Texas forward Kai Jones, right, blocks Texas-Rio Grande Valley’s Uche Dibiamaka during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday Nov. 25, 2020, in Austin, Texas. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman via AP)

Thursday, November 26, 2020

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#Kai Jones had a perfect season debut while Franco Miller Jr and Radshad Davis shined in their new surroundings in wins for their respective programmes on the opening night of NCAA Division I basketball.

#Jones was 6-6 from the field, 2-2 from the free throw line and scored 14 points for his No.19 ranked Texas Longhorns in their 91-55 win over the Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros last night at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas.

#He also grabbed eight rebounds to equal his career high from his freshman season.

#The Longhorns have been projected to finish No.4 in the Big 12, according to the league’s coaches’ poll.

#Texas concluded last season 19-12 – 9-9 in the Big 12.

#Along with Jones, they return virtually every rotation player from a season ago and welcomed five star prospect Greg Brown to a loaded frontcourt.

#Miller scored nine points in his debut with the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles, a 65-56 win over the Florida A & M Rattlers at the Alico Arena in Fort Myers, Florida.

#The sophomore guard shot 4-7 from the field and added three rebounds with one assist in just 19 minutes. Miller was granted an NCAA waiver for immediate eligibility following his transfer from Ole Miss to FGCU in June.

#Davis also had an immediate impact in his first game with the FIU Panthers. He finished with 15 points and 7 rebounds in the Panthers’ 85-81 win over the Flagler Saints at the Ocean Bank COnvocation Center in Miami, Florida.

#In the final season of his collegiate basketball career, Davis opted to transfer to FIU from the Texas-Arlington Mavericks following a two-year stint in the Sun Belt Conference.

#In addition, for head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, senior guard Valerie Nesbitt and the Ole Miss Rebels women’s team – their season was cancelled due to positive COVID-19 tests among the Northwestern State programme.

#Ole Miss is now scheduled to open its season against McNeese State at 7pm local time next Monday – November 30 – at home in the Pavilion in Oxford, Mississippi.

Friday, December 18, 2020

RADSHAD DAVIS

FRANCO MILLER JR

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#RADSHAD Davis had the better individual performance and his FIU Panthers got back into the win column with a dominant performance against Franco Miller Jr and the Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles.

#Davis scored 12 of his 16 points in the first half and also added eight rebounds while Miller went scoreless in 13 minutes off the bench in the Panthers’ 85-69 win over the Eagles last night in Ft Myers, Florida.

#With the victory, FIU moves to 5-1 this season, while the loss dropped FGCU to 3-2 on the year.

#After cancelled games against Jacksonville State (December 6) and North Florida (December 10), the Panthers suffered their first loss of the season, 80-77 to North Florida on December 12. The Panthers started the contest shooting 43.9% from the floor and 38.1% from beyond the arc while holding FGCU to shooting 31.4% from the field and just 28.6% from three.

#Davis is having a standout redshirt senior season averaging 14 points and a team leading 7.5 rebounds per game. He is shooting 49% from the floor, 39 from three-point range and a perfect 10-10 from the line. It was Miller’s first scoreless game of the season and in his first year with the programme, the redshirt sophomore guard is averaging 6.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per game.

#In his season low total of minutes played this season, Eagles head coach Michael Fly said the entire team struggled on the night.

#“I’m disappointed in our effort tonight to be frank,” Fry said.

#“We talked about not having a let down. I don’t think we had a sense of urgency tonight which is counter to how we’ve been playing. We’re certainly frustrated by how we played but there is the positive that we have a quick turnaround with practice tomorrow and another game Friday night.” The loss began a five-game home stand for the Eagles which continues with matchups against Webber International, Georgia Southern and North Alabama.

Monday, January 13, 2020

#Following the successful hosting of the first three editions of the International Amateur Athletic Federation’s World Relays, World Athletics’ President Lord Sebastian Coe said he’s delighted to be back to launch the opening of the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) office.

#Coe, accompanied by newly elected NACAC President Mike Sands, was on hand yesterday at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium for a trackside chat with local athletes, coaches and officials of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations on the eve of the opening of the office today.

#Among those joining the delegation were Willie Banks, former American world triple jump record holder and now an IAAF Council Member, former Cayman Islands’ sprinter Cydonie Mothersill, a NACAC Council Member, immediate past NACAC president Victor Lopez and former Bahamian IAAF Council Woman Pauline Davis-Thompson.

#For Coe, who is now in his second term as president of the World Athletics, formerly the IAAF, said he can now be considered a regular visitor to the Bahamas, making a trip here at least once a year.

#“It is so comforting as the president of an international sport, just to go to somewhere where the sport that you love and you that trained in and you raced in and you’ve worked in, has such a local passion,” said Coe after he addressed a number of the athletes.

#“To see that stadium full of young athletes of every age and every ability and to know that there is such immense talent coming through and our challenge is to make sure that we keep it in the sport and we keep that talent developing under the BAAAs and now with this guy (Sands) helping to develop the future of athletics. We are in great shape and we should never forget that this sport is a great sport.”

#In his informal address to the athletes, Coe said he just simply thanked them for choosing to participate in sports and dedicating their evenings to the sport and he further advised them to listen to their coaches, who will play a very important role in their lives in all aspects of life.

#As one of the three global sports, football (soccer) and tennis listed as the other two, Coe said track and field is one of the hardest sports to get a global medal because there are so many athletes trying to attain the same goal.

#With the Bahamas playing a pivotal role in getting the World Relays from its infancy to the strong roots that it has grown to, Coe said he will be eternally grateful to the Bahamas.

#When asked about the possibility of the World Relays returning here after the fourth edition was held last year in Tokyo, Japan, Coe said he would love to see it here again.

#“I was hoping when we first came here a few years ago that this would be a permanent fixture (for the World Relays),” Coe said. “I was a politician. I was a minister one time, so I do understand.

#“The fans were enthusiastic and noisy and absolutely passionate. This is a country that loves track and field and what’s not to love about that.”

#Fast forward to today, Coe said it’s fantastic that his long-time friend is now the president of NACAC and having competed on the international circuit as competitors, they can cement it as administrators as they work together in the World Athletics.

#Sands, a former BAAA public relations officer and president, said he’s ecstatic about this day.

#“I’m looking forward to the support of the council members and indeed the individual federations,” he said.

#“We had a very good day at the council meeting. It was very interactive. We have some plans that we will be sharing, later on, to ensure that our region stays the number one region in terms of performances, so that’s my goal, my objective with the support of the member federations.”

#Sands, who replaced Davis-Thompson as a Bahamian on the World Athletics Board, said he’s delighted that Coe has consented to be here and to officially open the NACAC office today at 10am. 

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SHOWN (l-r) are Keith Joseph, NACAC general secretary, Carlos Clemente, ESA general secretary, Sebastian Coe, WA President, Geen Clarke CRC President, Calixto Sierra, HON President, Isaac Vargas, CADICA general secretary, Michael Serralta, NACAC competition director, Mike Sands, NACAC President, Helen Delanay, World Athletics, Deon Sutherland, BIZ President, Juan Carlos Ramirez, ESA President, Max Mollined, GUA President, Xiomara Larios, NCA President. Photo courtesy of NACAC

Monday, July 20, 2020

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#SINCE coming into office last year, president Mike Sands has made considerable strides with members of the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Confederation.

#While their actual meetings have been hampered this year by the coronavirus, Sands was able to hold a series of virtual meetings that have proven to be beneficial to all members.

#Over the weekend, the latest meeting took place via Zoom with World Athletics President Lord Sebastian Coe accepting the invitation to meet with the presidents of CADICA or the Central America countries.

#“It’s part of our plan to be all inclusive and so we wanted to meet with CADICA, who indicated during the election campaign that there are about seven of them who didn’t feel like they are a part of the NACAC membership,” Sands said.

#“I have given them my commitment that going forward, we will look at their sub division and to hear their concerns and to see how best we can address them.

#“We know we can’t solve all of their problems, but at least we will know what they are and try to address them as best as we can,” he said.

#One of the main concerns coming out of the meeting was how NACAC can assist CADICA in developing their schedule of events where it will be equatable to all of their members.

#“On average, if you took Nicaragua for example, a lot of events are held in El Salvador and people in Nicaragua would have to drive for about 16 hours to get into the competition and turn around and go back,” Sands said.

#“So these are some of the things that we can’t solve overnight because those are logistical problems, but certainly we can find ways to help them lessen the back and forth to help their athletes.”

#Technical training for the membership of CADICA was also discussed as NACAC listened to the six member presidents as they voiced their concerns.

#Sands, whose administration has gotten the approval of World Athletics as he sits on the board as the area representative, said the CADICA members were also delighted to hear directly from Coe, who expressed his gratitude for the invitation and once again pledged his commitment to NACAC.

#Since taking over from Victor Lopez as president, Sands was able to relocate NACAC’s office from Puerto Rico and it is now based at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

#Coe, along with a host of other dignitaries, were on hand for the official opening in January.

#NACAC was also in the process of staging a track and field meet for athletes in the region here at the stadium, but those plans had to be shelved because of the coronavirus.

#Sands indicated that they are still working out the details and whether or not it would be feasible for NACAC to still stage the event in the coronavirus environment.

#Sands said they also hosted their first ever NACAC Gender Leadership Workshop over the weekend with more than 80 attendees from throughout the NACAC family, including Olympic and world champion sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who sat through the entire six-hour programme.

#“There’s a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes. It’s just that COVID-19 has slowed us down,” Sands said.

#“We’re trying to focus on as much as we can without physically meeting. That’s the upside of this pandemic. We still can meet over Zoom.”

#Sands congratulated the tech team at the National Stadium for assisting NACAC in pulling off the meeting that was hosted by vice president Catherine Jordan from Barbados, Bermuda’s president Donna Raynor and Secretary General Cydonie Mothersill from the Cayman Islands.

#The tech team was led by Dwayne Davis Jr.

#Two Bahamians, Simone Robinson, the daughter of the late Tommy Robinson and Ms Salvador, served as the the local interpreters during the sessions, which also featured a number of workshops.

SHOWN (l-r) Renee Davis, Dwayne Davis, Mike Sands, Nikita Thompson, Stephanie Rahming-Taylor and Simone Robinson-Walker. Photo courtesy of Laura Charlton

Friday, December 18, 2020

#In the spirit of giving back during the Yuletide season, Mike Sands took the time out to express his gratitude to the many persons who helped him to secure the presidency of the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC).

#A light-hearted reception was held yesterday in the NACAC office at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium as Sands said thanks to all of his team members.

#“It’s just a way to show our appreciation for their support from our inception to this point,” said Sands, who was elected as the NACAC president in July, 2019.

#“We look forward to their continued support as we strive to make NACAC the model area association with the support of those persons who assisted us.”

#The “us” who Sands referred to were Renee ‘Sunshine’ Davis, who was seconded from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture to serve as the office manager and Nikita Thompson, the accounts manager.

#Joining the full time staff in providing various services to NACAC are Dwayne ‘Bayshore’ Davis, who heads the IT department, along with Donovan Gray and Trevor Moss from the National Sports Authority, Simone Robinson-Walker, the daughter of the late Tommy Robinson, who heads the interpretation department and Stephanie Rahming- Taylor, who works in the technical area. With the continued support of a number of people from the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA), the Bahamas Association of Certified Officials (BACO) and friends, Sands said he’s looking forward to 2021 in the new norm expected as a result of COVID-19.

#“As you very well know, a lot of events were postponed and cancelled, so we’re watching the pandemic very closely,” Sands said.

#“There is a level of cautious optimism as a result of the vaccine that seems to be making the waves. But our biggest challenge at the moment is our first event, which is the CARIFTA Games scheduled to take place in Bermuda in the first weekend in April.”

#At their last executive meeting, Sands said they canvassed their members with the view of getting their feedback with the way forward due to a spike in the coronavirus in Bermuda.

#“Cancellation is not an option that we are considering,” he said. “We’re trying to find ways to host the games in the best environment.

#“What we have done is we have canvassed all of our member federations, Carifta members in particular, that in the eventuality it cannot host Carifta on the weekend schedule, what options would they like to consider.”

#One of those options is to move the date with several new dates recommended. The Carifta members have until the second week in January to make their choice for consideration by NACAC.

#“We will pool the results with the Carifta family and the NACAC family and make the best decision for the Carifta Games, if in fact, we have to change the date,” Sands said. “I think the only other time that Carifta was not held in 1988 or 89 over the Easter holiday weekend because the country was unable to host it, so we moved it to another country around July that year.”

#It’s not a guarantee that the Carifta Games will be pushed back again, this year it was postponed because of the spread of the coronavirus.

#But Sands said based on the general consensus from its membership, they will make the final determination on when and where Carifta will be held next year.

#So far, since taking office, Sands said it’s been a very challenging process because in NACAC, they have to deal with snowfall, hurricanes and earthquakes, but no one was prepared for Covid-19. “COVID-19 has put everything out of whack and so we have to re-strategise and reorganise a lot of things,” Sands said. “So that made it that much more challenging, but also that much more exciting.

#“So it causes you to think outside of the box. The plus side of Covid-19 is that we have been able to establish a line of communication with our member federations that would not have normally happened to the extent that it has happened as a result of Covid-19.”

#By next year, Sands said they are confident that they will have a very good year in 2021, especially with the vaccine as a promising remedy for Covid-19.”

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.”

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

KALEEL SOLOMON

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#KALEEL Solomon and his Eastern Florida State Titans saw their cinderalla season end just short of the National Junior College Athletic Association national title.

#The Titans suffered an 84-58 loss to Hutchinson in the NJCAA Division I Tournament finale at the Hutchinson Sports Arena in Hutchinson, Kansas, on Saturday.

#The team set a school record with 31 wins and finished as national runners-up for the first time in school history.

#“What a magical season for the coaching staff and the players,” said Jeff Carr, associate vice president of athletics at Eastern Florida State College. “We all thoroughly enjoyed their run and they should hold their heads high for the amazing accomplishments. We are very proud of the team and their achievements. Well done.”

#As a freshman, Solomon averaged 5.7 points per game and shot 39 per cent from three-point range in 36 games. He reached double figures in seven games this season, including a season high 19 points in a February matchup against ASA Miami.

#Solomon and his No. 6 ranked Titans received a bye into the second round in the third straight season the programme advanced to the tournament. The Titans received an at-large bid after finishing runner-up in the Region VIII Tournament.

#In their tournament debut, they won 87-74 over Monroe College and in the quarter-finals they won 65-45 over Motlow State. They advanced to the championship game with a 77-65 win over South Plains.

#Solomon was one of several Bahamians competing in the tournament for their respective universities.

#Daejour Adderley and his San Jacinto-Central Ravens, the top overall seed in the tournament, were eliminated in the quarter-finals. As the number one seed they received an automatic bye to the second round where they scored a 115-77 win over Connors State. They followed with a 98-82 upset loss to Northwest Florida State.

#It was their 21st tournament appearance in school history. San Jac earned the automatic bid to the national tournament after they won the Region XIV championship.

#Sebastian Gray and Robert Joseph were the first Bahamian players to hit the court in the tournament and led the No.23 ranked Northern Oklahoma-Enid Jets to an opening round upset win.

#The Jets scored a 95-90 win over No.10 Southern Idaho Golden Eagles. Gray finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots while Joseph added two points off the bench.

#In the second round, they were eliminated 82-76 at the hands of the Vinciennes Trailblazers, ranked No.7 in the bracket. Gray finished with seven points and 11 rebounds.

#Latrell Poitier and the No.13 St. Petersburg Titans were eliminated by the eventual national champion Hutchinson, 92-78.

#In the opening round they advanced with a 70-55 win over No.20 Highland.

#Each season, over 200 NJCAA Division I men’s basketball teams take aim towards the ultimate prize – a trip to Hutchinson, Kansas, for a chance to compete for a national championship. The 2017 season marks the 70th NJCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship – known as The Tournament.

#NJCAA Division I men’s basketball is comprised of 16 districts across the country and the champion of each district receives an automatic bid to The Tournament, which is a 24-team, single-elimination championship.

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#Davonte Jennings will be headed to the Junior College (NJCAA) route to continue his academic and athletic career in the fall.

#Jennings committed to the Seward County Community College Saints men’s basketball programme.

#The 6’1” point guard played locally in Grand Bahama with the St George’s Jaguars before concluding his high school years among the Bahamian pipeline of students at Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas.

#“Happy to have this young man join our programme! His growth at Sunrise Hoops over the years has been incredible,” Saints head coach Jason Sautter said on Twitter. “Can’t wait to see his continued growth in the future!”

#Jennings held the Jaguars to a national title in 2017 prior to his departure to Kansas. He spent three years in the Sunrise programme that also produced fellow Bahamian collegiate players Buddy Hield, Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn Jr, Travis Munnings and many others.

#According to the Wichita Eagle, the school has also produced 76 Division I men’s basketball players, with all but three coming in the last decade, and concluded the year ranked as the No. 4 team in the United States.

#Jennings helped Sunrise to consecutive appearances at the Geico High School Nationals.

#Jennings earned his opportunity to join Sunrise after his performance at the Darrell Sears Showcase in Grand Bahama.

#Jennings told the Eagle he had a conversation with Hield prior to his decision to join the programme.

#“He told me, ‘It’s worth it,’” Jennings said to the Eagle. “He said, ‘They’re gonna work you hard, but it’s all gonna be worth it.’”

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#SHANEA Armbrister made a quick turnaround from the court to the sidelines with her first hire as a member of a collegiate coaching staff.

#The Bahamian national team standout is now the assistant coach of the Andrew College LadyTigers women’s basketball team, a National Junior College Athletic Association programme based in Cuthbert Georgia.

#“It is truly an honour and privilege to join coach [Courtney] Pritchett’s staff and the AC family,” Armbrister said in a press release. “I am thankful that he and the administration chose me to fill some big shoes. I believe in his vision for the programme, and I look forward to helping him take the programme to the next level and serving our student athletes both on and off of the court. Coach Pritchett has had an unbelievable impact on my life, even as I moved on to Georgia, we talked nearly every day. He believes in me and trusts me and I love Coach P”.

#According to Pritchett, Armbrister’s responsibilities will include coaching, player development and recruitment.

#“We are thrilled to have Shanea join our coaching staff. She is going to be able to connect really well with our student athletes and I am looking forward to watching her develop our players, especially our guards,” said Pritchett. “She has an outgoing and engaging personality, and I am confident that her unique ability to connect with individuals of all ages will bring a new energy to our efforts on the recruiting trail. Shanea holds a personal place in my heart, I feel like she is a part of my family. This will be a great opportunity for her.”

#The Lady Tigers compete in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association, the same conference where Armbrister received her start to her junior college career as a player with the Darton College Cavaliers.

#In her freshman season, she immediately became of the most dynamic freshmen in the NJCAA. The 6’2” wing was named a third-team All-American Association after she averaged 18.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. Nationally, Armbrister ranked No. 23 in scoring average and No. 9 in free throw percentage (84.4). As a sophomore she averaged 26.9 points per game for the season, shooting 59 per cent from the field and 87 per cent from the free throw line. She also averaged 7.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

#Armbrister then progressed to the NCAA Division I level with the University of Georgia Lady Bulldogs in the Southeastern Conference.

#As a junior, she played in 21 games for the Bulldogs. After battling through a torn meniscus in the early part of the year she hit 45 per cent from three-point range, the best average on the team for players with 10 or more attempts. Over the season she averaged 2.2 points and one rebound per game.

#Her numbers improved last year as a senior when she received 16 starts and upped her averages across the board to 6.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in 31 appearances. Her senior season was highlighted by the Bulldogs’ appearance at the locally hosted Junkanoo Jam, which gave Armbrister an opportunity to compete at home.

#For Team Bahamas on the international scene, Armbrister led the Bahamas to the Caribbean Basketball Championship 2015 title. It marked the third time that the Bahamas has won the title, but the first time since the organisers changed it from CARICOM to the CBC.

#Armbrister was named the championship game’s most valuable player after she led the Bahamas with a game-high 16 points, seven rebounds, four steals and one blocked shot in the 55-51 win over defending champions Jamaica.

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Jaron Cornish

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#AN NCAA Division I programme will be the next step in the progression of the basketball career of Jaron Cornish.

#Cornish will debut for the Stony Brook Seawolves this fall as a junior college transfer, highlighting the programme’s 2017 recruiting class.

#“We are very excited to add Jaron to our basketball family,” said Seawolves head coach Jeff Boals. “He is a great addition to our team and the Stony Brook community. He will add great depth to our guard spot after graduating three starters from this year’s team.”

#Cornish transfers to Stony Brook after completing two NJCAA seasons with the Broward College Seahawks in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

#As a sophomore, he averaged 18.7 points and 4.5 assists per game on 42 percent from three point range. While leading his team in nearly every offensive category, Cornish was also one of the top players in the NJCAA and ranked in the top 50 Division I JUCO players in the nation in free throws made, made free throws per game, total points, steals and points per game. Cornish tallied 11 20-plus point games last season.

#Seahawks head coach Bob Starkman said Stony Brook is getting a great player: “He is one of the nicest, hardest working players I’ve ever coached. He has done everything I’ve asked and it has paid off for him.”

#During his Seahawk career, Cornish produced 800 points, 199 rebounds, 216 assists, 118 steals and 37 blocks. This year, Cornish started 30 of 31 games played and led the Seahawks in field goals (187), field goal attempts (408), three-pointers (60), three-point attempts (143), three-point percentage (42.0), points (581), assists (139) and steals (61). In the NJCAA Division 1 statistics, Cornish finished 21st in free throws (147), 26th in free throws per game (4.7), 40th in points, 46th in steals and 50th in points per game (18.7). Cornish finished second in the NJCAA Region 8 statistics in free throws per game (4.7), fifth in free throws, fifth in points, sixth in points per game, sixth in field goals, sixth in steals, seventh in steals per game (2.0), 10th in assists, 11th in field goals per game (6.0), 12th in three-point field goal percentage, 13th in assists per game (4.5), 18th in three-pointers, 21st in three-pointers per game (1.9), 26th in blocks (22), 33rd in blocks per game (0.7), 35th in free throw percentage (69.7), 37th in games played and 50th in field goal percentage (45.8). As a freshman, Cornish was selected to the Southern Conference All-Academic team. He started 10 of 31 games played, contributing 219 points, 83 rebounds, 77 assists, 57 steals and 15 blocks. Cornish finished fifth in the NJCAA Region 8 statistics in steals, eighth in steals per game (1.8), 27th in games played, 33rd in assists, 34th in assists per game (2.5), 41st in blocks and 47th in blocks per game (0.5). Cornish capped his career by being named first team All-Southern Conference. His contributions helped the Seahawks win the 2017 Southern Conference Tournament and advanced to the FCSAA/NJCAA Region 8 Tournament for the first time since 2011.

#Cornish a native of Abaco, rose to national prominence with head coach Wayne Adderley’s Agape teams which reached a Hugh Campbell Final Four for the first time in school history in 2013.

#From there, he spent his final two years of high school at Champagnat Catholic High School in Hialeah, Florida. Alongside fellow Bahamians Nashad Mackey and Oswald Parker, he helped lead the Lions to statewide recognition.

#Cornish averaged 17.5 points, six assists and five rebounds per game as a senior as the Lions finished the season at 26-2 and lost in the Regional Semi-finals of the Florida High School Boys FHSAA basketball tournament.

#He was also named to the Miami Herald’s All-Dade first-team.

#Stony Brook finished the 2017 season with an 18-14 record and in the post season, lost in the opening round of the CBI. In 2016, they reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.