2B Friday, December 14, 2018
The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com
SPORTS
COLLEGE BASKCTBALL
Arizona State guard Dort
off to strong start to season
BY JOHN MARSHALL
Associated Press
TEMPE, Ariz. — Luguentz Dort is a
freshman in name and age only.
At 6-foot-4,215 pounds, he’s built like line
backer on the Arizona State football team,
not some scrawny teenager disdainfully
bumped out of the lane on a basketball court.
The Sun Devils’ 19-year-old guard is
supremely confident and has already taken
on a leadership role on a team filled with
older players, like he’s been in Tempe all
along,
Dort’s default is to play with aggression,
attack at all times without concern, not look
to the bench for coaches’ approval every
time he makes a mistake.
“He doesn’t play like a freshman,” Ari
zona State junior guard Rob Edwards said.
“And he’s certainly not built like one.”
Duke’s trio of NBA lottery picks garnered
most of the freshman attention heading into
the 2018-19 season, with players like North
Carolina’s Nassir Little, Oregon’s Bol Bol and
Indiana’s Romeo Langford also mentioned
well ahead of Dort.
Through No. 20 Arizona State’s first eight
games, Dort has proven he belongs in the
elite freshmen spotlight and, possibly, on a
much bigger stage beyond his college play
ing days.
Dort fired out of the gate in his first game,
overcoming some early jitters to score 28
points against Cal State Fullerton, an Arizona
State freshman debut record.
Able to initiate contact in the lane or shoot
from the perimeter, he leads the Sun Devils
(7-1) with 22 points per game on a team full
of capable scorers, including 33 against Utah
State, and is second on the Sun Devils with
6.3 rebounds as a guard.
When point guard Remy Martin went out
with an injury — along with Edwards and
forward Mickey Mitchell — Dort adeptly
took over primary show-running duties.
Known for his defensive aggressiveness
before arriving in Tempe, Dort has lived up
to those expectations, leading the Sun Dev
ils with 16 steals and in frustrating opposing
guard.
“As soon as he got here in our workouts,
he got the players’ respect,” Arizona State
coach Bobby Hurley said. “We knew what
we had. I kind of knew before he got here,
but he validated that real quick.”
Dort’s parents were born in Haiti and
moved to Montreal when they were 21.
He’s been to Haiti once, though he doesn’t
remember much, outside of being scared,
because he was so young.
Dort hears from Haitians on social media
and someday plans to visit his parents’
homeland.
“I want to go there so bad. I just need to
find the time in the summer or whenever,”
he said. “I’m proud to say I’m Haitian
Canadian.”
Dort’s sport early on was soccer and he
was good at it — first as a goalie, then as a
midfielder — but he was the only kid among
his friends playing it. They played basket
ball and convinced Dort to start playing with
them.
Wise move.
JOHN LOCHER I Associated Press
Arizona State ‘s Luguentz Dort celebrates
after scoring during a game against Utah
State on Nov. 21 in Las Vegas.
Dort took to basketball quickly and later
started getting the attention of American
coaches while playing on the AAU circuit.
Wanting to broaden his game and his
almost non-existent English-speaking skills,
Dort made the difficult decision to play high
school ball in the United States. Turned
down by one team, he ended up at Arlington
Country Day in Jacksonville, Florida, his
sophomore year in high school.
It was not an easy transition.
“I was sad when I left home and couldn’t
really speak English,” Dort said. “I was
lonely at first.”
Dort’s transition to American life was
made easier by a group of French speakers
in Jacksonville and the next year he moved
to Orlando, playing at Conrad Academy.
Wanting to spend his senior season back in
Canada, Dort returned home and played
at the Athlete Institute in Ontario, where
he garnered attention from major U.S. col
leges like Oregon, Baylor, Indiana, Michigan
State, Miami and Arizona State.
He chose the Sun Devils and Hurley.
Dort liked the campus and the players, the
direction of the Arizona State program and
Hurley’s pitch to help him transform from
shooting to point guard.
Dort’s best chances for playing profession
ally are as a point guard and who better to
learn from than Hurley, a two-time national
champion at Duke and former NBA point
guard.
“He was one of the coaches who really
put in my head that I could be a professional
player one day,” Dort said. “He told me what
I needed to do to get better and get ready for
the next level. That’s something I really fell
in love with.”
It’s worked out so far and Sun Devil fans
have quickly fallen in love with the bruising-
but-athletic freshman guard.
SCOREBOARD
Football/NFL
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
w
East
L T
Pet PF
PA
New England
9
4 0
.692 364
293
Miami
7
6 0
.538 278
333
Buffalo
4
9 0
.308 201
320
N.Y. Jets
4
9 0
.308 270
330
W
South
L T
Pet PF
PA
Houston
9
4 0
.692 323
259
Indianapolis
7
6 0
.538 349
300
Tennessee
7
6 0
.538 251
254
Jacksonville
4
9 0
.308 212
273
W
North
L T
Pet PF
PA
Pittsburgh
7
5 1
.577 367
306
Baltimore
7
6 0
.538 321
241
Cleveland
5
7 1
.423 292
332
Cincinnati
5
8 0
.385 307
397
W
West
L T
Pet PF
PA
x-Kansas City
11
2 0
.846 471
351
L.A. Chargers
10
3 0
.769 366
270
Denver
6
7 0
.462 290
282
Oakland
3
10 0
.231 244
388
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
W
East
L T
Pet PF
PA
Dallas
8
5 0
.615 276
246
Philadelphia
6
7 0
.462 281
295
Washington
6
7 0
.462 249
297
N.Y. Giants
5
8 0
.385 307
331
W
South
L T
Pet PF
PA
y-New Orleans
11
2 0
.846 447
283
Carolina
6
7 0
.462 324
332
Tampa Bay
5
8 0
.385 332
383
Atlanta
4
9 0
.308 316
367
W
North
L T
Pet PF
PA
Chicago
9
4 0
.692 359
247
Minnesota
6
6 1
.500 282
291
Green Bay
5
7 1
.423 315
307
Detroit
5
8 0
.385 271
319
W
West
L T
Pet PF
PA
y-L.A. Rams
11
2 0
.846 425
313
Seattle
8
5 0
.615 340
266
Arizona
3
10 0
.231 178
327
San Francisco
3
10 0
.231 275
350
x-clinched playoff spot
y-clinched division
Thursday’s Game
L.A. Chargers at Kansas City, Late
Saturday’s Games
Houston at N.Y. Jets, 4:30 p.m.
Cleveland at Denver, 8:20 p.m.
Sunday’s Games
Tennessee at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m.
Green Bay at Chicago, 1 p.m.
Detroit at Buffalo, 1 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Arizona at Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Oakland at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.
Dallas at Indianapolis, 1 p.m.
Miami at Minnesota, 1 p.m.
Washington at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.
Seattle at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m.
New England at Pittsburgh, 4:25 p.m.
Philadelphia at L.A. Rams, 8:20 p.m.
Monday’s Game
New Orleans at Carolina, 8:15 p.m.
Hockey/NHL
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
GP W L OT
Pts
GF
GA
Tampa Bay
32
24 7 1
49
130
91
Toronto
31
219 1
43
113
85
Buffalo
31
189 4
40
95
91
Boston
31
1710 4
38
85
79
Montreal
31
1511 5
35
97
101
Detroit
32
1414 4
32
93
107
Ottawa
32
1315 4
30
106
125
Florida
29
11 12 6
28
96
105
Metropolitan Division
GP W L OT
Pts
GF
GA
Washington
30
189 3
39
112
92
Columbus
30
1612 2
34
102
102
N.Y. Islanders
30
1412 4
32
85
88
Pittsburgh
30
1311 6
32
101
98
N.Y. Rangers
30
1413 3
31
88
98
Carolina
29
1312 4
30
72
81
Philadelphia
29
1213 4
28
91
107
New Jersey
29
1013 6
26
88
105
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Central Division
GP W L OT
Pts
GF
GA
Nashville
31
2010 1
41
98
78
Winnipeg
30
199 2
40
107
83
Colorado
31
179 5
39
112
94
Dallas
31
1612 3
35
86
84
Minnesota
30
1612 2
34
95
88
St. Louis
29
11 14 4
26
82
97
Chicago
33
1018 5
25
93
124
Pacific Division
GP W L 0T
Pts
GF
GA
Calgary
32
2010 2
42
113
90
Anaheim
33
1711 5
39
87
97
San Jose
32
1611 5
37
102
98
Vegas
33
1814 1
37
99
93
Edmonton
31
1712 2
36
88
91
Vancouver
33
1416 3
31
98
111
Arizona
29
1314 2
28
76
80
Los Angeles
32
11 19 2
24
71
98
Basketball/NBA
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
W
L
Pet
GB
Toronto
23
7
.767
—
Philadelphia
19
10
.655
3 1 /z
Boston
17
10
.630
4 1 /2
Brooklyn
11
18
.379
11 1 / 2
New York
8
21
.276
14 1 / 2
Southeast Division
W
L
Pet
GB
Charlotte
14
13
.519
—
Orlando
12
15
.444
2
Miami
11
16
.407
3
Washington
11
17
.393
3 1 / 2
Atlanta
6
21
.222
8
Central Division
W
L
Pet
GB
Milwaukee
18
9
.667
—
Indiana
18
10
.643
%
Detroit
13
13
.500
4 1 /2
Cleveland
7
21
.250
11%
Chicago
6
22
.214
12 1 / 2
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Southwest Division
W
L
Pet
GB
Memphis
16
11
.593
—
Dallas
15
11
.577
%
New Orleans
15
15
.500
2 1 /2
San Antonio
14
14
.500
2 1 /2
Houston
12
14
.462
3 1 /2
Northwest Division
W
L
Pet
GB
Denver
18
9
.667
—
Oklahoma City 17
9
.654
1 /2
Portland
15
13
.536
3 1 /2
Utah
14
15
.483
5
Minnesota
13
15
.464
5 1 /2
Pacific Division
W
L
Pet
GB
Golden State
19
10
.655
—
L.A. Clippers
17
10
.630
1
L.A. Lakers
17
10
.630
1
Sacramento
15
12
.556
3
Phoenix
4
24
.143
14%
Transactions
BASEBALL
American League
TAMPA BAY RAYS — Acquired INF Yandy
Diaz and RHP Cole Sulser from Cleveland for
1B Jake Bauers and cash considerations sent
to Seattle. Traded DH Edwin Encarnacion and
a 2019 Competitive Balance Round B draft pick
to Seattle. Seattle sent 1B Carlos Santana and
cash considerations to Cleveland.
TEXAS RANGERS — Acquired RHP Jordan
Romano from the Chicago White Sox for cash
considerations. Acquired the sixth overall selec
tion in the Competitive Balance Round A of
the 2019 MLB draft from Milwaukee for LHP
Alex Claudio.
BASKETBALL
National Basketball Association
NEW YORK KNICKS — Signed G Allonzo
Trier to a guaranteed NBA contract. Waived G
Ron Baker.
TODAY ON TV
FOOTBALL I GOLF
■ Mary Hardin-Baylor vs.
Mount Union, 7 p.m., ESPNU
■ South Dakota State at North
Dakota State, 8 p.m., ESPN2
WRESTLING
■ Arizona State at Penn State,
6 p.m., ESPN2
■ European Tour: Alfred Dunhill Championship,
5:30 a.m., Golf Channel
BASKETBALL
■ Illinois (Chicago) at DePaul, 7 p.m., FS1
■ NBA: Pacers at 76ers, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
■ Wisconsin (Green Bay) at Creighton, 9 p.m., FS1
■ NBA: Thunder at Nuggets, 10 p.m., ESPN
MLB | Winter Meetings
MANUEL BALCE CENETAI Associated Press
Washington Nationals’ Bryce Harper (34) gestures to fans following the team’s last home
game of the season against the Miami Marlins on Sept. 26 in Washington.
Uncertain future
Many questions still left unanswered
following close of winter meetings
BY BEN WALKER
Associated Press
LAS VEGAS — Car
los Santana and Jeurys
Familia found friendly
landing spots, Edwin
Encarnacion took off for
a more uncertain future.
Joe Kelly joined the team
he helped beat in the
World Series, the Milwau
kee Brewers boosted their
imposing bullpen.
The winter meetings
wrapped up Thursday with
a three-team trade involv
ing Cleveland, Seattle and
Tampa Bay, plus a couple
more relievers reached
free-agent deals.
Even so, baseball fans
might’ve felt a bit cheated
this week. Because even
after all clubs gathered
along the Strip, no one went
all in.
Hometown slugger Bryce
Harper stayed put, Manny
Machado didn’t move. A lot
of trade talk about Corey
Kluber, Noah Syndergaard
and J.T. Realmuto, but no
deals.
Blame that, maybe, on a
new way of doing business.
In older days, a gen
eral managers or agent
would’ve met around the
blackjack table or roulette
wheel in the wee hours and
hammered out a swap on a
handshake.
Now, with so many finan
cial, medical and analytical
components, that’s virtu
ally impossible.
“There’s a lot of great
agents who have done big
high-profile deals that are
involved with these guys,
so contracts have got
ten more complicated in
recent years with the opt-
outs and various deferrals
and other mechanisms that
it’s very possible that in the
end we see something that
we haven’t seen before in
terms of deal structure,”
White Sox general man
ager Rick Hahn said.
Well said, actually.
In the biggest trade of the
week, the Indians brought
back Santana and sent the
slugging Encarnacion to
Seattle. The Rays got highly
prized infielder Yandy
Diaz in a swap that also
included a couple more
players, cash and a draft
pick. The Rays also have a
pending deal with All-Star
pitcher Charlie Morton.
“Looking at history, I
think to expect to come
out of the winter meetings
with as many things either
completed or possible as
we have is not something
that you can expect,” Rays
senior vice president of
baseball operations Chaim
Bloom said.
“Here we were able to
get something over the fin
ish line before getting on
the plane,” he said.
Encarnacion drove in
107 runs and hit 32 hom
ers, increasing his major
league-best totals in both
departments since 2012.
He could provide the power
lost when DH Nelson Cruz
became a free agent —or
not.
“We’ll see how it goes
with Edwin, whether he
stays with us or he moves
on to another destination,”
Seattle assistant general
manager Justin Hollander
said.
A month before he turns
36, Encarnacion is guaran
teed $25 million: $20 mil
lion next season and a $5
million buyout of a $25 mil
lion club option for 2020.
The 32-year-old Santana
spent the first eight seasons
of his career in Cleveland
and was a fan favorite. The
first baseman/DH signed
a $60 million, three-year
deal with Philadelphia last
offseason, was traded to
Seattle earlier this month
and moved again this week.
“We know what makes
him tick. We know all of
the things that he brings
to a team into a clubhouse,
so that does help,” Indians
GM Chris Antonetti said.
Kelly cashed in, reach
ing agreement with the
Los Angeles Dodgers on
a $25 million, three-year
deal, a person familiar
with the negotiations told
The Associated Press. The
person spoke on condi
tion of anonymity because
the deal had not yet been
announced.
The 30-year-old righty
was 4-2 with a 4.39 ERA and
two saves in 73 games.
Blue Jays take Elvis Luciano in Rule 5 draft
Associated Press
The Toronto Blue Jays are leaving Las
Vegas with Elvis.
Right-hander Elvis Luciano was selected
by the Blue Jays from the Kansas City Roy
als on Thursday with the ninth pick of
the winter meeting draft of unprotected
players.
An 18-year-old Dominican, Luciano
signed with Arizona in October 2016 for
an $85,000 bonus. He was traded with left
hander Gabe Speier to Kansas City last
June for left fielder Jon Jay. Luciano was
5-5 with a 3.90 ERA in 12 starts and one
relief appearance this year for a pair of
rookie-level teams. He struck out 70 and
walked 23 in 67 innings.
Luciano was among 14 players picked
in the major league phase of the Rule 5
draft. The cost of each player selected is
$100,000, and a player must remain in
the major leagues for all of next season
or be offered back to his former team for
$50,000.
Baltimore selected shortstop Richie
Martin from Oakland with the first pick.
The 23-year-old Martin hit .300 with six
homers, 42 RBIs and 25 stolen bases this
year for Double-A Midland of the Texas
League.
FISHING
■ Continued from 1B
little harder than usual.
The fish are both shallow in
the coves and over deeper
water in the coves, creeks
and rivers.
Pulling planer boards
with medium-sized shin
ers or shad has been work
ing down lake. Pulling
the same baits or trolling
Captain Mack’s Umbrella
Rigs is also working well up
lake. Some stripers can be
on the banks, but there are
a good number of fish in
the middle of shallow coves
early and late in the day
eating shad. On overcast
days they can stay shallow
all day long.
At midday, the fish will
pull out over deeper water
and these fish seem to be
keying in more on herring.
Later in the day, bait flat
lines or down lines with
herring or trout out deeper.
Watch the gulls and watch
your Lowrance Electronics
to determine the best depth
to fish, but always run a
trout on a free line to try
and coax a bigger bite.
Trout fishing has been
fair to good below Buford
Dam and about the same
in the mountains. Some of
our Northern Most anglers
have been catching trout
On Wooley Bugger and
small salmon egg imita
tors. Expect similar flies
and also a small steamer
pattern to mimic dead and
wounded shad. Try casting
small colorful Mepps and
Rooster Tail Spinners in
the mountain streams and
also below the Dam.
Take a small Count
Down Rapala Sinking lure
or small Pinns Minnow
and cast these upstream,
then work them back down
stream with a jerk and
pause retrieve. Target the
biggest rocks in the rivers
for some bigger than aver
age fish this time of year
Bank fishing: Just as
bass anglers can stare step
jigs down steeper Drop-
offs, anglers can also work
these same jigs and also
jerk baits along steep,
rocky banks from the shore
both in ponds, rivers and
Lake Lanier. The jig can be
a little tougher to finesse up
through the rocks, but an
angler can make it work
well and catch some big
bass in winter.
Casting a jerk bait can be
extremely effective from
the shore. Plus, you have
one distinct advantage.
If a fish follows your bait
towards the bank, he may
hang around instead of
being pulled away from the
bank only to disappear over
deeper water. Cast the jerk
bait straight out as deep as
possible and work it with a
jerk. Pause and retrieve.
Vary your cadence until
you get dialed in to what
the fish want.
Eric Aldrich is an outdoor
writer, marketing specialist
and bass angler. Reports
are based on personal
experience and permission
from a close network of
friends. He would love to
hear from his readers,
so please email him at
esaldrich@yahoo.com
Remember to take a kid
fishing.
