10122016 sports by tribune242

SPORTS SECTION E

WNBA

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

Finals, Page 3

Commonwealth Youth Games will be ‘a family affair’ By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net ALL 70 countries registered in the Commonwealth made a commitment to attend the sixth Commonwealth Youth Games in July 2017, making it the first time in 50 years that a Commonwealth Games event will be staged in the Caribbean. The countries were a part of the meeting held on Friday in Edmonton, Canada where Bahamas Olympic Committee president Wellington Miller and vice president Roy Colebrooke gave a report on the progress of the Bahamas Commonwealth Games Association in preparation for the games. The last time that an event was held in the Caribbean was in 1966 when the Commonwealth Games was staged in Kingston, Jamaica.

“All 70 countries have confirmed that they will be attending and they are all excited that they will be coming here,” Miller said. “From all indications, it appears as if this is going to be the largest games that has ever been held in the Commonwealth Youth Games. “The Bahamas Commonwealth Games Association has gone all out to make sure that we covered all areas of concerns and they were quite pleased with our presentation to them, so it looks as if we will have a very successful games next year.” Miller said the BCGA is hoping to make the games a standard for all of the Commonwealth Youth Games to follow in the future. “We are ready and a lot of the countries have told us that they are going to make it a family affair when they come down here,” Miller said. “They are bringing their families to enjoy the

ROY Colebrooke and Wellington Miller at the Commonwealth Games meeting. Bahamas a week before or some will stay a week after.” When they began their initial preparation, Miller said there was a small group of four persons who had indicated to him that they are coming. He said the numbers in the group have now been swelled to 28 and they ex-

pect it to increase even more with their family and friends coming down. “It appears that everybody wants to use this time to come to the Bahamas either on a vacation or to see the Bahamas,” Miller said. “I believe that the Bahamas has a good name out there and people just want

to see us. “The rest of the Commonwealth wants to come to the Bahamas. We have had inquiries from all over the world. This is going to be a tremendous time for us in the Bahamas next year. We are really looking forward to it.” There are expected to be seven sporting disciplines contested during the games, one of which is rugby for boys and girls, which according to Miller, is already the biggest subscribed by the Commonwealth. “The Oceania countries indicated to us that rugby is their main sport and they are happy that rugby is a part of the games,” Miller said. “So the Bahamas should benefit from these countries coming here and playing the sport at such a high level.” Although the Bahamas was experiencing the passage of Hurricane Matthew

during the same time that the meeting was held, Miller said the countries have all expressed their concerns for the Bahamas. But Miller said from all indications, there was no major damage to the facilities that they will be using for the games, so they are going full steam ahead with the planning for next year. The games, geared towards boys and girls between the ages of 14 and 18, are scheduled to run from July 19-23 and will feature competition in athletics, beach soccer, boxing, road cycling, judo, rugby 7s, swimming and tennis. The Commonwealth Youth Games got started in 2000 in Edinburgh, Scotland. The second edition was held in Bendigo, Australia in 2004. That was followed in Pune, India in 2008 and then in the Isle of Man in 2011 with the last one held in Samoa in 2015.

Matthew forces best-of-3 playoffs By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

s expected, the New Providence Softball Association has reduced its best-offive playoff series to a best-ofthree showdown as a result of the damage left to the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. According to NPSA president Henry Dean, Hurricane Matthew knocked out power to the facility at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex, forcing the association to play their games on the weekend during the day. “We are reducing it to the best-of-three series for the playoffs and the championship will be a best-of-five series,” said Dean after they made a decision yesterday as they attempt to get completed with their championship before the Bahamas Softball Federation’s National Round Robin at the end of the month. “We will play four games on Saturday starting at 11am and play again on Sunday starting at 1pm. We will finish the first round because all of the teams have played one game each, so the winners need to win one more game and if they lose, they will finish up on Sunday.” Before the passing of Hurricane Matthew, the pennant winning Lady Wildcats took a 1-0 lead over the Bommer G Lady Operators and the Lady Truckers went up 1-0 on the defending champions Lady Stingers. The men’s division saw the pennant winning C&S Hitmen take a 1-0 lead over the Mighty Mitts and the defending champions Commando Security Truckers are up 1-0 over the BTC Elite Warriors. In the aftermath of the passage of Hurricane Matthew, Dean said the Banker’s field itself has not had any damage, but there is a lot of debris around the field and there is no power. “There’s no power in the area

THE AFTERMATH: A look at the damage caused by Category 4 Hurricane Matthew at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. Photo: Brent Stubbs/The Tribune and the lights have been damaged, it’s unfair to impose on BEC or the authorities to restore light here when homes are not lit,” Dean said. “So we are going to play during the day.” The best-of-five championships are anticipated to get underway on Saturday, October 22 and should be concluded on Sunday, October 23. The BSF Nationals for the championship teams from the

various island associations are scheduled for the weekend of October 27-30 at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. There’s no word from the BSF on whether or not the nationals will go on as planned. There has been extensive damage to the four fields at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex where the nationals intend to play during the day before switching to the Banker’s Field for the night games.

THE NPSA PLAYOFF SCHEDULE SATURDAY 11am - Wildcats vs Bommer G (L) 1pm - Truckers vs BTC Warriors (M) 3pm - Lady Truckers vs Lady Stingers (L) 5pm - Hitmen vs Mighty Mitts (M) SUNDAY 1pm - Lady Stingers vs Lady Truckers (L) 2:30pm - Bommer G vs Lady Wildcats (L) 4pm - Warriors vs Truckers (M) 5:30pm - Mighty Mitts vs Hitmen (M)) • Best-of-5 championship scheduled for next weekend

MAVIN SAUNDERS BECOMING A GREATER PART OF THE SEMINOLES’ OFFENCE By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net AS he continues to become a greater part of the offence, Mavin Saunders has now recorded catches in three consecutive games for the Florida State Seminoles. Saunders finished with one catch for 11 yards in the No.23 Seminoles’ 20-19 thrilling win over the No.10 Miami Hurricanes Saturday night at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. His lone catch came on a key third down conversion late in the third quarter on a drive that led to a touchdown and 17-13 FSU lead.

The Seminoles yard reception. eventually held In the followon for the upset ing game Saunders win when DeMarfinished with three cus Walker pushed catches for 74 yards, through the line and both career highs, in blocked Miami kickthe Seminoles’ 37-35 er Michael Badgley’s loss to the unranked point-after attempt North Carolina Tar with 1:38 remaining. Heels. It was the Seminoles’ Saturday’s game seventh straight in against Miami the storied interstate marked his third MAVIN SAUNDERS rivalry. consecutive game After seeing action sparingly in with a reception. the first three games of the seaSaunders has developed a habit son, Saunders saw increased min- of performing well against Miami. utes against USF when he caught In the 2015 season, in the the first his first pass of the season, a 12- start of his collegiate career, he

finished with three receptions for 26 yards in a 29-24 win over the Hurricanes. Saturday’s win means FSU still holds the second-longest active streak of AP Top 25 poll appearances. The Seminoles host Wake Forest on October 15, looking for their fifth straight win in that series. In other Division I football highlights from the weekend, other Bahamian players saw their teams emerge with wins in their respective conferences. Kato Fawkes and his Idaho Vandals scored a 34-31 win over the ULM Warhawks, to move to

3-3 in the season. The 6’4” 303-pound guard, a native of Freeport, Grand Bahama, graduated in May while he saw his first official game time as a member of the Vandals. In the 2014 season, he was sidelined with an injury and redshirted. In the American Athletic Conference, Chris Ferguson and the Cincinnati Bearcats fell to 3-3 with a 20-9 loss to the UConn Huskies. In the Colonial Athletic Association, Rondre KnowlesTener and the James Madison Dukes won 31-24 over the William and Mary Tribe to improve to 5-1 on the season and perfect in conference play.

PAGE 2, Wednesday, October 12, 2016

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FAB officially opens Sports Festival

GRAND OPENING: The Filipino Association of the Bahamas officially opened its Filipino Sports Festival Season 13 at the CI Gibson Gymnasium on Sunday, October 2. Photos: Derek Smith

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Wednesday, October 12, 2016, PAGE 3

CHRIS BOSH RELEASES NEW VIDEO, SAYING HE DOESN’T WANT TO GIVE UP By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer MIAMI (AP) — Chris Bosh has issued a response to those who may think he should abandon his hopes of playing in the NBA again in order to ensure he’s healthy to raise his five children. His message: His children are why he wants to keep playing. “I want my children to know that daddy was a fighter and he just didn’t give up very easily,” Bosh said. Bosh released the latest — and since it was called ‘Finale,’ presumably the last — installment of his video series on LeBron James’ Uninterrupted platform yesterday, parts of which were ap-

parently taped on the day that the Miami Heat began training camp in the Bahamas last month. Bosh — who had his last two seasons cut short because of blood clots — remains on the Heat roster, though is no longer in the team’s plans going forward after he failed his preseason physical last month and wasn’t cleared to resume basketball activities. He’s owed nearly $76 million for the next three seasons, money that is guaranteed even if he doesn’t play. “What I would say to the people who just see the money and kind of see my situation and say, ‘Hey, just walk away,’ I get it. I totally get it. I understand you. I hear you,” Bosh said. “But I’m not really thinking about money.

HEAT forward Chris Bosh gestures as he speaks during a news conference in Miami on Saturday. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

I’m just thinking about where my heart is. I love the NBA. I love playing basketball every day for a living.” Bosh repeated that he plans to continue trying to play, and said he believes basketball is “just what I’ve been placed here to do.” He also said he wants his quest to play to serve as a reminder to people that giving up on a goal should not be done lightly. “All I have to do is just leave and you’ll never hear from me again,” Bosh said. “I’ll probably just do other things and I’ll be fine — and that makes it confusing, because I know where my heart is. And I would just feel like I’m giving up if I just walked away, just easily like that.”

Moore, Lynx even WNBA Finals at 1-1 with win over the Sparks By JON KRAWCZYNSKI AP Basketball Writer MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Maya Moore had 21 points and 12 rebounds to help the Minnesota Lynx even the WNBA Finals at one game apiece with a 7960 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks in Game 2 last night. Sylvia Fowles had 13 points and 15 boards and Minnesota held Los Angeles to 32.9 per cent shooting to bounce back from a last-second loss in Game 1. Seimone Augustus scored 14 points and Minnesota dominated on the glass, 4632, to pull away. Nneka Ogwumike had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Sparks, who head back home for the next two games in the best-offive series. Candace Parker was quiet with six points on 3-for-12 shooting. The Lynx are trying to become the first back-toback champions in the league since the Sparks repeated in 2002. A win in this series would also give Minnesota its fourth championship, which would tie the Lynx with the Houston Comets for most in league history. Last year the Lynx lost Game 1 at Target Center to the Indiana Fever, but rebounded to win that series in five games. But they know they face an even more capable challenger this year with the star-studded Sparks. Neither team led by more than five points during an air-tight Game 1 that Los Angeles won at the buzzer on a jumper from Alana Beard. The first 16 minutes of Game 2 were just as competitive, but Moore and the

SPARKS’ CANDACE PARKER, left, drives past Minnesota Lynx’s Rebekkah Brunson during the first quarter of Game 2 of the WNBA basketball finals Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone) Lynx seized control in the final four minutes of the second quarter. After going scoreless in the first half of Game 1, Moore got rolling during a 17-3 blitz to close the period. She hit two 3-pointers and a layup, then picked Parker’s pocket and heaved

a three-quarter length outlet to a streaking Lindsay Whalen for a three-point play and a 37-25 lead. Moore had 12 points in the first half and the Lynx took much better care of the ball after coughing it up 11 times in the first half of Game 1. The Sparks made things

interesting with a 14-0 run in the third quarter that made the score 44-41, but Augustus and Moore took over in the fourth to turn back the charge. Ogwumike, the league MVP, scored just two points in the final period and the Sparks were 3 for 20 on 3-pointers for the game.

RECORD RATING: The WNBA instituted a new playoff format this year that seeded teams based on record, not geography. It resulted in the two best teams during the regular season meeting in the finals despite both playing in the Western Conference. Game 1 drew an average audience of

597,000, the most-watched Game 1 ever on ABC, the network announced yesterday. It peaked with 693,000 viewers and was the mostwatched Game 1 since 1998 broadcast across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2. UP NEXT: Game 3 is Friday in Los Angeles.

Heat pay tribute to Jose Fernandez with shirts, silence By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer MIAMI (AP) — Dee Gordon had a courtside seat to watch the Miami Heat last night, for a very good reason. The Miami Marlins second baseman was there to represent Jose Fernandez . Miami’s first home preseason game of the season had a somber beginning, with the Heat paying tribute to the late Marlins ace right-hander by wearing his initials and jersey No. 16 on the back of their warmup shirts — then by offering a moment of silence before tip-off against the Brooklyn Nets. The 24-year-old Fernandez and two friends died last month when the boat they were riding in crashed into a jetty off Miami Beach. “It was a devastating blow to all of us in South Florida and our hearts go out to his family and everybody at the Marlins,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “It’s just so tragic for a player so young. We also want to acknowledge the other two gentlemen who were on that boat as well, and their families.” Gordon told Fox Sports Florida during their broad-

over each other’s shoulders. HEAT 121, NETS 100 MIAMI — Hassan Whiteside had 21 points and 14 rebounds in 23 minutes for the Heat. Whiteside is averaging 19.3 points and 13 rebounds in three preseason games, shooting 71 per cent and playing about 24 minutes in each. Goran Dragic added 17 points and 11 assists for Miami. Jeremy Lin led the Nets with 16 points. NETS: Brooklyn was down by 12 in the first quarter, then led by 11 in the second quarter and trailed again by 17 after three quarters. ... Bojan Bogdanovic scored 13, while Luis Scola and Justin Hamilton each scored 12. ... The Nets took 13 3-pointers in the first quarter alone.

HEAT centre Hassan Whiteside (21) dunks against the Brooklyn Nets during yesterday’s preseason game. (AP) cast of the game that when he heard about the gesture — the Heat announced it a few hours before game time — he made arrangements to be at the game.

Gordon wore one of the team’s shooting shirts with the Fernandez tribute on the back. “He was the heart and soul of Miami. ... It’s just

still weird that he’s gone,” Gordon said. “That’s just the part we’re trying to get over, but I think it’s going to be tough.”

The Heat players and coaches all linked arms for the playing of the national anthem in a show of unity, while the Nets’ players and coaches draped their arms

HEAT: Whiteside made his first five shots. ... Josh McRoberts (foot) and Josh Richardson (knee) remain sidelined, and veterans Udonis Haslem and Beno Udrih also were held out. UP NEXT: Brooklyn (12) hosts Boston on Thursday. Miami (2-1) visits San Antonio on Friday.

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Germany wins again as England stumbles in World Cup qualifying By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer MANCHESTER, England (AP) — With a third straight win in qualifying, defending champion Germany is enjoying a comfortable ride on the road to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Things just got a bit tougher for England, though. While England’s winning start to Group F ended with a poor display in a 0-0 draw at Slovenia yesterday, Germany maintained its 100 per cent record after three rounds by beating Northern Ireland 2-0. Only three other teams — Belgium, Greece and Switzerland — have opened European qualifying with three successive victories. Goals in the first 17 minutes from Julian Draxler and Sami Khedira gave Germany a commanding lead that was never really threatened in Hannover. Joachim Loew tied Sepp Herberger’s record of 94 wins as Germany coach and it couldn’t be going much better for the world champions’ settled team: Three wins from three games, eight goals scored and none conceded. England also leads its group but the displays are hardly encouraging for its fans. Three days after a tedious 2-0 win over Malta, England required a brilliant performance from goalkeeper Joe Hart to earn a point in Ljubljana. One of Hart’s saves was sensational, when he tipped Jasmin Kurtic’s header onto the bar off a corner and then clawed the loose ball away from the line in his next movement. Hart also denied Slo-

GERMANY’S JULIAN DRAXLER, centre with 7, celebrates with team mates yesterday after scoring his side’s opening goal during the World Cup Group C qualifying soccer match against Northern Ireland in Hannover, Germany. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

venia in two one-on-one chances, gifted by slack England back-passes. England’s national team is in a state of flux, just a few months after an embarrassing last-16 loss to Iceland in the European Championship. Gareth Southgate is in interim charge after Sam Allardyce left as coach last month — after just 67 days in the job — following a newspaper sting, and captain Wayne Rooney was dropped against Slovenia because of poor form. England’s young team is still the favourite to qualify from Group F and has a two-point lead after three games.

• Here’s a look at the rest of the action on the final night of qualifiers in this latest period of internationals: GROUP C The only team close to Germany is Azerbaijan, which settled for a 0-0 draw against the Czech Republic in Ostrava after opening with two wins. In the other match, Norway defeated San Marino 4-1 in Oslo for its first points in qualifying. There was still time for celebrations for the 201st-ranked visitors, who scored their first away goal in World Cup qualifying since 2001 when Mattia Stefanelli equalised nine minutes into the sec-

ond half. Norway scored three goals in the final 13 minutes, through Adama Diomande, Martin Samuelsen and Joshua King. GROUP E Robert Lewandowski struck five minutes into stoppage time to earn Poland a 2-1 victory over 10man Armenia and keep the team on pace with Montenegro at the top of the group. It was the eighth consecutive qualifier that Lewandowski has scored in, with his latest goal coming three days after a hat trick in a 3-2 win over Denmark. Armenia lost Gael Andonian in the 30th minute

after two yellow cards in two minutes. Hrayr Mkoyan netted an own goal to put Poland 1-0 up in the 48th minute before Marcos Pinheiro equalised in the 50th. Montenegro beat Denmark 1-0 away thanks to Fatos Beciraj’s 32ndminute goal and is wellplaced to challenge Poland and qualify for the World Cup for the first time. Both Poland and Montenegro have seven points from three games. Romania was held 0-0 by Kazakhstan in the other game. GROUP F Slovenia stayed two points behind England after three games and was

With new mindset, Djokovic wins 1st match since US Open By JUSTIN BERGMAN Associated Press SHANGHAI (AP) — No longer concerned about titles and honours, Novak Djokovic is instead trying to rediscover the inner joy he used to have while playing tennis. And after beating Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-3 yesterday in the second round of the Shanghai Masters — his first win following a monthlong injury layoff — the top-ranked Serb said he’s closing in on that feeling again. “When I get on the court, of course I want to give my best and eventually try to win the match,” the 12-time Grand Slam champion said. “But not as a priority of must-win type of mindset, because that is not working for me anymore. “I have just a different kind of vision right now.” It’s been a summer of soul-searching for Djokovic, who admitted to being both emotionally and mentally exhausted after finally succeeding in his quest to win the French Open and complete a career Grand Slam. He lost in the third round of Wimbledon and afterward reportedly said he was dealing with personal issues. He then went into the

Rio de Janeiro Olympics with high expectations of winning gold only to stumble in the first round against Juan Martin del Potro and exit the tournament in tears. “I really wanted it too much maybe,” Djokovic said. Then came another frustrating loss to Stan Wawrinka in the US Open final and an elbow injury that sidelined him for a month. Back on court again in Shanghai, an upbeat Djokovic said he needed the time off to recharge mentally and put his career goals in better perspective. “The last three months were up and down a little bit with oscillations, but generally I didn’t find that kind of satisfaction on the court,” he said before the start of the tournament. “I do really feel like I’m already getting better because I changed my mindset. ... I think I’m a different person than I was maybe three months ago, maybe six months ago.” Djokovic was rusty in his comeback — double-faulting four times and making 18 unforced errors with only 13 winners — but he had no trouble dispatching an even more erratic Fognini, who racked up 40 unforced errors of his own. Djokovic is aiming to win

NOVAK DJOKOVIC holds the trophy after winning the final of the French Open against Britain’s Andy Murray at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, on June 5. (AP) his fourth title in Shanghai, a tournament where he has a 25-3 record. Also yesterday, del Potro faded down the stretch against 11th-seeded David Goffin, dropping serve in the 11th game of the third set and losing 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. The Argentine, on his own comeback from a series of career-threatening wrist injuries over the past several years, was trying to maintain the momentum that saw him win the Olym-

pic silver medal and reach the US Open quarterfinals last month. “In the end of the match, I make mistakes with my forehands and in important moments, and I think he took all the chances to win the match,” Del Potro said. “But for me, it has been a great season. (I’m) trying to do a good comeback after many injuries. This is just a match.” Nick Kyrgios, fresh off winning his third title of

the year at the Japan Open on Sunday, defeated Sam Querrey 6-4, 6-4. “I was just feeling very tired today. Didn’t have the greatest sleep last night and obviously got in late the day before,” the 12th-seeded Australian said. “It was just tough.” Sixth-seeded Gael Monfils also moved into the third round with a 7-6 (4), 6-3 win over Kevin Anderson, and ninth-seeded JoWilfried Tsonga beat Janko

joined on five points by Lithuania, which beat Malta 2-0 for its first win in the group. Fiodor Cernych and Arvydas Novikovas, from the penalty spot, scored in the final 14 minutes to leave Malta without a point so far. In the other game, Robert Mak scored two goals and set up the third for Adam Nemec as Slovakia beat Scotland 3-0 to earn its first points in qualifying. It was Scotland’s first loss, coming three days after a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Lithuania. Only two nations, Portugal in 1985 and England in 2001, have recorded wins over the Germans in their 86 World Cup qualifiers.

ANGELIQUE KERBER MOVES TO 2ND ROUND IN HONG KONG HONG KONG (AP) — Top-ranked Angelique Kerber overcame five double-faults and fought off eight break points before beating Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-4 in the opening round of the Hong Kong Open yesterday. Kerber is trying to win her fourth title of the year. She will next play Louisa Chirico of the United States. Fifth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki also advanced to the second round, beating Zheng Saisai 6-1, 6-4, and seventh-seeded Jelena Jankovic defeated Samantha Crawford 6-3, 6-1. Samantha Stosur, seeded fourth, lost to Nao Hibino of Japan 6-3, 6-4. Tipsarevic 6-3, 7-6 (6). Two other seeded players fell in the first round, No. 10 David Ferrer and No. 14 Richard Gasquet. Bernard Tomic retired from his match against 15th-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut with an abdominal muscle pain while trailing 6-3, 3-0.

4th-seeded Suarez Navarro advances, Bouchard beaten in Linz LINZ, Austria (AP) — Fourthseeded Carla Suarez Navarro kept her hopes of qualifying for the WTA finals alive with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Mona Barthel of Germany in the first round of the Generali Ladies yesterday. The 12th-ranked Spaniard, who is 10th in the race for the eight-player season-ending event, dropped her opening service

game on the only break point she faced in the match. She closed out the win by taking the last five games in a row. Suarez Navarro next plays fellow Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo, who beat Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 7-6 (3), 6-4. Also, Anett Kontaveit of Estonia upset the formerly fifthranked Eugenie Bouchard of

Canada 7-6 (5), 6-4 after winning six of the last seven games. In the second round, Kontaveit plays Denisa Allertova of the Czech Republic, who defeated the seventh-seeded Daria Kasatkina of Russia 6-2, 6-3. Earlier, Germany’s Julia Goerges, who reached the final here in 2012, defeated Austrian wildcard entry Barbara Haas 6-4, 6-4

to set up a match against Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland. Monica Niculescu of Romania came from behind to clinch a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over Madison Brengle of the United States, who failed to serve out the match at 5-4 in the final set. The 50th-ranked Niculescu will face either the top-seeded French Open champion Garbine Muguruza or Cagla Buyukakcay

of Turkey in the next round. In other first-round play, Annika Beck of Germany conceded just five points in the opening set before beating Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria 6-0, 6-4; and Oceane Dodin of France rallied to beat Czech qualifier Kristyna Pliskova 6-7 (2), 7-5, 6-3 after coming back from 4-1 down in the second set.

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Wednesday, October 12, 2016, PAGE 5

Panthers’ backs against the wall after surprising 1-4 start By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Super Bowl is beginning to seem like a distant memory for the Carolina Panthers. The brash team that celebrated 17 wins last season by posing for pictures while “dabbing” on the sideline suddenly doesn’t have much to celebrate. The defending NFC champions are in danger of not making the postseason coming off a 17-2 season. The Panthers (1-4) turned the ball over four more times and had several costly penalties in a 17-14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, leaving the three-time defending NFC South champs three games behind the Atlanta Falcons in the division. History suggests the Panthers only have a six per cent chance of making the postseason. Since the NFL went to a 12-team playoff format in 1990, only eight of 128 teams that started 1-4 have advanced to the postseason. Houston and Kansas City accomplished that feat last year. All of that doesn’t seem to faze the Panthers eternally optimistic coach Ron Rivera. “In spite of the fact that some people want to go ahead and give the division to somebody already with 11 games left to play,” Rivera said yesterday. “We will wait and see and play them one at a time and that’s the way we’re going to look at it. We’re not going to worry about what happened last year. It’s a different football team and a different season.”

PANTHERS’ Cameron Artis-Payne (34) runs as Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Chris Conte (23) defends in the second half of Monday night’s game in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Bob Leverone) Rivera expressed some optimism regarding the status of reigning league MVP Cam Newton, who sat out against the Buccaneers with a concussion. While Newton remains in the league’s concussion protocol, Rivera said the sixth-year quarterback

“had a good day” of workouts on Monday. “He worked out with our training staff. He ran. He threw the ball,” Rivera said Tuesday. “We had one of our young guys with him, and he was running routes for him. He lifted.”

However, Rivera stopped short of saying whether Newton would practice Wednesday or be ready for Sunday’s game at New Orleans. The Panthers have a bye the following week, so it’s conceivable they could hold him out to give him two more weeks to rest. “My understanding is when they do all that it’s ‘How is he the next day?’” Rivera said. “I haven’t had a chance to visit on that yet.” Players had the day off Tuesday. One of the biggest issues for the Panthers this season is turnovers. They’ve committed an NFL-high 14 through five games after turning the ball over only 19 times all of last season. Derek Anderson, who filled in for Newton on Monday night, had three turnovers including a costly fourth quarter interception on a first-and-goal at the Tampa Bay 2. “It’s been kind of the story of our losses this year — missed opportunities, self-inflicted wounds and obviously turnovers are big,” Panthers tight end Greg Olsen said after the game. Olsen said some of the breaks the Panthers got last year are simply going the other way. “What happened the year before has nothing to do with this year,” Olsen said. “We’ve been saying that since the day after the Super Bowl. That’s just the reality of it. It’s unfortunate we had to learn it by being 1-4, but that’s the way this league goes. You’re not promised anything in this league. No one’s going to roll over because of what you’ve done in the past. You’ve got to earn everything and right now we’re not earning anything.”

Sam Bradford has been fitting right in By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Pro Football Writer EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — Sam Bradford has started all of four games for Minnesota. The Vikings aren’t yet one-third of the way through their schedule. The early return on that expensive emergency trade the Vikings made for Bradford, though, could not have been better. They’re the only undefeated team remaining in the NFL, and Bradford has the second-best passer rating in the league (109.8) among quarterbacks with a qualifying amount of attempts. “Obviously, it’s a great start,” said Bradford, who was fetched from Philadelphia for a first-round draft pick in 2017 and a conditional selection in 2018 that’ll be in the second, third or fourth round. “You couldn’t ask for anything more than being 5-0 going into your bye week.” Waiting for the Vikings after the welcomed break is a road game on October 23 against those Eagles (3-1), who haven’t missed Bradford one bit because of the success of rookie Carson Wentz. Coach Mike Zimmer cracked a couple of smiles after Minnesota’s 31-13 victory over Houston on Sunday, but he’ll soon enter his usual state of anxiety about the upcoming opponent and how to slow its offense. “Like Coach Zimmer said after the game, it’s still a lot of work this team needs to do,” Bradford said. “I think they’re still rooting for us to improve, and I think that’s our mindset going forward. We’re not satisfied. It’s early in the year, and we haven’t accomplished anything yet.” No, but the Vikings have at least mastered the art of resilience, after losing quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, running back Adrian Peterson, left tackle Matt Kalil and now right tackle Andre Smith, all perhaps for

VIKINGS QB Sam Bradford (8) throws a pass during Sunday night’s game. (AP) the rest of the season. Bridgewater’s colossal injury to his left knee triggered the deal for Bradford eight days before the opener , and the 28-year-old former No. 1 overall draft pick has meshed with his new teammates and picked up offensive coordinator Norv Turner’s playbook as if he’s been in purple his whole pro career. “The offensive coaches have done a great job of getting him prepared,” Zimmer said. “The one thing about Sam is that he will communicate the things that he likes to do. “If we have a play in the game plan that he doesn’t like, he’s going to tell Norv, and we get rid of the play. We try to do things that he’s comfortable with, even though it’s been a short period of time.”

When wide receiver Stefon Diggs (groin) was held out on Sunday against the Texans, Adam Thielen stepped up with seven catches for 127 yards and a tone-setting touchdown on the opening drive . “I really didn’t know much about this team at all, to be honest, before I got here. I think I learn a little bit more each week,” Bradford said. “I think we’ve definitely got a lot of playmakers on the offensive side of the ball, a lot of guys that we feel if can get the ball in their hands then good things will happen.” According to the NFL, the Vikings are only the second team since 1933 to go five games into the season without throwing an interception while also winning all five. Roman Gabriel and the Los Angeles Rams also did so in 1969, when Gabriel went on to be voted the NFL MVP. Peterson won the award in 2012 and led the league in rushing again last year, but he had only 50 yards on 31 carries before damaging his right knee. His absence, as strange as it sounds, could actually have been a productive development for the offense provided Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata remain healthy as a viable two-man fillin. Bradford, who has completed 70.4 per cent of his passes for 990 yards and six touchdowns, acknowledged on Sunday the creative spark that followed the loss of Peterson. Rather than lining up in traditional setups for power running plays, the Vikings have been operating predominantly out of the shotgun and frequently using spread formations for a quick-passing, up-tempo attack. “I think that’s a little bit different than what the offence has done in the past,” Bradford said. “I think it’s just us getting to know each other, us getting familiar with where we’re going as an offence. But I think it’s just guys buying in.”

AP POWER RANKINGS: VIKINGS GRAB NO. 1 SPOT By SIMMI BUTTAR AP Sports Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Mike Zimmer’s Minnesota Vikings are the last unbeaten team left in the NFL. Despite dealing with several significant injuries, the Vikings are 5-0 entering their bye week. That perfect mark helped them move up one spot to the top of the latest AP Pro32 poll, which was released yesterday. The Vikings received seven first-place votes for 379 points from balloting by media members who regularly cover the NFL. “Mike Zimmer is hands down the NFL’s coach of the year so far,” Newsday’s Bob Glauber said. “He’s winning despite having lost his starting quarterback

and All-Pro running back, and his defence is the best there is right now.” The New England Patriots, now with Tom Brady at quarterback, moved up a spot to No. 2. The Patriots received four first-place votes for 370 points. “Brady looked phenomenal,” Fox Sports’ John Czarnecki said of the Patriots’ superstar, who had 406 yards and three touchdowns in a 33-13 win over Cleveland. The Pittsburgh Steelers jumped three spots to No. 3. The Seattle Seahawks, who are coming off their bye week, moved to No. 4 and received the other firstplace vote. The Denver Broncos dropped four spots to No. 5 after falling to the Atlanta Falcons, who moved up

to No. 7. “The only question they haven’t answered is: How in the world did you lose to the Bucs?” the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Charean Williams asked of the first-place Falcons. On Sunday, Atlanta plays at Seattle, where Falcons coach Dan Quinn won a Super Bowl as defensive coordinator of the Seahawks. Broncos coach Gary Kubiak will take a week off after experiencing a “complex migraine condition” Sunday night. Joe DeCamillis will be the interim coach for Thursday’s game at San Diego. The Green Bay Packers edged up to No. 6 after defeating the New York Giants 23-16. “Not a perfect night for Aaron Rodgers, with two interceptions, but good

enough against the Giants to make this the usual twoteam NFC North race with the Vikings,” Glauber said. The Philadelphia Eagles dropped four spots to No. 8 after suffering their first loss of the season. The Dallas Cowboys, who moved to 4-1 after routing the Cincinnati Bengals, jumped three spots to No. 9. “Why are the Cowboys converting 50 per cent of their third downs behind a rookie quarterback?” asked Ira Kaufman of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “Credit a dominating offensive line that keeps Dak Prescott in favourable down-and-distance situations.” The Oakland Raiders, tied with Denver for first place in the AFC West, round out the top 10.

2 DOLPHINS OL WHO FLOPPED STARTING LAST WEEK RELEASED DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — Two Miami Dolphins offensive linemen who flopped in emergency starting roles last week have been released. The Dolphins yesterday parted with Dallas Thomas and Billy Turner, who were third-round draft picks in 2013 and 2014. They started in Sunday’s 30-17 loss to Tennessee because left tackle Branden Albert (virus) and left guard Laremy Tunsil (ankle) were inactive. Ryan Tannehill was sacked six times, and the Dolphins netted just 200 yards and totalled eight first downs. The moves are the latest sign first-year coach Adam Gase will shake up the roster and depth chart as he tries to turn around a team off to a 1-4 start. Last season Thomas started all 16 games at left guard, and Turner started 12 games at right guard.

THE STANDINGS

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, October 12, 2016, PAGE 7

Dustin Johnson wins PGA Tour player of the year By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer NAPA, California (AP) — Dustin Johnson’s first major was only part of a dream season that culminated with the PGA Tour player of the year award yesterday. Johnson made it a clean sweep of the tour’s biggest honours that are named after its most prominent players. He won the Jack Nicklaus Award as player of the year, the Arnold Palmer Award for leading the money list and the Byron Nelson Award for having the lowest adjusted scoring average. “I don’t even know if I dreamed this would be happening,” Johnson said. Johnson previously won the PGA of America’s points-based award as player of the year and the Vardon Trophy for the lowest scoring average. The PGA Tour award is a vote of the players, and Johnson said he didn’t even vote. That didn’t matter. While the PGA Tour does not disclose vote totals, no one could match the year Johnson had. The 32-year-old American ended his string of disappointment in the majors by winning

the US Open at Oakmont under extraordinary circumstances. Because of the USGA’s indecision over a potential rules violation, Johnson played the final seven holes not knowing if he would be penalised, and he made sure it didn’t make a difference. He followed that up with by winning a World Golf Championship two weeks later at Firestone, and he won the BMW Championship at Crooked Stick. The only disappointment was losing the lead at the Tour Championship and losing the FedEx Cup when Rory McIlroy won at East Lake. Even so, Johnson established himself as a threat nearly every week. He finished out of the top 10 in only seven of his 21 starts on the PGA Tour this year. He won the money list with over $9.3 million and his performance in the final three FedEx Cup events — 10 of his last 12 rounds were in the 60s — allowed him to pull away from Jason Day, Adam Scott and Jordan Spieth to post the lowest scoring average. Johnson said he worked harder this year than ever before, but not too hard. On a scale of 1 to 10, he measured his work ethic at a 7½, compared with about a 5 in

TIGER WOODS TO WITHDRAW FROM SAFEWAY OPEN (AP) — The comeback of Tiger Woods is going to have to wait at least two more months. But he said he plans to play at his Hero World Challenge set for December 1-4 in Nassau, Bahamas. Three days before Woods planned to end his longest break from golf at the Safeway Open, he abruptly withdrew on Monday and said his game was not ready to take on PGA Tour competition. “My health is good, and I feel strong,” Woods said on his website. “But my game is vulnerable and not where it needs to be.” And so the waiting continues. Woods first announced September 7 that he planned to play three times by the end of the year, starting with the Safeway Open at Silverado Resort in Napa, California. Then, he officially committed to the tournament on Friday. The buzz was building for his return, with word leaking that he would be paired with Phil Mickelson and defending Silverado champion Emiliano Grillo. Instead, Woods withdrew from the Safeway Open and the Turkish Airlines Open on November 3-6 after what he described as “a lot of soul searching.”

DUSTIN JOHNSON in action during the Tour Championship tournament in Atlanta last month. (AP) previous years. “There’s still room to work harder, but I’m at a level that works best for me so I don’t get too burned out,” he said. “I feel like I’m putting in enough quality work that works for my mentality so I’m not overdoing it.” The key moment for Johnson this year came on a rainy Wednesday after the pro-am at the Northern Trust Open at Riviera. Instead of ducking into the clubhouse for lunch, he headed for the range and began working for the first time with

TrackMan, a device using radar technology that allows a player to get dialed in on every aspect of his game. Johnson used it only for his wedges. By year’s end, he was in the top five in driving distance and proximity to the hole from 50 yards to 125 yards. The last player to do that was Tiger Woods in 2005. “Knowing the work I’m putting in is working drives me to work harder, it makes me more driven to be better,” Johnson said. “That’s what gives me confidence.”

THe WeaTHer repOrT

5-Day Forecast

TOday

OrlandO

High: 87° F/31° C low: 71° F/22° C

Tampa

THursday

FrIday

saTurday

sunday

Partly sunny with a shower in spots

Partly cloudy with a shower or two

Clouds and sun with a stray shower

Partly sunny, a t‑storm in spots

Partly sunny with a shower in spots

Mostly cloudy with a shower or two

High: 88°

Low: 75°

High: 89° Low: 75°

High: 88° Low: 75°

High: 87° Low: 75°

High: 86° Low: 74°

AccuWeather RealFeel

99° F

83° F

100°-82° F

101°-82° F

98°-80° F

96°-76° F

High: 88° F/31° C low: 72° F/22° C

aBaCO

High: 83° F/28° C low: 80° F/27° C

10‑20 knots

High: 86° F/30° C low: 77° F/25° C

10‑20 knots

FT. lauderdale

FreepOrT

High: 86° F/30° C low: 77° F/25° C

WesT palm BeaCH

tiDes For nassau High

almanac

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

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.

uV inDex toDay

TOnIGHT

High: 85° F/29° C low: 74° F/23° C

mIamI

High: 87° F/31° C low: 76° F/24° C

10‑20 knots

Key WesT

High: 87° F/31° C low: 78° F/26° C

eleuTHera

nassau

High: 88° F/31° C low: 75° F/24° C

High: 86° F/30° C low: 80° F/27° C

Low

Ht.(ft.)

4:54 a.m. 5:19 p.m.

2.9 3.2

11:07 a.m. 0.7 11:41 p.m. 0.5

Thursday

5:48 a.m. 6:11 p.m.

3.2 3.3

12:03 p.m. 0.4 ‑‑‑‑‑ ‑‑‑‑‑

Friday

6:39 a.m. 7:01 p.m.

3.5 3.4

12:30 a.m. 0.2 12:57 p.m. 0.1

Saturday

7:29 a.m. 7:50 p.m.

3.7 3.5

1:17 a.m. ‑0.1 1:49 p.m. ‑0.1

Sunday

8:19 a.m. 8:40 p.m.

3.9 3.5

2:05 a.m. ‑0.3 2:41 p.m. ‑0.3

Monday

9:09 a.m. 9:31 p.m.

4.0 3.4

2:53 a.m. ‑0.4 3:33 p.m. ‑0.3

Tuesday

10:00 a.m. 10:23 p.m.

4.0 3.3

3:42 a.m. ‑0.4 4:26 p.m. ‑0.2

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

7:07 a.m. 6:45 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

4:24 p.m. 3:16 a.m.

Full

last

new

First

Oct. 16

Oct. 22

Oct. 30

nov. 7

CaT Island

High: 85° F/29° C low: 80° F/27° C

8‑16 knots

8‑16 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 86° F/30° C Low .................................................... 76° F/24° C Normal high ....................................... 85° F/30° C Normal low ........................................ 73° F/23° C Last year’s high ................................. 91° F/33° C Last year’s low ................................... 72° F/22° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday .................................. trace Year to date ............................................... 45.95” Normal year to date ................................... 31.28”

Ht.(ft.)

Today

andrOs

san salVadOr

GreaT eXuma

High: 85° F/29° C low: 80° F/27° C

High: 87° F/31° C low: 80° F/27° C

W S

lOnG Island

insurance management tracking map

High: 85° F/29° C low: 81° F/27° 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: 84° F/29° C low: 81° F/27° C

High: 85° F/29° C low: 81° F/27° C

GreaT InaGua High: 87° F/31° C low: 80° F/27° C

6‑12 knots

marine Forecast aBaCO andrOs CaT Island CrOOKed Island eleuTHera FreepOrT GreaT eXuma GreaT InaGua lOnG Island mayaGuana nassau raGGed Island san salVadOr

Today: 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 NE at 10‑20 Knots NNE at 8‑16 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots NE at 7‑14 Knots ENE at 6‑12 Knots SE at 4‑8 Knots SSW at 6‑12 Knots SW at 6‑12 Knots NE at 7‑14 Knots NE at 6‑12 Knots NE at 10‑20 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots ENE at 4‑8 Knots S at 6‑12 Knots SSW at 6‑12 Knots S at 6‑12 Knots SW at 4‑8 Knots SSW at 7‑14 Knots SW at 7‑14 Knots NNE at 6‑12 Knots NE at 6‑12 Knots SW at 6‑12 Knots SW at 4‑8 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots E at 6‑12 Knots

WAVES 8‑12 Feet 8‑12 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 5‑9 Feet 5‑9 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑5 Feet 6‑10 Feet 6‑10 Feet 5‑9 Feet 4‑8 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑6 Feet 0‑1 Feet 0‑1 Feet 6‑10 Feet 6‑10 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑2 Feet 4‑7 Feet 3‑6 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 7 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 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 82° F 82° F 86° F 86° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 83° F 83° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 88° F 88° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F

PAGE 8, Wednesday, October 12, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

TIM TEBOW WORKS OUT FOR FIRST TIME IN ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE JOHN MARSHALL AP Sports Writer

DODGERS starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw throws against the Washington Nationals yesterday in Game 4 of the National League Division Series. (AP)

Utley’s single lifts Dodgers over Nats 6-5 to force Game 5 By BETH HARRIS AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chase Utley singled home the tiebreaking run with two outs in the eighth inning after the Dodgers’ bullpen faltered in relief of Clayton Kershaw, and Los Angeles avoided elimination with a 6-5 victory over the Washington Nationals yesterday that forced a deciding Game 5 in their NL

playoff. Kenley Jansen retired the side in the ninth a day after giving up four runs in a Game 3 loss, preventing the Nationals from clinching a postseason series for the first time. Game 5 is Thursday in Washington. Adrian Gonzalez hit a two-run homer for the Dodgers, who turned to Kershaw on three days’ rest to salvage their season.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Tim Tebow hit a ball through the left side of the infield, looped another to the same area. He fouled off a pitch and sent a grounder the other way. Then it came. Swinging inside-out, Tebow lined a hard shot toward the line in left field. “Atta boy,” one of his new teammates shouted from behind the batting cage. Tebow’s journey from star quarterback to budding baseball player made its latest stop in the desert Monday night, when he worked out for two hours with the Arizona Fall League’s Scottsdale Scorpions. Playing baseball under the lights for the first time in more than a decade, Tebow took some fly balls in the outfield and went through five rounds of batting practice. He hit some good, some not-so-good — but he’s still early in this transformation from football to baseball. “It was good getting in here, meeting everybody, getting a feel for it, swing the bat a little,” Tebow said. “I know it’s going to be a process.”

DODGERS’ Chase Utley watches his RBI-single during the eighth inning yesterday against the Washington Nationals. (AP Photo/Jae C Hong)