Deandre Ayton

As of Wednesday, July 1, 2020

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#Bahamian Deandre Ayton, preparing to head to Orlando, Florida, for the Phoenix Suns’ completion of the National Basketball Association competition 2019/20 season, is lending his support to another charitable cause in Arizona.

#The Suns’ 6-foot, 11-inch centre will join Phoenix Mercury centre Brittney Griner, using the power of gaming and social media to raise money for COVID-19 relief and social justice.

#Ayton and Griner are two of 11 athletes joining forces with Facebook Gaming to livestream games exclusively on Facebook and their own Facebook pages using a Live Donate button to raise money for two of the most prominent causes in the United States and beyond.

#In a press release yesterday, said Evan Shugerman, head of Facebook athlete sports partnerships:

#“Athletes continue to be remarkable forces for good on social media and we’re excited for this particular group to use Facebook Gaming this summer to entertain fans and raise money for incredibly important causes.”

#Ayton and Griner are a part of nine other athletes who Facebook will be donating $20,000 to the charity of their choice.

#While Ayton’s choice will be NAACP Legal Defence and Education Fund, Griner’s is for Hunger: Not Impossible.

#The other nine are Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz), Julian Edelman (New England Patriots), Allie Long, (US Soccer/Reign FC), Alex Caruso (Los Angeles Lakers), Bogdan Bogdanovic (Sacramento Kings), JaVale McGee (Los Angeles Lakers), Josh Richardson (Philadelphia 76ers), Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls) and Tacko Fall (Boston Celtics).

#The 21-year-old Ayton, who was the No.1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Suns and one of two Bahamians playing in the league, could not be reached for comments.

#He is scheduled to join the Suns in the NBA bubble at Wilt Disney in Orlando on July 31 when 22 teams compete for this year’s title. The other is Grand Bahamian shooting guard Chavano “Buddy” Hield of the Sacramento Kings, who is recuperating from the coronavirus. He too is expected to play in Orlando.

#The Suns are currently 13th in the Western Conference with a 26-39 win-loss record, and will have to play eight games through August 14 in order to earn a berth into the playoffs that will begin on August 17.

#While those games will be played without any fans, family and guests of teams will arrive on August 30 for the conference semi-finals set for August 31 to September 13.

#The Conference finals will be contested September 15-28.

#The NBA finals will then take place September 30 to October 13.

#Ayton, now known for his offensive stuffs and defensive swats, will get at least eight more games from the time he lost on the court during this past regular season under coach Monty Williams.

#He was suspended for 25 games without pay by the NBA on October 24 for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Doping Programme by testing positive for a diuretic. He returned to action December 17.

#Ayton, who had averaged 16.3 points and 10.3 rebounds in 30.7 minutes in 71 games as a rookie, pushed his numbers up to 19.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, 1.9 assists and 0.7 steals per game in 32.3 minutes in the 30 games he played up to the break in the league in March.

Phoenix Suns centre Deandre Ayton (22) looks to pass against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half on Sunday. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, Pool)

As of Tuesday, August 4, 2020

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#Deandre Ayton got his Phoenix Suns off to a hot start while “Buddy” Hield and the Sacramento Kings struggled early on the opening weekend of the NBA restart in Orlando, Florida.

#The Suns are off to a 2-0 start at the NBA clean site after coming in with the worst record among Western Conference teams in Orlando, while the Kings are on the opposite end of the spectrum winless at 0-2 thus far.

#The Suns are now 28-39, 0.5 game behind the Kings at 28-38. Both teams return to the court tomorrow when the Suns take on the LA Clippers at 4pm and the Kings face the Dallas Mavericks at 2pm.

#Ayton played just 21 foul plagued minutes and finished with seven points and eight rebounds in the Suns’ 117-115 win over the Mavericks Sunday night.

#“It was a great look for us to see what we’ve got, see what we can be. Us trying our best to see where we end up, trying to compete every game. We’re just going to go game by game, not settling for mediocre,” Ayton said.

#Despite the loss, the Mavericks clinched a playoff spot with the Memphis Grizzlies loss to the San Antonio Spurs. It will be their first postseason appearance since 2016.

#In game one, Ayton finished with a double double – 24 points, 12 rebounds – and made the first official three-point field goals of his career in a regular season game. He shot an efficient 11-14 from the field and 2-3 from three-point range.

#“Like I just told them, this is what I wanted to experience in this bubble was something like this where we just had our backs against the wall and across the board we got efforts from everybody,” Suns head coach Monty Williams said. “I was just wanting them to experience something like that so we can grow as a team.”

#The Kings suffered a lopsided 132-116 loss to the Orlando Magic on Sunday. Hield went for 12 points on 5-13 shooting from the field and 2-7 from three-point range. He also added five assists in 20 minutes but also committed three turnovers.

#The Kings suffered a 129-120 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in their Orlando opener on Friday.

#He scored just six points on 2-13 shooting from the field, 1-8 from the field three while adding four rebounds, an assist and a steal in 20 minutes off the bench. “We’re in uncharted territory right now,” Kings head coach Luke Walton said following the loss.

#“The season stopped, we’re in a bubble, we played in this high-energy, high-intensity opening game that both teams need. We end up coming out on the losing side of it. And like a team that isn’t there yet, hasn’t made it, doesn’t know what that’s like, as far as experience, now you’ve lost this big anticipated game and now you have a letdown.”

#As the Kings search for answers, Walton also told reporters that the starting lineup and rotation would be revisited. “We’ll look at it, as soon as I get back to the hotel and I get into the film,” he said. “That was disappointing. Disappointing to say the least.”

#In the race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, the No.8 Grizzlies are 32-35. Prior to Monday night’s games, the five teams behind – the Spurs (29-36), Trail Blazers (30-38), Pelicans (28-38), Kings (28-38) and Suns (28-39) are within two wins of each other.

#If the No.9 seed is more than four games behind the No.8 seed, No. 8 will make the playoffs. If they are fewer than four games behind, the teams will compete in a play-in tournament for the final spot.

#The Suns go on to face the Indiana Pacers (August 6), Miami Heat (August 8), Oklahoma City Thunder (August 10), Philadelphia 76ers (August 11) and the Mavericks for a second time (August 13).

#The remainder of the Kings’ schedule includes matchups against the New Orleans Pelicans (August 6), Brooklyn Nets (August 7), Houston Rockets (August 9), Pelicans (August 11), and Los Angeles Lakers (August 13).

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#THE Bahamian 1-2 punch of Deyton Albury and Garreth Edgecombe helped the Defenders 2020 to split their four games at the Phenom Challenge over the weekend in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

#The team, with Bahamian Jamal Smith as an assistant coach, played out of pool E where they finished with a 2-2 win-loss record in the four games they played at the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center.

#In their opener on Friday, they lost 79-76 to the Charlotte Royals 2021. They came back on Saturday to win their double header, 99-87 over Team Synergy 2021 and 73-70 in overtime against Team Durham 2021 before they fell 84-71 to the TLBA 2022 in their finale on Sunday.

#Smith, who formerly coached both Albury and Edgecombe, both 18 years old, when they played for the Temple Christian Suns, said both players played extremely well despite encountering some minor injuries.

#Edgecombe, a 6-foot, 3-inch forward, had a left elbow injury in their second game, while Albury, a 6-2 guard, went down with an right ankle injury in their last game.

#“The competition level was definitely higher than the previous week,” Smith said. “In the first game, I felt we didn’t match the energy of our opponents, but in the next two games, we stepped it up.

#“Overall, with their performances, I would say that each and every game they got better with their performances. The work that they are putting in during practice and watching and studying the films is paying off. The work they do on their own to manage their presence on the court has helped them tremendously.”

#Albury, producing his best game with 30 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, said this was probably the toughest tournament they played in so far. “It was a good weekend. We had a lot of exposure and stuff like that,” said Albury, who just recently graduated from Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas where he starred in basketball and football after he left Temple Christian two years ago.

#“Most of the division one players were around my position so it was good to match up against them. Although you are playing against them, it’s still good to learn from them and what to do in certain situations when you get to the division one level.”

#In his best game where he came up with 10 points in their second game as well, when he suffered the injury, Edgecombe said if he hadn’t suffered the injury, he could have done better.

#“I still felt we did good even though we both had some injuries that held us back from performing 100 per cent,” said Edgecombe, a graduate of Galilee Academy.

#“Although we pushed through it, I felt we did very good. I feel like the most we play as a team, the better we get. We have one more tournament coming up, so I feel like the way we are playing, we should do very well.”

#The Defenders, who have been playing in the AAU Tournaments since July, will have this week off before they play in their final showcase next weekend in the Big Shots Summer Classic in South Carolina.

#“The following weekend, schools are expected to open so you will see a lot of these players for the final time next weekend as they prepare to transit to their respective schools,” Smith said.

#“So I expect this to be a very competitive event that will be watched by a number of collegiate coaches from division one and two as well as junior colleges. I believe the recruitment for both Deyton and Garrett will just shoot off.”

#Smith said Albury has already received offers from three division one schools, but they are still looking at all of their options as to where he will end up in 2021 after he plays, along with Edgecombe, in a prep college programme this year.

#As for the protocol measures taken for the coronavirus, Edgecombe said he’s pleased with the way the organisers have ensured their safety. “They are taking precautions by marking out where people can sit, they make sure everybody has on their masks and they sanitise all of the doors,” he said. “I feel very secure with the measures they are using.”

#And Albury agreed that the protocol measures are strictly adhered to. “After every game, we have to sanitise our hands and we have to walk around with our masks on,” he stated. “After games, you don’t get to handshake anymore, so that is something too that we have to deal with.”

#Both noted that they are living out their dreams of playing basketball, even if it is under some adverse conditions in the new norm as sports slowly makes it way back after taking a break in March due to Covid-19.

Tuesday, August 4, 2020

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#THE Florida Gulf Coast Eagles are excited to add Franco Miller Jr to their programme and look forward to the incoming transfer combo guard to have an impact whenever he steps on the floor.

#Eagles head coach Michael Fly discussed several issues, including Miller’s recruitment process amid the COVID-19 pandemic

#“There’s a recruiting ban on guys right now and for the foreseeable future. We weren’t able to truly scout [Franco] in a traditional way. We watched all the high school tape we could. Actually, coach Davis’ staff at Ole Miss sent us practice tape of him so we could evaluate him more. They were extremely complimentary of him on and off the court. We do a lot of our recruiting based on connections we have made and continue to make and we have a great relationship with his prep school and Coach Davis‘ staff,” Fly told Screecher Report in their Summer Flyer/Fresh Faces Series.

#“We are excited to add a student and player of Franco’s calibre to our programme. He is an experienced guard who can play the point guard position or slide over to the wing as a scorer.”

#Miller’s tenure with the Ole Miss Rebels came in March when he announced he would be leaving the programme. He will have three years of eligibility remaining in his NCAA career. “The three years of eligibility was huge for us. We were looking at other transfers who had one year as well but Franco having three was a factor. We think it gives him time to join the programme and get his feet wet and really contribute in big ways over the course of his time with us. His addition should strengthen our backcourt for the foreseeable future in combination with our other newcomers and young players.” Fly said.

#“We think he can play both positions (PG & SG/Wing). In high school he was a scoring combo guard and we think he can get back to that. He’s got a pure shooting form. We’ll see, when we get the guys back [on campus], how he does with the ball in his hands and taking charge of the offence vs how he does without it.”

#According to the Eagles, Miller becomes the 6th newcomer for the Eagles roster heading into the 2020-21 season, joining four early signees and one graduate transfer. Eagles will return 70 per cent of its scoring back in the line-up along with seven players who saw significant action in 25-or-more games during the 2019-20 season.

#“We’re finally at a place, from a roster standpoint, where we could have Jalen [Warren], Caleb [Catto], Cyrus [Largie], Sam [Gagliardi] and Justus [Rainwater] start for us and they would all be starters from last year. But we like what our newcomers bring to the table,” Fly said. “We think Eli [Abaev] can contribute right away for us and we like the new guys we got coming in and we like our returning players. It’s safe to say that there will be a lot of competition in a lot of different areas.”

Phoenix Suns center DeAndre Ayton (22) looks for an open teammate as Los Angeles Clippers’ Marcus Morris Sr., right, defends during an NBA basketball game on Tuesday, Aug. 4, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The Suns won the game, 117-115, on a buzzer-beating shot from Devin Booker.August 5, 2020Simba French0148Views

It continues to be a tale of two stories for the two Bahamians in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

DeAndre Ayton and the Phoenix Suns continued their torrid start to the NBA restart yesterday, taking down the playoff-bound Los Angeles Clippers on a dramatic buzzer-beating shot from star guard Devin Booker, while Chavano “Buddy” Hield and the Sacramento Kings fell to the Dallas Mavericks in overtime.

The Suns recorded their third straight victory in the NBA restart as they took down the Clippers, 117-115, on a turnaround jumper from Booker as time expired. They improved to a 29-39 win/loss record and are now just three games behind the eighth place Memphis Grizzlies (32-36), and one game behind the ninth-place Portland Trailblazers (30-38) in the Western Conference of the NBA. The result of the Blazers and Houston Rockets’ game last night was unavailable up to press time. The Suns occupy the 12th spot in the standings, and need to be in the top nine to give themselves a chance at making the postseason. If they are ninth and are within four games of the eighth spot, they will play an in-house tournament against that eighth-seeded team. As for Hield and the Kings, they lost their third straight game of the NBA restart, falling to the Mavericks 114-110, in overtime, yesterday. All of the games are played at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.

Booker was fantastic for the Suns yesterday, dropping in a game-high 35 points on 13-for-25 shooting including 6-of-9 from downtown. He added four rebounds and eight assists. Ayton was strong with 19 points on 9-for-18 shooting for the Suns, and continues to show the outside touch as he had a three-point shot in two attempts. He contributed seven rebounds and four assists. Point guard Ricky Rubio added 18 points, and Dario Saric and Cameron Payne scored 13 and 12 respectively off the bench.

Kawhi Leonard paced the Clippers with 27 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Paul George added 23 points, six rebounds and five assists. Ivica Zubac contributed 18 points and 12 rebounds, and Marcus Morris Sr. dropped in 16 points.

The upstart Suns controlled the pace for much of the game, but behind Leonard and George, the Clippers executed a late comeback. They trailed by as much as eight in the fourth before coming back to even the score three times in the final two minutes of play. Every time they pulled even, the Suns had an answer, culminated by Booker’s game-winning shot in the final seconds. Leonard scored eight of his 27 in the fourth and George sank six of his 23 in the fourth.

Ayton played a part in that last sequence for the Suns, getting his hands on an attempted pass from Zubac and deflecting it to a teammate with just eight seconds remaining. The ball ended up in the hands of Booker who masterfully worked the clock down before connecting on a turnaround jumper at the buzzer.

The Suns are now very much in playoff contention, but things are getting tight in the bubble as the bottom five teams in the west, ninth through 13th, are separated by just a game and a half in the standings. In the mix are Hield and the Kings, despite dropping three in a row. They are 13th with a 28-39 record.

Hield and the Kings played much better in their game against the Mavericks on Tuesday than they did in their previous two games in the bubble, but still suffered the same result.

The Bahamian sharp shooter found his touch late, dropping in 21 points on 8-for-20 shooting including 5-for-14 from downtown for the Kings. He had a pair of three-point shots and eight points in total for the Kings in the overtime session but it wasn’t enough as Luka Dončić and the Mavericks built a seven-point lead twice in the extra session and never looked back.

Speedy point guard De’Aaron Fox led the way for the Kings with 28 points, three rebounds and nine assists. Hield added 21 and Kent Bazemore scored 16. Nemanja Bjelica had 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Kings.

Dončić had a massive game with 34 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists for the Mavericks. Kristaps Porzingis added 22 points and seven rebounds. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 22 points and added five rebounds, and Dorian Finney-Smith contributed a huge double-double with 16 points and 16 rebounds.

The Mavericks led for just 51 seconds in all of regulation but took over in the extra session, building a seven-point lead twice. Hardaway scored six points in the extra session for the Mavericks and Finney-Smith added five. Trey Burke hit a pair of free shots with 4.4 seconds remaining in overtime to give the Mavericks a 114-110 lead. Hield missed a three-point shot at the buzzer but it wouldn’t have made a difference in the final result.

Both the Suns and Kings will be back in action on Thursday. The Kings will take on Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans at 1:30 p.m., and the Suns will battle the Indiana Pacers at 4 p.m.

Bahamian basketball players Deyton Albury, left, and Gareth Edgecombe both got injured playing in the Phenom Challenge in Rock Hill, South Carolina, this past weekend. The Defenders finished with a 2-2 win/loss record over a three-day period. JAMMAL SMITHAugust 5, 2020Simba French0163Views

It was a tough weekend for Bahamian junior basketball players Deyton Albury and Gareth Edgecombe this past weekend as they both battled injury playing in the Phenom Challenge in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Although both got injured, the Defenders finished with a 2-2 win/loss record over a three-day period. Head Coach of the Defenders Bahamian Jammal Smith said they performed well although they battled injuries.

“I will say, this weekend the boys performed well,” Smith said. “Little injuries hampered what they can do on the court. I feel that the boys are comfortable with the competition and they take advantage of their match-up and start to see intensity and physicality game in and game out.”

On Saturday, Albury turned in a triple-double performance in a 99-91 shootout victory against Team Synergy. He finished the game with 30 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. He was outstanding.

For his sensational play on the floor, the guard was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the 17-and-under category.

“I’m very happy. It’s a privilege to be named MVP over many of the tough players in my category,” Albury said.

He added that the weekend was good and competitive with a lot of high-level action. Albury finished the weekend averaging 19 points, eight assists and seven rebounds per contest. He injured his ankle in the final game on Sunday, a 84-71 loss against TLBA.

In the game against Team Synergy, Edgecombe suffered an elbow injury and was limited on the court.

“It was not my best due to an injury sustained in the second game against Team Synergy where I hurt my elbow. From a team standpoint, I could have given more on the floor but as an individual, I am just trying to get better with my skills,” Edgecombe said.

He was able to finish the weekend averaging 10 points and five rebounds. It is a stat line that does not reflect his usual play.

“I plan on getting healthy, work on my skills and help my team out on both sides of the floor as a productive player,” Edgecombe said.

The forward said he will use the break to rest his elbow, and make sure it is healed before he steps back on the court.

On Friday, the Charlotte Royals took down the Defenders 79-76. In their second game, on Saturday, the Defenders took care of the Durham Hurricanes, 73-70.

The Bahamian duo have collegiate eyes on them now. Albury, in particular, is drawing interest from at least five programs.

The Defenders will have this coming weekend off and hopefully heal up before playing in the Big Shots Summer Classic in Charleston, South Carolina, from August 14 to 16.

The Big Shots Summer Classic will be the last tournament for them this summer. Smith said after that tournament, Edgecombe and Albury will focus on skill training and development until they return to The Bahamas.

Bahamian collegiate coach at the University of Mississippi Yolett McPhee-McCuin is one of a handful of coaches from that institution who will take a pay cut during the 2020-2021 fiscal period. FILEAugust 5, 2020Sheldon Longley0158Views

Bahamian coach at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Yolett McPhee-McCuin was one of a handful of coaches from that institution who will take a pay cut during the 2020-2021 fiscal period.

According to the Clarion-Ledger, an American daily newspaper out of Jackson, Mississippi, all Ole Miss athletics employees who make in excess of $100,000 annually have agreed to take pay cuts due to setbacks and restrictions suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The cuts affect football Head Coach Lane Kiffin and all 10 of his on-field assistants; women’s basketball Head Coach McPhee-McCuin; men’s basketball Head Coach Kermit Davis; baseball Head Coach Mike Bianco; and softball Head Coach Jamie Trachsel, as confirmed by Athletics Director Keith Carter.

According to Carter, some of the pay cuts will last for three months while others could cover as long as a six-month period. McPhee-McCuin was unavailable for comment up to press time, and at the moment, it is uncertain how significant her pay cut will be. The Ole Miss Rebels compete out of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I women’s basketball.

After battling through an injury-plagued season a year ago, in which her squad experienced a number of setbacks, the Bahamian collegiate coach is looking for a resurgent effort in 2021. She returns for her third season at the helm, armed with the SEC’s top-ranked recruiting class and number 13 in the nation. In addition, they welcome back dynamic point guard Valerie Nesbitt, another Bahamian, who was dismissed for disciplinary reasons last year.

McPhee-McCuin and the Rebels have high aspirations for the upcoming season, certainly looking to improve on the 7-23 overall record from a year ago. They finished at the bottom of the SEC with a winless 0-16 conference record.

Highlighting the incoming freshman class are five-star signees Madison Scott (No. 13 overall) and Jacorriah Bracey (No. 48 overall). Scott was named a McDonald’s All-American, the first in program history, while Bracey won Gatorade Player of the Year accolades for the state of Mississippi. Fellow freshmen Silentianna “Snudda” Collins and Caitlin McGee will also suit up for the Rebels after stellar high school careers.

Ole Miss also added two new transfers to the roster this spring, signing ESPN’s No. 1 rated transfer in Maryland addition Shakira Austin, as well as junior college sharpshooter Tiya Douglas of Trinity Valley Community College.

No schedule has been announced as yet, but the Rebels are expected to get their season underway in November, barring any further setbacks from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The SEC has announced that it will implement a conference-only football schedule, and it is anticipated that women’s basketball could follow the same pattern although McPhee-McCuin earlier said they are preparing for a full schedule.

As for the pay cuts, Ole Miss is just the third SEC school to announce a reduction in pay to the athletics department during the COVID-19 pandemic, joining the University of South Carolina and the University of Missouri. Early on in the pandemic, Ole Miss refunded $900,000 in donations and ticket sales for spring sporting events.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc in the United States, creating uncertainty among a number of collegiate and professional sporting events and seasons. The US is the most impacted nation in the world with five million total cases and over 160,000 deaths. There are over 18.6 million cases worldwide with over 700,000 deaths.

Friday, July 31, 2020

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#HEAD coaches Rolando “Lonnie” Greene and Norbert Elliott indicated how pleased they are that their Bahamian athletes have made it to the United States and can now get ready for the upcoming track and field season at the University of Kentucky and Purdue University.

#Greene, the head coach of the track team that includes ‘Golden Girl’ Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie as an assistant, will have the return services of quarter-miler Megan Moss for her sophomore year and will welcome freshman sprinter Jaida Knowles.

#Elliott, who moved up from being assistant to the head coach at Purdue after the departure of Greene, will see sprinter Samson Colebrooke return for his senior year that got washed away due to the coronavirus, while triple jumper Tamar Greene will be in his junior year and sprinter VinAjah Adderley will be making her freshman appearance.

#There were some concerns with the border being closed, reopened and then closed again to international travel in the Bahamas because of the spike in the coronavirus, whether or not any of the student-athletes would have been affected.

#Greene, who took over the Wildcats’ programme at Kentucky in 2018, said one of the first things they tried to do was to ensure that the Bahamian or foreign athletes coming into the United States were taken care off and will be able to make it to Lexington, Kentucky.

#“Fortunately, Jaida holds dual citizenship as an American and a Bahamian, so it didn’t affect her at all. The only thing she had to do was to get out of Nassau before they locked the country down,” he said.

#“She was already cleared by the NCAA because she was an excellent student, so she had already met all of the requirements. So the only thing was to get her out of the country. She did that a week before the lockdown and is staying with a relative in Atlanta.”

#As for Moss, Greene said she had her student visa so she was set. “Her parents were very aggressive and they got her back to school before the lockdown as well. So she’s already here at school. She’s living off campus, but she’s alright.”

#Greene said they wanted to make sure that they were not putting any of their student-athletes in harm’s way by not doing everything the right way and it worked in their favour.

#Students at the University of Kentucky will report to school for the new term on August 17. The dorms open on August 9, but there is a requirement for those staying on campus to be quarantined before they begin classes.

#With the sporting programmes in the United States, which have been affected by the shutdown since March when the coronavirus had an outburst in cases, there’s still no word on what will happen when schools reopen. The good thing is the track and field programme won’t begin until December with indoors so, by then, there should be some indication as to what will take place.

#Prior to the halting of the sporting activities, Kentucky had qualified 14 athletes, including Moss, for the NCAA Indoor Championships. That meet, along with the entire outdoor season, was called off.

#At Purdue, Elliott said Colebrooke remained in West Lafayette, Indiana where he attended summer classes before school was closed and he went to spend time with his relatives in Atlanta.

#“He wanted to go home, but he didn’t,” Elliott said. “That was a smart decision on his path not to go because he may have had problems getting out because of the lockdown, if he had to be quarantined when he got there.”

#Both Greene and Adderley were in Nassau, but Elliott said they hastily got out before the lockdown. They were then put into a two-week quarantine to get ready for their classes.

#“We have one of our recruits from Trinidad & Tobago, who can’t get in until January because she didn’t have her student visa,” Elliott stated. “But none of the Bahamian student-athletes are affected.

#“Right now, the Athletic Department at Purdue is focusing on the fall sports like volleyball, football and cross country. They are trying to find out how they can reschedule them because our Big Ten Conference has eliminated them.”

#Elliott said at Purdue, they are just watching to see how things will unfold with Covid-19 before they can start to prepare for the Boilermakers’ indoor track and field season that normally start in December.

#With the team they have on paper, Elliott said he’s looking forward to Colebrooke and Greene to compete very well next year and eventually making the Bahamas’ team for the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

#The games would have been taking place at this time, but was rescheduled for next year due to the spread of the coronavirus. Moss had been billed by Greene as a contender to make the women’s team for the Bahamas.

#Only time will tell what will happen once schools open up and NCAA make a ruling on how they will proceed with their sporting programmes

Deandre Ayton.

August 4, 2020

Simba French

086 Views

Bahamian professional basketball player DeAndre Ayton and the Phoenix Suns got off to a strong restart in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as they picked up two key wins at the NBA Campus at the Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, over the weekend.

The Suns dropped the Dallas Mavericks, 117-115, in a game that went right down to the wire on Sunday. On Friday night in their opener, they defeated the Washington Wizards, 125-112.

With a 28-39 win/loss record, they are four games behind the eighth place Memphis Grizzlies (32-35) in the Western Conference of the NBA.

Ayton had a tough match-up Sunday night, defending the Mavericks’ Kristaps Porzingis. The Bahamian only managed to finish with seven points and eight rebounds after playing in foul trouble for most of the game. He logged just over 21 minutes in the game.

Ayton was going for an alley-oop dunk with 3:44 remaining in the game when he was pushed by Dorian Finney-Smith on the attempt. Finney-Smith was called for a Flagrant 1 foul. Ayton scored his seventh point of the night when he split a pair of free throws to put his team up 112-109.

From there, the Suns held on to the lead as they thwarted a comeback attempt by Porzingis and the Mavericks.

The 2018 No. 1 overall draft pick in the NBA committed his third foul of the game with 8:13 remaining in the second quarter. That forced Head Coach Monty Williams to sit him for the remainder of the first half. Ayton checked out of the game at that point with just four points and six rebounds.

Ayton scored his sixth point of the game, on a turnaround hook shot, with 11:18 remaining in the third quarter. The Mavericks led 73-62 at that point. With six points and seven rebounds, Ayton committed his fifth foul of the game with 8:25 remaining in the third quarter.

The Suns’ reserves along with guard Ricky Rubio staged a comeback for them. Rubio’s putback shot with 5:33 remaining in the third quarter gave the Suns an 81-80 lead. They went into the fourth quarter with a 96-92 lead.

Ayton finished with the least touches of the starting five with just 32 touches. He also went 3-for-8 from the field and hit just two free shots.

The Suns’ 12 three-pointers in the game made a difference as the Mavericks made just six on 19.4 percent shooting from long range.

Leading the way for the Suns in scoring was Devin Booker with 30 points. Luka Dončić led the way with a game-high 40 points for the Mavericks.

After only scoring just six points and pulling down a whopping 10 rebounds in the first half on Friday afternoon against the Wizards, the big man went off in the second half. He scored seven points in the third quarter and poured in 11 more points in the fourth quarter to finish with 24 points in the opening victory for the Suns. Ayton added 12 rebounds to open the restart with a double-double. He also had two blocks.

Ayton’s 24 points included him going 2-for-3 from three-point land – one of which was the final points of the game. He was on a mission in that game, making 11 of his 18 shot attempts from the field to finish with a 78.6 percent clip in the game. He had a team-high 72 touches in that game.

After they took a lead midway through the second quarter, the Suns never trailed the rest of the way. They had a 15-point cushion at one point. They shot a blistering 52.5 percent from the field and the Wizards shot 46.2 percent. The Suns also showed good ball movement with 29 assists.

There are six games remaining on the Suns’ schedule in the regular season. They will be back on the court today when they face a tough Los Angeles Clippers team at 4 p.m. on NBATV.

Steven Gardiner. FILE

August 4, 2020

Sheldon Longley

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Running into a headwind on Saturday, Steven Gardiner recorded another comfortable victory, taking the men’s 200 meters (m) at the American Track League Meet #4 on the campus of Life University in Marietta, Georgia.

The 24-year-old Bahamian World Champion picked up yet another victory this shortened season, crossing the finish line in 20.19 seconds on Saturday. He was almost a full second faster than second-place finisher Chris Belcher of the United States. Belcher was second in 21.12 seconds, and Aurel Tchunbi rounded out the top three in 21.57 seconds. Another Bahamian, Cameron Parker, was fourth overall, in 21.79 seconds. Parker also ran in the men’s 100m and was seventh overall in 10.83 seconds. That event was won by American Kendall Williams in 10.29 seconds.

After running a couple of 300m races, setting a new Bahamian national record, and a couple more 200m races, Gardiner said he is bringing this COVID-19 shortened season to a close. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted sports globally this year, and Gardiner is not taking any chances, opting out of the Diamond League season in Europe and Asia.

“I feel comfortable with where I am at,” said Gardiner on Monday. “I felt good about the season. I had some strong performances and I’m grateful to God for that. This was a short season, but the important thing was to come out of it without any injuries and I was able to do that. I’m thankful for that.”

The world champion didn’t compete in any races over 400m this year, but based on the runs he had in the shorter events, he said feels comfortable going into an Olympic year. He has proven to be world-class over 200m as well, and said he is leaving the door open as to what event he will compete in. The postponed Olympics is set for July 23 to August 8, 2021, still in Tokyo, Japan.

Unlike the women’s sprints, there is no major conflict over 200 and 400m for men based on the original Olympic schedule. Gardiner could comfortably compete in both events in Tokyo – an option that is much more difficult for his compatriot Shaunae Miller-Uibo to consider based on how the women’s sprints are scheduled.

According to the original Olympic schedule, the men’s 200m and 400m don’t cross each other on any day of the track segment of the games. As for the women, the first round of the 400m and the final of the 200m are on the same day.

“I can’t say for now what will happen, but I just want to be in shape just in case the possibility of the double does come up,” said Gardiner. “I feel like I’m in good shape. There were some good guys in the race with me this past weekend and I managed to go out there and run well and finish the season healthy and strong. Thanks to everyone who supported me. Even though we are going through a health crisis, I could still feel the support and I thank everyone for that. I just want everyone to stay safe and secured during this time – always wear your mask and practice social distancing. Sanitize at all times and avoid large gatherings.”

Gardiner wasn’t sub-20 again, like he was a week ago in Clermont, Florida, but this time he ran into a slight headwind on the straight.

The Bahamian national record holder in the 200m, 300m and 400m said he is looking forward to another healthy season in 2021, looking to break new barriers. The 2021 season will culminate with the postponed Summer Olympics which will be held in an odd year for the first time.

World Champion Gardiner is yet to make an individual final at the Olympics but is one of the favorites in the men’s 400m, along with world record holder Wayde Van Niekerk of South Africa, who is making a return after a three-year absence due to injury, and American phenom Michael Norman.