Hurricane Rafael swirls over the Gulf of Mexico after ripping through Cuba

HAVANA (AP) — Hurricane Rafael swirled Friday through the Gulf of Mexico where it was expected to break apart after plowing through Cuba, knocking out the country's power grid and collapsing hundreds of houses.

On Friday afternoon, the now Category 2 hurricane was located 230 miles (365 km) north-northeast of Progreso, Mexico. It had maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (155 kph) and was moving northwest at 9 mph (15 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

It was forecast to move westward toward Mexico in the coming days and forecasters warned that swells from the hurricane were likely to cause “life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.”

Mexico's government on Friday warned of powerful rain, winds and waves up to 8 feet (2.5 meters) high in the Campeche, Quintana Roo and Yucatan states in the coming hours, asking citizens to take care.

Forecasters said they expected the storm to weaken and “meander” over the center of the Gulf through early next week.

The hurricane tore through Jamaica and the Cayman Islands earlier in the week, knocking out power and fueling mudslides. On Wednesday evening, it barreled into Cuba, causing yet another headache for the island.

Rafael's fierce winds knocked out Cuba's electric grid, forced the evacuation of 283,000 people and collapsed 461 homes. It also left trees, power lines and rubble strewn across flooded streets.

On Friday, the Cuban government said it was able to restore power to approximately 143,000 homes in Havana, though many people were still without power.

Rafael followed a rocky few weeks in the Caribbean nation. First, it was hit by island-wide blackouts stretching on for days, a product of the island’s energy crisis. Shortly after, it was slapped by powerful hurricane that struck the eastern part of the island and killed at least six people.

People load a mattress into a truck after their home was destroyed by Hurricane Rafael, in Alquizar, Cuba, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

People recover a mattress from their home, which was destroyed by Hurricane Rafael, in Alquizar, Cuba, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

A fallen palm tree is held by the power lines it brought down after Hurricane Rafael passed through Havana, Cuba, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariel Ley)

People recover belongings from their houses, which were destroyed by Hurricane Rafael, in Alquizar, Cuba, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Children play on a road next to a banana plantation that was destroyed after the passage of Hurricane Rafael, in Guira de Melena, Cuba, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

People recover belongings from their houses, which were destroyed by Hurricane Rafael, in Alquizar, Cuba, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

CHICAGO (AP) — Scotty Pippen Jr. already had plenty of fond memories of watching his Hall of Fame father at the United Center.

He added one of his own Saturday night.

Pippen, son of former Bulls great Scottie, scored a career-best 30 points, added 10 assists and shot 13 of 16 to lead the Memphis Grizzlies past the Bulls, 142-131.

“It’s a dream come true. It’s crazy to say I put up 30 and 10 in the gym where my dad had played,” he said after scoring 26 points in the first three quarters to help Memphis win its second straight. “It means everything to me and my family. I talked to my dad tonight about coming in here and playing. He just told me to go out there and kill it, so that’s what I tried to do.”

The elder Pippen wasn’t in the building Saturday night but was in Memphis on Nov. 8 when his son finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.

Two-time All-Star Ja Morant’s absence with a hip injury – he missed his eighth straight game – has certainly helped Pippen find his niche during his second season in the NBA. On Saturday, he was effective from the perimeter, in transition and finding space in the paint.

“Scotty Pippen was phenomenal tonight,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said.

The younger Pippen started the night averaging 11.6 points and 5.7 assists in the team’s first 17 games.

This story has been corrected to remove reference to the Pippens being the only father-son duo to earn triple-doubles.

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Memphis Grizzlies' Scotty Pippen Jr. (1) scores on a reverse layup as Chicago Bulls' Nikola Vucevic defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Memphis Grizzlies' Scotty Pippen Jr. drives to the basket as Chicago Bulls' Ayo Dosunmu defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Memphis Grizzlies' Scotty Pippen Jr. posts up on Chicago Bulls' Jalen Smith as Coby White handles the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Memphis Grizzlies' Scotty Pippen Jr. shoots during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)