins to earn a trip to the state title game. Prior to the season, Cartwright reentered the recruitment cycle when he de-committed from the University of Indiana Hoosiers in December.

Recruitment He originally announced his commitment to join the Hoosiers last July but, according to Cartwright, the second chance at recruitment gave him an opportunity to “re-evaluate everything and to make the best decision for me as a person, player and most importantly a student.” In the month of May alone, Cartwright received eight offers from the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, Kent State Golden Flash, UCF Knights, UAB Blazers, Georgia State Panthers, Temple Owls, UMass Minutemen and Nebraska Cornhuskers. He previously received offers from the Tulane Green Wave, FIU Golden Panthers, Indiana Hoosiers, Marshall Thundering Herd, FAU Owls, Southern Mississippi Eagles, Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions and the Pittsburgh Panthers.

NEW Orleans Pelicans’ Anthony Davis talks during a timeout during the first half. (AP Photo/David Banks)

PAGE 4, Thursday, February 7, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

RUSSELL SCORES 27, NETS HIT 19 3S AND BEAT NUGGETS 135-130

BROOKLYN Nets guard D’Angelo Russell goes up for a shot as Denver Nuggets guard Monte Morris, left, defends and forward Mason Plumlee watches. (AP Photo/ Kathy Willens)

By BRIAN MAHONEY, AP Basketball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — D’Angelo Russell had 27 points and 11 assists, and the Brooklyn Nets surpassed last season’s win total by beating the Denver Nuggets 135-130 on Wednesday night. Russell made six of the Nets’ 19 3-pointers, one game after they made only five as a team in their poorest shooting performance of the season. DeMarre Carroll added 18 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for Brooklyn (29-27), which got two key injured players back and led by 21 points in ending a three-game skid. Joe Harris scored 17 points and Treveon Graham had 16, with four 3-pointers. Nikola Jokic had 25 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in his 10th tripledouble of the season for the Nuggets, who have lost two straight games to fall out of a tie for the Western Conference lead. Mason Plumlee scored a season-high 24 points on 10-for-12 shooting against his former team, and Jamal Murray had 19 points and 11 assists after missing six games with a sprained left ankle. Brooklyn had failed to score 100 in its previous two games and had season lows of 32 percent shooting overall and 11.9 percent (5 for 42) from 3-point range in a 113-94 loss to Milwaukee on Monday. Coach Kenny Atkinson dismissed questions about a need for more shooting before the trade deadline, and he sure looked right

DENVER Nuggets centre Nikola Jokic (15) shoots as Brooklyn Nets forward Ed Davis (17) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

against Denver. The Nets made 13 of their first 18 attempts from behind the arc. Harris, who missed the last game with a sore right hip, hit three 3s, and Allen Crabbe came off the bench to hit his first 3-point attempt after missing 26 games with a sore right knee. Looking to bounce back from a 129-103 loss at Detroit on Monday, the Nuggets scored the first eight points and raced to a 16-5 lead. But their 14-point lead was down to five by the end of the first quarter, and it was clear by then they were going to have trouble stopping the Nets.

Brooklyn was 7 of 9 from behind the arc in a 42-point second quarter, and then opened the third with a 12-4 run to push the lead to 84-64. The Nets had 108 points and a 21-point cushion in the final minute of the period, and scored enough to hold on when the Nuggets trimmed it to single digits in the final couple minutes. • TIP-INS NUGGETS: Plumlee was 7 for 7 in the first quarter. ... Gary Harris missed his fourth consecutive game with a strained right groin. Paul Millsap missed his second straight with right ankle soreness.

... Coach Michael Malone, a New York native, said his parents would be at the game. His father, Brendan, coached 28 years in the NBA. NETS: Shabazz Napier, 0 for 10 behind the arc on Monday, hit both 3-point attempts and had 10 points and 11 assists. ... Atkinson said Caris LeVert, nearing a return from a dislocated right foot, practiced again with the Nets’ NBA G League affiliate. He will be evaluated Thursday. ... The Nets celebrated the Lunar New

Year as part of the NBA Chinese New Year celebration. The Nets will travel to China in October for two preseason games against the Los Angeles Lakers. • PICK A WINNER Malone will coach Team LeBron in the All-Star Game on Feb. 17. LeBron James will draft his roster for the team on Thursday, and Malone was asked if he will watch when the results are unveiled to see if the captain picked him a good team. “I think it’s hard not to

get good players. I mean, it’s the 24 best players in the world — now 26 because of Dirk (Nowitzki) and Dwyane Wade,” Malone said. “So I haven’t sent LeBron my suggestions. I just hope that we get Nikola Jokic on our team because we really need to go through that game and that weekend with the future of that team.” • UP NEXT Nuggets: Visit Philadelphia on Friday. Nets: Host Chicago on Friday.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, February 7, 2019, PAGE 5

ATLANTA FALCONS CUT KICKER BRYANT

By CHARLES ODUM, AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons released kicker Matt Bryant on Wednesday, ending the 10-year run of the team’s all-time leading scorer. The decision to not renew the team’s option on the 43-year-old Bryant comes despite another strong season in 2018, when he made 20 of 21 field goals and 33 of 35 extra points. Bryant’s only missed field goal was from 53 yards at Green Bay. He said the miss was “probably like a 60-yarder on a normal field.” Health concerns could have played a role in the Falcons’ decision. Bryant missed three games with a hamstring injury. Bryant insisted he is healthy. “I’m not retiring and I feel fine and plan on feeling even better with some changes to my offseason programme,” he said on Twitter . Bryant also thanked Falcons fans for their support and added : “I take great pride in my body of work on and off the field. I hope I have represented you well while I was here.” Bryant recently told The Associated Press he wants to extend his career.

Journey “Yes, I am 43, and different things come along with that,” Bryant said. “As long as I can produce the way I think I can and I do it out there on the field, I’ll take the bumps and bruises. ... Oh yeah, it’s not over. The journey goes on.” Falcons owner Arthur Blank took note of Bryant’s team-record 1,122 points and his honour of being named the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2013 and 2014. Blank said in a team statement Bryant “will be remembered as one of the greatest Falcons of all time.” Blank said Bryant “made countless memorable and game-winning kicks. “His reliability and dependability were unmatched and he has been unflappable in pressure-filled moments.” Bryant set a team record with 158 points in the Falcons’ 2016 Super Bowl season. Giorgio Tavecchio was signed when Bryant was injured and was kept on the active roster for the remainder of the season in a move that could have been a hint of the plan to release Bryant. Tavecchio, 28, could be the starter in 2019 after making each of his five field goal attempts, including a 56-yarder, this season. The team’s release of Bryant comes one day after it cut another veteran, cornerback Robert Alford. The release of Alford will clear $7.9 million in cap space for the 2019 season. The Bryant move clears $2.8 million in cap space. “There is no doubt he is one of the all-time great Falcons as he’s been an integral part of our success,” general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. “This was a difficult decision but one that was necessary for us to move forward into 2019. We have the utmost respect for the person and the player that Matt is, and we wish (him) and his family the best going forward.”

AFC quarterback Andrew Luck (12), of the Indianapolis Colts, warms up before the NFL Pro Bowl football game against the NFC, in Orlando, Fla. Luck spent the last three offseasons rehabbing from injuries. Now that he’s finally healthy, Luck can spend the next few months focusing on becoming a better quarterback and leader. And the plan begins with an odd twist: The Indianapolis Colts’ biggest star taking a rare and well-deserved break. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)

COLTS’ ANDREW LUCK HOPES HEALTHY OFFSEASON LEADS TO BETTER RESULTS By MICHAEL MAROT, AP Sports Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Andrew Luck spent three offseasons fighting his way back from injuries. Now he can reap the reward. After returning to the field, making it back to the playoffs, regaining his Pro Bowl form and collecting The Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award, a healthy Luck now intends to take a rare and well-deserved break from football. “I’ll be honest, I probably won’t throw for a while,” he said before cleaning out his locker. “There will be tweaks, there will be changes to what I do (this offseason) but all of it is geared to one, make me as happy as possible and two, set me up to improve as a quarterback and improve as a person.” How Luck will spend his downtime is unclear. Peyton Manning broke the monotony with hunting trips. Brett Favre worked on his ranch. Tom Brady won a Super Bowl after changing last year’s offseason routine to spend more time with his family and less on football. They all learned throwing more balls doesn’t necessarily make a better quarterback. Matt Hasselbeck, a three-time Pro Bowler who backed up Favre and Luck during his 17-year career, became a believer. So after hearing a story about Manning meeting a former U.S. president one offseason, Hasselbeck accepted an offer from assistant coach Clyde Christensen to spend time with a Navy admiral. “He talked to us in our

quarterback meeting one day about protecting the football because we’d had some issues and he used this analogy of what they tell Top Gun pilots,” Hasselbeck said. “It was basically that you have this great plane you get to fly and it does not belong to you. It belongs to the government, it belongs to the people. Clyde said we should take the admiral up on spending some time with him. So I did that one offseason. “That’s an example of something that’s not necessarily X’s and O’s

“One of my challenges for myself was to maybe not silo everything in my life so much but be able to exist as a happy human throughout a season, not just after the season. So I don’t have this, I guess desire, to run away and hide for a couple weeks.” Andrew Luck but it’s a form of leadership training or just working on you and if you’re working on you, you’re improving everything about you.” It was a message Hasselbeck relayed to Luck after joining the Colts in 2013. But it was a hard sell to a young workout warrior with the pressure and expectations of a No. 1 draft pick. While Luck enjoyed vacationing in Europe, where he spent part of his childhood reading books, following soccer and riding bikes, the

desire to improve drove him to work out. In time, Hasselbeck’s message sank in. “When we were first teammates, I told him there are going to be some years that are fun and they’re easy and you’re healthy the whole year,” said Hasselbeck, who now works for ESPN. “There’s going to be other years when it’s miserable and you’re dealing with something the whole year and you’re in the training room all the time. You’re there early and you’re there late and you’re in pain and you’re on drugs. “That conversation came up when I was talking about how long I wanted to play. This year we were talking and Andrew said ‘I remember you saying it and it didn’t make sense then.’ He said now it totally makes sense.”

Balance Luck’s good year came with 16 starts for the first time since 2014, producing career highs in completions, attempts and completion percentage. He finished second to Patrick Mahomes in touchdown passes, helped the Colts end a three-year playoff drought and found a better balance between life and football. Still, taking a break won’t be easy. “I don’t think he’s really going to get away,” longtime left tackle Anthony Castonzo said. “I think it’s so cool he’s not going to have to recover from an injury or have to get healthy first. He’ll probably try to get away, but he’s like me — after a short time you’ve got to find a gym or somewhere to work

out because otherwise you feel like garbage.” The difference is the 20-month gap between regular-season games following surgery on a partially torn labrum and three successive injuryplagued offseasons have changed Luck’s perspective. He never missed a chance to explain how much fun he had last season and acknowledged things felt different after a season-ending loss to Kansas City. “In past seasons, there has been a massive emotional letdown — like now I can try to be a good boyfriend or now I can try to do this and that,” he said. “But it doesn’t seem that way this year. One of my challenges for myself was to maybe not silo everything in my life so much but be able to exist as a happy human throughout a season, not just after the season. So I don’t have this, I guess desire, to run away and hide for a couple weeks.” Instead, he threw for a week leading up to the Pro Bowl and attended the NFL’s honours banquet last week. Luck hasn’t said if he will work out again at Stanford, his alma mater, but acknowledged he’ll continue to work with Tom House, the former Major League Baseball pitcher who has helped him in the past. But the Colts remain convinced the best prescription for Luck is rest. “He’s got to be fired up right now to have a normal offseason,” coach Frank Reich said. “To get away and I know he’s Andrew — he’s still going to do his deal and be disciplined — but just relax. My encouragement to him would be, ‘You better do that, you better take advantage of it.’”

NBA ALL-STAR 3-POINT CHALLENGE

BOOKER TO DEFEND 3-POINT CONTEST TITLE VS CURRY BROTHERS CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Devin Booker is ready to take on the Curry brothers. The Phoenix Suns guard will look to defend his NBA All-Star 3-point championship from a year ago against brothers Stephen and Seth Curry on Feb. 16 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Stephen Curry, who plays for the Golden State Warriors, won the event in 2015 while brother Seth, who plays for the Portland Trail Blazers, is competing in his first 3-point contest. Charlotte’s Kemba Walker, Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki, Portland’s Damian Lillard, Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton, Toronto’s Danny Green, Brooklyn’s Joe Harris and Sacramento’s Buddy Hield round out the 10-player field. The 3-point contest will held on the same night as the dunk contest and the skills challenge at the Spectrum Center, home of the Charlotte Hornets. The dunk contest features Charlotte’s Miles Bridges, Oklahoma City’s Hamidou Diallo, Atlanta’s John Collins and New York Knicks’ Dennis Smith Jr.

PHOENIX Suns guard Devin Booker drives against the Houston Rockets forward PJ Tucker, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game,, Monday, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)

The skill challenge includes first-time NBA All-Stars Nikola Jokic of the Nuggets and Nikola Vucevic of the Magic and Luka Doncic of the Mavericks. Atlanta’s Trae Young, Memphis’ Mike Conley, Sacramento’s De’Aaron

Fox, Los Angele Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma and Boston’s Jayson Tatum will also compete. The NBA also released the rosters for the annual celebrity All-Star game, which will be held on Feb. 15.

It includes former NBA great Ray Allen, NFL wide receiver Steve Smith, Dr. Oz, actor JB Smoove and recording artist Bad Bunny, ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Williams, 2018 WNBA Rookie of the Year A’ja Wilson playing against

reigning MVP and rapper Quavo. Dawn Staley, three-time Olympic Champion and member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, will coach against the 2018 WNBA Champion Seattle Storm’s Sue Bird.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, February 7, 2019, PAGE 7

GOLF ADJUSTS RULE ON CADDIES STANDING BEHIND PLAYERS By DOUG FERGUSON, AP Golf Writer PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Six weeks into the new year and the new set of golf rules have their first change, this one on caddies standing behind their players. Golf’s two governing bodies released a clarification Wednesday on the rule aimed at keeping caddies from being able to help their players line up a shot. The rule now says a two-shot penalty for his caddie standing behind him can be avoided if a player backs away from his stance and starts over anywhere on the golf course. Previously, the penalty could only be avoided on the putting green. The rule also says caddies won’t violate the rule if they were not aware their players were stepping in to take their stance. “Experience has taught us that introducing a new rule requires us to balance patience with a willingness to act quickly when necessary,” said Thomas Pagel, the senior managing director of governance for the USGA. The clarification was a quick response to a two-shot penalty on Denny McCarthy at the Phoenix Open, which later was rescinded so the rule could be studied. McCarthy’s incident followed another case a week earlier on Li Haotong in Dubai. Rule 10.2b was created

TWO SHOT PENALTY: Denny McCarthy (AP file photo)

because of longtime criticism that caddies were helping to align players on shots. The rule stated that caddies could not deliberately stand behind their players as they were starting to take their stance until the shot was hit. Li’s caddie was behind him on the 18th green in Dubai as Li stepped into to take his stance. He was penalised two shots, which dropped him from a tie

for third to a tie for 12th, and the R&A supported the decision because it followed the letter of the rule. McCarthy’s case was more complicated. He faced a 70-yard shot over water and was casually swinging the club away from the ball as his caddie stood behind him. Even though McCarthy backed away to take his stance, he initially was penalised because it did not occur on the green.

Once the PGA Tour noticed several other examples that could be cited, it took back the penalty for more study. By clarifying what is deliberate, the USGA and R&A have allowed exceptions when it’s clear the player is not trying to gain an advantage. Among the examples cited by the USGA and R&A were a caddie who was raking a bunker and was in a direct line behind

the player; and a caddie standing behind as the player walks over to tap in a putt. It also says caddies could stand behind a player while holding an umbrella until it’s time to hit the shot. Under the clarifications, caddies can line up their players for the purpose of making sure their club won’t hit a tree, or their feet are not on a cart path. The new rule was effectively immediately.

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 59° F/15° C

TAMPA

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

Mostly sunny, breezy and pleasant

Clear to partly cloudy and breezy

Mostly sunny, breezy and pleasant

Partly sunny, a shower; breezy

High: 79°

Low: 69°

High: 79° Low: 69°

High: 79° Low: 68°

High: 80° Low: 69°

AccuWeather RealFeel

80° F

67° F

81°-68° F

81°-65° F

79°-67° F

82°-67° F

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 62° F/17° C

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

almanac

ABACO

High: 75° F/24° C Low: 70° F/21° C

8-16 knots

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 66° F/19° C

7-14 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 69° F/21° C

W S

WEST PALM BEACH

uV inDex toDay

TONIGHT

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 66° F/19° C

MIAMI

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 68° F/20° C

7-14 knots

Statistics are for Nassau through 1 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 75° F/24° C Low .................................................... 70° F/21° C Normal high ....................................... 77° F/25° C Normal low ........................................ 64° F/18° C Last year’s high ................................. 81° F/27° C Last year’s low ................................... 67° F/19° C Precipitation As of 1 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.00” Year to date ................................................. 2.21” Normal year to date ..................................... 1.72”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 69° F/21° C

High: 76° F/24° C Low: 72° F/22° C

KEY WEST

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 72° F/22° C

High

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

9:19 a.m. 9:39 p.m.

2.7 2.3

3:06 a.m. -0.1 3:42 p.m. -0.1

Friday

9:54 a.m. 10:17 p.m.

2.6 2.3

3:44 a.m. 4:15 p.m.

0.0 0.0

Saturday

10:30 a.m. 10:57 p.m.

2.5 2.3

4:24 a.m. 4:50 p.m.

0.1 0.0

Sunday

11:08 a.m. 11:41 p.m.

2.3 2.3

5:07 a.m. 5:28 p.m.

0.2 0.0

Monday

11:51 a.m. -----

2.2 -----

5:55 a.m. 6:10 p.m.

0.3 0.0

Tuesday

12:30 a.m. 12:41 p.m.

2.4 2.1

6:49 a.m. 6:59 p.m.

0.4 0.0

Wednesday 1:26 a.m. 1:39 p.m.

2.5 2.0

7:51 a.m. 7:55 p.m.

0.4 0.0

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

High: 77° F/25° C Low: 73° F/23° C

7-14 knots

10-20 knots

ANDROS

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

tiDes For nassau

6:50 a.m. 5:59 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

8:38 a.m. 8:29 p.m.

First

Full

Last

New

Feb. 12

Feb. 19

Feb. 26

Mar. 6

CAT ISLAND

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

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 77° F/25° C Low: 73° F/23° C

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 71° F/22° C

W S

LONG ISLAND

insurance management tracking map

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 74° F/23° C

8-16 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 78° F/26° 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: 78° F/26° C Low: 75° F/24° C

High: 77° F/25° C Low: 75° F/24° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 81° F/27° C Low: 75° 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 NE at 7-14 Knots E at 6-12 Knots NE at 7-14 Knots ENE at 7-14 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots E at 10-20 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots E at 10-20 Knots E at 7-14 Knots E at 6-12 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots E at 10-20 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots ENE at 10-20 Knots ENE at 10-20 Knots ENE at 10-20 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots ENE at 7-14 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots ENE at 10-20 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots E at 10-20 Knots

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

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

WATER TEMPS. 73° F 73° F 77° F 77° F 73° F 73° F 79° F 79° F 74° F 74° F 79° F 78° F 76° F 76° F 80° F 80° F 79° F 79° F 79° F 79° F 76° F 76° F 78° F 78° F 74° F 74° F

PAGE 8, Thursday, February 7, 2019

BODY RECOVERED FROM WRECKAGE OF SALA PLANE LONDON (AP) — Authorities have recovered a body from the seabed wreckage of a plane that was carrying soccer player Emiliano Sala and his pilot. However, British air accident investigators have yet to say whether the body was that of Sala, who had just signed with Premier League club Cardiff, or pilot David Ibbotson. They were the only two people onboard the small aircraft that disappeared from radar over the English Channel last month. The Air Accident Investigation Branch says the body was recovered in “challenging conditions” with the “operation was carried out in as dignified a way as possible and the families were kept informed of progress.” The body will be handed over to a coroner, and police are expected to provide a confirmed identity of the body after a full examination. Investigators have not been able to recover the aircraft which was flying from Nantes to Cardiff after Sala transferred from the French city’s team to the Welsh capital’s Premier League club. However, the AAIB says that video from a remote underwater vehicle “is expected to provide valuable evidence for our safety investigation.”

PSG TAKEN TO EXTRA TIME IN FRENCH CUP BY THIRD-TIER SIDE PARIS (AP) — A week before facing Manchester United in the Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain needed extra time to see off a struggling thirdtier side in the French Cup. PSG beat lowly Villefranche-Beaujolais 3-0 to reach the quarterfinals of the competition it has won for the past four seasons. Germany winger Julian Draxler netted in the 102nd minute after being set up by striker Edinson Cavani. Midfielder Moussa Diaby added the second in the 113th, and Cavani scored the third with one minute left in extra time. Kylian Mbappe assisted both of those. PSG’s players celebrated the first goal with relief, on a night when coach Thomas Tuchel was sent to the stands in the 72nd minute for arguing with officials following a challenge on midfielder Leandro Paredes. Villefranche-Beaujolais are a semi-professional side in 13th place in the third tier of French soccer, and has scored only 17 goals in 19 league games this season. By comparison, runaway league leader PSG has netted 67 in 21 topflight games. But PSG, who lost their first league game of the season away to Lyon on Sunday, could not find a way past goalkeeper Antoine Philippon, who is not even first choice. He made fine stops to deny Cavani and Mbappe, who cost PSG a combined 223 million euros ($253 million) in transfer fees. Paredes started his first game for PSG after joining from Zenit St. Petersburg last week and striker Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting made a rare start. Neither made an impact. Despite resuming training this week, midfielder Marco Verratti was absent as he continues to recover from a sprained ankle. It means Verratti only has one more game — at home to Bordeaux on Saturday — before PSG travels to United for the first leg of their last-16 game next Tuesday. “He wasn’t able to finish training yesterday (on Tuesday),” Tuchel said. “He had a small problem. “We will wait until the day after tomorrow (Friday) to see if he can play a few minutes against Bordeaux.”

THE TRIBUNE

MAN CITY GO TOP AFTER BEATING EVERTON LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Manchester City climbed atop the Premier League standings — at least provisionally — for the first time since December by beating Everton 2-0 on Wednesday, heaping more pressure on main title rivals Liverpool. Aymeric Laporte and Gabriel Jesus scored for City during injury time in either half as the hosts went above Liverpool on goal difference — although Juergen Klopp’s team has a game in hand. City’s game at Everton, the only Premier League game played Wednesday, was rescheduled because of the English League Cup final on Feb. 24, when Pep Guardiola’s team faces Chelsea at Wembley. City trailed Liverpool by seven points at the start of the year but beat Klopp’s side on Jan. 3 and is now level with the Reds on 62 points, five points ahead of third-place Tottenham. “The reality is we could have been, one month ago, 10 points behind when we played Liverpool,” Guardiola said. “A few days ago we could have been seven points behind. Now we are top of the league. That is the best advice. The lesson is never give up. That is a lesson for all athletes. Try to win the games, because life can change immediately.”

EVERTON goalkeeper Jordan Pickford dives in vain as Manchester City’s Aymeric Laporte scores during the English Premier League soccer match at Goodison Park, Liverpool. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

MANCHESTER City’s Gabriel Jesus, obscured, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side’s second goal. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

The visitors struggled to create chances at Goodison Park but Laporte exploited Everton’s weakness on set pieces by heading in the opening goal on the stroke of halftime, with City’s first shot on target. It was the 12th Premier League goal — and 17th in all competitions — conceded from a

set piece by Everton, the worst record in the top flight. Under-pressure manager Marco Silva opted for a defensive-minded lineup by leaving out leading scorers Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson — who have scored 19 of Everton’s 36 league goals this season —which made

the team difficult for City to break down in the first half. However, Ilkay Gundogan also had a shot deflected onto the crossbar and also had claims for a penalty waved away after a challenge by Andre Gomes. Sergio Aguero’s 58thminute overhead kick could have sealed the

win but it flashed wide. Everton brought on Sigurdsson and Richarlison in search for an equalizer but instead it was Jesus who doubled the advantage with a header with virtually the last touch of the game. “It’s a big frustration to concede after 47 minutes in first half, after 97 minutes in the second half,” Silva said. “I don’t want to talk more about set pieces. What I tell, I will tell to the players. I understand why you ask, but there is something inside the mind of our players. We have to work more.” City next hosts Chelsea on Sunday knowing that another win is probably necessary to stay ahead of Liverpool, who host Bournemouth on Saturday. “Chelsea are an exceptional team who have had seven days to prepare. We have to prepare well. It really is a final for us this weekend. “If we are able to take these points, it is a huge step forward,” Guardiola said. In the only other game in England on Wednesday, Glenny Murray scored twice in extra time to send Brighton into the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 3-1 win over West Bromwich Albion.

BARCELONA AND REAL MADRID DRAW 1ST LEG 1-1 By JOSEPH WILSON, Associated Press BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Leaning forward in his winter coat, Lionel Messi fidgeted with an empty water bottle as he watched his Barcelona teammates trailing their fiercest rivals. But minutes before he decided to test his tender right leg, the chants at Camp Nou for “Messi! Messi!” turned into cheers as a little-used teammate scored an equaliser against Real Madrid. Malcom’s second-half goal left their Copa del Rey semifinal poised 1-1 after the first leg, with Madrid going home with a slight away-goal edge for the return game later this month. “The tie is wide open, there is no clear favourite,” said Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde. “Given the caliber of the two sides, there is still a lot to be said.” Having picked up a right leg injury after scoring twice in a 2-2 draw with Valencia in league on Saturday, Messi stayed on the bench until the 64th minute. The Argentine then came on and didn’t show any signs of an injury when he plucked the ball from Casemiro’s boot, raced forward and was fouled by a scrum of Madrid’s defenders near the area. He stayed on the turf to gather himself, before he smashed his free kick into the wall. But other than an opening goal by Madrid forward Lucas Vazquez and Malcom’s equaliser, this “clasico” was more of a clunker. It was the first of three matches between Spain’s most successful clubs in less than a month. The second leg of the semifinal in Madrid is on Feb. 27, just before their Spanish league game at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on March 3. “Today he felt fine, but we

BARCELONA forward Malcom celebrates scoring during the Copa del Rey semifinal first leg soccer match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Camp Nou. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) thought it would be better that he waited until the second half,” Valverde said about Messi. “When he went out he had the chance to be decisive. Each time he touched the ball we could see the reaction he provoked in our rivals.” In October, Messi missed Barcelona’s 5-1 rout of Madrid in the league, a stinging loss that sealed the fate of former coach Julen Lopetegui. This time out, Madrid made sure to set a strong tone from the opening, when they maintained possession long enough to get in front. The highlight duel was between Barcelona right back Nelson Semedo, who got the most of Madrid youngest Vinicius Junior with more than one skillfully dribble.

But the 18-year-old Vinicius did provide the key pass to the visitors’ goal in the sixth minute when he spotted Karim Benzema at the far post defended by the under-sized Jordi Alba. Benzema won the ball after Alba failed to reel it in, and the Madrid striker sent a low pass across the goalmouth where Vazquez slipped around Clement Lenglet to redirect it home. “I am not surprised (by Vinicius) because I have known him since he arrived here,” said Madrid coach Santiago Solari, who coached Vinicius Junior at Madrid’s B-team before he started featuring him after he replaced Lopetegui. “(But) that an 18-year-old kid plays like this is surprising because it doesn’t happen often.” As Madrid sat back to protect the

advantage, Barcelona began to find holes in their defence. Ivan Rakitic headed Malcom’s free kick off the crossbar in the 32nd, and Suarez drew a onehanded save from goalkeeper Keylor Navas after Malcom bungled his way through three defenders before setting him up on the edge of the box. Malcom pulled the hosts level in the 58th when he curled a left-foot strike from an angle into the net with Navas off his line. Lenglet’s long pass to Alba streaking into space forced Navas off his line to strip the ball, but it fell to Suarez who hit the post before Malcom gathered the rebound in and finished it off. It was the 21-year-old’s third goal since joining Barcelona in the offseason from Bordeaux.