Home|Sports|Swim nationals set to get underwaySports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 7, 2022 131 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas Aquatics Federation is all set to host its 50th national swimming championships today through Sunday at the Betty Kelly-Kenning National Swim Complex.

Action gets underway today at 9 a.m. and will feature the 800 and 1500 meters (m) freestyle finals, and the 50m backstroke and the 100m butterfly preliminaries. The evening session will get underway at 6 p.m.

There are 600 athletes who will be in action. Cayman Islands athletes are also expected to compete along with a team from South Florida.

The meet will be held in honor of the late John Bradley who passed away in August 2021 in Grand Bahama. He was a former athlete and later became a long-standing executive in the federation. He was instrumental in the production of the results of local meets.

President of Bahamas Aquatics Algernon Cargill said they expect a good showing.

“This is a milestone for hosting as we celebrate our 50th nationals. We are progressing, and it tells us that we are going in the right direction. Things are shaping up and the team is excited, and we feel that although we do not have a title sponsor for the meet, we will hold a successful national championships,” Cargill said.

The meet will feature local standout swimmers such as Lamar Taylor, DaVante Carey, Lilly Higgs and Izaak Bastian, just to name a few.

The championships will serve as an

official qualifier for upcoming FINA (International Swimming Federation) meets such as the 2022 FINA World Swimming Championships (25m), and the 2023 World Aquatics Championships (50m).

After last year’s edition, there weren’t any spectators due to stipulations brought on by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The federation is welcoming back spectators this year.

“This meet will be exciting not just because of the preparation for the Commonwealth Games and the world junior championships, it is also exciting because we have so many young people who are the future of our federation competing at nationals and at a high level. We have an outstanding team in the eight-and-under categories and they will bring the crowd to the stadium. It will one of the largest championships in years,” Cargill stated.

As COVID-19 is still around, Cargill said that the federation is taking the necessary precautions with their protocols that includes all patrons presenting a negative COVID-19 test result.

“The Bahamas Aquatics Federation will have very stringent protocols in place. Unlike some of the other public events going on, everyone who is attending the nationals must provide a COVID negative test result. We want to ensure that people will sit in the stands and have fun. The athletes are competing in a very safe environment. Everyone has to do it – from me down to the swimmers,” said Cargill.

There will also be testing on site, said Cargill.

This will be the first nationals in quite some time that will be held without the assistance of Bradley. Cargill said that he will be missed.

“Having this meet without John is very sad for us. He has done an excellent job working for the federation. I am very happy to host the 50th championship in his honor. It was difficult to get it done without him, but the team has pulled together and we feel that although he will not be there in physical presence, he will lead us in spirit and will certainly provide us the guidance we need to have a very successful meet.”

Mako Aquatics Club, with Head Coach Travano McPhee leading the charge, is going after a fourth straight title. They won the 2018, 2019 and 2021 editions. There was no nationals in 2020 due to the threat of COVID. Cargill said that he and his executives are neutral and do not have a horse in the race. Mako understandably has a target on its back as clubs such as Barracuda, the YMCA WaveRunners and Alpha Aquatics are looking to end the streak.

https://thenassauguardian.com/swim-nationals-set-to-get-underway/

BUDDY BUCKETS: The Bahamas senior men’s national basketball team completed a sweep over the US Virgin Islands and advanced to the second round of FIBA World Cup 2023 Americas Qualifiers. Chavano “Buddy” Hield (7) led six Bahamian players in double figures en route to a dominant 97-80 win over the US Virgin Islands at the Sport and Fitness Center in St Thomas, Virgin Islands, on Friday, July 1.

As of Monday, July 4, 2022

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#THE Bahamas senior men’s national basketball team completed a sweep over the US Virgin Islands and advanced to the second round of FIBA World Cup 2023 Americas Qualifiers.

#Chavano “Buddy” Hield led six Bahamian players in double figures en route to a dominant 97-80 win over the US Virgin Islands on July 1 at the Sport and Fitness Center in St Thomas, Virgin Islands.

#The Indiana Pacers guard finished with 24 points, five rebounds, five assists and shot 5-11 from three-point range.

#Kentwan Smith finished with 17 points off the bench, Franco Miller Jr had 16 points and five assists, Mychel Thompson had 13 points, Rashad Davis scored 12 and Travis Munnings finished with 10.

CHAVANO “Buddy” Hield led six Bahamian players in double figures en route to a dominant 97-80 win over the US Virgin Islands at the Sport and Fitness Center in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, on July 1.

#The 97 points scored by The Bahamas were their most ever in a World Cup qualifying game.

#Hot shooting from beyond the arc and a defensive effort that dominated the turnover battle was ultimately the deciding factor, despite the USVI advantage on the boards.

#Team Bahamas shot 16-40 from three-point range and had more makes than the USVI’s total number of attempts. Five players had multiple three-point makes, including Hield (5-11), Smith (3-6), Thompson (3-5), Munnings (2-5) and Davis (2-4).

#Bahamas also took advantage of 20 turnovers by the Virgin Islands and turned them into 26 points.

#Thompson got the team out to a fast start with nine points in the first quarter. Both teams were eventually tied at 24 at the end of the first period.

#Miller took control in the second quarter as the team surged ahead for good. His acrobatic save led to a Smith three and Miller made a three of his own to give the team its first double figure lead of the afternoon 44-34 at the 2:41 mark in the half.

#They went on to outscore USVI 28-15 in the period while Miller led all scorers at the half with 12 points.

#The Bahamas extended its lead to as much as 23 in the second half highlighted by a third quarter sequence where Smith and Davis combined for three consecutive three pointers on three straight possessions.

#The Virgin Islands were led by Walter Hodge with 18 points while Georgio Milligan posted a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

#Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario K. Bowleg, the immediate past president of the Bahamas Basketball Federation, expressed how the World Cup Americas Qualifiers takes The Bahamas to the world and provides talented athletes with exposure and a chance to get to the Olympics.

#“Basketball in The Bahamas has grown over the years and now we know what is needed in terms of coaching. That is why we are so grateful to have additional coaches to our team, including coach Yolett, Chris Demarco as head coach and coach Mikhail McLean. I fully support the work of the federation, its teams and coaches. One day, I will get to see our basketball team at the Olympics and have my dream come to pass.” he said. “On this day of National Pride, I ask every Bahamian to join me in celebrating tonight’s feat. This critical win gives Team Bahamas momentum heading into Monday night’s game, which will be played right here at home, against the Dominican Republic. I encourage all Bahamians to come out and cheer on our men’s national team.”

#The Bahamas closes out the current window with tonight’s matchup against the Dominican Republic, hosted at the Baha Mar resort at 7pm.

#Team Bahamas was drawn into Group C alongside Canada, The Dominican Republic, and The US Virgin Islands.

#Canada leads the group at 5-0, The Dominican Republic is 3-2, The Bahamas is 2-3 and the USVI are eliminated at 0-5.

#In November’s first window, The Bahamas suffered a 115-73 loss to Canada in the first game of a back-to-back in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

#Canada took a decisive 113-77 win in the second game.

#Team Bahamas split the pair of games in the second window in February. They won 86-76 over the US Virgin Islands and lost 90-65 to The Dominican Republic at the Palacio de los Deportes in the Dominican Republic.

#Sixteen teams are competing in the Americas region, vying for seven spots.

#The top three teams from each group will qualify for the second round of qualifiers.

#In the second round, the 12 teams that qualified will be divided into two groups of six.

#Subsequently, the three best teams from each group, and the fourth-placed team, will qualify for the World Cup.

DREAM Again Basketball Camp instructors and campers pose above. Photos by Alecia Thompson

As of Tuesday, July 5, 2022

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CAMP director JR Cadot, left, reunites with American Randy Shepherd at the Dream Again Basketball Camp.

AMERICAN Randy Shepherd addresses campers at the Dream Again Basketball Camp.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#CAMP director JR Cadot said when his NEXT Basketball organisation decided to put on their inaugural Dream Again Basketball Camp, he knew it would be an extraordinary camp.

#The camp, which got started on June 27 at the Remnant Tabernacle of Praise auditorium, shifted into another gear with the participation of American Randy Shepherd yesterday.

#Shepherd, a former professional travelling team-mate of Cadot on the international basketball circuit, took the opportunity to address the campers on the importance of putting their faith and trust in God.

#Shepherd, a founder of CrossFire, an organisation known for sharing Jesus through different ministries, was invited by Cadot to be a part of the camp.

#“I’m just so blessed to be here and I’m so proud of JR for putting on his first camp,” Shepherd said.

#“We’ve had the chance to travel around the world, but I’m getting older, so it’s so good to be able to sow into young men like him and they can carry on the Gospel of Jesus through this silly game of basketball.”

#Although he has benefitted tremendously from the game, Shepherd said to him, it’s a “silly game” compared to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that is why he is so devoted to the cause.

#“I told them basketball will fail them one day,” he said.

#“There are 500,000 high school basketball players in the United States of American, but only 42,000 will get a basketball scholarship. “So, we want to incorporate the importance of knowing the word of God because they will have something to fall back on when basketball has failed them because one day, they won’t get to play this game again.”

#For its initial year, Cadot said he’s been pleased with the turnout.

#“We thank God for the campers who have showed up,” Cadot said.

#“We intend to give them the opportunity to listen to some professionals in all aspects of life, but especially from the Christian perspective because we believe that there is more to life than playing basketball.

#“We want to teach them about life skills,” Cadot said.

#“So, we will be focusing on their fundamentals and teaching them the important aspects of life.”

#Having reunited with Shepherd, who hails out of North Carolina, Cadot said he remembers how they travelled through Asia sharing the gospel.

#While Shepherd arrived here on Saturday, Cadot said he was glad to get him in before he moves around to the other camps before he departs on Friday.

#Since the camp got started, Grand Bahamian pro basketball player Willis Mackey Jr has been assisting Cadot and he said he has been impressed by what he’s seen.

#“I’m just glad to be able to come in here and help Cadot to guide these youngsters because I’ve learned a lot from playing overseas and this is a good opportunity to share my experience,” Mackey Jr said.

#“I have had a chance to see Randy Shepherd in action and I’m so glad that he came here to impart some of his knowledge to the campers.

#“I’m also learning as he goes along because there is some stuff that I could use in teaching the youngsters not just in this camp, but any other that I get the opportunity to participate in.”

#At least three of the campers interviewed were thrilled by what they got out of the camp so far.

#Delmaro Deal, a 14-year-old student at St Augustine’s College, said Cadot is a very good coach and he’s willing to get some experience from him. “I’ve learned how to play defence and work on my ball-handling and shooting the basketball,” Deal said.

#“I also thought the presentation today was very good. It’s something that I can add to when I’m playing basketball.”

#Achim Colebrooke, a 12-year-old student of Kingsway Academy who will be transferring to St Andrew’s School, said the camp has been very educational for him.

#“I want to choose basketball as my sport (to participate in) and try to become good at it,” said Colebrooke, who also plays soccer and tennis. “It’s fun and I am learning a lot of things about basketball.

#“Plus, the gentleman (Shepherd) told us that if we believe in God, we can do anything.”

#Ian Mills, a nine-year-old student of St Andrew’s School, said he decided to join the camp to better his basketball skills.

#“I’ve learned dribbling and exercise techniques,” Mills said. “I also liked how the gentleman told the student about God. It was very good.”

#Cadot, the camp administrator, said the numbers have been quite impressive so far for the camp.

#“A lot of parents come here and say they can’t afford to have their son sitting home playing video games, so they register them,” said Thompson, a student at Velencia College in Orlando, Florida where she is studying bio-medical science.

#“So, this is a good location for the camp.”

#Cadot said at the end of the camp on July 15, they hope that they can continue the process of developing the “future leaders” of the country.

#“We wanted to put this camp on to inspire, encourage and to build the self-esteem and a strong faith in God in these youngers,” he said.

#“We had one of our sponsors come in earlier and said that if we are not investing in our kids, we are not investing in our future, and this is our future. If you give a child a fish, he will eat today, but if you teach a child to fish, he will eat for a lifetime.”

FORMER bodybuilders from Grand Bahama were honoured by BBFF president Joel Stubbs over the weekend.

As of Tuesday, July 5, 2022

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SHOWN, from left to right, are Antonique Curtis, Cara Saunders and Denica Thompson.

JOEL STUBBS, president of Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation, congratulates men’s super heavyweight champion Orick Nesbitt (right).

ORICK NESBITT, Northern Bahamas bodybuilding champion.

DANIELLE Rollins

ANDREW SWEETING, the Northern Bahamas bodybuilding runner-up.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#BAHAMAS Bodybuilding Federation President Joel Stubbs said he was delighted to see the return of the Northern Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships to Grand Bahama.

#The event was held over the weekend at the Grand Lucayan Hotel where Orick Nesbitt emerged as the overall male champion and Sanadia Smith took the spotlight on the female side.

#Nesbitt, the super heavyweight champion, won the overall title over middleweight champion Andrew Sweeting. They also finished in that same order in the men’s classic physique category. Smith captured both the women’s figure and Fit-Model titles.

#“It was a new beginning for the athletes from Grand Bahama and persons who wanted to improve on their fitness dream, goals and talents,” said Stubbs, a former international competitor representing the Bahamas.

#“We were able to bring that back to Grand Bahama and we’re looking forward to next year being even more extravagant with fierce competition.”

#Stubbs said he was also encouraged by many of the bodybuilders in Grand Bahama, who didn’t participate in the show over the weekend, who have expressed their interest in making their return next year as the country celebrates its 50th Independence. “In the past, the Northern Bahamas Championships has always been a fierce competition between the New Providence and Grand Bahama bodybuilders,” Stubbs said. “So, we’re hoping to get it back there for the audience in Grand Bahama to see.”

#During the show, Stubbs said the federation was able to present awards to the following pioneers of the sport from Grand Bahama: Philip Kemp, Samuel ‘Zulu’ Williams, Wendy Willis, Baldwin Darling, Dwight Palacious, Jenny and Ray Whylly, Charmaine McNabb, Jan Johnson, Petra Brice and Henry Cooper.

#Stubbs said the federation is now preparing to stage its National Championships on Saturday, July 16 at the Atlantis Theatre on Paradise Island, starting at 7pm. Following the championships, the federation will select the national team to represent the Bahamas at the Central American and Caribbean Bodybuilding Championships, scheduled for July 27 to August 1 in Bridgetown, Barbados.

#• Here’s a look at the winners in the various categories of the Northern Bahamas Championships:

#Men’s Bodybuilding

#Andrew Sweeting –

#Middleweight – 1st Place

#Orick Nesbitt – Super

#Heavyweight – 1st Place

#Men’s Bodybuilding

#Overall – Orick Nesbitt

#Women’s Figure –

#Sanadia Smith – 1st Place

#Women’s Fit-Model –

#Sanadia Smith – 1st Place

#Men’s Fit-Model –

#Alexander Kemp –

#1st Place

#Women’s Wellness – Cara Saunders – 1st Place; Altonmique Curtis – 2nd Place; Dedicated Thompson – 3rd Place

#Women’s Bikini – Kastachia Staurt – 1st Place; Brittany Davis – 2nd Place; Danielle Rollins – 3rd Place.

#Men’s Classic Physique – Orick Nesbitt – 1st Place; Andrew Sweeting – 2nd Place.

#Men’s Physique – Terrion Kemp – 1st Place; Frederick Greene – 2nd Place – Zak Bain – 3rd Place.

As of Tuesday, July 5, 2022

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NASHAD Mackey

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#NASHAD Mackey continues to progress in the coaching ranks and was appointed to a new post at his alma mater.

#The former national team standout was named the assistant men’s basketball coach for the Daytona State Falcons.

#He joins head coach Joey Cantens’ staff that led the Falcons to a 13-19 record last season in NJCAA Division I – Region Eight play.

#Mackey spent the last two years as a graduate assistant for the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Eagles under head coach Steve Ridder.

#His staff led the Eagles to a 24-10 record last season and culminated in a berth to the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen.

#He graduated from Daytona State in 2017 after a stellar academic and playing career for the Falcons.

#On the court, he was named a JuCo All-American, the Mid-Florida Conference Player of the Year, First Team All-State and DSC Basketball’s Student Athlete of the Year. He was also named a Mid- Florida Conference Scholar Athlete, DSC Dean’s List honouree and DSC President’s List award winner.

#In his freshman season with the Falcons, he averaged 9.8 points and 10.1 rebounds per game while shooting 47 per cent from the field and 26 per cent from three-point range.

#As a sophomore, he improved his numbers across the board to average 15.3 points and 12.3 rebounds per game on 52 percent shooting from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line.

#Mackey earned his associate of arts degree with honours from Daytona State College in 2017.

#He matriculated to the Eagles as a player where he concluded his collegiate basketball playing career as one of the programme’s all-time leaders.

#In his two-year run with the Eagles, he was a two-time Sunshine State Conference All-Conference performer.

#He registered 39 double-doubles in 50 career games in an Eagle uniform, averaging 17.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 blocks per game. The only Eagle to average a double-double for his Embry-Riddle career.

#Mackey’s scoring average ranks fourth all-time in Eagle history, while his 12.2 boards per outing is easily the top mark in 31 seasons of ERAU basketball.

#His career totals also include second all-time in free throw percentage (.870) and eighth in blocked shot average (1.1).

#His name is listed six times on the single season record book, including the top spot in both rebounds (350 in 2017- 2018) and rebounding average (12.5 rpg in 2017-2018) and second on the all-time free throw percentage (.870).

#At ERAU he received his bachelor of science degree in human factors psychology in 2019 and a master of science in leadership degree in 2022.

#At the senior men’s national team level, Mackey was a member of Team Bahamas at the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games and the 2020 and 2022 FIBA Americup Qualifiers.

#He and his wife Simone have two children, Noah and Malayah.

SENIOR MEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL TEAM IN FIBA WORLD CUP 2023 AMERICAS QUALIFIERS

DANRAD KNOWLES, of the Bahamas, dunks last night against the Dominican Republic during the FIBA World Cup 2023 Americas Qualifiers at the Baha Mar resort in Cable Beach.

As of Tuesday, July 5, 2022

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CHAVANO “Buddy” Hield put on a show playing in front of the home crowd for the first time as a pro last night. A fourth quarter rally from Team Bahamas fell just short as they lost the final game in the third window of FIBA World Cup 2023 Americas Qualifying opening round. Hield scored a game high 29 points.

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#Chavano “Buddy” Hield put on a show playing in front of the home crowd for the first time as a pro, but a fourth quarter rally from Team Bahamas fell just short as they lost the final game in the third window of FIBA World Cup 2023 Americas Qualifying opening round play.

#Hield scored a game high 29 points on 11-16 shooting from the field (6-11 from three), but the Dominican Republic held on for an 88-80 win last night at the Baha Mar Convention Centre.

#Hield also added a game high eight assists and five rebounds to lead The Bahamas in both categories.

#Travis Munnings scored 14, Danrad Knowles added 12 points off the bench and Franco Miller Jr scored nine. “It was beautiful, it was fun,” Hield said of his first experience at home playing as a member of the national team. “Seeing the crowd there, hearing the horns, the cowbells, people shouting. When we hit a three it sounded like a dunk effect so the energy they brought was amazing.”

#The Bahamas made its first three three pointers of the game, two from Hield and one from Mychel Thompson, to take an early lead but the visitors went on an early 12-0 run to take a 22-11 advantage.

#The DR took a 26-17 lead into the second and led by as much as 15 before Hield scored seven straight to make the score 36-28. Munnings missed a pair of free throws that could have cut the lead to six, but Victor Liz responded with six points of his own to swing the momentum back in favour of the visitors.

#Gelvis Solano followed with a three at the buzzer to give the DR a 46-33 headed into the half. Hield had 21 of his 19 points at the half but, to that point, no other player on the Bahmian roster scored more than five. The Bahamas had its biggest scoring run late in the fourth when Miller made a pair of threes and Hield’s assist to Knowles for a reverse layup made the score 83-74 before the DR was able to seal it late with free throws.

#The visitors had a 43-30 rebounding advantage and shot 63 percent from the field on the night. “Everything is a building process with this team. Coach [Chris] Demarco and his staff have done a tremendous job. Where we came from to now, making it to the second round of the qualifiers – we’ve never done that in Bahamian history so hats off to his staff and to the guys that got that first win over USVI that we needed to get, that was really big,” Hield said.

#“We wanted to win this one in The Bahamas, but it was fun and we qualified. I think the Bahamian people see the progress we have been making, we have some guys that will join us eventually but we are looking forward to August, getting better, and coming back for another homestand here.”

#The Bahamas will take on Venezuela on August 25 in the second round of FIBA World Cup 2023 Americas Qualifiers and will follow with a matchup against Argentina on August 29. In the second window, they are set to take on Panama on November 10, followed by the second matchup against Argentina on November 13. The third and final window will feature the second matchups against Venezuela (February 24, 2023) and Panama (February 24, 2023).

#“There’s a lot of excitement around here for basketball in The Bahamas,” Hield said.

#“Everyone has seen the growth, they have seen the draft picks, young guys are making strides and I’m glad the Bahamian people showed up. We just want you guys to come out again in August, continue to support us and we will do our best to get a win.”

#Victor Liz led the Dominican Republic with 26 points, Angel Delgado scored 17 and Eddy Polanco finished with a double double – 15 points and 11 rebounds.

#Demarco highlighted Hield’s leadership qualities that were on display during the third window, both on and off the court.

#“When your star player is as selfless as he is and as great a person as he is, that’s what wins games and that’s what wins championships. Everyone else follows that lead,” Demarco said.

#“I’ve been lucky enough to have been around some championship-type players with that same type of personality and way about them – Buddy is definitely that.

#“As a national team, we can’t go out and try to find that player, try to sign that player, so for us to have that in him is a lucky thing, it’s incredible.”

#The Bahamas completed a sweep over the US Virgin Islands to finish as a top three team in the group and advance to the second round. Canada finished as the leader of the group at 6-0, The Dominican Republic 4-2, The Bahamas 2-4 and the USVI eliminated with 0-6.

#“Over the four years I’ve been a part of this programme, we’ve tried to find guys that can be effective and learn the system, try to find high IQ players to learn the way we want to play,” Demarco said.

#“I do think we’re headed in the right direction that really understands what we have to do to try and win games.”

 Home|Sports|World Cup qualifiers continue tonightSports

The Bahamas set to play the USVI; game against the DR to be held Monday

Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 1, 2022 461 5 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas Basketball Federation (BBF) has ratified a 14-member team to play against the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) and the Dominican Republic (DR) in the third window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Americas Qualifiers, today and Monday. The announcement came at a press conference held at the Baha Mar Convention Center yesterday.

Team Bahamas is currently in St. Thomas, USVI, for a matchup at the UVI (University of the Virgin Islands) Sports and Fitness Center at 7 p.m. tonight. The game against the Dominican Republic will be played at the Baha Mar Convention Center on Monday at 7 p.m.

The team is headlined by Indiana Pacers’ shooting guard Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield and it also includes Deyton Albury, Jaron Cornish, Joshua Dames, Radshad Davis, Shaquillo Fritz, Franco Miller, Travis Munnings, David Nesbitt, Kentwan Smith, Mychel Thompson, Danrad Knowles, Zane Knowles and Dominic Bridgewater.

Knowles, Thompson, Munnings and Davis are the only players on the team who played in the last window.

The Head Coach of the team is Golden State Warriors’ Assistant Coach Chris Demarco. He will be assisted by University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Women’s Basketball Head Coach Yolett ‘Coach Yo’ McPhee-McCuin, Mikhail McLean and Steve Barnes. The director of basketball operations for the team is Lynden ‘LJ’ Rose Jr. The head of delegation is Rodney Wilson. Eugena Patton and Alicia Greene are the athletic trainers. John Marc-Nutt is the public relations officer.

The Bahamas is currently sitting in third place in Group C of this round of the qualifiers. Leading the group is Canada with a perfect 4-0 win/loss record. The Dominican Republic is second with a 3-1 record. The Bahamas has a 1-3 record for third and the USVI has a winless 0-4 record for fourth. Just the top three teams will advance to the next round of qualifiers.

McPhee-McCuin, the first female to sit on the senior men’s coaching staff, was with the team during their training camp in Miami, Florida. She said she is happy with the work that the players and staff have done to ensure the team is ready to play.

“A lot of sacrifices have been made by these young men, coaches and support staff. We are appreciative for everybody who contributed,” she said. “This is a pivotal moment for Bahamas basketball as we move forward. Track and field is our national flag bearer but there are enough talented players in the men’s program who could propel the sport. Although we do not have all of our pro players, we have a very good group of guys who have been working hard and giving everything that they have for The Bahamas. I am grateful to be a part of it.”

Hield said he is happy for the opportunity to play at home as it is not something he and his teammates get to do often.

“Playing at home is a great opportunity not just for the BBF but for the guys who are not able to play in front of the Bahamian crowd because we play in the United States of America and overseas,” he said. “It is a great experience because as a kid you always want to give back to your country and playing in front of the fans is something that we all cherish. Hopefully, we could go out there and get a win.”

Moses Johnson usually assists Demarco in the summer months, but did not travel with the team this time. He is still intricately involved with the team.

“We have a diverse and a talented team which is interchangeable,” Johnson said. “In the halfcourt set, we are going to spread the offense. I think we are a great shooting team. Once we are able to knock down shots, we will be fine. In the halfcourt, we will spread them out and use advantages on key possessions. On the defensive end, there is a lot of continuity. I had a chance to see the guys practice and they look very well. They are well connected and are communicating. They are at a high level defensively.”

Johnson also spoke about the collegiate players on the team – Miller, Albury and Dames – and about them having an opportunity to be around experienced and high-level basketball minds.

“This is a great opportunity for them because they have been ecstatic from day one when they landed in training camp. They get to rub shoulders with Hield and the other pros, so it is a great experience for them. It enhances their learning curve, and it also gives them something to look up to. They can now forge relationships that they can use during their seasons and have guys they can call on for advice. It is good for them and for the program, as young people, to be able to contribute,” Johnson said.

The Bahamas will play this window without Phoenix Suns’ center DeAndre Ayton and the Charlotte Hornets’ Kai Jones – the other two Bahamian players in the National Basketball Association (NBA) along with Hield. Ayton is dealing with his contract, trying to get a max deal, and Jones has to report for the NBA Summer League for the Hornets. Johnson knows that having them would have been huge for the team, but they have to move forward with what they have, he said, adding that he is sure that they will have positive results.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg, former senior men’s head coach and BBF President, is optimistic about the team’s chances of qualifying for the FIBA World Cup 2023.

“I am here to give my support to the BBF and its request for the senior men to represent the country in the world cup qualifiers. I am expecting them to do good. They have one win so far and need one more to cross the finish line for the first time in history of this country – qualify for the next round of the world cup qualifiers. It will be so timely as we are about to celebrate our 50th anniversary as an independent nation.”

Oaktree Medical Center and Baha Mar were on hand to speak about their partnership with the BBF. Senior Vice President at Baha Mar Robert ‘Sandy’ Sands said that sports tourism is vital to the hotel business and they will be ready to host the game on Monday.

“When the minister called less than 10 days ago to make this happen, we jumped through the proverbial hoops to make this event and venue available. I am happy to say that it will be in a world-class condition. Sports tourism is an integral part of the marketing affairs here at Baha Mar and will continue to propel The Bahamas as a leading sporting destination. We look forward to a very successful basketball game,” said Sands.

Oaktree is a major sponsor and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kristi Deveaux spoke about their commitment to sports.

“Being a former junior national team player, when the invitation was extended to Oaktree to sponsor and support the BBF, we said yes. We said that this is the fitting thing to do. We strongly support sports because we know first-hand the transformative power it has to change lives and build communities. We stand with the government of The Bahamas, NGOs and Corporate Bahamas to support men and women making a difference in our country,” said Deveaux.

Hield thanked the partnership of Baha Mar and Oaktree for being corporate partners with the BBF.

“It is big. Thanks to Baha Mar for hosting this event. We appreciate you and moving forward as things get better throughout The Bahamas, we can host events and come together as one and make The Bahamas a sports country,” Hield said.

BBF President Eugene Horton is delighted for the support they received for the games.

“We are grateful for the support from everyone for coming together for these games. Having McPhee-McCuin with us, one of the top Bahamian coaches in the U.S., speaks to the power of women in sports. We are also thankful to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and also the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation for their support,” said Horton.

The BBF is looking forward to a full house on Monday. Tickets for the game are available for $30 each through the website www.bbfbasketball.com and at the door.

https://thenassauguardian.com/world-cup-qualifiers-continue-tonight/

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJuly 4, 2022 146 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The 34th edition of the Jeff Rodgers Basketball Camp will get underway today on the outside basketball courts of the Kendal G.L. Isaacs National Gymnasium.

Camp organizer Jeff Rodgers said that he is excited to launch the camp for a 34th year.

“I am happy for the parents who have a lot of faith and confidence in me to trust me with their children for four weeks, so I am just excited about that and our corporate sponsors. This is going to be a great camp this year and I am looking forward to it. Everyone was locked down for a few years,” Rodgers stated.

The four-week camp will wrap up on July 29. It is open for boys and girls from ages five to 18 and runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekdays. The highlight of the camp is the interaction between National Basketball Association (NBA) and former NBA players and the campers on July 28 on what is dubbed “Family Night”.

Some of the players making the trek to The Bahamas are Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, and Brooklyn Nets players Kyrie Irving and James Johnson. On the retired players list are Tyrone ‘Muggsy’ Bogues, Shelvin Mack and Bahamian and former No. 1 overall draft pick Mychal ‘Sweet Bells’ Thompson.

“We do not use the professional players to tell the campers to be an NBA player. We use them to encourage them and share their information about what it takes for them to become a professional. So, we talk about the basic stuff like staying in school, how to conduct yourself and how to stay out of trouble. We use that part of the camp and if you become a professional, then so be it. The main focus is to educate and teach them how to be disciplined,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers is looking forward to ‘Family Night’ which will be held at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. On that night, the campers will get to show what they learned, then the exhibition game between the local players, camp instructors and the professional players will take place.

“I personally believe that everybody has a calling in life to give something back,” Rodgers said. “This is a way to give back to the community, making my sacrifice by taking my vacation time to work with the young people by keeping them busy for four weeks. We share information with them and invite other professionals from the community to come and spend time with them. It is a calling and, for me, I accepted my calling,” said Rodgers.

The camp is sponsored by South Bahamas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Church; the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture; the Royal Bank of Canada; Scotiabank Bahamas Ltd.; Bamboo Shack; Baha Mar; J.S. Johnson Insurance Ltd.; Bahamas First and Jewels Party Supply.

Jeff Rodgers camp gets underway today 

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJuly 4, 2022 146 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The 34th edition of the Jeff Rodgers Basketball Camp will get underway today on the outside basketball courts of the Kendal G.L. Isaacs National Gymnasium.

Camp organizer Jeff Rodgers said that he is excited to launch the camp for a 34th year.

“I am happy for the parents who have a lot of faith and confidence in me to trust me with their children for four weeks, so I am just excited about that and our corporate sponsors. This is going to be a great camp this year and I am looking forward to it. Everyone was locked down for a few years,” Rodgers stated.

The four-week camp will wrap up on July 29. It is open for boys and girls from ages five to 18 and runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekdays. The highlight of the camp is the interaction between National Basketball Association (NBA) and former NBA players and the campers on July 28 on what is dubbed “Family Night”.

Some of the players making the trek to The Bahamas are Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, and Brooklyn Nets players Kyrie Irving and James Johnson. On the retired players list are Tyrone ‘Muggsy’ Bogues, Shelvin Mack and Bahamian and former No. 1 overall draft pick Mychal ‘Sweet Bells’ Thompson.

“We do not use the professional players to tell the campers to be an NBA player. We use them to encourage them and share their information about what it takes for them to become a professional. So, we talk about the basic stuff like staying in school, how to conduct yourself and how to stay out of trouble. We use that part of the camp and if you become a professional, then so be it. The main focus is to educate and teach them how to be disciplined,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers is looking forward to ‘Family Night’ which will be held at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. On that night, the campers will get to show what they learned, then the exhibition game between the local players, camp instructors and the professional players will take place.

“I personally believe that everybody has a calling in life to give something back,” Rodgers said. “This is a way to give back to the community, making my sacrifice by taking my vacation time to work with the young people by keeping them busy for four weeks. We share information with them and invite other professionals from the community to come and spend time with them. It is a calling and, for me, I accepted my calling,” said Rodgers.

The camp is sponsored by South Bahamas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Church; the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture; the Royal Bank of Canada; Scotiabank Bahamas Ltd.; Bamboo Shack; Baha Mar; J.S. Johnson Insurance Ltd.; Bahamas First and Jewels Party Supply.

 Home|Sports|The Bahamas finishes fourth at CAJGCSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 4, 2022 295 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas’ junior golf team ended up with a fourth-place finish overall at the 34th Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships (CAJGC) after three rounds of golf at the Palm Course at the Palmas Athletic Club in Humacao, Puerto Rico. Action wrapped up on Thursday afternoon.

The Bahamas came into the third and final round in fourth place with 69 points and finished with 107 points after the third round. Winning the tournament was the host country Puerto Rico with 168 points. The Dominican Republic (DR) finished second with 119 points, narrowly edging Jamaica who scored 117 to place third.

There were some high individual performances from Team Bahamas, coming from players Aidan Gorospe, Kerrington Rolle and Heathcliff Kane.

Gorospe finished tied for second in the 13-and-under boys division with a score of 20-over par 233. Puerto Rico’s Evan Peña won that division with a score of 15-over par 228. Rolle was fifth in that division with a score of 31-over par 244.

Gorospe shot 10-over par 81 in the third round, turning in his toughest round of the tournament. After shooting 17-over par 88 in the second round, Rolle dug down deep and tied his first-round score, of seven-over par 78, in the final round.

This was Kane’s last hurrah at the CAJGC tournament. He came away with the Izzy Marley Sportsmanship Award. Kane, who served as team captain, competed in the 18-and-under boys division. He finished sixth overall with a score of 18-over par 231. In the third round, he scored four-over par 75, tying his first-round score.

Bahamian Alexander Dupuch finished tied for 14th in that division with a final score of 31-over par 244. He saved his best round for last as he shot seven-over par 78 in the third and final round.

In the 18-and-under girls division, Tyesha Tynes struggled in the first two rounds and had her best round in the third round. In that final round, she finished 16-over par 87 to end with a final score of 58-over par 271. She ended up in 10th place.

In the 15-and-under boys division, The Bahamas had three competitors – Jackson Mactaggart, Camdyn Forbes and Rhan Miller. Mactaggart finished seventh with a score of 36-over par 249. Forbes was tied for 14th with a score of 62-over par 275. Miller was 17th as he finished 78-over par 291.

Chemari Pratt struggled as she finished ninth in the 15-and-under girls division. She had a final score of 65-over par 281. Rounding out the competitors for The Bahamas was Haley Hall who competed in the 13-and-under girls category. She was sixth out of eight competitors with a score of 58-over par 274.

The coaches of the team were Lemon Gorospe, Georgette Rolle-Harris and Frederick Taylor. The team manager was Gina Gonzalez-Rolle.

https://thenassauguardian.com/the-bahamas-finishes-fourth-at-cajgc/

 Home|Sports|The Bahamas advances in world cup qualifiersSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 4, 2022 357 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield scored a game-high 24 points on National Pride Day in The Bahamas to propel the senior men’s national team to a convincing win on the road, booking their spot in the second round of the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Americas World Cup Qualifiers, with a 97-80 victory over the US Virgin Islands (USVI) on Friday.

Hield led a balanced scoring attack for The Bahamas. Five other Bahamians scored in double digits in an away match-up at the UVI (University of the Virgin Islands) Sports and Fitness Center in St. Thomas, USVI.

Also scoring in double figures were Kentwan Smith (17 points), Franco Miller Jr. (16 points), Mychel Thompson (13 points), Radshad Davis (12 points) and Travis Munnings (10 points). The 97 points were the most ever scored by The Bahamas in a world cup qualifying game.

The Bahamas joins Canada and the Dominican Republic (DR) as the three teams from Group C to advance to the second round. Canada leads the group with a perfect 5-0 win/loss record while the DR sits in second with a 3-2 record. The Bahamas is in third with a 2-3 record. The USVI holds the fourth and final spot in Group C action with a winless 0-5 record and did not advance to the next round.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg congratulated the team for moving one step closer to qualifying for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

“I watched the game with great pride and extend congratulations to the senior men’s national team, which was led by NBA (National Basketball Association) player Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield, Mychel Thompson and Franco Miller,” said Bowleg in a press release.

He encouraged Bahamians to come out and support the team in their game against the DR tonight.

“On this day of national pride, I ask every Bahamian to join me in celebrating tonight’s (Friday) feat. This critical win gives Team Bahamas momentum heading into Monday night’s (tonight) game, which will be played right here at home, against the Dominican Republic. I encourage all Bahamians to come out and cheer on our men’s national team,” Bowleg said.

It was clear that The Bahamas was on a mission against USVI to clinch that spot in the second round as they played with much pace early and had a strong defensive presence throughout. The Bahamas had 14 steals in total with Hield owning five of those steals. The Bahamas had just nine turnovers compared to their counterparts who had a whopping 20 turnovers. The Bahamas scored a jaw-dropping 26 points from those USVI turnovers compared to USVI scoring just three points from The Bahamas’ turnovers.

In the fastbreak points category, The Bahamas had 18 points in the open court compared to USVI’s 13 points. As a team, The Bahamas made 16 three-point shots out of 40 attempts from deep, shooting 40 percent from distance. Hield was responsible for five of those made shots from deep and Thompson made three shots from deep.

The team showed chemistry as they had 33 made shots on 20 assists.

Thompson scored nine of his 13 points in the opening period for The Bahamas. The home team managed to keep the score close early in the game as it was tied at 24 after the first quarter.

After the coaching staff gave the team their feedback at the end of the first quarter, the Bahamian players responded positively as they began to pull away from the home team. Davis gave The Bahamas the lead with 9:28 left in the second quarter and they never looked back.

In the second quarter, Florida Gulf Coast University guard Miller came to life. Miller scored some key buckets and played some stifling defense in that quarter to lead all scorers with 12 points at the half. Miller hit a shot from deep on a pass from Munnings with three minutes left in the first half to give The Bahamas its first double-digit lead, 44-34.

At the end of the first half, The Bahamas led 52-39 and was in control of the game after a 28-15 second quarter advantage.

In the third quarter, The Bahamas built its largest lead of the game, 23 points, leading 75-52 with 3:33 remaining. They got to that margin on an alley-oop layup to Davis from Miller. The Bahamas led 77-62 at the end of the third quarter.

Hield had 16 points at the end of the third quarter. For good measure, he scored eight more points before making his final exit with 56 seconds left in regulation. He made two shots from beyond the arc and made two free throws in the final quarter.

Walter Hodge led the USVI with 18 points.

The Bahamas’ team is back home, preparing to face the DR at the Baha Mar Convention Center tonight. That game gets underway at 7 p.m. The DR is coming off a 95-75 loss to Canada on Friday.

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