Mon, Jul 06, 2015 page18

• SPORTS BRIEFS

  • Agencies
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  BASKETBALL

  Lin looking for starter deal

  Jeremy Lin, the first NBA player of Taiwanese descent, on Saturday said that his agent has spoken with eight to nine teams that are interested in signing him. It is uncertain at this time which team he will go with, because it depends on the movement of other players in the free-agent market, he told reporters. Asked to comment on a report that the Chicago Bulls are interested in Lin as a backup point guard, Lin said he certainly hopes to give priority to teams that can put him in the starting lineup. Lin, who last played for the Los Angeles Lakers, became a free agent on Wednesday. Lin arrived in Taiwan on Monday last week as part of an Asian tour. During his stay in Taiwan, Lin spent some time coaching at a basketball camp attended by 60 high-school basketball players from around the nation. On Saturday, he met with about 3,000 fans at the National Taiwan University Sports Center.

  BASKETBALL

  Aldridge signs with Spurs

  Forward LaMarcus Aldridge has decided to return to his Texas roots and join the San Antonio Spurs, the free agent announced on his Twitter page on Saturday. “I’m happy to say I’m going home to Texas and will be a Spur!! I’m excited to join the team and be close to my family and friends,” wrote Aldridge, who grew up in Dallas and played basketball at the University of Texas. US media reported that Aldridge, who turns 30 later this month, is to sign a four-year deal worth US$80 million. The Texan spent the first nine years of his career with the Portland Trail Blazers. ESPN said Aldridge was convinced to join the Spurs after meeting with coach Gregg Popovich, who sold him on the idea of playing alongside all-star forward Tim Duncan. With Duncan getting ready to wind down his brilliant career, Aldridge would give the Spurs a powerful one-two punch along with rising star Kawhi Leonard.

  BASEBALL

  Tigers place Cabrera on DL

  Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera, the American League’s hitting leader, is to be out of action for about six weeks with a severe left calf strain, Major League Baseball’s Web site reported on Saturday. Cabrera, a two-time league Most Valuable Player, was injured on Friday while taking off from first base on a 3-2 pitch. Cabrera, a nine-time All-Star player, was placed on the 15-day disabled list for the first time in his career on Saturday and is expected to be out of action for six weeks, officials said. The Venezuelan is hitting .350 and has an on-base percentage of .456, both tops in the league for the Tigers, who are in third place in the AL Central, 5.5 games behind Kansas City.

  SOCCER

  Fiji annihilate Micronesia

  The Federated States of Micronesia’s first appearance at an Oceania Football Confederation tournament went from bad to worse yesterday when they were thrashed 38-0 by Fiji in Port Moresby. Micronesia were also hammered 30-0 by Tahiti on Friday in the Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea, which are doubling as the Oceania qualifying tournament for next year’s Rio Olympics. Atonio Tuivuna grabbed 10 goals for Fiji’s under-23 side, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Vanuatu in their opening match and were aware they needed to get close to 30 goals to stay in touch with Tahiti in Group A. The top two sides in each group proceed to the semi-finals of the Olympic qualifying tournament. Fiji raced to a 21-0 lead at halftime and broke the record for most goals in one game in the tournament that Tahiti had equaled on Friday.
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