07152016 sports by tribune242

SPORTS SECTION E

Junior Tennis

Nationals, Page 2

FRIDAY, JULY 15, 2016

Bahamas rout T&T to top pool play in CBC U-16 By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net AFTER a day’s rest, the Bahamas girls basketball team came back and routed Trinidad & Tobago by 53 points to win their pool play in the Caribbean Basketball Confederation’s Under-16 Girls Basketball Championship Tournament. In their 89-36 rout, Valencia Demeritte posted another game high 26 points, Brionte Riley had 16, Tanae Bowleg 13 and Kendise Smith added 10 in a balanced scoring attack as the Bahamas improved to 2-0. The win came after the Bahamas opened play on Tuesday night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall in Georgetown, Guyana when they held off Suriname 59-54. Head coach Varel Davis said the team played exceptionally well. “The team’s performance was excellent tonight. We capitalised on their mistakes and our defence was a lot better from our first game,” said Davis, who is assisted by Charlene ‘Swish’ Smith and Anastacia Moultrie. “We also made a lot of lay-ups. The last game we missed a few and

TEAM BAHAMAS to the Caribbean Basketball Confederation’s Under-16 Girls Basketball Championship Tournament. we cut down on the turnovers, so the win was very good tonight. We are now preparing for the crossover tomorrow (today).” After securing another victory to wrap up pool B, Davis said she wasn’t surprised at the performance. “I know these girls, once they come to play, no team in this tournament can play with us,” she said. “I know when we cross over, we have a very good chance of making

it to the gold medal round because we have one of the best teams in this tournament.” Up to press time, the Bahamas was still waiting to find out who their opponent will be today from pool A, which includes Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Antigua & Barbuda and Guyana. But Davis said it doesn’t matter. They are on a mission in Guyana. “Most likely we will be playing the feature game tomorrow night,

so we will be ready to play,” Davis said. “The girls are really excited about the way they have played so far, so we are hoping to continue to play as well as we’ve done so far.” The Bahamas will need to win today’s game in order to clinch a berth in Saturday night’s championship game, but Davis is confident that they can get the job done. “Our goal right now is to get to the gold medal game. If these girls continue to do what we are doing right now, we should be able to get there,” Davis said. “But I’m very proud of the way they are plying right now. We just have to wait to see how tomorrow (today) goes.” The girls are hoping to join the boys’ team that won their version of the tournament last week with a 84-57 win over host Guyana as Domnick Bridgewater was named the most valuable player after scoring a game high 34 points with eight steals. The boys’ team, coached by Quinton ‘Three-Ounch’ Hall, along with Guyana and third place finishers Jamaica, qualified for the Under-17 CentroBasket Championships. The girls’ team is hoping to qualify as well after Saturday’s finale.

Davis Cup win streak continues By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

eam captain Marvin Rolle inserted Kevin ‘KJ’ Major Jr into the rotation and the Bahamas continued its winning streak, completing pool B round robin play with a 3-0 sweep over Trinidad & Tobago. Now the Bahamas is one match away from returning to the American Zone II for 2017. Major Jr, who supported his teammates from the sidelines in their first two victories over Honduras and Costa Rica in Zone III at the National Tennis Club in La Paz, Bolivia, finally got in action as they began play yesterday. In his opening singles match, Major Jr pulled off a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 win over Luke de Caires. Spencer Newman followed with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Akiel Duke and then Rolle and Spencer Newman sealed the deal with their 6-2, 6-3 win over Richard Chung and Luke De Caires. Rolle said they decided to give Baker Newman a break after he played a number of matches over the past two ties and Major Jr fitted in very well. “It was a good performance by everybody,” said Rolle in an interview from Bolivia. “KJ won in three sets. He came up big in the third set. And Spencer played well in his match and me and Spencer played the doubles and we were able to close it out in straight sets. “Overall, it was a great match. We have a day off tomorrow (today) and will come back and play Jamaica on Saturday. So hopefully we can pull off the win and get up to zone II.” Major, 21, needed just one hour and 39 minutes to dispose of De

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WINNING WAYS: Bahamas’ Davis Cup team of brothers Baker and Spencer Newman, Marvin Rolle (second from right) and Kevin ‘KJ’ Major (far right) proudly hold the Bahamas flag in Bolivia.

BOC NOT YET READY TO RELEASE NAMES ON OLYMPIC TEAM By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net SECRETARY General Romel ‘Fish’ Knowles said the Bahamas Olympic Committee is not quite yet ready to release the names of Team Bahamas going to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, next month. While the deadline for athletes to quality was Sunday (July 11), Knowles said there are still a few more logistics that they have to deal with before they announce the team either Monday or Tuesday. “The president (Wellington Miller) is away and he won’t be back until tomorrow (today),” Knowles said. “So we are just waiting on him to return so that we can finalise the list. “But we are also waiting to see what happens with the Russian Olympic Committee, who is waiting on a court hearing. That will determine whether or not we will carry our women’s 4 x 400m relay team, which will increase the number of persons on the team.” Knowles, however, said the BOC has decided to ratify all of the athletes who would have done the qualifying standard, including former co-national women’s 100m hurdle record holders Adanaca Brown and Devynne Charlton, who are both nursing injuries. While Brown has not competed so far this year, Charlton ran indoors for Purdue University before she suffered a back injury that has forced her to shut down her outdoor season. Additionally, Knowles said the BOC is waiting on a progress report from Latario Collie, who won the NCAA outdoor men’s triple jump on his first jump. Collie was forced to watch the remainder of the competition after he suffered a slight injury that hampered him from competing at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National Open Track and Field Championships. The BAAA held the Nationals in June at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium, which served as a final trial for the Olympics. However, the IAAF has extended the deadline for athletes to qualify to Monday, July 11, following the completion of the USA and European trials that weekend. There were a few athletes whose names were submit-

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Buddy Hield earns ESPY Award for Best Male College Athlete By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net AS he gets set to begin his professional career in earnest, Buddy Hield continues to reap rewards for his record-breaking collegiate season. The former Oklahoma Sooners and current New Orleans Pelicans guard won the ESPY Award for “Best Male College Athlete” last night in the show hosted at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. Hield beat out four other nominees in the category, including Derrick Henry of Alabama (football), Jarrion Lawson of Arkansas (track and field), Jordan Morris of Stanford (soccer) and Alex Dieringer of Oklahoma State (wrestling). Hield’s star-studded senior season for the Sooners concluded

with a litany of awards, including the John R Wooden, Naismith and Oscar Robertson Player of the Year trophies. He was also named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches first-team, a first-team All-American by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), Sports Illustrated and USA Today. His list of honours also included the Sporting News Player of the Year, USBWA District VI Player of the Year, CBS Sports Player of the Year, Big 12 Player of the Year and the All-Big 12 first-team. Hield could have left Oklahoma after his junior season as a potential first-round pick, but he returned to school for his senior season. It turned out to be a wise decision, as he had a career year, averaging 25.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 50.1 per cent over-

BUDDY HIELD all and 45.7 per cent from threepoint range. He went on to be selected No.6 overall to the New Orleans Pelicans in this year’s NBA Draft. Hield was unable to attend the show, hosted by WWE superstar John Cena, due to his participation in the Samsung NBA Sum-

mer League in Las Vegas, Nevada. His New Orleans Pelicans will play their final game in the tournament today. Through four Summer League games, Hield has averaged 18.3 points per game, but also shot just 34 per cent from the field and 24 per cent from three-point range. “I’m not worried about it. I’ll use the Summer League as motivation to keep myself humble and show you’re not good enough yet to play in this league,” Hield said following the Pelicans’ first round tournament loss to the Miami Heat. “I just got to keep working and I’ve been working so hard and I probably won’t take any time off because I’ve got to catch up.” This was the second time the Bahamas has been associated with winning a possible ESPY award. The improbable finish of the in-

augural Popeyes Bahamas Bowl in which Central Michigan scored a 75-yard, three-lateral touchdown as time expired has advanced to the Finals for the 2015 ESPY Best Play award. CMU’s touchdown, the No. 2 seed in the 16-play bracket, received 60 per cent of the online vote to defeat No. 7 seed Tyler Ennis of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres in the Round of 8 to move on to the final fan vote. New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr won the ESPY Award for play of the year for his catch against the Dallas Cowboys. The ESPYs were created by ESPN as an accolade to recognise individual and team athletic achievement and other sportsrelated performance during the calendar year preceding a given annual ceremony. The first ESPYs were awarded in 1993.

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THE TRIBUNE

Junior tennis stars take spotlight at Nationals CENTRE COURT: Young tennis stars compete in the Bahamas Junior National Tennis Championships yesterday at the tennis centre in the Queen Elizabeth Sporting Complex. Photos by Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

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Friday, July 15, 2016, PAGE 3

Last-minute push for relays to qualify for Rio ‘not sufficient’ It’s not how you start, nor how you get there. Most importantly, it’s how you finish • The Finish Line, a weekly column, seeks to comment on the state of affairs in local sports, highlighting the highs and the lows, the thrills and the spills and the successes and failures. THE WEEK THAT WAS THE Blue Marlin Track Classic on Independence Day served as the last chance for the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations to get all of its relay teams positioned to get a lane for the 2016 Olympic Games. At the end of Sunday’s meet in the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium, only the women’s 4 x 400m team was able to close in on the trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to compete in the games from August 5-21. They earned the 16th and final spot after only eight places were left because the top eight spots in all of the relays went to the finalists of the second IAAF World Relays here at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium last year. The IAAF, the governing body of the sport, released their list of top performances in the relay on Wednesday and although they are under suspension for a doping violation by various athletes from their country, Russia is occupying the 10th spot.

They are awaiting a decision by the Court of Arbitration to determine whether or not their suspension will be lifted before a final decision is made on the fate of the women’s relay team. Let me just say for the record, there’s no need for any other media house to refute any reports posted in The Tribune. I think we are capable of doing that. In the case of the women’s 4 x 400m relay and reports that the women’s 4 x 400m relay team had not qualified, based on their finish on Sunday and their performance at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China, the Bahamas has accumulated an aggregated time to move into the 16th spot. The Russians are sitting on the list with an asterisk behind their name, indicating that they were entered without prejudice, conditional on CAS ruling. That means that Russia could not make the trek to Rio and the Bahamas will be in, just as Japan could clinch their berth in the men’s 4 x 400m where Russia is listed at No.11. So rather than saying that they have not qualified, I think we should wait until the proceedings are complete. In the meantime, I think the ladies should be commended for the gallant effort in getting to the position that they achieved. When one considers that there were numerous opportunities for the Bahamas to qualify, not just the

FAST TRACK: Pedrya Seymour competes in the 100m hurdles during the 2nd annual Blue Marlin Track Classic at TAR National Stadium on Sunday. Photo by Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff women’s 4 x 400m, but both the men and women 4 x 100m, I think the last minute push on Sunday was not sufficient. I commend the BAAA and the coaching staff for putting the relay camp together over the few days leading up to the meet. Imagine if a more concerted effort was done after the teams failed to qualify at the World Relays. Normally, the Bahamas send teams to compete in the Penn Relays in Philadelphia to participate in the showdown dubbed: the USA versus the World. That didn’t happen. There were at least two meets in Jamaica where I’m sure if more emphasis

was placed on it, the relays could have been included with the possibility of some other countries joining in. I just wish to reiterate for the record that I still felt that if the United States of America could come to the Bahamas fully loaded with all of their teams to qualify at the World Relays, why didn’t we ensure that we put together the best teams possible to qualify as well. I know there are some personal issues, injuries and collegiate obligations that prevented that from happening. But there’s no excuse when the meet is in your backyard that a more concerted effort is not made from all parties concerned. There’s no reason why,

“WHEN ONE CONSIDERS THAT THERE WERE NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE BAHAMAS TO QUALIFY, NOT JUST THE WOMEN’S 4 X 400M, BUT BOTH THE MEN AND WOMEN 4 X 100M, I THINK THE LAST MINUTE PUSH ON SUNDAY WAS NOT SUFFICIENT.” with all of the talent that have been exhibited and the amount of athletes on subvention by the Bahamas Government, we should not have qualified these teams for Rio. THE WEEK AHEAD It’s going to be an interesting week as the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the National Sports Authority unveils the new look inside the Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium on Sunday when a gospel concert will take place at 5pm. Over the last few months, the first phase of the renovation of the stadium was taking place with the old

Boxing clubs host series of exhibitions in Exuma By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net A PAIR of local boxing clubs sought to expand their reach to the Family Islands and to also give their student athletes greater exposure. Major Pain Boxing Club, in conjunction with Champion Boxing Club, recently hosted the “Exuma on the Basketball Court” event – a series of boxing exhibitions in Georgetown, Exuma. The event, sponsored by Ishmon Smith, took place over the Independence Holiday weekend featuring boxers from both clubs in a series of exhibition matches and tutorials. Meacher Major, director of the Major Pain Boxing Club , said the trip was the first of many in the outreach programme of the club. “The purpose of the trip was to introduce boxing to the youth of Exuma and the response from the community was great. The kids were very excited. We had five exhibition matches and three grudge matches from the Exumians. Now they are very interested in a boxing programme being down there. We want to give our youth the exposure, many of whom never left the island of Nassau before,” he said. “Major Pain Boxing Club plans to help build boxing within the entire Bahamas and Exuma is the first that we travelled to as a team. Martin Rolle, a former boxer based in Exuma, is very interested in starting a boxing club on the island. The experience was a blessing for our club.” The groups participate in several shows throughout the year but

MEACHER MAJOR, director of the Major Pain Boxing Club Director, said the trip was the first of many in the outreach programme of the club. now that yearly effort will include the trips to the Family Islands. “The natives were very pleasant and we plan to make these trips to different islands annually,” Major said. “I want to thank God for giving us this opportunity to give back and a special thanks to Dorothy Dorgaville, John Marshall, Guest House, Peace and Plenty and Beauty Paint Box. Hospitality was a plus at both hotels. On making this trip a complete success we extend a special thanks to Kato Ferguson, the head coach of Major Pain Boxing Club, assistant Nevin Kurt Lobo and also Champion Boxing Club Director Ray Minus.” Dorgaville said she sought out to build a relationship with the

club because of the impact Major has made on his local community in Kemp Road. “I know there is a lot of potential on the island of Exuma and we don’t get as much exposure as we should. I felt like this would be a great opportunity for kids here on the island to get a grasp of something different than what they are used to like basketball, softball and football and the regular summer programmes, she said. “With Meacher coming down and being a positive mentor and role model and instilling the same impact on these kids of Exuma, I feel like it would be a great opportunity for them to get into this sport rather than possible idle activities they could get into.”

According to Major, what began in December 2014 with just a few young men from the Kemp Road community has expanded to include a group of promising young fighters and others seeking to use boxing as a tool to enhance their lives. “It’s more than just a boxing club,” he said. “We want to assist them in their growth as young men and as citizens of the Bahamas. It is bigger than boxing. We have a tutor and mentorship programme to make sure that we assist them in the classroom because that is even more important than the work they do in the ring. They also do community service as a means of giving back and becoming well-rounded individuals.”

MAVIN SAUNDERS NAMED TO ACC ACADEMIC HONOUR ROLL By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net BAHAMIAN gridiron star Mavin Saunders earned a noteworthy accolade in the classroom as he prepares for a breakout season on the field. Saunders, headed into his redshirt sophomore season with the Florida State Seminoles this fall, was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Academic Honour Roll. The Seminoles produced a school-record 241 student-athletes make the ACC’s Academic Honour Roll, which was announced last Thursday. To receive the honour, students have to maintain a 3.0 grade point average or better in the classroom, according to a release. As a whole, the ACC honoured a record 4,368 athletes. Duke had the most in the conference with 480 while Georgia Tech had the fewest with 165. Other members of the Seminole football team to make the list include quarterback Deondre Francois and centres Corey Martinez

and Ryan Hoefeld. comfortable using Saunders looks to him in every situahave an expanded tion. On top of that, role this season in the he must also come Seminoles offence down with more 50and make his impact 50 passes and take on the field as well. full advantage of his The Orlando Senathletic gifts.” tinel’s Brendan SonHe ended the 2015none outlined the 16 season with a 38impact he expects 24 loss to fellow BaSaunders to have on hamian Alex Cooper the Seminoles and its MAVIN SAUNDERS and the No.14 ranked tight end group this Houston Cougars season. in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl. “Saunders’ development should It was the first time Bahamians be fun to watch, simply because squared off on opposite sides of a any improvement he makes major NCAA football bowl game should be noticeable given how and was also the final game of raw he is. Coach Jimbo Fisher is Cooper’s collegiate career. very high on Saunders and thinks The Seminoles finished the seahe can evolve into a dynamic re- son at 10-3, 6-2 in the ACC to adceiving threat. As productive as vance to a major bowl despite not Nick O’Leary was for FSU, he earning a spot in the ACC conferwasn’t a true downfield threat, ence championship game. but Saunders’ athleticism could Saunders, the 6’5” 258-pound enable him to be a matchup night- redshirt freshman tight end and mare all over the field,” he said. Bimini native, has appeared in “Working on becoming a more six games last season before being polished blocker is going to be big relegated to the sidelines due to a for Saunders so the staff can feel nagging back injury.

In the season opener, he caught a single pass for five yards. His best game of the season was the first start of his collegiate career, when he finished with three receptions for 26 yards – both career highs – in the Seminoles’ 29-24 win over in-state rival, the University of Miami Hurricanes. He was pegged as one of the leading candidates to become a major contributor at tight end with the departure of senior standout Nick O’Leary. Saunders was a standout this spring as the Seminoles wrapped up spring practice with the 2015 Garnet and Gold Game. He finished with six receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown. He appeared in just one game in his true freshman season – an October contest against Wake Forest – before he earned a medical redshirt. Saunders was originally recruited to the Frank Rutherford Elite Development programme as a basketball player before making the shift to the gridiron in junior year of high school at The Kinkaid School in Texas.

floor being replaced and other cosmetic work that took place. The first sporting event, however, is expected to be staged next weekend when the 29th Jeff Rodgers Summer Basketball Camp hosts some of the top players from the National Basketball Association, including Grand Bahamian Chavanno ‘Buddy’ Hield, the sixth pick in the recent draft by the New Orleans Pelicans. Also next week, it’s expected that the BOC will officially name its team heading to Rio for the Olympics. There are a lot of speculations and some uneasiness over the long wait. Hopefully, it will be worth the wait.

BRACKET ALL SET FOR 5TH BATTLE 4 ATLANTIS By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net THE field has been named and the bracket is now set for the 5th edition of the Battle 4 Atlantis. Already touted as one of the top early season tournaments in NCAA basketball, event organisers released the bracket this week, giving an early look at the matchups we can expect in the Imperial Arena at the Atlantis Resort, November 23-25. The 2016 tournament includes the Michigan State Spartans, the Louisville Cardinals, the Wichita State Shockers, St John’s Red Storm, Virginia Commonwealth University Rams, Baylor Bears, LSU Tigers and Old Dominion Monarchs. The opening session, broadcast live on ESPN2, will feature Wichita State against LSU, November 23 at 12pm, followed by Baylor against VCU at 2:30pm. The evening session on day one, broadcast on AXS TV, will feature Michigan State against St John’s at 7pm and concludes with Old Dominion against Louisville at 9:30pm. The championship game will take place November 25 at 3:30pm live on ESPN and ESPN2. This year’s tournament will mark the third consecutive year that a Bahamian will play at home in the Battle 4 Atlantis with point guard Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn who just finished his sophomore season with the Spartans. The 2016 field will also mark the second time the Cardinals will play in the Battle 4 Atlantis following their appearance in 2012. They fell to Duke in the tournament finale in Nassau but went on to win the NCAA national title. The 2015 tournament featured a strong Bahamian presence with the Texas A and M Aggies’ Tavario Miller and Texas Longhorns’ Shaquille Cleare. Buddy Hield of the Oklahoma Sooners and Wannah Bail of the UCLA Bruins became the first Bahamians to play in the tournament when they competed in 2014. The tournament is staged at the 3,900-seat Imperial Arena, a ballroom converted to a basketball venue. The event is televised live on ESPN and AXS TV. ESPN2 airs opening round games while ESPN airs the semi-finals, third place and championship games.

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BOC NOT YET READY TO RELEASE THE NAMES FOR RIO OLYMPIC TEAM FROM PAGE 1 ted by the BAAA to the BOC for ratification. They competed in the Blue Marlin Track Classic on Independence Day to prove their fitness. Also at the meet on Sunday, the BAAA ran a women’s 4 x 400m, a women’s 4 x 100m and two men’s 4 x 100m teams to secure one of the remaining eight spots to complete the top 16 spots for Rio.

The eight finalists in all four relays, including the men’s 4 x 400m, clinched their spots at the second IAAF World Relays that was held at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium last year. At the Blue Marlin Classic, the women’s 4 x 400m team of Lanece Clarke, Carmiesha Cox, Christine Amertil and Shaquania Dorsett won the women’s 4 x 400m relay over Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica to move into the 16th and final spot.

However, they will only be allowed to hold onto that position if Russia’s case in the Court of Arbitration for their suspension from the IAAF for doping violations by their country is not overturned. - The quartet, along with Collie, joined the list of the following athletes and coaches submitted by the BAAA to the BOC for ratification. Ladies – Tynia Gaither, She-

niqua ‘Q’ Ferguson, Anthonique Strachan (100-200m), Shaunae Miller (200/400m), Pedrya Seymour (100m hurdles) and Bianca Stuart (long jump). Men – Adrian Griffith, Jamial Rolle, Shavez Hart (100/200m), Demetrius Pinder (200m/4 x 400m); Teray Smith (200m); Steven Gardiner, Christopher Brown, Alonzo Russell, Michael Mathieu (400/4 x 400m), Stephen Newbold (4 x 400m), Leevan ‘Superman’ Sands (triple jump), Jef-

fery Gibson (400m hurdles) and Donald Thomas, Jamal Wilson and Trevor Barry (high jump). Coaches – George Cleare (head coach), Rudolph Ferguson, Tyrone Burrows, Shaun Miller (assistant coaches), James Rolle (jumps) and Debbie FergusonMcKenzie (female coach). Ralf McKinney is the team manager. BAAA president Rosamunde Carey was unable to confirm or deny the list submitted.

Winning streak continues for Bahamas in Davis Cup FROM PAGE 1 Caires. Both players had one ace and 58 per cent each in 1st serve points won, but De Caires held a 10-5 advantage on double faults. Major Jr won in every other category. It turned out to be a solid day for the Bahamas, was how Major Jr summed up their performance. “I had a three-set match, but I played really well and was able to pull us through,” he said. “All of us are in pretty good shape, so hopefully we will be able to pull through on Saturday.” Following Major Jr, Spencer Baker took just 57 minutes to knock off Duke. He dominated in just about every category with a 2-1 edge in aces, 9-3 in double faults, 54-39% in 1st serve, 85-52% in 1st serve points won, 83-12% in break points won. The only category he didn’t win was 2nd serve won where Duke held a 81-71% advantage. Spencer Newman said it was another great day for the Bahamas. “KJ went out there for us and won it in three and shortly after, I went out and took care of business and clinched a win there and we went on to doubles and continued the trend,” he said. “I’m happy where we are.

We have a day off tomorrow, so we will take advantage of that and get ready for the next day.” In the doubles, Spencer Newman and Rolle took just 1:03 to clinch the tie over Trinidad & Tobago’s Richard Chung and Luke De Caires. They held a 3-2 edge in aces and 5-2 in double faults. But despite posting a 46 per cent (24for-52) on first serve, they converted 87% (21-for-24) on first serve points won. They also had a 37% break point, compared to just 0% by their opponents. Baker Newman said he was just delighted to be on the sidelines cheering for the team rather than playing. “Good to see KJ get out there and get a match in. Taking it in three was good,” Baker Newman said. “I got a rest today and the boys got it done. Doubles was strong too. It’s good to finish on a high note. We have Jamaica on Saturday, so I’m real pumped about that one.” The Bahamas, winner of the five-team pool B with a 3-0 record, is scheduled to take on Jamaica, the runner-up in pool A with a 2-0 record. Honduras, runnersup in pool B behind the Bahamas at 2-1, will take on host Bolivia, the winner of pool A at 2-0 as well. From those matches,

WINNING STREAK: Shown (l-r) are Baker, Marvin, Spencer and Kevin at the Davis Cup tie in Bolivia. the two nations who will be promoted to Zone II in 2017 will be determined. The Bahamas has played

in Zone III for the past seven years. The last time the Bahamas played in zone II was in 2009 when the team

of Timothy Neilly, Devin Mullings, Bjorn Munroe and Marvin Rolle, captained by John Farrington,

lost 4-1 to Paraguay in Paraguay and 3-2 to Guatemala here at the National Tennis Centre.

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Friday, July 15, 2016, PAGE 5

On Bastille Day, storming fans spark chaos at Tour By ANDREW DAMPF AP Sports Writer MONT VENTOUX, France (AP) — On Bastille Day, fans created havoc at the Tour de France like never before. Storming the road on France’s national day, the crowd prompted a crash involving race leader Chris Froome and it wasn’t until hours after the wacky 12th stage concluded that organisers decided the British rider could keep the yellow jersey. “Mont Ventoux always throws up something different and today was no exception,” Froome said. “You always have to expect the unexpected at the Tour.” In a complete embarrassment for cycling’s biggest race, Richie Porte crashed headfirst into a motorbike carrying a TV camera, and Froome, who was right behind his former teammate, also hit the pavement in the final kilometre on the wind-shortened climb up legendary Mont Ventoux. “The crowd was just all on the road, and a motorbike stopped right in front of us and we had nowhere to go,” Porte said. “The next minute, I went straight over the top of the motorbike. It was just a mess.” Last week, Froome punched the face of a spectator who got too close to the race. “I agree that you come to the race, you have a good time, but you don’t need to be running beside the riders, you don’t need to hitting riders, pushing riders,” said Porte, who was being examined for possible injuries. “Things have got to change, and I can’t believe there weren’t barriers there.” The wind prevented organisers from erecting the usual barriers at the end of most stages, Tour director Christian Prudhomme explained. “We took an exceptional decision because of this exceptional situation, an incident that might have never happened before in 100 years,” Prudhomme said. “There will be an investigation to find out why the TV motorbike was blocked and the riders fell.” After the crash, Froome

By MAURICIO SAVARESE Associated Press

BRITAIN’S CHRIS FROOME, wearing the overall leader’s yellow jersey, right, Netherlands’ Bauke Mollema, centre, and Australia’s Richie Porte crash yesterday at the end of the 12th stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Montpellier and finish six kilometres (3.7 miles) before the Mont Ventoux, France. (AP) threw his mangled bike aside and began running up the road. He eventually was given a small yellow race assistance bike before his team car was finally able to provide him with a suitable substitute. All of Froome’s main rivals crossed ahead of him, and Froome shook his head in disbelief when he finally reached the finish. “It’s really unfortunate what happened in the last couple of kilometres,” Froome said, “but ultimately common sense has prevailed and the commissaires have come to the right decision, so I would like to thank them for that.” As Froome ran through the crowds, he attempted to communicate with his team via radio but the crowds prevented the Team Sky car from reaching him. “It was a nightmare,” Sky sports director Nicolas Portal said. “It took up to two minutes for him to get a spare bike but the pedals

did not suit him. ... I can’t understand how so many people were allowed there. It was mayhem.” Before the crash, Froome dropped most of his rivals apart from Porte and Bauke Mollema. The race jury eventually decided to give Froome and Porte the same stage time as Mollema. Still, Froome was booed and whistled at when he put the yellow jersey back on during the podium ceremony. Froome, who is seeking his third Tour title in four years, increased his overall lead to 47 seconds ahead of fellow British rider Adam Yates. Two-time runner-up Nairo Quintana was third, 54 seconds behind, and Mollema moved up to fourth, 56 seconds back. “I wouldn’t want to take the jersey like this. I’m happy with the decision,” said Yates, who was initially given the race leadership according to preliminary

results. “(Froome) is the rightful owner of the yellow jersey. “If anyone was in the same situation they would feel the same. Nobody wants to take the yellow jersey like that. You want to take it with your legs. There’s not many sports where the fans can get this close to the athletes like this. It is what it is.” Thomas De Gendt won the stage after getting into an early breakaway and easily sprinting past fellow Belgian Serge Pauwels on the steep slopes of Ventoux. “There were too many people in the last kilometre,” De Gendt said. “There was not even a place for one motorbike. They should do something about it.” With the wind at 125 kph (nearly 80 mph) on top of the “Giant of Provence,” organisers moved the finish line six kilometres (3 1/2 miles) down the road to the Chalet Reynard.

It was still a gruelling 10-kilometre (six-mile) climb featuring several sections with gradients exceeding 10 per cent. It was De Gendt’s first career stage win in the Tour. He finished third in the 2012 Giro d’Italia. Froome was the stage winner when the Tour previously scaled Ventoux’s barren, 1,909-metre (6,263-foot) peak in 2013. Ventoux was also the site of an epic contest between Lance Armstrong and Marco Pantani in 2000, and where British rider Tom Simpson died in 1967 from a combination of amphetamines and alcohol. Now, another memorable chapter has been added to Ventoux lore. The race’s first time trial comes on Friday with a hilly 37.5-kilometre (23mile) leg from BourgSaint-Andeol to La Caverne du Pont-D’Arc, where Froome will be looking to add to his lead in calmer circumstances.

On cusp of history, Mickelson shoots 63 at the British Open By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer TROON, Scotland (AP) — Phil Mickelson was 16 feet away from a place in history he wouldn’t have to share with anyone. Fans watched from a rooftop balcony. Royal Troon members strained to see out the window from the clubhouse behind the 18th green. Jack Nicklaus usually doesn’t watch golf on TV, but he made an exception for this moment. In 436 majors held over the last 156 years, no one had ever shot 62. That’s still the case. By a fraction of an inch. “I want to cry,” Mickelson said. Mickelson pointed his putter toward the hole and was ready to step into history yesterday in the British Open when his birdie putt turned sharply to the right at the mouth of the hole, just enough to ride the edge around the back of the cup and sit there, teasing him. “You made a beautiful read and putt on that last hole but got absolutely stone-cold robbed,” Nicklaus said in a message on Facebook. Mickelson plopped his hand on his forehead in disbelief. His caddie, Jim “Bones” Mackay, was so stunned that he fell over backward. “It was one of the best

FOREIGN LEADERS SLOW TO COMMIT TO RIO OPENING CEREMONY

rounds I’ve ever played ... and yet I want to shed a tear right now,” Mickelson said. “That putt on 18 was an opportunity to do something historical. I knew it, and with a foot to go I thought I had done it. I saw that ball rolling right in the centre. I went to go get it. I had that surge of adrenaline that I had just shot 62, and then I had the heartbreak that I didn’t.” No tears were necessary at Royal Troon, not after a round of 63 that was brilliant even by Lefty’s standards, and certainly not after building a three-shot lead over Patrick Reed and Martin Kaymer on an ideal day by the Irish Sea. Mickelson seized the moment with a birdie on the par-5 16th from a bunker short of the green, and a 4-iron to 15 feet for birdie on the par-3 17th to reach 8-under par. He knew no one had ever shot 62 in a major. He also knew he most likely would never get a chance like this. “That would have been really something special,” he said. “So to have that putt lip out, that’s going to sting for a while.” Even with such a close call, Mickelson is in good company. Nicklaus missed a putt just inside 3 feet for a 62 in the 1980 US Open at Baltusrol. Greg Norman had to only two-putt from 30 feet for a 62 at Turnberry

PHIL MICKELSON, of the United States, plays out of a bunker on the 16th green during the first round of the British Open Golf Championship at the Royal Troon Golf Club in Troon, Scotland, yesterday. (AP) in the 1986 British Open and took three putts. Tiger Woods watched his 15-foot putt for 62 spin 270 degrees around the cup in the 2007 PGA Championship at Southern Hills. Nick Price’s birdie putt for a 62 in the 1986 Masters dipped in and out of the cup. Asked why there had never been a 62 in the major, Mickelson pointed to his putt. “There’s a curse,” he said. “Because that ball should have been in.” It wasn’t for a lack of effort. He went with a 6-iron to play a baby cut back toward the hole, and it worked out perfectly. He brought in his caddie and told him that “I need your best read.” Ernie Els did his part, putting out of turn

to turn the stage over to Mickelson. The pace was perfect. The putt looked perfect — until it wasn’t. By a fraction. “I saw that ball going in and I just had a good, clear vision of what was going to happen,” he said. “What I didn’t see was what happened.” And now, he faces a return to reality. Of the seven previous players to open with a 63 in a major, only Nicklaus at the 1980 US Open and Raymond Floyd at the 1982 PGA Championship went on to win. Royal Troon might not be this gentle the rest of the week. The forecast was for strong wind and rain for Friday, especially when

Mickelson and Kaymer play in the morning. Lefty was ready to embrace whatever came his way. “One of the biggest challenges is when you shoot a round like this, you start expectations running through your head and so forth, and that’s the one thing that I’ll have to try to suppress and hold off,” he said. “We’ll have three more rounds. We’ll have varying conditions tomorrow. It’s going to be very difficult.” Eight Americans were among the top 11 on the leaderboard at Royal Troon, where they have won the Open the last six times. That group included Steve Stricker, the 49-yearold in his first major this year, and Justin Thomas, the 23-year-old in his first British Open. Defending champion Zach Johnson had a chance to shoot 63 if he birdied the last two holes. He went bogey-bogey for a 67. But this day was all about Mickelson, who never seriously came close to making bogey. He missed only three greens and two fairways, one on the 18th when he switched to a 3-wood and, realising what was at stake, sent his shot toward a pot bunker. It bounced just far enough left to avoid it. It looked as though everything was going to his way. Right until the final inch.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Many top foreign leaders have been slow to commit to attending the opening ceremony of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics amid Brazil’s political turmoil and a stream of bad news engulfing South America’s first games. Top politicians who do show up could face a diplomatic quandary when the games open in three weeks. President Dilma Rousseff has been suspended and faces an impeachment trial, which could conclude days after the Olympics end. She has said she hopes to attend, meaning she would join interim president Michel Temer as the main faces of the host nation. “If you are a top world leader, whose hand would you shake in the middle of such uncertainty?” Maristella Basso, a professor of international law at the University of Sao Paulo, told The Associated Press. “It is a bizarre situation. The best that foreign leaders can do is to send a letter and stay home to avoid any embarrassment. It won’t be a party occasion for Brazil anyway, look at the mess.” An early prediction that 100 heads of state or government could be on hand at the August 5 ceremony has not been repeated for weeks. The Brazilian foreign ministry declined to offer numbers, and said a list would be published just the before the games open. Organising committee spokesman Mario Andrada said he did not know how many leaders would attend. The Brazilian news website UOL puts the number at 45 and lists United Nations Secretary-General Ban-ki Moon as a confirmed guest. France is an exception. France’s embassy in Brasilia told AP that President Francois Hollande will attend the opening ceremony. Paris is a candidate to host the 2024 games. Italy’s embassy also confirmed that Prime Minister Matteo Renzi would attend. Rome is another 2024 candidate. The United States embassy did not say if President Barack Obama would attend. Brazilian media has reported that Secretary of State John Kerry is the American official most likely to be at Maracana Stadium. First Lady Michelle Obama represented the US at London’s opening ceremony in 2012. China, one of Brazil’s main trade partners, did not reply to AP’s request for information. Brazilian media say China will send Vice Premier Liu Yandong, who is in charge of education and sports. She ranks far below President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang. Beijing is host to the 2022 Winter Olympics. Even Argentina, Brazil’s main partner in the region, has yet to confirm the presence of President Mauricio Macri, although its embassy in Brasilia says he is expected to come. Japan has also not confirmed its delegation. However, Japan would seem likely to send a top-ranking representative with Tokyo the next host of the Summer Games. Britain, which held the last Summer Olympics, has just changed its prime minister and its representative is in doubt. Russia is another question mark. Many Russian athletes have been caught up in a giant doping scandal. A report due on Monday may confirm allegations of state-backed doping by Russia. Already, the Russian track and field team has been banned from the games, pending an appeal. Even many left-leaning Latin American governments that supported Brazil as South America’s first Olympic host have yet to confirm.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, July 15, 2016, PAGE 7

Spurs make it official, sign forward Pau Gasol SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The San Antonio Spurs have signed Pau Gasol, beefing up a front line that will be without Tim Duncan next season for the first time in 19 years. The 7-foot Gasol has won two NBA titles and is a sixtime All-Star. Gasol is one of six players in NBA history to reach 19,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists and 1,500 blocks along with Kareem AbdulJabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal, Kevin Garnett and Duncan, who retired earlier this week. The Spurs did not release terms yesterday, but a person with knowledge of the situation previously told The Associated Press that he has a two-year deal worth more than $30 million. The 36-year-old Gasol has been one of the league’s most talented and versatile big men for the last 15 years. He spent the last two seasons in Chicago and averaged 16.5 points, 11.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists this year, his game showing few signs of ageing. An unselfish player, he should fit right

in with Gregg Popovich’s ball-moving system, and the Spurs’ reputation for resting players for the playoffs had to be appealing to Gasol. There were a number of suitors lining up for him, including Portland, Minnesota and Toronto. The Timberwolves offered him a two-year deal worth $36 million to open negotiations, but Gasol wanted to play for a team that was ready to contend for a championship and he joins a Spurs frontcourt that features LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard. Over 1,055 career NBA games, Gasol has averaged 18.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.68 blocks while shooting .510 from the floor and .755 from the free throw line in 35.3 minutes. He has appeared in 115 career playoff games, averaging 16.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 38 minutes. He has also helped Spain win silver medals in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. The 2002 Rookie of the Year was drafted with the third overall pick in 2001

and immediately dealt by Atlanta to Memphis, where he spent his first six-plus seasons. He joined the Los Angeles Lakers and won championships there in 2009 and 2010. He signed with the Bulls in 2014. Also Thursday, the Spurs said they had signed: • Dejounte Murray, their top draft pick this year. The 6-foot-5 guard out of Washington was the 29th overall pick after averaging 16.1 points and 4.5 assists in his lone season with the Huskies. Murray is averaging 11.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 24.8 minutes through five games in the Summer League. • 7-foot centre Dewayne Dedmon, 26, who averaged 4.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in 12.2 minutes during 58 games with Orlando last season. • 6-foot-10 forward Davis Bertans, 23, who played the last two seasons with Laboral Kutxa in the Spanish league after three seasons in the Serbian league. Bertans has been part of the Latvian national team since

PAU GASOL has signed with the San Antonio Spurs, beefing up a front line that will be without Tim Duncan next season for the first time in 19 years. standing Player of the 2016 NCAA Final Four after scoring 16 points and setting up the game-winning three-pointer in the championship game.

2011. • Ryan Arcidiacono, the 6-foot-3 guard who helped lead Villanova to the NCAA title last season and was named the Most Out-

THe WeaTHer repOrT

5-Day Forecast

TOday

OrlandO

High: 94° F/34° C low: 75° F/24° C

Tampa

TOnIGHT

saTurday

sunday

mOnday

Tuesday

Partly sunny, a t‑storm in spots

Partly cloudy with a shower

Some sun with a t‑storm in spots

Periods of sun, a t‑storm in spots

Clouds and sun, a t‑storm in spots

High: 92°

Low: 80°

High: 92° Low: 79°

High: 91° Low: 79°

AccuWeather RealFeel

108° F

86° F

105°-86° F

108°-86° F

104°-85° F

104°-88° F

High: 93° F/34° C low: 78° F/26° C

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

almanac

aBaCO

High: 88° F/31° C low: 82° F/28° C

7‑14 knots

WesT palm BeaCH High: 92° F/33° C low: 81° F/27° C

6‑12 knots

FT. lauderdale E

FreepOrT

High: 91° F/33° C low: 81° F/27° C

High: 91° F/33° C low: 80° F/27° C

mIamI

High: 91° F/33° C low: 80° F/27° C

6‑12 knots

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 90° F/32° C Low .................................................... 79° F/26° C Normal high ....................................... 88° F/31° C Normal low ........................................ 75° F/24° C Last year’s high ................................. 93° F/34° C Last year’s low ................................... 71° F/21° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.09” Year to date ............................................... 23.49” Normal year to date ................................... 16.61”

eleuTHera

nassau

High: 92° F/33° C low: 80° F/27° C

High: 87° F/31° C low: 82° F/28° C

Key WesT

High: 90° F/32° C low: 82° F/28° C

High: 88° F/31° C low: 80° F/27° C

7‑14 knots

8‑16 knots

andrOs

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

uV inDex toDay

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

tiDes For nassau High

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

5:01 a.m. 5:41 p.m.

2.3 2.8

11:08 a.m. 0.3 ‑‑‑‑‑ ‑‑‑‑‑

Saturday

5:51 a.m. 6:27 p.m.

2.3 3.0

12:02 a.m. 0.5 11:55 a.m. 0.2

Sunday

6:39 a.m. 7:11 p.m.

2.4 3.1

12:49 a.m. 0.4 12:40 p.m. 0.2

Monday

7:24 a.m. 7:53 p.m.

2.5 3.3

1:33 a.m. 1:24 p.m.

0.3 0.1

Tuesday

8:08 a.m. 8:34 p.m.

2.6 3.4

2:15 a.m. 2:08 p.m.

0.2 0.0

Wednesday 8:52 a.m. 9:16 p.m.

2.8 3.4

2:56 a.m. 2:52 p.m.

0.1 0.0

Thursday

2.9 3.5

3:37 a.m. 3:37 p.m.

0.0 0.0

9:36 a.m. 9:58 p.m.

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:30 a.m. 8:02 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

4:24 p.m. 2:57 a.m.

Full

last

new

First

Jul. 19

Jul. 26

aug. 2

aug. 10

CaT Island

• Bryn Forbes, another 6-foot-3 guard who averaged 14.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 28 minutes as a senior for Michigan State last season.

san salVadOr

GreaT eXuma

High: 87° F/31° C low: 80° F/27° C

High: 89° F/32° C low: 81° F/27° C

W S

lOnG Island

insurance management tracking map

High: 87° F/31° C low: 79° F/26° C

8‑16 knots

mayaGuana High: 86° F/30° C low: 81° F/27° C

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

CrOOKed Island / aCKlIns

tonight’s lows.

raGGed Island High: 86° F/30° C low: 80° F/27° C

High: 86° F/30° C low: 80° F/27° C

GreaT InaGua High: 88° F/31° C low: 81° F/27° C

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: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday: Today: Saturday:

WINDS SE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots SE at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ENE at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots SE at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots

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

VISIBILITY 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 85° F 85° F 87° F 86° F 85° F 85° F 84° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 86° F 85° F 86° F 85° F 86° F 84° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 84° F 85° F 85° F 85° F

PAGE 8, Friday, July 15, 2016

THE TRIBUNE