TORONTO - As the country celebrated Canada Day two years ago the Raptors sent a small army to Manhattan, led by then general manager Bryan Colangelo, in an effort to recruit the most coveted free agent point guard on the market. The Raptors contingent - which included Dwane Casey, Jay Triano and Larry Tanenbaum - pulled out all the stops trying to sell Canadas own Steve Nash on a move to Toronto. After a two-hour meeting, highlighted by a video presentation featuring hockey icon Wayne Gretzky, the Raptors left Nash with a generous offer. Days later he turned them down, opting for less money and a better shot at a championship in Los Angeles. Colangelo went forward with his Plan B, a trade for Rockets point guard Kyle Lowry. Now the Raptors find themselves in a similar predicament, only this time the approach couldnt have been more dissimilar. They didnt send a front office mob, there was no video cameo made by The Great One. This time they left the kitchen sink in Toronto. Instead, Raptors GM Masai Ujiri and head coach Dwane Casey had a quiet sit down with Lowry in his hometown of Philadelphia Tuesday afternoon. True to form Ujiri and his coach exuded confidence. Calm, cool and collected, the Raptors brass did not find it necessary to camp out on Lowrys front porch at 12:01 AM, the time in which teams were able to officially commence negotiation with free agents. Their sales pitch centred on a simple premise, one that the team had already been preaching publicly for months - they want him back. What they didnt say, and would be reluctant to admit, is that they need him back. Rightly or wrongly, the perception that players dont want to come to or stay in Canada has dogged the Raptors since their inception. After all, Nash wasnt the first player to spurn the Raptors. Theres a long history of it in fact. Damon Stoudamire was the first star to want out, followed by Vince Carter - the franchises best player - seven years later. Tracy McGrady and Chris Bosh each bolted via free agency, while both Kenny Anderson and Alonzo Morning refused to even put on the jersey. The new regime intends to snuff that stigma once and for all. Along with MLSE boss Tim Leiweke and global ambassador extraordinaire Drake, Ujiri has helped empower a fan base that had lost hope prior to their arrival a year ago. "Why cant I change it," Ujiri said, challenging that perception as he was introduced as the Raptors new GM last June. "Its our job to make it better, its our job to make it good, its our job to create a winning environment and thats why Im here." With the embattled franchise finally on the precipice of turning the page and changing a culture that has beset them for the better part of the last 20 years, the stakes are much higher now than they were in 2012 when they struck out on Nash. For all the progress the Raptors made in 2014, turning heads as a result of their breakout campaign, spirited playoff run and We The North campaign, the wind could be taken out of their sails in a hurry should Lowry fly the coop, especially if he leaves for Houston or Miami. This is their first big test, one they dont intend to - and cant afford to - fail. Lowry is Torontos No. 1 priority, theyve made no secret of that. "Were going to go full force," Ujiri promised last week. And they have. The Raptors initial offer to Lowry was substantial, said to be in the $11-$12 million range annually over a four or potentially five-year term. A salary in that range would make Lowry the seventh highest paid point guard in 2014-15, not including Kyrie Irving whose max extension wont take into effect until the following season. Of course, theres more to Ujiris pursuit of Lowry than just pride. The Raptors GM would happily show Lowry, or any other player the door if he felt theyre not worth their price tag. Like any other investment, Lowry is a calculated risk but the Raptors are betting the 2013-14 version will be more of the norm than an anomaly going forward. Its because hes a player worthy of the money that Ujiri has done - and will continue to do - everything in his power to keep Lowry in a Raptors uniform. Still, the decision belongs to Lowry. The 28-year-old will take a few days to weigh his options with his family and agent Andy Miller as Raptors fans hold their collects breath. With Torontos 20th year anniversary season around the corner, keeping Lowry would go a long way in the continued saga to rewrite the franchises troubled history. Kirk Gibson Jersey . The 23-year-old Woods, Tiger Woods niece, closed with a 4-under 69 at Royal Pines to finish at 16-under 276. Lee also shot 69 in the event sanctioned by the European and Australian tours. Woods birdied the par-5 15th to open a two-stroke lead, hitting a wedge from about 120 yards to 4 feet. Enrique Hernandez Dodgers Jersey . The post-season, Pierce said repeatedly, is no time to panic. And the Heat, apparently, are nothing to fear. http://www.ladodgersprostore.us/Enrique-...dodgers-jersey/. Kansas City became the first team in baseball history to win four extra-inning games in a single postseason on Friday, as Alex Gordon crushed a leadoff homer in the 10th and Mike Moustakas added the deciding two-run blast in the Royals 8-6 win. Fernando Valenzuela Dodgers Jersey . - While a fast-paced offence has become more of a fixture in recent years, the San Antonio Spurs can still grind out games when needed. Hyun-Jin Ryu Jersey .S. womens soccer team to a 2-0 win over China in Colorado in the afternoon.DETROIT -- Brad Ausmus pointed out Monday afternoon that no one is going to roll over and hand his Detroit Tigers the AL Central title. Hours later, rookie Chris Bassitt and the White Sox proved the manager right. Bassitt pitched into the eighth inning for his first major league win, Tyler Flowers hit a two-run homer and Chicago slowed Detroits playoff push with a 2-0 victory. "This is competitive athletics, and no one is just going to hand you a game," Ausmus said. "I talked about it before the game -- those guys in the other clubhouse are playing for their futures, and they are playing to win, because thats what you do in this league. Were going to have to win these last games on our own." Detroit is one game ahead of the second-place Royals, who beat Cleveland 2-0 in their regularly scheduled game Monday night. Hours earlier, the Indians finished off a victory in a suspended game against Kansas City. The loss assured Detroit would start a division series on the road, even if it wins the AL Central. "Weve got six games left, and weve got control of our fate," reliever Joba Chamberlain said. "Thats all you can ask for at this point. If we do our jobs, well win the division." The game turned into an unexpected pitchers duel between Bassitt and fellow rookie Kyle Lobstein. Both were making their fifth career start, but they looked like aces in the middle of a pennant race. Bassitt (1-1) went 7 2-3 innings and pitched out of two early jams in front of about 100 family members and friends. "The first win always means a lot, but being so close to home and having my friends and family here makes it even better," said Bassitt, who grew up in Curtice, Ohio, about an hour south of Comerica Park. "Some of my friends said they were hoping that Id get a no-decision in a Tigers win, though." Bassitt, who lost to the Tigers on Aug. 30, gave up six hits, walked one batter -- the last one he faced -- and struck out Alex Avila three times but no one else. Jake Petricka got four outs for his 14th save. "He located his pitches tonight, which he didnt really do against us the first time," Ian Kinsler said. "Every pitcher in this league is tough when they can locate their stuff." Lobstein (1-1) was trying for his second victory, but didnt get any offensive support. He allowed two runs on five hits and a walk in a career-best seven innings. Chicago took a 2-0 lead with a two-out rally in the second. Carlos& Sanchez hit a ground-rule double to left-centre and, on the next pitch, Flowers lined a homer into the White Sox bullpen.dddddddddddd "I was looking for something out over the plate," Flowers said. "If it was a fastball, I wanted to think right-centre, and if it was an off-speed pitch, I wanted to hit it to left. Thats what happened." Detroit had a pair of early threats, but Kinsler was caught stealing in the first inning -- leaving the bases empty for Miguel Cabreras 50th double. Right fielder Avisail Garcia robbed Cabrera of a probable RBI double with a sliding catch in the third. "He showed some composure out there, and he competed. That was a nice little outing for him," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said of his young pitcher. Cabrera hit another ball hard off Bassitt in the eighth, but his line drive was right at Moises Sierra in left. Victor Martinez drew a walk, and Petricka came in to strike out J.D. Martinez. "That last at-bat for Cabrera, I just didnt want to walk him," Bassitt said. "I was thinking that he might hit one off the scoreboard, but Im not going to walk him. Luckily, he hit it right at somebody." TRAINERS ROOM White Sox: OF Adam Eaton, who has missed the last two games for personal reasons, is expected to join the team in time for Tuesdays game in Detroit. Tigers: Avila (concussion) was a late addition to the lineup after the team was able to get his paperwork approved by Major League Baseball about 45 minutes before the first pitch. ... Detroit will activate RHP Anibal Sanchez (pectoral strain) from the disabled list Tuesday, and he will pitch out of the bullpen for the rest of the season. UP NEXT Detroit will try to even the series behind LHP David Price (14-12, 3.37 ERA). Scott Carroll (5-10, 5.01) goes for the White Sox. HONORING KONERKO The Tigers will honour retiring White Sox slugger Paul Konerko before Tuesdays game. Konerko has homered 18 times at Comerica Park, one fewer than David Ortiz for the most by a visiting player, and his 206 total bases are 63 more than second-place Justin Morneau. Konerko also homered off Justin Thompson at Tiger Stadium in 1999, a game caught by Ausmus. "I remember Paul when he came up with the Dodgers, but you obviously remember him most in Chicago," Ausmus said. "Hes had a lot of great years with the White Sox, and I think hell get a lot of Hall of Fame votes in a few years." ' ' '