ing a double while Jye McNeil and Ben Thompson each rode a winner.Allens double came aboard Darren Weir-trained runners Big Hammer and Royal Ace and took his season tally to 12 city wins in Melbourne to be fifth in the jockeys premiership.Its good when you get good support from Darren

MIAMI -- Wayne Ellington is standing in a room filled with hundreds of high school students, all of them silent and hanging on every word that the new Miami Heat guard is saying.Hes not there to tell basketball stories.Hes there to talk about his father -- a victim of gun violence not even two years ago.Ellington plays his first preseason game with the Heat on Tuesday night, an exhibition matchup in Washington against the Wizards that will soon be forgotten. But hes already trying to make a much more lasting impact in Miami by sharing the story of the pain that continues to linger after his father was shot dead when an argument went very wrong.Still grieving and its still fresh, Ellington said. But I just realized Ive got to do as much as I can to make a difference. Every day, its happening to a different family, to somebodys son, to somebodys father. So this stage Im on, this platform Im on, I want to make use of it as much as I can for as long as Im on it to raise as much awareness as I can.Seeing athletes try to use their platform with hopes of sparking social change is commonplace right now, starting with San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick refusing to stand for the national anthem in a protest designed to bring new light on racial injustice -- and countless other high school, college and pro athletes following suit since.Ellington and some members of the Heat want to go farther, beyond symbolic acts that occur during the playing of The Star-Spangled Banner.Its important for us to bring awareness to the situation, Heat forward Justise Winslow said. But even more important is what we do with that awareness. We have to go out in the community, we have to figure things out ... the right way to raise awareness. We all might not agree on everything, but we have to figure out something.All around the Heat locker room, there are players that can relate to what many in the U.S. are dealing with right now.Winslow is from Houston, where the city dealt with a mass shooting just last week. Hassan Whiteside is from just outside of Charlotte, where the recent shooting death of a black man by a police officer sparked two nights of violent protests and added to the nations fury over a rash of such incidents. Tyler Johnson and Josh Richardson have mothers who have spent their adult lives serving in the military. Ellingtons father was killed by a gunshot.It affects all of us, Whiteside said.Ellingtons father was shot twice in the head on Nov. 9, 2014, found behind the wheel of his car in Philadelphia. A man pleaded guilty to a third-degree murder charge earlier this year for the shooting, and is serving a sentence of 30 to 60 years.Ellington started what he calls the Peace Games earlier this year, an event designed to bring at-risk youth and young adults together to talk about gun violence prevention and other causes.I knew I had to do something to make a change, Ellington said.The protests and pleas by several athletes -- Kaepernick included -- have largely centered around the relationship between police and citizens. For Ellington, it goes far deeper.And his new teammates already seem genuinely moved by his story.We all have to live together -- Spanish people, black people, white people, all colors, all races, Miami forward Derrick Williams said. For us to survive, we have to stay together.Ellington doesnt speak for long when hes talking to schoolkids; in two recent appearances, his remarks lasted just a few minutes at each stop.He didnt need to say much more.His message is simple: Theres almost always a better way than violence.You dont have to take that direction, Ellington says, as dozens of kids stare right at him, many of them nodding. Theres so many other opportunities out there for you. Theres so many other different ways to solve a problem, to solve a conflict. We need to come together as people. We need to love each other. We need to find ways to help each other. Thats what Im here to do. Walt Merrill Jersey Retro . Nathan MacKinnon, Jamie McGinn and Jan Hejda also scored for the Avalanche, who won despite being outshot 38-23. MacKinnons goal, also on the power play, came with just over a minute remaining. Robert Jones Jersey Retro . -- An ugly goal by Nick Bonino helped the Anaheim Ducks overcome the defensive-minded Phoenix Coyotes on a night when their ragged power play continued to struggle. https://www.cheapjerseyslines.com/rod-rutledge-jersey-retro/ . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. Buzz Sawyer Jersey Retro . As he recorded his 23rd and 24th points of the evening, a segment of the sellout Air Canada Centre crowd expressed their appreciation for the Raptors point guard with a smattering of MVP chants. Ray Neal Jersey Retro . Bjorn, who had a 36-hole total of 8-under 134, made a testing six-foot putt to save par on the 16th and a birdie on the 17th before bogeying the final hole after a misjudged approach shot. American Kevin Streelman was in second place after shooting a 69. Fresh from success on the international stage, leading apprentice Dylan Dunn has brought his winning form home to Melbourne.Last seasons champion junior rider in Melbourne, Dunn won the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship Final in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.He returned to Melbourne racing on Wednesday to steer the Colin Little-trained Domino Vitale to victory in the M & D Dillon Contructions Handicap (1600m).Domino Vitale ($26) scored by 1-1/4 lengths over Sweet Melody with Maternal a neck away third.What a great experience to do that (in Abu Dhabi) and then come back here and kick off with a winner when Ive just got down to my 1-1/2 kilo claim, Dunn said.Wednesday was the first day the 21-year-old rode with his reduced claim.Dunn said winning in Abu Dhabi was a great experience.It was one of those things you dream about, he said.To get to represent your country is one thing, but to actually come out a champion is another. I learned so much and met a lot of good connections and I think that can only improve my riding.Even coming back here today in that race, I tried not to panic wwhen I was caught deep.dddddddddddd.Dunn wasnt the only apprentice in the winners circle at Sandown with Ben Allen riding a double while Jye McNeil and Ben Thompson each rode a winner.Allens double came aboard Darren Weir-trained runners Big Hammer and Royal Ace and took his season tally to 12 city wins in Melbourne to be fifth in the jockeys premiership.Its good when you get good support from Darren Weir, Allen said.When youre on his horses you always know theyre going to be rock-hard fit and ready to win.Big Hammer made it three-straight, coming into the Thoroughbred Club Handicap (2400m) off wins at Cranbourne and Hamilton at his past two starts.Three-year-old colt Royal Ace remained unbeaten from two starts as he got home by a long neck in the Mypunter.com Handicap (1300m) in his city debut.Three riders were suspended for careless riding at the meeting with Luke Nolen copping an eight meeting ban while Regan Bayliss and Adam McCabe were suspended for 10 meetings. 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