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MEMPHIS - Rookie Dwight Buycks sat in the corner of the visitors locker room, headphones on one ear. D.J. Augustin occupied the locker to his right, Julyan Stone directly to his left as the three point guards shared a laugh 60 minutes prior to tip-off in Memphis. Off the court theyre good friends. On it theyve been competing for the same job since the start of training camp. Its been the Raptors most problematic position early in the season but, at least for now, they have filled the vacancy behind starter Kyle Lowry at the point. Buycks, seemingly an unlikely choice, has emerged from that trio of under-performing guards to earn a spot in Dwane Caseys rotation. Now, its his job to lose. "Hes gained some ground," Casey told TSN.ca before his teams surprising victory over the Grizzlies Wednesday. "I thought he played with a lot of confidence against Houston the other night, he played with a lot of confidence against Utah. Hes kind of stepped forward in that situation and [emerged]." For the third straight game, Buycks was the first Raptors point guard off the bench in Memphis. He missed his only field goal attempt but converted all four of his free throws in just under 12 minutes of action. Augustin checked in with a minute left and the victory all but sealed while Stone was a healthy scratch for Caseys club. "Theres definitely [an] opportunity, for sure," Buycks recognized. "[Casey has] been saying that for a while now. Weve been competing and making it tough for him." "Youve just got to stay ready and make the most of it. Most of all just go out there and have fun but at the same time its a job, its a business so youve got to take it serious." He hasnt been spectacular - far from it, averaging just 3.4 points and 0.4 assists on 36 per cent shooting in five games - but hes been solid, precisely what Casey has been looking for from the leader of his second unit. When hes come into the game hes been aggressive and has made good decisions more often than not. Most importantly there hasnt been a noticeable drop off when Lowry goes to the bench, an ongoing concern when the incumbent Augustin would check in. Five games into his NBA career, Buycks has earned Caseys trust. An undrafted rookie, Buycks was once considered the dark horse of this trio. Stone - who was kept on after a strong showing in camp - endeared himself to Casey with his versatility and defensive wherewithal while Augustin was given first crack at the job on account of his experience as a starter in the league. Their skill sets differ and the sample size with Buycks is small, which suggests the rookie may be tied to short leash. As long as Caseys options at the position remain modest, at best, the competition will be ongoing even if Buycks continues to front the platoon. "Its tough but at the end of the day were teammates," said the 24-year-old. "Were all going to give it our all; were pros, so youve definitely got to bring it. Thats what makes it tough but thats what makes us love our job more." Buycks is an unconventional NBA rookie, having spent last season playing professionally in France where he was awarded league MVP. Still, hes a first-year player and his teammates wont let him forget it. "Its a rookie duty, a little gift from [Lowry]," Buycks said of the small bumblebee backpack thats been accompanying him on road trips this season. "Its not too bad. At the end of the day its all fun and games." "It wasnt a problem for me. I was laughing and smiling right with them when I found out I had it. So [Im] just going along with the flow." It could be worse, he pointed out. The teams three sophomores - Jonas Valanciunas, Terrence Ross and Quincy Acy - all had to carry around pink bags along with a doll, Dora the Explorer or Bart Simpson. The bumblebee is slightly less conspicuous. The advice he received from those three; "Just dont forget youre book bag. 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The light-heavyweight champion and number one ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world is on an 11-fight UFC winning streak, the longest in the history of the weight class.PARIS - Canadian Daniel Nestor and longtime partner Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia are relying on their veteran savvy at the French Open. Nestor and Zimonjic reached the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam tournament on Saturday with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over 13th seeds Jean-Julien Rojer of the Netherlands and Romanias Horia Tecau. "The best thing were doing is playing very consistent," said Nestor. "When we are down or in tough situations, we dont get emotional, this is our strength right now. The victory in just under 90 minutes puts the third seeds up against the winner from Austrian Jurgen Melzer and Spains Feliciano Lopez versus Croatias Marin Draganja and Florin Mergea of Romania. That match is scheduled for Sunday. "It still one match at a time," said Nestor. "If we play the way we have, we have as good a chance as anyone to win the tournament.dddddddddddd." Tecau proved to be the weak link on Saturday, with the Romanian losing serve once per set as Nestor and Zimonjic won their 11th consecutive match on clay. The pair came to Paris with trophies in Madrid and Rome; Nestor has won the French doubles title four times since 2007. Tecau was broken in the ninth game of the first set and in the penultimate game of the second, with the 41-year-old Nestor from Toronto serving out the win and Zimonjic clinching victory with a poached cross-court winner. "Were playing well for sure, but theres been a lot of luck involved," said Nestor. "Weve won a lot of close matches and hit some lucky shots. But were on a roll and thats what happens sometimes." ' ' '