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SPORTS SECTION E

THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2018

JONES AND SUN OPEN PLAYOFFS TONIGHT

STEVEN Gardiner

PAGE THREE

TREVOR Barry

BFA NAMES SQUAD FOR CONCACAF NATIONS LEAGUE QUALIFYING THE Bahamas Football Association has named the side to represent the country in qualification for the 2019 CONCACAF Nations League and essentially the 2021 FIFA Confederations Cup. Team Bahamas will include Keepers: Michael Butler, Mario Johnson, Valin Bodie; Defenders: Johnathon Miller, Troy Pinder, Isiah Collie, Lesly StFleur, Jaelin Williams, Raymourne Sturrup; Midfielders: Duane Beneby, Christopher Rahming, Jordan Farquarson, Marcel Joseph, Rejohn Ene and Forwards: Ricardo mcPhee, Ethan Willie, Chadwick Russell, Terry Delancy. The side will travel to face Belize at the FFB Stadium in Belize on September 7. They will then return to the Thomas A Robinson Stadium to host Antigua and Barbuda on October 12 and Anguilla on November 18. The Bahamas will return to the road for the final match of the qualification round against Dominica at Windsor Stadium.

Matches The CONCACAF League of Nations is a new national team competition platform designed to maximise the quality, quantity and frequency of competitive matches for all 41 CONCACAF member associations. The tournament comes after a year-long development and consultation process involving the member associations and key stakeholders. The league features competition for titles and performance prizes, and will include promotion and relegation within the system of three leagues. The Confederation’s teams will also contend via the League of Nations structure for the right to play in international championships such as the Gold Cup. Additionally, the League of Nations will inform a CONCACAF ranking system that will be used as the basis for future World Cup qualifying seeding. “This is a watershed moment for CONCACAF. By focusing on football to provide all our teams with year-round, quality competition, the League of Nations platform means everyone wins,” said CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani. “This new tournament is highly beneficial to all our Member Associations and fans everywhere since it provides significant opportunities to play important competitive matches with increased regularity throughout the year.”

Wins for Gardiner and Barry in Poland

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

STEVEN Gardiner continued an outdoor season of milestone accomplishments while Trevor Barry returned to form in their latest appearances on the athletics circuit. Both Bahamian athletes took first place in their respective events yesterday at the 9th Kamila Skolimowska Memorial Meet in Chorzow, Poland. Gardiner returned from June’s injury scare to run to a virtually uncontested win in the 400m with his

First place finishes in 400m and high jump time of 44.43 secs. He finished nearly a full second ahead of Poland’s Karol Zalewski (45.32 secs) and the USA’s Christian Taylor (45.34 secs). Gardiner, the national record holder now looks ahead to the 400m at the IAAF Diamond League final, August 30 in Zurich, Switzerland where he is ranked on the list with 16 points.

Gardiner heads into the event with the second fastest time this year of 43.87 secs behind American Michael Norman, who ran 43.61 secs. In June, at the sixth stop on the Diamond League tour in Stockholm, Sweden, Gardiner came off the curve in about third place and he stumbled, attempting to get into a groove on the home

stretch. Playing it safe, he decided to ease up as he coasted through to the finish line in 23.35 secs for eighth place. As for Barry, he took first place in the high jump field with a clearing of 2.27m, a new season’s best. Jeron Robinson of the USA was second at 2.24m along with Edgar Rivera of Mexico who finished third. It was Barry’s second first-place finish in as many meets after he leaped 2.26m on August 18 in the Czech Republic. The Kamila Skolimowska Memorial

has been organised to pay homage to the late hammer thrower and Sydney Olympics champion. The first edition of the meeting was held on May 2, 2009 and, at that time, only women and men’s hammer throwing competitions were held. It was the first event hosted at the Kamila Skolimowska Warsaw Hammer-throw Centre. The Memorial returned to the athletics calendar in 2011 and has been taking place every year since then.

BAHAMIAN PLAYERS ADVANCE IN JUNIOR ITF CHAMPIONSHIPS By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

DONTE Armbrister and Sydney Clarke.

HAVING recovered from the shock of being close to an earthquake in Trinidad & Tobago, top ranked Bahamian players Sydney Clarke and Donte Armbrister advanced from their first round set of matches at the Tobago Junior ITF Championships on Wednesday. As the number one seed in the girls’ singles main draw, Clarke got a bye in the first round, but easily won her second match 6-0, 6-0 over Selene Kentish of Antigua and Barbuda. “I’m now in the quarters, so I’m looking for the same results tomorrow (Thursday),” Clarke proclaimed. “I want to have a good day by going out on the court and playing hard and getting the results that I want. So I had a good day today. I practised all of my shots and I played like I wanted to win. So there will be more good stuff tomorrow.” Clarke is also playing doubles where she is teaming up with Tangia Riley-Codrington from Barbados as the top seeded team. Their first round victims were the Trinidad & Tobago combo of

Isabel Abraham and Keesa Lee Loung, whom they beat 6-1, 6-1. “We had a good match on court. Our opponents played well. We had little ups and downs, but we played well,” Clarke said. “Overall, we hope to win the doubles for the tournament. So we will just continue pushing and try to do our best to win.” Riley-Codrington said they couldn’t ask for a better start to the tournament. “Playing with Sydney has been a wonderful experience and I really hope that we can win the tournament,” she said. “It was a very good match. Our opponents were very good. They put up a good fight, but we played our hardest.” Meanwhile, Armbrister, in his first round match in the boys’ singles, had to come from behind to pull off a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 decision over American Jakub Ostajewski. “The match was a good match. I think I played a clean match from start to finish,” Armbrister said. “I only got broken once. My opponent was good at the net, so he was giving me some trouble when he came to the net. But I rested and coming down the stretch in SEE PAGE TWO

PAGE 2, Thursday, August 23, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

UB MINGOES OPEN SEASON AGAINST STRONG OPPONENTS The University of the Bahamas Mingoes men’s soccer team starts its season today against Penn State Altoona in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The Mingoes also play Mount Aloysius College on Saturday in Cresson, Pennsylvania as a part of the two-match opening tour. Head Coach Dion Godet says he has high expectations for the team that won the local Bahamas Football Association league last season. “If we go in there and win or draw I think that is a stepping stone for us because we are leaving our jurisdiction and we are not familiar with the players,” he said. “We are going to have to

use football savvy to create a result.” Godet says he’ll be looking at the overall play of the side over the weekend. “The reality is though we have to look at how we play these matches,” he said. “If we lose but we had opportunities and they scored on good opportunities then we can build. “A loss is not a total loss and there is a lot to be gained.” The side also travels without national team goalkeeper Julio Jemison who is nursing an injury. Godet says the team is still strong considering this year’s recruiting class and the side’s other keeper. “I would dare say that five of those who are actually just coming into the

university will be starters with all things being considered,” he said. “Michael Butler is our other keeper and he’s been named to national team squad and

he’s very adroit at the position and we don’t lose anything there with Julio being out. Both of them could be keeper or on another part of the field

and that would add to our quality.” The side plays Penn State Altoona 7pm Thursday and Mount Aloysius College 5pm Saturday.

UB Mingoes men’s soccer team goes through a final practice before opening their season Thursday against Penn State Altoona in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

DOUBLES partners Romani Mayers from Barbados and Bahamian Donte Armbrister.

DOUBLES partners Riley Codrington of Barbados and Bahamian Sydney Clarke.

BAHAMIAN PLAYERS ADVANCE IN JUNIOR ITF CHAMPIONSHIPS FROM PAGE ONE

the third, he put some pressure, but I was able to come out with the win.” Armbrister also had some double duties as he teamed up with Romani Mayers from Barbados. The duo won their first round match 6-2, 6-2 over the pair of Liam Sheppard from Trinidad & Tobago and Heimraj Resaul from Guyana. “I enjoy playing with Romani. He and I always have fun on the court, no matter if we are winning or losing,” Armbrister stated. “We try to enjoy our game. We hope to win the doubles tournament.” Mayers said it’s all about developing their chemistry together. “Me and Donte play very strategic doubles. We usually have everything planned out before

BOGAERTS HITS 2 SOLO HRS, RED SOX BEAT INDIANS 10-4 By KEN POWTAK, Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox didn’t let a three-game skid dampen things. After all, nobody has been able to keep the AL East leaders down for longer than that this season. Xander Bogaerts hit two solo homers, Andrew Benintendi had a three-run double to cap a big fourth inning and the Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 10-4 on Wednesday night to halt their three-game skid. “We struggled during the week, but that’s more like us,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. Mitch Moreland added a two-run homer for the Red Sox, who lost the previous two nights in a matchup of AL division leaders. Boston is the only team in the majors without a four-game losing streak this season. “You couldn’t tell if we won or lost yesterday after you waked in (to the clubhouse),” Moreland said. “That’s the beauty of this group. We know what we’ve got to do, we know what we’ve got in front of us and that’s all we focus

on. We’ve been really good at it all year.” Boston has the best record in the majors. Its only other three-game skid came in April. Edwin Encarnacion hit a pair of two-run homers in his first game off the disabled list for Central-leading Cleveland. The Indians are 17-5 on the road since July 1 and 21-10 overall since the AllStar break. Matt Barnes (5-3) pitched a hitless inning of relief and was credited with the victory after starter Brian Johnson was pulled with the Red Sox leading and one out in the fifth. Johnson gave up three runs. Carlos Carrasco (15-7) was tagged for six runs, five earned, in 3 2/3 innings. “They’re really good hitters and they use the whole field,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. “That’s part of what they do. You’ve gotta make them at least think about (inside), because they just cover too much. He (Carrasco) was trying to, he just couldn’t get it there.” Bogaerts tied it 2-all in the fourth by hitting his first shot completely out

of Fenway Park over the Green Monster. The Red Sox took the lead with three singles on Carrasco’s next three pitches; Ian Kinsler, Brock Holt, and Blake Swihart’s RBI hit. Following a walk to Mookie Betts, Benintendi sliced his liner down the left-field line, making it 6-2. Moreland’s homer made it 8-4. Bogaerts hit his second one in the seventh. Sidelined since Aug. 12 with a right wrist contusion, Encarnacion hit the third pitch he saw into the last row of Monster seats in the first. His second was a drive off a billboard above the Monster. “I feel healthy and that’s good for me and for the team, because I know I can help this team to win games,” he said. Carrasco had been on a roll, going 7-1 with a 1.73 ERA since coming off the disabled list July 6, but he fell to 1-3 with a 7.47 ERA in his career against Boston. “They hit pretty good pitches,” he said. “That’s what happened.” ADDING UP Boston’s J.D. Martinez

we play each point,” he pointed out. “We look forward to playing another strategic match in the semifinal match.” They closed out play in the late match as they won their quarterfinal match 6-1, 6-1 over Russell Armstrong and Kobe James from Trinidad & Tobago.

Tough “It was kind of tough playing our third match of the day. But both me and my partner Romani were able to pull it out,” Armbrister said. “We look forward to our semifinal tomorrow (today).” Two weeks ago at the Coca-Cola ITF Junior Tennis Tournament in St Lucia, Armbrister lost in the quarterfinal in singles and he and

Mayers made it to the final where they were beaten by the Trinidad & Tobago pair of Aidan Carter and Adam Ramkissoon 7-6 (2), 6-2. Clarke, again playing at the top seed, lost in the final in singles 6-1, 6-3 to Canadian No.7 seed Dasha Plekhanova. In doubles, Clarke and Riley-Codrinton, the No.2 seeds, suffered a 6-1, 6-0 loss to the No.3 team of Zeba Jamal and Anjali Mogili from the United States of America. Although Trinidad & Tobago, along with Venezuela and Grenada, were hit by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake on Tuesday, the tournament was not affected and all of the players were safe and accounted for. Clarke and Armbrister are the only two Bahamian players participating in the tournament.

BOSTON Red Sox’s Xander Bogaerts points to teammates in the dugout after his home run against the Cleveland Indians during the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, in Boston. (AP Photo/ Winslow Townson)

raised his major leagueleading RBI total to 108 with two RBI singles. HOT STARTS The Indians hit their club-record 28th first-inning homer this season, breaking the mark of 27 set last year. STAYING COOL Cora joked before the game about calls he received regarding the team’s losing streak. “I got a few phone calls from people around the league like, ‘Wow, threegame losing streak,’” he said. “(Houston manager) A.J. Hinch was one of them. He was laughing about it. We

talked about it a little bit. The way I see it is if this is the second three-game losing streak for us, we’re in a good place.” TRAINER’S ROOM Indians: Placed OF Rajai Davis on the 10-day disabled list with a nonlife-threatening medical condition. He’s expected to have outpatient surgery Monday and return when rosters are expended on Sept. 1. ... Francona said Leonys Martin will sit out the rest of the season. The outfielder had a life-threatening bacterial infection that entered his bloodstream and created

toxins that damaged his internal organs, compromising their function. Red Sox: Cora said C Christian Vazquez (DL, fractured right pinkie) might catch LHP Eduardo Rodriguez’s next rehab start on Monday at DoubleA Portland. UP NEXT Indians: RHP Adam Plutko (4-3, 4.62) is slated to make his first career start against the Red Sox in the series finale Thursday afternoon. Red Sox: LHP David Price (13-6, 3.69) looks to continue his recent success. He’s 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA since the All-Star break.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, August 23, 2018, PAGE 3

JONES AND SUN OPEN PLAYOFFS TONIGHT

COLEBY MAKES BELGIUM MOVE By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net NATIONAL basketball team standout Dwight Coleby will begin his pro basketball career in Belgium. Coleby recently signed with Liege Basket of the Pro Basketball League (PBL), the highest level of basketball in the country. Liege Basket is a one-time winner of the Belgium Cup and a two-time champion of the Belgium Supercup. Coleby had to cut his time with the national basketball team short last month when he was named to the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League and minicamp roster of the New Orleans Pelicans. He also participated in a pre-NBA Draft workout with the Utah Jazz. Coleby averaged 11.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in his lone season as a graduate transfer in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He posted a double double in the final game of his collegiate career, but the postseason run for his Western Kentucky Hilltoppers ended in the National Invitational Tournament semi-finals in a 69-64 loss to the Utah Utes. He finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds. WKU finished the season 27-11 and they achieved the programme’s most wins in a decade. The Hilltoppers were the third programme for Coleby over the course of his collegiate career. Out of the Piney Woods High School Mississippi, Coleby signed with the Ole Miss Rebels. In his freshman season with the Rebels, Coleby played in 28 games with four starts and averaged 2.4 points and 1.9 rebounds per game in 10.4 minutes. He shot 47 percent from the floor and finished with 18 blocked shots, fifth on the team. As a sophomore, he scored in double figures in six games and earned three starts in 34 games. He averaged 5.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game on 53 percent shooting. The following offseason Coleby planned to spend the 2015-16 season on the sidelines as a transfer to the Kansas Jayhawks, but he suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during a light team workout in October. When he finally made his debut with the Jayhawks following a grueling rehab process, he averaged 1.7 points and 1.8 rebounds per game in his lone season in Lawrence. Coleby has been a member of various Bahamian national teams at both the junior and senior levels.

JONQUEL JONES (above, centre and below, left) in action for the Connecticut Sun. (AP)

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

JONQUEL JONES and the Connecticut Sun will open the WNBA Playoffs and their prospective title run tonight. The No.4 ranked Sun will host the No.5 Phoenix Mercury at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut in a game broadcast live on ESPN 2 at 8:30pm. Last year, the two teams met in the same round and the Mercury eliminated the Sun 88-83 on the road. The winner of the single elimination game will advance to the semifinals against either the topseeded Seattle Storm or the second-seeded Atlanta Dream. That will depend on the outcome of the other second-round game featuring No. 3 Washington Mystics and No. 6 Los Angeles Sparks. The Mercury advanced to the second round Tuesday night with a 101-83 victory over the Dallas Wings.

The Sun were 1-2 against the Mercury during the regular season. Jones was recently named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played Aug. 13-19. It was her first Player of the Week honour for the season and the third time in her three-year career as Connecticut.

Ranked She ranked second among Eastern Conference players in scoring (23.3 points), third in rebounding (eight rebounds) per game and first in field goal percentage (73.5 percent 25-34). Jones also finished third in blocks (1.67 blocks) and three-point shooting, connecting on 68.8 percent of her shots (11-16) from behind the arch. Connecticut led the WNBA in both scoring average (87.6 points) and rebounding average (36.88 rebounds per game), and finished second in field

goal percentage (46.6 percent) and three-point percentage (36.7 percent). Jones finished second in the league in three-point percentage (46.7 percent). She finished her third WNBA season with starts in 16 of her 34 appearances. She finished with averages of 11.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game this season. The Sun comes into the playoffs with a four-game winning streak, including an 86-83 win over the Sparks in the season finale to clinch the No.4 seed and a first-round bye. The semifinals feature a best-of-five format, with the No. 1 overall seed playing the lowest remaining seed and the No. 2 overall seed meeting the remaining team. The No 1 and 2 seeds will host Games 1, 2 and 5, and the lower-seeded teams will host Games 3 and 4 in their respective series. The WNBA Finals remain best-of-five and follow the same 2-2-1 format.

HIGH MAJOR OFFER FOR SAMMY HUNTER By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

PREP basketball star Sammy Hunter has received his first high major offer from an elite Division I programme. The 6’9” player in the class of 2019 was made the offer by the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Razorbacks finished 23-12 last season and were eliminated in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament as the No. 8 seed to the No. 10 seeded Butler Bulldogs 79-62. It was their third NCAA Tournament trip in the last four seasons. Hunter’s summer recruitment continues to accelerate following his performances against elite Division I competition at the Bahamas Basketball Federation’s Summer of Thunder. Hunter finished with 19 points and eight rebounds against Notre Dame and followed with 18 points and five rebounds against North Carolina. Hunter previously fielded Division I offers from the Santa Clara, San Francisco, Chicago State, Colorado State, Fresno State and Pacific. He recently made his senior men’s national team debut in July at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Barranquilla, Colombia. Hunter was also a member of the 2016 CBC U16 Championship team when he averaged 12 points and 5.5 rebounds per game and the 2017 Centrobasket U17 Championship team when he

“I gained valuable experience playing on the national team the last few years. The exposure of playing against the top players from other countries has also helped my game, which has grown a lot skill-wise since I moved to Canada. The Summer of Thunder is great for the local players as well because we get to go up against some of the best teams in the NCAA and we get to measure our skills against them to see where we’re at.” Sammy Hunter averaged 14.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. A former student at St John’s College, Hunter is currently enrolled at British Columbia Christian Prep in Canada. He was also a participant at the Basketball Without Borders Americas Camp hosted in the Bahamas in 2017. “I gained valuable experience playing on the national team the last few years. The exposure of playing against the top players from other countries has also helped my game, which has grown a lot skill-wise since I moved to Canada,” Hunter said, “The Summer of Thunder is great for the local players as well because we get to go up against some of the best teams in the NCAA and we get to measure our skills against them to see where we’re at.”

PAGE 4, Thursday, August 23, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

JETS’ TRE MCBRIDE SHEDDING THE UNDERDOG LABEL WITH EACH PRACTICE By DENNIS WASZAK Jr., AP Pro Football Writer FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Tre McBride realises that few New York Jets fans knew his name as recently as just a few weeks ago. And the speedy wide receiver is OK with that. He considers himself an underdog, a guy who has been mostly overlooked during a brief NFL career that has included stops with Tennessee and Chicago. “I feel like any competitor would feel that way about themselves if they were kind of going through the things a roster bubble guy like myself goes through,” McBride said after a recent practice. “I’m not the only one who does and I’m not the only one who’ll ever go through this, so I don’t feel sorry for myself or anything.” No need. Those days of anonymity might be over. McBride has had an impressive training camp with the Jets, running with the starting offence at times while making a strong push to make the team’s opening-day roster. “Yeah, I feel like I have a little chip on my shoulder and maybe I feel like I’m underrated,” McBride said. “But that’s fine. That’s why I’m out here with this opportunity, to show people that I can play ball at the highest level.” The 25-year-old McBride is part of a receiving corps that includes Robby Anderson, Jermaine Kearse, Quincy Enunwa and Terrelle Pryor. Beyond those four, it’s unclear how many receivers will be kept among the remaining seven. ArDarius Stewart, Chad Hansen and Charone Peake are recent draft picks, while Andre Roberts is a veteran who provides versatility on special teams as a returner. There’s also Charles Johnson and Lucky Whitehead, once-promising youngsters who are coming off injuries. And then, there’s McBride, who was signed to the Jets’ practice squad last December after being waived by the Bears. “They are all pretty solid,” coach Todd Bowles said. “That’s going to be a tough group when final cuts come down because all of them can play and all of them will probably play somewhere in this league. If we do let some go, they’ll probably get picked up.” McBride has four catches for 40 yards in the first two preseason games, and has really impressed coaches throughout the offseason and training camp. “I’d say overall, I think I’ve taken advantage of the opportunities I’ve been given,” McBride said. “I think most important is that, for the most part, it’s been really consistent.” McBride knows he has two more preseason games to further impress, including Friday night against the Giants.

Injuries Bowles said he expects his starters to play a minimum of two quarters in the game. With Enunwa and Pryor uncertain to play as they continue to work back from injuries, McBride could have a significant role. “Anything can happen,” he said. “I’ve been surprised before. “I would like to believe that they’ve put me out with the 1s (starters) for a reason, not just because. That’s really what I have to go off of, that they trust me enough to be in there with the No. 1 quarterback and the No. 1 guys out there and that’s what I’m here to do, make some plays with the top guys.” McBride — whose given name is Douglas III — grew up in a military family that was often on the move. His father, Doug Jr., is a brigadier general in the U.S. Army and was stationed in places such as Hawaii, Virginia, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Texas and Maryland. Once the family got to Georgia, Tre’s mother Pamela and sister Taylor settled there with him — even after Doug Jr. was sent to his next post — so they could establish some roots. “Adapting to new environments and the way things are in the area I’m in is something that, at this point, comes natural to me,” McBride said. He was a three-sport star at Ola High School in McDonough, Georgia, while playing on the football team as well as the basketball and track and field squads. From there he went on to play football at the College of William and Mary and was a starter by his sophomore season. He finished second in school history with 196 career receptions and was fifth with 2,653 yards receiving. McBride’s stock for the 2015 draft rose after he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds at the NFL combine, with some expecting him to be taken as high as the third round. Six rounds came and went, though, before Tennessee took him in the seventh as the 245th player chosen. McBride spent most of his first two NFL seasons bouncing back and forth between the Titans’ practice squad, the active roster and waivers. After two catches in two years, McBride was among Tennessee’s final cuts last September. He was claimed by Chicago and signed to the Bears’ practice squad before being promoted and having eight catches for 144 yards in eight games — but was then waived and signed by the Jets. “I’ve had great camps every year I’ve been in the league,” he said. “When I get on the field and I get an opportunity, I can play ball. Maybe the numbers don’t work out, maybe I’m not their guy, whoever it is, but it’s never because I didn’t show that I could play.” McBride might stick around this time — and his name is certainly catching on with Jets fans. “I’m past everything that’s happened in the past, except for what’s going on right now,” McBride said. “I’m kind of focusing on this opportunity and making the most of it.”

SEATTLE Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed (90) and defensive tackle Tom Johnson (91) take part in an agility drill during NFL football practice in Renton, Washington in May. (AP)

EX-VIKINGS JOHNSON, STEPHEN FINDING FIT WITH SEAHAWKS By CURTIS CRABTREE, Associated Press

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — As the Seahawks try to keep their defence playing at its traditionally high level despite the absence of five former Pro Bowl selections, a pair of veteran additions from Minnesota along the defensive line could help steady the ship. Seattle added former Vikings defensive tackles Tom Johnson and Shamar Stephen as veteran pieces along the defensive front on consecutive days in March. While Johnson and Stephen don’t directly replace Cliff Avril, Michael Bennett, Richard Sherman or Kam Chancellor, they are experienced veterans that played on a Vikings defence that was among the league’s best last season. Johnson and Stephen get a chance to return to Minnesota to face their former team in Seattle’s third preseason game Friday night. “This was the place that kind of wanted both of us,” Johnson said. “I ended up telling him I was going to come here and shortly after he made the decision to come out. It was a great deal.” Johnson — one of the few players still in the NFL to have played in NFL Europe — brings the ability to rush the passer from the interior. He posted a career-high 6.5 sacks with Minnesota in 2014 before netting just two in each of the last two seasons. “I wish we found him six or seven years ago,” coach Pete Carroll said of Johnson. “He’s one of our guys. He’s got the chip on his shoulder and he shows it day in and day out by the way he approaches his work. ... He’s fantastic and we love the fact that he’s in that room (and) got a lot of young guys with him. He’s got a fantastic influence on those guys.”

SEATTLE Seahawks defensive tackles Dion Jordan (95) and Shamar Stephen (98) share a snack during an NFL football practice in Renton, Washington in June. (AP) Stephen is more of a spaceeating force that the Seahawks hope can help get the team’s run defence back on track after it had some uncharacteristic struggles last season.

Yards After three straight seasons in the top five against the run, the Seahawks fell to 19th last year, allowing an average of 114 yards per game on the ground. “Shamar is big, thick, studly, big strong hands getting off blocks and filling up the line of scrimmage, and he’s a really good pursuit guy,” Carroll said. Defensive tackle Jarran Reed was perturbed early in camp by all the focus on the players who

weren’t with the team: Avril, Bennett, Sherman, Chancellor and Earl Thomas, whose holdout continues nearly a month into camp. “Too many people are worried about them being gone,” Reed said. “We got the team here right now that’s going to go out there and battle with us on Sundays. “I’m honestly tired of hearing it. We got guys right here and they can do the same thing and I just want everybody to believe in us.” Added Johnson: “We got a mix of guys that’s athletic enough and strong enough and smart enough to be the top defensive linemen in the league so that’s one of our goals to strive for right now.”

Reed and Johnson have been Seattle’s starting defensive tackles throughout the preseason with Stephen and second-year tackle Nazair Jones rotating in situationally. Though Johnson and Stephen have more experience in the NFL than Reed or top passrusher Frank Clark, they’ve assimilated into Seattle’s defensive line group seamlessly since joining the team this spring. “They’ve been very respectful in understanding the fact this is Frank and Jarran’s room,” assistant head coach Clint Hurtt said. “We’re just going to mesh and continue to build the cohesiveness of the unit and it’s been outstanding. They’re a pleasure to have.”

RICHARD SHERMAN READY TO MAKE EXHIBITION DEBUT FOR 49ERS By JOSH DUBOW, AP Pro Football Writer

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Richard Sherman has been around the NFL long enough that playing in exhibition games might not seem to be of critical importance. But after going more than nine months without game action following a season-ending Achilles tendon injury and joining a new team with the San Francisco 49ers, Sherman is eager to get back on the field. He said Wednesday he plans to play in San Francisco’s exhibition game at Indianapolis on Saturday in his first action for the 49ers at cornerback after spending his first seven seasons playing for NFC West rival Seattle. “It’s important just for a defensive continuity standpoint, just knowing where people are going to be on game day,” he said. “You don’t want the first time you deal with communicating with somebody else be with live bullets out there. You want to be out there and get the communication down if someone isn’t listening or looking and get those tweaks out of the way.” Sherman had hoped to play earlier this preseason as he

HOUSTON Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) and San Francisco 49ers defensive back Richard Sherman (25) run extra drills after a joint NFL football practice in Houston. (AP) worked his way back from the Achilles tendon injury, but he strained his hamstring early in training camp. Sherman felt ready to play last week, but coach Kyle Shanahan held him out to be cautious. Sherman took time after joint practises last week in Houston to get extra work against Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins and has no worries about his health

now. “I’m not really concerned with how that will respond,” he said. “I’m more concerned about my game shape and making sure I can still go every single play because I haven’t played (since November).” Sherman has faced questions about what kind of player he can be at age 30 coming off a significant injury that led to his

release by the Seahawks. Those only grew louder during the opening week of training camp when video came out of Sherman getting badly beaten deep by sprinter Marquise Goodwin. Coach Kyle Shanahan used that video as a teaching tool, praising Sherman to the rest of the team for his aggressiveness and willingness to test out his injured leg against one of the faster receivers in the league during practice. Sherman said wasn’t bothered by outside criticism and appreciated Shanahan’s support, comparing practice to writing a “rough draft” and saying his product will be polished by the time games start next month. “You’re allowed to make mistakes in practice,” he said. “You’re allowed to get beat and stumble, because then you figure out what works and what doesn’t work. If you find something that works you keep using it and put it into your bag for game day.” Sherman also criticised the NFL’s new rule that prohibits players from lowering the helmet to make contact anywhere on an opponent. The 49ers have been called for three personal fouls through two preseason games for violating the rule.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, August 23, 2018, PAGE 5

EX-BRAZIL SOCCER BOSS GETS FOUR YEARS IN PRISON IN FIFA PROBE By CLAUDIA TORRENS, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK (AP) — A former South American soccer official convicted on corruption charges in the sprawling FIFA bribery scandal was sentenced in federal court to four years in prison on Wednesday. Jose Maria Marin, a former president of Brazil’s soccer federation, also was ordered to forfeit $3.3 million and pay a $1.2 million fine in connection with his participation in a scheme to accept bribes in exchange for the media and marketing rights to various soccer tournaments, according to the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. “His crime was one of pure, unmitigated and unchecked greed,” said Judge Pamela Chen, who said she wanted “to send a message of deterrence” in her sentence and described Marin as a rich man who could easily have said no to receiving bribes. The government had asked for 10 years in prison for him. The defence had sought the approximately 13 months he has already served, citing the 86-yearold’s advanced age and poor health. Before his sentencing in Brooklyn federal court, Marin told the judge that soccer had been his great love but that now it was his downfall. “I regret if any person or entity has been harmed by my actions”, Marin said, before chocking up. “I am a man with no future. My main worry is my wife.” More than 40 people and entities in the world of global soccer were charged in the U.S. in connection with an investigation that uncovered hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks. Of those, 24 pleaded guilty. The former president of Peru’s soccer federation, Manuel Burga, was acquitted in December. “Marin, like his coconspirators, sold out the sport he was meant to serve to satisfy his own greed,” said U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue said in a statement. “Today’s sentence shows that for all their power and prestige, the soccer officials who corrupted ‘the beautiful game’ are not above the law.”

FIFA TAKES CONTROL OF URUGUAY FEDERATION AMID WORLD CUP BID

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — FIFA has taken temporary control of the Uruguayan soccer federation because of governance concerns as the country campaigns with Argentina and Paraguay to host the 2030 World Cup. FIFA said officials decided Tuesday to appoint a “normalisation committee” that will run the federation, known as AUF, until Feb. 28, 2019. The intervention follows the AUF’s president, Wilmar Valdez, quitting a day before he was to stand for re-election last month. The vote was put on hold. FIFA says the electoral process “is not in accordance with the requirements of transparency as outlined in the FIFA and CONMEBOL statutes.” CONMEBOL, the main South American soccer body, says there is “a lack of assurances” in AUF’s electoral process. FIFA and CONMEBOL stressed the “normalisation committee” will run the daily business of the association, adapt AUF’s statutes to international standards and organise its elections. Marcelo de Leon, the president of Uruguay’s referee association, told radio Sport that the intervention was requested by his colleagues, professional footballers and players of the national team.

NIKLAS HULT, centre, and Vasileios Lampropoulos, right, of AEK Athens challenge Loic Nego of Mol Vidi during their Champions League playoff match. (Tibor Illyes/MTI via AP)

AJAX AND AEK WIN FIRST LEGS IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFIERS AMSTERDAM (AP) — Four-time European champions Ajax are on the verge of qualifying for the Champions League group stage after beating Dynamo Kiev 3-1 in the first leg of their playoff Wednesday. Dynamo goalkeeper Denys Boyko handed Ajax an early lead when he fumbled Donny van der Beek’s shot, but Tomasz Kedziora soon made it 1-1 from a corner.

Crossbar

YOUNG Boys’ Kevin Mbabu, right, shoots to score his side’s first goal during the Champions League playoff match against Croatia’s Dinamo Zagreb. (Anthony Anex/Keystone via AP)

Seeking to reach the group stage for the first time in four years, Ajax added goals from Hakim Ziyech and Dusan Tadic before halftime. Ajax hit the crossbar and post in the second half, but couldn’t score another. Elsewhere, AEK Athens beat Hungarian team Vidi 2-1 away in their first-leg game to strengthen their chances of ending a 12-year absence from the Champions League group stage. Vidi — known as Videoton until this season — played most of the game with 10 men after Szabolcs Huszti’s reckless challenge in the 23rd minute earned him a red card. The teams were even again in the 53rd when Tasos Bakasetas was sent off for a poor tackle shortly after scoring AEK’s second goal. Croatia’s Dinamo Zagreb salvaged a 1-1 draw away to Young Boys Bern after Kevin Mbabu gave the Swiss team an early lead.

RIVALRY WEEK TURNS INTENSITY UP A NOTCH IN MLS

By ANNE M. PETERSON, AP Sports Writer IT’S rivalry week in Major League Soccer, but there’s one match that would be important even if there weren’t rivals involved. On Friday night, Atlanta United will visit Orlando City, a matchup that has grown in intensity in the two seasons since Atlanta joined the league as an expansion team. All eyes will be on United striker Josef Martinez, who is on the verge of making MLS history. Last weekend in a 3-1 United victory over the Crew, Martinez scored his 27th goal of the season to tie the record for most in a single season. He joined Tampa Bay’s Roy Lassiter (1996), San Jose’s Chris Wondolowski (2012), and the Red Bulls’ Bradley Wright-Phillips (2014). The 25-year-old Venezuelan was asked afterward about joining the elite group. “I mean, I tied it, but what I really want is to break it. So once I break it, I’ll be even more happy,” he said. Martinez scored in the 31st minute, dedicating his goal to his pregnant aunt, who lives with him, by tucking the ball under his shirt. “I thought about it, and I had thought about doing it before at some point this season. But I wanted it to be a special occasion,” he said afterward.

ATLANTA United forward Josef Martinez throws the ball to the fans while celebrating his goal for a 1-0 lead during the first half of atgen MLS soccer match against the Columbus Crew on Sunday in Atlanta. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

Martinez is in his second season in MLS. His first year he scored 19 goals in 21 matches. His 46 (and counting) goals in back-toback seasons are a league record. His six career hat tricks also top MLS. Martinez has scored in eight straight games, a game shy of the league record set last season by Portland’s Diego Valeri. Friday night’s game is the first of nine games remaining, so it’s entirely possible that Martinez won’t just break the record, but pad it. He tied the mark in just 25 games this season, putting his average at over a goal a game. “The track record speaks for itself. It’s incredible. It really is,” United defender

Michael Parkhurst said. “The fact that that record has stood for as long as it has, and he’s crushing it in his first full season. Last season, he missed months; I don’t know how many games, but a lot. This season in his first full year, he’s crushing it. It’s unbelievable.” Atlanta sit atop the Eastern Conference at 15-4-6, while Orlando are in 10th at 7-15-2. The Union won the first two meetings this season. Among some of the other matches for rivalry week, which kicks off Wednesday with a match between the Red Bulls and NYCFC: CASCADIA CUP: The Portland Timbers, who

had a 15-match unbeaten streak going before losing their last three games, host Cascadia rivals Seattle on Sunday. The Sounders, meanwhile, have a clubrecord six-game winning streak going into the match. “We’re still fighting for a playoff spot. “So, I think for us, we’ve had a run of very good games. But I think we’re not going to view it like that. “We’re not going to get complacent,” Seattle midfielder Harry Shipp said. “I think the confidence is there. Also, we’re trying to fight for as high of a playoff seed as possible. I think for us, we’ve done a pretty good job the last two months.” The Timbers have won the previous two meetings this season. Because of the unbalanced schedule, the first meeting (a 1-0 Portland victory) won’t count toward the three-way rivalry with the Vancouver Whitecaps.

EL TRAFICO: Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored in his first match with the Galaxy against LAFC. He now has 15 goals to tie for second in the league going into Friday night’s game between the two teams at StubHub Center. It will be the third meeting this season: The Galaxy won the first one and the two teams played to a draw in the second. LAFC, in its first season, has won two straight while the Galaxy are coming off a humbling

5-0 loss in Seattle.

TEXAS DERBY: This rivalry, between FC Dallas and the Houston Dynamo, has one of the most unusual trophies in pro sports, a replica 19th century Mountain Howitzer cannon. Dallas is the top team in the West while Houston has lost five straight league games. The two teams played to a 1-1 tie in their first meeting this season. ROCKY MOUNTAIN CUP: The rivalry between Real Salt Lake and the Colorado Rapids hasn’t been much of a competition, with RSL winning the Rocky Mountain Cup for the last nine seasons. RSL won the first meeting and tied the second, but Colorado have home field for this one. ATLANTIC CUP: The rivalry between the New York Red Bulls and DC United is the longest running in league play, dating to 1996. The Red Bulls are the defending champions, but United have a new offensive weapon in Wayne Rooney. Rooney was named the league’s Player of the Week after scoring two goals in last week’s victory at home against the Timbers. The English star has three goals and three assists in his eight games with the team. United has gone 5-2-1 over that span. The match is set for Sunday at Red Bull Arena.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, August 23, 2018, PAGE 7

LI NA, IVANISEVIC, MARTINEZ ON TENNIS HALL OF FAME BALLOT By HOWARD FENDRICH, AP Tennis Writer LI NA could become the first player from Asia elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The two-time major champion from China is one of eight Grand Slam title winners who are candidates for the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019, a list that includes Goran Ivanisevic, Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Conchita Martinez. Also on the slate revealed Wednesday for the Hall’s first election that will include a fan vote: Jonas Bjorkman, Sergi Bruguera, Thomas Muster and Mary Pierce. Li retired at age 32 because of recurring knee injuries in 2014, about eight months after winning the Australian Open and rising to a career-best No. 2 in the WTA rankings. She also won the 2011 French Open by beating four top-10 opponents along the way,

making her the first Asianborn tennis player to collect any Grand Slam singles trophy. Her success on the court, and engaging personality off it, helped grow her sport back home. “Tennis’ history in China is still young, and it’s been a privilege for me to be part of the sport becoming so popular there,” said Li, who also was the Australian Open runner-up in 2011 and 2013.

LI NA, of China, holds the championship trophy after defeating Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia in their women’s singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia in 2014. (AP)

they receive from the main selection panel of members of the Hall of Fame, journalists and tennis historians. Candidates need a total of 75 percent of the vote to be elected. The inductees will be announced in January. THE CANDIDATES: • Ivanisevic, a big-serving lefty from Croatia, won Wimbledon in 2001 as a wild-card entry while ranked 125th. He previously lost in three finals at the All England Club. • Kafelnikov is the last man to win singles and doubles championships at the same Grand Slam tournament, pulling that off at the 1996 French Open. He also won the singles title at the 1999 Australian Open, finished with a total of four major doubles trophies, reached No. 1 in the rankings and won an Olympic gold medal for Russia at the 2000 Games. • Martinez was the 1994

Presence “I’ve loved to see so many young people get involved, and to see more of a presence from China on the tours.” The Hall, which is based in Newport, Rhode Island, will post the online ballot for fans on Monday; that portion of the voting will close on Oct. 7. The top three vote-getters will each get a boost to the percentage of support

Wimbledon champion and was twice a runner-up at majors. She also helped Spain earn five Fed Cup titles. • Bjorkman compiled a career Grand Slam in doubles, with nine major titles in all, and reached No. 1 in the rankings. He helped Sweden win three Davis Cup titles. In singles, he got as high as

No. 4 and made it to the semifinals at the U.S. Open and Wimbledon. • Bruguera won the French Open in 1993 and 1994, was ranked as high as No. 3 and picked up a silver medal for Spain at the 1996 Olympics. • Muster returned from a serious knee injury to win the 1995 French Open. The Austrian won 12 titles in

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 75° F/24° C

TAMPA

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

Periods of sun, a t‑storm in spots

Partly cloudy with a stray shower

Sun and clouds with a thunderstorm

Some sun with a t‑storm in the area

Clouds and sun, a t‑storm in spots

Sunny intervals, a t‑storm in spots

High: 89°

Low: 76°

High: 89° Low: 79°

High: 89° Low: 78°

AccuWeather RealFeel

99° F

81° F

98°-85° F

97°-86° F

97°-82° F

98°-84° F

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: 85° F/29° C Low: 81° F/27° C

4‑8 knots

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 76° F/24° C

4‑8 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 90° F/32° C Low: 77° F/25° C

W S

WEST PALM BEACH

uV inDex toDay

TONIGHT

High: 91° F/33° C Low: 78° F/26° C

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 77° F/25° C

MIAMI

High: 90° F/32° C Low: 76° F/24° C

4‑8 knots

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 88° F/31° C Low .................................................... 78° F/26° C Normal high ....................................... 89° F/32° C Normal low ........................................ 76° F/24° C Last year’s high ................................. 91° F/33° C Last year’s low ................................... 79° F/26° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.44” Year to date ............................................... 35.56” Normal year to date ................................... 23.49”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 76° F/24° C

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 81° F/27° C

KEY WEST

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 83° F/28° C

tiDes For nassau High

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

6:29 a.m. 6:57 p.m.

2.6 3.1

Friday

7:12 a.m. 7:36 p.m.

2.7 3.2

1:22 a.m. 1:18 p.m.

0.8 0.6

Saturday

7:52 a.m. 8:14 p.m.

2.8 3.3

2:00 a.m. 1:58 p.m.

0.7 0.6

Sunday

8:31 a.m. 8:50 p.m.

2.9 3.3

2:36 a.m. 2:37 p.m.

0.6 0.6

Monday

9:08 a.m. 9:26 p.m.

3.0 3.3

3:11 a.m. 3:16 p.m.

0.6 0.6

Tuesday

9:45 a.m. 10:02 p.m.

3.0 3.2

3:46 a.m. 3:54 p.m.

0.6 0.6

Wednesday 10:23 a.m. 10:38 p.m.

3.1 3.1

4:20 a.m. 4:34 p.m.

0.6 0.7

12:41 a.m. 0.9 12:35 p.m. 0.7

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 79° F/26° C

4‑8 knots

6‑12 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.

6:47 a.m. 7:38 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

5:58 p.m. 4:14 a.m.

Full

Last

New

First

Aug. 26

Sep. 2

Sep. 9

Sep. 16

CAT ISLAND

all that season, tied for the most in a season. • Pierce’s title at the 2000 French Open was the most recent in singles for a French player at Roland Garros; she also won a doubles title there that year. Her other Grand Slam singles title came at the 1995 Australian Open and she helped win two Fed Cup titles.

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 79° F/26° C

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 80° F/27° C

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 80° F/27° C

W S

LONG ISLAND

insurance management tracking map

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 80° F/27° C

4‑8 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 87° F/31° C Low: 81° F/27° C

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

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS

tonight’s lows.

RAGGED ISLAND High: 85° F/29° C Low: 80° F/27° C

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 81° F/27° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 88° F/31° C Low: 81° F/27° C

N E

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: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday:

WINDS S at 4‑8 Knots SSE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 4‑8 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots SE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 4‑8 Knots SE at 8‑16 Knots S at 4‑8 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots SE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 10‑20 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots SSE at 4‑8 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 4‑8 Knots SE at 8‑16 Knots

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

VISIBILITY 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 85° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 85° F

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