Ghana looks to CONCACAF says revive sprinting well placed to culture handle 48-team 16 2026 World Cup THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016 18 Rebel fire kills swimmer with ‘big dreams’ in Syria’s Aleppo Page 17

OAKLAND: Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin (32) looks to pass away from ’ Stephen Curry, left, during thefirst half of a pre-season NBA game, Tuesday, in Oakland, Calif. — AP Embiid, Saric debut, 76ers begin without Simmons

OAKLAND: The finally had utes off the bench. ... TJ McConnell scored 13 Kerr called for better rebounding and it was an Young added 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Washington with 16 points in its first game some good news as they deal with the bad points. ... Brandon Paul led the 76ers with 15. ... improvement from Golden State’s four-point Jeff Teague scored 10 points in their presea- under Scott Brooks. ... Former Jazz guard news of Ben Simmons’ injury. And Golden State Nik Stauskas missed all four shots, all from 3- loss Saturday to Toronto in Vancouver during son debuts for Indiana. Teague started and Trey Burke had 14 points, starting at point fans got to see just how explosive their team point range. Al Horford had eight points and which the Warriors were outrebounded 58-42. played 26 minutes. Young and Jefferson both guard while John Wall remains out while looks with Kevin Durant in the lineup. Durant eight rebounds in his first game since leaving Los Angeles (0-1) hosts Toronto and coach Doc played 18 minutes ... Paul George had 11 recovering from surgeries. ... Bradley Beal fin- had 21 points, seven rebounds, seven assists Atlanta for Boston. ... No. 3 pick Jaylen Brown Rivers said he prefers back-to-backs to clear out points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes. ... ished with 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting. and two blocked shots in an impressive first finished with eight points. ... All-Star Isaiah more time for practice. Golden State (1-1) takes Joe Young scored 12 points in 20 minutes and Miami (1-0) faces Minnesota on Saturday in home game with Golden State, leading the Thomas, Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder all on Sacramento today in San Jose. fellow reserve Rodney Stuckey scored 11 in 21 Kansas City, Missouri. Washington (0-1) visits Warriors to a 120-75 rout of the Los Angeles scored 11. Philadelphia (1-0) hosts Washington minutes. ... Indiana outscored New Orleans 58- Philadelphia today. Clippers on Tuesday night. Earlier, Joel Embiid today. Boston (0-1) faces Charlotte today in ROCKETS 130, KNICKS 103 28 in the paint. Sixth overall draft choice and Dario Saric made successful NBA debuts in Greensboro, North Carolina. Derrick Rose had 16 points and five assists in Buddy Hield scored 18 points in 29 minutes LAKERS 103, KINGS 84 the 76ers’ 92-89 exhibition victory over the his Knicks debut. He is now expected to leave the off the bench after scoring 19 points in his No. 2 pick Brandon Ingram missed all five in Amherst, Massachusetts. The WARRIORS 120, CLIPPERS 75 team and travel to Los Angeles, where his rape preseason debut on Saturday ... Anthony Davis attempts, four from 3-point range, 76ers waited more than two years to get the Chris Paul, who along with Blake Griffin was trial began earlier Tuesday . ... Kristaps Porzingis scored 12 points and blocked two shots in 18 and finished with two points in 27 minutes in 2014 lottery selections in uniform and they lost early in the playoffs, had five fouls and one led the Knicks with 22 points. ... Carmelo Anthony minutes but made only three of 13 shots while Anaheim, California. ... The Lakers scored 39 both started Tuesday. Embiid, who had been point in 13 minutes in the preseason opener. He scored 10 on 4-for-13 shooting. ... Joakim Noah going 6 of 8 on free throws. ... Newly acquired points in the fourth quarter of their first game sidelined by foot injuries since Philadelphia missed his three shot attempts. Griffin had six sat out with a sore hamstring. James Harden had forward Terrence Jones, who was Davis’ team- under Luke Walton. ... Lou Williams scored 15 took him with the No. 3 selection, had six points points, six rebounds and five fouls. He was hit 28 points and 11 assists. ... Ryan Anderson went 7 mate on Kentucky’s 2012 national champi- points but fellow guard D’Angelo Russell had in 13 minutes. Saric, who continued playing in with a technical at the 8:44 mark of the third for 13 from 3-point range, finishing with 26 points onship team, scored 10 points in 24 minutes. only four on 2-of-8 shooting. ... Former lottery Europe after he was selected by Orlando with quarter. ... Former Warriors big man Marreese and seven rebounds. ... A game after scoring 72 Indiana (1-0) hosts Chicago today. New pick Yi Jianlian of China played three minutes the 12th pick and then dealt to Philadelphia, Speights received a special tribute of highlights points in the first half against the Shanghai Orleans (1-1) travels to China to play Houston and missed his lone shot in his first game back had 10 points and six rebounds in 18 minutes. on the main scoreboard and a “WELCOME BACK Sharks, the Rockets shredded the Knicks for 68 by in Shanghai on Sunday. in the NBA. Sacramento had only 32 points in Unfortunately for the 76ers, they don’t know MO!” message. He pounded his chest and halftime. ... Houston was 20 for 42 from 3-point the second half of its first game under Dave when Simmons will be able to join them. The smiled in appreciation at the gesture. Speights range. ... The Rockets were departing after the HEAT 106, WIZARDS 95 Joerger. ... DeMarcus Cousins had 11 points No. 1 overall pick had surgery to repair a broken was a bright spot, scoring 14 points off the game for China, where they were scheduled to Hassan Whiteside had 20 points, 13 and six rebounds in just 15 minutes. ... Arron bone in his right foot Tuesday and there is no bench. Durant hit a 3-pointer for the night’s first face New Orleans in two games. New York (0-1) rebounds and three blocked shots. He had 16 Afflalo, who spent last season with the Knicks, timetable yet for his return. points. ... Klay Thompson scored 30 points with hosts Brooklyn on Saturday. Houston (2-0) faces points on 7-of-8 shooting in the first quarter led Sacramento with 14 points. ... Rookie Skal six 3s and two-time reigning NBA MVP Stephen New Orleans on Sunday in Shanghai. and finished 9 for 12. ... Justise Winslow and Labissiere was scoreless on 0-for-4 shooting in 76ers 92, CELTICS 89 Curry contributed 14 points and five assists. ... Dion Waiters both scored 12 points. ... Luke 15 minutes. Los Angeles (1-0) hosts Denver Nerlens Noel, the other young big man in Thompson shot 10 for 14 and 6 of 9 from long PACERS 113, PELICANS 96 Babbitt was 4 for 5 behind the arc and fin- tomorrow. Sacramento (0-1) faces Golden the 76ers’ frontcourt, had six points in 17 min- range, playing 21-plus minutes. ... Coach Steve Al Jefferson scored 14 points, Thaddeus ished with 14 points. Kelly Oubre led State in San Jose, California today. —AP Sharapova’s ex-boyfriend says she deserved ban

BEIJING: Maria Sharapova’s ex- month ban for testing positive for mel- World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov yesterday donium. The suspension was cut to 15 how it handled the ban on meldonium, suggested she deserved her ban from months on Tuesday after an appeal to which has allowed athletes to escape tennis for a doping offence, an incident the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), suspensions. that has sent shockwaves through the meaning Sharapova can return to action “With everything that’s gone on this sport. next April. year with meldonium, obviously there “I think tennis misses her,” the Dimitrov cited the case of world were going to be some issues with that Bulgarian world number 20 said of the number 1,857th Joshua Chetty, who legally,” he added. five-time Grand Slam champion, adding was banned from tennis for life in Sharapova has admitted to taking that he had “zero doubts” she would September for match-fixing offences. meldonium for 10 years for health rea- make a successful return. “It’s never up to me or ITF and all sons, but said she wasn’t aware it had “As a competitor she’s just going to that,” Dimitrov said, referring to punish- been added to WADA’s list of banned come back and she’s going to be so ments of players. “I think throughout the substances in January. hungry to play and excited and motivat- years, these kind of things should have The CAS judgment said Sharapova, ed,” said Dimitrov, who dated the started earlier with examples and all of one of the most marketable female ath- Russian superstar for two years until that.” World number two Andy Murray letes in any sport, was not an “intention- they split in July 2015. also said that Sharapova deserved to be al doper” but that she also “bore some But he added: “If you do something, I suspended, echoing comments he degree of fault”. mean obviously there are circum- made earlier in the year when the case Both Murray and Dimitrov are cur- stances. And whoever does something was first made public. rently in Beijing for the China Open. deserves what he gets for sure.” “Maria competed at the Australian Dimitrov booked his place in the second Dimitrov was responding to a ques- Open whilst using a banned drug, and round on Wednesday by beating tion about an interview in which then deserves a suspension. The time of American Steve Johnson 7-5, 6-7 (7/9) 6- Sharapova accused the International the suspension, that’s not up to me,” 4, while Murray overpowered Andrey Tennis Federation (ITF) of trying to make Murray told reporters in Beijing. Kuznetsov in two sets to reach the quar- an example of her by giving her a 24- The Scot had previously criticised the ter finals. — AFP Maria Sharapova and ex-boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov (right).