Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 sports
Tuesday 12 sepTember 2017
L.A. Sparks open WBNA title defense in starry semifinal

By BETH HARRIS ning their third title in 2014.
AP Sports Writer The teams will be playing
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Can- for the fifth time in the post-
dace Parker and the Los season, with Phoenix win-
Angeles Sparks have a ning three of the four pre-
chance to do something vious meetings. The Sparks’
that hasn’t been done in last series win over the
15 years: Win back-to-back Mercury was in 2000, long
WNBA titles. before any of the current
Only the Sparks aren’t think- players were in the league.
ing repeat. The series features four
They’re focused on winning of the league’s biggest
a title, almost as if last year’s stars: former MVPs Parker,
championship against Min- teammate Nneka Ogwu-
nesota didn’t happen. mike and Phoenix’s Diana
“It’s a new recipe every Taurasi, and two-time de-
year to win a champion- fensive player of the year
ship,” Parker said Monday Brittney Griner. The quartet
after practice. “The same is among the league’s top
thing isn’t going to work as 11 scorers.
it did last year, but I like our Griner topped the league
preparation and I like our in scoring with a 21.9-point
experience.” average during a season in
The Sparks ended the which she emerged offen-
regular season on a sev- sively. Taurasi remains the
en-game winning streak. In this Aug. 4, 2017 file photo, the Los Angeles Sparks’ Candace Parker celebrates her basket Mercury’s go-to player in
They’ve been off for eight against the New York Liberty in a WNBA basketball game in Los Angeles. Associated Press crunch time.
days, resting and practic- “We can’t just isolate those
ing while waiting to find out She long ago succeeded other chance. two. two,” Ogwumike said. “We
their opponent in the best- Lisa Leslie as the face of “When you have the op- “They’re a dangerous have to focus on them, but
of-five semifinals. The Phoe- the Sparks franchise. Les- portunity, you seize it,” she team,” Sparks coach Brian we still have to be able to
nix Mercury had to win lie led Los Angeles to the said. Agler said. “They probably understand that stopping
elimination games against league’s last back-to-back The Sparks (26-8) did just have more new players small things is just as impor-
Seattle and Connecticut to titles in 2001 and ‘02. Hav- that in the regular season, than we even do and our tant as stopping big hitters
advance. ing won everything else sweeping the Mercury (18- roster is half changed from like Brittney and Diana.”
Game 1 is Tuesday night at in the game, Parker finally 16) in three games. The a year ago. They’ve steadi- The Sparks on Monday an-
Staples Center. added a WNBA title last Sparks won by an average ly gotten better.” nounced a multi-year con-
“We’ll find out if it’s rest or year. At 31, she’s learned of 16 points, although the The Mercury hasn’t been to tract extension for Agler, a
rust,” Parker joked. you don’t always get an- first game was decided by the WNBA finals since win- former Phoenix assistant.q

CAS to hear appeal in Usain Bolt
Olympic relay case in November

in re-analysis of a urine in 2012 at the Olympics,
sample from the 2008 Bei- running 36.84. Bolt said
jing Games. He and Bolt in February he was “not
were teammates on the sad” about giving up the
4x100-meter relay team, medal, though was “wait-
which won in a world re- ing to see if Nesta is go-
cord of 37.10 seconds. ing to appeal.” Carter’s
Carter ran the opening leg, legal team could ask Bolt
and Bolt took the baton to appear as a witness at
third in a team that also in- the hearing, which is likely
cluded Michael Frater and to be held in Lausanne,
Asafa Powell. The IOC’s Switzerland — the home
disqualification of Carter city of CAS and the IOC.
and the relay team came Dozens of athletes tested
in January, spoiling Bolt’s positive for banned drugs
perfect Olympic record of in an IOC-ordered reanal-
three gold medals — in the ysis program using new
100, 200 and 4x100 — at and more accurate tests
In this Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008 file photo, Jamaica’s men’s 4x100 meters relay team, from left,
Michael Fraser, Usain Bolt, Nesta Carter and Asafa Powell show their gold medals during the three consecutive games on samples stored since
athletics competitions in the National Stadium at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing. from 2008-2016. Carter also the 2008 Beijing Olympics
Associated Press teamed with Bolt on three and 2012 London Olym-
LAUSANNE, Switzerland in November. Olympic Committee on straight world champion- pics. Most of more than
(AP) — An appeal case The Court of Arbitration for Nov. 15. A verdict is ex- ship relay-winning teams, 110 cases involved steroids
involving the 2008 Olym- Sport said Monday that pected weeks later. from 2011 through 2015. and athletes from the for-
pic title stripped from Usain sprinter Nesta Carter will Carter tested positive last They were also teammates mer Soviet republics. Cart-
Bolt and the Jamaican re- challenge his disqualifica- year for the banned stimu- when Jamaica set an- er’s case was the only one
lay team is going to court tion by the International lant methylhexaneamine other 4x100 world record involving Jamaica.q