Lathaniel Bastian

f Friday, July 31, 2020

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#After missing out on his first opportunity to secure a major division one basketball scholarship, Lathaniel Bastian is hoping that his dream comes true this time around.

#The 2016 graduate of Doris Johnson High School, where he helped the Mystic Marlins under coach Denycko Bowles win the school’s first championship title, will get a chance to display his skills at the All-American Junior College Showcase.

#The event, scheduled for August 15-16 at the International Sports Arena in Stone Mountain, Georgia, will feature the elite 80 players in the west (used to be invited to our Vegas event) and the elite 80 players in the east combined together for one big weekend.

#Each player will play up to four games throughout the weekend, concluding with the top 20 All-Star showcase where the top players from the event will advance.

#This showcase is designed for the top rising junior college sophomores in the country with games being played in front of a national audience on ESPN, CBS Sports and Rivals with NBA personnel and numerous other national media and scouting services on hand.

#Each player will be evaluated and considered for the 2021 JucoRecruiting.com Top 100 Rankings.

#Having had his student visa denied at least five times by the American Embassy, Bastian missed out on an opportunity to play for the Gillette Proghorns in Gillette, Wyoming.

#Instead, after he finally got his visa sorted out, he went to Rend Lake College in Illinois before he transferred to Trinity Valley College in Texas in January.

#Of course, he didn’t get to display his skills because of the shutdown of sporting activities worldwide in March because of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. “It’s all about putting in the hard work and being in the right position,” said Bastian, who is still in Texas preparing for the showcase after he got some exposure playing in the Bahamas Basketball Federation’s Summer of Thunder with the Commonwealth Bank Giants and the International Basketball Academy – Bahamas.

#“I feel like I’m in the right position. I had a lot of offers coming in, but they really want me to play in this showcase to see how I will fear against the potential college players. They are going to see me play.”

#The 21-year-old Bastian said the assistant coach art Trinity Prep have been working with him on his basketball skills, making sure that he is properly prepared to shine in the showcase.

#“My coaches just told me to continue doing what I’ve been doing and that is play hard,” said Bastian, who stands at 6-feet, eight-inches and play the small forward position.

#“I feel like I’ve been stepped over my whole life and having had a chance to come here to the United States to play last year, this is a good opportunity for me to really perform. So I’m really happy and excited. I just want to dominate”

#Calling it his second time around to shine, Bastian said he have nothing to lose, but everything to gain.

#“I have improved so much in the game, so I feel my chances to shine is great,” he insisted.

#Bastian thanked God for giving him the ability to get into the United States and top perform. He also credit his mother, Monique Jennings, for being there financially for him every step of the way.

#“I’ve put myself in this position to be successful,” he stressed. “My mom has tried her best with no help. I haven’t had to ask anybody to assist me in any way. But I’m glad to get this opportunity and I hope to make the best of it.”

#At present, the United States is under siege because of the rise in cases of Covid-19, but Bastian said while he is concerned about what’s going on, he’s not going to let it deter him from his ultimate goal.

#“It’s here and we have to deal with it,” he insisted. “But while I’m concerned about it, I have to do what I have to do. Follow the safety rules and hope that I am not affected.”

#Hopefully, he said the virus will pass soon, but he’s more eager to be able to get to the showcase and display his skills. The officials have released the list of measures they will take for everyone as they participate in the showcase.

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Lathaniel Bastian (centre) in action for the Bahamas.

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#ANOTHER Bahamian basketball talent received an opportunity to further his academic and athletic career through basketball.

#Lathaniel Bastian is expected to join the Gillette Proghorns men’s basketball programme on a full athletic scholarship this fall.

#The 6’7″, 205-pound forward will join a programme with a rich tradition under head coach Shawn Neary.

#Located in Gillette, Wyoming, the Proghorns compete in the National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association’s Region IX.

#In just eight years since its inception, Gillete is a three time national tournament qualifier, two-time Region IX champion and has produced 15 All-Region players.

#Locally, Bastian spent his high school years with the Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins under head coach Denycko Bowles and was also a member of Bowles’ International Basketball Academy – Bahamas.

#“Coach Bowles was the coach at Doris Johnson, he saw that I needed work, he saw that I was shaky in the game and he did all that he could to develop me into the player I am now,” Bastian said.

#“He saw potential in me. I used to be nervous, with the crowd watching me I really want to play well for the crowd. Going over there [the United States] no one really knew so I realised I don’t have to play for the crowd I can play for myself and that’s where my game really elevated and I became more dominant. That’s where I started developing. My time at IBA helped my confidence and it helped me be physical and develop my game.”

#Bastian participated in a pair of showcases this offseason – the Darrell Sears Showcase in Grand Bahama and the IBA/Get Me Recruited Super 60, Hot 100 Showdown in New Providence.

#Following his career at Doris Johnson, he spent a year with the Game on Rise Academy, a prep school in Ocala, Florida.

#Game on Rise Academy is a year-round basketball training, recruitment assistance programme. The organisation boasts “85 combined years of academic tutoring, athletic training, weight training, counselling, mentoring, life skill and time management teaching.”

#The format of the prep institutions academic and athletic regimen is marketed to appeal to international students.

#Bastian was afforded the opportunity to compete against other academies, junior colleges and prep schools.

#It gives players an opportunity to train another year if the offers to colleges were unavailable immediately after high school.

#“There is a small niche in basketball where these guys finish high school and they are not good enough to immediately play in college or they simply just haven’t been recognised,” Game On Rise founder Mike Kirkland told the Ocala Star Banner.

#“So we have provided an area where kids can come to train and gain a solid extra year to help them earn a scholarship playing basketball. We have a loaded database of coaches and scouts that we contact regularly and help get these players to the next level.”

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Lathaniel Bastian (centre) in action for the Bahamas.

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#ANOTHER Bahamian basketball talent received an opportunity to further his academic and athletic career through basketball.

#Lathaniel Bastian is expected to join the Gillette Proghorns men’s basketball programme on a full athletic scholarship this fall.

#The 6’7″, 205-pound forward will join a programme with a rich tradition under head coach Shawn Neary.

#Located in Gillette, Wyoming, the Proghorns compete in the National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association’s Region IX.

#In just eight years since its inception, Gillete is a three time national tournament qualifier, two-time Region IX champion and has produced 15 All-Region players.

#Locally, Bastian spent his high school years with the Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins under head coach Denycko Bowles and was also a member of Bowles’ International Basketball Academy – Bahamas.

#“Coach Bowles was the coach at Doris Johnson, he saw that I needed work, he saw that I was shaky in the game and he did all that he could to develop me into the player I am now,” Bastian said.

#“He saw potential in me. I used to be nervous, with the crowd watching me I really want to play well for the crowd. Going over there [the United States] no one really knew so I realised I don’t have to play for the crowd I can play for myself and that’s where my game really elevated and I became more dominant. That’s where I started developing. My time at IBA helped my confidence and it helped me be physical and develop my game.”

#Bastian participated in a pair of showcases this offseason – the Darrell Sears Showcase in Grand Bahama and the IBA/Get Me Recruited Super 60, Hot 100 Showdown in New Providence.

#Following his career at Doris Johnson, he spent a year with the Game on Rise Academy, a prep school in Ocala, Florida.

#Game on Rise Academy is a year-round basketball training, recruitment assistance programme. The organisation boasts “85 combined years of academic tutoring, athletic training, weight training, counselling, mentoring, life skill and time management teaching.”

#The format of the prep institutions academic and athletic regimen is marketed to appeal to international students.

#Bastian was afforded the opportunity to compete against other academies, junior colleges and prep schools.

#It gives players an opportunity to train another year if the offers to colleges were unavailable immediately after high school.

#“There is a small niche in basketball where these guys finish high school and they are not good enough to immediately play in college or they simply just haven’t been recognised,” Game On Rise founder Mike Kirkland told the Ocala Star Banner.

#“So we have provided an area where kids can come to train and gain a solid extra year to help them earn a scholarship playing basketball. We have a loaded database of coaches and scouts that we contact regularly and help get these players to the next level.”

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#ANOTHER group of young basketball players took full advantage of their opportunity to boost their recruitment stock at the Darrell Sears Showcase but the event could look to expand beyond the basketball court for future editions.

#Sears, the longtime coach of the St George’s Jaguars, said that while many student athletes earned opportunities through basketball, the personnel of the participants and their skillset may provide further opportunities on the football field.

#“The showcase started off a little rocky, but as always the coaches enjoyed it. Like I said, we had two official offers yesterday. We had a lot of kids get opportunities to even look at playing football now. So we’re branching off. The showcase could be moving into some football to try and give kids a better opportunity.” Sears said.

#“We have a lot of kids who are undersized. Here, they could be 6 foot four inches (6’4″) and play power forward, they may not progress to be a guard (in college), because the skill-set is not there. But they can go and play football, because they are so athletic and can get a scholarship in football. So we’re branching off and we’re going to start with girls again next year, boys and then football.”

#Two participants at this year’s event, Troy Trembly and Lathaniel Bastian, received offers while a host of other athletes received interest from colleges and high schools.

#This year’s showcase also expanded on the court as well and featured the promising group of junior players in grades 7-9.

#“The younger group is what the coaches were excited about. That’s why we wanted them to come in so we could make those coaches come back. You had so many of these kids who are younger, even someone who is out of school, never played high school, picked up and offered a scholarship.

#“This is a kid who is playing night league, we decided at the last minute to give him a chance because that’s what the showcase is about, giving them an opportunity.” Sears said.

#“We have some of the most naturally gifted players in the world. I’ve said the coaching has gotten better over the years, I’ve seen it. The coaches are getting better so they’re teaching their kids better. So the skill-set is starting to get better. But what we’re excited about is that it will bring these coaches back to see just how much they have improved since then. The more coaches we can get in the better it is for our programme and our kids.”

#Sears began the practice of travelling with his players to the US to gain exposure for his players in the late 1990s. Since then, he has been able to forge a network of connections that now affords a greater number of players those same opportunities by showcasing their skills at home. Over the course of the weekend, players engaged in individual skill development, as well as scrimmages.

#Since its inception, the showcase has facilitated over $2 million in scholarships to over 100 student athletes to attend various levels of colleges and high schools in the United States.

#Event sponsors included the Freeport Council, Nesbitt Rentals, Kosha and the Ministry of Tourism.

#At the end of the 2017 event, a record five participants were offered scholarships by representatives of visiting programmes.

#Approximately 60 players took part in the showcase which featured scouts, coaches, and representatives from 25 high schools and colleges in the United States, ranging from JuCo to Division I.

f Wednesday, May 3, 2017

ABOUT 60 players participated in the camp, which featured scouts, coaches, and representatives from 25 high school and collegiate coaches in the United States, ranging from JuCo to Division I.

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#THE Darell Sears Showcase continues to be a staple on the Bahamas’ basketball calendar and gains recognition by showcasing the best talent the country has to offer.

#The 15th edition of the event concluded Sunday at the St George’s Jaguars Gymnasium in Grand Bahama and a record five participants were offered scholarships by representatives of visiting programmes.

#Approximately 60 players participated in the camp, which featured scouts, coaches, and representatives from 25 high school and collegiate coaches in the United States, ranging from JuCo to Division I.

#The showcase hosted coaches from Southern Mississippi University, Arkansas State, Stetson university, Arkansas-Little Rock, University of Louisiana-Monroe, Stephen F. Austin, Texas A and M Corpus Christi, St Petersburg Junior College, Miami Dade Junior College, Paris Junior College and Edward Waters University. There were also four high schools out of the US and a representative from a Canadian college in attendance.

#In addition to the players to receive offers, an additional 10 drew strong interest and are on the fast track for future opportunities if they are unable to capitalise immediately.

#This year’s tournament also had another new addition as a pair of former participants signed their letters of intent to attend institutions in the United States.

#Shaquillo Fritz signed on to join the Arkansas State Red Wolves while Qyemah Gibson made it official with the Miami Dade Sharks.

#Fritz said it was fitting that his basketball journey came full circle and he was able to sign at the St George’s campus.

#“I’d like to thank my parents and this programme for helping me to get to this point. I’m very excited to be a Red Wolf and this is a perfect day. It’s great to see the family come out and support me because my support system has helped me to be a better person,” he said. “I advise the guys at the showcase to keep working, keep focused, believe in your self and chase your dreams. You just have to make the most of your opportunity when you get the chance.”

#Gibson added: “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and I don’t take it for granted. I want to make the most of it and I’m very thankful for it.”

#Sears, the longtime coach of the Jaguars, began the practice of travelling with his players to the United States to gain exposure for his players in the late 1990s.

#Since then, he has been able to forge a network of connections that now affords a greater number of players those same opportunities by showcasing their skills at home. Over the course of the weekend, players engaged in individual skill development, as well as scrimmages.

#Sears talked about the improvements he has seen in the event since its inception. “My eyes are a bit diff so I always look for the little things. The coaches and the kids had a wonderful time and I think our people had a great job. There are improvements we can make and I think that I am learning more and more that if one child gets the opportunity at the next level then it’s a success,” he said.

#“The thing that the coaches have spoken to me about is the guys’ athleticism. What they are excited about, especially for the ones that have been coming the last two, three years and what they have recognised is that the skill set and IQ of the game has improved. We know we have guys that can attack but in years past one of the knocks has been guy’s wouldn’t know when to pull up or when they get to the rim they wouldn’t know the appropriate move, now they recognise defences better and their games have improved.”

#The age bracket for the showcase ranged from 9th grade to unattached. It also featured current Bahamian junior college players looking to progress into division I. “Hopefully we can reach a bigger audience and reach even more programmes in the future, particularly for those coaches who can not attend,” Sears said.

#Showcase alumni includes some of the most recognised names in Bahamian basketball over the past 15 years.

#Some of the past participants in the showcase includes professional players Magnum Rolle, Kadeem Coleby, Kentwan Smith, Garvin Hunt and current division I players Buddy Hield, Lourawls Nairn Jr, Kentwan Smith, Prince Cooper Jr, Travis Munnings, Nathan Bain, Kenneth Taylor, Andre Sands and Dwight Coleby.

#Several of those players were afforded an opportunity to join the Sunrise Christian Academy Eagles programme in Wichita, Kansas.

#Sunrise head coach Luke Barnwall was on hand once again at this year’s edition, scouting future talent.

#“Darell always has the best kids here. There is a lot of good young talent, I was talking to one of the Division I coaches, and I would say that the players are getting better, their skill level is getting better and I would say the talent level is better and it’s good to see,” he said.

#“This process, it works for them. We have had a lot of them come through our programme that have come through here and went as high as Buddy, Tum and Travis. They get a chance to play for us, then go on to Division I.”

#Scores of other players have received scholarship opportunities to join high school, junior college, division II and division III programmes across the United States. “I saw a lot of talented kids, a lot of kids ready to join a programme to go and play basketball. It’s my first time here so I’m really excited about being here,” said Paris Junior College assistant coach Michael Scott.

#“I’m looking for some guys ready to work hard, looking to stay in the gym and get ready to play. This event is huge because I think kids here need an opportunity to understand what it takes to come over to America and play basketball. A lot of it is a basic fundamental, just understanding how to play and if you can do that you can play at our level.”

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#THE high school basketball season may be over, but aspiring student athletes still look to take advantage of the many recruitment opportunities like the Darell Sears Showcase.

#The showcase continues to be a staple on the Bahamas’ basketball calendar and gains recognition by showcasing the best talent the country has to offer.

#The 16th edition of the event is scheduled to be hosted April 27-29 at the St George’s Gymnasium in Freeport, Grand Bahama.

#Since its inception, the showcase has facilitated over $2 million in scholarships to over 100 student athletes to attend various levels of colleges and high schools in the United States.

#Event sponsors include the Freeport Council, Nesbitt Rentals, Kosha and the Ministry of Tourism.

#At the end of the 2017 event, a record five participants were offered scholarships by representatives of visiting programmes.

#Approximately 60 players participated in the showcase which featured scouts, coaches, and representatives from 25 high schools and colleges in the United States, ranging from JuCo to Division I.

#The showcase hosted coaches from Southern Mississippi University, Arkansas State, Stetson University, Arkansas-Little Rock, University of Louisiana-Monroe, Stephen F Austin, Texas A and M Corpus Christi, St Petersburg Junior College, Miami Dade Junior College, Paris Junior College and Edward Waters University.

#There were also four high schools out of the US and a representative from a Canadian college in attendance.

#In addition to the players to receive offers, an additional 10 drew strong interest and are on the fast track for future opportunities if they are unable to capitalise immediately.

#In a new addition as a pair of former participants signed their letters of intent to attend institutions in the United States when Shaquillo Fritz signed on to join the Arkansas State Red Wolves while Qyemah Gibson made it official with the Miami Dade Sharks.

#Sears, the longtime coach of the Jaguars, began the practice of travelling with his players to the US to gain exposure for his players in the late 1990s. Since then, he has been able to forge a network of connections that now affords a greater number of players those same opportunities by showcasing their skills at home. Over the course of the weekend, players engaged in individual skill development, as well as scrimmages.

#Sears talked about the improvements he has seen in the event since its inception. “My eyes are a bit different so I always look for the little things. The coaches and the kids had a wonderful time and I think our people had a great job. There are improvements we can make and I think that I am learning more and more that if one child gets the opportunity at the next level then it’s a success,” he said.

#“The thing that the coaches have spoken to me about is the guys’ athleticism. What they are excited about, especially for the ones that have been coming the last two, three years and what they have recognised is that the skill set and IQ of the game has improved. We know we have guys that can attack but in years past one of the knocks has been guys wouldn’t know when to pull up or when they get to the rim they wouldn’t know the appropriate move, now they recognise defences better and their games have improved.”

#The age bracket for the showcase ranged from 9th grade to unattached. It also featured current Bahamian junior college players looking to progress into Division I. “Hopefully we can reach a bigger audience and reach even more programmes in the future, particularly for those coaches who can not attend,” Sears said.

#Showcase alumni includes some of the most recognised names in Bahamian basketball over the past 16 years. Some of the past participants in the showcase include professional players Buddy Hield (NBA) Magnum Rolle, Kadeem Coleby, Kentwan Smith, Garvin Hunt and current division I players Lourawls Nairn Jr, Kentwan Smith, Prince Cooper Jr, Travis Munnings, Nathan Bain, Kenneth Taylor, Andre Sands and Dwight Coleby.

Lathaniel Bastian

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#BASED on his performance, Lathaniel Bastian felt he made an impression on the scouts at the All-American Junior College Basketball Showcase.

#The showcase took place from August 15-16 at the International Sports Arena in Stone Mountain, Georgia where Bastian was among a field of 80 elite basketball players in the west (used to be invited to our Vegas event) and the elite 80 players in the east.

#“It went very well. We had some of the best players in JUCO (Junior College) and a lot of people got to watch me perform,” said Bastian, who attends Trinity Valley College in Texas after his transfer from Rend Lake College in Illinois in January.

#“Playing against some of the top players in the nation gave me a lot of experience and what to expect when I get ready to play at the JUCO level next season.”

#At the showcase, the players were placed in one of the 19 groups of players.

#The first day, the showcase opened with about 10 players each, but the number dwindled to about seven on the last day.

#“It was better for us who showed up on day two because about every five minutes they had us switching in and out on the court playing,” said Bastian, a six-foot, eight-inch small forward.

#From his appearance at the showcase, the 2016 graduate of Doris Johnson High School, where he helped the Mystic Marlins under coach Denycko Bowles win the school’s first championship title, said he was able to see the weakness in his game, which was his jump shot.

#“I didn’t jump that much. I just drived the ball in to the rim and tried to be as productive as I could in the paint. I didn’t shoot that much as I usually do, but just being a big body, I know that I will have to improve on that aspect of my game if I want to play at the next level.”

#Talking about the next level, Bastian said he has to get prepared for his final season with Trinity Valley College where he feels he will now be under the microscope from those coaches who saw him perform in the showcase.

#“I know a lot of the big schools will be watching me, so I just have to produce now,” said Bastian of their season that is expected to get underway in January, depending on the outcome of the coronavirus pandemic.

#“I will be working on improving my game in every aspect so that I can be ready when I have to decide depending on the offers that I receive. There have been some schools already expressed an interest, but I have to wait and see what happen.”

#As far as the virus is concerned, Bastian said they are taking the necessary precautions on campus wearing their face masks, washing their hands and practicing the social distancing.

#“We can’t go into other dorms and stuff like that,” he noted.

#“Everybody is trying to play it smart and be safe around campus.”

#It was the same situation at the showcase where Bastian indicated that they had to have their temperatures checked before they could enter the arena, they had to wear their masks whenever they were not on the court playing and they had to remain at least 3-6 feet apart from each other.

#The showcase was designed for the players to play in front of a national audience on ESPN, CBS Sports and Rivals with NBA personnel and numerous other national media and scouting services on hand.

#Each player will be evaluated and considered for the 2021 JucoRecruiting.com Top 100 Rankings.

#Bastian said he’s grateful to God for providing him with the opportunity to be seen by the scouts and he also expressed his gratitude to his mother, Monique Jennings, who has been with him through his entire ordeal from making the transformation from the Bahamas to the United States.

MILLIE Vlasov and Beaumont M/V receive the 3rd place prize in the 1.15m Jumpers at Deauville, France.

As of Wednesday, August 26, 2020

• Sign in to favorite this
• DiscussComment, Blog about
• Share thisEmail, Facebook, Twitter

MARCUS Davis and El Porvenir Corro moved up to Grand Prix level at Angelstone, Ontario.

#BAHAMIAN show jumpers abroad are seizing the opportunity to shine in the ring, as equestrian event organisers worldwide begin to establish a “new normal” for showground competition after months of event cancellations due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

#For equestrians Marcus Davis, who trains in Canada, and Anna Camille Vlasov, who is currently based in France, it’s back to training and competing as usual.

#With equestrian competition on hold earlier this year due to Covid-19, Davis used his time out of the saddle to participate in social media campaigns to raise awareness for diversity in equestrian sport.

#He returned to competition in July, riding in his first Grand Prix competition. At the Angelstone Tournament in Ontario, Davis and his mount El Porvenir Corro put in two strong rounds in the 1.15m Jumpers to finish 5th out of a field of 22.

#Vlasov has been active on the European circuit since competitions resumed. Last week, in Deauville, France, she and her veteran equine partner Beaumont M/V placed 3rd out of 42 in the 1.15m class.

#While Vlasov noted that Beaumont is “in his retirement phase” and just “having fun winning”, she is very excited about her elite competitive prospects with her new mount, Etos HBC. At Deauville the pair had a clear round in the 1.30m class, finishing 24th out of 78 in a time of 74.21 seconds. Vlasov was enthusiastic about the performance, noting that Etos is a young horse and still has a lot to learn. “I’m so pleased with [his] progress,” she said. “Hopefully next show we can start the bigger classes.”

 Edit with ElementorSave DraftPreview(opens in a new tab)Publish…Add title

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#JORDAN Wilson and Shamar Burrows helped the Dalhousie Tigers claim their fifth AUS Conference title in the last six years and earned a spot in the U Sports National Championship.

#In a weekend filled with Bahamian talent on the floor for three different programmes, the Tigers emerged with a 76-64 win over Azaro Roker and the St Francis Xavier X-Men last night at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

#Roker finished with 12 points and a game high 13 rebounds for the X-Men. Wilson struggled from the field for much of the night (1-9 from the field) with two points and five rebounds while Burrows finished with four points, three rebounds and two assists.

#Dalhousie took an early 13-4 lead while StFX struggled with turnovers in the first quarter.

#The Tigers maintained a 24-16 lead at the end of the first.

#The X-Men limited the Tigers to just nine points in the second and closed the deficit to just one at the break (33-33). Dalhousie closed the third quarter on a 15-8 run to enter the fourth quarter clinging to a 58-52 lead.

#Roker scored the first basket of the fourth quarter for the X-Men but they went scoreless for nearly five minutes as the Tigers built a 10 point lead. After Nava made a three, Wilson muscled in a layup over Roker to regain a nine-point lead and the margin widened in the final minutes.

#Roker was named an AUS tournament All-Star.

#The AUS conference championships had a strong Bahamian presence with local players featured on three playoff teams.

#In addition to the aforementioned players in the final, Qyemah Gibson, Sebastian Gray and assistant coach Ollen Smith’s St Mary’s Huskies were also in the field.

#The fourth seeded Huskies, who finished the regular season at 11-9, defeated fifth seeded Memorial SeaHawks (8-12) in an 81-57 rout.

#Gray finished with seven points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots while Gibson added 15 points and six rebounds. They advanced to set up a meeting with the Tigers in the semi-final.

#Dalhousie emerged with an 84-64 win to advance to the final.

#Wilson finished with 13 points while Burrows added nine points and six rebounds.

#Gibson finished with 13 point and seven rebounds.

#St FX advanced with an 84-77 win over the UNB Reds in the second semi-final.

#Roker finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds. He shot 7-10 from the field.

#The Tigers will advance to the U SPORTS championship March 5-8 in Ottawa, Canada.

#At the conclusion of the regular season, Roker was named a First Team All-Star while Gibson was named a Second Team All-Star.

#Roker, the fourth year forward, was one of only three players in the league to average a double double.

#He led the conference in rebounding at 13.2 per game and was second in scoring at 17.2 points per game. His numbers increased across the board in every statistical category from year three when he averaged 10 points per game and was a conference leader with 10 rebounds and two blocked shots per game.

#Gibson, in his second year with the Huskies, led the team in scoring and was seventh in the league in scoring at 15.4 points per game and eighth in rebounding at 6.5 rebounds per game.

Switch to draftPreview(opens in a new tab)UpdateAdd titlePermalink:http://sportsinthebahamas.com/blog/2020/07/13/3573/‎(opens in a new tab)Edit

PALLBEARERS pose above during the graveside service for Leonard “Boston Blackie” Miller at Lakeview Cemetery. Photo: Athama Bowe

Monday, July 13, 2020

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#IT’S a pity that after all Leonard ‘Boston Blackie’ Miller did for the Bahamas as a national and international sporting icon in boxing and cycling and as a respected mentor, coach and philanthropist, he didn’t get what he deserved.

#Miller, 82, was laid to rest on Saturday in a Bahamian flag coloured casket and draped with a pair of boxing gloves as he was funeralised during a service at New Covenant Baptist Church before his remains were interned in Lakeview Memorial Gardens.

#In his eulogy, Pastor Dwight Ferguson of the Church of God of Prophecy, Elizabeth Estates, said he remembered when he attended Government High School, he was in Miller’s physical education class and he had a rather rough introduction.

#When he informed Miller of his lineage, Ferguson said he got a different type of treatment. Notwithstanding that, Ferguson said Miller left a legacy behind.

#“One thing I can say about Boston Blackie is that he cared,” Ferguson said. “While he was an ordinary man, he did some extraordinary things. It’s a pity that we have to wait until someone dies in order for us to celebrate them.

#“It’s shameful that we have to wait until death for us to say that we are going to do something for someone who has made an invaluable contribution to this country.”

#After 47 years as an independent nation, Ferguson called on the Bahamas to do better for a man who also displayed his skills as one of the top cyclists in the country, riding a bike with the skinny wheels and the bent handle.

#The sentiment was a mutual one as Members of Parliament Glenys Hanna-Martin and Marvin Dames, along with veteran journalist Fred Sturrup, all called for a more fitting tribute to be bestowed upon Miller posthumously.

#Sturrup, the president of the Bahamas Boxing Commission, said through his weekly column in the Nassau Guardian earlier this week, he called for an edifice or a street in the capital to be named in honour of Leonard ‘Boston Blackie’ Miller.

#As a close friend and confidant of Miller, Sturrup said he will constantly lobby for Miller’s name to be attached to some monument so that it could be viewed by all and sundry going forward.

#He said he hopes that the politicians will remember the pledge that they made to ensure that Miller is immortalised the way he should be.

#Dames, the MP for Mt Moriah, of which Yellow Elder, where Miller resided, is a part of it, said Miller had such an impact on this nation, but there’s nothing behind his name.

#“We in this country look up to politicians and when they move on, we just throw the accolades on them,” said Dames, who was a student of Government High when Miller was a member of the PE Department.

#“But you have three politicians in here today who would have been impacted by this man. Yes, we are in COVID period, but as I look through this room, there are men and women who have made significant contributions in this country and we forget them.”

#While he said Bahamians should not forget national heroes like Miller, he has some thoughts about how the country can remember him posthumously, but he won’t reveal it just yet.

#Hanna-Martin, the MP for Englerston and representative for the opposition Progressive Liberal Party, said she met Miller more than 40 years ago when they were both in the Ministry of Education.

#Hanna-Martin said while she knew him as an outstanding individual who was very humourous, charismatic and well respected, she was surprised at the level of contribution that Miller would have made to the country. “He’s been described as the greatest athlete of all time in this country,” she stated. “He grew up in the 1930s and became an iconic figure in this country. He helped to build this country with his own hands. “It’s unfortunate, but it’s not too late for us to raise up the legacy of this incredible Bahamian. To you, his family, he was a good man, but to our country, he was a great man.”

#It was an emotional time for Ellsworth Johnson, the MP for Yamacraw and Minister for Financial Services, Trade and Industry and Immigration, as he recalled how Miller took him under his wings and groomed him to become a boxer when he came from Cat Island.

#“I was introduced to this man by my father, Oscar Johnson,” he said. “He and my father had a relationship and so he protected me. He sacrificed so much to the detriment of his family.”

#Like him, Johnson said Miller impacted so many lives and people trusted him with their children because they didn’t have to worry about him abusing anyone.

#When I used to visit him, I used to cry because of what he meant to me as a person,” Johnson stated. “He always checked for children. You knew when someone meant you well. Mr Miller was that type of person.”

#Moderator Vincent Strachan, the president of the Bahamas Boxing Federation, throughout the service touched on the contribution that Miller made, not only in his life as a boxer, but others like Quincy ‘Thrill-A-Minute’ Pratt and ‘Marvelous’ Marvin Smith, whom he groomed out of the Boys Industrial School, now known as the Simpson Penn (Centre for Boys), to become some of the top professional boxers of their time.

#As a student, who grew up in the ghetto in Bain Town, Floyd Armbrister referred to the time when Miller came to his home and sat on their porch and told his mother that he was going to be great.

#Armbrister said while Miller had to go through the process of ensuring that he got all of his papers straight to become a physical education teacher after he was already in the public school system, he encouraged him to ensure that he did it the right way.

#Sure enough, after he graduated from CC Sweeting as one of their top distance runners, he got an athletic scholarship in 1986, got his degree and certification and he returned home and became the head coach of one of the most successful sporting programmes at CR Walker where the Knights shone with 22 track and field championships, 21 volleyball championships and 25 cross country championships. And in a video presentation, Bahamas Union of Teachers President Belinda Wilson said Miller was a teacher extraordinaire, coach, athlete, champion, disciplinary and Bahamian legend.

#In 1984 when she began her teaching career at CC Sweeting Jr, now TA Thompson, Wilson said she met and worked with Miller in the athletic department where they coached the Cobras together with Jennifer Dotson-Isaacs, Rodney Farquharson, Julie Wilson and Rupert Gardiner to produce a family oriented programme that won numerous titles in so many sports.

#She noted that because so many students came out of the ghetto areas of Bain Town and Rockcrusher, Miller used his own personal resources to help many of them to get through school and he didn’t ask for anything in return.

#Recalling another humourous side of Miller, one of his sons, Charles, said he would have joked: “All these ugly people here to see me? Man, I must have done something great.”

#Insisting that it was a beautiful audience in attendance to pay their last respects to their father, the younger Miller said ‘Boston Blackie’ was well loved and respected by most people that he came in contact with. He said the work ethic that was instilled in him by his parents, Marie Armbrister and Leonard Miller Sr and grandmother will certainly be carried over to the generation of Millers that he left behind to follow in his footsteps. One of those values is the love that was exhibited not only through them, but in the affection that he showed to his wife, Minerva, before she passed away last year. Among those in attendance were Wellington Miller, Quincy Pratt, Marvin Smith, Stevie ‘The Heat’ Larramore, Andre Seymour, Reno and George Johnson, Arthur Buchanan, Nathaniel Knowles, Fernley Palmer, George Turner, Alvin Sargent, Cassius Moss, Peter Gilcud and Martin Lundy.