25 Sports Wednesday, June 19, 2019 Shooting at rally mars Raptors celebration of NBA crown It has been a great ride. I can’t imagine a better ending to it: Gasol TORONTO: A giant parade to celebrate the Toronto “Everybody is out. I don’t think anybody went to work Raptors winning their first NBA title was marred today. Everybody got the day off. Look at it. It’s crazy. Monday by a shooting behind the downtown stage at “Thank you Canada for the support. We did it.” Nathan Phillips Square-which left two people badly NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Leonard said the injured and sent revelers fleeing in panic. team has been celebrating ever since they ran off the A crowd estimated at more than one million people court in Oakland. “The last few days have been amaz- gathered across downtown Toronto for a parade in ing,” Leonard said. “No sleep. A lot of celebrating. And tribute of the team, but the victory rally at the jam- we’re going to keep going.” packed square was briefly halted by gunshots. Toronto Players wore T-shirts, sunglasses and held cigars and police tweeted that two victims had serious but not champagne as they watched people line Lake Shore life-threatening injuries, two people were in custody as Boulevard and York Street. “This is why we wanted to a result of the incident and two firearms had been win a championship,” Raptors guard Kyle Lowry said. recovered. “This is unbelievable. And we ain’t even close to being Footage shared on social media showed dozens of done.” Raptors superfan rapper Drake called it, “One of people scattering from the area behind the stage. But the most important moments I’ve ever been on stage.” with a crowd of 65,000 packing the square, the cele- In the ceremony, a roadway near the arena was bration went on with only a delay of about two minutes, renamed “Raptors Way” and Leonard accepted the key with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joining to the city on behalf of the team to chants of “M-V-P.” the team on stage to celebrate the Raptors’ success. “This thing is so special because of you guys,” “Raptors fans, every day you showed what Canada Nurse told the crowd-moments before the shooting is made of, people who believe,” Trudeau told the rally. briefly halted festivities. The last time Toronto celebrat- People had begun camping out overnight to fill the ed a major North American sports title was in 1993 square, so many that police told people to avoid the when the Toronto Blue Jays won baseball’s World area. Subway stations were closed to limit access. Series. Canada, a country of 37 million, had 20 million In a super-sized version of the crowds that packed people watching the telecast of game six. Fans enjoyed TORONTO: Kyle Lowry #7 and Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors are photographed with the “Jurassic Park” outside the team’s arena to watch game their moment with players on Monday, with chants of Championship Trophies on the team bus during the Toronto Raptors Championship Victory Parade in telecasts, supporters filled the square after more than “Let’s Go Raptors” popping up along the route, players Toronto, Ontario. —AFP two hours of delays because spectators spilled onto the at times spraying supporters with champagne. parade route to witness players ride by on open- “I didn’t think there were this many people,” Raptors topped buses. swingman Danny Green said. “It’s amazing. This is our Crowds were so huge on University Avenue they Lin. “We’re definitely very grateful for our fans. This is “You think the parade is going to be amazing and way of trying to give back to them. It’s special.” filled the street and blocked the path of the parade for definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity to enjoy this you can’t even picture this,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse Toronto Mayor John Tory declared Monday “We The more than half an hour. “This is crazy man. I don’t know with our fans.” It was the first title of Lin’s nine-year said. “It’s pretty cool.” The Raptors beat defending North” Day in Toronto, using the team’s slogan. what else to say. It’s crazy,” said Cameroonian forward career, the first US player of Chinese or Taiwanese her- champion Golden State 114-110 on Thursday in Spanish centre Marc Gasol looked out over the sea Pascal Siakam. “It’s an amazing moment.” itage to play in the NBA. Lin wore a purple Raptors jer- California to capture the best-of-seven NBA Finals four of humanity and marvelled at the scene. “How much joy Inflatable Raptors balloons and giant signs were sey with a team logo and Chinese characters. “It has games to two. you see on people’s faces,” Gasol said. “It has been a waved above the massive crowd. “There’s so much been an incredible journey,” Lin said. “And I’ve had a “It’s amazing,” Raptors star Kawhi Leonard said. great ride. I can’t imagine a better ending to it.” energy, so much buzz,” said Raptors reserve Jeremy lot of fun along the way.” —AFP Bastareaud, Parra miss out on France Highlanders bullish World Cup squad on Smith return for PARIS: Experienced pair Mathieu Bastareaud and Morgan Parra missed out on France’s 31-man World Cup squad, head Crusaders clash coach Jacques Brunel announced yesterday. Scrum-half Parra, 30, featured at both the 2011 and 2015 World Cups, WELLINGTON: All Blacks fullback Ben Smith could but has been suffering from an ankle injury sustained while be rushed back into the Otago Highlanders side for playing for club side Clermont last month. Friday’s quarter-final against the Canterbury “If he wasn’t injured he would have forced us to make a Crusaders as Aaron Mauger’s side prepare for Super decision about him. Machenaud was in pole position last Rugby’s ‘Mission Impossible’. year but then was injured,” Brunel said. “Machenaud came Smith trained last week but was a late withdrawal back in December under exceptional circumstances, it was ahead of their 49-12 demolition of the New South too soon for him at the Six Nations but he rediscovered his Wales Waratahs in Ivercargill last Friday as the qualities,” the 65-year-old added. Centre Bastareaud, also Highlanders took a safety-first approach to their co- 30, has captained Les Bleus in the absence of regular skip- captain’s return from a serious hamstring injury. per Guilhem Guirado in recent seasons, and was also a mem- Beating the double defending champions Crusaders ber of the France team that were hammered by New Zealand at Rugby League Park, where the hosts are undefeat- in the quarter-finals of the 2015 World Cup. ed in 28 successive matches, will require all hands on “He is in a position full of competition with players in deck, however, and Smith’s leadership could be vital form. I’m thinking of Sofiane Guitoune who has been very for the Highlanders’ hopes of causing an upset. good,” Brunel said. “I wasn’t sure if Guitoune could keep up “Bender’s (Smith) better than he was last week and his form during the whole season but he did,” he added. he was very close last week so we’re hoping he’ll be Bastareaud’s omission comes hot on the heels of him ROSARIO: France’s Matthis Lebel (2-L) is tackled by South Africa’s Dian Bleuler (L) during the World Rugby U20 available,” assistant coach Mark Hammett told local signing a loan deal for next season with Major League Championship match between France and South Africa at Racecourse Stadium in Rosario, Argentina. —AFP media on Tuesday. With a total of six wins from the Rugby side Rugby United New York, in the United States. regular season, and one from their past four games, There is also no space for fleet-footed Racing 92 winger the Highlanders have no business being in the playoffs Teddy Thomas nor for La Rochelle’s giant prop Uini Atonio. paign against Argentina on September 21 before facing the Dany Priso, Emerick Setiano, Rabah Slimani, Sebastien for some critics but they hit form at the right time Uncapped front rowers Peato Mauvaka and Emerick Setiano USA, Tonga and then England in what promises to be a Vahaamahina against the Waratahs. as well as Fijian-born winger Alivereti Raka are included in tough Pool C. Backs (14): Geoffrey Doumayrou, Antoine Dupont, Gael The rampaging display of flanker Liam Squire was the squad for the first time. Seven members of Toulouse’s France’s 31-man Rugby World Cup squad which takes Fickou, Wesley Fofana, Sofiane Guitoune, Yoann Huget, particularly encouraging, and a reminder of what the Top 14-winning side are named including centre Guitoune place in Japan between September 20-November 2: Camille Lopez, Maxime Machenaud, Maxime Medard, Highlanders have missed during the injury-prone whose last cap came during the 2015 tournament. Brunel Forwards (17): Gregory Alldritt, Demba Bamba, Yacouba Romain Ntamack, Damian Penaud, Alivereti Raka, Thomas blindside’s long absences through the season. It will also announced a six-man reserve list as back-up in case of Camara, Camille Chat, Paul Gabrillagues, Guilhem Guirado, Ramos, Baptiste Serin Reserves (6): Anthony Belleau, nonetheless take something special to topple Scott injuries which includes flanker Francois Cros, who is yet to Arthur Iturria, Felix Lambey, Wenceslas Lauret, Bernard Le Francois Cros, Etienne Falgoux, Charles Ollivon, Vincent Robertson’s Crusaders, who hammered the feature on the international stage.