Author: tourist_yp6g7u

The Takeover has resumed! 

Brooklyn native Teofimo “The Takeover” Lopez Jr. (19-1, 13 KOs) handed Josh Taylor (19-1, 13 KOs) his first loss as a professional, taking the WBO and Ring magazine junior welterweight championships from the former titleholder with a 115-113, 117-111, 115-113 unanimous win on Saturday evening at the Theater at Madison Square Garden.

The 25-year-old Lopez, whose only blemish as a pro was a loss to George Kambosos in November 27, 2021, also at the Theater, entered the fight as an underdog but took control of the fight in the early rounds and never let Taylor mount a sustained attack. The 32-year-old Taylor, who is from Scotland, hadn’t faced an opponent since defeating Jack Catterall in his homeland 16 months ago before meeting up with Lopez. 

“Josh Taylor is a tough dude,” said Lopez after entertaining the crowd with hard shots to Taylor and fluid movement. “I can see why he beat so many fighters. But you’ve got to counter the counter-puncher. You’ve got to outsmart the man and get in there. And I did that. I think I did enough.This is what it is all about.”

Lopez, of Honduran descent and trained by his father, Teofimo Lopez Sr., said the pre-fight doubts about his chances to beat Taylor by members of the media and boxing fans also had him wondering about the possibility.  

“I questioned myself for a good reason,” he said. “You guys don’t understand. I’ve always been my worst critic, and you guys got a little glimpse of it. But I’ve just got to ask you one thing, and one thing only: Do I still got it?”

He then paid homage to Lopez Sr., who designed a solid game plan he smartly executed versus Taylor. 

“This was about fixing what we needed to,” he said. “That’s why I don’t leave my coach. I trust in him a lot.”

Taylor was complimentary of Lopez after suffering his first loss. “No excuses,” he said. “[This performance] wasn’t my best. The better man won tonight. I’ve got no excuses. I fought to the best of my ability. He was better than me tonight. It is what it is. Congratulations to Teofimo.”

Although there was no rematch clause, Taylor alluded to a potential rematch. “I thought it was a close fight,” he said. Two of the judges’ scorecards reflected his opinion. “I’d love to do it again. I definitely know I’m better than that, and I know I can beat him still. I’d love to do it again. But he’s the champ, so the ball is in his court.”

In other boxing news, last Friday in Miami, former four-division champion Adrien Broner dominated William Hutchinson with a 99-91, 100-90, 99-91 win in his first fight under the promotion of the legendary Don King. Broner is hoping for a chance to claim a title in his next contest.

“I see what’s-his-name—Romello? Rolly?” Broner said of the newly crowned WBA super-lightweight champion Rolando Romero. Broner also had eyes on who would come out of the Lopez-Taylor match victorious. 

“I like the winner of Teofimo and Josh Taylor, and whoever has a belt. I want all the belts,” he said. 

King also hopes for a title shot for Broner in the near future. “We are not fooling around,” he said. “We are going to take care of business. And we got the WBC here [that] is going to get us a title fight. We are going to win that title, then defend that title, then unify the world, because he can do it. He was a four-time world champion before and now the best is yet to come. It’s return to glory.”

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* This article was originally published here

Senbere Teferi, a two-time Olympian from Ethiopia, set a new record of 30:12 at Saturday’s Mastercard New York Mini 10K, held in Central Park by the New York Road Runners (NYRR), by holding off Kenya’s Helen Obiri, this year’s women’s Boston Marathon winner. Teferi had the fastest time since the event’s inception in 1972.

Obiri crossed the finish line in 30:19 in her first Mini 10K. Mexico’s Laura Galvan was third at 31:14. Emily Sisson was fourth at 31:16, the third best time ever in the race by an American.

The Mastercard NY Mini began in 1972 as the first women-only road race in the world. Back then, it was called the Crazylegs Mini Marathon and only 72 women finished the event. This year, 8,369 women completed the arduous trek.

This was the third year that Mastercard served as the title sponsor.

In the wheelchair division, Susannah Scaroni of the United States, the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon champion and two-time Paralympic medalist, led from start to finish and set a new mark of 21:06, breaking the previous record that she also held. Scaroni has owned the race, winning all five since the wheelchair division became part of the event in 2018. Jenna Fesemyer placed second at 25:16 and Michelle Wheeler was third (26:05).

The Mini 10K also featured participants from NYRR Run for the Future, a free seven-week program for high school girls in New York City with little to no running experience. The seven-week program introduced participants to running and wellness through practices and panels focused on mental health, nutrition, and body image.

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* This article was originally published here

When basketball forward Rebecca Osei-Owusu graduated from high school last week, she did so with a sense of pride and positive outlook, knowing that her future includes joining the Division I basketball program at Fairleigh Dickinson University. A member of the Riverside Hawks since seventh grade, Osei-Owusu credits that program not only with building her skills and confidence, but also helping her be well-prepared to be a college student.

Founded in 1961, the Riverside Hawks program is based at Riverside Church and works with about 350 students annually, ages 5 to 18. It provides a mix of athletic instruction, academic support, and opportunity for community service.

“Having trainers to help me every day…brought me to the next level,” said Osei-Owusu. “They would tell me what time to be in the gym to work on my shot or handles or anything else to add to my game. Being there really prepared me. That’s literally my second home.”

Osei-Owusu looks forward to playing for FDU’s new head coach, Stephanie Gaitley. She said the Riverside Hawks didn’t only hone her basketball skills, but helped her embrace teamwork, communication, and a family mindset. “I’d put everything on the floor and my coaches would encourage my dreams and aspirations,” Osei-Owusu said.

“Every year they do what they call an NCAA seminar,” she continued. “They’re talking about NCAA rules and eligibility. Even before coming into high school, I’d learn about eligibility and keeping my grades up.”

Dr. Emily Anderson, a former professor in the CUNY system, is secretary of the board of directors of the Riverside Hawks and chair of the education and scholarship committee. “It’s been interesting how the program has evolved,” said Anderson. “When it started in the ’60s, it was basically a basketball program for kids in Harlem. The people involved wanted them to be elite basketball players.

“As we began to look at the needs of the community over time…we wanted to expand the program, so we’re focusing on academics, basketball, and community,” she added. “Rebecca is a wonderful young woman…She graduated from Monsignor Scanlan High School (in the Bronx). Colleges were able to see what she could do. She attended those workshops about what it takes to get into college.”

An aspiring journalist, Osei-Owusu attended this year’s WNBA Draft. “It was a dream come true. I was looking at everybody and thinking how tall they are, especially Aliyah Boston,” she said.

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* This article was originally published here

When Karissa Williams arrived at the International Skating Union (ISU) International Adult Figure Skating Competition in Oberstdorf, Germany, she checked off another item on her list of life-long goals as a skater. As soon as she registered, she also sought out other Black skaters, but found only one: fellow American Linda Frances.

“The event has been unofficially dubbed ‘Adult Worlds,’” said Williams, meaning that adult skaters (over age 25) view it as their world championships. “I see why they call it that. You literally have so many adult skaters representing so many countries that come to this event.”

Adult skating competitions include people who skated as kids and teenagers, like Williams, who is a skating coach, and people who never skated before they were adults, like Frances, an attorney. Williams skated in gold ladies free skate I and masters ladies artistic I, finishing third in both. Frances competed in silver ladies free skate V, finishing sixth.

Frances became intrigued by skating while watching Debi Thomas and Katarina Witt on television during the 1988 Olympic Winter Games. In the summer of 1989, a friend directed her to take some learn-to-skate lessons at SkyRink (then at 33rd Street and 10th Avenue; now at Chelsea Piers). After her lessons, she kept returning to the rink for private lessons. When U.S. Figure Skating launched its first Adult Championships in 1995, Frances was there, and she’s kept on competing. She even took part in the very first international adult competition in 1999.

“The first thing I enjoy is the training,” she said. “My first coach, Wade Corbett, imbued in me a love of skating. I came to love the challenge of skating and I stayed with it.”

Frances also enjoys the organizational side of skating and is a silver-level judge with U.S. Figure Skating. “I’m happy to contribute so that others will have an opportunity,” she said. “I’m also happy to skate so that when I go places, other people of color will see a presentation…It makes me proud to have the opportunity for some other person to look and say, ‘I can do that too.’”

Williams was disappointed that her sightseeing was curtailed by rain her first few days in Oberstdorf, a mountain town in Bavaria. “It was amazing for me to fulfill this goal, but it left me wanting more,” she said. “Now that I’ve been to Oberstdorf once, I’m determined to go back again.”

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* This article was originally published here

Nikola Jokić has long been considered one of the league’s best players. After leading the Denver Nuggets to the franchise’s first-ever National Basketball Association championship with a 4-1 series victory over the Miami Heat and earning the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award, he is now in the company of the game’s historically great players.

The 28-year-old, 7-foot center from Serbia, who was drafted in the second round (41st overall) by the Nuggets in 2014, became just the 11th player to win at least two regular season MVPs and be named the Finals MVP. Jokić is also the fifth international player since the NBA’s inaugural 1946-47 season to be named the Finals MVP, joining Hakeem Olajuwon, Tony Parker, Dirk Nowitzki, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. (Tim Duncan, who has three Finals MVP awards on his resume, was born in the Virgin Islands, a United States territory, so is not considered an international player.)

A reflection of the collective selflessness displayed by the Nuggets all season in their journey to a title, Jokić deflected personal praise following the Nuggets’ 94-89 Game 5 victory over the Heat in Denver on Monday night to close out the best-of-seven series.

“We are not in it for ourselves, we are in it for the guy next to us,” Jokić said. “And that’s why this [means] even more.

The Nuggets were a low-maintenance, drama-free outfit led by their head coach, Mike Malone, that seemingly flew under the radar this season despite being the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed with the league’s third best record (53-29), sitting behind only the Eastern Conference’s Milwaukee Bucks (58-24) and Boston Celtics (57-25).  

But Denver validated their lofty place in the NBA hierarchy by tearing through the postseason, losing only four of 20 games, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1, the Phoenix Suns 4-2, and blanking the Los Angeles Lakers 4-0 before dismissing the Heat. In the Finals, Jokić averaged 30.2 points, 14 rebounds, and 7.2 assists, culminating with 28 points, 16 rebounds, and four assists in Game 5. He made triple-doubles routine early in the playoffs, opening the Finals with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists in a 104-93 Game 1 Nugget win.

Yet he eschewed references to his lofty number when broached by reporters. “It’s just a stat,” Jokić said with a tone of indifference. “I don’t care.”

In the postgame presser on Monday, Malone noted Jokić’s other attributes before acknowledging his on-court brilliance. “He’s a great husband, father, and son and brother,” Malone said. “And on the basketball court, he has proven time and time again that he’s the best player in the NBA. He’s our MVP, we love him, and we’re thankful that he’s wearing a Nuggets uniform.”

While much of the shine was deservedly on Jokić, Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray was sensational this postseason. Fully recovered from a torn ACL sustained on April 12, 2021 that kept him out until October 19 of last year, an 18-month absence, Murray proved to be a star in his own right, posting 26.1 points, 7.1 assists, and 5.7 rebounds in 20 games.
Jokić and Murray received requisite support from power forward Aaron Gordon, who showed he is a budding All-NBA Defensive Team candidate; starting shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope; and reserve guard/forward Bruce Brown, among others.
“I’ll speak for everybody in our locker room and organization. Congratulations to the Denver Nuggets organization,” said Miami Heat coach Eric Spolestra, who led what was only the second No. 8 seed in NBA history—the 1999 New York Knicks were the first—to the finals.

“They’re a class act,” he added. “And they’re one hell of a basketball team. We couldn’t really find [obvious] enough solutions to get us over the top.”

The Heat defied the odds by first taking down the No. 1 seed Bucks, No. 5 seed Knicks, and No. 2 seed Celtics before being unable to overcome the Nuggets superior talent. The run left the resilient Heat’s dogged five-time All-NBA selection Jimmy Butler disappointed by falling short of the team’s championship goal, but appreciative of the moment.  
“You never know what the team’s gonna look like next year or the year after that,” said the 33-year-old Butler shortly after Game 5.

“I’m just grateful. I learned so much. They taught me so much. And I wish I could of got it done for these guys because they definitely deserve it. But the one thing that Imma take from it is how grateful I am to be able to compete with them.”
Spoelstra articulated a similar sentiment.

“There’s no regrets on our end. There’s just some times where you get beat, you know, and Denver was the better basketball team in this series,” he said.
They were. And the best in the NBA.  

The post The Nuggets’ dominant playoff run ends with their first NBA title appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here

Over the course of 27 seasons, the New York Liberty has scored over 100 points in only a handful of games. Then came last week, when they had two. Coming back from a disappointing loss to the Chicago Sky, the Liberty’s game versus the Minnesota Lynx on June 7 at the Barclays Center was postponed due to the dangerous air quality in New York City as a result of wildfires in Canada. Their next game was two days later in Atlanta versus the Dream.  

It was a successful trip: The Liberty came away with a 106–83 victory. Sabrina Ionescu scored a career-high 37 points, including eight three-pointers, a franchise record. With the arrival of WNBA MVPs Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones, Ionescu had somewhat faded to the background, but she let it be known she is a force in the league.

On Sunday, the Liberty returned home to celebrate its annual Pride game. New York defeated the Dallas Wings 102–93 on double-figure scoring from Stewart (32 points without a single free throw), Ionescu (22), Courtney Vandersloot (15), Marine Johannes (12), and Betnijah Laney (10).  The win marked the first professional encounter between sisters Nyara Sabally of the Liberty and Satou Sabally of the Wings. In defeat, Satou won sisterly bragging rights with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Nyara went scoreless in 9 minutes of playing time. 

“We have a veteran team and it certainly helps,” said Liberty coach Sandy Brondello after the win over the Wings. “Sometimes, it’s just a little bit of focus, a little bit of togetherness, a little bit of toughness. That’s great to have.”

“Obviously, as this group has come together, we’re having an awareness of where one another is, the spots and how the defense is going to play us, and in particular me,” said Stewart. “People are helping me get into the right positions. Today, the shots went in…There are going to be nights where it’s going to be open. There are nights where it’s going to be super-collapsed, and we continue to find the open person.”

The Liberty face the Phoenix Mercury at Barclays Center on Sunday, marking Brittney Griner’s first game in New York since 2021. Last weekend, Griner and her teammates were subjected to verbal harassment at the Dallas airport. The incident may lead to enhanced security for Griner for the remainder of the season. 

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* This article was originally published here

We demand equity and access in Canarsie and urge Mayor Eric Adams to address the imbalance in NYC Ferry service. This fight is about fairness, ensuring equal opportunities for all neighborhoods in our city.

Mayor Eric Adams, as the former Brooklyn Borough president, your advocacy for ferry service in Canarsie ignited hope and excitement. However, progress on this commitment has been lacking since you entered City Hall. We invite you to help us navigate upstream together, cut through the waves of inequality, and establish ferry service for Canarsie.

The NYC ferry system currently tilts in favor of wealthier, predominantly white waterfront neighborhoods, creating an unjust divide. It’s time to rebalance the scales and extend ferry benefits to communities like Canarsie. Our community deserves swift and reliable transportation to bridge the gaps and shorten travel times.

Introducing a ferry stop in Canarsie will not only stimulate economic activity and attract investments, but also create a rising tide of job opportunities. Let’s unlock Canarsie’s untapped potential and propel local businesses forward. Expanding the ferry service to Canarsie will chart a course toward cleaner and greener transportation, reducing emissions and steering us toward a more sustainable future.

As a cornerstone of your NYC Ferry Forward plan, outreach to NYCHA residents must be a steadfast commitment. Canarsie’s Bay View Houses, mere footsteps away from Canarsie Pier, beckon for improved accessibility and enhanced connectivity.

Mr. Mayor, the time for action is now. Make NYC Ferry access a reality in Canarsie and fulfill the promise you made to our community. Together, let’s construct a city where transportation flows with fairness, economic opportunities flourish, and our dedication to environmental sustainability is fully realized. 

Join us, Mr. Mayor, as we set sail toward a future where every neighborhood is connected, every voice is heard, and every opportunity is within reach. Together, we can navigate these uncharted waters and create a city that uplifts us all.

Jibreel Jalloh is a community organizer and activist who founded and leads a Canarsie-based advocacy organization that has fought for a range of investments. Jalloh graduated from Baruch College (CUNY) and is currently pursuing a master’s degree at New York University. Learn more at www.theflossy.org and follow on social media @TheFlossyOrg.

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* This article was originally published here