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SPORTS SECTION E

TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018

NAUGHTY

Column, Page 3

Hurricanes get 3-0 win over Marlins in quarter-finals By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

he top overall seed among the senior boys looked like the class of the division as the Samuel P Haven 2018 National Soccer Championships, presented by the IL Cares Foundation, kicked off yesterday. The St Andrew’s Hurricanes scored a 3-0 win over the Patrick J Bethel Marlins out of Abaco in yesterday’s quarter-final at the Roscow Al Davies Soccer Field. The Hurricanes got goals from Dwayne Kelly, Kaylene Smith and Zachary Knowles in the win. Hurricanes head coach Yiorgio Croyle said his team was eager to get back onto the pitch and play competitively after the layoff following the BAISS

championship weeks ago. “They responded very well, they were excited and they were looking forward to this tournament from the moment they won the BAISS championship game. From then they were inquiring about these games, so I’m just pleased at how they performed, after being off for a few weeks,” he said. “They have to know they are the team to beat and they have to play like the team to beat. Most of all they have to perform like it. They have to know teams are hungry and teams are coming to take it to them, but I know they will respond accordingly because they don’t want that to happen.” He added that the national championship will be a fitting enf to a stellar season for his side.

“We have to treat every game like a championship game,” Croyle said. “I went to St Andrew’s myself so I know what this programme expects. To live up to those expectations you have to play every game like it’s your last game.” Weather delays impacted the travel plans for the Marlins en route to New Providence this morning and they were afforded very little preparation prior to the match. Despite the setbacks, head coach Christine

Jenoure said her team gave a valiant effort despite falling short. “I’m very proud of my guys, we came fresh off a flight this afternoon, we reached our hotel at 4:30pm, we reached the pitch at 5:45pm and we were on the pitch at 6:15pm,” she said. “Anyone in Nassau knew there was bad weather from last night and first thing this morning so flights were delayed. “We came on the midday flight, we were late and they didn’t think to push

the game back or give us a chance. “However, my guys played to the best of their ability given the circumstances and I’m proud of them nonetheless.” Four games will be contested each afternoon of the three-day event. Match times are slated for a 4:30pm start on the 17th and 19th and a 1:30pm start for the medal round on the 21st. BAISS qualifiers include the Hurricanes, Lyford Cay Dragons, Queen’s College Comets and Aquinas College Aces. GSSSA participants will include the CR Walker Knights, CV Bethel Stingrays and Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves. Teams out of Grand Bahama will include the Bishop Michael Eldon School Warriors, Sir Jack Hayward Wildcats,

Heat tie series 1-1

Tabernacle Baptist Falcons and Lucayan International Buccaneers and the Marlins out of Abaco. Four games are on the schedule for today (see page 3), opening with a senior girls’ matchup between the Aces (BAISS runnersup) and Stingrays (GSSSA runners-up) at 4:30pm. Game two in the senior boys’ division will feature rematch of the GSSSA championship series with the Knights (champions) hosting the Timberwolves (runners-up) at 5:55pm. In the senior girls’ division, the GSSSA champions Knights will face Grand Bahama runners-up, the BMES Warriors at 7:25pm. In the final matchup of the night in the senior boys’ division, The Lyford Cay Dragons will face the GBSSAA runners-up, the Jack Hayward Wildcats at 8:25pm.

NATIONALS: TOP JUNIOR GOLFERS EMERGE By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net THE top junior golfers in the island nation emerged following the results of the Bahamas Golf Federation’s Junior Nationals. The BGF showcased its young talent at the 2018 Bahamas Junior National Championships at the Ocean Club Golf Course. A total of 54 golfers contested the two-day event, which was considered one of the most competitive tournaments to date and sets the stage for national team selection in the near future. The tournament included golfers from throughout the Bahamas as they participated in 36-hole stroke play and 18-hole stroke play divisions. Several new champions were crowned at the end of the tournament. Cameron Riley, Haylie Turnquest, Saketh Hedge,

SEE PAGE 3

MIAMI Heat’s Dwyane Wade, right, shoots with Philadelphia 76ers’ T.J. McConnell, centre, and Ersan Ilyasova, defending during the first half in Game 2 of their firstround playoff series last night. SEE THE FULL STORY ON PAGE 5 (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Trae Sweeting honoured on Trojans’ Senior Day By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net AS his collegiate career nears its end, Trae Sweeting was recognised by the Mount Olive Trojans for his contributions to the baseball programme the past two seasons.

Rockets, Page 5

He was one of seven players honoured on Senior Day before the Trojans went on to sweep King University and successfully conclude the three-game series at Scarborough Field in Mount Olive, North Carolina, on Saturday. In game one, Mount Olive scored a 3-0 shutout win. Following a pair of scoreless innings, Sweeting started the Trojans’ rally in the third off with a double. After he advanced to third on a wild pitch, he was eventually played by a groundout RBI from Jose Lopez for the first score of the game. In game two, Mount Olive escaped with an 8-7 win. Sweeting finished 2-5, scored one run and drove in one RBI. Mount Olive is currently at 29-11-1, 17-4 in Conference Carolinas and just outside the top 25 in the NBWCA Division II rankings. With just five games left in the regular season, Mount Olive will

host Chowan University in a short two-game, two-day series beginning tonight. Through 34 games this season, Sweeting is hitting .292 with 14 RBI, 42 runs scored, 18 stolen bases, an OBP of .395 and Slugging .405. In 2017, the Trojans won the 2017 Conference Carolinas Baseball Championship with a 5-4 walk-off victory over Belmont Abbey. Mount Olive, after falling in the opening round, won five straight elimination games to win the Trojans 14th Conference Carolinas Championship. Sweeting was named to the Conference Carolinas All-Tournament Team. As a catcher/outfielder, Sweeting played in 41 games for the Trojans with a .313 batting average. In his 128-plate appearance during the season, he ripped 40 hits, including five doubles and a home run.

TRAE SWEETING He had a total of 14 bases on balls (walk), was hit by a pitch 11 times, struck out 21 times, had 11 runs batted in (RBI), scored 32 times and stole 19 bases, while getting caught stealing twice. Sweeting transferred to Mount Olive after spending his freshman and sophomore seasons with the Georgia State Panthers in NCAA Division I. With the Panthers he had a career batting average of .315 with 38 runs scored in 162 at-bats and was 12-14 on stolen bases.

BAHAMIANS SHINE IN THE MINOR LEAGUES By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net JAZZ Chisholm has already surpassed his home run total from last season while others continue their hit streaks to highlight Bahamian players in Minor League Baseball play last weekend. Chisholm hit his second home run in three games but his Kane County Cougars suffered a 9-6 loss in the opening game of their series against the Beloit Snappers. The third year shortstop finished 2-4 with a run scored and two RBI in his third multi-hit game of the season to boost his average to .296 on the young season. He hit his first home run of the season on April 10 in the second game of a threegame series with the Quad Cities River Bandits. In that game Chisholm went 3-5 with a home run, two runs scored and an RBI.

SEE PAGE 3

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, April 17, 2018, PAGE 3

Dez done in Dallas... no surprise to me! THERE has been no bigger fan of Dez Bryant over the last eight years than me. However, I will always root for the name on the front of the jersey first, before the one on the back. I remember when the Cowboys moved up in the 2010 NFL draft to select Oklahoma State wide receiver Bryant with the No. 24 overall pick. It was a controversial move at the time, many Cowboys fans were sceptical, but it was also signature Jerry Jones. Another high risk, high reward manoeuvre. I was stoked, the Cowboys finally had an uber talented, boisterous, big play wide receiver, a la Cowboys legend, the “playmaker” Michael Irvin. Something the offence at the time was severely lacking. THE INCLINE Talent-wise, Bryant was a top-10 pick heading into the 2010 NFL Draft. Off the field issues were the red flags, the Cowboys had to evaluate. Bryant was suspended the majority of his junior season after a meeting with Deion Sanders. Also there were a myriad of issues off the field, from run-ins with mall security to lawsuits over loaned jewellery, leased residences and inappropriate questions by the Miami Dolphins in a pre-draft interview. So when Bryant’s NFL Draft free fall began, the Cowboys calculated their move, bided their time and sprung into action moving up to snag their prize receiver with the 24th pick. Bryant showed flashes early on while going through some growing pains. He racked up 15 touchdowns and close to 1,400 yards in his first two seasons.

THE

PRESS BOX ZELAYA

BY INIGO ‘NAUGHTY’ ZENICA

The talent was obviously there and the stats were beginning to match. Things all came together in 2012 through 2014 - Bryant hauled in 273 receptions for 3,935 yards and an incredible 42 touchdowns. There were few receivers in the NFL as dominant as Dez during that span. THE DECLINE Then came the welldeserved five-year $70 million contract, with $40 million guaranteed, Bryant inked with the Cowboys. That was followed by, multiple nagging foot and back injuries, a monumental change at quarterback, petulant behaviour on the sidelines, drops and a drastic drop in production. Finally friction with the coaching staff, and allegedly some of his teammates in the locker room proved to be his ultimate undoing. Bryant’s Stats 2015-2017 2017 DAL 69 Rec 838 YARDS 6 TD 2016 DAL 50 796 8 2015 DAL 31 401 3 A BUSINESS DECISION The business of the NFL is cruel and waits for

nobody, not even someone as passionate and talented as Dez - 73 career receiving touchdowns in 113 games and all. Since 2013, the Cowboys have cut their all-time sack leader in DeMarcus Ware, their all-time passing leader in Tony Romo, and now, which should come as no surprise, considering the Cowboys track record in this regard, one of their alltime receiving leaders in Dez Bryant. THE STAR WILL ALWAYS SHINE In my Dallas Cowboys heart I feel, and most learned Cowboys fans alike, according to social media, agree cutting Dez Bryant was the right move for the organisation. Though it comes with some melancholiness, long term this move could benefit the Cowboys with securing key players Zack Martin and DeMarcus Lawrence long term. What Bryant meant to the Cowboys will go beyond just what he did on the field. Yes, Bryant is the franchise’s leader in touchdown receptions and it’s a mark that won’t be taken down easily, but Bryant also brought a badly needed passion to the team. A passion that embodied Cowboys football. It seems to have rubbed some people the wrong way, obviously after Friday’s announcement, but Bryant’s outspokenness became the pulse of the Cowboys and it became a

IN this file photo, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) carries the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The Dallas Cowboys have released Dez Bryant, deciding salary cap relief with the star receiver’s declining production outweighs the risk of him returning to All-Pro form with another team. Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said in a statement Friday it wasn’t an easy decision, but was what the organisation believes is in its best interest. (AP Photo/Brad Penner) rallying call for the team to be inspired. Now that job falls on Dak and Zeke and this new generation of Dallas Cowboys. HAPPY TRAILS Thanks for the memories Dez, continued success,

may you continue to throw up the ‘X’ like only you can. Happy trails to you, until we meet again. Hopefully not twice a year!! • Naughty presents ‘Mischief and Mayhem in da

AM’ from 6am to 10am, Monday to Friday and ‘The Press Box’ sports talk show on Sunday from 10am to 1pm, on KISS FM 96.1. Comments and questions to naughty@tribunemedia. net

BAHAMIANS SHINE IN Top junior golfers emerge THE MINOR LEAGUES as national champions FROM PAGE 1

A torn meniscus cut short Chisholm’s debut season in Single A baseball with the Cougars in the Midwestern League’s Western Division. He played in just 29 games - hit .248 with, three stolen bases, slugging .358, an on-base percentage of .325, an OPS of .683, 12 RBI and one home run. Chisholm was the highest ranked of any Bahamian prospects, listed at No.3 within the Arizona Diamondbacks franchise. “In 2018, my goal and my plan is to get in the majors by the end of the year,” Chisholm said in the offseason. “It has been a grind to get where I’m at. So I just have to continue to put my all in everything I do and just grind to represent the 242 the right way.” Lucius Fox finished 3-6 at the plate and scored a run in a 9-6 win for his Charlotte Stone Crabs as they closed out a three-game series against the Lakeland Flying Tigers Sunday night. Fox is hitting .333 on the season though 10 games. It was his fifth consecutive game with a hit and he has recorded multiple hits in four of those five games. Fox is in his second season with the Stone Crabs of the Single A-Advanced Florida State League. In 30 games with the club last season, he hit .235 with a .608 OPS, .350 OBP, one home run, three stolen bases, 12 RBI and 19 runs scored. Todd Isaacs also stretched his hit streak to five games. Appearing as a designated hitter, he finished 1-4 with an RBI in a 6-5 loss for his Lake County Captains as they opened their series

FROM PAGE 1

JAZZ CHISHOLM

LUCIUS FOX

Ashley Michel, Diego Azar, Caroline Von-Eckardstein, Judah Lloyd and Aiden Gorospe each finished as national champions in their respective divisions. Riley beat out defending champion Xavier Robinson to claim the title in the Boys’ Under-18. He shot identical rounds of 77 to finish with a total of 154. Robinson finished second with rounds of 82 and 85 for a total of 167. Turnquest took the Girls’ U-18 with a score of 170 (83, 87). Tyesha Tynes

finished second in her divisional debut with a score of 189 (98, 91). Jessica Humphries was third at 257 (137, 120). In the Boys’ U-15 division, Hedge also won his second consecutive title. He won by a total of six strokes after a 36 stroke advantage in 2017. Hedge shot 85 on day one and 81 on day two to lower his score to a gross total of 166. Dominic Grieves was second with a score of 172. Lexander Antoine and Javontae Pinder finished tied for third in the field of nine golfers.

Michel won the Girls’ U-15 by two strokes over Sophie Anand. Both golfers were tied after day one with opening round 79s, but Michel gained the advantage on day two with a round of 80 to finish at 159. Anand shot 82 to finish at 161. Jenna Bayles finished third at 178. In the Boys’ U-13 divison, Azar took the title with a score of 173. He shot 85 on day one and followed with an 88 on day two. Matthew Deveaux was second at 183 and Adrian Stan-Busuioc finished third at 190.

Von-Eckardstein won the Girls’ U-13 division with her rounds of 95 and 88 for a score of 183. Tyesha Tynes was second at 189. Lloyd won the U-16 in the 18 hole division with a score of 117 (64, 53). Alex Dupuch finished second at 125, including a division low score of 57 in round one, and Francisca Larreinaga – Jorgen was third at 130. Gorospe won the U-10 in the 18 hole division with rounds of 51 and 52 for a score of 103. Alexander Knowles was second at 105 and Axel Dridi was third at 118.

THE SCHEDULE: NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS TODD ISAACS

CHAVEZ YOUNG against the South Bend Cubs. Isaacs is now hitting .310 through eight games this season, his second with the Captains in the Class A Midwest League. Chavez Young’s hit streak is now at four games for the Lansing Lugnuts, also in the Class A Midwest League. Young went 1-3 and scored in a 4-2 win over West Michigan. Young is now hitting .310 on the season through seven games.

PAGE 4, Tuesday, April 17, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

THE RUNNERS at the starting point on Goodman’s Bay for the RBDF Fun Run/Walk and Health expo on April 14, 2018. Photos: Kyle Smith/ RBDF

ROBERTA Fontana receiving her award as the top female runner by RBDF Commodore Tellis Bethel and Training Officer Lieutenant Origin Deleveaux Jr.

RBDF’S ANNUAL FUN RUN/WALK AND HEALTH FAIR ROCKS GOODMAN’S BAY GLENROY Williams and Roberta Fontana were the first male and female runners to cross the finish line on Saturday in the Royal Bahamas Defence Force’s Annual Fun Run/Walk and Health Fair at Goodman’s Bay. Under the theme “Commit to Be Fit”, scores of runners and walkers came to participate in the event which culminated a series of Health and Fitness activities by the Defence Force for the month of April. Mackey Williams won the overall male walkers category and Eve Dorsette Maycock came first among the female walkers.

Numerous winners and runner-ups in various age categories were awarded medals and trophies after the race, which began at Goodman’s Bay and took participants along the corridor of Cable Beach. The crowd was treated to an aerobic session afterwards, led by the Defence Force’s physical training instructors. A health and fitness expo was also set up, which included blood pressure checks and glucose testing. Vendors showcasing healthy lifestyle alternatives were also on display. Defence Force Commodore Tellis Bethel presented the winners and runners-up with their awards. He also commended chief petty

officer James Darling, event organiser, along with his committee members, and the Defence Force’s Training Department led by senior lieutenant Origin Deleveaux for organising a successful, fun-filled event. Commodore Bethel also thanked the participants, corporate sponsors, other Law Enforcement Agencies, Bahamas Association of Certified Officials (BACO), family members and friends of the Force for their support. The Royal Bahamas Defence Force remains committed to protecting the territorial environment of The Bahamas and ensuring the troops are physically fit to perform their duties.

MACKEY Williams receiving his award as the top male walker.

SOME of the participants at the RBDF Fun Run/Walk and Health expo.

EVE Dorsette Maycock receiving her award as the top female walker

GLENROY Williams receiving his award as the top male runner.

MOBILE

APP

Take us with you Everywhere you go!

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, April 17, 2018, PAGE 5

Wade turns back the clock and 76ers in Game 2 Heat victory By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Dwyane Wade turned in a vintage performance, scoring 28 points to end the 76ers’ 17-game winning streak and lead the Miami Heat to a 113-103 Game 2 win over Philadelphia last night and even the firstround playoff series. Playing without injured All-Star centre Joel Embiid for the 10th straight game, the Sixers nearly pulled off an epic comeback and rallied from 16 down to just two points late in the fourth. Philly fans were going wild and suddenly the home-court edge that had made the Sixers unbeatable for a month seemed like it would perk the team back up for one more notch on the winning streak. Wade buried two big buckets down the stretch that pushed back the Sixers and tied the series as it shifts to Miami for Game 3 on Thursday. The Sixers lost for the first time since March 13 to Indiana. They won 16 straight to end the regular season and the first game of the playoffs. Wade’s play resembled his glory days at times and he carried the Heat in a sensational second quarter that was the difference. He pump-faked his way to 15 points in the quarter — impressive enough, even moreso that he outscored the potent Sixers by two points. The 36-year-old Wade made his first seven shots of the game and passed Larry Bird for 10th on the NBA’s career postseason scoring list. After a Game 1 victory where they couldn’t miss, the Sixers couldn’t make a big bucket in the first half. The Sixers made a team playoff-record 18 3s in Game 1 and missed a whopping 16 of 18 3s in the first half. Robert Covington missed all five and Dario Saric was 0 for 4. The

Sixers made four baskets and scored 13 points in the quarter. The Heat slowed the game down — exactly the kind of style where the Sixers needed Embiid in the middle — and used a collective of defenders on Ben Simmons that rattled the rookie point guard early. The passing-andpushing offence that got the Sixers to the No. 3 seed in the East failed them for the first time since early March. But there was life left in the fourth. Saric was fouled by Wade and sank both from the line to make it 91-82 and he followed with a 3 the next time down that sent the crowd into a frenzy. Saric broke up a pass on defence that led to a Simmons dunk and suddenly 18 straight wins was within reach. Ersan Ilyasova made a tip shot to close to 98-96. Wade contributed with baskets, assists and free throws over the final 4 minutes to close out the win. Simmons led the Sixers with 24 points and Saric had 23.

DURANT, THOMPSON LEAD THE WARRIORS TO 2-0 SERIES LEAD ON SPURS OAKLAND, California (AP) — Kevin Durant sparked a decisive thirdquarter run on the way to 32 points, Klay Thompson added 31 points and five assists in another superb playoff performance and the Golden State Warriors rallied in the second half to beat the San Antonio Spurs 116-101 last night for a 2-0 lead in their firstround series. As Stephen Curry remains out likely for the entire series nursing a sprained left knee, the defending champions used all the offensive power they had to take both home games in the best-ofseven series. Wearing a dark checkered sport coat, Curry was all smiles watching another lopsided win without him. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 34 for the Spurs and Rudy Gay moved into the starting lineup and scored 12 points. Game 3 is Thursday as the series shifts to San Antonio.

TIP-INS Heat: Goran Dragic scored 20 points and James Johnson had 18. 76ers: Philly native and Hollywood star Kevin Hart rang the ceremonial Liberty Bell and sat courtside a few seats down from Allen Iverson. ... Team consultant Jerry Colangelo was at the game. EMBIID UPDATE Embiid wore his black mask and put on a 3-point shootout in pregame that had fans going wild with each shot. Again, there was no timetable on when Embiid would return this series, if at all. “I can’t wait to get him back,” coach Brett Brown said. “He, to me, is the difference maker. Joel Embiid changes the dynamics in many ways of this team. There will be a reintroduction of him back into the team.”

MIAMI Heat’s James Johnson, right, shoots and draws the foul call on Philadelphia 76ers’ Ersan Ilyasova, left, during the first half in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series last night. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

HARDEN SCORES 44 POINTS, ROCKETS BEAT TIMBERWOLVES 104-101 By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer HOUSTON (AP) — Trailing by 1 in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Houston Rockets needed someone to step up. No surprise that it was James Harden who came through. Harden scored 44 points and powered a big fourth-quarter run that allowed the Rockets to outlast the Timberwolves 104-101 Sunday night in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series. “We were struggling to make shots, struggling to really have any kind of rhythm and James put us on his back,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “He’s been doing it for a while now.” Minnesota scored four straight points to get within 3 with about 30 seconds left. Chris Paul added two free throws after that for Houston, but a tip-in by Karl-Anthony Towns got Minnesota back within 3. After a bad pass by Paul gave the Timberwolves a chance to tie it with 1.5 seconds left, Jimmy Butler’s shot was short. “Came up short,” Butler said. “But I’d shoot it again if I had the opportunity.” The Timberwolves had a one-point lead with about seven minutes left when Houston used a 9-0 run, with the last seven points from Harden, to make it 94-86 with about four minutes to go. Harden, who also had a steal in that span, capped the run with a 3-pointer that prompted Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau to call a timeout. Jeff Teague ended Minnesota’s scoring drought with two free throws after the timeout and added a 3-point play after a basket by Harden. Harden made another shot to give him 11 straight points for Houston before another basket by Teague. Harden got Capela in on the scoring after that, finding him for an alley-oop that pushed the lead to 101-93 with less than three minutes left. “Honestly I was just trying to be aggressive and make the right play,” Harden said. “I think if you have that aggressive mindset, good things will happen.” The top-seeded Rockets had their hands full with the No. 8 Timberwolves on a night where Houston made just 10 of 37 3-pointers. Harden shot 7 for 12 on 3-pointers, but Trevor Ariza, P.J. Tucker, Eric Gordon and Paul combined to make just 3 of their 22 tries. “We’ve had games like this throughout the season and the biggest thing that

TIP-INS Timberwolves: Butler, who led the team by averaging 22.2 points in the regular season, finished with 13 points. ... The Wolves made 8 of 23 3-point attempts. ... Towns had 12 rebounds and two assists. Rockets: Ryan Anderson missed the game with a sprained left ankle. D’Antoni said there was a chance he could return for Game 2, but that he would know more in the next couple of days. ... Capela had 20 points and 10 rebounds at halftime, but was limited in the second half and added just four more points and two rebounds. THEY SAID IT Paul on tying a season-high with six turnovers: “I think the worst thing was the turnovers. I feel like I was with the Bad News Bears.” BLOCK PARTY The Rockets finished with eight blocks on Sunday, led by three from Capela. The Rockets were 17-0 in the regular season when they had seven or more blocks. TIMBERWOLVES’ GORGUI DIENG, right, fouls Houston Rockets’ James Harden during the second half in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday. (AP Photo/David J Phillip) I’ve learned, that I think our teams knows is that we don’t stop shooting,” Paul said. “We still take the shots that we get and coming into Game 2 guess what? We’re going to shoot them again because we have that confidence.” Houston kept All-Star big man Towns in check, limiting him to just eight points after he’d averaged 21.3 in leading the Wolves to their first playoff appearance since 2004. Andrew Wiggins scored 18 points to lead Minnesota. Thibodeau said the Rockets did a good job of switching on Towns and using double-teams to slow him down, but admitted he has to do more. “He’s got to be more active,” Thibodeau said. Said Towns: “I’ve got to be better all-around.” The Wolves scored the first nine points of the second half to take a 56-54 lead. Tucker made a 3 for the Rockets after that, but Minnesota used a 6-1 spurt, with 3s from Wiggins and Teague, to go back on top 62-58. The Rockets had managed just six points in the quarter when Gerald Green made a

basket to cut the lead to 1 with about five minutes left in the third. Derrick Rose added a bucket seconds later, but Houston scored six straight points after that to put Houston up 68-65. Harden got things going when he made a 3-pointer while being fouled by Rose and also made the free throw. Minnesota led by a basket after a jump shot by Towns with about two minutes left in the quarter. Harden took over after that, scoring the last six points of the quarter to leave Houston up 76-72 entering the fourth. Harden hit a 3-pointer before making a driving layup he was fouled on by Gorgui Dieng. Harden flexed each bicep twice while peering down at the muscles after the shot before making the free throw. The Rockets swept the regular-season series 4-0, winning by an average of 15.8 points a game and it looked like this one might be another blowout early as the Rockets raced out to a 17-6 lead behind 10 early points from Clint Capela. But the Timberwolves got going after that and had tied it up by late in the first quarter. The Rockets led 54-47 at halftime.

UP NEXT Game 2 is Wednesday night in Houston.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, April 17, 2018, PAGE 7

JAMAICAN SPRINTERS LEAVE COMMONWEALTH GAMES WITHOUT GOLD MEDALS By JOHN PYE AP Sports Writer GOLD COAST, Australia (AP) — Kingston, we have a problem. A Jamaican track team featuring the world’s fastest active sprinter and the women’s Olympic 100- and 200-metre champion didn’t win a gold medal in the sprints at the Commonwealth Games. After Yohan Blake anchored Jamaica’s 4x100-metre relay team to bronze on Saturday, Usain Bolt took to social media to openly question if he’d retired too early. Bolt, who is in Australia to support the Jamaican team, is the only man to have ever run faster than Blake, who has a personal best time of 9.69 in the 100. Before the Gold Coast games, he joked that Blake may not want to return to the Jamaican capital if he didn’t win gold. “He’s going to trouble me a lot because he expected me to get the gold in the 100,” Blake said. “I slipped at the start and I couldn’t recover. “I was in record-breaking shape, and I’m still in that, but, ahem, I’m going to hide from him when I get back home.”

In the 100, Blake took bronze behind South Africans Akani Simbine and Henricho Bruintjies. In the relay, he ran the anchor leg and made up some ground but couldn’t catch the gold medalwinning England team of Reuben Arthur, Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty and Harry Aikines-Aryeety, which won in 38.13 seconds, or Simbine’s South Africans. “I ran like a rabbit!” AikinesAryeety said of his anchor leg. “I knew I had the second-fastest man of all time behind me, Yohan Blake, and the 100-metre Commonwealth champion, Akani Simbine, behind me. I stayed focused and aimed for the line.” England also won the women’s 4x100, in 42.46 seconds, with Lorraine Ugen just hanging on to edge Elaine Thompson’s Jamaican team by 0.06. Nigeria took bronze. Thompson won the 100-200 Olympic double at Rio de Janeiro in 2016 but only ran the 200 here, missing out on the podium when she placed fourth in a race won by Olympic 400-metre champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo, of the Bahamas. The Jamaicans won 10 gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow four years ago

A MEMBER of the Botswana team celebrates after crossing the line to win gold in the 4x400m relay in Commonwealth Games at Carrara Stadium Saturday. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) — including the men’s 100, 200 and 4x100 relay and the women’s 4x100 — and six Olympic golds at Rio in 2016, including Bolt’s wins in the 100, 200 and 4x100 relay and Thompson’s sprint double. On the Gold Coast, Trinidad and Tobago won more gold medals in the shortest of the sprints, winning the women’s 100 and the men’s 200.

Blake said the post-Bolt Jamaican team just needs some time to find its rhythm. “We’re going through a transition period,” he said. “We were dominating worldwide, and coach is working to get me back to that level so I can dominate again.” Bolt was a once-in-a-lifetime athlete, Blake said. “To be honest, I’m not going to lie, it’s not they’re

getting better — it’s we’re not performing,” Blake said of the gap between Jamaican sprinters and the rest of the world. “Because if we were performing with the times we’re running, they couldn’t stay with us.” The Jamaicans finished with seven golds on the Gold Coast, including the women’s 3,000metre steeple chase, the women’s shot put and triple jump and the women’s 4x400 relay, which was the penultimate event on the track programme. Australia topped the track and field standings with 10 golds, including field events, the 20K walks and four para events. England and South Africa had five gold medals. Three winners picked up the first gold medals for their countries in the meet on Saturday: — Former world junior champion Neeraj Chopra of India the javelin in 86.47 metres. — Levern Spencer of St Lucia won the women’s high jump in a season-best 1.95 metres. — Troy Doris of Guyana won the triple jump in 16.88 metres, two centimetres clear of Yordanys Duranona Garcia of Dominica and eight clear of Cameroon’s Marcel Mayack.

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 52° F/11° C

TAMPA

TONIGHT

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Sunshine and nice

Clear

Pleasant with plenty of sunshine

Sunshine and some clouds

Clouds and sun with a shower

High: 83°

Low: 70°

High: 84° Low: 73°

High: 87° Low: 73°

High: 87° Low: 72°

AccuWeather RealFeel

89° F

69° F

91°-75° F

99°-80° F

104°-76° F

93°-71° F

High: 77° F/25° C Low: 57° F/14° 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: 74° F/23° C Low: 67° F/19° C

10-20 knots

WEST PALM BEACH High: 77° F/25° C Low: 61° F/16° C

8-16 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE E

FREEPORT

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 65° F/18° C

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 64° F/18° C

MIAMI

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 63° F/17° C

10-20 knots

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 79° F/26° C Low .................................................... 77° F/25° C Normal high ....................................... 81° F/27° C Normal low ........................................ 69° F/21° C Last year’s high ................................. 83° F/28° C Last year’s low ................................... 70° F/21° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.15” Year to date ................................................. 6.94” Normal year to date ..................................... 5.48”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 83° F/29° C Low: 70° F/21° C

High: 77° F/25° C Low: 71° F/22° C

KEY WEST

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 70° F/21° C

tiDes For nassau High Today

Ht.(ft.)

9:28 a.m. 9:54 p.m.

Low

Ht.(ft.)

2.7 3.2

3:31 a.m. -0.4 3:37 p.m. -0.5

Wednesday 10:13 a.m. 10:41 p.m.

2.7 3.2

4:18 a.m. -0.4 4:22 p.m. -0.5

Thursday

11:02 a.m. 11:32 p.m.

2.6 3.2

5:08 a.m. -0.3 5:10 p.m. -0.4

Friday

11:55 a.m. -----

2.5 -----

6:01 a.m. -0.2 6:03 p.m. -0.3

Saturday

12:27 a.m. 12:54 p.m.

3.1 2.4

6:59 a.m. -0.1 7:02 p.m. -0.1

Sunday

1:28 a.m. 1:59 p.m.

3.0 2.3

8:02 a.m. 8:08 p.m.

0.0 0.0

Monday

2:33 a.m. 3:08 p.m.

2.9 2.4

9:07 a.m. 9:18 p.m.

0.0 0.1

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

High: 77° F/25° C Low: 72° F/22° C

10-20 knots

10-20 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

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

6:46 a.m. 7:33 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

8:06 a.m. 9:23 p.m.

First

Full

Last

New

Apr. 22

Apr. 29

May 7

May 15

CAT ISLAND

uV inDex toDay

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 74° F/23° C

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 71° F/22° C

W S

LONG ISLAND

insurance management tracking map

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 76° F/24° C

8-16 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 82° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C

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

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

GREAT INAGUA High: 83° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 75° F/24° C

8-16 knots

4-8 knots

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

Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday:

WINDS NW at 8-16 Knots ENE at 4-8 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots NNE at 10-20 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots SE at 3-6 Knots E at 8-16 Knots N at 8-16 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots N at 10-20 Knots ENE at 6-12 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots NE at 4-8 Knots ENE at 7-14 Knots NNE at 8-16 Knots ENE at 10-20 Knots SE at 4-8 Knots E at 6-12 Knots N at 8-16 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots ENE at 10-20 Knots N at 8-16 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots

WAVES 3-6 Feet 2-4 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-2 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-5 Feet 2-4 Feet 2-4 Feet 2-4 Feet 2-4 Feet 3-5 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 2-4 Feet 2-4 Feet 2-4 Feet 2-4 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-6 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 2-4 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. 78° F 79° F 80° F 80° F 77° F 77° F 79° F 79° F 80° F 80° F 76° F 76° F 80° F 80° F 81° F 81° F 81° F 81° F 79° F 79° F 78° F 78° F 80° F 80° F 79° F 79° F

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PAGE 8, Tuesday, April 17, 2018

THE TRIBUNE