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Raptors rookie Malachi Flynn shines in NBA pre-season debut – TSN

Published

4 years ago

December 13, 2020

TORONTO – With all eyes on the other team’s first-year point guard – LaMelo Ball, the Charlotte Hornets’ third-overall pick in last month’s NBA draft – it was Raptors rookie Malachi Flynn, who was selected 26 picks later, that passed the initial eye test in Toronto’s pre-season opening win over Charlotte.

Even with the usual caveats that apply to exhibition games – and considering the fact that they were playing in a fan-less arena – the 22-year-old never seemed fazed or looked out of place.

That poise and professionalism were among the things that stood out to the Raptors when they scouted Flynn at San Diego State and throughout the pre-draft process. They’re qualities that were top of mind when they took him with the 29th-overall pick and are among the reasons why he’s been an early standout in training camp.

“He’s got a similar demeanour to Fred [VanVleet], I think,” head coach Nick Nurse said following his team’s 111-100 win on Saturday. “He’s somewhat quiet, yet still a leader. You don’t ever really see him celebrating and you don’t ever see him really down. He’s got that even-keeled kind of game and composure. He’s a good basketball player and he’s got a great mindset.”

With Kyle Lowry hanging back in Tampa for Toronto’s first two exhibition contests – both of them in Charlotte – and the rest of the starters limited to first-half duties, Nurse was hoping to get a better look at some of his younger players, particularly in the backcourt. Asked whom he was most intrigued to see, the first name Nurse mentioned was Flynn’s.

Making his professional debut, the rookie point guard checked into the game late in the first quarter. If he was experiencing any nerves in that moment – he missed a layup and his first two free throw attempts – they subsided quickly.

“It felt good, just getting out and playing,” said Flynn, who finished with nine points, two rebounds and four assists in 20 minutes off the bench. “I haven’t played a game since March, so definitely some nerves, some excitement, but it was good to get back out there.”

He’s not lacking for confidence – that was apparent right out of the gate. Early in the second quarter, Flynn vaulted up and drained a three-pointer from 26-feet out – his first of three made triples (on six attempts) in the game.

The range on his jumper and his fluid stroke were encouraging, especially after he shot 37 per cent with the Aztecs last season. His command of the offence and decision making with the ball in his hands also came as advertised – he made the right reads and didn’t commit a turnover in his 20 minutes of floor time.

“Malachi’s been great,” said Matt Thomas – another bright spot on Saturday night, hitting four threes and scoring a game-high 16 points playing next to Flynn with the second unit. “He’s caught on to the system and everything that we do here very, very quickly. He’s obviously an extremely smart and skilled player. He’s fun to play with, too. He’s a pass-first point guard, and he sees the floor really well. I’ve just been impressed by him, how professional he is. He comes into work and gets his stuff done. Just how quickly he’s kind of adapted to our offense and our schemes. Defensively, he’s just a smart, high-basketball-IQ player.”

The comparisons to VanVleet aren’t limited to his demeanour. Flynn’s best work came on the defensive end, where – like his new Raptors teammate – he plays bigger than his size (six-foot-one) or athletic profile.

He spent most of his night guarding Charlotte’s best guards, including Ball and Terry Rozier – refusing to give them an inch, while also looking comfortable within the team’s defensive schemes. On one possession early in the fourth quarter, Flynn picked up fellow rookie Grant Riller in the backcourt, switched off onto the six-foot-10 Jalen McDaniels and cut off his drive, forcing the Hornets forward to kick the ball out.

“He did what we’ve been trying to coach him into in the system,” Nurse said of Flynn – the Mountain West defensive player of the year last season. “And similar to Fred, he’s got great side-to-side feet and he’s got a toughness and kind of an attacking mindset at the defensive end. That’s good to see [because] that’s how we like to play.”

It was an interesting juxtaposition, with Flynn and Ball on opposite ends of the court. The 19-year-old Ball also came as advertised. He looked dynamic offensively and made some spectacular passes, including a length-of-the-court heave to former Raptor Bismack Biyombo in the first half and a behind-the-back dish to Miles Bridges in the third quarter.

His upside is immense – he hasn’t even played a game that counts and he’s already one of the best passers in the NBA – but his game is also extremely raw. He can be erratic offensively, seem disinterested at times on defence, and his jumper is going to need work. Despite grabbing 10 rebounds and recording four assists, the Hornets’ talented rookie was held scoreless on 0-of-5 shooting in 16 minutes and committed four turnovers.

On a rebuilding club, Ball will have the opportunity to play through his mistakes, meanwhile Flynn’s more versatile and NBA-ready game should be the perfect fit for a Raptors team that plans to compete atop the Eastern Conference.

Generally, Nurse’s stated preference is to lean on his veterans early in the season – and he’s got a couple great ones in Lowry and VanVleet – and bring young players along slowly.

However, it’s not hard to see Flynn forcing his hand. He earned rave reviews from his coaches and teammates during the first week of training camp in Tampa. On Saturday, he played a prominent role with the bench unit that gave the Raptors a lift after a slow start – they fell behind by 19 points in the first quarter – and helped turn the game around.

With the December 23 season opener against New Orleans just 10 days away, there’s some uncertainty regarding the status of Lowry, who’s absence from the team this week was excused but not entirely explained.

It’s unclear how much he’s participated in camp to this point, if at all, or whether he’ll be available when the Raptors host Miami in their pre-season finale on Friday, but Nurse has indicated they’re just managing his workload and that there’s no cause for concern. That would certainly be understandable, given the short off-season, Lowry’s importance to the team and the fact that he’ll turn 35 in March.

Not only does the addition of Flynn give Toronto some insurance at the position, the rookie will help lessen the toll on Lowry and VanVleet over the course of the season.

We also know that Nurse likes to have multiple point guards on the court at the same time, and with Flynn’s ability to hold his ground defensively against bigger players, like we saw on Saturday, it’s looking more and more like he could open the season in the rotation.

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Sports

Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

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AP cricket:

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Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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