MINNEAPOLIS: Kobe Bryant scored 39 points and Shaquille O’Neal added 32 as the three-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers opened the playoffs with an impressive 117-98 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in NBA action.

The fifth-seeded Lakers had little trouble with fourth-seeded Timberwolves on Sunday, and took home-court advantage back in the series. Game two is in Minneapolis today. Bryant scored 28 of his points in a dominating first half and O’Neal added 10 rebounds as the Lakers pulled into a 14-point half time lead to win for the 17th time in their past 19 post-season road games. The T-Wolves had home court advantage for the first time in their history, but are now in danger of losing in the first round of the playoffs for the seventh straight year. Kevin Garnett had 23 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists for the Wolves, while Wally Szczerbiak added 15 points.

In PHILADELPHIA: Allen Iverson turned in one of the best shooting displays in NBA playoff history as the 76ers downed the New Orleans Hornets 98-90. Iverson scored a playoff career-best 55 points as Philadelphia took Game One of the best-of-seven series. Game Two is in Philadelphia tomorrow.

In AUBURN HILLS: Tracy McGrady scored a franchise playoff record 43 points as the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic upset the top seeded Detroit Pistons 99-94. Game Two in the best-of-seven opening round Eastern Conference series is in Detroit tomorrow.

Scores of kickboxers attached to five major academies met last Saturday at the Princes Town Senior Comprehensive School to  compete in search of the best fighters in south Trinidad.

The academies represented were hosts Zion from Princes Town, Phoenix from Barrackpore, Kalari from Penal, Fine Line from Chaguanas and Al Hikmah from San Fernando. The show, which was well attended by fans from the different southern districts, lasted five hours. Apart from the competition, there were several exhibitions in the art of kickboxing. In the end, the winners of the various fights included Roger Baptiste of Fine Line, who fought Carlton Douglas of Zion. Female kickboxer Roopa Binda, also of Zion, beat Liana Boodram from Phoenix.

One of the more experienced kickboxers, Bradley “Van Damme” Samdeo from Kalari defeated Clinton “Pitbull” Ayes of Zion. In the final female fight, Anita Mahadeo from Zion defeated Kessy Lessie of Phoenix. The co-ordinator of the event, Naresh Bhola, a tutor at Zion, said that the show was a success and called for more regular kickboxing events in Princes Town. “I would like the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Roger Boynes to look into this matter and establish a centre for kickboxing for the south fighters,” Bhola said.

THE Trinidad and Tobago Netball Association are again attempting to pull wool over the eyes of the public.

Recent information is that they have received a time extension to send their list of 12 players for the July 11-20 World Netball Championships in neighbouring Kingston, Jamaica. The fact remains, however, there was  no local squad in training for the tournament. Since 1999 at the end of the 10th World Netball Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand, all countries were aware of the venue and dates for the next series. But the association would have all and sundry believe that because of a “change of administration” they were unable to submit their team before the deadline date of March 31, 2003. Well they did have a change in administration at their annual general meeting held on March 29, would you believe. But what the general public is unaware of is that the first vice-president of two years ago, Martha Archer is now the president, and for two terms before that she held that top office. Also, the “new” treasurer Naomi Regis-Gilkes was of course president until the recent AGM, and the second vice-president Angela Joseph was Public Relations Officer.

So what change of administration? Truth be told, there has been a kind of musical chairs, with the same officials  shifting around to different positions. What is most disgusting is that the administration never took action over the last two years at least, when leading players were refusing to come out to training under ex-coach Grace Parkinson-Griffith, who only tendered her resignation also at that AGM on March 29. Until then, only between five and eight players were turning up for training, but immediately, again according to information, Veronica McDonald of the Defence Force was “appointed” coach, more than 16 names have been thrown up. Now the association, after bungling over the past three years at least, want to  start preparing a team for a World Championship in under three months.  When champions Australia have, between 1999 and now, played at the Commonwealth Games in Man-chester, England, last year, and retained their title. And only a few months ago they won a three-Test series against current Caribbean queens Jamaica.

The main ploy in the whole scenario is, however, the TTNA are once again caught with their fingers in the fire, and their only focus is on escaping a fine and a second ban by the International Federation of Netball Associations. Similar action was taken 13 years ago. It is an insult to the 1.5 million nationals for a hastily assembled team to carry our flag in Jamaica. Especially so after the late Jean Pierre, Cyrenia Charles, Marcia Dimsoy, Jennifer Nurse, Angela Burke-Brown, Jennifer Williams-Frank, Heather Charleau, Veryl Prescod, Ingrid Blackman, Peggy Castanada, Althea  Thomas-Luces and skipper Sherril Peters fought so hard and won the respect of  the world as the only team other than Australia and New Zealand to capture the world crown.

Even when well prepared, with both Jamaica and Barbados opting out and instead attending the Common-wealthh Games, TT could only manage the runners-up spot in the Caribbean Netball Association Championships last year, convincingly beaten 54-33 by St Vincent, and just edging Antigua/Barbuda 49-48. Now that “new administration” is hoping to access funds from the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs to send their 86-day prepared scraped together team to Jamaica to have one-time world champions and 10-time Caribbean netball queens Trinidad and Tobago embarrassed.

With David Rudder’s hit calypso “Trini to de Bone” blaring out of the Trini Posse Stand, fellow Trinidadians Brian Lara and Daren Ganga had cricket fans at the the Oval jumping yesterday with a batting exhibition that matched the mighty Australians of the previous day and a half.

After Australia declared their first innings at a mammoth 576 for four wickets, much to the delight of the West Indian bowlers, the homesters replied strongly with 186 for three at the close of the second day’s play in the Second Cable and Wireless Test match. For most of the afternoon the Queen’s Park Oval was transformed to a party venue as “Trinis” were revelling in the exquisite strokeplay of their “home boys”.  The maestro of the regional cricket band, skipper Brian Lara, was strumming together a beautiful melody to the accompaniment of his trusted aide Daren Ganga, colleagues and close friends.

With the hosts losing openers Wavell Hinds (20) and Devon Smith (0) in quick succession with only 25 runs on the board, the “Trini” batsmen entered the fray. Both were centurions in the First Test in Guyana last weekend and took off where they left. Lara raced to join Ganga then on 44,  with two sixes and a four of three deliveries from leg-spinner Stuart MacGill. He then went on to record his half-century before Ganga with a boundary that also brought up the 100 partnership. Lara’s 50 came in 83 minutes off 64 balls and contained five fours and two sixes. His protege followed suit taking 65 balls and hitting eight delightful fours.

The pair took the highly touted Australian bowling apart with Lara leading the way and Ganga, a devoted follower. But at 183, Lara who has never scored a Test century at the Queen’s Park Oval fell for 91 —- bowled behind his back by Brad Hogg. The  left-hander had a pained expression on his face in the walk back to the pavilion knowing he had given up a golden opportunity to achieve an elusive milestone in his glittering career. His partnership with Ganga realised 158 runs for the third wicket, following  a 185-run stand in the opening Test at Bourda in Guyana. Vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan then joined Ganga at the crease and they took the home team to 186 without further loss at the close. Sarwan was unbeaten on one and Ganga not out 69 —- with the West Indies needing another 191 runs to avoid the ignomy of following on.

Earlier, Australian vice-captain Ricky Ponting, resuming on 146, scored his first Test double century as he and Adam Gilchrist continued to dominate the WI bowling attack. Ponting passed his previous best of 197 against Pakistan. His double century came in 476 minutes off 344 balls with 23 fours and one six. He became the fifth Australian to score a Test double in the Caribbean and his marathon innings was the sixth at the Queen’s Park Oval. He finally fell stumped by debutant Carlton Baugh for 206 —- just short of the highest score of  220 made by India’s Sunil Gavaskar on the ground. Gilchrist gave admirable support and took the bowling by the scruff of the neck hitting two huge sixes and 11 fours in recording his eighth Test century. His runs came off only 104 balls in 210 minutes. Australian skipper Steve Waugh declared immediately after Gilchrist reached his hundred. Play on the third day today begins at 10.05 am.

Jody Placid gave Grenada their second gold at the 32nd CARIFTA Games when he captured the Boys Under-17 javelin during the morning session of day two at the Hasely Crawford Stadium yesterday.

Placid registered a 57.71-metre throw for a comfortable win over Guadeloupe’s Jonathan Dennis (55.97), while Aymara Albury secured the first gold for the Bahamas at the 2003 meet by capturing the Girls Under-20 shot put. Grenada, a regional javelin powerhouse, claimed the first title at stake in the event and also took the bronze, through Wayne George at 49.29 metres.  Albury, a bronze medallist in the Girls Under-20 discus on Saturday, stepped up two spots for gold in the shot put, with a 13.62-metre effort. Tressa-Anne Charles, of St Lucia, was second at 13.21, and French Guyana’s Hemat Astride (12.37) took third.

On the track in the morning, World Junior champion Usain Bolt set himself up for the 200/400 double when he comfortably won his 200-metre semi-final heat in 21.02 seconds. His anticipated 200-metre showdown today with World Junior 100-metre champion Darrel Brown is now off after Brown — who limped with a thigh problem after his 100-metre win Saturday night — was scratched from the event.

KINGSTOWN: Trinidad and Tobago defeated Jamaica by three wickets at Sion Hill on Saturday as the West Indies Under-15 cricket tournament continued.

The victory was mainly due to an all-round performance from “Man-of-the-Match” Javed Mohammed who struck an unbeaten 84 that included a six and six fours, after grabbing two wickets for 24 from his eight overs. Batting first Jamaica scored 186 for nine wickets from their 50 overs, as Nickoy Samuels topscored with 38, Jamie Trenchfield (30) and Ziggy Levy 27. Mohammed, Vinod Persad and Visham Ramroop each took two wickets for Trinidad and Tobago with Persad being the pick of the bowlers with two for 15 runs from ten overs and Ramroop two for 51. In reply Trinidad and Tobago knocked off the runs in 48 overs and five balls as they finished on 187 for seven wickets.

Adrian Bharath’s 24 was the second highest individual score after Mohammed’s match-winning knock. Jamie Merchant took two for 22 and Levy two for 27. Guyana continued their unbeaten streak by defeating Barbados by 27 runs. Barbados won the toss and sent the Guyanese in to bat at Stubbs, with captain Krishna Deosarran hitting 75 that consisted of a six and nine fours. He was well supported by Stephen Jacobs who struck five fours in his 38 and Gajanand Singh 32. Barbados in reply could only muster 190, being bowled out in 46.3 overs, as “Man-of-the-Match” Javendra Pooran grabbed three wickets for 17 runs in his ten overs. Danny Narayan and Clyde Andries each took two wickets.

The Barbadian last pair of Adrian Maynard and Kevin McClean gave the score some respectability, adding 69 for the last wicket, after they came together at 121 for nine wickets. Maynard topscored with an unbeaten 32, while McClean made 30, Darnel Murray 28 and Johnathan Carter 22. AT ARNOS VALE, the Windward Islands trounced the Leeward Islands by 51 runs, after batting first and amassing 205 all out in 45.1 overs. Stein Joseph (38) topscored, while Kevin James and Haysel Charlery supported with 29 and 22 respectively. The pick of the Leeward Island bowlers was Javal Hodge who took three for 37 from eight overs and one ball. Justin Althanave had identical figures but his were from ten overs, while Jacques Taylor chipped in with two for 29.

In reply the Leewards were bowled out for 154 in 44 overs as man-of-the-match Heron Campbell snared four wickets for 31 runs. He was supported by Clayton Bowes (2-17) and St. Clair Dixon (2-27). Hodge’s (39 not out) was the topscore for the Leewards, with assistance from Alan Powell (28) and Devon Thomas (22). The tournament continued yesterday with Guyana coming up against the Leeward Islands, Barbados against Trinidad and Tobago while Jamaica will oppose the Windward Islands.

DARREL BROWN ran away with his third successive Boys Under-20 100 metres gold but pulled up after the race with cramps in his right leg as the 32nd annual Carifta Track and Field Championships began on Saturday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.

Tobago’s Kelly-Ann Baptiste failed in her bid to secure a gold medal double for the home team  in the Under-20 category but Carlan Arthur copped the third gold medal for the hosts when he won the Boys Under-20 1,500m. The star of the night was Brown, who is expected to be fit to continue in the three-day meet, when he avoided the distraction of a false start to take gold in 10.20 seconds, followed by Churandy Martina of the Netherlands Antilles 10.37, Jamaican Tesfa Latty 10.40 and Trinidad and Tobago’s Dion Rodriguez, who stuttered at the start, 10.50. But, to add to Brown’s agony, his time will not stand as a CARIFTA mark due to the wind gauge of 3.8. The 18-year-old World Junior 100m title holder holds the competition’s best time of 10.22 which he set in the Bahamas last year.

Baptiste, in lane five, and arch-rival Wanda Hutson, in lane three, had slow starts and were unable to catch Jamaica’s Kerron Stewart who strolled to victory in 11.41 seconds, with teammate Sherone Simpson taking the silver medal in 11.44 and the diminutive Hutson bronze in a personal best time of 11.68. Baptiste was a distant fifth in a slow 11.77. Arthur, a 18-year-old student of Tranquillity Government Secondary, withstood a strong challenge from Bahamas’ Alex Sawyer and St Lucia’s Ran Joseph to claim the boys Under-20 1,500m in four minutes 3.29 seconds, with Sawyer 4:03.32, Joseph 4:03.81 and 2002 champ Cleveland Forde of Guyana 4:04.44 trailing.

Entering the boys U-20 400m final with the fastest semi-final time, Jamil James held a slim lead after 300m but, at the bend, Jamaican star Usain “Thunderbolt” Bolt flew past the bunch to win in a new Carifta record of 46.35 seconds, lowering national champ Damion Barry’s mark of 46.51 set at the 2001 event in Barbados. The 16-year-old James took the silver medal in 47.34 seconds with Andretti Bain of Bahamas bronze in 47.39. Two silver medals for TT in the U-17 category came in the Boys 400m, with Renny Quow clocking a personal best time of 48.97 seconds, behind Jamaica’s Joseph Robertson 48.54, with Akeem Forde of Barbados third with 49.60; and in the Girls 1,500m, with the dreadlocked Pilar McShine setting a PR of 4:38.67 in a race won by Jamaican Jodran Richards 4:37.72 with Guyanese Jennifer Chichester third in 4:48.06. As expected, Jamaica’s quartermiler Anneisha McLaughlin romped to victory in the Girls Under-20 event, withstanding the challenges of St Kitts and Nevis’ Tiandra Ponteen 52.76 and Jamaica’s Davita Prendergast 53.96.

Jamaica took gold in two Girls Under-17 finals — the 100m final with Samantha Henry 11.71 defeating Bahamas’ Tamara Rigby 11.79 and fellow Jamaican Shaunetta Stewart 11.89; and in the 400m with Annabella Reid 53.81 edging teammate Sonita Sutherland 53.90. Bahamas’ Tavara Rigby was a distant third in 54.92. Carles Mattis of Jamaica cleared the bar at 2.09 metres to take the Boys Under-20 high jump gold with Omar Wright of Cayman Islands and Grenada’s Garvin Peters sharing silver with a best attempt of 2.03m. But Dominica’s Tyron Benjamin captured his island’s first victory in the Boys Under-17 shot put with a throw of 15.17 metres, with Grenadian Deon Charles 14.56m and Barbadian Ramon Harewood 13.71m trailing; while Martinique also picked up a solitary gold medal through Elysee Vesanes in the girls U-20 long jump in 6.28 metres, ahead of Jamaica’s Kedene Geddes 6.23m and national all-rounder Charisse Bacchus 6.13m.

“The Spice Isle” Grenada also had a lone gold medal courtesy Neilon Joseph’s 4:13.52 in the boys U-17 1,500m final, with Roderick Rock of Barbados second with a time of 4:15.69 and Robert Watson of Jamaica 4:17.00. Jamaica finished one-two in the Boys Under-17 100m final with Renaldo Rose victorious in 10.65 seconds, Jerraine Downie silver in 10.72 and Barbados’ Ramon Gittens 10.92; while another Jamaican Kayann Thompson took the Girls Under-20 1,500m in 4:31.75, well ahead of Caribbean queen Janil Williams of Antigua 4:37.08 and countrywoman Vanessa Whyttle 4:38.03.

Charisse Bacchus entered yesterday’s final events in the girls’ open pentathlon (long jump and 800m) in second spot with 2,164 points, behind Jamaican Nadine Marsh 2,453 with counterpart Tammilee Kerr third on 2,158. And Wilbert Walker of Jamaica also held a comfortable lead in the boys’ heptathlon after four events (with the high jump, discus and 1,500m left) with 2,944 points, ahead of Trinidad and Tobago’s Mikel Courtney 2,795 and Bahamian Roosevelt Curry 2,769.

Point Fortin’s Government Vocational College (GVC) are continuing their good run of form in the Colleges Invitational Basketball Tournament (CIBT). They put St Anthony’s College down 66-41 at the Jean Pierre Complex, Mucurapo on Friday to secure a place in the CIBT final.

GVC’s Rene Morris scored a match-high 14, Akil Griffith scored 11 as did Joel Jacob, and Robert Edwards totalled eight points to swamp St Anthony’s. The boys from the west could only answer with 12 from Anton Francis and eight from Kevin Huggins. St Anthony’s Marlon O’Neil emerged the CIBT three-point shootout champ and Francis came in third while Tranquillity Secondary’s Patrick “Pablo” Ryan came in second but it was not his shooting that awoke the crowd during the second match. Tranquillity may have been expecting more of a fight from Queen’s Royal College in the second match of the evening which began promptly at 7 pm and ended with a 78-42 scoreline in “Tranquil’s” favour.

Tranquil dominated the match from the onset with their usual “hustle defence”, accurate passes and shooting that tortured their opponents. However QRC’s Lori Adams led his team’s revolt with 16 points and Dominic Thompson-Lowe followed with 10. Vonnelle Applewhite scored a match-high 21, Sherman Diaz put in 19 and Johnathan Weekes recorded eight. But Ryan extracted sighs from the crowd when he proceeded down the lane, switched the ball behind his back, with three defenders in tow and put up the ball, drew the foul and completed the three-point play to cement the win for “Tranquil” with flair.