SPORTS SECTION E
NFL
Picks, Pages 2,3
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017
Miller withdraws from BOC President race By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
C
alling it a pleasure to have had the opportunity to serve for the past two terms as president of the Bahamas Olympic Committee, Wellington Miller - on the eve of the elections - has withdrawn his nomination to serve for another four years. Miller, who took over from the late Sir Arlington Butler during the 2008 elections, was re-elected for his second term in 2013. However, he said because of a constitutional change, which prevents him for serving for a third term, he has decided to withdraw his nomination when the elections are held tonight in the Paul Farquharson Auditorium at the headquarters of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
As a result of what has adopted, leading to some of the membership unprecedented accomperceived, Miller said he plishments in sports. had previously accepted “We do not desire to the nomination from lord over the sporting the Bahamas Amateur community. We merely Boxing Federation, of desire to work toward the which he also serves as constant advancement of president. sports in The Bahamas, He was to be chalespecially for the benefit lenged by his secretary of our youth.” general Romell ‘Fish’ But after they amended Knowles and former the constitution in 2012, Bahamas Association of Miller said the general Athletic Associations’ assembly of the BOC president Mike Sands. voted to a two-term limit MILLER He said their memfor the posts of presibership was always in dent, secretary general, the forefront as he “endeavoured asst. secretary, treasurer and asst. to truly make the post of presi- treasurer. dent about serving our athletes “The executive board of the and all sporting federations. This BOC and the majority of federais also a philosophy that the pre- tions were of the view that the term sent executive board of the BOC limits under the new provisions
would begin from the time that the amendment came into being,” he said. “Recently, however, there has been a challenge to that interpretation. Those with a different interpretation have expressed the willingness to have this dispute settled in a court of law. Such an action would only have direct ramifications for myself and secretary general Romell Knowles, since we have both held our posts since 2008.” Miller said the executive board of the BOC is of the view that a court battle would be detrimental to sports in The Bahamas. “This would certainly delay the administration of the Olympic movement in the country and, ultimately, disadvantage the many athletes depending on the orderly
SEE PAGE 8
SAC’s ‘clean sweep’ By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net IT was a clean sweep in the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools’ 2017 best-of-three championship series, but the St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine only came out of Freedom Farm with three of the four titles. Yesterday, while the Big Red Machine’s junior boys held off the Nassau Christian Academy Saints 6-3, their junior girls rolled past the Queen’s College Comets 26-17 and their senior boys clobbered NCA 27-13. But Queen’s College made sure that all four titles didn’t go to Augustine’s College as the senior girls prevailed with a 9-4 decision to ruin the party. • Here’s a summary of the games: Big Red Machine 6, Crusaders 2 It was a pitching duel on the mound as SAC’s Tyler Munroe got the better of the junior boys’ showdown with Nassau Christian Academy’s
Big Red Machine win three of four titles mainstay Norman Bastian to complete their sweep. In the process, SAC retained their title for the third straight year. “We had two close games, so we had to score as much runs as we could,” said SAC’s head coach DeVaughn Saunders. “It’s always a good feeling to win, but I’m glad for this crew of players whom I’ve been with for the past three years. “We have about 7-8 players who will be moving up to the senior division, so I was happy for them. But I think if we can put in the work, we will be ready to come back next year and win another title, even
SEE PAGE 8
ON THE MOUND: St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine yesterday came out of Freedom Farm with three of the four titles in the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools’ best-of-three softball championship series. Photo: Terrel W Carey/Tribune Staff
BAHAMIAN PLAYERS HELP THE AXEMEN WIN TITLE By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net AFTER finishing near the bottom of the pile last year, the Acadia Axemen, featuring three Bahamians, rose to the top to win the 2017 Atlantic University Sports (AUS) championship title on Tuesday night. It took a shootout for the Axemen to prevail with a 45-38 victory over the Saint Mary’s Huskies and a shot at the undefeated OUA champions Western Mustangs in the U Sports UTeck Bowl this weekend. The UTeck Bowl, which replaced the Atlantic Bowl, is named in honour of Larry Uteck, former head coach (1983-97) and athletic director (1995-2002) of the Saint Mary’s Huskies. While wide receiver Eugene McMinns played exceptionally well in his final conference game, head coach Jeff Cummins said he was pleased with the contributions that he got from defensive back Arrien McDonald and offensive linesman Shelton Williams. “It was a great opportunity for our players to win a championship and to wear that crown and to hoist the trophy as the champions of our conference,” McMinns said. “I’m pleased for our team, especially Eugene as this is his last year and if we had lost, it would have been his last game, but he was a big reason why we are playing another game this Saturday. He was just outstanding.” McMinns had a big game with a touchdown on a catch and run for a 44-yard reception to power Acadia from a 24-21 deficit in the third quarter for a 28-24 advantage over Saint Mary’s. McMinns ended up with six catches for a total of 144 yards, an average of 8.5 with 11 as the longest yard
SEE PAGE 8
Italy strong at 5th Star Sailors League Finals in Montagu Bay IN just a little less than one month the fifth SSL Finals will start in Montagu Bay and this year “we’ll have two Italian flags
Page 5
on the starting line,” according to a press release. “Alongside Diego Negri, who’s been to every SSL events so far, we are super happy to welcome Francesco Bruni. Francesco is an all-round sailor, he started his sailing life early in his hometown, Palermo, and soon moved to the Laser where he gained the qualifications for Italy to the Olympics in Atlanta in 1996. He then competed in two other Summer Olympics, all in different classes. He finished 12th at the 1996 event in a Laser, 11th at the 2000 Olympics in a 49er and 7th at the 2004 Olympics in the Star class. Francesco raced with Luna Rossa Challenge at the 2003 and 2007 America’s Cup. He skippered the Azzurra team during the 2009 and 2010
TWENTY five teams are expected to compete in this year’s Star Sailors League Finals, the top 10 Star sailors of 2017 and 15 wild cards drawn from every aspect of the sport.
Louis Vuitton Trophy, re-joining to Luna Rossa Challenge for the 2013 America’s Cup and when Luna Rossa withdrew from the 2017 America’s Cup, Bruni joined Artemis Racing in Bermuda. He also has an impressive Palmares in match racing, he won the 2010 Congressional Cup, 2011 Match Race Germany and 2013 King Edward VII Gold Cup in Bermuda and was runner up at the World Match Racing Tour in 2011. Hamish Pepper (NZL), who was at the Olympic Games in Atlanta for the first time with Bruni, then attended the 2004 also on the Laser, Pepper then moved to the Star and sailed with Carl Williams at the 2008 Olympics,
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PAGE 2, Thursday, November 16, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
Week 11: NAUGHTY’S NFL PICKS SEASON STANDINGS • Here’s how we look going into Week 11: POSITION
LAST WEEK
SEASON
1. Clint J
8-5
93-52
2. Santxo Z
10-3
93-52
2. Naughty 9-4 92-53 3. Leo B
9-4
91-54
4. AP 8-5 88-57 5. Stevie J
8-5
80-65
INJURIES, suspensions, non-existent blockers, an embarrassing loss, now a withdrawn appeal!! I’ve got nothing nice to say right about now, my football team is teetering, ready to fall into the toilet, right next to the Dolphins!! • Here’s who I like this week : THURSDAY STEELERS SUNDAY BUCS JAGS CARDS CHIEFS PACKERS SAINTS
LIONS VIKINGS CHARGERS PATRIOTS COWBOYS FALCONS SANTXO Z STEELERS DOLPHINS JAGS TEXANS CHIEFS PACKERS SAINTS LIONS RAMS BILLS PATRIOTS BRONCOS EAGLES SEAHAWKS
CLINT J TITANS DOLPHINS JAGS CHIEFS LIONS RAVENS RAMS SAINTS CARDINALS CHARGERS BENGALS EAGLES PATRIOTS SEAHAWKS
STEVIE J Pittsburgh Steelers Chicago Bears Jacksonville Jaguars Green Bay Packers Arizona Cardinals Minnesota Vikings New Orleans Saints Kansas City Chiefs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Los Angeles Chargers Denver Broncos New England Patriots Philadelphia Eagles Atlanta Falcons
LEO B - *LIONS JAGZ PACKERS BUCS RAMS SAINTS CHIEFS CARDS CHARGERS BRONCOS PATS EAGLES HAWKS STEELERS*
OVERREACTION: COWBOYS CAN’T MAKE PLAYOFFS WITHOUT ‘ZEKE’ By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer NO Zeke means no playoffs for the Dallas Cowboys. Without Ezekiel Elliott, who began serving a six-game suspension for allegations of domestic abuse, the Cowboys (5-4) couldn’t do anything on offence in a 27-7 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Elliott had four 100-yard games and seven touchdowns rushing in eight games, and the Cowboys averaged 28.3 points with him in the lineup. Now, they’re finished. Except the problem wasn’t the run game. Alfred Morris had 53 yards rushing on 11 carries against Atlanta while Dak Prescott scrambled for 42. The issue was protecting Prescott in the pocket. Adrian Clayborn sacked him six times and forced two fumbles. The player the Cowboys need more than Elliott is four-time Pro Bowl left
REALISTIC REACTION: Buffalo’s defence also allowed 194 yards on the ground and three TDs against the Jets in their previous game.
tackle Tyron Smith. If Smith returns, Dallas has enough offence to make a run at the playoffs. • Here are more overreactions following Week 10:
OVERREACTION: Jared Goff is the NFL’s MVP. REALISTIC REACTION: Goff will be there at the end, especially if the Rams (7-2) earn the No. 1 seed, but right now the 2016 No. 1 overall pick is behind the guy picked after him: Carson Wentz.
OVERREACTION: The Browns (0-9) are making progress. They had a 10-point lead for the first time this season in a 38-24 loss at Detroit. REALISTIC REACTION: Might be the worst team ever. OVERREACTION: Richard Sherman’s injury will convince the NFL to eliminate Thursday games. REALISTIC REACTION: Money talks. Television contracts bring in a lot of revenue and a Thursday night game is attractive. OVERREACTION: The Saints (7-2) are unstoppable now that they have a potent rushing attack — six rushing TDs — to complement Drew Brees.
OVERREACTION: The Falcons (5-4) are back. REALISTIC REACTION: It was a must-win against the Cowboys and they got it. But their schedule is tough. Five of the final seven games are against teams currently 6-3 or 7-2. IN this Sunday, November 5 file photo, Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott warms up before a game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
OVERREACTION: The 49ers are the best 1-9 in NFL history. REALISTIC REACTION: If true — how do
you even determine it? — they’re still 1-9. OVERREACTION: Adam Thielen is the best undrafted receiver in the NFL. REALISTIC REACTION: Doug Baldwin wasn’t drafted either. He’s been real good for a few years. OVERREACTION: Blake Bortles will cost the Jaguars (6-3) a playoff berth. REALISTIC REACTION: Jacksonville’s defence is dominant enough to overcome Bortles’ deficiencies. Plus they have Leonard Fournette. OVERREACTION: Brock Osweiler isn’t the answer for the Broncos (3-6). REALISTIC REACTION: Osweiler isn’t the reason Denver has surrendered 92 points in the last two games. Defence is the problem and special teams were awful against the Patriots.
DECEMBER 22, 2017 | 12:30 P.M. ET - THOMAS A. ROBINSON NATIONAL STADIUM
< CONFERENCE STANDINGS > (as of November 13, 2017)
EAST DIVISION * Florida Atlantic * FIU * Marshall WKU Middle Tennessee Old Dominion Charlotte
TICKETS ON SALE NOW! AT THE THOMAS A. ROBINSON NATIONAL STADIUM BOX OFFICE OR ONLINE AT NSA-BAHAMAS.COM
For more info, contact the Stadium Box Office at 325-0376
THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE: CONFERENCE USA Friday, Nov. 17 * Middle Tennessee at WKU (CBSSN) Saturday, Nov. 18 * Rice at Old Dominion (ESPN3) * Charlotte at Southern Miss (CUSA TV) * Louisiana Tech at UTEP (CUSA TV) UAB at Florida (SECN) Army at North Texas (beIN) * FIU at Florida Atlantic (STAD) * Marshall at UTSA (STAD FB)
MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE Thursday, Nov. 16 * Buffalo at Ball State (CBSSN) Tuesday, Nov. 21 * Kent State at Akron (ESPNU/3) * Miami at Ball State (ESPNU/3) * Bowling Green at Eastern Michigan (ESPNU/3) * - conference games
C-USA 6-0 4-2 4-2 3-3 3-3 2-4 1-5
EAST DIVISION Overall 7-3 6-3 7-3 5-5 5-5 4-6 1-9
WEST DIVISION C-USA Overall #* North Texas 6-1 7-3 * UAB 5-2 7-3 * Southern Miss 4-2 6-4 UTSA 2-4 5-4 Louisiana Tech 2-4 4-6 Rice 1-5 1-9 UTEP 0-5 0-9 * - bowl eligible # - clinched division
* Ohio Akron Miami Buffalo Bowling Green Kent State
MAC 5-1 4-2 3-3 2-4 2-4 1-5
Overall 8-2 5-5 4-6 4-6 2-8 2-8
WEST DIVISION * Toledo * Northern Illinois * Western Michigan * Central Michigan Eastern Michigan Ball State * - bowl eligible
MAC 5-1 5-1 4-2 4-2 1-5 0-6
Overall 8-2 7-3 6-4 6-4 3-7 2-8
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: WILLIE ROAF (LOUISIANA TECH) Former NFL offensive lineman and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Willie Roaf was a consensus All-American during his college career at Louisiana Tech from 1989-92. A four-year letterman, Roaf became the program’s first consensus All-American in his 1992 senior season. During his college career, Roaf was selected All-South Independent and All-Louisiana in 1991 and 1992. Louisiana Tech had a record of 25-16-3 during his four seasons, and the Bulldogs did not lose at home during that time. During his time in Ruston, he blocked for two of the top five career rushers in Louisiana Tech history (Jason Cooper, Jason Davis). His No. 71 jersey is one of two retired by the school. Roaf was drafted No. 8 overall in the first round of the 1993 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints, and he was an All-Rookie selection at right tackle. He moved to left tackle the following season, and he became of the most dominant players at his position. An 11-time Pro Bowler and a seven-time All-Pro, Roaf played nine seasons with the Saints. Traded to Kansas City prior to the 2002 seasons, Roaf played four years with the Chiefs and retired after the 2005 season. He was voted to both the 1990s and the 2000s NFL All-Decade Team by the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee. Roaf was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012, and he was named to the 75th Anniversary All-America Third Team by the Football Writers Association of America in 2015.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, November 16, 2017, PAGE 3
This is a Thursday night worth tuning in: Titans at Steelers By BARRY WILNER AP Pro Football Writer
MANY weeks, football fans find other things to watch on Thursday nights. The matchups aren’t exactly intriguing. This is a week to tune in. Pittsburgh, ranked third in the AP Pro32, is a seven-point favourite over No. 11 Tennessee. It’s an important game for several reasons: — Both teams lead their divisions, the 7-2 Steelers in the AFC North, the 6-3 Titans in a tie with Jacksonville atop the AFC South. — Both are in good shape for wild-card slots, and this game could have tiebreaker ramifications. — Both teams are on four-game winning streaks. — Each comes off tight tests against inferior opponents, Pittsburgh at Indianapolis, Tennessee at home to Cincinnati. It will be interesting to see how (or if) they rebound with stronger performances. Titans coach Mike Mularkey isn’t concerned that the short turnaround will affect his club. Playing the Steelers always gets a team’s attention. “If we let that become a distraction, it can be, yes,” Mularkey said. “This team’s pretty mature and pretty good about handling different situations, and this won’t be any different.” Unfortunately for Tennessee, it has not played particularly well on the road. So ... STEELERS, 20-17 KNOCKOUT LEAGUE TIP The Lions did their thing, though it took a while, against Cleveland. Difficult to find an eligible team, will try JACKSONVILLE on the whoever-plays-Cleveland theory. No. 2 New England (minus 6) vs. No. 18 Oakland at Mexico City It gets tiresome making Patriots the top choice, but it also makes a lot of sense. BEST BET: PATRIOTS, 30-20 No. 20 Arizona (minus 2 1-2) at No. 24 Houston One of several home underdogs we like this week. UPSET SPECIAL: TEXANS, 19-13
No. 19 Baltimore (minus 2 1-2) at No. 16 Green Bay Another home dog we will go with. PACKERS, 17-16 No. 13 Detroit (minus 2 1-2) at No. 27 Chicago And another. BEARS, 17-16 No. 7 Kansas City (minus 9) at No. 31 New York Giants OK, enough of that. Here’s a favourite ready to romp. CHIEFS, 30-13 No. 5 Los Angeles Rams (plus 2 1-2) at No. 6 Minnesota Who would have projected this to be the highlight of Week 11? RAMS, 27-24 No. 1 Philadelphia (plus 3) at No. 14 Dallas Cowboys can kiss NFC East title and maybe a wild card goodbye if they lose. COWBOYS, 28-27 No. 12 Atlanta (plus 3) at No. 9 Seattle Dan Quinn against his mentor, Pete Carroll. Even though they are undermanned ... SEAHAWKS, 23-21
AT left, in a November 5 file photo, Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) looks to throw a pass against the Baltimore Ravens during a game in Nashville, Tenn. At right, in a November 12 file photo, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) throws against the Indianapolis Colts in the first half of a game in Indianapolis. Stylistically, the Steelers may be the most unimpressive 7-2 team in the NFL. It’s a problem the AFC North leaders can live with, though they will be tested tonight against Tennessee (6-3). The Titans have won four straight and can send a message they’re a legitimate threat. (AP file photo)
No. 10 Jacksonville (minus 7 1-2) at No. 32 Cleveland Just can’t pick the Browns to win. JAGUARS, 23-20 No. 28 Tampa Bay (plus 3) at No. 23 Miami This was Week 1 matchup postponed by Hurricane Irma. BUCCANEERS, 20-16 No. 17 Washington (plus 8) at No. 4 New Orleans Saints have that risingup look, Redskins have that banged-up look. SAINTS, 34-23 No. 15 Buffalo (plus 4 1-2) at No. 21 Los Angeles Chargers Did prospect of finally making playoffs scare Bills into QB change? CHARGERS, 22-20 No. 26 Cincinnati (plus 2 1-2) at No. 25 Denver Remember when Denver was a tough place to play? BENGALS, 17-16
COWBOYS’ ELLIOTT DROPS APPEAL, WILL SERVE REST OF HIS SIX-GAME BAN By SCHUYLER DIXON Associated Press FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is ending his legal fight with five games remaining on a six-game suspension over alleged domestic violence. Elliott’s agents said yesterday the decision by last year’s NFL rushing leader “is in no way an admission of wrongdoing.” Elliott had a hearing set in a federal appeals court on December 1, four games into the suspension. Wednesday was the 96th day since Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the suspension. Elliott served the first game in Dallas’ 27-7 loss to Atlanta last weekend. By accepting the sixgame ban, Elliott is eligible to
return for the final two games of the regular season: December 24 at home against Seattle and December 31 at Philadelphia. The defending NFC East champion Cowboys (5-4) are three games behind the division-leading Eagles (8-1), who visit Sunday night. A year after being the top seed in the NFC at 13-3, Dallas faces a difficult task staying in playoff contention until Elliott returns. The 22-year-old Elliott was suspended by Goodell in August after the league concluded following a yearlong investigation that he had several physical confrontations in the summer of 2016 with Tiffany Thompson, his girlfriend at the time. Prosecutors in Ohio didn’t pursue the case, citing conflicting
evidence. Elliott denied the allegations under oath during his NFL appeal. The suspension prompted weeks of court hearings in three states resulting in three legal reprieves that kept Elliott on the field. The 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to an expedited hearing for Elliott’s arguments that he wasn’t treated fairly by the league, but last week turned down his request for an injunction while the case was being heard. The same court ruled against New England quarterback Tom Brady last year over his four-game suspension in the “Deflategate” case. Unlike Elliott, Brady had won a lower-court ruling that delayed the suspension for a year. “This decision arises
from a practical assessment of the current legal landscape,” agents Rocky Arceneaux and Frank Salzano said. “This decision is in no way an admission of any wrongdoing, and Mr Elliott is pleased that the legal fight ... resulted in disclosing many hidden truths regarding this matter, as well as publicly exposing the NFL’s mismanagement of its disciplinary process.” A Texas judge granted an injunction that kept Elliott eligible early in the season, agreeing with NFL Players Association lawyers who argued that investigators withheld key evidence from Goodell, and that the appeal hearing was unfair because arbitrator Harold Henderson refused to call Goodell and Thompson as witnesses.
The NFL contended all along that the league followed federal law as it relates to labour agreements and the commissioner’s power to discipline players. A federal appeals court in New Orleans tossed Elliott’s lawsuit in Texas on the grounds that it was filed prematurely. The case moved to New York because the NFL had already filed there. After a visiting federal judge granted a temporary restraining order that kept Elliott on the field two more weeks, the judge assigned to the case rejected all of Elliott’s arguments in denying his request for an injunction. An emergency stay made him eligible for one game against Kansas City before the latest ruling denying an injunction.
PAGE 4, Thursday, November 16, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
Jamaica’s Carter at court for Bolt Olympic relay medal case LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Jamaican sprinter Nesta Carter has testified at the Court of Arbitration for Sport to appeal against disqualification from the 2008 Olympics in a doping case that cost Usain Bolt a 4x100-metre relay gold medal. Carter shielded his face from media on arriving at sport’s highest court yesterday for a closed-doors hearing that ended around seven hours later. The court said lawyers for Carter and the International Olympic Committee would submit further documents to the judging panel, which was expected to reach a verdict early in 2018. The 32-year-old Carter is challenging his disqualification imposed by the IOC for a positive test for a banned stimulant. Carter tested positive for methylhexaneamine last year in a reanalysis programme of samples from the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics. The case spoiled Bolt’s perfect Olympic record of three gold
JAMAICAN sprinter Nesta Carter arrives for a hearing yesterday at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, after filing an appeal against the IOC that stripped him of his 2008 Beijing Olympics sprint relay gold medal due to anti-doping rule violations. (Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP)
medals — in the 100, 200 and 4x100 — at three consecutive games from 2008-2016. Carter and Bolt were teammates on the relay team in Beijing, which won in a world record of 37.10 seconds. Carter ran the opening leg, and Bolt took the baton third in a team that also included Michael Frater and Asafa Powell. Carter also teamed with Bolt on three straight world championship relay-winning teams, from 2011 through 2015. They were also teammates when Jamaica set another 4x100 world record in 2012 at the Olympics, running 36.84. Dozens of athletes tested positive for banned drugs in an IOC-ordered reanalysis programme using new and more accurate tests on samples stored since the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics. The majority of more than 110 cases involved steroids and athletes from the former Soviet republics. Carter’s case was the only one involving Jamaica.
AT left is a September 19 file photo showing Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer working against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning of a game in Atlanta. At right is Scherzer in a 2017 file photo. (AP)
Scherzer and Kluber win Cy Young Awards by wide margins By BEN WALKER Associated Press MAX Scherzer of the Washington Nationals coasted to his third Cy Young Award, winning yesterday for the second straight year in the National League. Scherzer breezed past Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, drawing 27 of the 30 first-place votes in balloting by members of the Baseball Writers’
Association of America. “Yes!” Scherzer shouted, thrusting his arms up when the honour was announced on MLB Network. Scherzer earned the NL honour last year with Washington and the 2013 American League prize with Detroit. He became the 10th pitcher with at least three Cy Youngs. Scherzer was 16-6 with a career-best 2.51 ERA. The 33-year-old righty struck out a league-leading 268
for the NL East champion Nationals. Kershaw has already won three NL Cy Youngs, and was the last pitcher to win back-to-back. He was 18-4 with a league-best 2.31 ERA and 202 strikeouts. Stephen Strasburg of the Nationals finished third. Corey Kluber of the Cleveland Indians easily won his second AL Cy Young Award earlier in the day. He got 28 of the 30 first-place votes, with
Boston’s Chris Sale second and Luis Severino of the New York Yankees third. Kluber led the majors with a 2.25 ERA and his 18 wins tied for the most in baseball. He added to the Cy Young he won with the Indians in 2014. Kluber and Scherzer both had rough outings in the playoffs. Voting for the awards was completed before the postseason began. The final BBWAA honours will come today
when the MVP awards are announced in the AL and NL. Nicknamed “Klubot” for his robotic manner on the mound, Kluber finished 18-4 and struck out 265. Kluber was especially dominant down the stretch, closing out the season by going 11-1 to help Cleveland win the AL Central. Sale topped the majors with 308 strikeouts. He went 17-8 with a 2.90 ERA.
AT left, in a July 9 file photo, Cleveland Indians pitcher Corey Kluber delivers in the first inning of a game against the Detroit Tigers in Cleveland. At right is a 2017 file photo showing Cleveland Indians pitcher Corey Kluber. (AP)
ITALY COACH FIRED AS FA CHIEF RESISTS CALLS TO STEP DOWN By ANDREW DAMPF Associated Press ROME (AP) — Two days after Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup, the head of the country’s football federation fired national coach Gian Piero Ventura — while ignoring angry calls to quit his own job. Ventura left in disgrace yesterday, widely criticised for his tactical decisions that left Italy out of football’s biggest competition for the first time in six decades. “I spoke with Ventura today and told him that his services are no longer needed,” federation president Carlo Tavecchio said in a brief statement to reporters, adding that he would propose a series of reforms to improve the country’s most popular sport. Four-time champion Italy lost a playoff to Sweden, 1-0 on aggregate, on Monday. Ventura’s contract was recently extended to 2020 but the deal included a stipulation that it could be voided in case of a failed qualification. Carlo Ancelotti, who was fired by Bayern Munich in September, was being mentioned by Italian media as a likely replacement but no new coach was immediately named. “We also thought about some important coaches and we’ll try to possibly sign one of them,” Tavecchio said. Damiano Tommasi, president of the Italian players association, abandoned a summit called to assess the failed qualification once he understood that Tavecchio would not step down. “We believe we’ve got to start the rebuilding process with elections,” Tommasi said. “It doesn’t seem like there’s any desire to restart from zero. “The problems of Italian football can’t be resolved with just the firing of the national team coach,” added Tommasi, who played for Italy and helped Roma win the 2001 Serie A title. “Otherwise we’ll continue to re-mix the same minestrone that has caused indigestion for so many of us.” Tavecchio said he called a board meeting for Monday to present his reforms, adding that they will affect the domestic leagues. Ventura was hired last year when Antonio Conte left the national team to coach Chelsea after the European Championship. The 69-year-old Ventura was a journeyman coach who had never managed a major club. He previously coached Udinese, Cagliari, Napoli, Messina, Hellas Verona, Pisa, Bari and Torino. Ventura’s attachment to two forwards he coached at Torino, Ciro Immobile and Andrea Belotti, and his refusal to try a three-striker formation, led him to continually leave Napoli winger Lorenzo Insigne on the bench. Considered Italy’s most talented player of the moment, Insigne was inexplicably asked to come on for Marco Verratti in a central midfield position late in the opening leg against Sweden. Ventura leaves with a record of nine wins, four draws and three losses. Ancelotti, who coached Juventus and AC Milan before going abroad to win titles with Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Bayern, has the big-club résumé that Ventura lacked. But it remains to be seen if he’ll be willing to coach the national team, or if he still prefers the daily activities of a club.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, November 16, 2017, PAGE 5
Hawks get their most lopsided win ever, 12680 over Kings By CHARLES ODUM Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks didn’t need to win by the most lopsided margin in franchise history to boost their spirits. They just needed any win. Dewayne Dedmon scored a career-high 20 points and had 14 rebounds, and the Hawks rode a dominant first half to a 126-80 win over the Sacramento Kings last night. Atlanta’s 46-point margin of victory was two points better than its previous best. Atlanta took a 141-97 win over Detroit February 7, 1994, and the St Louis Hawks beat Baltimore 144100 on February 12, 1965. For the Hawks (3-12), the margin was just a bonus. “Right now we have the worst record in the NBA, so any win is a good win and we’ll take it,” said Taurean Prince, who had 14 points. Actually, Dallas (2-13) owned the league’s worst record even before the Hawks’ win, but that mattered little to Prince. The Hawks, who snapped a four-game losing streak and won for the first time at home, felt like they were looking up at the rest of the league. “It’s a great feeling,” Dedmon said. “We have to take this momentum, feed off of it and get ready for the next game.” Dennis Schroder had 21 points and eight assists for Atlanta.
The Hawks’ poor record only made the rout more painful for the Kings in the matchup of last-place teams. It was the sixthworst loss in Kings history, their biggest defeat since a 48-point rout by Phoenix on February 2, 2009. “Forty-six points in the NBA, it’s almost like you’re laying down,” said George Hill, who had 12 points. “You gotta take it, you know? Own up to it. You can’t back down from it. We got our butts kicked.” The Kings (3-11) completed a 0-3 trip while falling to 1-8 away from home. “Losing’s one thing but we’ve got to do a better job of competing,” Kings coach Dave Joerger said. Atlanta pulled away with two 12-0 runs in the second quarter and took a 64-35 lead into halftime. The Hawks made six 3-pointers in the quarter. Zach Randolph led the Kings with 16 points. Hill was Sacramento’s only other scorer in double figures. The Hawks made 50 of 79 (63.3 per cent) shots from the field and 16 of their 32 3-point attempts. The rout continued in the final period as back-to-back 3s by Price pushed the lead to 108-65. Rookie John Collins had 14 points. Isaiah Taylor had 12 points, and Marco Belinelli and Malcolm Delaney each had 10 as the Hawks had eight scorers in double figures.
Dedmon’s 14 rebounds set a season high. TIP-INS Kings: G-F Vince Carter (kidney stone) was inactive for the fourth straight game. ... Sacramento won its first road game at Dallas and has since lost eight straight away from home. ... The Kings were outrebounded 53-29 and had no player with more than four rebounds. Hawks: Ersan Ilyasova had one point and seven rebounds in 13 minutes in his return after missing eight games with a bone bruise in his left knee. ... F-C Miles Plumlee (strained right quad) could be nearing his season debut. Atlanta assigned Plumlee and G-F Nicolas Brussino to its Erie G League team. BABBITT HURTING Hawks forward Luke Babbitt had 13 points in the first half, while making three of four 3-pointers. He sat out the second half with lower back spasms. Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said Babbitt also had tightness in his back before the game and the injury is not believed to be serious. HOT START Atlanta made its first eight shots. “That was super important,” Kent Bazemore (8 points) said. “That’s the way we wanted to come out. They never really recovered.”
KINGS guard Buddy Hield (24) scored six points, including a three-pointer, and posted two steals, two rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot in 21 minutes last night in Sacramento’s 126-80 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
NBA CAPSULES CAVALIERS 115, HORNETS 107 CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — LeBron James scored 31 points, Kevin Love had 22 points and 10 rebounds and Cleveland continued its dominance against Charlotte. The Cavaliers have won seven straight against the Hornets and 11 of 12. James is 40-6 in the regular season against Charlotte. Jeff Green added 13 points for Cleveland. The Cavaliers have won three straight and four of five. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist shot 10 of 14 from the field and led Charlotte with a season-high 22 points, three shy of his career best. Point guard Kemba Walker had 20. THUNDER 92, BULLS 79 OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Russell Westbrook had 21 points and seven assists and Oklahoma City beat Chicago for its third straight victory. Carmelo Anthony returned to the Thunder lineup after missing the previous game with a sore lower back and finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Jerami Grant added 15 points and 11 rebounds. Lauri Markkanen and Antonio Blakeney each scored 16 points for Chicago. TIMBERWOLVES 98, SPURS 86 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points and 16 rebounds on his 22nd birthday, and Minnesota stopped a 12-game losing streak to San Antonio. Jeff Teague added 16 points and six assists, and Nemanja Bjelica had 11 points as the Timberwolves put together one of their most complete performances with their fewest points allowed this season. LaMarcus Aldridge fell off from his 32-point game the night before, finishing with a quiet 15 points and 10 rebounds for San Antonio. RAPTORS 125, PELICANS 116 NEW ORLEANS (AP) — DeMar DeRozan scored 25 points and the Toronto Raptors kept hitting 3s to beat New Orleans. The Raptors shot 16 for 34 on 3-pointers, with C.J. Miles going 5 for 9. Kyle Lowry had 22 points, Jonas Valanciunas had 21 and Miles 17 for Toronto. Serge Ibaka added 12 points and Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet each had 10. DeMarcus Cousins scored 25 points for the Pelicans, and Anthony Davis had 19. KNICKS 106, JAZZ 101 NEW YORK (AP) — Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 26 points, including a key 3-pointer with 32.9 seconds left, to help New York beat Utah. New York trailed by 10 late in the third quarter but got its third comeback victory
MINNESOTA Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns, right, hangs on to the ball as he is fouled by San Antonio Spurs’ Pau Gasol in the first half of last night’s game in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone) in eight days. Hardaway’s 3 made it 102-98, and he added four free throws after that. Kristaps Porzingis had 22 points, and Courtney Lee added 19 for the Knicks. Rodney Hood scored 30 points for Utah. WIZARDS 102, HEAT 93 MIAMI (AP) — John Wall scored 27 points, Bradley Beal had 26 and Washington overcame a dreadful third quarter to beat Miami. Markieff Morris scored 15 points, and Otto Porter Jr. added 12 points and 13 rebounds. Goran Dragic scored 21 points for Miami. Dion Waiters finished with 19, Tyler Johnson had 15 and Hassan Whiteside scored 14 points and grabbed 21 rebounds for the Heat. Miami led by seven early in the fourth, before the Wizards closed the game on a 29-13 run. Washington also turned 17 Heat turnovers into 26 points.
BUCKS 99, PISTONS 95 MILWAUKEE (AP) — Khris Middleton scored 27 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo added 21 and Milwaukee beat Detroit for its fourth straight victory. Milwaukee blocked 16 shots, two shy of the team record set in 1980 at Detroit. Recently acquired Eric Bledsoe had 12 points, all in the second half, to help the Bucks halt Detroit’s five-game winning streak. PACERS 116, GRIZZLIES 113 MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Darren Collison scored a season-high 30 points, Victor Oladipo had 21 and Indiana held off Memphis. Collison added eight assists, made all 12 of his foul shots and connected on 8 of 13 from the field, including 2 of 4 from outside the arc. Marc Gasol led Memphis with 35 points and 13 rebounds.
PAGE 6, Thursday, November 16, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, November 16, 2017, PAGE 7
Dimitrov defeats Goffin, into semis at ATP Finals By CHRIS LEHOURITES Associated Press
LONDON (AP) — The coaching seemed to have helped, whether Grigor Dimitrov heard it or not. The sixth-seeded Bulgarian made his way into the semi-finals at the ATP Finals yesterday by beating David Goffin 6-0, 6-2, but he was given a violation for coaching during the second set. A linesman informed the chair umpire of the infraction during the fifth game of the final set, and Dimitrov reacted by saying he didn’t hear anything. He probably didn’t need any extra advice anyway, not after the way he was playing, and the way Goffin was, too. “Yeah, that was very weird, to be honest,” Dimitrov said of the violation.
“I have no idea why. But it’s fine. ... I mean, when you’re so zoomed into the match, I don’t even pay attention to all that.” Dimitrov ended up winning 34 of the 47 points he served and won 32 of the 57 points served by Goffin. In the first set, Dimitrov lost only two points on his serve and twice broke Goffin without even going to deuce. Goffin finally managed to hold serve in the second set, but Dimitrov still was able to break the Belgian’s serve two more times. “I was just following my game. Just simple as that,” Dimitrov said. “I was using every opportunity. I took care of all of the balls that I had to.” And he gave Goffin few chances to make a comeback.
“He came to the net from the beginning, from the first point,” Goffin said. “It was not easy for me to lose my serve from the start. It was tough for my confidence after that when it was 0-4.” The win gives Dimitrov a 2-0 record and ensures he will play on the weekend in his debut at the season-ending tournament. Roger Federer has also already qualified for the semi-finals. In Wednesday’s late match, Pablo Carreno Busta faced Dominic Thiem. Carreno Busta will be playing his first match at this year’s tournament after stepping in to replace the injured Rafael Nadal. Dimitrov, who won three tournaments this year and reached the semi-finals at
the Australian Open, will next face Carreno Busta on Friday. Goffin, who is 1-1, will play Thiem that same day. Goffin beat Nadal in his opening match, calling it the best win of his career. He still has a chance to reach the semi-finals, and still has the Davis Cup final at the end of the month when Belgium will take on France in Lille. “This event is really important. It’s one of the biggest events of the year. I’m going to focus on the next match. If there is another one, I will be focused on the next one. Then we will see,” Goffin said. “The Davis Cup, I’m not thinking about the Davis Cup for the moment. I know it’s just after this event. We will see. I’m just focused on this event first, then we see after.”
GRIGOR DIMITROV, of Bulgaria, serves to David Goffin of Belgium in the ATP World Finals at the O2 Arena yesterday. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
THE WEATHER REPORT
5-Day Forecast
TODAY
ORLANDO
High: 76° F/24° C Low: 58° F/14° C
TAMPA
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
MONDAY
Periods of sun with a shower or two
Partly cloudy with a shower or two
Clouds and sun with a shower or two
Partly sunny, a shower; breezy
Mostly sunny and delightful
Partly sunny, a shower; breezy
High: 84°
Low: 74°
High: 85° Low: 72°
High: 85° Low: 72°
High: 85° Low: 73°
High: 83° Low: 73°
AccuWeather RealFeel
AccuWeather RealFeel
AccuWeather RealFeel
AccuWeather RealFeel
AccuWeather RealFeel
AccuWeather RealFeel
89° F
70° F
89°-71° F
88°-76° F
95°-74° F
86°-70° F
High: 78° F/26° C Low: 59° F/15° 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.
N
almanac
E
W
ABACO
S
N
High: 79° F/26° C Low: 75° F/24° C
8-16 knots
S
High: 80° F/27° C Low: 69° F/21° C
8-16 knots
FT. LAUDERDALE
FREEPORT
High: 80° F/27° C Low: 70° F/21° C
E
W S
E
W
WEST PALM BEACH
N
uV inDex toDay
TONIGHT
High: 80° F/27° C Low: 69° F/21° C
MIAMI
High: 81° F/27° C Low: 71° F/22° C
8-16 knots
Statistics are for Nassau through 1 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 86° F/30° C Low .................................................... 73° F/23° C Normal high ....................................... 81° F/27° C Normal low ........................................ 70° F/21° C Last year’s high ................................. 85° F/29° C Last year’s low ................................... 67° F/20° C Precipitation As of 1 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.00” Year to date ............................................... 34.73” Normal year to date ................................... 37.19”
ELEUTHERA
NASSAU
High: 84° F/29° C Low: 74° F/23° C
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2017
High: 80° F/27° C Low: 77° F/25° C
N
KEY WEST
High: 81° F/27° C Low: 72° F/22° C
High: 81° F/27° C Low: 77° F/25° C
N
S
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8-16 knots
S
8-16 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
tiDes For nassau High
Ht.(ft.)
Low
Ht.(ft.)
Today
6:06 a.m. 6:21 p.m.
3.1 2.7
12:28 p.m. 0.2 ---------
Friday
6:47 a.m. 7:01 p.m.
3.1 2.6
12:30 a.m. 0.0 1:10 p.m. 0.1
Saturday
7:26 a.m. 7:41 p.m.
3.1 2.6
1:08 a.m. 1:50 p.m.
0.0 0.1
Sunday
8:03 a.m. 8:19 p.m.
3.1 2.5
1:45 a.m. 2:29 p.m.
0.0 0.1
Monday
8:41 a.m. 8:58 p.m.
3.1 2.4
2:22 a.m. 3:08 p.m.
0.1 0.2
Tuesday
9:18 a.m. 9:37 p.m.
3.0 2.3
2:59 a.m. 3:48 p.m.
0.2 0.3
Wednesday 9:57 a.m. 10:19 p.m.
2.9 2.2
3:37 a.m. 4:28 p.m.
0.3 0.4
sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset
6:27 a.m. 5:22 p.m.
Moonrise Moonset
4:42 a.m. 4:32 p.m.
New
First
Full
Last
Nov. 18
Nov. 26
Dec. 3
Dec. 10
CAT ISLAND
E
W
The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.
ANDROS
SAN SALVADOR
GREAT EXUMA
High: 82° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C
High: 80° F/27° C Low: 77° F/25° C
N
High: 81° F/27° C Low: 76° F/24° C
E
W S
LONG ISLAND
insurance management tracking map
High: 82° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C
8-16 knots
MAYAGUANA High: 82° F/28° C Low: 78° F/26° C
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and
CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS
tonight’s lows.
RAGGED ISLAND High: 82° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C
High: 82° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C
GREAT INAGUA High: 82° F/28° C Low: 76° F/24° C
N
E
W
E
W
N
S
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8-16 knots
8-16 knots
marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND
L
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 NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots
WAVES 4-8 Feet 5-9 Feet 1-2 Feet 2-4 Feet 3-6 Feet 4-7 Feet 2-4 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-6 Feet 4-8 Feet 3-6 Feet 4-7 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 2-4 Feet 1-3 Feet 2-4 Feet 4-7 Feet 5-9 Feet 1-3 Feet 3-5 Feet 1-3 Feet 2-4 Feet 2-4 Feet 3-5 Feet
VISIBILITY 7 Miles 8 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 8 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles 7 Miles
WATER TEMPS. 79° F 79° F 81° F 81° F 81° F 81° F 83° F 83° F 80° F 80° F 81° F 81° F 82° F 82° F 84° F 84° F 83° F 83° F 86° F 86° F 81° F 81° F 82° F 82° F 81° F 81° F
PAGE 8, Thursday, November 16, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
‘BUDDY MEETS AND GREETS FOLLOWING their 110-92 loss to the Washington Wizards at the Capital One Arena on Monday night, Sacramento Kings’ shooting guard Bahamian Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield took the time out to meet and greet the Bahamian diplomats and members of the Bahamian-American diaspora. During the meeting, Sidney Collie, Ambassador of The Bahamas to the US, Theo Neilly, Bahamas Consul General to Washington, DC, Chet Neymour, Deputy Chief of Mission and Mrs Neymour presented a Bahamian flag to Hield. The Grand Bahamian native is now in his second season in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Photo: Felipe Major, Staff member at the Embassy Consular Annex
BAHAMIAN PLAYERS HELP THE AXEMEN WIN TITLE FROM PAGE 1 after he rushed twice for 17 yards for an average of 8.5 with his longest being 11 yards. McMinns also produced six kickoff returns for 148 yards, an average of 24.7 with the longest 41 yards and he had three punt returns for 66 yards, an average of 22.0 with a 50-yard run as the longest posted. McDonald, on the other hand, had a couple of kick returns and played very well on the defensive end, according to Cummins. As for Williams, he didn’t play a lot of snaps.
“All three of those guys have been a pleasure to coach and to have on the team,” Cummins pointed out. “Hopefully Eugene can get to play somewhere as a professional.” After transferring to play with Acadia two years ago, McMinns returned to Holland College last year. However, he returned to Acadia this year to complete his collegiate sting. He joined Williams, who played two years ago for Acadia, but had to sit out last year because of an injury, only to return this year, while this was the second year for McDonald.
McMinns stands at six feet and weighs 210 pounds, while McDonald is 5-9 and 190 lbs and Williams is 6-6 and 290 lbs. “These guys are great ambassadors for the Bahamas and we continue to look for talent all over the world, but we are lucky to have these guys playing for Acadia,” Cummins summed up. “I’m excited that they got to play for us and to be able to follow their dreams.” Cummins said after finishing second to last place a year ago, the Axemen made a remarkable turna-round to capture the conference title on Monday after completing
the regular season on top of the standings with a 7-2 record. On Saturday, the Axemen will have a three-day rest before they host the 10-0 Western Mustangs in the Uteck Bowl game at 1:30pm. Cummins said they are going to be ready to face the 10-0 team. If they are successful in winning the game, Acadia will go on to play in the 53rd National Championships on Saturday, November 25 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. They will be playing for the prestigious Vanier Cup, which is the championship trophy of the Canadian College Bowl that was established in 1965.
Fifth Star Sailors League Finals set for Montagu Bay FROM PAGE 1 finishing 9th. Pepper and Jim Turner finished 12th at the 2012 Olympics. Pepper has also competed in multiple Star World Championships, winning the 2006 Star World Championships with Carl Williams and finishing second with Craig Monk at the 2009 Star World Championships. Hamish was a part of Team New Zealand’s successful defence of the America’s Cup in 2000. He was the tactician on the team’s 2003 America’s Cup defence. Hamish participated for the first time at the SSL Finals in 2015 with Bruno Prada (BRA) and they finished 2nd, and we can’t expect nothing less this time around with Craig Monk, a Finn bronze medallist in Barcelona 1992 Olympics and challenged, or defended, for five times for the America’s Cup winning it with Team New Zealand in 1995 and 2000. It will also be Craig’s second SSL Finals - he was crewing for Sam Meech, kiwi Laser bronze medallist in Rio 2016, last year. Another nice return will be represented by Ivan Gaspic, a Croatian Finn sailor who attended the Olympics in Bejing in 2008 and he was 5th in London in 2012, he won three European Championships
TWENTY five teams are expected to compete in this year’s Star Sailors League Finals, the top 10 Star sailors of 2017 and 15 wild cards drawn from every aspect of the sport.
and a silver medal at the Worlds in the very tough Finn class. A well known sailor in his country, Ivan will be sailing with fellow Split crew Ante Sitic, a proper Star sailor, with whom he attended the 2014 and 2015 SSL Finals. Lucky third time? Oskari Muhonen is the winner of the Finn Silver Cup, that is the under-23 World Championship of the single-handed dinghy. Oskari is from Finland and he is only 20 years old 2017 was a very good year
for him - who also finished 11th at the Finn Gold Cup – the World Championship – a couple of weeks later the Junior Cup. “He will be our real rookie this year, as Facundo Olezza (ARG) - second at the 2017 Finn Silver Cup behind him also attended last year, surprising everyone by doing well in strong winds. We cannot wait to see what the two young Finn sailors will be doing challenging each other once again on the race course but on different boats and with a crew. 25 teams will
be competing at the 2017 SSL Finals, the top 10 Star Sailors of 2017 and 15 wild cards drawn from every aspect of the sport. After four days of racing for all, the competition goes into the knockout stages. Single races decide who survives and who is heading for the dock. The last four teams will contest a thrilling final race, the first to finish will be the winner of the 2017 SSL Finals and take home the lion’s share of the $200,000 prize purse. “You will be able to watch all the action
live with expert commentary from special studio guests. On the water, the latest in hi-tech camera technology, as well as Virtual Eye 3D Graphics, will provide thrilling viewing. Armchair sailors can also join the race with Virtual Regatta. “Keep following us on the official website, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to be updated on the SSL Finalists’ list, social events and more of the Star Sailors League major event of the year,” said the release.
MILLER WITHDRAWS FROM BOC PRESIDENT RACE TONIGHT FROM PAGE 1 administration of affairs on their behalf,” he said. “These were some of the clear outcomes of a similar legal battle that came amidst the 2008 election of BOC officers. Neither myself nor secretary Knowles can stand to see our beloved federations relive such a horrible experience.” After consultation with the executive board and several sporting federations, Miller said he decided, in the best interest of the sporting community, to withdraw from the race for president in the elections. He noted that Knowles has disclosed his intention to withdraw his nomination as secretary general for the good of our member federations. “These have been most difficult decisions but we are convinced that personal sacrifices must continue to be made if we are to be considerate leaders,” he said. Miller, however, said Knowles is still eligible to contest other positions as he was nominated for the post of president, and was wholeheartedly endorsed by Miller for this position. “If elected, I am certain that he will serve with humility and with distinction,” Miller stated. “I ask all federations to give him their support in the upcoming voting.” As for his withdrawal, Miller said he does so without any regrets. “Once again, it has been my honour to serve, and I hope to be of assistance in the future wherever I can be helpful,” he said. “My prayer is that the Olympic movement will grow from strength to strength, and that our people will find life-changing opportunities in sports.”
Big Red Machine win three of four BAISS softball titles FROM PAGE 1 though it’s going to be a new team.” Munroe was working on a no-hitter up until the bottom of the fifth inning when Jeremiah Adderley drilled a two-run inthe-park home run to get the Crusaders on the scoreboard. While he gave up two hits in the inning, Munroe finished with seven strike outs. Bastian was also equal in his effort with strike outs, but he suffered six hits as SAC came up with a run in the first and the third and four more in the fourth as they put the score out of reach for NCA. Tyler Wallace led the offensive attack for the Big Red Machine by scoring a pair of runs. SAC won the opener 6-1 on Monday. Big Red Machine 26, Saints 17 In what turned out to be a slugfest in the junior girls’ division, St Augustine’s got the best of two explosive innings as they rebounded from a 15-3 deficit to
complete their two-game sweep. They rebounded after losing the title last year to regain the crown. “Our aim and our goal was to come back and take it back and that is what we did, so I’m pretty happy about that,” said SAC’s head coach Vernice Russell. “It’s wonderful, it’s exciting, but the team worked really hard,” she added. Hard maybe an understatement for the Big Red Machine, but Russell said they certainly worked hard after falling behind by 12 runs. “The first innings were rough, but like I told the girls, we’re a team with heart, we have a warrior spirit and we played with heart,” she stated. “Even though it might seem as if it’s over now, it wasn’t over. So I just advised them to come out with a fighting spirit, play ball, hit and run like they know how to and we could still take it.” And even though they lost Burrows in the fifth inning, Russell said they didn’t lose a beat because their bench was deep
enough to get a player to come in and replace her. SAC batted around the clock twice in the third inning as they scored 15 runs to go ahead 18-15. Then they tacked on eight more runs in the fourth to go along with the additional one they added in the fifth to seal the win. The Big Red Machine rolled out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first and they got another in the second. Laryre Burrows had a perfect 5-for-5 plate appearance with four singles and a double with a run batted in (RBI), scoring four runs to pace SAC’s offensive attack. But she had to be lifted off the field trying to score her final run in the fifth, but she collided with the Saints’ catcher and injured her right knee. Rachel Rolle also had an explosive showing as she missed completing the cycle as she went 3-for-4 with a triple, a two run double and a single. She also got on with an error and a base on ball, scoring four times. Antonicia Moultrie went 3-for-5 with
two RBI, scoring three runs, Willow Sturrup had two hits with two RBI and scored three runs, Otavya Fowler walked three times and scored as many runs, Ashlee Delancy was 2-for-5 with three RBI, scoring twice, Joycelyn Criswell had one hit with a RBI and scored three times. Fowler got the start, but was relieved by Rolle in the first before she came back to complete the game in the second. Alia Heastie got the start for Kingsway Academy, but she went to the third before Paige Stuart came in to relieve her. Tyler Miller also got in some work in the third, but Heastie came back to finish off the game in the fourth. Katherine Ventagin had a bases clearing double in the Saints’ explosive 10-run first inning and she ended up with four RBI and two runs scored to pace their offensive attack. Jayann Smith was walked twice, hit by a pitch once and reached safely on an error and scored four runs. Heastie and Fia Campbell, with two hits and a RBI
each, along with K’Lizz Ellis and Deshann Bethel, both with a RBI walk, all scored two runs. SAC took game one 7-5 on Monday. Big Red Machine 27, Crusaders 13 Andreas Seymour picked up the win as he struck out six Nassau Christian Academy batters as SAC completed their senior boys’ sweep. Kenwin Ingraham also struck out six SAC batters in suffering the loss. Ashton Symonette had a grand slam to lead the Big Red Machine’s offensive attack. In game one on Monday, SAC won 15-4. Comets 9, Big Red Machine 4 There were no highlights from the game, but the Queen’s College Comets senior girls made sure that their 5-2 triumph on Monday in game one was no fluke as they celebrated their sweep of the only title that didn’t go to the Big Red Machine.