Issuu

SPORTS SECTION E

MAC DOMINATE NIGHT TWO OF SWIMMING NATIONALS By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net NIGHT two of the Bahamas Swimming Federation’s Rev Nationals concluded with the Mako Aquatics Club dominating the 400m Medley Relays. MAC won five of the six races including both the Girls (Keianna Moss, Jada Jimenez, Mia Sastre, Mariaa Albuty – 5:01.60s) and Boys (Amauri Bonamy, Tristin Ferguson, Noah Albury, Noah Roach – 4:59.08s) 11-12, Girls (Liya Moncur, Jamilah Hepburn, Rachel Lundy, Kyla Bethel – 5:01.25s) and Boys (Ishan Roy, Erald Thompson III, Jared Reckley, Kierro Stubbs – 4:25.91s) 13-14 and the Boys 15 and over (Davante Carey, Tyler Russell, Ian Pinder, Kohen Kerr – 3:59.42s). Alpha Aquatics (Ariel Weech, Victoria Russell, Virgina Stamp, Maya Thompson) won the Girls 15 and over in 4:35.28s. In the 200m Free, Lelah Lewis of the GB Tritons won the U8 Girls in 3:10.97s. Maxwell Daniels of the Barracuda Swim Club won the U8 Boys in 2:49.03s, Mia Patton of the GBT Tritons won the 9-10 Girls in 2:34.57s and later went on to win the 50m Fly as well in 34.04s. Ellie Gibson of the GBT Tritons won the 9-10 Boys in 2:31.81s. Abayomi Brown of Freeport Aquatics (FAC) won the 11-12 Girls in 2:23.86s. Her teammates also enjoyed success – Marvin Johnson won the 11-12 Boys in 2:14.70s and Lamar Taylor took the Boys 13-14 in 2:03.33s. Johnson and Taylor also won their division’s respective 100m Back. Johnson took first place in 1:12.29s while Taylor was first in 1:01.57s. Zaylie-Elizabeth Thompson of Alpha Aquatics (AAC) took first place in the Girls 13-14 in 2:15.97s. University of Texas Longhorns star Joana Evans won the Girls 15 and over in 2:01.73s and Kohen Ker of Mako Aquatics won the Boys 15 and over in 1:59.06s In the 50m Fly, Skylar Smith just edged out Lewis to win the U8 Girls in 44.22s. Maxwell Daniels of Dolphin Swim Club (DSC) won the U8 Boys final in 34.26s. Tre Moncur III of MAC won his second gold of the meet in the Boys 9-10 with his time of 32.82s. Devin CuffyBethel of BSC took first in the Girls 11-12 in 30.29s while Nigel Forbes of GBT took the Boys 11-12 in 27.67s. Kayelyn Cabral of GBT also continued the momentum from her dominant night one with first place in the Girls 13-14 in 30.22s. Cabral later returned to take her second first place of the night in the 100m Back with her time of 1:11.69s. Rommel Ferguson of FA took the Boys 13-14 in 25.98s. Victoria Russell of Alpha Aquatics won the Girls 15 and over in 27.92s and former Olympan Vereance Burrows won the Boys 15 and over in 24.30s. In the 100m Back, Anjaleah Knowles of Sea Waves Aquatic Team won the Girls 9-10 in 1:22.94s, Tristen Hepburn of GBT won the Boys 9-10 in 1:23.62s and Keianna Moss of MAC won the Girls 11-12 in 1:11.06s. Virginia Stamp won the Girls 15 and over in 1:07.97s while Davante Carey won the the Boys 15 and over in 58.96s. The meet concludes tonight at the Betty KellyKenning Aquatic Center.

BAAA REFLECTS ON YOUTH AND JUNIOR NATIONALS PAGE 3

TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2018

KANE AT THE DOUBLE FOR ENGLAND ENGLAND’S HARRY KANE, left, celebrates his winning goal with England’s Ashley Young during the group G match between Tunisia and England at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Volgograd Arena in Volgograd, Russia, yesterday. England won 2-1, with Kane getting both goals. (AP) • SEE PAGE FIVE

The Bahamas bounce back for 25 point win By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER losing to Cuba by 27 in their first game, the Bahamas women’s national team took their frustration out on St Vincent and the Grenadines and won by 25 in game two of the FIBA Caribbean Women’s Cup on Tuesday. Team Bahamas, with a shift in the starting lineup, went on to win 75-50 to push their record to 1-1 against St Vincent and the Grenadines – who also suffered a loss in their first game at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo, Suriname. Assistant coach Varel Davis said it was a totally different game for Team Bahamas. “The team played much better today,” she stated. “Our defence was good. It was a team effort. Things

Team recovers from Cuba defeat with victory over St Vincent and the Grenadines

went well, but we still need to work on cutting down on our turnovers, free throws and finishing around the basket. “But we’re happy with the win.”

Opener Just as they did in the opener, Team Bahamas got off to a slow start, falling behind 5-0 in the first minute and a half in the first quarter before Shalonda Neely canned a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to 5-2. At the 6:02 mark in the period, Britenique Harrison scored on a lay-up to put Team Bahamas ahead

for good – at 7-6. They went on to outscore St Vincent and the Grenadines 6-3 the rest of the way for a 13-9 lead at the first break. Team Bahamas went on a 24-14 spurt in the second quarter for a 37-23 advantage at the half. St Vincent and the Grenadines held a 19-16 scoring spree in the third to cut the deficit to 53-42 at the final break. In the fourth quarter, Team Bahamas poured it on with a 22-8 rout to secure the win. Team Bahamas had three players in double figures as Tracy Lewis came off the bench in 20 minutes and 15 seconds and ignited the spark with 14 points, seven rebounds,

three assists and two steals. Valerie Nesbitt, the top scorer in game one, also came off the bench and contributed 12 points with four rebounds, two assists and a steal; Pamela Bethel, in a starting role, had 12 points as well with seven rebounds, three steals and a block shot. Brea Forbes had nine points, seven rebounds, three assists and as many steals; Arlia Greene, inserted into the starting line-up, had six points; Neely finished with six points and three rebounds and Harrison had six points, four rebounds and two blocks. St Vincent and the Grenadines had two players in double figures, led by starter Vasha Adams with a game high 16 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks and Nathifa Weekes came off the bench and added 10

points, five rebounds and four steals. Team Bahamas will be off today and will wait to see who they will face in the playoffs when the pools cross over. Cuba and St Vincent and the Grenadines will play the final game in Group A to determine who will be the next team to join Team Bahamas. The top two teams will advance to play the top two teams from Group B, comprising of the Dominican Republic, Suriname, Barbados and Guyana, in the playoffs that are set to start on Wednesday. The winners will then go into the championship game on Thursday, while the losers will play for third place. The top two teams from the tournament will advance to the Centro Basket, scheduled for August 20-24 in Puerto Rico.

DEANDRE AYTON SIGNS WITH PUMA By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

DEANDRE Ayton in action.

PUMA, one of the world’s sporting apparel brands, has chosen Deandre Ayton to be one of the faces of its relaunch into basketball. Ayton was one of two top-tier lottery prospects to sign with the company just days ahead of Thursday’s NBA Draft at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York. Puma also signed former Duke product Marvin Bagley III. The pair represent Puma’s first basketball signees in 20 years when they signed Vince Carter in 1998. In an interview with Bleacher Report Kicks, Ayton discussed his decision to sign with Puma. “Puma was the best deal. To me, anybody can make your shoe. Anybody can make the best shoe for you and put the right fit in the shoe. We were dealing with Nike people, Under Armour and all the other shoe companies for a pretty long time. We ain’t really got bad blood with any of them, but it’s not bad to start something new. We just thought Puma was the right fit,” he

said, “My mom had a friend at Puma, but we didn’t really know she was with Puma. But as I started to get more exposure to the world and basketball, she told us she was with Puma and knew people there. Just knowing all of these people personally, my mom felt comfortable. Another thing is that all these other brands got all these other superstars. It’s good that I’m one of the few that’s signed with Puma.” He also gave insight into his decision making, indicating that he wanted a brand where he would be able to make an indelible mark on a brand relatively new to the market. “I don’t want to be under nobody else. If I’m over here trying to bring on my shoe, and you’ve got somebody like LeBron [James] out here, you got the [Kevin Durants] out there, I’m not trying to be really competing with those guys like that. It’s always good to start your own thing and try to be great in it. Nike is Nike. Adidas is Adidas. I’ve played in their circuits and stuff like that, but now it’s a business. You don’t want just product. You’re not a kid SEE PAGE TWO

PAGE 2, Tuesday, June 19, 2018 FROM PAGE ONE anymore. You’re really trying to get bank. That’s about it,” he said, “I want to try to be the rookie coming in with his first signature shoe as early as possible. That’s one of the goals I’ll try to set. That’s about it. That’s just about me making my first shoe. I’m trying to work hard and get my first signature shoe out there.” Ayton said he hoped representation of a global brand like Puma would be able to pay dividends for young Bahamian players. “Coming from a different country, a lot of people know about Puma. Everybody knows about Nike, too, but Puma is known overseas. It’s another huge step. It’s not like it’s foreign to the country I’m from. It’s lit. It’s nice to have a global brand everyone knows about,” he said, “[Basketball camps] would be a huge step. That would be me giving back. I was the kid in basketball camps wanting to see the new gear that comes out or the gear that the camps give. I’m going to be giving them the best. I’m going to be giving

THE TRIBUNE

DEANDRE AYTON SIGNS WITH PUMA them stuff I’m interested in and will be able to hear from the kids’ perspectives about what they want.” Ayton and Bagley were previously connected at the high school level when they both committed to attended Hillcrest Hoops Academy in Phoenix, Arizona in 2015.

Pundits At the time, Ayton was the top-ranked player in the ESPN 60 for the class of 2017, and Bagley was the top-ranked player in the class of 2018. Pundits expected them to make Hillcrest Hoops a dominant powerhouse almost immediately. The duo has reunited at the pro level with Puma securing two of the top power forwards in the current draft class. “That’s a problem. That’s going to catch everybody’s eyes. That’s a huge step for Puma, too. To have the top

two prospects in the NBA draft is amazing. Everyone is going to be like, What? Puma?” Ayton said, “It’s great for Puma and for us as well, with more exposure and the world is talking about us. The only thing we’ve [got to] do is do what we [got to] do on the court. That’s natural. “We’ve been waiting for this for how long? I’ve been knowing Bagley for a pretty long time. “I know what he can do, and he knows what I can do. We’re both about to be doing our thing.” Following his pre-draft workout with the Phoenix Suns, Ayton was confident that he had shown the franchise enough to solidify his position as the top overall pick in the draft. The Suns hosted Ayton’s first media availability of the draft process following his workout earlier this month at the Al McCoy Media Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns hold the No.1

pick in the draft. Ayton finished his school years at Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix and went on to attend the University of Arizona for a single season. The opportunity to begin his professional career in the state led many pundits to believe the Suns will take advantage and select him.

Rebounds During his lone season at Arizona, he averaged 20.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per game while shooting 61.6 percent from the field, and was “Karl Malone Power Forward” of the year and Associated Press First Team All-American. He was also the First Team All-American from the NABC, USBWA and Sporting News, Pac-12 Conference Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Most Outstanding Player of the conference tournament in the same season.

DEANDRE Ayton from Arizona sits on the stage before the NBA basketball draft lottery in May in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

TENNIS

CILIC AND WAWRINKA MAKING WINNING STARTS AT QUEEN’S CLUB LONDON (AP) — Marin Cilic hopes another good run at Queen’s Club will stand him in good stead for Wimbledon. The top-seeded Cilic was champion in 2012 and runner-up in 2013 and 2017. He came close at Wimbledon last year, losing to Roger Federer after suffering from bad blisters in the final. He made a winning start at Queen’s Club on Monday, beating Fernando Verdasco of Spain 6-3, 6-4. “You can’t live on the glory from last year, you have to show that again,” Cilic said. “The grasscourt season, it’s short but it’s sweet as well.” Another big-name winner was three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka, who took apart Cameron Norrie of Britain 6-2, 6-3. Wawrinka, who spent six months out last year after a double knee operation, suffered a first-round loss at the French Open last month which allowed him extra time to prepare on grass. “Every day is getting better and in general I’m happy with my level,” Wawrinka said. Sam Querrey eased

World Cup 2018 results MONDAY Group F Sweden.......................1 0..................South Korea Granqvist (65’ pen) Group G Belgium.......................3 0........................ Panama Mertens (47’), Lukaku (69’, 75’) Tunisia.........................1 2.......................... England Sassi (35’ pen) Kane (11’, 90’+1)

SWITZERLAND’S Stan Wawrinka reacts as he plays Britain’s Cameron Norrie on day one of the Queen’s Club Championship at the Queens Club, in London, Monday. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

past British wild card Jay Clarke 6-3, 6-3 but fellow American Jack Sock, the sixth seed, lost to Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-3. Also, Gilles Muller, a semifinalist last year, beat Denis Shapovalov of Canada 7-6 (7), 7-6 (6). The majority of the big guns kick off their campaigns on Tuesday; Novak Djokovic, Milos Raonic, and defending champion Feliciano Lopez are in action. Andy Murray makes his long-awaited return after an 11-month absence through injury when he takes on Nick Kyrgios.

THE TRIBUNE

ANDY MURRAY

MURRAY EXCITED TO END 11-MONTH ABSENCE AT QUEEN’S THIS WEEK LONDON (AP) — Andy Murray is excited to be returning at the pre-Wimbledon Queen’s Club event this week after the former top-ranked player in the world experienced the “lowest point” of his career during an 11-month absence from tennis. The 31-year-old Briton, who has been out of action with a hip injury since losing in the 2017 Wimbledon quarter-finals, has been drawn to meet Australia’s Nick Kyrgios in the first round at Queen’s. “I’m really looking forward to playing again,” Murray said in his regular BBC Sport column. “While I will be nervous, it will be great to finally step back on the court. “With sport you play to win, but when you are away from something you love doing for almost a year, you realise you’re playing because you love it. “I didn’t start playing to win Wimbledon or get to number one in the world. I never believed that was something I was going to do, or something I thought about when I was a kid growing up. I played tennis because I loved it and continued doing that throughout my whole career.” Murray, who won the Wimbledon title in 2013 and 2016 and the U.S. Open crown in 2012, had an operation on his hip in January. “When, after six months of not competing, you’re still not good enough to be where you want to be and looking like you’re going to have to have surgery, it’s the lowest point you can get to in your professional career,” he said. “People might say, ‘oh, you’ve got it great’ - which I’m aware that we do, and I’m very lucky I get to play tennis for a living. But that’s what I’ve been doing since I was a child, and when you’re not able to do something that you love it’s tough.” Wimbledon starts on July 2.

Tuesday, June 19, 2018, PAGE 3

BAAA LOOKS TO SENIOR NATIONALS AFTER SUCCESSFUL YOUTH AND JUNIOR EVENT By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net AFTER hosting a successful combined Youth and Junior Nationals, the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations is now preparing for their Senior Nationals this weekend at the new Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.  On Saturday at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium where the joint Youth and Junior Nationals was held, BAAA’s president Rosamunde Carey said she was pleased with what she saw, although there were some top athletes who didn’t compete in what was a qualifier for IAAF Under20 Championships in Tampere, Finland from July 10-15 and the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina from October 1-6.

Excited “I’m really excited about our development programme, especially with the under-17 division,” Carey said. “If you noticed what they did, the bulk of our performances came from the under-17 and the other lower age groups. And we have gotten some good reviews from the coaches and the parents.  “A lot of them told us that it was good that we combined the youth and the junior nationals because we got to showcase the little ones and gave them a stage to perform on. “We are also calling them national champions in the events that they won. So we felt that with this forum, they get to compete and showcase their talent, it will continue to allow us

CARL Oliver presents medals to under-20 girls 100m hurdlers Kimona Wilson, Sasha Wells and Indea Cartwright.

DEAJHA Moss competing in the girls under-20 long jump.

to expand on our base in age group category.”  In establishing the youth and junior national championships, Carey said they have provided an avenue for the athletes to continue in the sport.  At the same time, the under-20 athletes primarily competed for a chance to qualify for the World Junior Championships. A number of athletes, including Joel Johnson, Adrian Curry, Jaida Knowles and Sasha Wells were among the qualifiers to travel to Finland.  “Some of the athletes didn’t show, although they were injured,” Carey said. “Some of them have indicated that it’s been a long season. “But Carey said the coaches know that the international meets were coming up and they had hope that they would prepare their athletes for the long haul.  “We have one or two of our top athletes who didn’t come to the nationals to compete,” Carey said. “But if you don’t come to the nationals and

months ago, but you need to show up at the trials to show your fitness as you go head-to-head against the other athletes who are also trying to make the teams.”  This weekend, the BAAA will hold their senior nationals at the new Thomas A Robinson National Stadium and Carey said she expects not expect a repeat of what saw at the youth and junior nationals.

Prizes JOEL Johnson after winning the under-20 boys 200m.

compete, which serves as the trials for us to select our teams, you won’t be going to the meets. We have a lot of athletes who pre-qualified, but they need to show up to the trials.  “At the trials, we select our team. You may have been healthy two or three

The athletes will be competing on Friday and Saturday for spots on the team heading to the NACAC Senior Championships in Toronto, Canada from August 10-12 when for the first time, officials will be providing cash prizes for the winners. Additionally, the athletes will also be attempting to qualify for the Central American and Caribbean Games in Barranquilla, Colombia from July 20 to August 3.  “We expect everyone to be here for the Senior

Nationals,” Carey stated. “You have to show up and run in the events that you intend to run at the international events. “We’ve made it very clear to all of the senior athletes so by them not showing up to the trials, you’re saying to the BAAA that you are not interested in competing in those international meets.”  Despite that, some athletes have indicated that because it’s an off year with no major competition to compete in, they may not be participating in the nationals this weekend.  But Carey said it doesn’t matter.  “We still have a Senior Nationals, we still have athletes competing and so if they want to compete on any international meet this year, we expect for them to compete in the Nationals this weekend, particularly those athletes who are on subvention by the government,” Carey insisted.  “They need to be here competing. “So I expect some exciting match-ups, especially in the men’s 400 metres and the women’s 100m hurdles.”

BAHAMIAN WATER POLO PLAYERS JOIN HOUSTON STORMS

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

LOCAL Water Polo continues to reach milestones as several players secured roster spots with a United States based team on their path to the National Junior Polo Olympics. Seven members of Bahamas Mantas Water Polo – Alex Turnquest, Gabriel Sastre, Nicholas Wallace-Whitfield, Gabriel Encinar, Thomas Illing, Damian Gomez and Thor Sasso – joined the Houston Storms at the qualifying tournament in Houston, Texas where they finished fourth out of 10 teams. They opened the tournament with a 21-4 win over CFWPC, followed by a 16-9 win over the Longhorns and a 21-0 win over Viper Pigeon Black. They lost the final match of the group stage, 27-6 to Thunder Black. In the semifinal

they suffered a 17-6 loss to Trident and in the bronze medal final, came up short to Viper Pigeon Green, 18-6. The USA Water Polo Junior

Olympic Championships is the largest age group water polo tournament in America. Athletes and teams come from across the country to compete on the national

stage. The Junior Olympics Tournament consists of two divisions, the Championship Division and the Classic Division. Teams compete over a 4-day period within their respective age category. The team will compete in Session I of the event, July 21-24 in San Jose, California. The Bahamas’ water polo programme continues its trend as one of the elite performers in the region after its latest series of championship performances at CARIFTA. The Bahamas closed out the fourday competition at this segment of the 33rd CARIFTA Aquatics Championships in Kingston, Jamaica with a trio of gold medals. Next up for the programme will be the Sunshine State Games in Florida, June 22-24 and the CCCAN Championships June 27-July 3 in El Salvador.

TITLE SPONSOR IS NAMED FOR CARIFTA JUDO EVENT

PICTURED from left: Giovana Charles, Managing Director – Bahama Clear; Clinton Davis, General Manager – Courtyard Mariott; Leechele Deal, Sales; Clinton Deals, General Manager – Courtyard Mariott and Joy Smith, Sales Director – Courtyard Mariott.

WORLD CUP COVERAGE ON PAGES FOUR & FIVE

THE title sponsor for CARIFTA Judo has been named BahamaClear water company. The event will be held on Friday 7-9pm June 22 at the Courtyard Mariott Ballroom.

“We are pleased to participate in Judo which has shown great development in the past few years,” said Giovanna Charles, Managing Director of BahamaClear.

CARIFTA judo will feature athletes from Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. Tickets are $10 and will be available at the door.

PAGE 4, Tuesday, June 19, 2018

PORTUGAL CAN ELIMINATE MOROCCO FROM THE WORLD CUP By GRAHAM DUNBAR, AP Sports Writer MOSCOW (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal can send Morocco to an early World Cup exit on Wednesday. A second straight defeat would ensure elimination for the North African side who have not let an opposing player score in this World Cup campaign since 2015. An own goal by Morocco forward Aziz Bouhaddouz in stoppagetime was decisive in a 1-0 loss to Iran last Friday in a game they mostly dominated. “Because they lost the first game, Morocco will give everything. They have no other choice,” Portugal forward Andre Silva said. Portugal’s opening 3-3 draw with Spain in a World Cup classic means Morocco must take at least one point before the Spanish play Iran in Wednesday’s late game in Kazan. That will mean stopping Ronaldo on the main stage of Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow after his irresistible hat trick in Sochi, including a stunning late free kick. The Morocco defence, however, is proven to be resilient. Anchored by Juventus centre back Mehdi Benatia, the Atlas Lions kept six clean sheets in its African qualifying group. It was back in November 2015 that Morocco conceded a single goal to Equatorial Guinea in a two-leg qualifying round won 2-1 on aggregate.

Midfielder “We’re capable of winning the match,” midfielder Faycal Fajr said, citing underdog Iceland’s 1-1 draw against Argentina one day after Morocco’s opener. “I always say, if there’s a will, there’s a way.” “Even after the defeat (to Iran) the atmosphere in the squad is still excellent,” Fajr said. Morocco will aim to convert any early pressure and scoring chances into goals this time, having wasted 13 attempts and 64-percent possession against Iran. Forward Khalid Boutaib could get his chance to start after Ayoub El Kaabi was preferred by coach Herve Renard in St. Petersburg. Noureddine Amrabat is a selection doubt after sustaining a head injury against Iran. Though he was reported to be taking a week-long break from training, the 31-year-old midfielder has been back in training working separately from the squad. There was high drama in stoppage time the last time Ronaldo and Benatia faced each other, in a Champions League quarterfinal, second-leg match in April. Then, Real Madrid and Juventus were heading to extra time with each winning 3-0 away from home. Benatia then pushed Lucas Vazquez in the back as the Madrid and Spain player went to shoot. A penalty was awarded, and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was sent off for his furious reaction to the referee. Ronaldo scored, inevitably, and Madrid advanced on its way to a record 13th European title. Morocco and Portugal have been down this road before, in a 1986 World Cup group in Mexico. Facing three European opponents, Morocco drew 0-0 with Poland and England, then beat Portugal 3-1 in Guadalajara. Morocco topped that group to enter the Round of 16 and Portugal finished last.

THE TRIBUNE

BELGIUM WAKE UP IN SECOND HALF TO ROLL PAST PANAMA

By TIM BOOTH, AP Sports Writer

SOCHI, Russia (AP) — Unlike the other World Cup favourites who struggled through their opening matches, Belgium looked every part the title contenders. Having Dries Mertens and Romelu Lukaku capable of scoring the way they did against Panama helps. “People know I am supposed to score goals,” Lukaku said. “The most important thing to me is to win matches.” Lukaku scored twice in a six-minute span in the second half after Mertens’ perfectly struck volley gave Belgium the lead, and the Red Devils beat Panama 3-0 Monday. Saddled with massive expectations and a lineup of talent the envy of other teams in the tournament, Belgium showed flashes of being a team worthy of title consideration. A shaky first-half performance by Belgium was replaced by a confident, attacking group in the second that was finally able to find gaps in Panama’s defence and convert those chances into goals.

BELGIUM’S ROMELU LUKAKU, left, misses a chance as Panama’s Roman Torres and goalkeeper Jaime Penedo, right, look on. (AP)

KEY TO SUCCESS Belgium were finally able to finish their chances after seeing several attempts in the first half end up in the side netting or punched away by Penedo. Panama’s defence was stingy but also disorganised at times and became even more susceptible after Mertens’ goal forced Panama to push forward looking for an equaliser.

Tested “In the World Cup you have to play 90 minutes. You have to be aware that in any game you go into, if you don’t score early on, you have to be prepared to work hard and go through periods in which you are tested,” Belgium coach Roberto Martinez said. The two goals from Lukaku came shortly after Mertens scored from about 18 yards in the opening moments of the second half, finally relieving some pressure after Belgium was unable to break down Panama for the first 45 minutes. Lukaku’s first goal came 20 minutes later, but the pass from Kevin De Bruyne made it possible. Rather than shooting through a crowd of Panama defenders, De Bruyne cut a pass

GROUP DYNAMICS Even if it wasn’t pretty for a half, Belgium did what it was supposed to do in Group G. The victory keeps the team on track for its final group match against England, which is likely to determine the top spot. Panama needs a result against England if they want any opportunity of the final group game against Tunisia to have meaning.

PANAMA’S ARMANDO COOPER, right, controls the ball past Belgium’s Axel Witsel, centre, and Toby Alderweireld. (AP) with the outside of his right foot onto Lukaku’s head and into the net. Lukaku added a second on a breakaway minutes later, chipping Panama goalkeeper Jaime Penedo as he left his net. “For me it’s important to have the right line in the box,” Lukaku said. “Usually I’m in the right position at the right time.” Belgium are now unbeaten in their last six World Cup openers, dating back to a 1986 loss to Mexico in the opener. Panama was unable to duplicate what Senegal accomplished in 2002 as

the last team to win in its World Cup debut. The Central Americans played their style — physical, aggressive, sometimes looking more like wrestling than soccer — and managed to hang with the Red Devils for more than an hour. But they never created threatening scoring chances — Panama scored only nine goals in 10 World Cup qualifying matches — and eventually Belgium finished their opportunities. The emotion was heavy for the Panamanians who flocked to the Black Sea resort town to see the country play its first World Cup

HACK-A-HAZARD Eden Hazard was continually chopped at by Panama’s aggressive defence and was a regular recipient of fouls. Martinez said the amount of hits Hazard took is a concern. Panama was called for 18 fouls and shown five yellow cards. “My worry is that maybe in one of those tackles we’re going to lose the opportunity to enjoy the quality of a player like Eden Hazard,” Martinez said. “That’s not just Eden but any player.” match. Fans cried at hearing their national anthem and the players on the field fought their own emotions while singing. Their voices rose with every Panama attack and the singing and dancing almost never stopped. Panama’s players stayed on the field to salute the fans several minutes after the match ended. Luminaries like Panama President Juan Carlos

Varela Rodriguez and baseball star Mariano Rivera were in attendance. They would have just preferred something a little less challenging than one of the pre-tournament favourites. “It was very moving to be able to sing the national anthem and represent our country,” Panama captain Roman Torres said. “It was historic what we went through here today.”

SWEDEN GET BENEFIT OF VIDEO REVIEW TO BEAT SOUTH KOREA 1-0 By GERALD IMRAY, AP Sports Writer

NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia (AP) — Sweden got the break they needed from the video review system, and team captain Andreas Granqvist didn’t waste the chance. Granqvist slid his penalty kick into the bottom right corner of the net in the 65th minute to give Sweden a 1-0 victory over South Korea on Monday at the World Cup. “I was calm. I waited for the goalie and then I put it in the corner,” said Granqvist, a central defender. “We got the penalty, we scored, and then it was just a fight to the end.” The Swedes, playing in their first World Cup since 2006, were awarded the penalty after Salvadoran referee Joel Aguilar consulted a video screen on the sideline. Aguilar had originally waved play on after South Korea substitute Kim Min-woo slid into a tackle and collided with Viktor Claesson. But he took another look and decided Kim had tripped Claesson as he tried to clear the ball. “There was no doubt it was a penalty and should have been called right away,” Sweden coach Janne Andersson said. It was the third penalty to be awarded because of a video review in the first 12 games at this year’s World Cup. France and Peru also benefitted from the technology, though the Peruvians missed their penalty kick. The video review system, making its World Cup debut in Russia, appears to be working so far. “We do agree that it was a good call,” South Korea coach Shin Taeyong said. Sweden are now tied for first place in Group F with Mexico, who beat Germany 1-0. The Swedes will next face the Germans on Saturday, while South Korea play Mexico on the same day. Although Sweden used the video review to win, they were the better team and showed most of the

GROUP DYNAMICS It wasn’t a flowing performance from Sweden, but securing the win will come as a huge relief to Andersson and his team. Sweden couldn’t afford to miss the chance against a struggling South Korea team with tough challenges against Germany and Mexico to come. South Korea must pick itself up to face a Mexico team high on confidence after their spectacular win over Germany. KEY TO SUCCESS Sweden: Granqvist was inspirational for Sweden, but the team still missed chances up front and that needs to be addressed before the match against Germany. South Korea: Shin had high hopes for an attacking trio of Son, Hwang and Kim, but it didn’t work well enough. Son, South Korea’s best player, switched from the left wing to the right and then back to the left again in an attempt to get something going. ESSONS FROM MEXICO L Andersson said his team needed to learn from Mexico’s success against Germany and be bold and attacking. “We need to dare to do even more,” the coach said. “We need to dare to attack.”

SWEDEN’S players celebrate after their side’s penalty was scored during the group F match between Sweden and South Korea. (AP) attacking intent. The Swedes just couldn’t beat goalkeeper Jo Hyeonwoo until the penalty. Jo saved a close-range shot from Marcus Berg midway through the first half, using his right leg to make the block and then jumping back up to punch the ball away with both hands. He also stopped a powerful, dipping header from Ola Toivonen in the second half. Shin fielded Jo, the team’s thirdchoice goalkeeper, because he is

the tallest of the three keepers and the Koreans wanted to use his height against the Swedes. Shin also gambled on a threeman attack of Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-chan and 6-foot-6 striker Kim Shin-wook. South Korea, who have won only two World Cup matches since their incredible run to the semifinals in 2002, had a chance to level in injury time but Hwang put a header wide from in front of goal.

SOUTH KOREA A SHADOW South Korea is a shadow of the team that made an inspiring run to the semifinals 16 years ago. If the South Koreans fail to beat Mexico and Germany, they will have gone two World Cups without a win and will be in danger of another humiliating return home. Four years ago, fans pelted the players with candy when they arrived back in Seoul from Brazil.

THE TRIBUNE

ARGENTINA coach Jorge Sampaoli.

ARGENTINA COACH PLANS MAJOR CHANGES TO TEAM AT WORLD CUP By DEBORA REY, Associated Press BRONNITSY, Russia (AP) — Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli is planning major changes to his team for the South Americans’ next World Cup match. In the team’s first training session since a disappointing 1-1 draw against Iceland, Sampaoli tried a different tactical approach Monday, with an eye toward the clash against Croatia on Thursday. He tested a system with three central defenders: Gabriel Mercado, Nicolas Otamendi and Nicolas Tagliafico. Mercado was replacing Marcos Rojo, who put in a poor performance against Iceland in a line of four defenders. The other notable change in training was that the coach dropped midfielders Lucas Biglia and Angel Di Maria, who also failed to impress in the draw on Saturday. Sampaoli switched Biglia for Marcos Acuna, who was playing on the left wing. Javier Mascherano will remain as a defensive midfielder, while right back Eduardo Salvio was being pushed up as a wingback.

Systems “Yes, we worked with different types of systems, on the wings or in the middle, in a hypothetical line of five,” Mercado said at a news conference. “Every match needs something, and if it’s line of five then we’ll do it — if it’s a line of four we’ll do it. We have a few days left to decide how we will play.” Di María, meanwhile, looks like he will be sacrificed for Cristian Pavon, who impressed Sampaoli in just 20 minutes as a substitute against Iceland. “I think that Jorge is looking at every position. We’ll see what happens and what he decides on the day,” the 22-year-old Pavon said. “I feel confident and luckily things are going well for me, but I don’t know yet if I’ll be a starter.” Rojo, Biglia and Di Maria are part of a group of eight players who were part of the Argentina team that finished as runner-ups in 2014 in Brazil. They also were part of the team that lost the Copa America final against Chile in 2015 and the Copa America Centenario in 2016. Sampaoli hasn’t repeated the same team in the 12 games that he has been in charge of the national team. The other likely starters for the Croatia match are talisman Lionel Messi, Wilfredo Caballero, Maximiliano Meza and Sergio Aguero, who scored in the first match. “The team is convinced of what’s to come. That’s it, we have to look at what we need to correct from the Iceland match, but we can’t dwell on it. We have to look forward and win the next match against Croatia.” Croatia are leading Group D after beating Nigeria 2-0.

Tuesday, June 19, 2018, PAGE 5

Kane’s double gives England victory

ENGLAND’S Harry Kane celebrates after scoring during their group G match against Tunisia in the Volgograd Arena in Volgograd, Russia.

By ROB HARRIS, AP Global Soccer Writer VOLGOGRAD, Russia (AP) — Twice wrestled to the ground during the match, England captain Harry Kane finally evaded the Tunisian defence just as time was running out. Kane found an open area of space at the far post and used his head to meet Harry Maguire’s flick-on, scoring the winning goal Monday in a 2-1 victory at the World Cup. It was relief for Kane and Gareth Southgate, who leapt into the air in delight as his World Cup debut as a coach got off to a winning start. “The best teams in the world keep that belief in what they’re doing,” Southgate said, “and in the end they break the opposition down.” England shouldn’t have found it so tough in their Group G opener against such opposition. Not after Kane got England off to a perfect start with an 11th-minute tap in. But after Kyle Walker softly conceded a penalty that Ferjani Sassi converted in the 35th, many of the fouls went against England. “Maybe there was a bit of justice at the end,” Kane said. Finally, Kane showcased on the international stage the predatory instinct in front of goal that has served Tottenham so well. Only two years ago, the striker failed to find the net at the 2016 European Championship, which ended in humiliation with a loss to Iceland in the last 16. The team has been transformed by Southgate since

TUNISIA’S FERJANI SASSI, left, scores his penalty against England. (AP) then. For all the placidness and togetherness within the group, Southgate has added persistence and doggedness. “It shows the work we have put in these last few weeks,” Walker said. “Togetherness and believing in ourselves.” At the last World Cup, England couldn’t even win a game. Low expectations for this year’s overhauled team were dispelled early in Russia when Kane reacted quickly to score after John Stones’ header was saved. But England struggled to finish it off. When Walker’s flailing arm caught Fakhreddine Ben Youssef, a penalty was awarded and Sassi slotted it in to equalise. England’s players later thought they deserved the same verdict when Kane was grappled to the ground twice by Tunisians on either

NEAR MISSES England seemed destined for a familiar hard-luck story — dominance with little to show for it. Before Kane’s opener, Jesse Lingard had a shot saved on the line before setting up Raheem Sterling, who fluffed his chance while staring at an unprotected part of the net. Chances to regain the advantage were squandered. When Dele Alli’s header was turned onto the crossbar, Stones messed up the follow-up. Lingard later hit the post after breaking past goalkeeper Farouk Ben Mustapha. “The pleasing thing was the movement, the pace, the interchange,” Southgate said. “The control from the back with the ball.” STATISTICS However hard it was to break through, the English attack achieved its most shots on target in the first half at a World Cup since 1966 — the only time the team won the trophy. For Kane, wearing the captain’s armband is only making him more prolific. He now has eight goals in six games as captain.

side of the halftime break. Both times, the referee decided against punishing the culprits.

INJURY WATCH Tunisia was forced into an early goalkeeping change. Mouez Hassen was caught by Lingard in the fifth minute but remained on the field and even pulled off a fine save — clawing away Stones’ header from Ashley Young’s corner — before Kane scored. Hassen, though, was forced off in the 15th and replaced by Ben Mustapha. GROUP DYNAMICS England and Belgium are the early front-runners as expected. But while England passed the sterner test, Belgium had the most comfortable start in its 3-0 victory over Panama. England will hope the World Cup newcomers roll over as easily when they meet on Sunday. BUGGING The late priority in England was needing Mosquitoes and little swarming across the annoyance for players.

Despite it all, Kane remained patient and delivered in the first minute of stoppage time.

ENGLAND’S Harry Kane scores his side’s second goal against Tunisia during the group G match at the 2018 World Cup. (AP)

the warm-up for insect repellent. bugs have been city, creating an

“You go until the last second,” Kane said, “and I’m absolutely buzzing.”

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, June 19, 2018, PAGE 7

KOEPKA COULD USE MORE WINS, BUT HIS TROPHIES ARE BIG

By DOUG FERGUSON, AP Golf Writer SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — Brooks Koepka now has as many majors as Greg Norman and as many PGA Tour victories as Pat Perez. Koepka belongs in the conversation of elite players in his generation by winning his second U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, a test that asked an entirely different set of questions than the U.S. Open he won last year at Erin Hills. Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth are the only players in their 20s to have won multiple majors, at least for now. And while the 28-year-old Koepka is only in his fourth full year on the PGA Tour, to see his supreme performance at Shinnecock Hills makes it hard to believe he has only one other PGA Tour title. That was three years ago at the Phoenix Open. That’s likely to change. It might have to for Koepka to get the recognition he deserves, even if that’s not what drives him. His record should get anyone’s attention. Koepka has finished among the top 15 in nine of his past 10 majors

starting with the 2015 British Open at St. Andrews. The exception was the Masters two years ago, when he tied for 21st. He missed a month with an ankle injury and returned with a tie for fourth at the 2016 PGA Championship to secure a spot on his first Ryder Cup team. And then he went 3-1 in his Ryder Cup debut at Hazeltine. He really is a major player. So what about all the other tournaments he’s played?

Majors Koepka touched on that last summer at the Bridgestone Invitational when he said the majors are where “I feel like I’m going to shine.” “Unfortunately, I haven’t done it as much in regular tour events or throughout my career,” Koepka said. “It’s just being a little bit more focused, maybe taking it more serious, knowing that every shot ... to me, it feels like life or death. If you screw up, you’re gone. I just love getting up for it and playing the best and playing really, really hard golf courses.” Shinnecock went from ridiculously hard on Saturday to overly

gentle on Sunday, though the ultimate measure was Koepka playing the final 36 holes in even par to win. He finished at 1-over 281, the first time in five years that no one broke par at the U.S. Open. The USGA doesn’t like to talk about scores, but that’s the identity of this major. And for now, majors define Koepka. Norman gets beat up for the number of majors he could have won, including at Shinnecock Hills in 1986, the year he had the 54-hole lead at all four majors. The Shark also had 75 victories around the world and was No. 1 longer than any other player until Tiger Woods came along. Sunday at Shinnecock began with a four-way tie for the lead, with the past two U.S. Open champions — Koepka and Dustin Johnson — playing in the penultimate group. They are close friends off the course, and even worked out together in the morning before their last two rounds. Koepka went 1 up on U.S. Open trophies. Still, he was stumped when asked who was ahead in their back-and-forth. Johnson, still only 33 but much like Norman, hasn’t cashed in at the

BROOKS Koepka holds up the Golf Champion Trophy after winning the U.S. Open Golf Championship, Sunday in Southampton, N.Y. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

majors as much as he should have. Attribute that to a cold putter on the weekend at Shinnecock, which also held him back at Augusta in April. Even so, he has 18 victories and is the only player to sweep the World Golf Championships, small fields with the best players.

Incredible “He’s won every year he’s been out here. That’s incredible,” Koepka said. “I don’t know how long he’s been out here, 11 years? How many wins has got, 18? That’s pretty good. I’ve got some catching up to do.” Koepka believes Johnson will win another U.S. Open and said he would end his career as among the best to ever play. That will require more than one additional major, for sure, though Johnson already is well ahead in the victory count.

That’s the next step for Koepka, at least until the next major. Before earning his PGA Tour card, Koepka won the Turkish Airlines Open against a strong European Tour field that included Henrik Stenson, Sergio Garcia, Branden Grace and Ian Poulter. Late last year, he registered a nineshot victory in the Dunlop Phoenix, one of the strongest Japan Golf Tour events. Xander Schauffele tied for second, with Hideki Matsuyama another shot behind. Koepka doesn’t really think about his legacy. He might care even less if people talk about him as much as Johnson, Spieth or McIlroy. He had a silver trophy in front of him, and it looked familiar. His name goes on there twice, one below the other. That hasn’t happened since Curtis Strange won at Brookline in 1988 and Oak Hill in 1989. “I looked at all these names a million times last year, just looking at everybody,” he said. “To have my name on there twice is pretty incredible, and to go back-to-back is even more extraordinary.” Those trophies could use some company. For now, they take up a lot of space on the mantle.

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 71° F/22° C

TAMPA

TONIGHT

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Clouds and sun, a t‑storm in spots

A thunderstorm in spots late

Clouds and sun, a t‑storm in spots

A t‑storm in spots in the afternoon

Times of clouds and sun

A morning t‑storm; sunny intervals

High: 85°

Low: 76°

High: 86° Low: 77°

High: 87° Low: 77°

High: 86° Low: 77°

AccuWeather RealFeel

97° F

85° F

98°-84° F

99°-87° F

100°-86° F

98°-85° F

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 78° F/26° 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: 82° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C

6‑12 knots

WEST PALM BEACH High: 87° F/31° C Low: 72° F/22° C

4‑8 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE E

FREEPORT

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 75° F/24° C

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 76° F/24° C

MIAMI

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 74° F/23° C

4‑8 knots

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 86° F/30° C Low .................................................... 77° F/25° C Normal high ....................................... 87° F/31° C Normal low ........................................ 74° F/23° C Last year’s high ................................. 90° F/32° C Last year’s low ................................... 78° F/26° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.00” Year to date ............................................... 20.87” Normal year to date ................................... 11.59”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 76° F/24° C

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 79° F/26° C

KEY WEST

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C

4‑8 knots

3‑6 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.

tiDes For nassau High Today

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

12:56 a.m. 1:35 p.m.

3.2 2.7

7:27 a.m. ‑0.2 7:45 p.m. 0.1

Wednesday 1:55 a.m. 2:39 p.m.

2.9 2.7

8:25 a.m. ‑0.1 8:51 p.m. 0.3

Thursday

2:56 a.m. 3:41 p.m.

2.8 2.8

9:22 a.m. 9:58 p.m.

Friday

3:55 a.m. 4:40 p.m.

2.6 2.8

10:17 a.m. 0.0 11:00 p.m. 0.4

Saturday

4:53 a.m. 5:34 p.m.

2.5 2.9

11:09 a.m. 0.0 11:57 p.m. 0.3

Sunday

5:46 a.m. 6:22 p.m.

2.4 2.9

11:57 a.m. 0.0 ‑‑‑‑‑ ‑‑‑‑‑

Monday

6:35 a.m. 7:07 p.m.

2.3 3.0

12:48 a.m. 0.3 12:42 p.m. 0.0

0.0 0.4

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:20 a.m. 8:02 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

12:29 p.m. 12:37 a.m.

First

Full

Last

New

Jun. 20

Jun. 28

Jul. 6

Jul. 12

CAT ISLAND

uV inDex toDay

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 78° F/26° C

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 78° F/26° C

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 77° F/25° C

W S

LONG ISLAND

insurance management tracking map

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 77° F/25° C

4‑8 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 84° F/29° C Low: 79° F/26° 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: 78° F/26° C

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 78° F/26° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 86° F/30° C Low: 79° F/26° C

4‑8 knots

6‑12 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 E at 4‑8 Knots ENE at 4‑8 Knots SE at 4‑8 Knots SSE at 4‑8 Knots S at 4‑8 Knots S at 4‑8 Knots E at 4‑8 Knots ESE at 4‑8 Knots S at 4‑8 Knots S at 4‑8 Knots E at 4‑8 Knots SE at 4‑8 Knots S at 3‑6 Knots SSE at 4‑8 Knots NE at 6‑12 Knots E at 4‑8 Knots SE at 4‑8 Knots ESE at 4‑8 Knots ESE at 4‑8 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots E at 4‑8 Knots S at 4‑8 Knots SE at 4‑8 Knots ESE at 4‑8 Knots SW at 4‑8 Knots S at 4‑8 Knots

WAVES 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 0‑1 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 0‑1 Feet 0‑1 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑2 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑2 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 0‑1 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 6 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. 84° F 84° F 83° F 83° F 82° F 82° F 83° F 83° F 82° F 81° F 83° F 83° F 83° F 83° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 82° F 83° F 82° F 83° F 83° F 83° F 82° F 82° F

Covering The Bahamas for over 40 years. NEW PROVIDENCE | GRAND BAHAMA | ABACO | ELEUTHERA | EXUMA

INSURANCE MANAGEMENT

(BAHAMAS) LIMITED. INSURANCE BROKERS & AGENTS

HOME INSURANCE

LIFE INSURANCE

AUTO INSURANCE

MARINE INSURANCE