THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2016 SPORTS India to be site of league elite training center NEW YORK: An elite NBA Academy train- will train at the academy, with selections male and female prospects in India with well as development of education, lead- Academy India will give them a platform ing center for India’s top male and female to be made by next February. world-class coaching and training, as well ership and character skills off the court. to prepare for the opportunity to develop players will open next April near Delhi, “The NBA remains committed to grow- as academic support and an emphasis on “NBA Academy India will help us iden- into a professional-level prospect.” the league announced Tuesday. ing the game in India, and the launch of life skills.” tify and develop elite homegrown Existing NBA grassroots programs The academy will be the fifth of its NBA Academy India marks our most sig- Each center will feature under-18 and prospects and shape the next generation engaged more than 12 million youth kind in the world, following three in China nificant investment in basketball devel- under-16 teams, with travel sides selected of national players,”said NBA India worldwide this past season. ACG-NBA and another in Australia. The NBA will opment in the market,” said Brooks Meek, for international events. Prospects will Managing Director Yannick Colaco. Jump, India’s first national basketball tal- conduct a national scouting program NBA Vice President of International have NBA-level coaching, facilities and “Youth basketball players in India have ent search program, debuted last year starting later this month to identify the Basketball Operations. competition and a global network to had relatable figures to look up to in Sim and offered a chance to attend tryouts for inaugural pool of 24 elite prospects who “This academy will provide the top maximize achievement possibilities as Bhullar and Satnam Singh, and now NBA the NBA Development League. — AFP Ex-English players allege sex abuse LONDON: Former Tottenham Hotspur has been ruined until the age of 43, but striker Paul Stewart and two other ex- how many others are there? players have come forward to allege sex- “I’m talking about hundreds of chil- ual abuse at the hands of youth coaches dren who Barry Bennell cherry-picked for when they were children. Stewart, various football teams and who now, as capped three times by England, said he adults, might still be living with that was repeatedly sexually assaulted by a awful fear.” man who threatened to kill his family if Walters, who became Crewe’s he told anyone. The 52-year-old, who youngest debutant in 1988, said he had also played for Liverpool and Manchester also been abused by Bennell. City, joins former Crewe Alexandra play- “All these years, I’ve had this secret ers Andy Woodward and Steve Walters in inside me,” he told The Guardian. “But I speaking out about abuse they suffered. have to let it all out now. It’s the only “The mental scars led me into other way. I want closure and I know, for a fact, problems with drink and drugs,” Stewart this is going to help me move on.” Based told yesterday’s Daily Mirror. “I know now in northwest England and currently in it was a grooming process. The level of England’s fourth tier, Crewe have a well- abuse got worse and worse. established reputation for developing “I wanted people to know how diffi- young players. Crewe chairman John NEW YORK: New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose (25) goes to the basket past Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum (3), guard Damian cult it was to come forward. It stirred up Bowler, who was in position at the time a lot of my past which I thought I had Lillard (0) and forward Maurice Harkless (4) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, at Madison Square Garden in New York. of Bennell’s offences, told the BBC the The Knicks won 107-103. — AP buried.” Stewart, a married father of club were “distressed” by the accusations three, said other players were also and would review the situation. abused by the man, who was not named. He added he was “very sorry for the Stewart was encouraged to speak out distress caused” to Woodward and after Woodward told The Guardian he Porzingis, Rose help Walters. Woodward has been praised for had suffered years of abuse at the hands of convicted paedophile Barry Bennell, a speaking out by Britain’s National Society former youth coach at Crewe. for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children Bennell was jailed for nine years in (NSPCC). “It is time for the government Knicks edge Blazers 1998 after pleading guilty to sexual and sports organisations to work togeth- offences against young boys. He was er to close gaps in child protection and imprisoned for two years in May 2015 for make sure that the thousands of sports NEW YORK: Kristaps Porzingis had 31 points a historic sexual offence against a boy clubs across the country have robust and nine rebounds, Derrick Rose scored six of NBA results/standings and has also spent time in jail in the safeguarding policies in place,” said an his 18 points down the stretch, and the New York Knicks beat the Portland Trail Blazers 107- United States. Cheshire Police, responsi- NSPCC spokesman. NY Knicks 107, Portland 103; New Orleans 112, Atlanta 94; Denver 110, Chicago 107. 103 on Tuesday night. Rose made the go-ahead ble for policing the Crewe area, said six England’s Football Association has set up a helpline for former players to report basket with a little more than 3 minutes remain- Eastern Conference Western Conference people had come forward saying they ing and hit the jumper that clinched it with 6.8 Atlantic Division abuse. In a joint statement, the FA, the Northwest Division wanted to speak to police in the light of seconds left. Carmelo Anthony finished with 17 W L PCT GB Oklahoma City 8 7 .533 - Woodward’s interview. Premier League and the Football League points despite a scoreless fourth quarter for the Toronto 8 6 .571 - Portland 8 8 .500 0.5 described Woodward’s story as “heart- Knicks, who won their fifth straight at home. Boston 8 6 .571 - Utah 7 8 .467 1 ‘IMMENSE COURAGE’ breaking” and praised his “immense Brandon Jennings had 11 assists off the bench. NY Knicks 7 7 .500 1 Denver 6 8 .429 1.5 Brooklyn 4 9 .308 3.5 Woodward told The Guardian: “My life courage”. — AFP Damian Lillard scored 22 points for the Trail Minnesota 4 9 .308 3 Philadelphia 4 10 .286 4 Pacific Division Blazers but fell to 4-1 at Madison Square Central Division LA Clippers 13 2 .867 - Garden. CJ McCollum added 16 points. Cleveland 10 2 .833 - Golden State 12 2 .857 0.5 Chicago 9 6 .600 2.5 LA Lakers 8 7 .533 5 NUGGETS 110, BULLS 107 Indiana 7 8 .467 4.5 Rookie Jamal Murray scored a season-high Milwaukee 6 7 .462 4.5 Sacramento 5 9 .357 7.5 Phoenix 4 11 .267 9 24 points, Will Barton hit two free throws with Detroit 6 9 .400 5.5 Southeast Division Southwest Division 9.5 seconds left and the Nuggets beat the Bulls. San Antonio 11 3 .786 - It was Denver’s 10th straight home win over the Atlanta 9 5 .643 - Charlotte 8 5 .615 0.5 Houston 9 5 .643 2 Bulls and its 16th in the last 17 meetings at Orlando 6 8 .429 3 Memphis 9 5 .643 2 Pepsi Center. Butler had 35 points and eight Miami 4 9 .308 4.5 New Orleans 5 10 .333 6.5 rebounds for Chicago, which last won in Denver Washington 4 9 .308 4.5 Dallas 2 11 .154 8.5 on Feb. 8, 2006. Dwyane Wade had 22 points after sitting out Sunday’s game against the Lakers. The Nuggets used a 22-0 run at the start quarter after bruising his right knee and missing seconds to play, and the Los Angeles Lakers of the second quarter to take a 41-31 lead. the second and third periods. Davis, a three- blew a 14-point lead in the final minutes before Murray had 15 of his 17 first half points in the time All-Star and the NBA’s leading scorer, fin- rallying for a 111-109 victory over the period and Wilson Chandler scored 12 of his 16 ished with 13 points. New Orleans led by 20 at Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night. in the second quarter. The game was tied when the end of the first quarter and never let up. Young finished with 17 points and Jordan Barton was fouled on a drive to the basket, and Dennis Schroder and Kyle Korver each scored 14 Clarkson had 18 for the Lakers, who survived a he hit two free throws left to give Denver a 109- for the Hawks, who have lost three in a row. monster performance by Russell Westbrook in 107 lead. Isaiah Cannon shot an airball on a 3- Atlanta was tied for the Eastern Conference lead the final minutes. After Westbrook scored 17 point attempt and the Nuggets got the ball. last week but now begins a five-game road trip points in a five-minute span to trim the Lakers’ playing its worst basketball of the young sea- big lead to one point, Steven Adams scored on PELICANS 112, HAWKS 94 son.