The P.H.A.S.E 1 Academy is set to commence try-outs for Jamaican men’s and women’s tour teams on today, Sunday, May 14, from 12 pm-3 pm and 3 pm-6 pm respectively, at the GC Foster College in Spanish Town, St Catherine.
The try-outs are open to all aspiring basketball players seeking to take their game to the next level and pave a path towards professional basketball careers.
The women will be participating in the upcoming H.E.R. Time is Now Pro Tour and the Men in the Elite 1 Caribbean Basketball League (E1CBL) Men’s Pro Showcase. Both events with be held on August 1-6 at Montego Bay Community College in St. James.
This extraordinary opportunity serves as a gateway to success by offering participants the ability to compete against other local talents in an effort secure professional contracts with E1CBL teams for the upcoming fall season.
"We believe in the power of basketball to transform lives and provide a pathway to success," said Dave Black, director at P.H.A.S.E. 1 Academy, while expressing the team's vision for the tryouts.
"P.H.A.S.E. 1 Academy is committed to nurturing talent and providing young players with the opportunity to develop their skills, compete against other basketball talent and potentially secure professional contracts. This is an exciting moment for Jamaican basketball, and we can't wait to witness the remarkable talent that will emerge from these try-outs.
The E1CBL is dedicated to nurturing talent and providing a platform for aspiring male and female basketball players to play professionally on a global stage. With a robust travel schedule that spans from June to October this year, chosen players will have the unique opportunity to go head-to-head with top-tier local and international opponents, gaining invaluable experience and exposure in the process.
The tryouts will be overseen by a panel of seasoned coaching staff with extensive experience in the basketball world. Participants are encouraged to bring their A-game, showcase their talent, athleticism, and teamwork to impress the panel. Registration for the try-outs is will be onsite at GC Foster College. Interested players are encouraged to arrive early to secure their spots, as availability is limited.
Participants may also contact Wayne Dawkins at (876)-289-3912 for more information.
Christian Eriksen was pleased by the way Manchester United dealt with the “extra pressure” and bounced back from the back-to-back defeats that jeopardised their top-four ambitions.
This has been a promising first season under Erik ten Hag, who has won the Carabao Cup and taken the Red Devils to June’s FA Cup final against Manchester City.
United have also improved markedly on last year’s Premier League performances and have long looked set to secure a return to Champions League football.
Back-to-back defeats at Brighton and West Ham allowed Liverpool to close the gap, but Ten Hag’s men got back to winning ways by triumphing 2-0 against Wolves on Saturday afternoon.
“Of course, when you lose two games the extra pressure is on,” midfielder Eriksen said.
“But we have shown the character and the quality to be where we are.
“We’re just going to focus on us. For us, it has to be three wins in the last three games.”
United travel to Bournemouth next weekend, before finishing the league campaign with home matches against Chelsea and Fulham.
Ten Hag’s men have won 25 matches at Old Trafford in all competitions and could match the club record 27 home triumphs in a single campaign.
“It’s definitely something that we need to first of all finish the season strong with a perfect home record,” Eriksen told MUTV.
“But, in the end, of course, for next season we need to be as good at home, but also away and then it’s going to be a fun season.
“We know where we can pick up extra points because at home at the moment we’re feeling very, very secure.”
United never looked in danger against Wolves, with Anthony Martial finally opening the scoring from a smart Antony pass.
It looked to be the winning goal until Alejandro Garnacho struck in stoppage time as the substitute returned from a two-month injury lay-off with a bang.
“It’s very good (to have him back),” Eriksen said of the teenager.
“You can see the quality he will bring back and the confidence of how he’s playing.
“I’m pleased for him. To be out for a while and then come back and score, it’s the perfect return.”
Wolves failed to muster a shot on target at Old Trafford and are now looking to end the season on a high as Julen Lopetegui’s men round things off at home to Everton and at Arsenal.
Skipper Ruben Neves said: “We’re going game by game. We want to have as many points as we can in the Premier League. That’s our main goal.
“We’re playing at Old Trafford which is big motivation.
“It doesn’t matter the table, it doesn’t matter the points and just playing here is fantastic for us as players, it’s a dream to play in these kinds of pitches, so we just want to get as many points as we can until the end of the season.
“We have two games to go and next week is our last game at home so we will do everything to get the three points with the atmosphere being fantastic at home.
“Our fans in here today were fantastic again, so we will try to get as many points as we can for them as well.”
The Leeds fan who confronted Newcastle manager Eddie Howe late in Saturday’s 2-2 Premier League draw has been charged with assault by West Yorkshire Police.
Leeds have banned the supporter for life after he climbed out of the stands at Elland Road and entered the technical area where the altercation with Howe took place, before he was quickly led away.
West Yorkshire Police have confirmed that the man has been charged with assault and will appear before magistrates in July.
A statement from the force read: “Police have charged a man with assault and entering the field of play following an incident at Elland Road football stadium during the Leeds United versus Newcastle United football match yesterday.
“The man has been bailed to appear before magistrates on 21 July.”
While Howe said he was unhurt during the incident, he views it as a wake-up call for the game.
“I actually can’t remember whether he pushed me or not, I’ve got no idea. It’s such a strange thing because you’re concentrating on the game and you don’t expect it to happen,” Howe said.
“He confronted me, said something that I can’t repeat and was then led away. I’m OK.
“I don’t know if I had time to be fearful because it was over in a flash but it certainly makes you think ‘what if?’.
“No one should have to face that, playing a sport we love and trying to entertain the country, no one should feel like their own personal safety is violated. It is something for us to reflect on.”
Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes believes his players are ready to home in on preserving their Premiership status.
Saturday’s 2-0 win over Livingston at Rugby Park lifted Kilmarnock out of the relegation zone and maintained their impressive form on their own pitch.
They have collected 29 of their 34 points so far this season from home fixtures. With two of their three remaining games at Rugby Park, starting against St Johnstone next Saturday, their fate is firmly in their own hands.
“The confidence we feel at home is clear to see,” said McInnes. “We have now beaten every team in the league apart from the Old Firm at Rugby Park this season.
“We now have to focus on the next two home games. We don’t want to play the situation, we want to play the games.”
After a nervy first half, Kilmarnock took the lead through Kyle Vassell’s 48th-minute strike before Danny Armstrong’s penalty sealed the points.
“If I get a 90-minute performance of what we produced in the second half against Livingston, we’ll be fine,” added McInnes. “I’m pretty sure of that. But a 90-minute performance of the first half won’t get the job done.
“In the first half, we were too pumped up and rushed everything. Half-time couldn’t come quickly enough.
“I didn’t think we were terrible, we still had the best chance of the first half. But there were poor decisions and sloppy clearances, we looked agitated.
“We had a good chat at half-time – no ranting or raving, just a reminder that we are better than we were showing.
“The players deserve all the credit. Knowing how much is at stake, they dealt with it in the second half. I’m sure they will deal with it going forward and it’s important we take that into the remaining games.”
Livingston manager David Martindale has urged his players to get back to basics after a fifth defeat in the last six games saw them slip to eighth place in the table.
“Right now, there are certain individuals within the group who are not doing their jobs properly,” said Martindale.
“The foundations of Livingston are built on people doing the basics right. I can’t quite put my finger on it but it’s my job to find the solution and I will find the solution. I will take that on the chin.
“There is an element within the group with boys who are not going to be here next season for different reasons and they know they are safe in terms of relegation.
“But in the last two or three games, the opposition have shown more desire to do the basics of football better than we are doing.”
Monty Williams has enjoyed a good run of success as coach of the Phoenix Suns but his inability to lead the team to a championship has cost him his job.
The Suns fired Williams on Saturday, two days after they were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 of their Western Conference semifinal series.
"I take that personally, not having our team ready to play in the biggest game of the year," Williams said following the loss.
"That’s something that I pride myself on and it just didn’t happen. That’s something I have to take a deep look at, everything I’m doing."
Williams just completed his fourth season as Phoenix’s coach, finishing his tenure with a 194-115 record, including a trip to the 2021 NBA Finals, which the Suns lost to the Milwaukee Bucks.
He was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year in 2022 after guiding the Suns to a league-best 64-18 record.
A second straight blowout loss at home in an elimination game was likely the biggest factor in Phoenix’s decision.
Last season, the Suns lost 123-90 to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 6 of the conference finals and were routed by the Nuggets 125-100 in Game 6 again on Thursday. Phoenix trailed by 30 at the half in both games.
The Suns join the Toronto Raptors and Bucks as teams currently without head coaches. Toronto fired Nick Nurse after he won the 2019 NBA title and Milwaukee fired Mike Budenholzer, the coach who beat the Suns in the 2021 finals.
Hearts interim manager Steven Naismith felt referee David Dickinson got three major decisions wrong in his side’s 2-2 draw with St Mirren.
The 10-man Jambos earned an unlikely point when second-half goals from Josh Ginnelly and a Lawrence Shankland penalty deep into added time cancelled out first-half strikes from Joe Shaughnessy and Ryan Strain.
Naismith praised his players for battling back to salvage something from the match but felt their cause had not been helped by the match officials.
He disputed the red card shown to Peter Haring midway through the second half and the free-kick won by St Mirren that led to their second goal, while he also felt that Haring should have had a penalty early in the second period.
Naismith said: “For me it is three decisions (the referee got wrong). At the red card, VAR is involved in that as well, but I personally disagreed with it.
“I thought it was a foul to stop the game from a counter-attack. It was right in front of me, I didn’t think it was aggressive or even the speed I don’t think is excessive.
“The foul for the second (St Mirren) goal, I don’t agree with. I’m fortunate enough to have seen it again. Hilly (James Hill) just goes and wins the ball but yet we get given a foul against us and it cost us.
“I think we could also have had a penalty. This is our footage but I can see a clear pull on Peter Haring who is going into the area where the ball is going. I said last week I was frustrated (with the match officials) and I’m frustrated again this week because of a lack of consistency.
“The ref was really good at the end of the game, allowing me to speak to him and have a discussion and a conversation about it which is fine. I get his point of view and his team’s point of view but it doesn’t help us (in the chase) for three points.”
Meanwhile, Stephen Robinson felt that St Mirren’s progress this season could be measured by the fact they were disappointed at only drawing with Hearts.
The result severely dents the Paisley side’s chances of qualifying for Europe but Robinson felt a sense of perspective was needed.
He said: “It feels like a defeat but when we’re disappointed with a point against Hearts it tells you how far St Mirren have come. The circumstances with the game practically done make it hard to take but I’ll get round the boys and we’ll speak to them. There are lessons to be learned for everyone, but ultimately we should’ve seen the game out.”
Captain James Ward-Prowse has “full confidence” Southampton can make a swift return to the Premier League following the pain of relegation.
Saints’ fate was sealed by Saturday’s listless 2-0 defeat to Fulham – a club-record 24th league loss in a single season.
England midfielder Ward-Prowse has been with Southampton since the age of eight but is already being linked with a summer move away from St Mary’s.
The 28-year-old, who insists he is “not thinking too far ahead” regarding his own future, is optimistic Saints will bounce back from surrendering the top-flight status they have held since 2012.
“(I’ve) full confidence, I think the club’s been there and done it,” he told Southampton’s website.
“The squad that we’ve got now is incredibly young and they’ve got a lot to learn.
“They will have learnt a lot from this year and next year I’m sure the club will be doing everything they can to be back in the Premier League.”
Southampton were precariously placed for much of a miserable campaign, having continually occupied the bottom three since early November.
Second-half goals from Fulham pair Carlos Vinicius and Aleksandar Mitrovic condemned Ruben Selles’ side to the drop with two games to spare.
Spaniard Selles was the team’s third manager this term following the sackings of Ralph Hasenhuttl and Nathan Jones.
Ward-Prowse concedes warning signs were present for a long time and admits Saints ultimately went down to the Sky Bet Championship with a whimper.
“It’s something, in all honesty, we’ve been fearing for a little while,” he said.
“Over the last couple of years we’ve not been performing at the level I believe we should be and I think this season’s caught up with us.
“There’s a way to lose games, there’s a way to maybe fail in sport and I think the way we’ve done it this year, that’s the disappointing way.
“I don’t feel we’ve really gone down with a fight and given everything we can.
“I feel for the fans because they don’t deserve to see what we’ve produced this season and that’s the sad thing.”
Victory for Fulham was a club-record 15th in a Premier League season to tighten their grip on a top-half spot.
Winger Harry Wilson, who was involved in each of the Cottagers’ goals on the south coast, hopes to increase the impressive points haul of 51 going into a home game against Crystal Palace and a trip to Manchester United.
“It’s not something I was aware of but it’s something we’ve earned throughout the season,” he said of the record.
“We’ve shown that we can win different ways, so to get 15 wins and the record is great.
“We’ll definitely enjoy them (the final two games) but we also know there’s a lot to play for and we want to make sure we get two wins.”
Substitute Mitrovic returned from his eight-match ban with a bang by heading home seven minutes after replacing fellow goalscorer Vinicius.
The Serbia striker was punished for grabbing referee Chris Kavanagh during his side’s 3-1 FA Cup loss at Old Trafford in March.
Wilson is already eyeing revenge against United on the final weekend following the heated cup exit in which Mitrovic, Willian and manager Marco Silva were sent off.
“We were really good for 70 minutes and we all know what happened,” he said of that game.
“We feel like we kind of owe them one in a way because we felt on that day we maybe should have left with something.”
Ange Postecoglou will ensure Celtic shrug off the disappointment of Saturday’s derby defeat at Ibrox to get ready to respond against St Mirren.
After clinching the cinch Premiership title at Tynecastle last week, the Hoops boss made a few changes to his line-up which was already missing first-choice defenders Cameron Carter-Vickers and Alistair Johnston through injury and the champions suffered only their second league loss this season as goals from Todd Cantwell, John Souttar and Fashion Sakala gave Rangers a 3-0 win.
It was Michael Beale’s first win over the treble-chasing Hoops in five attempts since taking over from Giovanni van Bronckhorst as Gers manager last November.
And although it made no difference in terms of the title, the Celtic boss was far from happy and he expects a reaction against the Buddies on Saturday, with a view to the Scottish Cup final against Inverness at Hampden Park on June 3.
Postecoglou told CelticTV: “It was a disappointing day for us. We never really got going. We had a couple of really good opportunities to get back in the game and we let ourselves down in those areas.
“Then in the second half we didn’t really get going and didn’t make much of an impact on the game.
“It’s not the first time that players have been thrown into the derby under me and those are the expectations. You don’t get a freebie.
“From our perspective we had a team out there that we thought could get the job done, and we didn’t.
“It’s always a challenge (to bounce back). We’ll get back to work during the week and make sure that we train really (well), concentrating on the aspects of the game that are important to us and be ready for another tough game.”
Captain Callum McGregor admitted Celtic were not “at the level” and “had a bad day” as he also looked for a positive response next weekend.
The Scotland midfielder said: “We will dust ourselves down and go again.
“We have three games to go in the league, a big cup final and when that’s done we start all over again with nothing the following season.
“That was a timely reminder of what this fixture means.”
John Souttar’s first Rangers goal in the 3-0 victory over Celtic at Ibrox was a magical moment for him in a landmark win.
The centre-back joined the Light Blues from Hearts last summer but came off on his debut against Livingston last July with a stress fracture of his ankle which caused him to miss the bulk of the campaign.
After Todd Cantwell fired the home side ahead in the fifth minute, Souttar, who returned to fitness in March, got his head to a James Tavernier corner to open his account for the club.
Striker Fashion Sakala added a third after the break to give Rangers their first win of the season against the cinch Premiership champions.
The 26-year-old Scotland international told RangersTV: “It was class, it is something we work on with (first-team coach) Harry (Watling) to attack that front post and drag them in and thankfully we did that.
“It was a great delivery from the skipper and I was there to put it in.
“It has been a tough season for me and when you are injured you just think about those kinds of moments and almost dream of scoring in those moments, so for me to get that goal was massive and I really enjoyed it.
“I think it was a big day for everyone, individually and collectively, to finish out what has been a tough season to get the three points and the clean sheet.
“We started really aggressively, we started on the front foot, and I think that is when we are at our best.
“The crowd got behind us and the atmosphere got behind us and it really drove us on.
“We’ve got great attacking players, I thought they were really good, so I thought if we could keep a clean sheet and keep solid we had every chance of winning the game and thankfully we did.”
Michael Beale, who enjoyed his first win over Celtic in five attempts since taking over from Giovanni van Bronckhorst as Gers boss last November, was pleased to see Souttar make a positive impact after a wayward pass back in the last Old Firm league match in April proved costly in a 3-2 defeat.
He said: “I’m delighted for John after the injury hell he has gone through both at his previous club and during his time at Rangers.
“It’s been extremely different for him and people have said things about someone without actually knowing the situation.
“John’s back. He has played with Connor (Goldson) and put on a really strong performance.
“Obviously he has scored and probably got over that little mistake he made in the last one so I’m pleased for him.”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is confident his side can close the gap to Manchester City next season.
Wild inconsistencies in results – beating Manchester United 7-0 and Bournemouth 9-0 but losing to struggling Leeds, their only home defeat of the season – had left the Reds 20 points adrift of the Premier League leaders going into the weekend.
It has been more common for the two to push each other all the way to the final day of the season, Liverpool twice coming second by just a point, and despite their most recent troubles Klopp expects normal service to be resumed when the new campaign kicks off in August.
“There are two games a season, maybe with cups three, four or five, when you play City, Arsenal and the others,” he said ahead of the trip to struggling Leicester.
“There are five million ways to win a football game, you only have to find one. A successful season is you are ready for all the games, that you can win 25-odd games.
“If City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle, Tottenham, Man United are all involved in that 25 then it is even better.
“But it is about can we create a team who can win the majority of the games? Yes, we can. It was never about what the other teams do.
“We didn’t become champions by a point twice and there will be some people who say it was because we didn’t have this player in that moment.
“Getting 90-odd points is absolutely insane, pretty special, and no one should take these things for granted.
“The top seven get even closer together, it will be more difficult and more competitive.
“It doesn’t make it easier but everyone with a good idea has a chance to be part of it. If you are part of the battle up there then you can win it as well.”
Liverpool’s current six-match winning run, their best sequence for more than a year, has given a glimpse of the level the side used to – and Klopp believes will again – play at.
The Reds boss has spoken regularly in recent weeks about using the end to the campaign as a platform for next season and has been pleased with the way his squad have responded.
“We show it in six weeks. I’m happy that this question has come and you don’t ask me, ‘how is it you can play such rubbish football for so long?’,” he added.
“I never questioned these boys. Never. Mentality-wise these boys are exceptional but we still couldn’t deliver for long periods of the season consistently good, successful football.
“Is that normal for human beings? The period was a bit too long, but yes.
“For everyone it is a relief to go again, to be winning again in a convincing way and not (having to) scrap three points.
“We have a clear idea of what we want to do and I saw so many good things we could build on.
“Nothing for Match of the Day, it won’t show up there, but I saw so many things in these games.
“I’m absolutely fine with the reaction now but we all think it was a bit too long until we showed it.
“All we can do is go for the last three games and make the best of what we have so far.”
Max Verstappen took advantage of a first-lap collision between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg to become Formula One’s youngest-ever winner on this day in 2016.
Eighteen-year-old Verstappen showed maturity beyond his years on his Red Bull debut to fend off the challenge from Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen and triumph at the Spanish Grand Prix.
The Dutchman, who had only been promoted from Toro Rosso to Red Bull after Daniil Kvyat had been dropped the previous week, eclipsed Sebastian Vettel’s youngest ever winner record set at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix by two years and 137 days.
View this post on InstagramTeam principal Christian Horner was bowled over by Verstappen’s maturity, saying: “He’s his own man and a very together young guy. You’d never think he was 18.
“He was quick, measured and mature. He defended incredibly well against a seasoned pro like Kimi and to score his first grand prix victory, becoming the youngest victor on his debut for the team, is fairytale stuff.”
Horner, who was then 42, joked: “He’s the first driver I’ve had that legally I could be his father!”
Saracens triumphed 21-9 over Racing 92 to win the European Champions Cup final on this day in 2016.
Victory saw Saracens become the first English club to win the continent’s premier club competition since Wasps were crowned champions in 2007.
Saracens’ success came after they had lost twice in the semi-finals and once in the final during the previous three years.
They became the first team to win all of their nine games in the competition after Owen Farrell’s seven penalties steered them to a maiden title in Lyon.
Johan Goosen replied with three penalties for Racing, but the loss of New Zealand fly-half Dan Carter to injury early in the second half dealt a huge blow to the French side as he joined Maxime Machenaud on the sidelines.
The final proved an often ugly encounter, with neither side really threatening to score a try, but that would not worry Saracens as they ground out victory.
The teams traded penalties before Machenaud was forced off by a concussion in the 22nd minute, and Farrell kicked Saracens into a 9-3 half-time lead.
Carter, who had looked below his best, was then forced off early into the second half and Saracens continued to pull away.
“We have had big disappointments, but each time we have come back stronger and we are happy to have finally done it,” said man-of-the-match Maro Itoje.
“We knew this was a game we could win, we had the form coming into the game. We knew if we do what we do, dominate the gain line, then we could win. We will enjoy tonight and build on from there.”
Saracens lifted the trophy again 12 months later with a 28-17 victory over Clermont, then again in 2019 by beating Leinster 20-10.
A third round 63 catapulted rookie Austin Eckroat into a share of the lead heading into the final round of the AT&T Byron Nelson near Dallas as home favourite Scottie Scheffler slipped back.
Eckroat, chasing his first PGA Tour win and a place in the USPGA Championship which begins at Oak Hill on Thursday, heads into the closing round tied with China’s Zecheng Dou and fellow American Ryan Palmer.
They hold a two-stroke cushion over Scheffler, former USPGA champion Jason Day, Si Woo Kim and Sweden’s Vincent Norrman with England’s Tyrrell Hatton among those a shot further back.
Eckroat mixed seven birdies and a double bogey in his front nine and had no doubts about what winning would mean.
“A lot of job security,” he said. “A lot of things come with winning a PGA Tour event and just hoping to get that done.”
Palmer missed an eagle putt on the last to take an outright lead while Dou, playing on his home course TPC Craig Ranch after settling in Dallas, fired a 64 after contrasting opening rounds of 63 and 70.
“There is a whole lot more golf to play, so I’m good in the position like this, creating more chances. That’s all I’m thinking,” he said.
World number two Scheffler had opened with a pair of 64s and missed a short birdie putt to take a two-shot lead on the 12th but squandered chances coming home before needing two goes to get out of a fairway bunker on the 18th.
Hatton, the second-highest ranked player behind Scheffler at 17, moved into contention with three closing birdies to round off a bogey-free 65 that leaves him alongside South Korean Sung Yang and Americans Richy Werenski and Patton Kizzire.
Chelsea are reportedly closing in on the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as manager.
The Blues have agreed terms with the former Tottenham boss, according to reports in various media outlets on Saturday evening.
The 51-year-old Argentinian would take over from interim manager Frank Lampard at the end of the season.
There has been no confirmation from the club. The PA news agency has contacted Chelsea.
Chelsea are seeking a new full-time manager after sacking Graham Potter amid a run of poor form just seven months into his five-year contract in April.
Lampard, who previously managed the club from 2019-21, was brought in on a temporary basis but the team’s struggles have continued and they sit 11th in the Premier League.
Pochettino, who led Tottenham to the Champions League final in 2019 before being sacked later that year, is available after leaving Paris St Germain last summer.
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