SEATED (l-r) are DJ Collie, Trent Deveaux, Lucius Fox Jr, Todd Isaacs Jr and Jazz Chisholm. Several of the participants in this weekend’s Don’t Blink Home Run Derby in Paradise hosted a Pop Up Meet and Greet at the REV Cable Bahamas office in the Marathon Mall.

Thursday, January 3, 2019

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#THE teams have been drafted and the final few days to galvanise support as events for the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby in Paradise weekend got underway.

#Several of the participants in this weekend’s derby hosted a Pop Up Meet and Greet at the REV Cable Bahamas office in the Marathon Mall yesterday.

#Aspiring players and fans had an opportunity to interact with the players and for photo opportunities and autographs ahead of Saturday’s event.

#In addition, players are scheduled to host a clinic at the Atlantis resort on Friday, January 4, facilitating players aged seven and older, from 9am to 1pm.

#Registration is free to the public and begins on site at 8:30am. You can also pre-register at www.dontblinkapparel.com

#“Our whole goal was just to inspire as many kids as possible. We decided to bring it back to help those kids and also to give the Bahamian people something to enjoy,” Lucius Fox Jr said.

#“We encourage everyone to come out and workout with the pros, interact with them and learn as much as you can. It will certainly be a fun-filled experience. We just wanted to do something for the Bahamian people.

#“The kids are the future, we know that they’re the future, we take it upon ourselves to help them every chance we get. So bring your kids out, allow them to work with us, the many pros from the Bahamas and the visiting international pros as well.”

#At last year’s event, clinic participants were drilled at various skill positions, including hitting, fielding, pitching and base-running.

#The weekend culminates with the main event on Saturday, January 5 when the country’s top pro baseball prospects will host another showcase of local and international talent as they vie for the title of the Bahamian Home Run Derby King.

#The Don’t Blink Home Run Derby, powered by REV, is all set for noon at the Montagu foreshore, featuring over 30 participants in the unique showcase.

#With a greater number of participants, the roster for this year’s event will be divided into teams headlined by Fox and Todd Isaacs Jr.

#Following the team format, the top four individual hitters from each team will advance to see who will be crowned the Bahamian home run king.

#Twenty active Bahamian professional players will participate in the event, up from 16 local participants last year. In 2012, there were just two active Bahamians in the minor league system, indicative of baseball’s exponential growth in the country.

#Defending champion Bo Bichette will be back and headlines the list of visiting players. Miami Marlins outfielder Lewis Brinson is also expected as the lone major leaguer in the field.

#“To see it happen and how much people enjoyed it made us happy. We didn’t win but the joy on people’s face made us happy and the lives of how many little kids we touched was great. The amount of Americans that saw this event that wanted to come down was surprising,” Fox said.

#A unique venue presents a unique approach as players will hit home runs into Montagu Bay. Home run barriers will be set by buoys in the water that have been measured with the proper major league approved dimensions.

#The title sponsor, REV will broadcast the event live and will simulcast live on it’s Facebook page.

#“We never have the opportunity to play in front of our people. Baseball players never get to showcase their talent on the island, but last year we got to showcase how much our hard work has paid off,” Fox said, “I remember telling kids I never dreamt of seeing the places I’ve seen or meeting the people I’ve met and it’s all been because of baseball. We just want to give every young kid coming up behind us every opportunity and I think the Bahamian people are opening up their eyes to baseball even more.”

#Proceeds from the event will benefit the Cancer Society of the Bahamas, the Sister Sister Breast Cancer Support Group and the development of youth baseball in the Bahamas.

#“The lineup has grown a lot. It speaks volumes to where our young men are developing in this sport of baseball,” event promoter Todd Isaacs Sr said, “We didn’t know what to expect last year and the vibe was just great. We want to make it bigger and inspire the young kids and that’s really what this is about. It’s very good that our kids can come out and talk and touch these guys and learn how they did this. We can actually see the doors being opened in Major League Baseball.”

Participating players in the Home Run Derby in Paradise hosted an annual kids’ clinic at the Atlantis resort in Paradise Harbour for aspiring student-athletes. Hundreds of clinic participants were drilled at various skill positions, including hitting, fielding, pitching and base running.

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#IN addition to the Home Run Derby in Paradise, the participating players hosted its annual kids’ clinic at the Atlantis resort in Paradise Harbour for aspiring student-athletes.

#This year, the partnership with the Charles Johnson Foundation brought with it Major League Baseball’s Play Ball Initiative, the branch of the organisation which hosts kids’ camps around the world.

#Hundreds of clinic participants were drilled at various skill positions, including hitting, fielding, pitching and base running.

#Event co-founders Lucius Fox Jr, of the Tampa Bay Rays, and Todd Isaacs Jr, of the Colorado Rockies, said they hoped to continue to use the event as a means to inspire future players and provide more exposure for Bahamian baseball.

#“It was super exciting to partner with Play Ball and we can’t wait for what will happen in years to come,” Fox said.

#“When I was growing up watching the older guys, I didn’t have to work out or field a grown ball but just being in their presence was special to me. Doing this for the kids, having guys from the major leagues and minor leagues that they watch on TV here present for them to see them, take pictures with them, ask them questions – it’s something we never had. It’s special. We’re just proud to make this event successful for them. It just showed the other kids behind me that it’s possible…hopefully I can make it to the big leagues and inspire the kids even more.”

#Community outreach efforts like the kids’ camp remain a mandate of the group for the further development of the next generation of baseball players.

#Play Ball donated foam-lined baseball equipment for beginners in the game.

#“I just want baseball to grow in the Bahamas. Over the years they’ve been talking about the Dominican Republic and all these Latin American countries, but I know we have the talent. If I can do my part to help the young guys be better than us then I will do just that. It’s never selfish when it comes to us, we just look forward to breaking down as many doors as possible,” Fox said.

#“Our whole goal was just to inspire as many kids as possible. We decided to bring it back to help those kids and also to give the Bahamian people something to enjoy. We always encourage everyone to come out and workout with the pros, interact with them and learn as much as you can. It will certainly be a fun-filled experience.

#“We just wanted to do something for the Bahamian people. The kids are the future, we know that they’re the future, we take it upon ourselves to help them every chance we get.”

#Johnson had a major league career that spanned 11 years across six franchises, most notably the Miami Marlins. The former World Series champion, two-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner now spearheads a foundation to increase opportunities for youth through the sport.

#“Through Charles Johnson we made contact with the Play Ball initiative. He’s played in the Major Leagues for a long time so a lot of the relationships with people throughout baseball. When they saw the derby, they saw the kids camp and they were blown away by what we were doing,” Isaacs said.

#“It’s just helping us bring more exposure to the future of baseball here in the Bahamas to see what we have home grown. It’s a beautiful place holding a kids camp on the water with a lot of talented kids. Right off the bat we make an impression. A lot of these guys here are people that the kids can look up to.

#“Hopefully baseball can one day change their lives forever. It’s about having fun, instructing the kids, but at the same time creating a memory and it’s something we want to do every year because I feel like this is the most important part, giving back.”

#Kristian Robinson, the No. 2 prospect in the Arizona Diamondbacks organisation, said he also hopes to serve as an inspiration like the Bahamian trailblazers before him. “Antoan Richardson, Albert Cartwright, we wanted to be like those guys, they came up before us and they gave us a goal to strive toward and we want to be that same thing for the kids in the future,” he said. “Being a part of this, it’s an honour. It’s a fun experience for everyone here, not just the kids but the players too, just to be able to interact with them. Me, I’ve spent a lot of my time in the (United) States this year so coming back and being around the kids and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

FELICITY DARVILLE

#By FELICITY DARVILLE

#I decided to start off the year with someone who inspired me when we first met face to face. We were in the office of optometrist Dr Charlene Wallace. He was quiet and unassuming, waiting for his appointment. Something told me that he had a great story to share. My instinct didn’t let me down.

#I ended up getting to know someone who has done so much for thousands of young Bahamians. He believes we all have a purpose, and he wasn’t about to let his go unfulfilled.

Marvin with some of his girl basketball superstars.

#Marvin Henfield loves basketball so much that it has become a definitive part of his life. He found his passion in high school, continued it in college and today, basketball is still one of the most important aspects of his life. He was attending high school at Nassau Christian Academy when he transitioned to Masters Christian Academy in Atlanta, Georgia at the age of 16. When he was 17 and in his junior year, Marvin led the county in scoring with 34.8 points per game and was ranked a super senior. By his senior year, he went on to lead the school to its first and only state championship. He made the all state, all tournament, all district, and all region teams. After graduating high school, Marvin attended Reinhardt University and continued playing the sport he loved. Tragically, he suffered an injury towards the end of his freshman year that would leave him in recovery for the rest of his collegiate career. He continued to focus on his education, and eventually graduated with an associate’s degree in business administration. After Reinhardt, it was on to Jacksonville State University in Alabama where he graduated with a Bachelor’s in business management.

#Marvin came home and started the climb up the corporate ladder. He was on a successful career path, but he felt there was something greater for him to achieve. He found his calling – teaching kids about the game of basketball, as well as the game of life.

#“I was 12-years-old on a path to nowhere when the light bulb went off in my head and I knew what I had to do,” Marvin shared.

#“I was born on Charles Vincent Street; I was raised in the Grove. I was attending RM Bailey, then my mom made a sacrifice for me to attend Nassau Christian Academy. I remember I got a pink slip. I felt good because no one else in the class had a pink slip… that was until I read it. I got it because I was failing history. Why was I failing? Because I didn’t have the book. Why didn’t I have the book? I realised it was because my mom was busy trying to pay the school fee and she didn’t have the money. That’s when I had a revelation. I made a decision right there and then that I would never waste my mother’s money again.”

#Marvin made good on his mother’s investment and graduated with a 3.99. Even in college, his grades stayed near a 4.0 as he continued to push himself in both academics and sports. After gaining experience in the corporate world, Marvin decided that his beginnings and life experiences were ones that many Bahamian kids could relate to. If he could share his story and get the light bulb to go off in their heads, then they, too, could become the best versions of themselves and give back to the world.

Marvin with his wife Desmona.

#It wasn’t easy at first. He was giving up a great job and salary to pursue his passion. However, it’s 11 years later and his Caribbean Sports Academy (CSA) has seen just over 5,000 kids pass through its programme, and just over 450 of them have received scholarship opportunities because of it. CSA is also a faith-based mentoring programme that focuses on life skills as well.

#What started out as a boys’ basketball programme has blossomed into one in which girls can flourish as well. Marvin has three children with his wife, Desmona. Each time, he thought he would have a boy to teach his beloved basketball skills to. Each time, the couple was blessed with a girl. The girls – Maleah, Mya and Desariah are now 16, 14 and 10 years old. When Mya approached her father and told him that she, too, had an interest in basketball, he had another light bulb moment.

#“I was having a talk with God when he showed me that here I was, trying to solve issues of crime and getting the youth on track in our country, not realising that every man comes from the womb of a woman,” Marvin explained.

#He realised that if he could get through to the girls, he would get through to the boys. That is how Girl Empowerment Hoops was born. This past Thanksgiving, the third annual event brought together five women’s collegiate basketball teams for a tournament held at the Baha Mar Resort.

#Next month, his 11-week training programme will begin. There will be specific girl sessions two days a week after school, and boys’ sessions on two alternate days. On Saturdays, there are sessions for girls and boys that will be held on Tom “The Bird” Grant Park behind AF Adderley school. By June, the 11-week programme will be over and the summer camps will begin.

#By the end of the week, Marvin will proudly launch the non-profit “International Youth Education and Sports Foundation”. His friend from NCA, Dr Simeon Hinsey, has become his partner and will serve as president of the US arm of the foundation, based in Arkansas. Dr Hinsey spent over 10 years working in college athletics as an administrator and coach.  During the 2014-15 season, he served as an assistant women’s basketball coach at the University of Arkansas. That year, the Razorbacks received an at-large bid to compete in the NCAA Tournament.

#For years, they have been working together to host successful basketball clinics in inner-city areas as well as on Andros Island, where they both have roots.

#“We are just a couple of guys born and raised in Nassau, Bahamas that have joined forces to bring you the Bahamas Hoopfest,” Marvin said of their latest venture.

Marvin with his daughters Maleah, May and Desariah.

#“For us, this classic is bigger than the game of basketball. It’s also an opportunity to impact the lives of young girls in The Bahamas and show them that there are opportunities to pursue their dreams of playing college sports and get a free college education.”

#The event consultant is Tom Collen, retired NCAA Division 1 head coach and former National Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year (1999).

#Marvin is an FIBA Certified Basketball Instructor with more than 21 years of basketball fundamentals training experience. He served as the Director of the Bahamas National Mini Basketball Program (2010-2011), National Basketball Training Instructor (2011-2014) and Skills Trainer for the Bahamas National Teams (2009-2016), Marvin has committed his life to nation building and serving the youth through sports.

#If you wish for your child to be a part of a successful sports, faith-based life skills programme, contact Marvin at (242) 424-2353.

Deandre Ayton.

July 29, 2020

Simba French

0209 Views

The scrimmages are over for Bahamians Chavano “Buddy” Hield and DeAndre Ayton as their focus shifts to the National Basketball Association (NBA) regular season restart which gets underway this coming Thursday.

Ayton and the Phoenix Suns wrapped up their scrimmage games yesterday against the reigning NBA Champions the Toronto Raptors. Hield and the Sacramento Kings finished their games on Monday against the Los Angeles Clippers.

The seven-foot center and the Suns were victorious over the Raptors with a final score of 117-106. This was their second win in their three-game scrimmage series.

The big man had a very quiet game as Head Coach Monty Williams had his team playing around the perimeter more. Ayton finished with seven points and six rebounds. The Suns attempted 47 three-pointers and connected on 18 of them as they appeared to work on their shooting on Tuesday. They were led by small forward Mikal Bridges who was on fire, shooting 10-for-12 from the field to finish with a game-high 26 points. He also went 4-for-5 from deep.

The Suns led the entire first half, including a 35-29 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Ayton finally got on the scoreboard with 4:38 remaining in the first quarter after he tipped in a Devin Booker missed floater. He was also fouled on the putback and completed the and-one play to put his team up 23-16.

Twenty seconds later, on the Suns’ next offensive possession, Ayton dribbled from the top of the perimeter and drove into the paint to make a finger roll. His team went up 25-18.

The second-year player played 27 minutes, going 3-for-8 from the field to shoot 37.5 percent, battling the Raptors’ Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol.

Ayton’s final points of the night came in the third quarter when he made a backdoor cut to the basket for a slam dunk with 5:41 remaining in that period. His team was up 85-76 at that point. With 3:48 remaining, Cameron Payne came into the game for Ayton who was done for the afternoon. He cheered for his team from the sidelines the rest of the way.

In the third quarter, the Suns led by as many as 19 points.

Pascal Siakham led the way for the Raptors with 17 points.

The Suns won their first scrimmage game on Thursday night, 101-88, over the Utah Jazz. The Bahamian had 13 points and eight rebounds in this contest. On Sunday, Ayton and the Suns squared up against a talented Boston Celtics squad. The Celtics got the better of them with a 117-103 scoreline. Ayton finished with 11 points and seven rebounds in that game.

Hield and his Kings wrapped up their play on Monday afternoon with a 106-102 victory over their Pacific Division foe, the Clippers. The Kings came from being down by as much as 21 points in the second half to win.

The 2016 sixth overall draft pick in the NBA caught fire in the second half when he scored 13 of his 17 points. It was also his third straight game coming off the bench. Hield shot 7-for-16 from the field including 3-for-10 from three-point territory. He pulled eight rebounds in 27 minutes of play. This was the only game he did not lead his team in scoring in the three scrimmage games.

In their first scrimmage game, the Kings fell to the Miami Heat, 104-98, on Wednesday night. The 2020 NBA Mountain Dew Three-Point Contest Champion finished with 19 points and five rebounds in that game. On Saturday, the Kings lost to the Milwaukee Bucks, 131-123. Hield had 19 points again and added two rebounds.

The Bahamians will officially restart their 2019-2020 NBA season this coming Friday. Ayton will be the first one in action at 4 p.m. when he helps his team against the Washington Wizards. Hield and the Kings will get the ball rolling at 8 p.m. against the San Antonio Spurs.

The Kings sit tied for 10th in the Western Conference of the NBA with a 28-36 win/loss record – three and a half games behind the 32-33 Memphis Grizzlies who occupy the eighth and final spot in the west. Sitting six games behind the Grizzles at 26-29 are the Suns.

The Kings and the Suns were two of 22 teams chosen for the NBA restart after the regular season was stopped back on March 11 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. All the teams are housed at a single-site complex at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, under strict COVID-19 preventative conditions and protocols.

Team Bahamas player Cameron Hepple looks for an open teammate in this file photo.

July 29, 2020

Sheldon Longley

0267 Views

Team Bahamas will be a part of a new format come October and November when the first round of the North, Central American and Caribbean section of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification is held.

During the first round, Team Bahamas will be placed among five other nations in a single group. Those teams will play single round-robin matches, two home and two away games, with just the winner of the group qualifying to the second round. The draw for the first round will be held in mid August.

In the second round, the six group winners from the first round will play in a two-legged home-and-away series, and the three winners will advance to the final round.

In the final round, the three second-round winners will join the top five teams from the CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association
Football) region, based on the FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) World Rankings, and play home-and-away round-robin matches in a single group. The top three teams will qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup which is set for November 21 to December 18, 2022, in Qatar. The fourth-placed team will advance to the inter-confederation playoffs for a chance to be the fourth team from the CONCACAF region to advance to the world cup.

The new format was announced just this week.

The Bahamas is currently ranked at number 30 in the region, and at number 195 in the world based on the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings. BFA Secretary General Fred Lunn recognizes that it is an uphill battle for the squad.

“Well, it’s great to see that CONCACAF is making every effort for us to get back on the football field, but it’s a wait-and-see game with us. The good thing about this new format is if we are allowed to play, we’ll get a few more games based on how the groups are put together. We will get to play four games in the first round, and it’s going to be a tough challenge, but if everything opens up, we are certainly looking forward to that,” he said.

Team Bahamas has never advanced past the second round of FIFA World Cup qualification. According to the FIFA International Match Calendar, the initial first-round matches, which were affected by the presence of the coronavirus pandemic, are now set for October 5-13, and they will continue November 9-17. The second round matches will take place March 22-30, 2021; and the final round of matches will be held from May 2021 to March 2022. FIFA announced that the inter-confederation playoffs, originally scheduled for March 2022, will now be held June 2022.

As it stands now, given the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic, there is no telling if there will be any games in October. The country is apparently headed toward a series of weekend lockdowns, and the national curfew from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. remains in place through the week. During this time, all sporting activities are prohibited.

“Well, we will have to wait and see how it goes,” said Lunn. “We don’t know if we will be allowed to train because all sporing activities are on hold, but we have to be prepared. We support the direction that the government is going in because what they are doing is for the safety of all of us in The Bahamas. We have confidence in the government to do the right thing. We would love to see sporting activities resume and see the country open up but we have to be mindful that this virus is still out there. As for the games, we will just have to wait to see who we are playing, but we’re optimistic.”

As mentioned, the draw for the first round will be held in mid August.

The top five ranked nations in the CONCACAF region will advance directly to the final round of qualification, where they will be joined by three teams from the second round of qualification. Those five top ranked teams are Mexico, the United States, Costa Rica, Jamaica and Honduras. They will play home-and-away round-robin matches in a single group, and the top three teams will directly qualify for the world cup.

The remaining 29 teams in the CONCACAF region will have to go through the rounds in order to qualify for the world cup. In the first round, they are drawn into six groups of five and will play single round-robin matches with just the group winners qualifying for the second round. The top ranked teams out of those 29 will lead separate groups.

All 35 FIFA-affiliated national teams from the CONCACAF region will enter qualification.

July 29, 2020

Simba French

0203 Views

Another Bahamian basketball player is headed to Turkey to play professionally. Zane Knowles recently agreed to terms to play for Balıkesir Buyuksehir Belediyespor in the Turkey Basketball League (TBL) in Balıkesir, Turkey, in the upcoming season.

Knowles joins Dwight Coleby who signed a contract to play for Denizli Basket in Denizli, Turkey, earlier this month.

Last season, 28-year-old Knowles played in three leagues in two different countries – Bulgaria and Greece. In Bulgaria, he played for Levski Lukoil in the National Basketball League (NBL) there; and in Greece, the center was able to play for PAOK Thessaloniki in Greece-A1 (Greek league) and also in the Basketball Champions League.

His latest stint was in the NBL back in February of this year when he played in only two games as the COVID-19 pandemic brought a halt to the season. He averaged 13 points, 7 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.

In Greece-A1 action, Knowles finished with 9.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. He shot a blistering 62.9 percent from the field in the 16 games that he played in. Knowles averaged 6.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in 12 Basketball Champions League games. He shot 57.9 percent in that league.

After finishing his high school education at Champagnat Catholic Institute in 2010 in Hialeah, Florida, Knowles went to Pearl River Community College and Grambling State University. In 2012, he went on to play for the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders for two years.

In his junior year, he played in 24 games and started in half of those games, averaging 5.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. He finished with a total of 20 blocks and shot 51.9 percent from the field that season.

In his senior season for the Islanders, Knowles saw an uptick in his stats primarily due to him playing and starting in all 34 games. The big man averaged 7.0 points and 7.6 rebounds that season.

In 2017, he was drafted by the Wisconsin Herd in the third round – No. 68 overall, in the National Basketball Association (NBA) G-League Draft.

Balıkesir is expected to insert Knowles into their starting five for next season. They finished last season in 10th place with a 12-12 win/loss record as the season was stopped due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Knowles has played in Europe, Asia and North America, and was a Bulgarian Cup champion this past season. He has also had a few stints with The Bahamas’ senior men’s national basketball team.

Bahamian shortstop in the Miami Marlins’ organization Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm could have his number called as a promotion to the majors, given the coronavirus outbreak within that major league club over the weekend. FILE

July 28, 2020

Sheldon Longley

0496 Views

The Miami Marlins, which plays out of one of the most infected states in America as it relates to COVID-19, had a dilemma over the weekend that may result in a Bahamian being called up to the majors earlier than anticipated.

The Major League Baseball (MLB) professional club experienced a significant coronavirus outbreak in which as least 13 members of their travelling party tested positive, a number of which are players. As a result, their opening home series against the Baltimore Orioles has been postponed, and front office personnel is left scrambling for answers in the wake of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

Additionally, the Philadelphia Phillies, who just came out of a weekend set with the Marlins, were also affected. Their home game against the New York Yankees on Monday was postponed and all members of their travelling party underwent COVID-19 tests on Monday.

According to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, this was one of the reasons why the 60-man player pool for each team was created. Bahamian shortstop Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm is a member of that player pool, and it’s likely that he could be called up as a replacement during this time.

When contacted yesterday, Chisholm refused comment, choosing to remain silent and let the chips fall where they may.

The Marlins were left stranded in Philadelphia on Sunday, and the Yankees would have utilized the same clubhouse the Marlins were in on Monday had their game not been postponed. According to reports, a total of nine Marlins players on the 30-man roster tested positive along with two taxi squad players, who are available to immediately replace an injured or infected player, and two staff members.

Meanwhile, the Yankees are still in Philadelphia, awaiting the results of the Phillies tests and pending the decision on the status of their scheduled game this evening.

Should the Marlins’ season continue, they will rely heavily on reinforcements from their training camp in Jupiter, Florida. In other words, Chisholm and others could play a major part in the resumption of their season.

If Chisholm is called up, he would be the seventh Bahamian to be summoned for duty in the majors, following in the footsteps of the late great Andre Rodgers, who was the pacesetter with the New York Giants, now San Francisco Giants in 1957, Anthony “Tony” Curry with the Phillies in 1960, two-time World Series Champion Ed Armbrister with the Cincinnati Reds in 1973, Wenty Ford with the Atlanta Braves in 1973, Wilfred “Sudgy” Culmer with the Cleveland Indians in 1983, and finally Antoan Richardson with the Atlanta Braves in 2011.

With no minor leagues this season, teams were allowed to establish 60-man player pools of which Chisholm was a part for the Marlins. The only other Bahamian to make his team’s 60-man player pool was Lucius Fox, a shortstop in the Tampa Bay Rays’ system.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher David Price, who was one of about a dozen players to opt out of the season this year, hinted on Twitter that he now feels justified in his decision not to play.

“Now, we REALLY get to see if MLB is going to put players’ health first. Remember when Manfred said players’ health was PARAMOUNT?! Part of the reason I’m at home right now is because players’ health wasn’t being put first. I can see that hasn’t changed,” he said on Twitter.

Marlins’ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Derek Jeter, who was set to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame this year before the coronavirus became widespread, released a statement saying the health of players and staff of his organization remains their primary focus. The former Yankees’ captain is optimistic that the season will continue.

“Postponing tonight’s home opener was the correct decision to ensure we take a collective pause and try to properly grasp the totality of this situation,” he said on Monday.

At this time, it’s still uncertain if Marlins’ players were the source of the outbreak, but prior to their weekend series with the Phillies, they came off a two-game summer camp set with the Atlanta Braves which reportedly had two players showing symptoms of COVID-19.

For the Marlins, pitcher Jose Urena was scratched from his scheduled start on Sunday, and catcher Jorge Alfaro went on the injured list Friday. No reasons were given.

Team manager Don Mattingly, another Yankees legend, said players are undoubtedly concerned.

“They want how they’re feeling about the situation to be heard. I think it’s fair. We’re talking about health,” he said.

This latest setback, which was quite realistic at the onset of the commencement of the 60-game season affects not just the Marlins, and potentially the Phillies as well, but all of Major League Baseball. The already abbreviated season could certainly be in jeopardy, particularly if more outbreaks occur, and depending on the number of players and staff members of teams exposed.

The “bubble” option has surfaced before, with specific mention to compacting all of the games into three parks, but it never materialized and a decision was reached to have the teams play out of their own home parks.

It remains to be seen how Major League Baseball will handle this latest dilemma.

July 28, 2020

Simba French

0328 Views

Bahamian junior level basketball players Deyton Albury and Garreth Edgecombe had a respectable showing in Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball this past weekend, playing at the Queen City Showcase presented by Phenom Hoops at the Rock Hill Sports and Event Center in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Albury and Edgecombe, who were once teammates at Temple Christian (TC) School here in New Providence, suited up for the Defenders 2020 team, which was coached by their former coach at TC Jammal Smith. The trio teamed up for three wins and had one loss.

Over the four games, Edgecombe finished with averages of 14.9 points and 6.6 rebounds to go along with a 39 percent clip shooting from three-point territory. Albury finished the tournament averaging 16.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game. On the defensive side, he finished with 2.5 blocks and 3.0 steals per game.

After dropping their first game, the Defenders 2020 regrouped and won their next three games to finish with a 3-1 win/loss record. Their one loss came against the Anthony Morrow Elite, falling 78-61.

“They had a productive weekend playing against NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) prospects for the most part. A lot of coaches were able to see them. They showed strength and had good performances,” Smith said of Edgecombe and Albury.

In their second game, they defeated the Capital City Pacers, 81-72. In the third game, they won 83-55 over the Charlotte Nets. On Sunday, they eked out with a victory over the Cobras, 78-76.

Edgecombe got adjusted to playing small forward for the Defenders 2020 team.

“The tournaments that I have been playing in helped a lot as I transitioned from a big man to a wing player. With me being the three (small forward) on the team, that allowed me to score the ball more efficiently from the three-point line and attack the basket,” Edgecombe said.

Albury had a strong game in their final game of the showcase as he finished with a triple double of 11 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. At the end of regulation with the game tied at 76, Albury hit two free throws to give his team the 78-76 victory.

“It was a good weekend. We had some good competition and played some competitive basketball. It was another weekend to get a feel of the team and to get our legs under us,” the guard said. “I played in a way to impact the team and come out with a win as much as possible, whether scoring, passing, rebounding or playing good defense.”

Albury won the Player of the Game award in two of the four games.

Looking forward to next week, Albury hopes to continue to play his role on the team and help them to come away with a winning record.

For Edgecombe, he knows that there is still a lot more work to be done but feels he is improving with every tournament and showcase.

It has been a challenge playing during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Smith.

“Most teams are not allowed in the gym until your game is actually happening, maybe 15-20 minutes prior. You have to wear a mask when you are coaching and before a player checks into a game they have to use hand sanitizers. They also disinfect everything, and it is a different process. When you leave and come back to the gym, they check your temperature. There are also a lot of waiver forms to sign, protecting the tournament directors from any liability for COVID-19. It has been a lot of adjustment off the court with the logistics but on the court you do not see a major drop off in how the teams compete, and how the coaches prepare for each game,” Smith said.

Smith hopes that basketball leagues in The Bahamas have the proper protocols in place before resuming their respective seasons, especially the school leagues.

The trio returns to the court this coming weekend when they play at the same location in the Phenom Challenge

Chavano “Buddy” Hield

July 28, 2020

Sheldon Longley

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For the third straight scrimmage game, Bahamian professional basketball player with the Sacramento Kings Chavano “Buddy” Hield shot 3-for-10 from behind the three-point line, going 30 percent. However, this time it came in a winning effort as he and the Kings came from 21 points down in the second half to storm past the Los Angeles Clippers, 106-102, on Monday.

Hield scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half, including all three of his three-pointers, to lead the Kings’ comeback. He played a little over 27 minutes off the bench, adding eight rebounds and four assists to go along with his 17 points. The Bahamian sharp shooter shot 7-for-16 from the floor.

It was the third straight respectable outing for Hield as the Kings prepare to begin their NBA restart on Friday against the San Antonio Spurs. That game is set for an 8 pm start. Hield and the Kings are battling for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA). They sport a 28-36 win/loss record, three and a half games behind the eighth-place Memphis Grizzlies (32-33) with only eight games remaining. The season will resume on Thursday.

On Monday, after the Clippers took 79-58 lead on a three-point shot from Marcus Morris Sr., the Kings went on a 13-2 scoring run to get within 10 points. Hield started the run with a pair of three-point shots. The Clippers held on to a 83-73 lead at the end of three, but it didn’t take long for Hield and the Kings to pull even and surge ahead in the fourth.

A 12-0 run to open the fourth, in which Hield buried another three-point shot, gave the Kings their first lead since the 10:39 mark of the second quarter. The game went back and forth from this point. A clutch three-point shot from starting power forward Nemanja Bjelica with just 27.4 seconds remaining on the clock gave the Kings the lead for good, 102-100. Bogdan Bogdanovic, who took Hield’s starting two-guard position back in January, hit two free shots with 13.5 seconds remaining, and back-up point guard Cory Joseph added two more with 8.7 seconds remaining to seal the win for the Kings.

Despite coming off the bench in each of their three scrimmage games, Hield turned in respectable, consistent performances, striking for 19, 19 and 17 points. He played a little over 24 minutes against the Miami Heat in a loss for the Kings last week Wednesday, and stepped on the court for almost 26 minutes in a 131-123 loss for the Kings to the Eastern Conference-leading Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. He averages 32 minutes per game on the season, while dropping in 19.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists. The 6’4” 27-year-old guard is shooting 42.9 from the field on the season and 39.5 percent from distance.

On Monday, Bogdanovic led the charge against the Clippers, connecting for a game-high 21 points on 7-for-15 shooting. He added four rebounds and three assists and went 4-for-10 from distance. Hield contributed 17, and De’Aaron Fox, Harrison Barnes and Harry Giles III contributed a dozen points apiece. DaQuan Jeffries came off the bench to score 11.

Paul George paced the Clippers with 19 points. Morris added 18, Kawhi Leonard helped out with 17 and Terance Mann came off the bench to score 12. Reggie Jackson contributed 11 points, four rebounds and five assists.

Before the season was halted in March, Hield was on pace to break the franchise record of 278 three-point shots that he set a season ago. He was second in the league with 244 made three-point shots, trailing just James Harden of the Houston Rockets who had 271. Hield is also the NBA’s Mountain Dew Three-Point Champion this season.

As mentioned, he and the Kings will begin their NBA restart on Friday against the Spurs. As for the other Bahamian in the NBA, DeAndre Ayton, he and the Phoenix Suns will also restart their season on Friday when they take on the Washington Wizards at 4 p.m.

The Kings and the Suns were two of 22 teams chosen for the NBA restart after the regular season was stopped back on March 11 because of the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic. All the teams are housed at a single-site complex at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, under strict COVID-19 conditions and protocols

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#IT may not be in the highly publicised NCAA men’s basketball tournament, but several Bahamian players will have an opportunity to extend their postseasons at the Division I level.

#Charles Bain (Robert Morris Colonials), Jaron Cornish (Stony Brook Seawolves) and Travis Munnings (University of Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks) saw their respective programmes accept bids to invitational tournaments.

#Cornish and the Seawolves accepted a bid to the 2019 Roman College Basketball Invitational. They will begin play on the road in the opening round tomorrow against the University of South Florida Bulls at 7pm in Tampa, Florida. It marks their fourth appearance in the Roman CBI in the last five seasons.

#The Seawolves are coming off a 24-win season, the highest regular-season win total in the programme’s Division I history.

#Stony Brook finished inside the top two of the America East standings for the fourth time in the last five seasons en route to the landmark regular season that included 13 road wins, tied for the most in the country.

#The Seawolves will play their first game under the new leadership of interim head coach Geno Ford.

#“Our team is very excited to compete in a postseason tournament,” Ford said. “We had a terrific regular season on our way to 24 wins. With a roster full of underclassmen, we feel like gaining some postseason experience will greatly benefit us in the future.”

#Both Bain and Munnings will play in the 2019 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT).

#Bain and the Colonials will open play tonight when they host Cornell at 7pm.

#The Colonials are making their second appearance in the CIT in programme history and first since 2012.

#Robert Morris has posted a record of 17-16 (.515) in 2018-19.

#The Colonials finished in a tie for third place in the Northeast Conference with a mark of 11-7 (.611).

#The Colonials fell in the semi-finals of the Northeast Conference Tournament 62-60 to No. 2 seed Fairleigh Dickinson.

#Bain finished with 10 points, three rebounds and a pair of three pointers. It was his fourth consecutive game scoring in double figures, his longest stretch thus far this season.

#RMU is making its eighth postseason appearance in the last 12 seasons.

#The Warhawks will play host to a CIT first-round game in Fant-Ewing Coliseum, against the Kent State Golden Flashes Thursday at 8pm.

#ULM is making its 13th postseason appearance in programme history. It marks the Warhawks’ fourth trip to postseason play in the last five years, including their third appearance in the CIT (2016 at Furman and 2018 at Austin Peay).

#“We’re excited about having an opportunity to continue our season in the CIT,” ULM head coach Keith Richard said. “Opening with a home game is extra special. Our players didn’t want the season to end in New Orleans, so they’re looking forward to making a run in the postseason.

#The Warhawks are 13-2 in Fant-Ewing Coliseum this season.