SPORTS SECTION E
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2016
MLB
World Series, Page 3
Former NFL MVP QB to headline Celebrity Weekend By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net THE Washington Redskins will be the latest professional sports team to be making their way to the Bahamas in 2017 when former National Football League MVP quarterback Doug Williams headlines a Celebrity Weekend in May. According to Jeff Rodgers, who is responsible for the Ministry of Tourism’s promotion of sports in Washington DC, Williams is eager to showcase the Redskins’ organisation as a part of the festivities. The Ministry of Tourism and the Redskins camp held a joint press conference on Monday to make the official announcement. The three-day event from May 18-20 will include a golf tournament, a dinner cruise and a flag football camp for close to 500 youngsters. “We are looking at doing some-
WASHINGTON Redskins’ MVP quarterback Doug Williams talks to Krystel Brown of the Ministry of Tourism. Photo: Felipé Major thing that Dan Marino has done with the Miami Dolphins there in the Bahamas,” Rodgers said. “This one is going to be special
because we will have a NFL Super Bowl MVP headlining the show.” During the camp, the 61-yearold Williams, who was the first
starting African-American quarterback in the NFL, will talk about his success in the league after he got drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round as the 17th pick overall in 1978. Williams is best known for his remarkable performance in Super Bowl XXII in 1988 when Williams was named the MVP after he passed for a Super Bowl record 340 yards and four touchdowns with one interception. He also became the first player in Super Bowl history to pass for four touchdowns in a single quarter, and four in a half. Rodgers said as a part of his responsibility in Washington, he also tries to find ways to get people to come to the Bahamas and put on sporting activities. “This is just a part of my responsibility working in sports tourism in the Ministry of Tourism,” Rodgers said. “I’m very proud of the relationship that we have developed with the Redskins and now to have to
forge a relationship with Doug Williams. “When he comes to town next week, he is expected to bring in at least five players from the Redskins to assist him in the football camp. But of course there will be a lot of other celebrities who will be coming here to be a part of the week of activities.” Additionally, some of Williams’ teammates from the Super Bowl team are expected to accompany him along with some of the top brass in the organisation. While the camp is expected to become an annual event, the Redskins are hoping to hold their corporate staff meeting in the Bahamas in 2017. Redskins’ owner Daniel Snyder, who owns a home in Lyford Cay, flew down “a plane full” of supplies that included batteries, bottled water, Cliff Bars and palettes of other non-perishable food to assist the Bahamas immediately after the passing of Hurricane Matthew.
Buddy scores four in season opener By BRETT MARTEL AP Sports Writer NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jusuf Nurkic scored 23 points, Will Barton added 22, and the Denver Nuggets survived a dominant performance by Anthony Davis to defeat the New Orleans Pelicans 107-102 in both teams’ regular season opener last night. Davis had 50 points, 16 rebounds, seven steals, five assists and four blocks. His production helped New Orleans trim a deficit as large as 14 late in the second quarter down to two points in the waning minutes. He simply didn’t have enough help. The rest of the Pelicans combined to shoot 21 of 58. Tim Frazier scored 15 for the Pelicans. E’Twaun Moore added 10 points, but missed a 3-point attempt that could have tied it with 24 seconds left. Buddy Hield, of the Bahamas, scored four points in his NBA regular season debut. He also dished out three assists and grabbed a rebound. Danilo Gallinari scored
15 for Denver and Wilson Chandler added 12 points. Denver built its largest lead when Barton hit a 3 and a layup to spark a 9-2 run that made 60-46 in the final minute of the second quarter. The Nuggets still led by 10, at 87-77, when Kenneth Faried’s hook shot from 5 feet opened scoring in the fourth quarter, but New Orleans managed to keep its deficit within single digits for most of the final period, pulling as close as 98-84 on Frazier’s driving layup. A few possessions later, Davis cut into the lane for a layup that pulled the Pelicans to 100-98 with 2:32 to go and brought the crowd to its feet. Denver, which had shot 46.9 per cent (30 of 64) through three quarters, made just seven of 19 field goals in the fourth quarter as New Orleans turned up its defensive intensity. But the Nuggets played solid defence of their own, forcing a pair of missed shots and a Davis turnover in the final half-minute. Denver also made seven of eight free throws in the final 1:39.
NEW Orleans Pelicans guard Buddy Hield, of the Bahamas, poses for photos during their NBA basketball media day in New Orleans on September 23. The NBA began its season on Tuesday night, with international players making up one-quarter of the league. (AP)
Rising soccer star Ricardo McPhee reflects on ‘great season’ By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net RICARDO McPhee, one of the Bahamas junior national soccer team players, concluded an outstanding two-year sting at Lyndon Institute. McPhee and the No. 11 ranked Viking soccer team got shut out 3-0 on Tuesday by the No.6 Vurr Burton as they got eliminated out of the Capital League, a collection of highly competitive teams from across the northern half of Vermont. “It was a great season,” said McPhee, in putting everything in perspective. “We are a very diversified group of players, but we
came together and played very well.” While McPhee was the lone Bahamian on the team, he was one of the 10 different nationalities that make up the 18-man roster for Lyndon Institute. “We’ve been through a lot,” McPhee said. “A few years ago, we were a team that wasn’t expected to do anything, but we came together and is now regarded as a team that is expected to win.” Unfortunately, the Viking suffered their biggest loss at the worst time of the year. Yet, they felt they lived up to their motto: “As One, we play as one, we win or lose as one.” McPhee, who enrolled at Lyndon Institute two years ago out of
RICARDO MCPHEE in action.
Noble Preparatory Academy, said he’s quite pleased with the way he performed for the Division 1 high school team in Lyndon, Vermont. “It was a lot different from high school in the Bahamas,” McPhee pointed out. “It’s a lot of hard work and you have to want to succeed for yourself. The teachers here are down on you to do your work, but you have to push yourself to achieve your goals.” As a member of the junior national team, the 5-foot, 11-inch striker and mid-defender said he went to Lyndon Institute a little more prepared for the challenge of playing in the United States and now he’s eager to see where his talent will take him after he
graduates from high school next year. “They looked up to me for my talent and my skills,” said McPhee about playing overseas. “That made it an easy transition for me on the team.” Once he graduates from high school, McPhee said he would like to enroll at the University of South Florida because it’s close to home or he wouldn’t mind going to Europe to play where he has some contacts for a few professional camps. “It’s been good playing with this team,” McPhee summed up. “We’re a hard working team and we did what was best for the team and that was what made the difference in our success this year.”