05062025 SPORTS

SPORTS

TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2025

Red-Line Athletics hosts 4th annual Youth Track Classic

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Meet organiser

Tito Moss said he couldn’t be happier with the way things turned out for their Red-Line Athletics’ fourth annual Youth Track Classic.

The event was held over the weekend at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium and was geared towards competitors from the under-7 to under20 divisions for boys and girls with a few open events.

“The meet went well. It was the first meet since the CARIFTA trials and it was mainly for kids to get a chance to compete in events that they don’t normally get to compete in,” Moss said.

“We had good, keen competition with over 600 competitors and it went very well. I was very pleased with the performances.”

Moss, however, said the jury is still out on the selection of the most outstanding athletes in all of the age groups. He noted that they were still compiling the list of winners.

This was Red-Line Athletics’ third meet that they have hosted for the year and Moss said they got good feedback from the spectators, the athletes and the officials.

He noted that they can’t wait for the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations to get the 2026 season underway when they hope to make their scheduled meets even bigger and better.

A number of outstanding performances were turned in during the meet.

Among the list are the following:

Girls under-7

Zhalya McArdy from Extreme Athletics won the 100m in 19.93 seconds and was second in the 200m in 43.60 behind 3pa Stallion’s Tanah Cassell, the winner in 42.90. Cassell, however, also won the 400m in a meet record of 1:37.89 and captured the long jump with a leap of 1.99 metres.

Girls under-9 Summer Strachan of Red-Line Athletics doubled as the sprint champion in the 100m in 16.40 and the 200m in 31.87. She also added to her collection, the long jump with her leap of 3.01m.

Girls under-11

Jazmyn Demeritte, representing Red-Line, clinched the 100m in 14.17, but was third in the 200m in 30.22. Christovia Moss of Beginners Track, who was second in the 100m in 14.19, took the 200m in a meet record of 29.62 with team-mate Shaneka Sands second in 29.68. Demeritte also took home the long jump title with her

ROAD TO TOKYO

THE Silver Lightning Track Club is scheduled to hold its annual Track and Field Classic on Saturday, May 10, at the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium, starting at 9am. The event, dubbed the “Road to Tokyo,” will be used as a qualifier for athletes wishing to make Team Bahamas that will compete at the

World Championships from September 13-21 in Tokyo, Japan. Interested athletes

ON THE HIGH SEAS: Young sailors compete in the International Laser Class Association (ILCA) Bahamas Open Senior National Championships over the weekend in Lyford Cay. Eduardo Marques, who spent the past month training here, won the Fleet 7 title with a total of five points ahead of defending champion Bahamian Paul de Souza, who was second with 12, while Joshua Higgins was third with 13 and Eliza Denning came in fourth with 19 points.

by Tim Aylen/Bahamas Visual Services

By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer

KENNY Atkinson’s biggest concern going into Cleveland’s Eastern Conference semifinal series against Indiana was trying to match up against the Pacers’ quick-tempo offence.

Compounding matters for Atkinson is that the Cavaliers might have to go into tonight’s Game 2 short-handed.

Forwards Evan Mobley and De’Andre Hunter have joined Darius Garland among those who questionable when the top-seeded Cavaliers try to even the series at home.

Mobley and Hunter were both injured in a 26-second span in the fourth quarter of what was a close game before Indiana took control and pulled away for a 121-112 victory on Sunday night.

Mobley sprained his left ankle when he was boxed out by Indiana’s Myles Turner and didn’t have room to land after his turnaround hook shot went in to put the Cavs up 99-98 with 8:10 remaining.

On Cleveland’s ensuing possession, Hunter dislocated the thumb on his shooting hand after Bennedict Mathurin blocked his running dunk attempt. Hunter landed hard on his right hand out of bounds after the shot was blocked.

The Cavs lost the replay review when Mathurin’s block was considered clean.

Atkinson said he did not consider the plays to be dirty, but thought they passed a line of physicality and became excessive. He’s also hoping this doesn’t become a theme throughout the series.

“I don’t think this is on Indiana. But the fact of the matter, I think that’s on the referees,” Atkinson said after practice yesterday.

“Maybe they were missed calls or maybe I’m

misinterpreting the rules, but I have a problem when we got two of our best players doubtful for tomorrow’s game.

“It’s hard for me to get my head around that. And there were no calls on either one.

“I haven’t talked about referees all year and I think the referees in this league are phenomenal and they do a great job. That was a darn good crew last night, but for some reason it bothers me that we’re dealing with this. At least there

should be some repercussions in terms of making the call.”

Garland has missed the last three games due to a sprained left big toe.

The All-Star point guard will give it a go this afternoon to see if he can return to the lineup.

Garland’s presence on defence was certainly missed on Sunday after Tyrese Haliburton had 22 points and 13 assists, along with three blocked shots.

The Cavaliers were outscored by 10 points when

Sam Merrill, Garland’s replacement, was on the floor. “Halliburton is obviously the head of the snake with that pace. They have anyone that can bring it. They all sprint to their spots and we’ve got to be a little better with that,” Merrill said. Atkinson thought the Cavaliers would come out with the same focus they had when they swept the Miami Heat. Instead, they were physically pushed around in the fourth quarter.

“I felt like we were challenged and focused to stamp that series (against Miami) out. I thought we would come out with the same focus and all that stuff and for some reason we didn’t. At the end of the day it’s credit to Indiana because they took it to us quite honestly,” Atkinson said.

Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers

When/Where to Watch:

Game 2, 7 p.m. EDT (TNT)

Series: Pacers lead, 1-0

BetMGM says: Cavaliers by 9.5

What to Know: Cleveland will need to do a better job both shooting and defending 3-pointers. The Cavaliers were 9 of 38 from beyond the arc, only the fourth time this season they shot under 25%, and were 5 of 20 with open shots at the basket.

Donovan Mitchell scored 34 points, but was 1 of 11 from long distance. Indiana was 19 of 36, including 11 of 19 on open looks. Andrew Nembhard had 23 points, including five 3-pointers. He is 12 of 19 from beyond the arc in his last three playoff games. The Pacers are trying to go up 2-0 on the road for the first time since a 1994 first-round series against Orlando. Cleveland hasn’t dropped its first two at home in the playoffs since 1996 in the first round against the Knicks.

Golden State Warriors at Minnesota Timberwolves When/Where to Watch: Game 2, 9:30 p.m. EDT (TNT)

Series: Game 1

BetMGM says: Timberwolves by 6.5

What to Know: The seventh-seeded Warriors took three of the four meetings in the regular season, including both games in Minnesota.

The teams, though, have not faced each other since Jan. 15, when the Warriors had a 116-115 victory on the road. This is the third time the sixth and seventh seeds are playing each other. The last time was in 2023, when the No. 7 seed Los Angeles Lakers beat the Warriors in six games. Golden State’s Draymond Green needs three assists to reach 1,000 for his career in the playoffs. He would become the 15th player in NBA history to reach that milestone. Minnesota has advanced beyond the first rounds in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history.

By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer

CLEVELAND (AP) —

Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers broke one of Michael Jordan’s NBA playoff records on Sunday night.

The All-Star guard would rather be one victory closer to a championship. Mitchell finished with 33 points in the Cavs’ 121-112 loss to the Indiana Pacers, his eighth straight game with at least 30 points in a series opener. Jordan had two sevengame streaks of 30 points in Game 1s (from 1991 to 1993 and 1997 to 1998) while leading the Chicago Bulls to six NBA titles. “Jordan won Game 1. I

didn’t,” Mitchell said. “It’s always great to be in great company. But man, we lost. I shot 30 times. I always try to be aggressive to start a series.”

Jordan was 6-1 during both of his streaks in Game

1. Mitchell is 4-4, including 2-3 in series openers with Cleveland since coming over in a trade from Utah in September 2022. Mitchell helped Cleveland rally in the third quarter after it fell behind by 12 points. He scored nine during a 20-4 run that put the Cavs up 88-84. Cleveland led midway through the fourth quarter, but couldn’t close it out. Mitchell set the mark with a layup that gave him 31 points with 4:50 left

in the game and got the Cavs within 107-104. But Andrew Nembhard buried a 3-pointer on Indiana’s ensuing trip.

Mitchell was 13 of 30 from the field, but made only one of his 11 3-point attempts. The Cavs made just 23.7% from beyond the arc (9 of 38) in one of their worst-shooting games of the season.

“We missed open looks. But I’m not going to sit here and say, ‘Oh, if we make shots, we win games.’ We’ve got to find a way to still win this game, even though we don’t make shots. And ultimately, we didn’t do that tonight. Just be ready for Game 2,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell’s streak began with the Utah Jazz during

the 2020 playoffs — held at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, during the COVID-19 pandemic — when he scored 57 points against the Denver Nuggets. That remains a Jazz playoff record and the third-highest-scoring performance in NBA postseason history.

Mitchell is averaging 33.2 points in series openers, second-highest in NBA history for a player who has taken part in at least 10 postseason series. His playoff average of 27.9 points is seventh-best among players with at least 50 games.

“We’re fortunate because he missed a lot of ones he’s usually going to make,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “It’s just one game.”

Intriguing Colorado Duo

Knicks come from 20 down, beat Celtics 108-105 in OT

By KYLE HIGHTOWER AP Sports Writer

BOSTON (AP) — Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby each scored 29 points before Mikal Bridges stole the ball from Jaylen Brown with a second left in overtime as the New York Knicks stunned the Boston Celtics 108-105 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series last night.

Karl Anthony-Towns added 14 points and 13 rebounds for New York, which lost all four games against its longtime rival during the regular season and trailed by 20 points in the second half of this game.

Jayson Tatum and Brown both had 23 points for the defending champion Celtics, who had an NBA playoff-record 45 missed 3-pointers to blow a game they appeared to have in control. Derrick White added 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Jrue Holiday returned to the starting lineup after a strained right hamstring caused him to miss the final three games of Boston’s first-round series with Orlando.

He finished with 16 points in 39 minutes, but centre Kristaps Porzingis played only 13 minutes and didn’t return after halftime because of an illness.

on a

3-pointer from the wing with just over a minute left — his only make in 10 attempts behind the arc — to cut it to 108-105. It stayed that way when Josh

a jumper, but the Celtics were able to retrieve the rebound. After a foul on Towns, Boston called timeout with

3 seconds showing on the clock. But Bridges ripped the inbounds pass away from Brown to preserve the win. The Celtics finished 15 for 60 on 3-pointers.

A wild end to regulation set up overtime.

New York cut what had been a 16-point halftime deficit to 84-75 entering the final period, thanks to a 20-9 run to end the third.

The Knicks kept it going, scoring the first eight points of the fourth quarter. They eventually tied it at 86 on a steal and dunk by Anunoby.

Three ties and three lead changes later, New York led 97-95 when the Celtics pushed the ball ahead and swung it to White for a corner 3-pointer to put Boston back in front with 2:15 left.

A 3 by Anunoby put New York in front by two, but it was answered on the other end by Holiday’s layup to tie it again.

Anunoby missed a 17-foot fadeaway and White grabbed the rebound and Boston was able to call timeout with 28 seconds remaining.

Boston ran the clock down and got it Tatum, who missed a 3 from the top of the key, and New York rebounded with 5.5 seconds left.

Brunson got a give-andgo pass from Towns but missed a short layup that was rebounded by Boston. The Celtics called timeout with 0.6 seconds remaining. But Tatum missed a lunging jumper at the buzzer.

DRAYMOND’S VOW TO KEEP HIS COOL HELPS WARRIORS ADVANCE TO FACE TIMBERWOLVES IN WEST SEMIFINALS

By DAVE CAMPBELL and JANIE McCAULEY AP Sports Writers

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)

— During a team meeting the night before a win-orgo-home game for Golden State, Draymond Green had the floor.

The Warriors were in danger of wasting a 3-1 lead on Houston in the first round of the NBA playoffs, Green told them, because he lost his composure in a Game 6 loss at home.

The 12th-year defensive ace and opponent agitator then delivered his signature fire and a series-high 16 points — without blowing his top — in a blowout Game 7 win on the road to supplement superb performances by Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Chavano “Buddy” Hield that helped send Golden State into

the second round to face Minnesota.

“People I trust the most, we had some heart-tohearts after last game,” Green said after the 103-89 victory over the Rockets on Sunday. “My wife, one of my closest friends, Travis, my barber who’s one of my closest friends, coach (Tom) Izzo. I pouted way too much last game, so I spent the last two days embarrassed at what I gave to the game, at what I gave to the world.”

Green’s latest chance for redemption will come against Rudy Gobert and the Wolves, starting with Game 1 tonight.

The Warriors are on the road again in this series, matching the No. 6 and No. 7 seeds in the mighty Western Conference after the well-rested Wolves bounced Luka Doncic, LeBron

James and the Los Angeles Lakers in five games.

“They played their best basketball down the stretch and into the playoffs. They’re coming off of a really, really tough series, no doubt about it, but they showed what they’re made of in that series,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said.

“They got us three times out of four this year, but we haven’t played them with the new-look roster. A lot of things to contemplate coming into this series. It’s definitely going to be a tough one for us.”

The Wolves give the Warriors plenty to ponder, too, starting with superstar guard Anthony Edwards.

“There’s a reason the Wolves are where they are now,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “They’ve put together a really good roster. Chris has done a

fantastic job as coach, but they are where they are because Ant is a superstar. You have to have a guy like that to build a great team.”

Green vs. Gobert

Green, the four-time All-Star and four-time All-Defensive Team pick, always walks a fine line with how far to take his aggressive play. He hit Houston guard Jalen Green in the head and got a flagrant 1 foul in Game 6, one of those went-too-far moments.

The presence of Gobert will test Green in multiple ways in this series, starting on defence.

The 7-foot-1 Gobert had 27 points and 24 rebounds in the Game 5 clincher against the undersized Lakers, and the Warriors can ill afford to allow such production around the rim.

Gobert is a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year winner, an award that Green has won once.

Then there’s the emotional factor.

Green served a five-game suspension in November 2023 for putting Gobert in a headlock, a few weeks before receiving another suspension for hitting Jusuf Nurkic in the face against Phoenix.

Green went to therapy for help with better controlling his temper.

“You’ve got to play basketball. I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of physicality, some of it certainly on the edge of legality,” Finch said. “Certainly there’s going to be a lot of things said on the floor, or outside the game itself. We’ve got folks who play basketball. That’s what we’ve got to do.”

‘Meaningful basketball’ Both the Warriors and Wolves were furiously trying to avoid the playin tournament down the stretch, and here they are with a spot in the Western Conference finals on the line. Golden State, which got a big boost from the acquisition of the six-time All-Star and clutch postseason performer Butler, finished one game below the cut but blew out Memphis to get the No. 7 seed.

“Steph talked about it: meaningful basketball,” Kerr said. “I say it all the time: ‘All we want is a chance.’ Every year you just want a chance. Jimmy came in here and gave us a chance. Our guys have done an incredible job flipping the season, advancing to this point. Now it’s up to us to go get it.”

Playoff Jimmy Kerr has constantly shuffled his rotations this season, never more

critically than in Game 3 when the Warriors played without Butler due to a pelvic injury and still won, but he’d prefer not to have to navigate that again.

“He’s a perfect fit because he never turns it over, and we have been a high turnover team in the past,” Kerr said. “We’ve always thrived when we’ve had guys next to Steph and Draymond who can stabilise the game, whether it was Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, David West, those type players, and Jimmy gives us that. So when the game needs to be settled down he settles it down. He’s got incredible confidence that I think fuels the rest of the guys. They believe in him but they also feel his belief in them.”

Boos for Butler

None of the Wolves, coaches or players, were around for Butler’s eventual 74 games with Minnesota from 2017-18. He helped the Wolves make the playoffs after a 14-year absence and became a pariah five months later by demanding a trade. Butler will surely be booed, even louder than Green, when he takes the floor at Target Center.

“There’s going to be a lot of buzz,” guard Mike Conley said. “That’s what people want to see.”