RTC Director

CARIFTA 2012 results for Day2

At the end of the second day of Competition in the 2012 Carifta Games at the National Sports Center, Jamaica lead the medal count with a total of 52 medals.

Jamaica have captured 26 Gold, 14 Silver and 12 Bronze Medals thus far in the games, while Bahamas are second with a total of 25 Medals, compromised of 9 Gold, 8 Silver and 8 Bronze.

Bermuda’s athletes have done the island proud have a total of 4 medals, with Justin Donawa winning Gold, Kyrah Scraders and Shaquille Dill both winning Silver and Taylor-Ashley Bean winning Bronze.

Carifta Games Medal Count after 2 Days:

• 52 Jamaica
• 25 Bahamas
• 15 Trinidad
• 5 BVI
• 4 Guadeloupe
• 4 Bermuda
• 4 St Lucia
• 4 St Lucia
• 3 Martinique
• 2 French Guiana
• 1 Curacao
• 1 St Kitts/Nevis
• 1 Antigua/Barbuda
• 1 Guyana
• 1 Dominica
• 1 Anguilla
• 1 Turks

Our Turks & Caicos team after drawing lane eight secured the bronze in the 4x400 meters with the time of  41.48.

The team consists of 1) Otuonye, Ifeanyichukwu 18 2) Williams, Delano 19 3) Garland, Angelo 18 4) Parker, Shyon 18.

by RTC Director

Anthony has 43, Knicks top Bulls in Rose's return

Carmelo Anthony called it a statement game, and the message should be clear for the Chicago Bulls .

If they do meet in the playoffs, the Bulls better finish off Anthony and the Knicks when they have the chance.

Anthony scored 43 points, his most since coming to New York last February, and made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 8.2 seconds left in overtime as the Knicks spoiled the return to the lineup for a rusty Derrick Rose and beat the Bulls 100-99 on Sunday.

Anthony tied it with a 3 late in regulation and scored the final five points of overtime in his signature performance since coming to New York last February. He only had the chance to pull it out because the Bulls missed four straight free throws in the final 34 seconds of regulation.

"This was a playoff game. We have a chance, we might play these guys in the playoffs if we keep doing what we're doing and get that seed, so this was a big statement game for us and we willed this one tonight," Anthony said.

It had the look and sound of a playoff game in the tense final minutes at a frenzied Madison Square Garden. The loudest roars went to Anthony, who screamed "This is my house!" after the second 3-pointer in a place where he heard boos just last month.

He said Sunday's big basket was one of the best of his career.

"This was one of the top," he said. "Overtime, Easter Sunday, everybody's watching, everybody's in the Garden, so this ranks as one of the top."

The Bulls trailed by 21 in the first quarter, fought back to lead by 10 in the fourth, then lost for the third time in four games despite having their starting five together for only the 11th time this season. Their NBA-best record fell to 43-14.

Rose scored 29 points after missing the previous 12 games with a strained right groin, but he shot only 8 of 26 from the field and missed a pair of free throws with 19 seconds left in regulation and the Bulls ahead by three.

"It's tough. It was definitely tough," Rose said. "When you lose a game, especially for us, it's tough. It's going to hurt us no matter who we lose to, but that team played great, man. They were knocking down shots. Didn't give up when we went up that big lead. They kept fighting."

The Knicks increased their lead over Milwaukee to one game for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They travel to Chicago on Tuesday, visit Milwaukee on Wednesday, and close a difficult week by hosting Miami next Sunday.

"I was proud of my teammates the way we stuck in there," center Tyson Chandler said. "That's a great team that we faced today. We knew they would battle back. You know, a lot of ups and downs in the game, but the one thing we did was keep our composure, kept believing in each other and we were able to will through to win."

Iman Shumpert scored 15 points and JR Smith had 14 despite 6-of-22 shooting for the Knicks, still without the injured Amare Stoudemire and Jeremy Lin but with a sensational effort from Anthony, who made 16 of 31 shots. Chandler grabbed 16 rebounds.

Carlos Boozer had 13 points and 16 boards for the Bulls, who fell to 9-2 with their regular starting five. Rose committed eight of Chicago's 20 turnovers.

Rose had only seven points on 1-of-6 shooting in the first half, then scored 14 in the third quarter. After trailing the entire game, Chicago finally took its first lead in the final minute of the period, later going ahead 89-80 on Rose's four-point play with 5:04 remaining in the fourth.

The Knicks were down 10 before Smith made a 3-pointer - his fourth basket in 21 attempts - and Anthony scored four in a row to make it 91-88. Luol Deng missed two free throws with 34 seconds left, and after Steve Novak's potential tying 3-point attempt went all around the rim before coming out, Rose missed a pair from the line with 19 seconds to go.

Anthony rushed up the floor and pulled up for a long 3 that tied it at 91 with 11 seconds remaining, and it went to overtime when Rose missed everything on a jumper.

Chicago took a pair of four-point leads on baskets by Rose, but was shut out after his jumper with 2:51 remaining. Anthony gave the Knicks a 100-99 lead with 8.2 seconds remaining and the Bulls had trouble getting into their offense on the final possession, with Rose forced to shoot and miss a tough runner as time expired.

Chicago hadn't had its regular five of Rose, Richard Hamilton, Boozer, Deng and Joakim Noah together since March 5 against Indiana. Hamilton left that game in the opening minutes with an injured right shoulder and only recently returned with his minutes closely monitored, and Rose was hurt a week later in a victory over the Knicks.

Their lack of cohesion was obvious early. Chicago missed 11 of its first 12 shots and perhaps let the struggles affect its usual rock-solid defense. The Knicks started 12 of 16 from the floor, building a 27-6 lead when Shumpert converted a three-point play with 3:30 remaining in the period.

"We should be able to overcome all of that stuff," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "You just have to do the right things. We do the right things, you're not going to have those problems. You're not going to have those turnovers. Simple plays: Protect the ball, keep the ball moving, quick decisions, hit the first open man, sustain your spacing, protect the ball, tuck it on the catch, fight for your space, get your space. Simple."

The Bulls trailed 53-45 at even though Rose and Hamilton shot 2 of 11 and All-Star Deng was 3 of 10 while Anthony repeatedly beat him on his way to 22 points.

Source: Sports Illustrated

by RTC Director

Spurs sink Jazz 114-104 to extend win streak to 11

The San Antonio Spurs pushed their winning streak to 11 on a night when coach Gregg Popovich committed to playing just 10 men.

That health prioritizing isn't likely to change - whether first place is on the line or not.

Tony Parker scored 28 points, Manu Ginobili had 23 off the bench and the Spurs reached their second 11-game winning streak of the season, beating the Utah Jazz 114-104 on Sunday night to maintain their slim lead atop the Western Conference.

Tim Duncan added 13 points and 16 rebounds, making this 28th win in 33 games for the Spurs look like countless other Big Three showcases. But different this time was Ginobili, who has missed 29 games with injuries this year, deliberately seeking out contact to toughen up before the playoffs. Popovich also sat starting center DeJuan Blair for the first time all season.

"It's time for me to join in," Ginobili said following his biggest game since returning from a broken hand in March.

Yet he may not join the Spurs on Monday night in Salt Lake City, when the Spurs and Jazz finish an unusual home-and-home in consecutive nights. Someone shouted to Ginobili in the locker room they'd see him when they got back from Utah, though Ginobili said he did not know if he was making the trip.

Al Jefferson led the Jazz with 19 points and 10 rebounds for Utah, which dropped 1 1/2 games behind Denver for the eighth and final playoff spot with nine games to go. Devin Harris had 18 points and reserve DeMare Carroll had 16 for the Jazz. Guard C.J. Miles left in the second quarter with a strained left calf, and is scheduled to undergo an MRI when the team returns to Utah.

"Any time you lose your top guys, it's tough. But we're a deep team. Injuries happen," Harris said. "They're unfortunate, but it's more playing time for the other guys. We just have to keep playing and fighting through."

Six of Utah's remaining games are against winning teams. The Jazz (29-28) are trying to return to the playoffs for the first time in three years and are poised to decide their own fate if they get there. Utah still has meetings left against Dallas, Phoenix and Houston, all of whom entered Sunday within 1 1/2 games of each other.

The Spurs (40-14) have played two more games than the Thunder (41-15). San Antonio overtook Oklahoma City in the standings for the first time all season Friday and owns the tiebreaker with 12 games remaining.

Expect to see the Spurs cashing in on their new stockpile of depth between now and then. Aside from Popovich sitting Blair, newcomer Stephen Jackson didn't play, either.

Danny Green had 14 points. Ginobili was 14 of 15 from the foul line, saying he made the conscious decision to attack the basket, in part, because he's essentially trying to get used to absorbing physical contact again.

"I'm trying to start to be more aggressive going to the rim. I haven't been fouled much," Ginobili said.

The Jazz trailed by as many as 19 but made a game of it in the fourth. Utah cut the lead to 108-100 with around 2 minutes left, but after Duncan pulled down his 15th rebound on a missed jumper by Gordon Hayward jumper, Parker scored the final six points to finish off the pesky Jazz.

Parker went 9 of 14 from the floor and hit all 10 of his foul shots.

Popovich has insisted that health will trump seeding down the stretch, but the Spurs keep winning in spite of him trying to limit the mileage on his stars before the playoffs. San Antonio is one of just four teams with at least 10 players averaging 19 minutes - New York's the only other winning one - and a rare Spurs midseason shopping spree has given them the luxury of even more depth.

Boris Diaw scored 9 points in his first start since signing with the Spurs on March 23. Along with Jackson and point guard Patty Mills, the Spurs are 11-1 since giving their bench a facelift around the trade deadline.

Parker said Popovich is breaking the news about who's in and out prior to tipoff.

"He's telling before who he's not going to play," Parker said. "We all have to be ready."

Sports Illustrated

by RTC Director

Bubba Watson wins U.S. Masters after dramatic playoff

Bubba Watson won the 76th U.S. Masters as he beat South African Louis Oosthuizen at the second hole of a sudden death playoff at Augusta National on Sunday.

Watson, who won his first major title, played a remarkable recovery shot from the trees at the 10th to find the green.

Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open champion, saw his par putt miss to leave his American opponent with two shots to take the title.

The 33-year-old Watson rolled his first to within six inches before completing the task, bursting into tears as he embraced his mother, Mollie, by the side of the green.

"I never got this far in my dreams," said Watson as he prepared to don the famous green jacket, won last year by Oosthuizen's fellow South African Charl Schwartzel.

Watson and his wife have recently adopted their first child and he added: "To go home to my new son is going to be fun."

The playoff pair had finished tied at 10-under 278 in regulation play, as Watson produced a burst of four straight birdies on the back nine to draw level with his playing partner.

Oosthuizen had taken control of the tournament when he holed his second shot at the par-5 second hole for a remarkable three-under-par double-eagle, only the fourth in the history of the Masters.

But he mixed two bogeys with two birdies to give Watson the chance to force a playoff, his second in a major after losing to Martin Kaymer of Germany at the 2010 U.S. PGA Championship.

First-round leader Lee Westwood of England, home pair Matt Kuchar and Phil Mickelson, and overnight leader Peter Hanson of Sweden finished tied for third at eight-under 280.

Mickelson's challenge was disrupted by a triple bogey six at the short fourth and he was never able to get on terms in search of his fourth Masters crown as he finished with a level-par 72.

Hanson also struggled early in his round before a late rally.

Up ahead, world No. 3 Westwood, once again immaculate from tee to green, carded a four-under 68 to set the clubhouse pace in search of his first major crown and was joined on that mark by local favorite Kuchar.

But Oosthuizen and Watson kept their nerve, parring both the 17th and 18th to stay locked together at 10 under par to go into the extra holes.

Two of the pre-tournament favorites, Tiger Woods and Northern Ireland's world No. 2 Rory McIlroy, finished tied together at five over, 15 shots adrift after final rounds of 74 and 76 respectively.

by RTC Director

Man Utd extend lead at top as 10-man City lose at Arsenal

Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes scored as Manchester United beat 10-man Queens Park Rangers 2-0 Sunday to strengthen their grip on the English Premier League title with six matches to play.

Victory left the defending champions eight points clear of local rivals Manchester City, who were beaten 1-0 at Arsenal in the late kickoff.

Arsenal's Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta beat England goalkeeper Joe Hart with a superb shot three minutes from time to all but end City's hopes of a first league title since 1968.

Second-placed City's misery was complete when striker Mario Balotelli was sent off just before the final whistle for a second yellow card.

Manager Roberto Mancini had told Sky Sports that with United winning at home to QPR his side had to win to stay in the championship race.

"Today for us is like a final, otherwise eight points is too much," he told Sky Sports.

Interviewed after the defeat, Mancini admitted that with the points gap "it's very difficult but we will do our best."

He was also angered by Balotelli, who was lucky to stay on the pitch after a first-half tackle on Alex Song before being booked after tangling with Bacary Sagna.

"The first tackle was bad," said Mancini. "I defend Mario because he is a good guy but if he doesn't change in the future he could waste his talent. He can't continue to play like this."

Arsenal's deserved win after a game they dominated took them two points clear of north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the battle for third spot.

Earlier, United continued their recent superb run against strugglers QPR after being given the benefit of a dubious early decision.

The visitors were immediately on the back foot when Shaun Derry was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Ashley Young in conceding a penalty.

It looked a marginal decision with television replays indicating Young was offside, but Rooney thumped home the penalty for his 30th goal of the season and his 12th in 12 matches.

QPR boss Mark Hughes said the club would be appealing the decision -- the second in recent matches to favor United after Fulham's Danny Murphy was denied a clear penalty in his team's 1-0 defeat last month.

"These are massive decisions that affect people's livelihoods. Decisions are not being correctly made and they are affecting too many people," the former United striker told reporters.

"The referee was too quick to put his whistle to his mouth. The kid was still rolling around and he had already given a penalty. His assistant didn't have the opportunity to put his flag up."

United took control and in the second half the veteran Scholes duly grabbed his third goal since coming out of retirement as United made it 11 wins in 12 EPL matches.

QPR remained just above the relegation zone albeit on goal difference alone after the defeat.

by RTC Director