Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Monday 9 october 2017
Thunder hold off Australia’s Melbourne United 86-85

By CLIFF BRUNT and Prather had 11 points “I was pretty impressed by
AP Sports Writer and 10 rebounds for Mel- the statistics that we held
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — bourne, a member of the some people to,” Vicker-
The Oklahoma City Thun- Australia and New Zea- man said.
der needed a big de- land-based National Bas- “For us, because we’re a
fensive stand to hold off ketball League. little bit smaller, we try to
Melbourne United. Melbourne, an Australian fight through everything,
Josh Huestis had two mas- team, also was up against and I guess that main-
sive blocked shots in the a time adjustment. tained some pressure on
final seconds to help the “I know most of the guys them rather than when you
star-studded Thunder es- couldn’t really get a good switch, there’s a little more
cape with an 86-85 exhibi- sleeping pattern, including separation.”
tion victory Sunday. myself,” Prather said. “My Ware made a 3-pointer to
Huestis blocked Josh legs are a bit fatigued, but tie the score at 80 but the
Boone’s shot out of bounds, once you come to a game Thunder responded with a
then blocked Casey Prath- like this, you know all the 6-0 run that gave them the
er’s shot to clinch the win. Melbourne United center Majok Majok (22), left, and Oklahoma adrenaline going and the cushion to hold on.
City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, right, reach for a loose
Melbourne coach Dean ball in the first quarter of an NBA preseason basketball game in energy to get going, so you “To have the opportunity to
Vickerman said he was Oklahoma City, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017. know, we really don’t feel it play one of the best teams
proud of the way his team Associated Press too much.” in the world and to know
played against the All-Star made it competitive down We weathered that storm, Oklahoma City’s stars shot that our league can chal-
trio of Russell Westbrook, the stretch. and they had to keep poorly. George had 22 lenge those best teams in
Paul George and Carmelo “I felt coming into the half some of those best play- points on 5-for-17 shooting, the world — it does a lot
Anthony. Melbourne with- that they were really going ers coming back to win the Anthony scored 19 points for our reputation in the
stood a run by the Thunder to try to make a run with game.” on 6-for-19 shooting and league and it does a lot
with their stars in the game their best group,” Vicker- Casper Ware Jr. scored 20 Westbrook was limited to for our club’s reputation,”
in the third quarter and man said. “ points, Boone added 15 nine points, going 3 for 10. Vickerman said.q
Nascar stood and walked to an 10th-place finish gave no

indication of how good
ambulance. He received
Continued from Page 18 oxygen to treat a high car- Larson was at Charlotte.
“There’s a lot going on. It bon monoxide level. He seemed to be as good
just shows how much this “I felt like I was having a as Truex late in the race,
stuff means to us. We put heat stroke,” Busch said. but an awful pit stop — his
everything into this, every- The humidity drained tire carrier tripped and fell
thing we have.” several drivers, including — dropped him to 12th.
Truex gave Toyota yet an- Truex, who had to catch Larson still worked his way
other victory in NASCAR’s his breath after taking the into the top-four, but he
playoffs — the manufac- checkered flag. was hit by Kurt Busch late in
turer is 4 for 4 so far — on “Seeing him after the race, the race and the damage
a humid day at Charlotte. how whipped he was, was took him out of contention
Truex has two wins in the kind of a shock,” crew for racing for the victory.
playoffs and this one was chief Cole Pearn said. Martin Truex Jr. takes the checkered flag to win a NASCAR Cup Earlier in the race, Larson
the first time in this format Truex won in overtime after Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., missed his pit box and the
that Toyota has won a race two late cautions created Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017. gaffe knocked him to 31st
in this round of postseason. extra laps and forced Truex in the field. But he clawed
“Just a total team effort,” to hold off fellow Toyota Jamie McMurray was fifth, run top-10 all race here, his way through traffic and
Truex said. “Every single driver Denny Hamlin on a Jimmie Johnson seventh but we struggled up and had worked his way into the
guy, every guy on this pair of restarts. and Ryan Blaney eighth. down.” top five by the end of the
team just did a perfect job Chase Elliott finished sec- Kyle Larson was 10th, Matt LUG NUT CONTROVERSY: first stage.“I felt like we’ve
today and I can’t be more ond for the second con- Kenseth 11th, Ricky Sten- Johnson was fourth when been better than (Truex)
proud of them and at this secutive week and sixth house Jr. 13th, Brad Kesel- he headed to pit road the past two weeks,” Lar-
time of the year is just when time in his career. He nearly owski 15th and Busch 29th. under a Lap 280 caution. son said. “Last week was
you want it to happen. You won for the first time in the PLAYOFF STANDINGS: The When crew chief Chad probably the first time in a
dream about days like to- Cup series a week ago, but bottom four in the stand- Knaus noticed a missing lug long time he hasn’t been
day. I don’t know if we had Busch ran him down and ings headed into Tallade- nut, Johnson slowed his exit the most dominant. And
the best car, but we damn passed him for the win with ga are Kenseth, Keselowski, from the pit box.That tech- then, he definitely wasn’t
sure got it in victory lane.” one lap to go. Blaney and Stenhouse. But, nically counts as servicing dominant today. I felt like I
Kyle Busch, winner of the Harvick was third and it could have been much the car outside the pit box, had a car to win. I made
last two playoff races, Hamlin finished fourth. worse for Stenhouse, who which warrants a one-lap a mistake on pit road ear-
wrecked early in the race Like his teammate Busch, was all over the board Sun- penalty. But NASCAR did ly. We rebounded from
yet completed it in a dam- Hamlin was drained after day until he solidly cracked not punish the champion. that. And then we had a
aged race car. Complain- the race. His firesuit was the top-15 late in the race. NASCAR spokesman Kurt costly mistake late and
ing most of the 500 miles soaked with sweat stains But, Stenhouse was bust- Culbert said Johnson’s somewhat rebounded, but
of being overheated, he and he needed to eat a ed for speeding on a late stop was completed, and then those last two restarts
needed immediate medi- banana to recover. pit stop and had to restart teams could work outside didn’t go my way.”
cal attention when he “You usually can tell hy- 20th. He had to scramble the stall if an unsecure lug UP NEXT: Sunday’s race
climbed from his car. dration level from my suit,” in the closing laps to finish nut was discovered after at Talladega Superspeed-
Busch laid in the grass, Hamlin said. “Any time it 13th. the stop. By stopping and way, where Stenhouse
packs of ice were placed has white streaks all over “We thought if we could backing up, NASCAR felt won in the spring. Sten-
on his chest, and a stretcher it, I’m spent pretty good. I be 15th to 10th it would Johnson’s team essentially house has won the last two
was brought to him. Once feel pretty bad, no doubt be a good day for us,” he had served its own penalty. restrictor-plate races this
he felt strong enough, he about it.” said. “It would be nice to LARSON’S LONG DAY: His season.q