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SPORTS SECTION E

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2017

BUDDY

Rising Stars, Pg 5

BIG RED MACHINE WIN 27TH TITLE IN SCHOOL HISTORY By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

GO TEAM BAHAMAS: Bahamian players in training yesterday at the new Malcolm Park beach soccer stadium on East Bay Street. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

Let the games begin By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

he Bahamas is set to square off against the top teams in the region on the beach soccer pitch as they vie for a spot in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2017. Competition begins today in the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Beach Soccer Championship and Bahamian national team head coach Alexandre Soares said the side is eager for an opportunity to represent the country on the highest stage. The Bahamas faces Guyana 8pm tonight in the national beach soccer facility at the foot of the Sir Sidney Poitier Bridge. “The guys are ready. The guys understand the system, the guys want to play well for their country and I’m happy with their progress so far,” he said. “We started with our programme on December 15, and I think the team has improved tremendously in the tactical aspect. We have good players, the players have good potential and techniques. But the team needed to improve in defence and the tactical aspect of the game, so in those two months we worked hard on that tactical aspect to improve the system of our game and I believe it will pay dividends on the pitch.”

Bahamas to face Guyana tonight Soares, a native of Brazil and currently the technical director and head coach of the Soccer 7 Academy in Miami, Florida is also a former pro player with Brazilian club Fluminense FC. He was also a former soccer and pro futsal (indoor soccer) player for eight years in Spain. He holds the record for being the only coach to lead a national beach soccer team to four world titles. He led Brazil to the FIFA World Beach Soccer titles in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. He was head coach of the Brazil national beach soccer team - 2005-2011. As head coach, he accumulated 145 wins in 150 games and, at one point, 75 wins in row. In January, The Bahamas participated in the Copa Deportes Nacion against Mexico and Argentina in an effort to prepare for the tournament. Last summer, The Bahamas also travelled to Europe for a six-week

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ALEXANDRE SOARES, head coach of the Bahamian national team, can be seen yesterday during a team training session.

THE streak begins once again for St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine as they regained Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools’ Track and Field Championship title. After trailing on day one, SAC eventually won the meet in come-frombehind fashion and claimed the 27th meet title in the school’s history. The Big Red Machine finished the three-day event at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium with a total of 1,427 points. The two-time defending champions Queen’s College Comets finished second with 1,338.50 points. The St Anne’s Blue Waves were a distant third with 542, the St John’s Giants were fourth with 390.50 points and the Nassau Christian Crusaders rounded out the top five with 315 points. SAC claimed six of the eight contested categories including the Under-16, U-18 and U-20 girls along with the U-14, U-18 and U-20 boys. The Comets took the U-14 girls and U-16 boys. The Big Red Machine’s Otto Laing was the most outstanding male (U-14) at the meet while the top female honour went to the Comets’ Daejha Moss (U18). Several new meet records were set on the final day of competition. Both the U-16 boys and girls long jump produced new record holders. SACs Anthaya Charlton continued her domination of the meet and tied the mark of 5.40m set by Danielle Gibson in 2010 to have a share of the mark while Nathan Moss of QC leapt 6.23m in the boys’ events. The Big Red Machine’s Taylor Walters bested her mark set last year in the U-18 girls javelin with a throw of 37.47m and Stephen Farquharson set a new record in the U-14 boys

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Norius 5th overall in Mr Olympia Amateur South America By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net JIMMY Norius, who wants to be known as a versatile bodybuilder, will return from the Joe Weilder’s Mr Olympia Amateur South America as a fifth place finisher in the men’s physique competition. Norius, the only Bahamian to compete in the event in Medellin, Colombia on Saturday, was making his debut in the competition as he switched from bodybuilding to physique to test his ability to compete at such a high level in a different segment. “The competition was much more advanced than the Central American and Caribbean Championships and the top two in my class were competing in the physique competition for the past 34 years,” Norius told The Tribune after the championships. “I really thought I was going to get third place, but

I had a little too much muscle in certain areas and they marked me down for that. But I’m pretty pleased with what I got. As long as you make the final, they gave you some type of award, so I was pleased to get fifth place.” Norius said it was ridiculous to watch so many competitors who competed in the various segments of the championships and the way the organisers were able to pull it all together without any glitches. “There were so many athletes competing in the championships in all of the categories,” Norius said. “You could have a perfect body and still not win the title. That was just how tough the competition was. “The only thing I didn’t agree with was the food, but the competition out there was really stiff. I’m really glad that I got the opportunity to go and compete in it. I think I learned about the sport and am eager to compete in my next compe-

JIMMY NORIUS celebrates with his medal. tition.” If he had to do it all over again, Norius said he wouldn’t mind competing again in the physique as opposed to bodybuilding where he has been able to make a name for himself on both the local and international scene. “There were some competitors who I beat in some of the bodybuilding shows, who performed very well here,” Norius said. “So while I was just trying to

challenge myself to compete in another segment of the sport, I think I will do it again. “I love fitness and I would love to go down as a competitor who not only competed in bodybuilding, but was successful in competing in other categories. I want to be known as a versatile competitor.” On March 11 in West Palm Beach, Florida, Norius is expected to compete in the CG Classic and Pro

Qualifier where he intends to try his hand in the men’s classic physique. “Making it to the final and placing fifth is extremely successful on the world stage at Mr Olympia,” Norius stated. “But I’m not going to say that I am not going to compete in bodybuilding anymore. “I’m going to try my hand in other categories because I want to go down as an allaround versatile athlete and the first Bahamian to have been successful in bodybuilding and physique.” And if he has his choice, Norius said he would prefer to obtain his professional card in the classic physique because there are so many guys competing in the men’s physique and the bodybuilding has been saturated with so many of the bigger bodybuilders taking over. “With classic physique, I’m right in between classic physique and men’s physique,” he pointed out. “I know they love me in body-

building and men’s physique, but I hope they can admire me in classic physique when I try my hand in West Palm Beach next month.” By competing in the two events this year, Norius said he probably will skip the Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation’s National Championships in July and just prepare for the CAC Championships. “The championships in West Palm Beach should qualify me for the CAC, so if I do it, I will try to help some of the other bodybuilders as they prepare for the Nationals,” Norius said. “But if I don’t do the championships next month, then I will compete in the Nationals.” Norius, who has dominated the nationals for the past few years, will be taking a day off to recuperate in Florida with his family and friends. He intends to return home on Tuesday to begin preparing for his next competition.

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THE TRIBUNE

National beach soccer team player profiles AS part of the build-up to the CONCACAF championships, today The Tribune wraps up a look at the players who will represent the Bahamas, featuring the last two profiles of the team members: Name - Nesly Jean Age - 32 Position - Striker Jersey number - 7 Height - 5ft 8in Profile - Nesly joined Bears FC, of the New Providence Soccer League, at six and progressed through the teams until becoming a starter at 14 with the senior men. At the end of that season, Nesly was awarded the BFA Youth Player of the Year. Nesly then travelled to Europe, where he had trials with English Premier

League team Southhampton FC and Dutch Eredivisie powerhouse, Feyenoord of Rotterdam, at youth JEAN level. In the summer of 2000, Nesly joined the Tampa Bay Mutiny of Major League Soccer (MLS), playing with their youth team and getting to train with such luminaries as Colombian international, Carlos Valderrama, and MLS leading scorer, Mamadou Diallo. In 2001, Nesly joined the youth team of US second division outfit Richmond Kickers and spent three summers in Virginia before

moving to top youth club, South Jersey Elite Barons, in the summer of 2004. In the fall of 2005, Nesly had trials with Trinidad and Tobago Pro League team, Joe Public FC. Domestically, Nesly has won more than 10 league championships with Bears FC and numerous MVP awards. On the international stage, Nesly has represented the Bahamas at all age levels, from under-15 to senior men, and has played in four World Cup qualifying cycles. He has captained both his club team and the Bahamas men’s national team. In 2009, Nesly was selected to represent the Bahamas at the CONCACAF Beach Soccer qualifiers as part of the first Bahamas national beach soccer team.

This year will mark the fifth set of CONCACAF qualifiers he has participated in. Nesly credits former local play- FERGUSON ers Randy Rodgers, Nesly Poteau and Lionel Haven as well as former BFA technical director Gary White for helping cultivate his talent and self-confidence as a soccer player and grateful to have had the opportunity to play under three of the top beach soccer coaches in the world. As well as playing for the national grass team, Nesly is still a regular player on the Bahamas national beach soccer team.

‘EVERY SEAT IS THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE’ ALL roads lead to the Malcolm Park beach soccer facility on East Bay Street this week for the CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship Bahamas 2017. The exciting event begins today. The new state-of-the-art beach soccer stadium will be tested for the first time this afternoon, as teams from the Caribbean, North and Central America battle for two spots in the world’s most prestigious beach soccer tournament. The two finalists will join The Bahamas to represent the region in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 in April. Prime Minister Perry Christie said he is ready for kick-off. Mr Christie toured the beach soccer complex on Saturday to get a first hand look at the new stadium ahead of the CONCACAF Championship. He was impressed by

PRIME Minister Perry Christie tests out one of the seats in the new beach soccer complex on East Bay Street. Photo: Ahvia Campbell the new stadium with its vibrant colours and worldclass amenities and, after testing a few seats, he said that “every seat is the best seat in the house.” “I am very pleased,” Christie said as he viewed the completed stadium for the first time. “I think it is important for

Bahamians to understand the significance of this stadium and the events that it will attract to the country. “This week’s CONCACAF qualification event and the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in April are major international events, but this is just the beginning.” The tournament kicks off

today at 1:45pm with Barbados facing off against Canada in the opening match. Admission is free. Fans of Team Bahamas are encouraged to wear flag colours at every game. Spectators are asked to wear aqua this evening when Team Bahamas faces Guyana. Yellow is the colour for Tuesday’s match against Belize and Bahamians are asked to wear aqua again on Wednesday for Team Bahamas’ match against Jamaica. “This is an event you don’t want to miss,” said Anton Sealey, president of the Bahamas Football Association. “Bring your family, your friends, your flags, your cowbells and your Bahamian pride. There are so many great matches to look forward to. This is an exciting teaser for what’s to come in April when we host the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.”

Name - Torin Marcellous Ferguson Nickname - Bats Age - 31 Position - Goalkeeper Jersey Number - 12 Height - 5ft 8in Profile - Torin started playing soccer in 2001 for Temple Christian Senior High School as a defensive midfielder but he found the love for goalkeeping in his final two years there. He started training with the BFA “Centre of Excellence” in 2002 and was named team captain for his high school the same year. That year he led the team to a pennant winning season. Torin went on to play for East End FC and FC Nassau, winning the 2nd division championship in 2003. In 2004 he started play-

ing for Bears FC, winning numerous championship titles. In 2009 he started playing beach soccer and was the starting goalkeeper with national team. When not playing, Torin works at Albany and loves spending time with his wife and children. Torin is still a regular player on the Bahamas national beach soccer team. He says - “Never settle, always strive to be the best”

THE SCHEDULE TODAY 1:45pm - Barbados v Canada 3pm - United States v US Virgin Islands 4:15pm - Mexico v Guadeloupe 5:30pm - Trinidad & Tobago v Antigua & Barbuda 6:45pm - Jamaica v Belize 8pm - Bahamas v Guyana Tuesday, February 21 1:45pm – Guadeloupe v Barbados 3pm - Costa Rica v Panama 4:15pm - El Salvador v Turks & Caicos Islands 5:30pm - Canada v Mexico 6:45pm - Guyana v Jamaica 8pm -Belize v Bahamas Wednesday, February 22, 2017 1:45pm - US Virgin Islands v Trinidad & Tobago 3pm - Antigua & Barbuda v United States 4:15pm - Panama v El Salvador 5:30pm - Belize v Guyana 6:45pm - Turks & Caicos Islands v Costa Rica 8pm - Bahamas v Jamaica Thursday, February 23, 2017 1:45pm - Canada v Guadeloupe 3pm - Antigua & Barbuda v US Virgin Islands 4:15pm - Mexico v Barbados 5:30pm - El Salvador v Costa Rica 6:45pm - Panama v Turks & Caicos Islands 8pm - United States v Trinidad & Tobago Friday, February 24 – Sunday, February 26 Quaterfinals, Semi-finals and Finals Games start at 11:15am Teams TBD

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, February 20, 2017, PAGE 3

SAC - the class of the private schools on the track and field NOT sure yet, but maybe, just maybe I might get married over the next few weeks – after all, until midmarch the sports calendar looks bleak to say the least. With the Super Bowl behind us, spring training baseball still a couple of weeks off and truly meaningful basketball about a month off in NCAA ranks and a month and-a-half in the NBA, it may just be the right time to take a serious look at my Lakers. I say all of that to say this, despite the ‘cooling off’ period for international sporting brands, many of our local products are beginning to take centre stage and heating up to a point that you may just need to venture beyond your comfortable couch to scratch the competition itch you’ve been feeling. While it has always been the sore spot for my sporting indulgence as a consumer, local sporting events are currently boasting a terrific line-up for the next couple of months, and when paired with the many cultural, festival, political and social events going on across the country between last Wednesday and mid-May, trust me, there is enough to go around until LeBron and the Cavs tip-off against Steph, Klay and Durant for a third consecutive finals in early June. BAISS Track Meet In case you missed it, the St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine on Friday captured another Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) Track and Field title, the first since relinquishing their historic run of 26 consecutive titles to Queen’s College back in 2016. As the old adage says, to the victor goes the spoils, and to all those that envi-

FOURTH QUARTER PRESS

BY RICARDO WELLSedia.net rwells@tribunem

“WHILE I STAND AS A PROUD JORDAN PRINCE WILLIAMS ALUMNUS, LAST WEEK I FOUND MYSELF MORE ENTHRALLED WITH THIS MEET THAN I HONESTLY CARE TO ADMIT. I, A FALCON PUREST, STOOD IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE QUEEN’S COLLEGE COMETS. NOW IN RETROSPECT THIS WASN’T ONE OF MY WISEST DECISIONS, AS I SIT THE LOSER OF TWO WAGERS AND THE BUTT OF SEVERAL WELLTHOUGHT OUT AND TACTLESS JOKES.” sioned success but fell a few inches short, regret, sorrow and pain – not necessarily in that order. While I stand as a proud Jordan Prince Williams alumnus, last week I found myself more enthralled with this meet than I honestly care to admit. I, a Falcon purest, stood in solidarity with the Queen’s College Comets. Now in retrospect this wasn’t one of my wisest decisions, as I sit the loser of two wagers and the butt of several well-thought out and tactless jokes. The “great” – and I am on only saying this as payment for the first of those two wagers I mentioned – Big Red Machine proved yet again they are the class of the private school division on the track. Winning 13 of the 26 finals Friday to ignite an 87.5 point turnaround, seriously, who I am to rain on their

eventual parade. QC, again the second place finishers of the meet, held strong and should be commended. The effort put on by these two schools over the last three years has put this competition on the map as a must see event year in and year out. And despite falling short this go round, I am sure the Comets will be back again, eager to unseat the SAC - insert penance for that other wager - the school we all wished we could have attended. Beach Soccer Events This past weekend was the annual Greek Festival – Gyros for everyone. Next weekend is the annual Rum Bahamas, Festival of Rum need I say more? The beauty of that is this, sitting in between these two spectacular events is something so special, I couldn’t

LEADER OF THE PACK: Students compete during the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships on Friday. The St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine reclaimed the title from the Queen’s College Comets, who placed second overall. Photo: Terrel W Carey/Tribune Staff accept it as a reality until I physically walked up to the venue and touched the steel with my own two hands. With the completion of the remarkable new $2.5 million Malcolm Park West facility, soccer has found a vacation home in paradise, as the venue will play host to both the 2017 FIFA World Cup, scheduled for April, and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Beach Soccer Championship, scheduled to begin today. World-class beach soccer has literally made its way to the shores of New Providence. The beach soccer facility, built on the site of the original complex at Malcolm Park West, will be capable of hosting over 3,000 patrons and will be equipped with a number of

BEACH SOCCER FROM PAGE 1

training camp and a series of tournaments. They recorded several marquee wins during that stretch, highlighted by a 5-4 win over the No.15 ranked United States. It was the Bahamas’ first beach soccer win over the US in the country’s history. While in Europe, Team Bahamas also secured victories against Estonia and No.5 ranked beach soccer powerhouse Tahiti. “They did well in Europe, but with another coach. With me we played the two games in Argentina against Argentina in Mexico. That was a good opportunity because the group was able to put into practice what we were working on,” Soares said. “This CONCAF event this week is a very difficult tournament because of the high level of the teams. There are some very strong teams but we will absolutely try our best.” The team selected to represent the Bahamas includes Ivan Rolle, Alexander Thompson, Timothy Munnings, Lamar Cancino, Kyle Williams, Gary Joseph, Nesley Jean, Dwayne Forbes, Daron Beneby, Lesly St Fleur, Gavin Christie and Torin Ferguson. “For me, of course I would have wanted more time with them, but logistically it was not possible. I think one year to work with the team and train would have been ideal. We would have been able to improve in all the physical aspects, tactical aspects and techniques and have time to play more friendlies, which are important for development. With

SPORTS NOTES BASKETBALL FIBA MEETING WILL the Bahamas men’s basketball team finally make it to the Olympics? The answer to this question may be answered next week when a high level contingent from the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) will arrive in the Bahamas to address the question. FIBA top brass will include Usie Richards, president of

BAHAMIAN players in training yesterday at the new Malcolm Park beach soccer stadium on East Bay Street. Bahamas faces Guyana 8pm tonight. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff me the team played only two friendlies – which is not enough – but the CONCACAF tournament is an incredible opportunity,” Soares said. “We are already through to the World Cup because we will have a minimum of six games. Six games against these top teams will let us know where we are and what we will have to adjust and improve on headed into the World Cup.” For the first three days of the tournament, the Bahamas will close out competition, headlining the 8pm feature game on the schedule. The CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championships will be contested February 20-26 and the Bahamas was drawn in Group A along with Jamaica, Belize and Guyana. On February 21 they will face

Belize and will close out play in the group phase the following day with a matchup against Jamaica. The USA will face Trinidad and Tobago in the 8pm feature on day four. Play during the group phase will kickoff at 1:45pm with six games on the schedule and the final game beginning at 8pm. The quarterfinals begin February 25, followed each subsequent day by the semi-finals and finals to conclude the week-long event. In the playoff rounds, play will begin at 11:15am each day. According to the latest Beach Soccer Worldwide rankings, the Bahamas is the top ranked team of their group within the region at No.6 in CONCACAF and No.55 worldwide. Jamaica is ranked No.8 in

FIBA Americas; Alberto Garcia, director of FIBA, and FIBA representatives Anibewl Garcia and Victor Mansure. The primary purpose for the special visit to the Bahamas is to meet with the Bahamas Basketball Federation, government officials and other key partners in the tourism and sporting communities. It is anticipated that the new format for eligibility to qualify for the Olympics will be high on the agenda. The Bahamas is viewed globally as a basketball powerhouse, most recently with

the Bahamian teams dominating play at the Caribbean and Latin American competitions without the inclusion of some of the great players which the country has at its disposal. No doubt, efforts will be made to secure all the best Bahamian players throughout the world as a result of this initiative. This could very well be historic for the BBF, which is skippered by basketball legend Charlie ‘Softly’ Robins. It is expected that private meetings will be held with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and

modern amenities. The World Cup runs from April 27 to May 7. In the CONCACAF event itself, the 16-team field will compete to earn the World Cup places, unless hosts Bahamas or nonFIFA member Guadeloupe advance to the final, in which case the next-highest finisher would earn the spot. The Bahamas, as hosts of April’s event, have already guaranteed a spot in that tournament. Team Bahamas will open against Guyana tonight, then play Belize tomorrow night and Jamaica on Wednesday. In total, there will be six matches each day, kicking off at 1.45pm with the last at 8pm. The event is open to the public, so get there early and cheer on Team Bahamas.

CONCACAF (65th overall), Belize is No. 16 (92nd overall) while Guyana is presently unranked. Group B features the defending CONCACAF Beach Soccer champion, Mexico (1 in CONCACAF,10 overall), along with Barbados (14,88), Canada (9,75) and Guadeloupe (15,91). Group C includes the United States (3,24), Trinidad & Tobago (7,57), Antigua and Barbuda (14,90) and US Virgin Islands 19,59). Finally, Group D comprises El Salvador (2,18), Costa Rica (4,32), Panama (12,84) and the Turks and Caicos Islands (18,94). Two additional CONCACAF teams will join host Bahamas as the three CONCACAF representatives in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017. The tournament champion and the runner-up of the will join host Bahamas as the three CONCACAF representatives in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2017. If the Bahamas reaches the final, the World Cup spot will be allocated to the next best placed team. In addition, the tournament will also serve as a test run for the upcoming Beach Soccer World Cup April 27-May 7. Each one of the 16 participating member associations are guaranteed to play six games, with all competing for final tournament placement, until the last match date. The Bahamas last hosted the CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championships in 2013 where they finished sixth following a loss to Guatemala in their tournament finale.

Culture, Ministry of Tourism, Bahamas Olympic Committee, Atlantic, BTC and others. The delegates arrived in town on Sunday and will depart on Thursday, February 23. URBAN GAMES THE 2017 Urban Games is all set for Saturday (February 25) at Thomas A Robinson National Stadium. The event is scheduled to begin at 10am and will feature events for communities, Members of Parliament, Pastors and Armed Forces.

Other Events So now that we have this weekend and the end of April through to the first week of May covered, here are some other events that you should make a mental note of: 1) The 34th Edition of the Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic – February 20-27, Kendal G L Isaacs Gymnasium 2) The 2017 Bahamas National High School Basketball Championships – March 2-6, Freeport, Grand Bahama 3) The 7th Annual Grand Bahama Open – March 4-5, Lucayan Reef Golf Course 4) The 3rd IAAF World Relays Bahamas – April 2223, Thomas A Robinson National Stadium

OLYMPIAN SEYMOUR WINS 60M HURDLES PEDRYA Seymour picked up another victory on Saturday in Champaign, Illinois as she ran the women’s 60 metre hurdles in 8.07 seconds to lead the outstanding performances turned in by both team-mates Kandie Bloch-Jones in th high jump and Valerie Bobart in the mile as the Fighting Illini women’s track and field team concluded the indoor regular season with the Orange and Blue Open. Models of consistency, Seymour and Bloch-Jones again displayed why they’re both one of the best in the country in their respective events. Seymour finished below 8.10 for the fourth and fifth time this season, clocking 8.09 in prelims and 8.07 in the final. BlochJones cleared 6’0.5” (1.84m) and earned her fifth high jump event title in six meets this season. The Illini senior again made attempts at breaking the Illinois school record of 6’1.25” (1.87m), but fell short. “It’s just another day at work for them,” head coach Ron Garner said of the two All-Americans. “The standard that they’re setting is that each time they come out, whether they feel great or not, they’re running national-level performances, which sets them up to be confident going into majormeet situations. They’re some of the best in the history of Illinois. Pedrya (Seymour) is putting herself in that place in the hurdles and Kandie (Bloch-Jones) is doing the same thing in the high jump.” In the 60m hurdles final, Seymour was flanked by teammates Jayla Stewart and Kortni SmyersJones at the finish line, as Stewart took second place with a time of 8.35 and Smyers-Jones’ timed 8.59 to claim third. Stewart’s 8.35 time was a lifetime-best performance, improving upon her season-best 8.40 time from last season, while Smyers-Jones’ time sets a seasonbest for this season. Up next, Illini will travel to Geneva, Ohio for Big Ten Indoor Championships at Spire Institute. Competition begins February 24 and continues until February 25.

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THE TRIBUNE

Junior golfers show their winning ways By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net CHEMARI Pratt, Aiden Johnson, Christopher Knowles and Nyah Singh were the winners of the advanced division II categories of the Fourteenth Club Golf Academy’s Skills Competition on Saturday. Maddison Carroll, Elyse Hanna, Nataija McPhee and Nicholas Astwood were the winners of the beginners’ division one of the academy’s first competition held for the year in the Bahamas Golf Federation’s Driving Range at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. “We were really happy that Mr (Craig) Flowers allowed us to use the golf course,” said Georgette Rolle, the director and head coach of the Fourteenth Club Golf Academy. “He got it prepared, it was in great shape and the competition was tight today.” Rolle, the Bahamian representative in the recent Ladies Professional Golf Association’s Pure Silk Tournament at the Ocean Golf Club on Paradise Island, said they were able to promote some of the competitors from last year to division two if they were successful in shooting 36 or better from their designated yardage where they played from further than those in division one.

“I believe that based on the performances that I’ve seen, these kids will be very dangerous in the next few years if they continue to play and improve on their skills,” she said. “The competition was tight. We had a lot of scores in the 30s, which showed that the Fourteenth Club is making an impact. So I think all of the coaches and the parents in the club can be happy with what we have seen in the golfers.” Rolle said this will only inspire those competitors in division one to work even harder so that they can join their peers in division two and that will force the academy to expand to division three. In the division one, Maddison Carroll was the lone competitor in the 6-andunder division, shooting 58. Elyse Hanna won the 8-and-under division with a 39 over Nicholas Turnquest, who shot 45. Nataija McPhee won the 10-andunder with 39, compared to Eden Hall’s 40. And Nicholas Astwood was the lone competitor in the 13-andunder with 47. Chemari Pratt claimed the division two 8-and-under title with 39 over Michael Knowles, who shot 41. Aiden Johnson won the 10-and-under with 32 to beat out Alexander Knowles, who did 35. Christopher Knowles outdual A’Marie Smith 29-32

ASPIRING golfers take part in the Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy’s Skills Competition on Saturday in the Bahamas Golf Federation driving range at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. Photo: Terrel W Carey/Tribune Staff for the 13-and-under title and twin sister Nyah Singh nipped her sibling Tia Singh 37-38 in the 17-and-under category. “I felt awful when I was out there, but I felt very good when I saw that I shot a 39,” said Pratt, who has competed in the academy for over a year. “I didn’t know that I shot that well.” The 7-year-old grade three student of Sadie Curtis Primary School said the competition was good, but she improved on her putting. Alexander Knowles, a

nine-year-old fifth grader at Queen’s College, said he liked the fact that he can get to play golf since he got involved in the programme two years ago. “I did good. I thought I could do better. I didn’t do that well in my putting, trying to get to the green,” he said. “The competition was good.” Rolle thanked Flowers, the BGF, McDonald’s, Aquapure, Weight Watchers and Higgs & Johnson for the assistance they all provided with the facilities, the prizes or the refresh-

ments that they were able to share with all of the competitors. “They are growing to love the game that they can play for life,” she said. “It’s our goal at Fourteenth Club to provide an army of golfers who can grow up to become better citizens and even greater golfers in the country.” One of the parents, Kumudu Miller, mother of 13-year-old Riya and 9-year-old Rhan Miller, said even since she got them involved in the academy a year ago, she’s seen a totally

different attitude in their commitment to the sport. “They’ve done soccer, they’ve done tennis and they’ve done everything where I’ve had to wake them up to take them in the mornings,” she stressed. “This is one sport that I don’t have to do anything. They are ready to go at any point because they love it. “On the weekend, they both played in the Albany Tournament. They had 18 holes to play on Saturday and Sunday and after I caddied for my son, I could hardly walk. But my son went back to the putting green to putt. So I was actually amazed.” Miller encouraged parents to find out exactly what it is their child or children love to participate in and make sure that they enjoy it and everything else will fall into place for them. “I think this is something other parents should encourage their children to try out. We have golf clubs that they can use, so just let them come out and try it and see if they like it. I don’t think it’s a sport that get a lot of attention in the Bahamas, but it’s one that they can play for a lifetime.” The next tournament will be held on Saturday, March 11 for golfers between the ages of 4-17. Interested persons can contact Rolle at the driving range or on their facebook account.

NPWBA ACTION HEATS UP THE New Providence Women’s Basketball Association continued its regular season at the DW Davis Gymnasium on Saturday. In the junior games, Consolidated Water defeated Water & Sewerage 33-4, Super Value Cybot Princesses defeated ASF Brokers Sparks 29-27 and Water & Sewerage defeated Commonwealth Bank 6-3. Two senior games were played with the following summaries posted: Super Value Cybot Queens 57, Career Builders Cheetahs: Latondra Brown and Tracy Lewis came up with 12 and 10 points respectively to lead Super Value to victory Both Anastacia Moultrie and Shantel Rolle shared game high honors with 16 points for the Cheetahs. Bommer G Operators 69, Elites 15: Kenva Johnson pumped in 14 and Sherelle Cash had 13 to pace the Operators to victory. Kristenique Moss had 9 points in a losing effort for the Elites.

BALL IN PLAY: In the junior games, Consolidated Water defeated Water & Sewerage 33-4 at the DW Davis Gym.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

ST AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE BIG RED MACHINE WIN 27TH TITLE IN SCHOOL HISTORY FROM PAGE 1 event at 34.30m. SAC would go on to win all of the seven throwing events on day three. The Comets had the advantage in the jumps with Nathan Moss, Daejha Moss winning the U20 girls triple jump (11.42m) and Reese Butler winning the U2boys triple jump (12.63m). Amina Forbes of the St. Andrew’s Hurricanes broke up the sweep of the field between the two schools with her win in the U14 girls long jump at a height of 1.50m. The Blue Waves had several standout performances on the track, led by CARIFTA hopeful Devine Parker. Parker took the U18 girls 200m in 23.45 secs (+2.5), while Jasmine Knowles took the U18 girls 800m in 2:24.79 secs and Danielle Rodgers took the U18 girls 400mH in 1:05.73 secs. In the U16 boys 800m, Kendrick Major of Queen’s College set a new meet record in 2:03.79 secs. A windy afternoon for the 200m prevented all but one divi-

sion from running a non wind aided time. Adrian Curry of the Big Red Machine took full advantage in the U20 boys event and set a new meet record in 21.55 secs. Second place finisher Godfrey Arthur of St. Anne’s also tied the previous record of 21.66 secs. In the U14 girls half lap, Reshae Dean took first place in 25.91 (+2.1) secs ahead of 100m winner and new record holder D’Arjah Davis of St Andrews (26.40 secs). Meagan Moss of the Big Red Machine took the U16 girls event in 24.27 secs (+2.3). SAC took three of the four girls 4x100m. In the U14 event, the team of Apryl Adderley, Dean, Sanai Forbes and Danielle Saunders set a new meet record in 51.12 secs. The U16 team of Karolyn Baptiste, Megan Moss, Charlton and Jaida Knowles also set a new record in 47.91 secs. In the U14 boys 4x100m, the Big Red Machine’s team of Kai Wilson, Laing, Shimar Bain and Zachary Evans took first place in a new record time of 48.64 secs. Their U16 team of Davonte

THE FINAL POINTS STANDINGS 1. SAC Big Red Machine - 1,427 2. QC Comets - 1,338.50 3. St Anne’s Blue Waves - 542 4. St John’s Giants - 390.50 5. NCA CrusaderS - 315.50 6. TC Suns - 175.50 7. JPW Falcons - 171.50 8. Kingsway Saints - 162.50 9. Aquinas Aces - 107 10. St Andrew’s Hurricanes - 82 11. Westminster Diplomats - 63 12. CW Saunders Cougars - 40

Brown, Deshaughn Forbes, Lowell Bethell and Raymond Oriaki set a new record time of 44.40 secs. The Comets ended the afternoon with a series of dominating performances in the 4x400m, winning five of the eight divisions. The Comets won the U14 and U18 divisions while SAC took the U16 and U20 races. The Comets won the U14, U16 and U18 events and nearly swept all four divisions before a late

charge on the final leg from SAC’s Glen Knowles gave his team the win at the line in a thrilling conclusion to the meet. Last year, the Comets tallied 1,477 points to defeat the Big Red Machine by a margin of 112 points. St. Augustine’s College Big Red Machine head coach William Johnson thanked the effort of his student athletes and a dedicated coaching staff which includes Dianne Woodside, Jason Edwards and Tito Moss. “We knew coming into this meet we had a strong team but the kids really worked and they knew there was areas we could work at. The sprints we improved tremendously and students who were there for years took it upon themselves to work hard and dedicate themselves to our outgoing seniors and they really performed above and beyond what we expected,” he said. The Comets led by 53 points after day one, but an 87.5 point turnaround on day two saw the Big Red Machine surge ahead for good. “I thank God that it went well

because we knew it would be a fight from day one to the finish. We got behind by over 50 points but we were not discouraged because we knew what we had coming on day two and day three,” Johnson said. “We just told them we could get back in this thing. We knew the events coming up, we knew the people we had and we told them we have to approach it one race at a time, one throw at a time one jump at a time and chip away at that lead and that’s what we went out and did. We knew we had to be strong with our leaded headed into the relays to give ourselves a chance because QC, they are always good in relays. We worked and the worked paid off and it showed.” The attention now shifts to the Nationals. “This meet showed that St. Anne’s, St. John’s, Temple Christian has a number of amazing athletes and we know that for nationals the family island schools will present a challenge,” Johnson said, “It will be three tough days but we have to get ready for it.” Full event results can be found at www.tekresults.net

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, February 20, 2017, PAGE 5

WORLD guard Buddy Hield, of the New Orleans Pelicans, goes to the basket in front of US guard D’Angelo Russell of the Los Angeles Lakers, left, centre Karl-Anthony Towns (32) of the Minnesota Timberwolves and guard Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns during the Rising Stars Challenge, part of the NBA All-Star events in New Orleans on Friday. At right is World forward Kristaps Porzingis of the New York Knicks. (AP Photos)

‘Buddy Buckets’ scores 28 in All-Star Weekend debut By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net BUDDY Hield was fortunate enough for his first NBA All-Star Weekend to be hosted in his home city and his performance as a part of Team World served as an indicator of the NBA as a true “global game.” Hield finished with 28 points and six rebounds in just 27 minutes to help Team World to a 150-141 win over team USA in the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge on Friday night. He shot 11-22 from the field and took more shots than he has in any regular season game thus far in his rookie season. Hield was on pace for an MVP performance before the Nuggets’ Jamal Murray ended with a late barrage of three pointers. Pelicans All-Star forward Anthony Davis applauded Hield’s effort in an international media conference call organised by the NBA and Cisco Systems. “He should have been the MVP. He passed too much for my taste, especially at the end there, but he played well. It was great to see him out there doing his thing and getting that exposure,” Davis said. “He’s definitely always repping the Baha-

WORLD guard Buddy Hield goes to the basket during the Rising Stars Challenge. mas and letting everyone know about it so I was happy for him and I’m sure he made everybody there proud.” Hield said he hoped the performance would be able to act as a springboard for better shooting performances in the second half of the season. “It was a lot of fun. It means a lot to play in New Orleans. Everybody is embracing us, the vibe and the

atmosphere. I just wanted to go out and give the fans something good to watch. (I was) just out there having fun,” Hield said. “I feel like when you get a lot of confidence and start to shoot the ball well and you start having fun and feel comfortable out there, it will loosen you up a little more. I’ve just got to keep getting better and use it as a major boost to the second half and continue to shoot

the ball well.” Former NBA player Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues has visited the Bahamas almost annually for the last 30 years as a guest at the Jeff Rodgers Basketball Camp. He placed Hield’s performance into perspective for the NBA and the country. “That’s what it’s all about. You go to these camps and you talk to these young men and you tell them it’s possible with hard work and

WORLD guard Buddy Hield shoots over US guard Jonathon Simmons of the San Antonio Spurs. dedication. To see someone like Buddy get there, from somewhere like the Bahamas where I’ve been seeing those kids for the past few years. It’s amazing man. It’s amazing for the NBA and for the Bahamas,” Bogues said. “I had a chance to meet Buddy when I was down in the Bahamas last year at the Jeff Rodgers Camp and he’s a humble young man headed in the

right direction. I wish him all the best moving forward and I’m sure there will be more guys from the Bahamas just like him.” Hield is averaging 8.6 points, 1.4 assist and 2.9 rebounds during the Pelicans’ first 57 games of the season. He’s shooting a sub-40 per cent 39.2 per cent from the field overall, but is hitting from three at a decent 36.9 per cent rate.

NPBA: ELITE BASKETBALL CLUB, MR SHIP IT FREIGHT REGULATORS VICTORIOUS THE Elite Basketball Club and Mr Ship It Freight Regulators won the two New Providence Basketball Association games at the AF Adderley Gymnasium on Saturday night. While the Hype Basketball won by default over the Future Ballers, the Elites nipped the Johnson Truckers 101-99 and the Regulators pulled off a 113-70 rout over the Double R Cleaners. On Friday, the Mail Boat Cybots knocked off the Mr Ship It Freight Regulators 108-101 and the University of the Bahamas Mingos pulled off a 73-65 decision over the Rhythm Rebels. • Here’s a summary of games: Elites 101 Johnson Trucking 99 Jeron Smith had 19 points in 33 minutes and 45 seconds as he shot 8-for-13 from the field, 3-for5 from behind the three-point arch to pace the Elites to victory. He also pulled down six rebounds and dished out four assists. Marvin Roberts came off the bench and contributed 16 points

with four rebounds and four assists. Anthony Clarke had 13 points and seven rebounds, Livigi Forbes had 11 points, three assists and two rebounds, both Rashad Stubbs and Dario McKenzie had eight points and Tario McKenzie added seven. In a losing effort, Christoff Stuart came off the bench and poured in a game high 26 points, shooting 11-for-19 from the field and 3-for10 from the foul line with eight rebounds, six assists and five steals. Qyemah Gibson had 25 points and nine rebounds, Henry Rolle had 11 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals and Horris McKenzie chipped in with 10 points and five rebounds.

rebounds and three assists, Renaldo Baillou had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Gameliel Rose had 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists, Eugene Bain had 12 points, 15 rebounds and three assists and Hakeem Walker added eight points and five rebounds. For Double R Services, Herbert Knowles had 26 points as he played the entire game. He shot 11-for-27 from the field and 4-for6 from the charity stripe. He also had 12 points and eight assists. Tamiko King had 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals and both Tresant Strachan and Vadis Morrison had seven points and Mark Campbell finished with six points.

Regulators 113 Cleaners 70 In just 27 minutes and 28 seconds, Brian Bain exploded for a game high 30 points, shooting 10for-17 from the field, 1-for-2 from the three-point line and 9-for-15 from the foul line. He also had seven rebounds and seven assists. Simon Cruz 27 points, five

Mingos 73 Rebels 65 Justin Smith, in 39 minutes, had 20 points, shooting 6-for-22 from the field, 4-for-12 from the three-point line and 4-for-6 from the free throw line with nine rebounds, six steals and four assists to pace the University of the Bahamas to victory.

Kemsy Sylvestre added 15 points, 13 rebounds and 10 steals, Ujamma Johnson chipped in with 11 points, Rashad Sturrup had eight points and Reuben Goodman contributed seven points. Mekel Rolle had 19 points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists to lead Rhythm. Craig Buchanan had 18 points, seven assists and three steals and Rashad Williams had 12 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. Cybots 108 Regulators 101 Ernest Saunders poured in 29 points in 42 minutes, shooting 8-for-19 from the field, 1-for-2 from the three-point line and 12for-19 from the foul line with five assists, four rebounds and four steals to lead the Mail Boat to victory. Livingstone Munnings helped out with 20 points and 21 rebounds, Lerecus Armbrister had 16 points, four rebounds and three steals, Adrian Miller had nine points and three steals and

Jeremy Hutchinson had eight points and six rebounds. Eugene Bain erupted for 36 points in 37 minutes as he shot 13for-29 from the field and 10-for13 from the foul line with 14 rebounds to lead Mr Ship It Freight in the loss. Miguel Mackey had 15 points and seven rebounds, Gameliel Rose had 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists, Cruz Simon had eight points and Brian Bain, Dion McPhee and Renaldo Baillou all chipped in with seven points. No games will be played today due to the start of the Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic for senior boys. However, games on Wednesday and Friday will be played at the Kendal Isaacs Gy. Wednesday 7pm - Breezes High Flyers vs Bargain Wholesale Kings 8:30pm - UB vs Mr Ship It Freight Regulators Friday, 7pm - Double R Cleaners vs Rockets 8:30pm - UB vs Pirates

PAGE 6, Monday, February 20, 2017

FA Cup: Ibrahimovic rescues United, Kane nets Spurs treble By ROB HARRIS AP Global Soccer Writer LONDON (AP) — Manchester United turned to Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to come to the holders’ rescue and eliminate second-tier Blackburn in the FA Cup yesterday. The duo came off the bench with around 30 minutes remaining at Ewood Park and combined to complete United’s comeback. Ibrahimovic ran onto Pogba’s long, high pass to clinch the 2-1 victory and set up a quarterfinal reunion for manager Jose Mourinho with Chelsea. A day after three Premier League teams endured difficulties against lower-league opposition, Tottenham was taking no risks at Fulham. The north London club started Harry Kane and its top-scorer delivered, netting a hat trick as Fulham was swept aside 3-0. The fifth-round weekend will be completed today when Arsenal plays away at fifth-tier side Sutton United. The winner will next month host Lincoln, which became the first nonleague side in 103 years to reach the quarterfinals on Saturday by beating Premier League side Burnley. • Here’s a closer look at yesterday’s games: BLACKBURN 1, MANCHESTER UNITED 2 United, the record 20time English league champions, trailed for 10 minutes in the first half at the home of the 1995 Premier League champions, who have been out of the topflight since 2012. On a rare start for Jose Mourinho’s side, Marcus Rashford cancelled out Danny Graham’s opener.

The striker was played through by Henrikh Mkhitaryan and he ghosted past goalkeeper Jason Steele before slotting into an unguarded net in the 27th minute. It took until 75th minute for United to find a winner. Pogba sent the ball over the top of the Blackburn defence for the 35-year-old Ibrahimovic, who netted his 24th goal of his first season at United. “The team did well before the changes too but in the second half, me and Paul came in to boost that up a bit,” Ibrahimovic said. “He gave a great ball and I scored a goal.” With Chelsea eight points out in front in the Premier League and not in Europe, Antonio Conte’s side can focus resources on facing United in the FA Cup, according to Mourinho. “I have to fight for a top-four position in the Premier League,” said Mourinho, whose side plays Saint-Etienne in the Europa League and Southampton in the League Cup final over the next week. “I have so many things to think about.” FULHAM 0, TOTTENHAM 3 While the FA Cup is now regularly used by top-flight teams to rest leading players, Kane’s appearance at Craven Cottage was a sign of Tottenham’s lack of options up front and the desire to avoid a third successive loss. Defeats in the Premier League and Europa League prompted manager Mauricio Pochettino to gather his players for meetings to dissect the difficulties. “The reaction was fantastic,” Pochettino said. “It was a great opportu-

THE TRIBUNE

MESSI’S 90TH MINUTE PENALTY GIVE BARCELONA WIN OVER LEGANES By JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press

MANCHESTER United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates scoring his side’s second goal against Blackburn Rovers during the English FA Cup, fifth round soccer match at Ewood Park, Blackburn, England, yesterday. (AP) nity to show we are alive, to change the feeling after two defeats ... and this was a big boost of confidence.” Especially for Kane. Since scoring three times against West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League last month, Kane had only scored once in five games before facing an inviting Fulham defence. Fulham, which was relegated from the Premier League in 2014, was caught out by Tottenham’s speedy move down the right flank

for the 16th-minute opener. Christian Eriksen met Kieran Trippier’s long throwin and delivered a cross to Kane, who slid in to nudge the ball over the line. After being wasteful for the rest of the first half, Kane was quick off the mark six minutes after the break, meeting another cross from Eriksen and putting the ball between goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli’s legs. Dele Alli set up Kane’s third with a through-ball

in the 73rd minute that the England striker fired past Bettinelli. Tottenham will next play Millwall, the thirdtier side that reached the last eight by ousting three Premier League teams: Bournemouth, Watford and Leicester. The quarterfinal lineup will be complete after Manchester City plays a replay against second-tier high-flier Huddersfield to determine who plays Middlesbrough.

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Lionel Messi scored a 90th-minute penalty for his second goal of the night to give Barcelona a 2-1 win over lowly Leganes in the Spanish league yesterday. Messi’s spot-kick, following a questionable penalty after Neymar tumbled in the area, saved Barcelona from a second demoralising result this week after a 4-0 loss at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday. Leganes was clinging to a well-deserved point when Neymar stumbled over Martin Mantovani in the area. The contact was enough to secure a penalty spot and Messi’s leagueleading 19th goal of the season. The match at Camp Nou started well for the hosts, when Messi tapped in Luis Suarez’s cross after just four minutes. But Leganes, a modest club from Madrid that was promoted last season, never lost its poise and threatened whenever it emerged from defending its area. Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen had to make four saves of goalbound strikes before Leganes’s Unai Lopez got the equaliser in the 71st. TOTTENHAM Hotspur’s Harry Kane celebrates after scoring his side’s third goal during the English FA Cup match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage stadium in London yesterday. (AP)

PSG FAILS TO CLOSE GAP ON MONACO AFTER 0-0 DRAW AGAINST TOULOUSE PARIS (AP) — Days after producing one of the best matches in its history, Paris Saint-Germain fell back to earth with a 0-0 home draw against Toulouse in the French league yesterday. Rather than closing the gap at the top, PSG remains three points behind Monaco — which has a much better goal difference — and is level on points with third-place Nice. “We missed a chance but we must keep going,” PSG coach Unai Emery said. “I believe in the team.” This was nothing like the rampant PSG side that beat Barcelona 4-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday night, tearing the five-time European champion apart with a breathtaking attacking display in the first leg of their Round of 16 match. Although PSG is unbeaten in 13 games, this was a poor performance from Emery’s side, which lost 2-0 at Toulouse in one of four league defeats this season. AEK Athens beats Greek league leader Olympiakos 1-0 ATHENS, Greece (AP) — AEK Athens defeated Greek league leader Olympiakos 1-0 in an ill-tempered game yesterday that saw 12 yellow cards and two dismissals. Astrit Ajdarevic scored the only goal in the 34th minute with a free kick that deflected off Olympiakos defender Manuel da Costa.

Olympiakos’ athletic director Francois Modesto was sent to the stands for protesting about the lead-up to AEK’s goal. His team’s central defender Alberto Botia was dismissed after a second yellow card in the 75th for pulling an advancing AEK forward’s jersey. Despite the defeat, its second of the season, Olympiakos has a 10-point cushion over second-place Panionios, which beat 10-man Iraklis 1-0. PAOK, a 4-0 winner over Veria, remains in third place, one point ahead of Panathinaikos, which beat Asteras 5-0 on Saturday. AEK is joint fifth with Xanthi. ‘Gabigol’ finally starts to pay off transfer in Inter win ROME (AP) — Gabriel “Gabigol” Barbosa began repaying his 30 million euro ($32 million) transfer fee by scoring his first goal for Inter Milan in a 1-0 win at Bologna yesterday. Barbosa tapped in a cross from Danilo D’Ambrosio in the 81st minute to secure fourth-placed Inter its ninth win in 10 Serie A matches. Barbosa had been hailed as the next great Brazil striker when he signed a fiveyear deal after transferring from Santos in August. But he struggled in his first five months at Inter. “I’m happy for him. He had a bit of a tough time at the start. But now he’s starting to click,” Inter coach Stefano Pioli said.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, February 20, 2017, PAGE 7

Tsonga beats Goffin to win World Tennis final ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — Jo-Wilfried Tsonga clinched his 13th career title yesterday, rallying from a set down to beat David Goffin of Belgium 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the final of the World Tennis Tournament. The sixth-seeded Frenchman hit 10 aces and, although he dropped his serve twice, he broke the third-seeded Goffin’s serve four times. Tsonga, ranked 14, lost the final here in Rotterdam six years ago. His previous title also came on indoor hardcourts in Metz, France, two years ago. “I’m really happy. The last couple of months I put in a lot of effort to come back to this level,” Tsonga said. “It’s a huge reward for me and it gives me new expectations for the rest of the year.” The powerful Tsonga changed his approach to play more to his strengths and dictate points more. “I changed my serve and worked a lot on my backhand and my returns. I also

changed my strings. There were many things to improve my game,” he said. “In the second set, I showed a different mentality on court. I was more aggressive and it made the difference.” He improved to 4-2 overall in career meetings against the 11th-ranked Goffin, who won both of his career titles in 2014. The 31-year-old Tsonga reached the milestone of 400 career wins this week, and victory in the final was his 401st. Goffin, meanwhile, will become the first Belgian man to break into the top 10 when the rankings are published today. “I was a bit tired. I started the final really well, but in the end Jo played better than me,” the 26-year-old Goffin said. “Of course I’m disappointed, but I played some good tennis.”

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Topseeded Kei Nishikori was beaten 7-6 (4), 6-4 by Alexandr Dolgopolov yesterday in the final of the clay-court Argentina Open. Dolgopolov won his third ATP singles title and his first in five years. It was also the Ukrainian’s first victory over his Japanese opponent after losing their previous five head-to-head matches. Nishikori, who is No. 5 in the ATP singles rankings, has won 11 singles titles, but only two on clay. Nishikori will also be the top-seeded player in next week’s Rio de Janeiro Open, with Dominic Thiem of Austria No. 2. Dolgopolov will be unseeded on clay in Rio.

JO-Wilfried Tsonga celebrates winning his match against David Goffin yesterday. (AP)

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Mostly sunny

Partly cloudy

Some sun

Partly sunny with a shower

A couple of showers and a t‑storm

Partly sunny with a shower in spots

High: 82°

Low: 67°

High: 82° Low: 65°

High: 82° Low: 66°

High: 81° Low: 67°

High: 83° Low: 68°

AccuWeather RealFeel

84° F

64° F

84°-64° F

82°-65° F

87°-68° F

91°-71° F

ORLANDO

TAMPA

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 63° 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: 81° F/27° C Low: 60° F/16° C

7‑14 knots

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 63° F/17° C

10‑20 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 68° F/20° C

E S

WEST PALM BEACH

uV inDex toDay

TONIGHT

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 59° F/15° C

NISHIKORI UPSET BY DOLGOPOLOV IN FINAL

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 65° F/18° C

MIAMI

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 66° F/19° C

4‑8 knots

Statistics are for Nassau through 1 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 84° F/29° C Low .................................................... 72° F/22° C Normal high ....................................... 77° F/25° C Normal low ........................................ 64° F/18° C Last year’s high ................................. 78° F/25° C Last year’s low ................................... 65° F/19° C Precipitation As of 1 p.m. yesterday .................................. trace Year to date ................................................. 0.80” Normal year to date ..................................... 2.38”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 67° F/19° C

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 61° F/16° C

KEY WEST

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 71° F/22° C

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 62° F/17° C

8‑16 knots

10‑20 knots

ANDROS

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

tiDes For nassau High

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

2:43 a.m. 2:57 p.m.

2.3 1.8

9:11 a.m. 9:08 p.m.

Tuesday

3:39 a.m. 3:54 p.m.

2.4 1.9

10:08 a.m. 0.5 10:03 p.m. 0.2

Wednesday 4:31 a.m. 4:47 p.m.

2.5 2.0

10:59 a.m. 0.3 10:54 p.m. 0.0

Thursday

5:19 a.m. 5:35 p.m.

2.6 2.2

11:45 a.m. 0.1 11:42 p.m. ‑0.1

Friday

6:03 a.m. 6:20 p.m.

2.8 2.4

12:28 p.m. ‑0.1 ‑‑‑‑‑ ‑‑‑‑‑

Saturday

6:45 a.m. 7:04 p.m.

2.9 2.6

12:28 a.m. ‑0.3 1:08 p.m. ‑0.3

Sunday

7:27 a.m. 7:47 p.m.

3.0 2.7

1:13 a.m. ‑0.5 1:48 p.m. ‑0.5

0.6 0.3

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:40 a.m. 6:07 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

1:53 a.m. 1:03 p.m.

New

First

Full

Last

Feb. 26

Mar. 5

Mar. 12

Mar. 20

CAT ISLAND

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

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 62° F/17° C

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 69° F/21° C

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 63° F/17° C

W S

LONG ISLAND

insurance management tracking map

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 63° F/17° C

10‑20 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 81° F/27° C Low: 65° F/18° C

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

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS RAGGED ISLAND High: 83° F/28° C Low: 64° F/18° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 82° F/28° C Low: 66° F/19° C

N E

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 63° F/17° C

8‑16 knots

7‑14 knots

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

Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday:

WINDS NE at 10‑20 Knots ENE at 8‑16 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots N at 10‑20 Knots NE at 10‑20 Knots N at 8‑16 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots NNE at 10‑20 Knots ENE at 10‑20 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots NE at 10‑20 Knots ENE at 8‑16 Knots NW at 7‑14 Knots NNE at 6‑12 Knots NNE at 8‑16 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots NNW at 10‑20 Knots NE at 10‑20 Knots NNE at 8‑16 Knots ENE at 8‑16 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots NE at 10‑20 Knots ENE at 10‑20 Knots

WAVES 3‑5 Feet 3‑6 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑6 Feet 1‑2 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑6 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 4‑8 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 73° F 73° F 77° F 77° F 76° F 76° F 79° F 79° F 75° F 75° F 76° F 76° F 76° F 76° F 76° F 76° F 79° F 79° F 79° F 79° F 79° F 79° F 78° F 78° F 75° F 75° F