Saturday, February 21, 2015

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18 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2015 SPORTS THE STAR
Point guards Goran Dragic,
Michael Carter-Williams, Reggie
Jackson, and Brandon Knight all
were dealt Thursday in the final hours
that NBA trades were allowed.
Kevin Garnett also has a new
address – his original NBA one. The
Timberwolves brought him back to
Minnesota by sending Thaddeus
Young to Brooklyn.
There were so many players on the
move in deals agreed to, shortly
before the 3 p.m. EST deadline, that
most of the transactions were still
awaiting NBA approval hours later.
Dragic and Jackson were two play-
ers to watch on deadline day,
because neither was expected to
remain with his team after this season.
Both their teams opted to move
them rather than risk losing them for
nothing.
Phoenix sent Dragic to Miami, get-
ting two first-round picks and a pack-
age of players for the Slovenian, a
third-team All-NBA selection last sea-
son.
The Suns filled his spot by acquiring
Knight from Milwaukee in a three-
team deal with Philadelphia, which
sent Carter-Williams to the Bucks.
Zoran Dragic, Goran’s brother, also
went from Phoenix to Miami.
Jackson, who began the season
replacing an injured Russell
Westbrook at Oklahoma City, will
now step in for the sidelined Brandon
Jennings in Detroit.
The Thunder sent Jackson to the
Pistons in a three-way trade that
included Utah.
Even backup point guards seemed
in demand, with players such as
Isaiah Thomas (Boston), Ramon
Sessions (Washington), Andre Miller
(Sacramento), D.J. Augustin
(Oklahoma City), Norris Cole (New
Orleans) and Pablo Prigioni (Houston)
getting new homes.
Some big guys were also in
demands, with Enes Kanter getting his
wish to leave Utah when he ended up
in Oklahoma City as Kendrick
Perkins’ replacement.
Portland did the first completed
deal of the day when it acquired
Arron Afflalo from Denver.
NBA point guards on the move
Phoenix Suns’
Goran Dragic.
ROBERT BAILEY
STAR Writer
Jamalco and Mico B will clash in
today’s final of the JN/Sunshine
Open League at St Andrew High
School for girls, starting at 5:30 p.m.
The match will be preceded by the Junior
League final between Molynes United A
and Blades A at 4:30 p.m.
The Open League final is expected to be
competitive, as both teams are evenly
matched in all departments.
Winston Nevers-coached Jamalco
defeated sister team Cablepro, 29-16, in
Thursday’s semi-final.
Mico B booked their spot in the final with
an exciting 26-22 victory over defending
champions University of the West Indies
Pelicans.
Wayne Shaw, manager, Jamalco, said
he expects a challenging game from there
opponents, but is confident his team will
come out on top.
“I saw Mico’s match against Pelicans and
they were very energetic, and so I am
expecting a tough game,” said Shaw.
“I think they will start as the favourites
because I didn’t expect them to beat the
defending champions,” he said.
“They are a good all-round team because
their centre and shooter are two of the top
players in this competition,” Shaw said.
“I am confident that we will do well
because my coach, Winston Nevers,
watched their semi-final game, so I know he
as put a plan in place for the match.
Jamalco will be depending heavily on
their experienced pair of Marsha Murphy-
Dawkins and Naudia Brown to lead their
charge.
Meanwhile, Janet Guy, assistant coach,
Mico B, said her team is oozing with confi-
dence ahead of today’s game.
“We are going in there with the same
mindset, in terms of the energy, because
they are also very high on confidence and
once they get past the Pelicans, they know
that will complete the job for the Open
League,” she said.
However, despite confidence, Guy added
that she is expecting a tough match from
her opponents.
“We have been playing well right
throughout, and so it is for them now to go
out and complete the job,” Guy said.
“We know that it won’t be easy because
they have some experienced players who
have gone to national team.”
She noted that she is expecting a good
all-round effort from all the members of her
team.
Shaw
Guy
Jamalco, Mico B to square
off for JN netball title