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SPORTS SECTION E

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

Lunn upsets Rolle By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

ith the players jockeying for their positions going into the main draw play, Justin Lunn pulled off one of the biggest upsets on day two of the Giorgio Baldacci Open Nationals. On Tuesday in the National Tennis Tournament in their final match in the round robin, Lunn stunned his Davis Cup captain Marvin Rolle 3-6, 6-3, 10-8 to advance out of Pool C with the number one spot. Also advancing to the main draw undefeated on the men’s side were defending champion and top seed Baker Newman and his brother, No.2 seed Spencer Newman, No.4 seed Kevin Major Jr and No.5 seed Philip Major Jr. On the ladies’ side, top seeds Kerrie Cartwright, Simone Pratt, Danielle Thompson and junior sensation Sydney Clarke all earned their berths undefeated at 2-0 in their respective pools. Unseeded Lunn’s victory came after he blanked both Calum Moodie and Michael Butler to go undefeated at 3-0. It was No.3 seed Rolle’s only loss after he won 6-0, 6-0 over Butler and 6-1, 6-0 over Moodie. “I started off really tight. I was kind of nervous. This was actually my first time beating Marvin and he was coaching me and everything, so it was a challenge for me to see where my game was,” Lunn said. “Throughout the whole match, I was just a little nervous, but I’m so happy to have pulled it off.” In the first set, Rolle broke Lunn at 2-2 to go on to win the first set. But Lunn returned the favor with a break at 2-1 to level the score and force the tiebreaker. “My confidence just jumped really high.

He’s in the main draw as well, but it’s always so good to win. I’m just excited. Hopefully I can keep this momentum going and I can bring my game back and relax in the rest of the tournament. Hopefully I can do very well.” Although he came out on the short end of the deal, Rolle had nothing but praise for his opponent. “Justin is a tough player. He returned a lot of balls and he served very well,” Rolle said. “He just pulled it out in the third set. He came up with some big points in the tiebreaker.” As he now prepares for the main draw, Rolle said he intends to be ready because he knows that the competition won’t get any easier. “I just have to see who I get and go from there,” he said. Baker Newman continues to prove why he’s the defending champion and top seed. He concluded Pool A with a 6-0, 6-1 win over fellow collegian Joshua Turnquest. “I was real happy with the way I played. It was a real solid match,” said Newman, who is coming off an injury in his season year at Vanderbilt University. At 5-0 in the second set, Turnquest managed to hold serve for his only point in the match. But Newman closed it by holding serve as well. “I played alright today, but he was just better than me,” said Turnquest, a 6-2 freshman at Asbury University. “He was just getting a lot of balls back. That’s why he’s the defending champion. “This was my first real test so far, but I still made it through the main draw, so hopefully I can turn things around.” Spencer Newman, a graduate of the University of Florida, said his goal is to get into the final to face his brother in the rematch from last year.

all,” he insisted. “Just like everyday, I have to come out here and play as if I’m playing (Roger) Federer and just keep leaving on the line with everything I got. I feel my legs are still fresh, so I’m ready to go.”

Jerseys, Page 8

UB MINGOES EARN 67-60 VICTORY OVER COUGARS TO SPLIT SERIES

Kevin Major Jr also earned a 6-0, 6-0 win over William ‘JJ’ Fountain to win Pool D with a 3-0 record. He feels he’s getting into a groove right

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net AFTER letting game one slip out of their grasp, the University of the Bahamas Mingoes held on in game two to split their two-game series against the visiting Spring Arbor University Cougars. Coming off a 84-76 loss on Monday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, the Mingoes rallied on Tuesday to snatch a 29-25 halftime lead and they held on to secure a 67-60 win over the Cougars, who only played five players off their bench in the entire game. “Today was more a confidence booster than anything,” said UB’s head coach Bacchus Rolle. “We needed to get a win. We needed to string together a few wins. “We’ve been getting a win, getting a few losses, then string another win together. So it was a real confident booster for the team as we go into some workouts to prepare us to travel to Jacksonville in January to play.” After being held to just four points in the first half, Kemsy Sylvestre picked it up in the second half and ended up leading the Mingoes with 13 points, 13 rebounds and five assists. Ramon Dames helped out with nine points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists, Justin Munroe had eight points, three rebounds, two assists and as many steals, Donovan Dean had eight points and Christoph McKenzie chipped in with seven points. Down the stretch, Sylvestre canned a big three-pointer with one minute and four seconds on the clock to give UB a 63-58 lead and he sealed

SEE PAGE 4

CENTRE COURT: Justin Lunn pulled off one of the biggest upsets on day two of the Giorgio Baldacci Open Nationals. Yesterday, he stunned his Davis Cup captain, Marvin Rolle, to advance out of Pool C with the No.1 spot. Photo: Terrel W Carey/Tribune Staff He moved on to the main draw with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Michael Cooper. “The focus was there. Maybe I didn’t have to play that many games, but everyday you have to come out and give it your

KOBE

Buddy scores 24, helps Kings beat slumping 76ers 101-95 By AARON BRACY Associated Press PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Zach Randolph and Vince Carter have been playing for so long that some of their teammates were toddlers when they broke into the NBA. That double dose of experience worked out quite well for Sacramento last night. Randolph scored 27 points and Carter had two key plays late in the game, helping the Kings to a 101-95 victory over the slumping Philadelphia 76ers. Buddy Hield had 24 points and Frank Mason III finished with 16 for Sacramento, which came back from a 16-point second-half deficit. “Zach started us out and really carried us for a while,” Kings coach Dave Joerger said. “He was really, really terrific.” The 36-year-old Randolph was rejuvenated after he rested during Sunday’s 108-93 loss at Toronto. He made 12 of 19 shots and grabbed five rebounds. “He’s an amazing low-post threat, for a long period of time,”

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Philadelphia coach Brett Brown said. Besides putting up solid numbers — Randolph entered leading the team in scoring and rebounding at 15.2 points and 7 boards per game — he is enjoying his role as veteran leader. “We get along well,” he said. “These kids are working, they’re playing hard, and it’s showing on the court. We believe in them.” Ben Simmons had 13 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists for Philadelphia, which lost for the seventh time in eight games while playing without centre Joel Embiid for the second straight night due to a back injury. Robert Covington led the 76ers with 17 points. Philadelphia looked out of sync without Embiid and Sacramento took advantage. Hield gave the Kings a 79-78 lead with a 3-pointer with 9:48 remaining. Carter made a fullcourt outlet pass to Garrett Temple for a layup that made it 92-86 Sacramento with 4:18 left. The 40-year-old Carter made another crucial play down the stretch, hustling for an offensive rebound that led to Randolph’s jumper with 1:59 to play. “Coach trusts me to be solid and consistent, not make mistakes and help our guys when I can,” Carter said. “I’ve been in big situations so I enjoy being on the court.” Simmons answered with a driving basket that made it 96-92, but he couldn’t convert the free throw after being fouled and the rally fizzled from there. “I don’t think we’ve been focusing down the stretch — missing shots, not calling the right plays,” Simmons said.

SACRAMENTO Kings’ Buddy Hield, of the Bahamas, in action last night against the Philadelphia 76ers in Philadelphia. Hield scored 24 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out two assists in 28 minutes on the court. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) “It’s just little things like that. It comes down to us focusing, and making sure we’re committed to defence and offence at the same time.” EMBIID’S ABSENCE Embiid did not travel with the team to Chicago for Monday’s 117-115 loss to the Bulls. He was expected to play against the Kings on the second night of backto-back games, but Brown said the team’s medical staff advised him to keep the 7-foot centre on

the sideline. The injury has kept Embiid out for four of the last six games. Brown said Embiid’s back “is still a little bit sore.” BROWN ON OKAFOR Jahlil Okafor, whom Philadelphia traded to Brooklyn earlier this month, made headlines in New York on Tuesday for saying he was glad to be with an organisation that had “an actual NBA coaching staff.” “Jahlil knows what we did here,” Brown said before the loss.

“It’s a young person who gave a quote. ... I think everybody understands how we treat people here and the attention he received while he was here.” UP NEXT Kings: Finish four-game road trip at Brooklyn tonight. Sixers: Host Toronto Thursday night in the first game of a homeand-home series. Philadelphia will play at the Raptors on Saturday night.

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Bahamians take NCAA spotlight By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net SENIOR guard Lourawls ‘Tum Tum’ Nairn and the No.2 ranked Michigan State Spartans got the better of their match-up against fellow Bahamian freshman forward Philip McKenzie and the Houston Baptist Huskies on Monday night. Meanwhile, DeAndre Ayton and the No.18 University of Arizona Wildcats routed the North Dakota State Bison at home in the McKale Center in Tucson, Arizona. Nairn, in 23 minutes, didn’t score, but he had five assists in the Spartans’ 107-62 rout over at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan. McKenzie, in 19 minutes, had three points with six rebounds and an assist in a losing effort. The Spartans, now 11-1, opened a 54-33 lead at the half and used a 53-29 spurt in the second half to dismantle the Huskies, who dropped to 4-8. “I was never prouder of a team than I was of their team. They were overmatched, undersized. For a team like that to get 24 offensive rebounds and just absolutely embarrass us, you know it was a shame,” said Michigan’s coach Tom Izzo. “And so I’m not very happy, not very pleased. Please to take that insulting to Houston Baptist because they didn’t have their whole team, in fact, I would take it just the opposite...as far as heart and courage and toughness, they played with it and we didn’t. And that’s what I told their coach after.” HBU’s head coach Ron Cottrell said despite the fact that they played against one of the best teams in the country, he was pleased with their effort. “I thought, when you look at the size of the players on Michigan State’s

PHILIP MCKENZIE team, their length, their athleticism, their skill level, you put all of those combinations together and it was a tough matchup for us tonight,” he said. “But I was really pleased with the fact that our guys never backed down. They didn’t stop competing. I don’t know how many of you know, but we’re playing without our starting post player, an all-conference player, our leading scorer, leading rebounder. And so we were even more overmatched than we would like.” Nairn, the son of Lourawls Nairn Sr and Monalisa McKinney Sr, moved to the United States from the Bahamas at the age of 13. He enrolled at Sunrise Christian Academy where he had a stellar career that secured him a scholarship to Michigan State. The 5-foot, 10-inch guard, studying communication, is averaging 20.4 minutes per game and shooting .376 percentage from the field, .286 from the three-point line and .515 from the free throw line going into the 2017/18 season. He also has grabbed a total of 180 rebounds for a 1.8 average, dished out 313 assists, blocked six shots and had 34 steals. He has scored 286 points for a 2.8 average. McKenzie, a 6-4 forward, is averaging 3.0 points with a total of 36 points scored in

12 games. He’s shot 16-for36 from the field for a .444 average and 4-for-11 from the free throw line for a .364 average. He has also pulled down a total of 37 rebounds, 16 on the offensive end and 21 on the defensive end for an average of 3.1 per game. He has also dished out six assists and committed five turnovers. McKenzie, the son of Philip and Thelma McKenzie, is majoring in legal studies. He was a threeyear starter at Cannon School in Concord, N.C. for Coach Che Roth before he enrolled at Houston. As a senior, McKenzie averaged 16 points and 12 rebounds per game and he also ran track & field, setting school records in both the 300m hurdles and the long jump. McKenzie and the Huskies will be back in action tonight when they hit the road to take on Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tennessee. They will play their final two games for the year on Thursday, December 28 at Lamar in Beaumont, Texas before they host New Orleans on Saturday, December 30. Ayton, the 7-1 forward, scored a game high 25 points and pulled down nine rebounds in 26 minutes in their win as they improved to 9-3. They led 38-22 at the half as Ayton had 13 points. Arizona will be back in action on Thursday in another home game against Connecticut and then they will play their final game for the year on Saturday, December 30 when they host Arizona State. Ayton, the son of Alvin and Andrea Ayton, attended Balboa City School in San Diego, California, before he transferred to Hillcrest Prep Academy in Phoenix, Arizona where he played on both the McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand Classic teams.

ARIZONA forward DeAndre Ayton, of the Bahamas, dunks against North Dakota State in the second half Monday in Tucson, Arizona. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Antetokounmpo helps Bucks top Cavs 119-116 MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 27 points, Eric Bledsoe had 26 and the Milwaukee Bucks held off the Cleveland Cavaliers 119116 last night. Milwaukee ended a five-game losing streak to Cleveland. Khris Middleton had 18 points and 10 assists, and Malcolm Brogdon scored 16 points. LeBron James scored 39 points for Cleveland, which lost for just the second time in its last 20 games. James had seven assists but grabbed just one rebound in the waning seconds. Kevin Love finished with 21 points. Cleveland trailed 103-83 before putting together an impressive comeback. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Dwyane Wade put the Cavaliers up 107-105, capping a 24-3 run and giving the visitors their first lead since the second quarter. A 3-pointer by Brogdon put the Bucks back in front with 3:38 remaining. A traditional three-point play by James put the Cavaliers ahead 113-112 with about two minutes left. Tony Snell responded with a 3-pointer for Milwaukee with 58.9 seconds remaining. After a Cleveland miss, Antetokounmpo grabbed a loose ball, hit a short shot and was fouled. His free throw gave the Bucks a 117-113 lead with 5.9 seconds to go. Wade finished with 14 points for Cleveland, and Jeff Green had 13.

MICHIGAN State guard Lourawls Nairn Jr (11) passes the ball during the second half of an NCAA college game against Houston Baptist on Monday in East Lansing, Michigan. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

CORRECTION THE headline and caption under the story in Tuesday’s paper said the UB Mingoes stop visiting Cougars. The Cougars actually won the game 84-76. The Mingoes, however, came back and split the two-game series yesterday by winning game two 67-60 at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. SEE MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 4

WIZARDS 116, PELICANS 106 WASHINGTON (AP) — Bradley Beal scored 26 points, Mike Scott had a season-high 24 and Washington won for the third time in four games. John Wall collected 18 points and 10 assists for the Wizards, who were coming off a 106-99 loss to Cleveland on Monday. Marcin Gortat had 10 points, 14 rebounds and

MILWAUKEE Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo dunks during the second half last night against the Cleveland Cavaliers. (AP Photo/Morry Gash) three blocked shots. New Orleans got another big game from Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins, but the Pelicans dropped their second straight. Davis scored 37 points, and

Cousins finished with 26 points and 13 rebounds. After New Orleans tied it at 61 early in the third quarter, the Wizards went on a 24-5 run to open an 85-66 lead.

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City beats Leicester in shootout to reach League Cup semi-finals LONDON (AP) — Manchester City kept alive its hopes of a quadruple as it beat Leicester 4-3 on penalties to reach the semi-finals of the English League Cup yesterday. Arsenal is also through after beating West Ham 1-0. City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo saved Riyad Mahrez’s spot kick for the decisive moment following a 1-1 draw after regulation and extra time. Jamie Vardy also missed in the shootout for Leicester. Bernado Silva’s first-half goal looked to have given the visitors the win, but Vardy scored a stoppage-time penalty to take it beyond 90 minutes. City can still take a clean sweep of trophies this term with Guardiola’s side 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League and in the knockout stages of the Champions League. But Guardiola downplayed the chance of a quadruple. “That is not going to happen. Of course not,” he said. “Come on, that isn’t real. What we’re living isn’t real. The situation of winning 16 or 17 games in a row in the league and qualifying for the Champions League before we finished the group stage, and now we’re here playing with a lot of young players. That is not normal. “In football you drop points and you lose competitions. I am not thinking about how many titles, I am thinking about the next game.” Kelechi Iheanacho, who moved from City to Leicester for 25 million pounds in the summer, struggled to make an impact before he helped his old club to a 26th-minute opener. Iheanacho allowed Yaya Toure to take the ball, Gundogan strode forward to find Silva and the winger prodded the ball under the onrushing Ben Hamer. Leicester rattled City and eventually equalised in the seventh of eight minutes of stoppage time when Kyle Walker tangled with Demarai Gray in the area and Vardy buried the penalty. Both sides had chances in extra time before the shootout, where Christian Fuchs, Harry Maguire and Vicente Iborra scored for Leicester while Ilkay Gundogan, Yaya Toure, Lukas Nmecha and Gabriel Jesus netted for City. But, at 4-3, Vardy’s penalty hit the post and Bravo dived to his left to deny Mahrez. Elsewhere, Danny Welbeck scored the only goal of a forgettable game as Arsenal booked a place in the semi-finals for the first time in six years. Arsenal and West Ham shared a goalless draw in their Premier League meeting at the London Stadium last week. It was Welbeck’s first goal since his double against Bournemouth on September 9. He bundled home from close range after Mathieu Debuchy headed Francis Coquelin’s perfect pass across goal to find the England international.

MAN CHARGED FOR ALLEGED RACIST ATTACK AGAINST STERLING MANCHESTER, England (AP) — A man has been charged for an alleged racist attack on Manchester City and England footballer Raheem Sterling. Sterling was reportedly kicked and racially abused as he arrived at City’s Etihad Campus on Saturday before playing Tottenham in the English Premier League. Greater Manchester Police said Karl Anderson, aged 29, of Manchester, was charged with racially aggravated common assault. He has been remanded in custody to appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court today.

LEICESTER’s Jamie Vardy reacts after missing a penalty as Manchester City beat Leicester City on penalties during the League Cup quarterfinal match between Leicester City and Manchester City at the King Power Stadium in Leicester, England, on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

UB MINGOES GET 67-60 VICTORY OVER COUGARS TO SPLIT SERIES FROM PAGE 1

CENTRE COURT: Davis Cup captain Marvin Rolle (above) was upset by Justin Lunn yesterday on day two of the Giorgio Baldacci Open Nationals. Photo: Terrel W Carey/Tribune Staff

the win with a lay-up with 35.2 seconds left that extended their lead to 65-59. In what was a keenly contested game, Dames got a steal and scored on a fast break basket as he was fouled. He sunk the free throw and pushed UB’s lead to 60-57 with 1:43 left in the game. “Today we came out with a little more energy,” he stated. “In the first game, I felt we could have done better on the defensive end. But today, coach told us just to be more aggressive on the defensive end and the offence will come to us.” When it counted the most down the stretch, Dames said they fought hard. “The game was really close. Coach put some subs in,” he pointed out. “I know we were pretty tired, but he just told us to keep fighting and we came out with the win.” Against Spring Arbor University, Rolle said they played a pretty good team. He only wished that if he had big men like 6-foot, 11-inch junior centre Kyle Bartholomew or 6-8 senior forward Zach Mendendorp, he’s convinced the Mingoes would be solid as a rock. Mendendorp, who pumped in a side high 26 points in game one for the Cougars, didn’t suit up in game two. Instead, Bartholomew came up with 11 points and 17 rebounds. AJ Crawford, however, led their attack with a game high 20 points, shooting 5-for-10 from the field and he made a living from the free throw line,

connecting on 10 for 13. Connor Cottingham contributed 16 points with 18 rebounds, Jameson Pavelka had seven points and five rebounds and Connor Pelham added six points and 18 rebounds. SAU’s head coach Ryan Cottingham said the goal was to run the younger guys to give them the exposure and, despite the fact that they fell short, he was still pleased with their effort. “The Mingoes were just too good and too deep against us today,” he said. “They made some shots when they needed to and they competed hard. They are well coached, nothing but respect for those guys.” Cottingham said it was a phenomenal trip and they enjoyed every aspect of it and are looking forward to making a return in the future. For the Cougars, Pelman said they gave it their best shot. “I think we came out and played hard,” he said. “We couldn’t finish in crunch time, but other than that, we crashed the boards and ran the floor.” As for the trip, Pelman said it’s one that they won’t forget anytime soon. “It was real fun, a different environment,” he said. “Coming from the city, it was different seeing all of the stuff, including the driving. It was some crazy stuff.” Pelman said it was good to visit Atlantis and eat in the buffet restaurant. But with one more day left, he’s looking forward to some more interaction with the Bahamian people.

Lunn upsets Rolle FROM PAGE 1 now. “Today was a lot smoother. There were still some mistakes that I made, but I’m playing with a lot more confidence,” he said. “Anytime I play tournaments on the first day, it’s always hard for me, but as it goes on, I get better.” If he can work on the mental aspect of his game, Major Jr knows that he can produce some good results the rest of the tournament. Philip Major Jr won 6-0, 6-4 over Jody Turnquest, but he admitted that it’s going to be tough. “I’m starting to feel a lot better, but I know I have a

lot of work to do physically. I’m managing,” he pointed out. “I really appreciate my father, Philip Major Sr and Marvin Rolle for giving me the belief that I need to push through.” In the second set, Major Jr broke at 3-3 before Turnquest got the break back and they held out the rest of the match. While Cartwright and Pratt both won their two matches on day one in Pool A and B respectively and didn’t have to play on day two, Thompson earned the top spot in Pool C with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Afrika Smith and Clarke got by

Sierra Donaldson 6-1, 6-4 to clinch the top spot out of Pool D. Former Fed Cup player/ coach Larikah Russell finished in the No.2 spot in pool B to also advance to the main draw after she pulled off an identical 6-1, 6-1 win over junior player Elana Mackey. In other matches played on the men’s side, Donte Armbrister blanked Nathan Thompson 6-0, 6-0, Oneal Mortimer got a walk/over win against Robert Smith, Shannon Francis knocked off Archie Burrows 6-1, 6-1 and Calum Moodie held off Michael Butler 7-5, 6-7, 10-6.

ON THE REPLAY: After letting game one slip out of their grasp, the University of the Bahamas Mingoes held on in game two to split their two-game series against the visiting Spring Arbor University Cougars. Coming off a 84-76 loss on Monday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, the Mingoes rallied yesterday to snatch 67-60 win. Photos: Terrel W Carey/Tribune Staff

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Wednesday, December 20, 2017, PAGE 5

Patriots on top in the latest AP Pro32 poll By SIMMI BUTTAR Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — With the regular season winding down, Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the rest of the New England Patriots are back in a familiar spot. On top of the NFL. The Patriots moved up two spots to No. 1 in the AP Pro32 poll on Tuesday, receiving nine of 12 firstplace votes for 379 points in balloting by media members who regularly cover the NFL. The Patriots (11-3) edged the Steelers 27-24 at Heinz Field on Sunday in one of the most anticipated matchups of the season. “Another No. 1 AFC seed is in their hungry grasp after the Patriots rode Rob Gronkowski to victory at Heinz Field,” said Ira Kaufman of SB Nation Radio. Gronkowski had nine catches for 168 yards for the AFC East champions. The Patriots now are in position to clinch homefield advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. Because the Patriots close the regular season with home games against Buffalo and the Jets, they might not leave Foxborough until the Super Bowl in Minneapolis in February. “Patriots fans so inclined can now safely buy their airplane tickets to Minneapolis for Super Bowl 52,”

rather than spike the ball to set up a potential tying field goal. “I’m not happy with the outcome,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said on Tuesday.

“We played to win. We didn’t win the game. We’re not quantifying level of success. We didn’t do enough to win the game.” The Minnesota Vikings inched up a spot to No. 3

after routing the lifeless Cincinnati Bengals 34-7 to clinch the NFC North. “Odds increasing of hosting Super Bowl,” Fox Sports’ John Czarnecki said. Despite beating the New York Giants in their first game without Carson Wentz, the Philadelphia Eagles dropped two spots to No. 4. The Eagles, who have the NFL’s best record at 12-2, received the remaining three first-place votes. The Los Angeles Rams remained at No. 5 after routing the Seattle Seahawks 42-7 and are closing in on their first division title since 2003. “The changing of the guard in the NFC West is now complete, thanks to a road rout of the Seahawks led by dynamic MVP candidate Todd Gurley,” Kaufman said. The New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers, tied for first place in the NFC South at 10-4, were tied in the poll at No. 6. The Jacksonville Jaguars remained at No. 8 as they ended a decade-long playoff drought with a 45-7 rout of AFC South rival Houston on Sunday. The Atlanta Falcons stayed at No. 9 after holding off the Buccaneers 24-21 on Monday to stay in the playoff race. The Kansas City Chiefs jumped four spots to round out the top 10.

tough with or without Rodgers. He was knocked out in Week 6 after landing on his right arm after a hard hit outside the pocket by Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr. “I mean you can’t go out there trying to take someone out like that. Just play ball, we don’t really think about it too much,” left guard Lane Taylor said when asked if the team was motivated by another opportunity to face Barr. So the Packers are in the unusual position of possibly playing the spoiler role. Their final foe, the Detroit Lions in Week 17, also remains in the chase for a wild-card spot.

An early end to a season for a team perennially considered a Super Bowl contender could spark more change in the offseason, especially on defence. The Packers haven’t had consistent pass-rushing punch on the edge, a group led by outside linebacker Clay Matthews and Nick Perry. Injuries have also have decimated the Packers at cornerback, which was already a question mark. They were without starters Kevin King and Davon House last week against Carolina due to shoulder injuries. “You know we had ups and downs. We didn’t play as good as we should have,

and what we’re capable of,” Perry said. “We didn’t get the job done this year. I’m pretty sad about it. The only thing we can do now is just look forward and just move in the right direction.” They’ll have to do it without Rodgers over the final two weeks. When asked, McCarthy said there was no second-guessing about playing Rodgers last week. “I think we all cringed when he took that first hit and frankly when he took the one from behind on the full fake,” McCarthy said. “That’s a bad hit on a good day, when you’re completely healthy, not coming off what he went through to get back for that game.”

NEW England Patriots strong safety Duron Harmon (30) celebrates with strong safety Patrick Chung (23) after intercepting a pass in the end zone from Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger as time runs out on Sunday. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) said Alex Marvez of The Sporting News. The Steelers slipped to No. 2 in the poll after the loss. Pittsburgh blew a 24-16 point lead, then botched

a chance to pull it out on the final drive when tight end Jesse James’ apparent touchdown was overturned on review. Ben Roethlisberger then threw an interception in the end zone

Packers playing without chance for playoffs By GENARO C. ARMAS Associated Press GREEN BAY, Wisconsin (AP) — This will be a strange couple weeks in Titletown. The Green Bay Packers’ streak of eight straight postseason appearances is over. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is done for the year after he was placed on injured reserve yesterday. Rodgers threw for three touchdowns and tossed three interceptions in Sunday’s 31-24 loss at Carolina in his return from a broken collarbone. Coach Mike McCarthy said there were no setbacks with Rodgers’ injury, but

it made sense to shut him down. “He took a number of hits. With all the factors involved, we felt this was clearly in Aaron Rodgers’ best interest,” McCarthy said. “He’s not happy about it. It’s a hard day for him.” It’s an unusual time for the team as a whole. The Packers last missed the playoffs in 2008, which was Rodgers’ first season as the starter. They’re not used to playing games this late into December without postseason implications. Atlanta’s win over Tampa Bay on Monday night sealed Green Bay’s fate in the NFC wild-card chase. Packers receiver Randall

Cobb dozed off in front of the TV while watching the game and woke up on Tuesday morning to difficult news. “It’s very disappointing. You never want to be in this situation,” Cobb said, “but we are.” The Packers managed to go 3-4 in games started by backup quarterback Brett Hundley to keep their playoff hopes alive while Rodgers was out. With Rodgers done, Hundley will take over again as the starter Saturday against Minnesota, and the Packers re-signed Joe Callahan to be his backup. The last three games of the year figured to be

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Wednesday, December 20, 2017, PAGE 7

GATLIN FIRES COACH, ‘SHOCKED’ BY NEWSPAPER ALLEGATIONS LONDON (AP) — World 100metre champion Justin Gatlin fired coach Dennis Mitchell following an undercover investigation reported yesterday that appeared to show people linked to the sprinter offering to supply performance-enhancing drugs. “I was shocked and surprised to learn that my coach would have anything to do with even the appearance of these current accusations,” Gatlin wrote in a post on his Instagram account. “I fired him as soon as I found out about this.” The IAAF’s Athletics Integrity Unit said it is investigating the allegations in conjunction with the United States Anti-Doping Agency. The report was published in Tuesday’s edition of the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph. “These allegations are very serious,” said Brett Clothier, head of the AIU, “and strike at the heart of the integrity of athletics.” IAAF President Sebastian Coe said the allegations are “extremely serious.” The Telegraph reported that Mitchell and a track agent, Robert Wagner, met undercover reporters at a training camp in Florida and offered to supply

IN this August 3 file photo, American sprinter Justin Gatlin arrives for a training session ahead of the World Athletics Championships in London. (AP) and administer testosterone and human growth hormone for an

actor training for a film, for a fee of $250,000. The newspaper

said Mitchell and Wagner were secretly recorded saying the use

of banned substances in track was widespread. Wagner called the newspaper report “deeply flawed” and said it was based on things he said that were not true. “I made up the comments to impress them, led on by a makebelieve scenario,” Wagner said in a statement to The Associated Press. “It was just big talk. I did not actually source or supply the substances the reporters asked for but stupidly claimed I could.” Wagner also said he notified the Athletics Integrity Unit of the situation four weeks ago. The 35-year-old Gatlin, who also won the 100 metres at the 2004 Athens Olympics, has served two doping bans in his career. “I am not using and have not used PEDs,” Gatlin wrote in his Instagram post. “All legal options are on the table as I will not allow others to lie about me like this. I have no further comments as it is now a legal matter. They will next hear from my lawyer.” Coe said the IAAF has started to focus on the “influences that surround athletes” and stressed that all support personnel are bound by the governing body’s anti-doping code and integrity code of conduct.

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 62° F/17° C

TAMPA

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Sunny to partly cloudy and pleasant

Mainly clear

Mostly sunny and beautiful

Mostly sunny and nice

Partly sunny, a shower; breezy

High: 82°

Low: 70°

High: 81° Low: 68°

High: 82° Low: 69°

High: 83° Low: 70°

AccuWeather RealFeel

86° F

75° F

91°-72° F

89°-69° F

85°-69° F

85°-74° F

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 67° F/19° C

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

almanac

ABACO

High: 77° F/25° C Low: 71° F/22° C

6-12 knots

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 62° F/17° C

4-8 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 64° F/18° C

N E S

WEST PALM BEACH

uV inDex toDay

TONIGHT

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 64° F/18° C

MIAMI

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 65° F/18° C

4-8 knots

Statistics are for Nassau through 1 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 79° F/26° C Low .................................................... 65° F/18° C Normal high ....................................... 79° F/26° C Normal low ........................................ 67° F/19° C Last year’s high ................................. 85° F/29° C Last year’s low ................................... 74° F/24° C Precipitation As of 1 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.00” Year to date ............................................... 38.72” Normal year to date ................................... 39.14”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 70° F/21° C

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 70° F/21° C

KEY WEST

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 70° F/21° C

4-8 knots

6-12 knots

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

8:54 a.m. 9:13 p.m.

2.8 2.2

2:34 a.m. -0.1 3:24 p.m. 0.0

Thursday

9:32 a.m. 9:53 p.m.

2.8 2.2

3:12 a.m. 4:02 p.m.

0.0 0.1

Friday

10:10 a.m. 10:34 p.m.

2.7 2.1

3:52 a.m. 4:40 p.m.

0.1 0.1

Saturday

10:49 a.m. 11:19 p.m.

2.6 2.2

4:34 a.m. 5:20 p.m.

0.3 0.2

Sunday

11:32 a.m. -----

2.5 -----

5:20 a.m. 6:03 p.m.

0.4 0.2

Monday

12:08 a.m. 12:20 p.m.

2.2 2.4

6:12 a.m. 6:49 p.m.

0.5 0.1

Tuesday

1:02 a.m. 1:13 p.m.

2.3 2.4

7:11 a.m. 7:40 p.m.

0.5 0.0

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:50 a.m. 5:25 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

8:31 a.m. 7:37 p.m.

First

Full

Last

New

Dec. 26

Jan. 1

Jan. 8

Jan. 16

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 73° F/23° C

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 74° F/23° C

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 69° F/21° C

W S

LONG ISLAND

insurance management tracking map

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 74° F/23° C

4-8 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 79° F/26° C Low: 75° F/24° C

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

High Today

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 72° F/22° C

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

tiDes For nassau

CAT ISLAND

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS RAGGED ISLAND High: 79° F/26° C Low: 76° F/24° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 82° F/28° C Low: 75° F/24° C

N E

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 75° F/24° C

7-14 knots

8-16 knots

marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR

Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday:

WINDS SW at 4-8 Knots WSW at 6-12 Knots E at 4-8 Knots E at 3-6 Knots E at 6-12 Knots E at 3-6 Knots ENE at 7-14 Knots ENE at 7-14 Knots E at 4-8 Knots WNW at 3-6 Knots S at 6-12 Knots WSW at 4-8 Knots E at 6-12 Knots E at 3-6 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots ENE at 7-14 Knots ENE at 7-14 Knots ENE at 6-12 Knots E at 7-14 Knots ENE at 6-12 Knots ESE at 3-6 Knots SW at 3-6 Knots NE at 7-14 Knots E at 7-14 Knots E at 4-8 Knots E at 3-6 Knots

WAVES 2-4 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-2 Feet 0-1 Feet 2-4 Feet 1-3 Feet 3-5 Feet 2-4 Feet 2-4 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-2 Feet 0-1 Feet 3-5 Feet 2-4 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-2 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-5 Feet 1-2 Feet 0-1 Feet 2-4 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-2 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 79° F 76° F 77° F 78° F 78° F 79° F 81° F 81° F 76° F 77° F 75° F 74° F 77° F 79° F 82° F 82° F 80° F 81° F 81° F 79° F 75° F 75° F 79° F 80° F 77° F 79° F

PAGE 8, Wednesday, December 20, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

SHOOTING FOR 2: LAKERS RETIRE KOBE BRYANT’S 8 AND 24 JERSEYS By GREG BEACHAM Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Although Kobe Bryant has been asked many times, he still isn’t sure who would win a mystical game of oneon-one between the young Kobe in his No. 8 Lakers jersey and his older self, who wore No. 24. “I kind of go back and forth,” Bryant said with a sly grin. “But 8 has something that 24 will never, ever, ever have, and that’s the ability to grow hair.” The Lakers couldn’t choose, either. So they honoured both eras of Kobe’s incredible career. In an NBA first, the Lakers on Monday night retired both jersey numbers worn by Bryant, the leading scorer in franchise history. Bryant attended the Lakers’ game against the Golden State Warriors for a halftime ceremony at Staples Center, which was packed with fans eager to bear witness once again to the beloved superstar scorer. Dozens of Bryant’s former teammates showed up, including Shaquille O’Neal and Derek Fisher, along with the Lakers’ usual cavalcade of celebrity fans. “I feel great,” Bryant said after entering Staples Center while pushing a stroller containing Bianka Bella Bryant, his infant daughter. “I’m very proud I get to come here with my family. It feels good as a father to have my family come in and share this.” Bryant is the 10th player with a retired jersey for the 16-time NBA champion Lakers. His numbers were revealed high on the Staples Center wall, flanking the banner honouring Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn. “It’s not about the jerseys that are hanging up there for me,” Bryant told the cheering crowd. “It’s about the jerseys that were hanging up there before. They inspired me

to play the game at a high level.” Magic Johnson and Lakers owner Jeanie Buss gave brief tributes to Bryant at halftime, with Magic boldly declaring, “We’re here to celebrate the greatest who ever wore the purple and gold.” Buss cleverly explained the reasoning behind the Lakers’ decision to hang two jersey numbers for Bryant: “If you separated each of the accomplishments under those numbers, each of those players would qualify for the Hall of Fame.” “I thank you for staying loyal to the purple and gold and remaining a Laker for life when it might have been easier for you to leave,” Buss added. Along with Bryant’s 33,643 points, the fivetime NBA champion and 18-time All-Star selection also leads the Lakers in games played (1,346), 3-pointers (1,827), steals (1,944) and free throws (8,378). Bryant is the thirdleading scorer in league history. He also was the first player to spend at least 20 seasons with one franchise, and he is widely beloved in Southern California, where he still lives with his family. “He’s everything in this city,” said Lakers coach Luke Walton, Bryant’s teammate on the last two title teams. “To play his entire career for one organisation, in modern sports, it really doesn’t happen very often anymore,” Walton added. “To go through two different championship runs, I think the Lakers are such a huge part of this city that people feel connected to him. ... They feel as if they were on that journey with him, with us, and I think that’s why there’s such a connection.” The Lakers celebrated by closing down the street outside Staples Center and

staging a street fair dubbed “Kobeland,” complete with a Ferris wheel and many other games and attractions. Thousands of fans crowded into the downtown streets several hours before the game just to appreciate the atmosphere. The Lakers typically only retire the numbers of players enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Bryant isn’t eligible until 2021, but the Lakers decided not to wait for that formality — and for Kobe, they doubled up the honour. Bryant switched jersey numbers halfway through his career, neatly dividing the eras of his 20 years with the Lakers. The No. 8 Bryant won three NBA titles, and the No. 24 Bryant won two more before retiring in 2016 with a stunning 60-point performance in his farewell game against Utah. Bryant even scored almost the same number of points in No. 8 (16,777) as he did in No. 24 (16,866). When pressed to pick his favourite era of his own career, Bryant reluctantly did it.

FORMER Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant speaks during a halftime ceremony retiring both of his jersey’s during Monday night’s game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors. TOP LEFT - In a January 25, 2013, file photo, Bryant goes up for a dunk against the Utah Jazz. TOP RIGHT - In a July 12, 1996, file photo, 17-year-old Bryant jokes with the media as he holds his Lakers jersey during a news conference in Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) “If 8 is playing 24 after he just ruptured his Achilles, then it’s a problem for 24,” Bryant said. “If 24 is playing 8 when he tore his

shoulder, it’s a problem for No. 8. so it depends. ... It’s really, really tough for me. I think 24 was more challenging, and I tend to gravitate

to things that are harder to do, and physically for me, it was really hard to get up night in and night out. It was really a grind.”