56 SPORT SUNDAY MAY 5 2019 Ferns runners solid in top night’s racing GREG ALDAM sie Quick. They won’t have mates Swansee and Hawk Eight Jabiru’s – again for Phil- Boston things their own way, with Ya- Glide for Ferns are excellent lips – looks to be a great THE highlight of tonight’s ringa Lass drawn nicely for performers at this level. chance. greyhound races at Winnellie Russell Savige in box two. But they will face stiff oppo- Other notable chances in- Park will be the Nightcliff And it would also pay to re- sition from Town Hall Tully clude Bluebow for Chris Black- Sports and Social Club Dash spect the other runners in the (box eight) for Ron Phillips, man in the first, which could (537m), and it is a race not dis- race: Miss Slab for Ron Phil- and promising up-and-comer start the night well for punters, similar in quality to the re- lips, Before The Fire for Chris Quetzalli for Harry Brown. Farmin in race five for Ferns is mistake cently run Easter Cup. Blackman and Buster Norris The other distance race on stepping out to a more suitable The headline acts could be for Simon Nathanael. the program will give an op- journey, and No Stress for the Graeme Ferns runners in The open sprint over 312m portunity for one of the youn- Phillips can finish off the night Sunset Sherbet, Dust And has also brought together a ger brigade to get in the well for the punters. Sand, as well as the speedy Jes- top-class line-up, and kennel- winners’ circle. On paper, Racing starts at 6.24pm. to bench FFA Cup win gives Baynes Adelaide PETER MITCHELL an edge BOSTON coach Brad Stev- ens’ decision to keep his Aus- “If he’s not ED JACKSON tralian big man Aron Baynes on the bench proved a disas- going to guard THE experience of winning ter, with Giannis Antetok- last year’s FFA Cup will be ounmpo leading the Giannis he has crucial for Adelaide United in Milwaukee to a dominant to guard a today’s A-League elimination game three win in the NBA final against Melbourne City. eastern conference semi-final three-point That’s the view of Reds series. coach Marco Kurz as he at- The Bucks won 123-116 in shooter” tempts to end his own per- front of a shell-shocked Bos- sonal hoodoo against City. ton TD Garden arena crowd BOSTON COACH The German has faced City to take a 2-1 lead over the BRAD STEVENS six times in his two years in Celtics. Adelaide but is yet to win. NBA MVP candidate An- three-point shooters who are In three matches this sea- tetokounmpo was spectacu- able to drag the Australian son, City beat the Reds at lar scoring 32 points, while away from the basket. Coopers Stadium 2-0 and the grabbing 13 rebounds and “I think it’s tough,” Stev- two teams couldn’t be separat- providing eight assists plus ens said. ed in two clashes at AAMI two steals. “If he’s not going to guard Park. Kurz, however, believes Baynes played just two Giannis he has to guard a his team’s successful cup run minutes and was scoreless. three-point shooter and that at the start of the season gives Stevens went with back-up is difficult.” them an edge. forward Semi Ojeleye to help Boston All-Star Kyrie Ir- “We won the cup. That starters Al Horford and Mar- ving had 29 points but missed means we now have the ex- cus Morris combat Antetok- 14 of 22 field goals and six of perience to be champion,” ounmpo, but they had little eight three-pointers. Kurz said. “That’s very import- success. In Portland, CJ McCollum ant and can be helpful for the The coach admitted matched his career play-off finals because we had the ex- Baynes may be the better op- high with 41 points, Rodney perience to play knockout tion. Hood hit a go-ahead 3-point- games under pressure, also in “We may have to go back er with 18.6 seconds left as the front of our fantastic fans with that just because he pro- Trailblazers edged the against Sydney in the final.” vides a little more protection Denver Nuggets 140-137 in Both teams head into the in the paint and he’ll take a the fourth period of overtime game without any significant charge off the ball which I to take a 2-1 lead in the west- injury concerns, with Adelaide think is important,” Stevens ern conference semi-finals. boosted by the goalscoring re- said. McCollum scored 28 turn of Baba Diawara in the Game four is in Boston on- points after the third quarter 5-3 Anzac Day win over Bris- Tuesday morning (NT time). for Portland, which stretched bane. City head to Adelaide on “We definitely have a lot its winning streak at home to the back of a 5-0 win over of momentum, but we have to 12 games dating back to the Central Coast, which secured keep playing good basketball regular season. them fifth place ahead of and keep defending,” Ante- Nikola Jokic had his third Wellington. tokounmpo said. triple-double of the play-offs Socceroo Jamie Maclaren “In game four they are with 33 points, 18 rebounds has been included in a boost definitely going to play hard- and 14 assists, but the Nug- for Warren Joyce’s men with er but we have to be the one gets star missed a crucial free several players, including ex- that hits first.” throw with 5.6 secs remain- Adelaide goalkeeper Eugene Stevens said the problem ing. Galekovic, Ritchie De Laet he faces when playing Baynes The series continues in and Harrison Delbridge, all against Milwaukee is the Portland on Monday morn- Socceroo Jamie Maclaren returns for Melbourne City against Adelaide United in today’s A-League coming back after being rested Bucks have a number of ing (NT time). elimination final Picture: DAVID CROSLING/AAP IMAGE for the Mariners’ clash. Brattan hopes to swing into PGA tour when A-League days done MELBOURNE City mid- never watched it. It was just “Obviously my full concen- tour. I’ve gotta cram a s***load City physio Darren “Dazza” hit a good score,’’ he said. fielder Luke Brattan has a football,’’ Brattan said. tration’s on football at the mo- of golf into those 15 years and Stambo, who dared him to re- “I never saw Archie mountain to climb and bunk- “I just played one afternoon ment. I’ve got a good five-six hopefully make it onto the sen- veal his love in the A-League (Thompson) do it (golf celebra- ers to negotiate if he is to crack with my old man (former years left in me depending on ior PGA tour. arena. tion), but I got compared to his dream of joining the senior Heidelberg United NSL player the body. “In the off-season I play The midfielder has vowed him. I think my swing is a bit PGA tour. Gary Brattan) down at he local “I’d like to pursue golf. If I three times a week and I’ve to bring back the golf swing better than his. His lofty ambition is even in my last season at Brisbane. I don’t go anywhere I’ll still be met some great people celebration if he scores in to- “Then I went on a little more remarkable considering wasn’t great to be honest, but playing every day. But I’ll give through golf and I just love night’s elimination final away scoring run after that. I he had never picked up a club just loved it. it a good crack to make some- how it’s so unpredictable.” to Adelaide United. changed my celebration from a before 2015, just shy of his 25th “I hit one good shot and thing of it. Brattan has successfully “It’s just a hobby at the mo- golf swing to a meditation pose birthday. wanted to go back the next “I’ve done some research. I fused his two passions, playing ment but I take it pretty seri- for my brother Zak, who’s a big “I’ve only been playing for a day, ever since I’ve fallen in reckon I’ve got about 10-15 regularly with teammates ously, that’s why I don’t like hippie. I haven’t scored since. few years. I never really got love with it. I watch it, read years from when I finish foot- Scott Jamieson, Jamie Maclar- playing with Jamo — he’s all “I might have to change it into it when I was younger, about it, play as much as I can. ball to get on the senior PGA en and Harrison Delbridge and about the banter. I just want to back.” NTNE01Z01MA - V1.