James buzzer-beater lifts Cavs
Ikeda, Superal catch Hwang on top with 69s
GEN. TRIAS, Cavite – Chihiro Ikeda and Princess Superal carded identical 69s to tie Hwang Min-jeong at the helm in a tense, shaky finish that highlighted the second round yesterday and set up a shootout for the ICTSI Eagle Ridge Ladies Invitational crown at the Aoki course here.
Hwang, who seized the first round lead with a 68 Wednesday, held off the local aces’ early charge with three birdies in the first 13 holes but wavered at the finish, falling off the pace twice, re-taking the lead before gaining a piece of it on a bogey-par-birdie-double-bogey-birdie windup.
In a flight ahead, Ikeda, who eagled No. 5, took control despite flubbing a two-foot downhiller for par on the par-3 17th, which Hwang double-bogeyed, for another 69. But that missed putt later cost the Fil-Japanese the solo lead as the Korean amateur came through with that closing birdie to save a 70 and tie Ikeda at six-under 138.
Superal, who matched Ikeda’s opening 69, battled Hwang from start to finish in the featured flight, hitting four birdies after eight holes to earn a share of the lead. But the Symetra Tour campaigner failed to gain headway with two birdies against three bogeys the rest of the way but cashed in on Hwang and Ikeda’s late bogeys to match their 36-hole total with another three-under card.
That set up a fitting ending to what had been a thrilling battle in the third leg of this year’s Ladies Philippine Golf Tour sponsored by ICTSI with Ikeda, looking for a follow-up to her Forest Hills romp last November, and Superal, seeking to snap a long spell in the circuit she used to dominate, bracing for a shootout with the Korean amateur, who humbled them in the Mt. Malarayat stop of the LPGT in 2015.
“I had a great game but I missed so many short putts,” said Hwang. “But I will just enjoy my game tomorrow (today), try to concentrate more and play pressure-free.”
The rest are too far behind to contend for the top P150,000 purse in the 54-hole tournament organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. with Lee Ji Hyeon, another Korean amateur, losing steam in the last flight and fumbling with a 74 to slip to joint fourth at 143, five shots behind, with Thai Pavarista Yoktuan, who turned in a 73.
Dottie Ardina, four off the pace with a 72 start, pressed her bid with a three-under card after 11 holes. But she lost her rhythm and touch and bogeyed four of the next five holes, needing to birdie the 18th to save a second 72 and a 144, now six adrift, in a tie with Kanyalak Preedasuttijit of Thailand, who rallied with the tournament-best 67.
CLEVELAND – LeBron James hit a jumper over Jimmy Butler at the buzzer in overtime, giving the Cleveland Cavaliers a 140-138 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.
Moments after James blocked Butler’s potential game-winning shot with 1.3 seconds left, he caught a long pass from Jeff Green, created some space from Butler near the foul line and sank his fade-away shot to end Cleveland’s eight-game losing streak on national television.
The crowd erupted and James was mobbed by his teammates as the Cavs got a much-needed win to ease tensions during a prolonged slump. Cleveland has won just seven of its last 20.
In other NBA games,, Houston held off Miami, 109-101; Detroit downed Brooklyn, 115-106; and Utah turned back Memphis, 92-88.
James finished with 37 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds in 48 minutes. He also passed Zydrunas Ilgauskas (5,904) on Cleveland’s all-time rebounds list.
Butler scored 35, and Karl-Anthony Towns 30 for the Timberwolves, who were in position to win in OT before James came to Cleveland’s rescue.
Butler drove the left side and had a step on rookie Cedi Osman before getting off a short shot. However, James, who had missed a 3-pointer that would have won it in regulation, came from the weak side to reject it and set up the dramatic finish.
The Cavs had lost their eight previous network broadcast appearances this season, prompting James to say last week following a lopsided loss to Houston that he and his teammates should be dropped from any more telecasts.
Finally, they were primed for prime time.
J.R. Smith added 20 points and Isaiah Thomas had 13 points and seven assists in one of his best games in weeks.
Towns made all six of his 3-point attempts and Minnesota drained a season-high 19 3-pointers.