September 16, 2022September 16, 2022

Valentine Cox sweeps Fall Classic Chess tournament

Home|Sports|Valentine Cox sweeps Fall Classic Chess tournamentSports

The Nassau Guardian Send an emailSeptember 15, 2022 168 2 minute readFacebook Twitter LinkedIn Share via Email

Bahamas Chess Federation’s Fall Classic Chess tournament’s winner, Valentine Cox (left) receives his prize from Candidate Master Kendrick Knowles, BCF president. BCF

The Fall Classic Chess Tournament took place this weekend at the University of The Bahamas’ (UB) Choices Restaurant on September 10-11. This vital partnership between UB and the Bahamas Chess Federation (BCF) was formed to promote the growth and development of critical and analytical thinking, leadership and safe social interaction in The Bahamas through the sport of chess.

The Fall Classic Chess Tournament was the final qualifier to determine who would fill the remaining spots at the upcoming Bahamas National Chess Championship. Valentine Cox defeated all his opponents and emerged as the overall winner of the tournament. Dr. Kenville Lockhart came second, and Avian Pride secured third place. The Fall Classic Chess Tournament was the final qualifier to determine who would fill the remaining spots at the upcoming Bahamas National Chess Championship.

The tournament was set up as a five round Swiss format, game in 60 minutes plus five seconds per move tournament. The chief arbiter of the Fall Classic Chess Tournament was Andre White. He is an experienced chess arbiter. White was one of nearly two hundred arbiters selected by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE), out of a total of over 14,000 official FIDE arbiters globally, to arbiter at the 44th Chess Olympiad held in Chennai, India this summer. The 44th Chess Olympiad was his second Olympiad as an arbiter. The first was in Tromso, Norway in 2014. White was assisted at the tournament by Angel Pride.

Subsequent to a recent partnership formed between UB and BCF, future chess tournaments will be held at UB.

“UB is excited for the opportunity to collaborate with the Bahamas Chess Federation,” said Dr. Joseph Ferguson, assistant professor, mathematics and Chess Club advisor, the University of The Bahamas.

He continued: “We recognize that many of the younger chess players currently in primary and high schools will one day be at UB, and we want them to know that chess has a home at the university.

President Rollins, vice-president Stubbs and the entire UB community congratulates BCF on the tournament and their efforts.”

Candidate Master (CM) Kendrick Knowles, BCF president, recognized the partnership between UB and the BCF.

He added: “I thank UB for hosting the Fall Classic Tournament and look forward to BCF hosting more chess tournaments and events in collaboration with the University of The Bahamas. Traditionally higher education institutions and chess go hand in hand. Top universities around the world promote chess and participate regularly in chess tournaments. Congratulations to Cox on a stellar performance. I am excited for The Bahamas Nationals, the players qualifying for the Nationals are the top chess players in The Bahamas and competition will be intense.”

The Bahamas National Chess Championship, the biggest event on the BCF calendar, is a five-day event. Players for the upcoming Bahamas National Chess Championship include CM Knowles, Shawn Barker, Curtis Pride, CM Nathan Smith, FIDE Master (FM) Cecil Moncur, Avian Pride, Noah Albury, Trevor Bridgewater, Cox and Dr. Lockhart.

https://thenassauguardian.com/valentine-cox-sweeps-fall-classic-chess-tournament/

September 16, 2022September 16, 2022

Jones, Sun in must-win game tonight

Home|Sports|Jones, Sun in must-win game tonight Sports

Simba French Send an emailSeptember 15, 2022 168 2 minute readFacebook Twitter LinkedIn Share via Email

Bahamian and Connecticut Sun center Jonquel “JJ” Jones.

All the odds are stacked against Jonquel “JJ” Jones and the Connecticut Sun as they look to play an elimination game against the Las Vegas Aces tonight in the WNBA Finals. The Aces lead the best-of-five series 2-0.

No team has ever come back from a 0-2 hole in the WNBA Finals. The Sun is 3-0 in elimination games this postseason and has shown that they are a resilient bunch all postseason. They will look to use that fighting spirit to pull off the improbable – win the series.

The Aces did what they had to do in the first two games of the series – win on their home court. Now the series swing to Jones and the Sun’s home court for the next two games – the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. With them needing to win both games, Jones said they are not looking ahead of this game.

“We are taking it one game at a time. That’s all we can do. We are going to go back home. … We are going to have our fans behind us, who have been with us all season, and we are going to use that to propel us to a win and that’s all we can do,” Jones said.

Sun’s head coach, Curt Miller shared his center’s sentiment at not looking past the game tonight.

“You can’t think big picture. That becomes overwhelming and daunting and feels, at times, bigger. It’s too big. So you’ve got to drill it down and we’ll get back to work with our preparation for Game Three, and all we talk about is Game Three, and in particular, all we are going to talk about is the first quarter, and that’s our approach. I think if you start thinking we have to win three in a row, we have to do those kind of things, it becomes big. So, we are going to talk about Game Three and Game Three only and be ready for that first quarter,” Miller said.

The Sun fell 85-71 to the Aces on Tuesday night as the Aces shot a blistering 51.6 percent from the field in that game compared to the first game, when they were held to 39.7 percent from the field. The Grand Bahama native recognized that they did not play good defensively in the second game.

“I think they were just extremely aggressive,” Jones said. “I think we did a better job of playing one-on-one defense in game one and we didn’t do as well of a job this game (game two) and I think that was the major difference, them just putting their heads down and getting to the basket and being able to finish through contact or getting to the free-throw line.”

For her, going into this game is another opportunity for them to make it a series with their fans behind them.

“We have another opportunity. That’s why it’s a series and like I said before, we’re going home and we’re going in front of our fans and we are going to use it to help us win the game,” Jones said.

The 2021 Most Valuable Player (MVP) is averaging a double-double with 15.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game in this series. She is shooting 50 percent from the field and is averaging 30 minutes per game.

The Sun must slow down 2022 MVP A’ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray who are both averaging 20-plus points in the series. Wilson is averaging 25 points per game and Gray is averaging 21 points per game.

Tonight’s game will get underway at 9 o’ clock on ESPN.

https://thenassauguardian.com/jones-sun-in-must-win-game-tonight/

September 16, 2022September 16, 2022

Jones: ‘We are taking it one game at a time’

Jonquel reacts to Game 2 loss

CONNECTICUT Sun forward Jonquel Jones (35) battles for the ball with Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson (22) during the first half in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals series on Tuesday night in Las Vegas. Las Vegas leads the best-of-five series 2-0 heading into Game 3 against the Sun at 9pm tonight in Connecticut. (AP Photo/John Locher)

As of Thursday, September 15, 2022

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#Jonquel Jones and the Connecticut Sun are once again facing a must-win situation to keep their 2022 season alive.

#Jones has averaged 15.5 points and 10 rebounds through the first two games of the WNBA Finals, but the Sun left Nevada with an 0-2 series deficit at the hands of the Las Vegas Aces.

#Jones had 15 points and nine rebounds in a game one 67-64 loss followed by 16 points and 11 rebounds in an 85-71 loss in game two.

#The best-of-five series shifts to Connecticut for games three (September 15 at 9pm on ESPN) and four if necessary (September 18 at 4pm on ESPN). A fifth and deciding game would be hosted by the Aces at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 20.

#The Sun are 3-0 in elimination games in the playoffs so far this season.

#“We are taking it one game at a time. That’s all we can do. We are going to go back home, we are going to have our fans behind us, who have been with us all season, and we are going to use that to propel us to a win and that’s all we can do,” Jones said.

#“We have another opportunity. That’s why it’s a series and like I said before, we’re going home and we’re going in front of our fans and we are going to use it to help us win the game.”

#Connecticut did not make a field goal spanning from the 3:46 mark in the first quarter until the 8:04 of the second quarter. A total span of 6:42 of game action in Tuesday night’s loss.

#Las Vegas led 68-54 after the third quarter after a game one performance where they scored only 67 points.

#“I think they were just extremely aggressive,” Jones said. “I think we did a better job of playing one-on-one defence in Game 1 and we didn’t do as well of a job this game and I think that was the major difference, them just putting their heads down and getting to the basket and being able to finish through contact or getting to the free-throw line.

#Tuesday night’s performance marked Jones’ 10th career postseason double-double and moved her into a tie for no. 12 all-time with Elena Delle Donne and Taj McWilliams-Franklin.

#Jones also moved into fourth all-time in scoring in Connecticut Sun postseason history.

#Sun head coach Curt Miller said the team will have to take a much different approach facing elimination.

#“You can’t think big picture,” Miller said.

#“That becomes overwhelming and daunting and feels, at times, bigger. It’s too big. So you’ve got to drill it down and we’ll get back to work with our preparation for Game 3, and all we talk about is Game 3, and in particular, all we are going to talk about is the first quarter, and that’s our approach.

#“I think if you start thinking we have to win three in a row, we have to do those kind of things, it becomes big. So we are going to talk about Game 3 and Game 3 only and be ready for that first quarter.”

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/15/jones-we-are-taking-it-one-game-time/?news

September 16, 2022September 16, 2022

BJ Murray and Cubs one win away from championship series

BJ MURRAY

As of Thursday, September 15, 2022

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#BJ Murray and his South Bend Cubs continued their dominant second half into the postseason and are one win away from the Midwest League championship series.

#The Cubs took game one of the best-of-three West Division series 2-1 over the Cedar Rapids Kernels Tuesday night at Four Winds Field in South Bend, Indiana.

#The Cubs were the second half West Division leaders, while the Kernels won the first half. Both teams finished tied for first place for the year-end division standings. They wrapped up the regular season with a five-game series prior to the playoffs.

#Murray hit .421 in that series, highlighted by a 3-4 night with two runs in the finale. If South Bend moves to the final round, they would host Game 1 of the three-game championship set at Four Winds Field on September 18.

#The 22-year-old infielder has made a successful transition to High-A baseball and his progression within the Chicago Cubs organisation.

#Since the start of July, Murray is one of only two players in the Midwest League with a batting average over .300 and an on-base percentage over .400. Through 56 games with South Bend, Murray is hitting .273, slugging .406, with a .794 OPS, with 51 hits, 22 runs scored, eight doubles, five home runs, 28 RBI and eight stolen bases.

#Murray began his 2022 season at the Low-A level with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans before he was promoted on June 14.

#In 39 games with the club, he hit .305, slugged .461 with a .902 OPS, 39 hits, including three home runs, 11 doubles, 31 runs scored and 25 RBI.

#Murray was selected by the Cubs out of Florida Atlantic University with the 22nd pick in the 15th round, no. 454 overall in the 2021 MLB Draft. He spent his first season of pro baseball in the Arizona Complex League.

#Through 16 ACL games, he hit .286, slugging .482 with a .826 OPS, 16 hits, including two home runs, three doubles, a triple, 12 runs scored and eight RBI.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/15/bj-murray-and-cubs-one-win-away-championship-serie/?news

September 16, 2022September 16, 2022

World Baseball Classic qualification: Team Great Britain in training camp

GREAT Britain’s Anfernee Seymour yesterday in training camp. Photo: GB Baseball

As of Thursday, September 15, 2022

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#TEAM Great Britain, including members of the Bahamian contingent, has arrived in Regensburg, Germany and are currently in training camp as they prepare to chase 2023 World Baseball Classic qualification.

#The team heads into the final day of camp today with their first matchup at 1pm Friday local time against France in the second half of a double header at Armin-Wolf-Arena.

#The winner will advance to face the host country, Germany, Saturday at 1pm while the loser will be relegated in the double elimination tournament format.

#All WBC qualifying games will be broadcast on MLB.com, at Worldbaseballclassic.com and on the World Baseball Classic’s Facebook and YouTube pages.

#The Great Britain roster includes outfielders Anfernee Seymour and D’Shawn Knowles, pitchers Tahnaj Thomas and Chavez Fernander, catcher Ural Forbes and Albert Cartwright as a member of the coaching staff.

TEAM Great Britain players, including members of the Bahamian contingent, share a light moment together yesterday during training camp in Regensburg, Germany. Photos: GB Baseball

#“I’m grateful to the amazing staff of volunteers (coaches, coordinators, athletic trainers and more) who have given so much to get us to this point. And I’m excited to see this team compete,” said Great Britain manager Drew Spencer.

#“This team has already shown that they will represent us very well. Such a great group of young men.”

#Seymour spent his season with Charleston Dirty Birds and the Long Island Ducks in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Knowles, a prospect in the Los Angeles Angels organisation, began his season at the Low A level with the Inland Empire 66ers before he was promoted to High A with the Tri City Dust Devils.

#Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Thomas has been a top reliever in the rotation for for the Altoona Curve at the Double A level, while Fernander (Detroit Tigers) has spent time between the Low A and High levels with the Eerie Seawolves and West Michigan Whitecaps.

#Forbes was most recently a hitting coach for the Vermont Mountaineers of the New England Collegiate Baseball League.

#Bahamian baseball players have been on the roster for Great Britain at the last two editions of the qualifiers. In the 2013 Qualifiers, Cartwright appeared with Antoan Richardson and helped Great Britain make their debut in the event with a 1-2 record in Regensburg, Germany. Their tournament highlight was a 12-5 win over the Czech Republic.

#At the 2017 Qualifiers in Brooklyn, New York, Richardson and Cartwright were joined by Ali Knowles, Jazz Chisholm Jr, Kyle Simmons, Todd Isaacs Jr, Reshard Munroe, Byron Murray and Champ Stuart. That team finished just one game shy of WBC qualification when they suffered a 9-1 loss in the final.

#Several of the Bahamas’ top minor league players were expected to compete for Team Great Britain before the 2021 edition of the Qualifiers were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

#Bahamian players are eligible to compete for Great Britain once their parents were born in the Bahamas while it was still a British colony, prior to Independence. Germany and Panama serve as the two respective sites of the qualifiers this fall.

#Each location will host a six-team pool, with the top two teams from each qualifier advancing to the main event in March 2023.

#Great Britain is currently ranked at no.23 in the WBSC rankings. They will play in Pool A alongside no.18 Germany, no.14 Czech Republic, no. 19 Spain, no. 22 France and no. 26 South Africa.

#The Pool B Qualifier is scheduled from September 30 to October 5 in Panama City and includes no. 13 Panama, no. 15 Nicaragua, no. 25 Brazil, no. 27 Argentina, no. 31 Pakistan and no. 46 New Zealand.

#The newly expanded 20-team, top-tier global tournament, serves as World Baseball Softball Confederation’s official professional-level National Team World Championship.

#Sixteen teams had already secured a berth in the 2023 WBC – Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Korea, Mexico, Puerto Rico, United States and Venezuela.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/15/world-baseball-classic-qualification-team-great-br/?news

September 15, 2022September 15, 2022

GSSSA looks to get sports calendar underway soon

Sports

Schools have begun practicing

Simba French Send an emailSeptember 15, 2022 91 2 minute readFacebook Twitter LinkedIn Share via Email

Varel Davis, Government Secondary School Sports Association (GSSSA) president.

The last time the Government Secondary School Sports Association (GSSSA) had a full sports year was in 2018-2019. It is looking to change that this school year as the country continues to get back to normal after the COVID-19 pandemic stopped the GSSSA’s 2019-2020 sporting events.

It is also celebrating its 30th anniversary as it looks to have a full calendar with their core sports. According to Varel Davis, GSSSA president, most of the schools have already started practicing for the various disciplines especially cross country.

“Most schools have already started practicing from last week,” Davis said. “That shows you how eager we are to get back. The children are out in full force and are preparing for our sports. The children are excited and we have begun practicing like for cross country with the conditioning. We are ready to go and we pray that things continue to work out for us as we go forward in this school and sporting season.

“It is the first time that those student-athletes who were in grade seven and is in grade nine now are now engaging in after-school sports because of the pandemic. We cannot wait to start our first discipline and we are going to have a very successful year. We have some things planned for our 30th anniversary.”

There is no exact date as to when it will get the sports calendar started and which sport will be the first. It is usually volleyball but that decision will come in short order. The core sports for the GSSSA is volleyball, basketball, cross country, track and field, soccer, baseball and softball. The association has already met with the coaches and they are ready to get to work.

“The meeting with the coaches went well. We all are excited to be back to engage in after school sports after not playing high school sports in about two and a half years. We have an exciting year planned. This is our 30th- year anniversary. We are hoping to have our core sports in. We have protocols in place when it comes to playing sports. It will be enforced as safety is first and foremost for our student-athletes, coaches, officials and fans,” Davis stated.

The national high school championship series calendar came out last week. However, Davis said they are likely to participate in the core sports and GSSSA is unsure about tennis and swimming – the new sports that were added to the calendar.

‘‘I am not too sure about the tennis and swimming because that is something that we actually have to be certified in,” Davis said. “We also have to find ways to get our kids to train in those sports. Those sports maybe difficult this year for us coming back after being off for two-plus years as we try and get our core sports up and running. We will look in the near future to participate in those other sports that are on the nationals calendar. There is also only so much sports we can do within a year. Our calendar is very full as it is getting through the other sports.”

The GSSSA was only able to put on its track and field meet last school year. Its 2019-2020 season came to a halt on the heels of getting ready to start the soccer season in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://thenassauguardian.com/gsssa-looks-to-get-sports-calendar-underway-soon/

September 15, 2022September 15, 2022

Pro boxer Rashield Williams to square off with American Arriaga

As of Wednesday, September 14, 2022

#NOW that he’s back in his comfort zone, Bahamian professional boxer Rashield Williams said he intends to take his frustrations from the Commonwealth Games out on American Daniel Arriaga when they meet on Saturday night.

#Williams, eliminated on points in his first and only bout at the games in Birmingham, England in August, is scheduled to square off against Arriaga in a welterweight match at the Alessi Gym Fitness Center in Tampa, Florida.

#The 33-year-old Williams will be taking a 5-1-4 win-loss-knockout record into the match against Arriaga, a 32-year-old American southpaw, who is 2-4-2 with two draws.

#“I feel good. I think this is a good opportunity for me because I just signed with a professional boxing company, so I am ready to show them what I can do,” said Williams, who indicated that they have expressed a desire for him to be fighting on a regular basis.

#After he returned to Florida from the Commonwealth Games, Williams said he got right into his training camp and has been working on getting ready for his return to the pro ranks. During the games, as a pro, he was afforded the opportunity to compete with the amateurs.

#“I had to build my weight back up because at the Commonwealth Games, I had to lose about 11 pounds just to make the weight for the fight,” Williams said. “Now I’m much stronger because I’m right where I need to be for this fight.”

#Williams said he doesn’t know much about his opponent, except for the fact that Arriaga is a southpaw.

#“There’s a way to work around fighting a southpaw,” he said. “I want to go in there and knock him out. He’s not going to be any match for me.”

#Williams’ last pro fight was on January 28 when he won a TKO over Daniel Molina at the Hialeah Park Racing & Casino in Hialeah, Florida.

#He had one fight in 2021 on September 18 when he won a KO decision over Dylan Dodds at the Alessi Gym Fitness Center in Tampa, Florida.

#Williams made his pro debut in 2019 when he won over Carlos Monroy on February 9 at the Restaurant Los Olvidados in Playa del Carmen. He lost his second bout on March 22 to Javaune James at the Miccosukee Indian Gaming Resort in Miami, Florida, before he got back on the winning track with a decision over Jurland Ceniza on December 21 in Tipanoy, Iligan City.

#Arriaga, who resides in San Antonio, Texas, is coming off a TKO loss to American Xavier Madrid on November 20, 2021 at the Inn Of The Mountain Goods in Mescalaro.

#Williams, along with Carl Hield, represented the Bahamas at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in August.

#Williams had to shed about 11 pounds to make the weight for the light welterweight division where he lost on points to Namibia’s Jonas Jonas. Hield, 35, got stopped in the first round against Nigeria’s Abdul-Afeez Osoba after he slipped and fell when his opponent countered with an onslaught. Hield is hoping to join Williams in fighting as a pro next month. He’s just waiting on the deal to be sealed.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/14/pro-boxer-rashield-williams-square-american-arriag/

September 15, 2022September 15, 2022

Archers bring home eight medals – four gold

TEAM BAHAMAS members, from left, are Donte Dorelien, David Rahming, Nikita Varanarta, Lisa Stovel-Rolle, Leron Rolle, Dr Bernato Almira and Dario Higgs.

As of Wednesday, September 14, 2022

SHOWN, from left, are Leron Rolle, Lisa Stovel-Rolle and Steven Hanna Jr.

Dario Higgs

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#THE Bahamas Archery Federation returned from two archery tournaments in the Dominican Republic last week with historic, impressive performances from the Caribbean Developmental Championships and the Central American and Caribbean qualifying tournament.

#The team, according to federation president David Rahming, returned home on Sunday with four gold medals, three silver and a bronze medal, in addition to producing a number of best performances.

#The Caribbean Developmental Championships was first held in 2017 in Puerto Rico, but it wasn’t until the second version in 2018 that the Bahamas won its first medals. However, after missing the past three years from 2019 to 2022, the federation returned to the championships.

#This year was the first time the tournament was held in two years and it was the first time that archers from outside the English-speaking Caribbean were invited. It is also the first time that a Jamaican team has attended the tournament.

#Dario Higgs won three gold medals to lead the Bahamas. He shot a 572 in the recurve senior men beginners tournament, which ties the national record set in 2018. He also won a gold medal in the recurve mixed team matches.

#Bernado Almira won a gold medal in the Barebow division, which was contested for the first time in this year’s tournament. He was also the first person from Grand Bahama to compete for Team Bahamas internationally.

#Lisa Stovel-Rolle became only the second female to compete for Team Bahamas internationally but the first to win any medals at an international event.

#She won two silver medals in the compound senior women competitions and a bronze in the mixed team competitions.

#Donte Dorelien won a bronze medal in the recurve under 18 division. He and Steven Hanna Jr, who shot in the World Ranking Event tournament, were the youngest members of Team Bahamas.

#Leron Rolle was the other member of Team Bahamas to compete in the World Ranking Event tournament.

#Both Hanna and Rolle shot well but were eliminated before the final rounds this time, according to Rahming.

#Rolle shot this tournament earlier this year in Puerto Rico where he was a member of Team Bahamas, who earned two qualifying spots to the next Central American and Caribbean Games to be held in El Salvador in 2023.

#Hanna Jr and Rolle are hopeful of competing in the Pan American Championships to be held in Santiago, Chile this November.

#This tournament is the main qualifier for the Pan American Games to be held in 2023.

#Rahming, who accompanied the team, said he is very pleased with this year’s performance overall and the progress with the federation in general.

#Rahming has served as the president for the past nine years and has seen the federation grow from just a few archers learning the sport and tournament rules to actually becoming very competitive.

#He said the archers are now winning medals and turning in competitive performances against world-class athletes in both male and female categories and both recurve and compound disciplines.

#Rahming said he hopes to continue with the upward trend in performances in these categories and hopes to add others in the future. He noted that he is eager to include disabled athletes as other countries have done.

#“Archery is a sport for everyone and it is growing within the region,” Rahming said. “ It has enormous sports tourism potential as well and The Bahamas is positioned to take every advantage of this.”

#The team was sponsored by Robin Hood Flour, distributed by Asa H Pritchard.

#Interested persons wishing to join the federation are urged to WhatsApp 525-3799 for training timers in Nassau or contact the YMCA in Grand Bahama for their times on that island.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/14/archers-bring-home-eight-medals-four-gold/

September 15, 2022September 15, 2022

Jonquel Jones and Sun lose Game 2

As of Wednesday, September 14, 2022

#By WG RAMIREZ

#Associated Press

#LAS VEGAS (AP) — A’ja Wilson had 26 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Las Vegas Aces to an 85-71 victory over the Connecticut Sun last night in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals.

#The Aces are now one victory away from the franchise’s first championship with Game 3 on Thursday in Connecticut.

#Las Vegas was swept in the 2008 Finals when the team was still in San Antonio. The Aces were also swept in 2020.

#“It’s going to take every bit of everybody,” said Chelsea Gray, who added 21 points. “You can see the stats, it’s the toughness, it’s the little things that will get it done We have been a good road team this year. So we might as well go win on the road.”

#Kelsey Plum rebounded from an awful Game 1 to score 20 points.

#“A’ja cussed me out before the game. That’s all I needed,” Plum said. “About time I joined the party. They carried us all week. It’s good to hit some shots, but we have one more.”

#After being held to a season-low 67 points in Game 1, the Aces found their offensive prowess to hit 33 of 64 (51.6%) from the floor.

#Connecticut, which finished 27 of 64 (42.2%) from the field, had four players in double digits, led by Courtney Williams with 18.

#Jonquel Jones also had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, Alyssa Thomas finished with 13 points.

#Looking to establish an offensive presence early, both teams pushed the pace early, trading buckets to a 10-10 tie until the Aces seized momentum and used an 11-4 run to open a seven-point advantage.

#Las Vegas hit 55 percent (10 of 18) from the floor in the first quarter while the Sun struggled to a 35 percent clip, hitting just 7 of 20.

#The Aces continued to apply offensive pressure in the second, led by Plum, who contributed 11 in the quarter.

#Connecticut was down 14 when coach Curt Miller went big with his lineup, and the Sun responded with a 12-4 run to cut their deficit to six before a Wilson bucket provided the Aces with a 45-37 halftime lead.

#“Get to my spots my teammates are putting me in a situation where I’m comfortable,” Wilson said.

#But Las Vegas’ offensive balance continued into the third, with five different scorers helping the Aces push the lead to 14, outscoring Connecticut 23-17, taking a 68-54 lead into the final period.

#LET’S GET PHYSICAL

#The third quarter saw both teams with bumps and bruises. Gray and Natisha Hiedeman left the game with twisted ankles early in the third quarter. Gray went back to the locker room, but later returned. Jackie Young suffered a busted lip. Williams left late in the third with what appeared to be a lower leg injury. Hiedeman and Williams returned to start the fourth quarter. Young returned early in the final period.

#BACKS AGAINST THE WALL

#Connecticut is 3-0 in elimination games in the playoffs so far this season.

SUN forward Jonquel Jones shoots against the Las Vegas Aces during the second half in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals series last night in Las Vegas. She posted a double double. (AP Photo/John Locher)