Michael Johnson was born with a progressive form of muscular dystrophy that caused respiratory issues and required the use of a ventilator. He was one of four adopted children of Ernie Johnson and his wife, Cheryl, who have six children in total.
“We are heartbroken over the passing of Cheryl and Ernie’s beloved son, Michael, a true hero who uplifted and brought joy to everyone he touched,” Turner Sports said in a statement. “The family’s love, faith and commitment to one another will forever be an inspiration to us. Our deepest condolences are with Cheryl, Ernie and their family, friends and loved ones as we mourn with them.”
The NBA also tweeted a statement expressing condolences to the Johnson family.
The NBA mourns the passing of Michael Johnson, the son of Turner Sports’ Ernie Johnson. Michael was admired by so many around the league for his remarkable courage and perseverance. We send our heartfelt condolences to Ernie, Cheryl and their family during this difficult time.
TORONTO – The Scottie Barnes-Jalen Suggs rookie battle was as advertised Friday night at Scotiabank Arena. But it was Gary Trent Jr., who ended up stealing the show for the Toronto Raptors, who hung on for a 110-109 win over the Orlando Magic.
Orlando used an 11-0 run to make it a one-point game with five seconds to play. The Magic inbounded to Cole Anthony, but Trent knocked the ball into the backcourt.
By the time Anthony retrieved it, he could only manage a heave from mid-court that was off the mark.
“I was pretty sure they were going to go to him,” Trent said. “I was just trying to make a play on the ball. I saw it was low and I swiped through. Obviously I had a chance to get it. In that situation, they can call a foul and it go either way.
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“It was just being alert and having defensive instincts.”
Barnes had 21 points and nine rebounds and Trent added 19 points as the Raptors (3-3) salvaged a split of their four-game homestand. Fred VanVleet had 19 points and six assists for Toronto and OG Anunoby chipped in with 16 points.
Anthony scored 24 points, one of six Orlando players to hit double figures in scoring. Suggs had 21 points and Wendell Carter Jr., had 17.
The Raptors appeared to have things well in hand after a VanVleet three-pointer gave Toronto a 12-point lead — its largest of the game — with 2:04 to play.
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But Suggs had six points over Orlando’s late run — including a rare four-point play — and Franz Wagner hit a three-pointer with 33 seconds left to make it a one-point game.
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Anunoby missed a three-pointer on Toronto’s next possession and Orlando called a timeout to draw up the final play.
“It wasn’t like total breakdown city,” said Raptors head coach Nick Nurse. “It was tough plays — one after another — that didn’t seem to go our way and it got them right back into the game.”
It was Toronto’s ninth straight win over Orlando, a streak that dates back to Feb. 24, 2019. The Magic (1-5) have dropped three games in a row.
The leadup to the game focused on the rookie battle between Barnes and Suggs, taken fourth and fifth respectively in the last NBA draft.
“Any time you go up against someone who was picked ahead of you, you know they were picked ahead of you,” Anthony said. “You’re not a competitor if you don’t think about stuff like that.”
Both players started the game and it was Barnes who made the early impact. He scored Toronto’s first seven points and added four rebounds in the first five minutes.
The Raptors closed out the opening quarter on a 9-0 run for a 23-20 lead.
Early in the second quarter, Barnes really got the attention of the sellout crowd of 19,800. He ran the length of the floor before delivering a one-handed dunk that gave Toronto a 30-25 edge.
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“You see the things he does on the floor and it’s incredible,” Trent said. “He’s dunking in transition, he’s finding guys, he’s playing defence. He’s doing everything for us and helping us get wins.”
The Raptors struggled in the early going to contain Magic centre Mo Bamba, who had a double-double midway through the second quarter. Toronto was also poor from distance, hitting only three of 17 three-point attempts in the first half.
Barnes went to the locker-room area late in the second quarter after an eye poke but returned to start the third quarter.
Toronto took a 54-51 lead into the break. The game had 18 lead changes and the Magic held a 78-77 advantage entering the fourth.
Toronto native Dalano Banton had 10 points and provided some energy for the Raptors off the bench. He grabbed the rebound off a Suggs miss and ran the floor before finding Anunoby for a three-pointer that gave Toronto an 85-80 edge.
Anunoby followed with a three-pointer from the opposite corner before capping a personal 7-0 run with a dunk on Toronto’s next possession.
Suggs hit four of eight three-point attempts in the game and added four assists.
“We both did pretty well, I would say,” Barnes said. “Of course it’s a competition every time we play against each other. I would say it was fun.”
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Bamba finished with 14 points and 18 rebounds.
Toronto shot 50 per cent overall, slightly ahead of Orlando at 47.1 per cent. The Magic had a 46-40 edge in rebounds.
The Raptors were coming off a win over Indiana on Wednesday for their first home victory in four tries this season. Toronto will take on the Pacers on Saturday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Notes: Toronto has a 54-39 all-time record against Orlando. … The Magic extended their streak of making at least one three-pointer to 1,135 games, a run that dates back to March 17, 2007. It’s the fifth longest streak in NBA history. … Magic forward Ignas Brazdeikis was born in Lithuania but grew up in Canada. He lived in Winnipeg and Toronto before settling in Oakville, Ont.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 29, 2021.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has says the Super Eagles list for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Liberia in Morocco on November 11, and against Cape Verde on November 14 will be out next week.
Jake Paul has mocked Tommy Fury and suggested he will change his rival’s name to ‘Tommy Fumbles’ as he confirmed the pair’s proposed fight, set to take place on 18 December. The jibe is a reference to a claim made by Tyson Fury, Tommy’s brother.
Heavyweight champion Fury joked that Tommy would need to change his surname if he ever lost to the Paul brother, jokingly implying that he could not be associated with him.
Tyson even suggested that he would retire Tommy from boxing if he lost to Paul.
“I think the fight needs to happen – Tommy and Jake will get the fight done,” Tyson told Boxing Social last week.
“If Tommy can’t splatter Jake Paul, I’ll retire him from boxing myself. If he can’t beat Jake Paul, forget about boxing. Because he’s got ambitions of being a world champion, never mind beating some YouTube guy.”
While Tyson is excited for the event, he fully expects his brother to win the fight and has now placed an ultimatum if he fails to get past the YouTuber turned boxer.
“It’s a great fight to watch, it’s a spectacle. But Tommy – his name’s Fury. If he can’t beat Jake Paul, I’ll have to change his name.”
Paul confirmed the fight on Twitter and poked fun at his future opponent.
“Pucker up Timmy,” Paul wrote. “It’s time to kiss ur last name and ur family’s boxing legacy goodbye.
Paul publicly offered Fury, who rose to fame on reality TV show Love Island, £730,500. He then followed it up by wagering an extra £365,000 if he loses the fight.
But if Fury lost, he would have to legally change his name to ‘Tommy Fumbles’ for a year.
That bet was accepted by the British light-heavyweight, who said: “Do we have a deal?
“Get that sent over to my lawyers right now and we’ll get that looked over and sorted.
“There’s not a chance in hell you’re winning this fight. You’re leaving on a stretcher, you’re getting knocked spark out, and you know it. Get it over to me now.”
That bet now seems to have been finalised, with Paul tweeting that the fight is confirmed for 18 December. Fans can buy tickets from 10 November.
Kids on a tour of the Mercedes Formula 1 factory in Brackley were in for a shock when an elderly, bespectacled Mercedes engineer morphed into world champion Lewis Hamilton.
UBS, the leading global wealth manager, recently arranged for three pupils from a primary school in Camden to visit the home of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas team, with a special surprise meeting with seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton at the end of the factory tour.
The children were chosen for their interest in STEM subjects and desire for a career in the engineering and automotive industries. They were shown around the Team’s Brackley factory and introduced to some of the different roles that are essential to delivering a championship-winning car.
Hamilton had a little fun with the visitors, disguising himself as an engineer at first before taking off his mask to surprise them. He then sat down with the students to talk about the importance of education, a positive mental attitude and dedication.
Hamilton said: “Education I know is key for every child and we’re in a time more than ever before where we need to make sure we’re providing opportunities and also enabling the younger generation to understand what they are.
“There are a lot of youngsters who don’t realize that being an engineer, for example, is an avenue that they can go down. We’re really trying to have a positive impact on the people that we meet, in particular the youth, and I’m proud of the things we are doing together.”
Johan Jervoe, CMO at UBS, said: “This is a mindset that fits with our own beliefs. Education is critical to inspire and empower young people from any background, thereby helping to forge a more equal society.”
The initiative is part of UBS’s ongoing investment into quality education for young people in the UK. The UBS Community Affairs program in the UK focuses on education and includes co-founding and supporting The Bridge Academy in Hackney since 2003.
UBS has been a proud partner of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team since 2011. The partnership reflects the values UBS shares with the team: a commitment to innovation, talent and teamwork driving performance and success.
The Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team has also recently increased its commitment to the education of young people, with programs including a partnership with the Mulberry Trust group of schools supporting their STEM education programs with masterclasses, workshops and vocational training creating a pipeline of young and diverse talent from the schools’ East London catchment area.
Hamilton recently announced a partnership with Teach First, which has set out to support the recruitment of 150 Black STEM teachers to work in schools serving disadvantaged communities in England.
NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden said he is regaining his confidence but that his offensive game is limited right now as he makes his way back from an offseason spent rehabbing his hamstring injury.
Harden’s slow start to the season continued Wednesday night when he finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in Brooklyn’s 106-93 loss to the Miami Heat at Barclays Center. The 2017-18 MVP has scored 15 or fewer points in three straight games for the first time since the 2011-12 season, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
“Just getting more confident, being aggressive,” Harden said after shooting 4-for-12. “And it’s getting better every single game. As much as I want to get back to just, you know, [scoring] 30’s and 40 points, I can’t do that [right now]. As much as I want to, obviously I would love to.”
Harden’s hamstring injury in the second half of last season severely limited him in the playoffs. Making his way back carefully, Harden is averaging 16.6 points per game this season, down from the 24.6 points per game he averaged last season.
“I had no opportunities to play pickup or nothing this summer,” Harden said. “Everything was rehab for three months, from a Grade 2 injury that happened three times in one season. So this is my fifth game of trying to just play with competition against somebody else. And as much as I want to rush the process and be back to hooping and killing, [have to] take your time.”
Like Harden, the Nets are off to a slow start without Kyrie Irving. They fell to 2-3 after being hammered on the offensive glass. Miami grabbed 17 offensive rebounds and outscored the smaller Nets 31-4 in second-chance points.
Steve Nash has preached patience as he experiments with lineups and rotations as the Nets adapt without Irving. Irving, Brooklyn’s starting point guard, is not with the team until he complies with New York City’s vaccine mandate and gets at least one vaccination shot to be able to participate in home games in New York. The Nets decided to not have Irving be a part-time player and just play in road games outside of New York City.
Brooklyn’s three losses have come by an average of 17.3 points.
Kevin Durant, who had 25 points and 11 rebounds in Wednesday’s loss, was asked what the Nets are missing offensively. “I know what you want me to say. … Yeah, we do miss Kyrie,” said Durant, adding that he likes the effort and defense he is seeing from the Nets. “We do. He’s a part of our team.
“But for the most part, we’ve been generating great shots, we’ve been getting into the paint. It’s just a matter of us knocking them down. I think they’ll come.”
Harden says this is unfamiliar territory for him coming back from a significant injury and having to be patient with his offense.
“My career, I’ve been blessed,” Harden said. “Just not having surgeries or whatnot. So just this whole process last year was just like frustrating and draining. … It was draining for me to know that I couldn’t be myself and be out there on the floor and be the player that I am [at the end of last season].
“But I’m finally slowly getting back to it. It just takes a lot of hard work and dedication. But it’s gonna happen. But you got to just continue to keep fighting, and I will.”
Nigeria’s ace comedian, Ayo Makun (AY) and musician, Timi Dakolo, were in their element in the table tennis challenge that heralded the maiden Aruna Invitational Cadet Table Tennis Championship at the weekend in Lagos.
Southpaw AY and Dakolo were pitted against experienced opponents, which ended their campaigns early in the competition, but they thrilled the fans while they lasted on the table.
The highlight of the tournament, however, were the final matches in the boys’ and girls’ singles with Tobi Adebakin and Kehinde Akanbi dominating the contests.
The one-day event was organised by Aruna Sports Club and Academy in collaboration with Eko Club with players smiling home with various cash prizes.
The tournament was also used to launch Aruna Sports Club and Academy by Africa’s highest-rated player, Quadri Aruna.
To win the boys’ singles, Adebakin, 12, defeated Joseph Emmanuel 2-0 (11-8, 11-5), while Akanbi claimed victory over Faisat Misbau with a 2-0 (11-5, 13-11) win to take the girls’ crown.
Speaking on the event, Aruna said the tournament was aimed at unearthing the next future stars for Nigeria.
He said: “While growing up, we heard about Atanda Musa, it was after 10 years that we started hearing about Segun Toriola and then another 10 years after he had been reigning for so long that we started hearing about Quadri Aruna.
“This means we are producing very good players every one decade. This is what I don’t want to continue and that’s why I am organising a tournament like this.
“I want us to be producing about five good players every five years. So this is going to be a continuous tournament which will take the format of a table tennis league in future.”
Explaining their participation in the competition, Eko Club’s President, Tajudeen Jaiyeola Agoro, said they chose to partner Aruna to help unearth talents for Nigeria, adding there are plans to float a league next year.
He lauded Aruna for his efforts to raise the profile of the sport and also give back to society through the gesture.
“We have seen that Aruna has been doing a lot for the sport and we want to support him in our little way and that is why we have decided to partner his academy to stage this tournament. We hope to make this collaboration a long-standing one with plans to float a league,” Agoro said.
The event had in attendance Deputy President of African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), Wahid Enitan Oshodi, and the Vice President, Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Adesoji Tayo.
SOUTHAMPTON, Bermuda — Taylor Pendrith of Canada got married two weeks ago and wasn’t sure what to expect out of his game. Once the weather cooperated, it proved to be better than ever Friday in the Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
Pendrith ran off five straight birdies at the turn and flirted with a sub-60 round until settling for two closing pars and a 10-under 61 at Port Royal, giving him a one-shot lead over Patrick Rodgers going into the weekend.
Pendrith was stuck on the wrong side of the draw for an opening round in rain squalls and 35 mph gusts that allowed only six players from Thursday morning to break par. He more than made up for it in ideal weather in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
“Felt a lot easier out there than yesterday,” Pendrith said. “Yesterday was some of the worst weather I’ve ever played in, just almost like surviving out there. Didn’t really matter how you hit it, you just have to hit shots. Today was a completely different story.”
In the calm and beauty of Port Royal, Pendrith had nine birdies and on eagle to offset his lone bogey on the 13th hole to move past Rodgers into the lead at 11-under 131.
Rodgers, who had to return to the Korn Ferry Tour Finals to get back his PGA Tour card, had the good end of the draw and took advantage. He followed a 68 in breezy conditions with a 64, chipping in for eagle toward the end of his round for a 64.
Vincent Whaley (67) was two shots behind, followed by Danny Lee (67) and David Skinns, the 39-year-old rookie from England who had another 67.
Patrick Reed, the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 24, was six shots behind.
Pendrith is in his rookie season on the PGA Tour and has made the cut in his three tournaments he played. He took a week off to get married and go on a brief honeymoon in the north of Ontario before getting back to work.
With weather this gorgeous, it felt like a honeymoon.
“I told her we’re going to Bermuda and Mexico for the next two weeks, so pretty good vacation spots,” he said. “The weather is finally cooperating so we can enjoy it a little bit better.”
The cut was at even-par 142, and it included Brian Gay, the defending champion who had travel issues and wasn’t able to play a practice round. How much did the weather help? Camilo Villegas opened with a 77 and followed with a 65 to make the cut on the number.
Rodgers set the early target with four birdies on the front nine in the morning and then his chip-in for eagle on the par-5 seventh to reach 10-under 132.
In some respects, this season feels like a second chance. He had to grind to the end to finish in the top 125 and when he didn’t, it was off to the Korn Ferry Tour to regain his card.
“I got my card at 22 and I didn’t feel like I would ever be in that position, to be quite honest with you,” he said. “I felt like I had the game to not put myself there and it was maybe a little slice of humble pie, and more so just kind of managing stress on the golf course.
“I’m really grateful to be out here, and I’m playing some stress-free golf, which is nice.”
Brandon Hagy (72) and Chad Ramey (71), who shared the 18-hole lead, failed to take advantage of the beautiful weather, though both were very much in the mix going into the weekend.
Sixteen players were separated by five shots at the halfway point.
The tournament receives full FedEx Cup points for the second straight year because it is no longer an opposite-field event with the China Golf Association canceling the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai for the second straight year.
ICC promise ‘thorough investigation’ after disturbances outside Dubai Stadium
The ICC have asked the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) to “undertake a thorough investigation” following crowd trouble caused by “thousands of ticketless fans” at Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Super 12s game in the men’s T20 World Cup in Dubai.
The sides’ previous World Cup meeting, at Headingley in 2019, had been marred by crowd trouble, security lapses and pitch invasions and despite a pre-match plea from Rashid Khan to “remain cool and calm and just focus on enjoying the game”, huge crowds descended on Dubai International Stadium in attempts to gain entry.
In a statement issued at midnight local time, the ICC said that more than 16,000 tickets had been issued for the game but that “thousands” of fans without them travelled to the stadium “and then attempted to force entry”. At least one external barrier was pushed over, with a surge of supporters gathered outside the stadium’s main gates throughout the game itself.
“Dubai Police and security staff secured the stadium to ensure the safety of everyone inside and brought in significant additional resources to disperse the crowd and calm the situation,” the statement said. “At approximately 7pm, Dubai Police directed that all gates should remain closed and no further entry was permitted to maintain a safe and controlled environment inside the venue.
“The ICC has asked the ECB to undertake a thorough investigation into tonight’s events to learn any lessons and will work closely with authorities to ensure there is no repeat of this situation in the future.”
Fans have been permitted at 70-80 percent capacity throughout the World Cup depending on local restrictions, with tickets for matches involving Asian teams selling well. The ICC’s statement included an apology to “any fans with valid tickets who were unable to enter the stadium tonight”, who were advised to contact the ticket provider.
Mohammad Nabi, Afghanistan’s captain, said in his post-match press conference: “For the Afghan fans, please buy a ticket and come to the stadium. Don’t repeat again. This is not good.”
Matt Roller is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @mroller98
“He was overthinking in the fight, over analysing certain things, sometimes you have to just say ‘f*** it’ and throw something. I throw punches and miss them all the time, but I don’t care because you just have to let s*** go sometimes.”
Whyte last took on AJ in 2015, where the latter prevailed via a technical knockout in round seven.
Following on from his disappointment six years ago ‘The Body Snatcher’ has revealed he is more than ready for a long-awaited rematch, but it is up to Joshua to decide when he is ready.
He said: “It’s a bit mad what’s going on there, it’s his life, his camp… But he needs to make his decisions and see what he wants to do. He needs to sit down and have words with himself, he doesn’t really say much about anything, but sometimes it can cause even more confusion.”
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