Sports
NBA: Stephen Curry scores 33 points as Warriors beat Lakers in season opener
LeBron James (left) scored 31 points to move to within 1,294 of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time NBA record
Stephen Curry scored 33 points as the Golden State Warriors began the defence of their NBA title with a 123-109 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Eight-time All-Star Curry, 34, led the Warriors’ scoring while Andrew Wiggins scored 20 points.
The Warriors are aiming for a fifth title in the past nine seasons.
LeBron James, who hopes to surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time points scoring record this season, finished with 31 points for the Lakers.
While the Warriors are favourites to retain the championship, they endured a turbulent off-season with head coach Steve Kerr describing a recent clash between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole as the “biggest crisis” he has faced during almost a decade in charge.
However, they ensured off-court issues did not affect the opening game of the season as they pulled away over the final three quarters to comfortably see off the Lakers in San Francisco.
After receiving diamond-encrusted rings in the pre-game ceremony, the Warriors were held to 25 points in the first quarter but hit 34, 32 and 32 in the final three periods as they outscored the Lakers 48-30 on three-pointers.
“The ceremony was an amazing celebration, to take time to reflect on what you accomplished, watching the banner go up, looking at the highlight tapes and all that,” said Curry.
“It’s really hard to turn the page and go and play a game of basketball, but we figured how to do it. Now we can look forward to the rest of the year.”
Klay Thompson finished the game with 18 points for the champions, Poole notched 12 points and seven assists off the bench while Curry also managed seven assists, six rebounds and four steals.
Despite James’ 31-point haul, the Lakers – who missed out on the 2022 play-offs after a disappointing campaign – opened the season with defeat for the sixth year in a row.
James, 37, moves on to 37,093 points, 1,294 shy of Abdul-Jabbar’s record that has stood since 1984.
Source: BBC
Asante Kotoko SC has announced with deep sadness the passing of its former Brands and Marketing Manager, Kweku Hammond.
In a statement released by the club, Kotoko described Hammond’s death as untimely and expressed heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones.
“Although his time with the club was brief, Kweku served with dedication, diligence, and unwavering commitment to Asante Kotoko,” the club stated. “His contributions and loyalty to the club will not be forgotten.”
Kweku Hammond served in the club’s Brands and Marketing department, where he played a role in promoting the Porcupine Warriors’ brand and engaging supporters.
The club assured that it will continue to honour his memory and legacy.
“May his soul rest in perfect peace,” the statement concluded.
Fans and members of the football fraternity have since joined the club in mourning, sharing tributes to Hammond for his professionalism and commitment during his time at club.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Captain of Ghana’s National U-15 Boys team, Abdul Aziz Issa, says the exposure gained at the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival 2026 in Azerbaijan will be vital for the development of the squad.
Ghana finished 7th out of 189 countries after an impressive campaign, winning eight of ten matches.
“I think we played well, the exposure was good for our development, and we can’t thank FIFA and the GFA enough for this amazing platform,” Issa said.
“I’m so very happy to be part of this FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival 2026 in Azerbaijan. I want to thank my colleagues for how far we have brought Ghana in this tournament.”
The captain believes the experience will prepare the group for future challenges at U-17 and U-20 level.
Ghana enjoyed an outstanding tournament, scoring 44 goals and establishing themselves among the top seven teams.
Their dominant group stage saw them score 27 goals while conceding just three. Salifu Fatawu’s side opened with a commanding 4-1 win over Uzbekistan, thrashed Myanmar 7-1, recorded emphatic 7-0 wins over Guam and the Bahamas, before rounding off the group with a 2-1 triumph over Kazakhstan.
Their pursuit of a higher finish suffered a setback in the knockout phase after elimination by Paraguay in a dramatic encounter.
The team bounced back to finish 7th, including a commanding 4-0 victory over Colombia in their final game, despite suffering a 7-1 defeat to Brazil in the Tier A Ranking Play-Offs.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
