Home|Sports|New squash champions crowned at Four WallsSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJuly 5, 2022 170 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

After five days of competition, new champions in five divisions were crowned at the inaugural Four Walls Squash Open Championship that took place last week. Sunday’s finals attracted old and new players, who were all excited to see the rebirth of the fun and competitive sport.

“The competition was a great success based on the level of participation on and off the court, and how much fun everyone had. Squash at Four Walls is recreational, but everyone loves a good competition every once in a while,” said Tournament Director Mike Fields, who was happy to see participation from members and non-members of Four Walls Squash & Social Club.

Winners in the amateur competition received over $2,000 in prizes. They included Ryan Reid (Division A), Andrew Hanna (Division B), Shawn Knowles (Division C), Bianca Lee (Women’s Novice) and Lavelle Symonette (Men’s Novice).

Justin Knowles won the Sportsmanship Award. He joined the club just one month prior to the tournament and had only 

participated in a few lessons.

“Just to get a feel for how other players play squash, I said I might as well enter it and have a bit of fun. It was a very welcoming and enjoyable experience. At no point did I feel pressure to perform beyond my abilities. Everyone was very welcoming and understanding of my skill level and willing to give me tips and pointers while not taking it easy on me, so I could get better. I really fell in love with squash during the tournament,” said Knowles.

Looking ahead, Four Walls is hosting a kids summer camp in July, and plans to launch a league in the fall along with its annual beginner’s tournament in October. Fields said he looks forward to the continued growth of the club’s popular group coaching program. This affordable, learn-to-play program for adults is introducing many new players to the sport.

Interested players can learn more and sign up for all of the sessions online at www.fourwallsbahamas.com.

https://thenassauguardian.com/new-squash-champions-crowned-at-four-walls/

 Home|Sports|Baha Mar Hoops returns in NovemberSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 5, 2022 202 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Baha Mar Hoops will be making a return to the shores of The Bahamas for a second consecutive year, set for November 18-27, at the Baha Mar Convention Center.

The journey started with eight basketball teams under a different tournament name and location in 2017. This November, there will be 20 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I basketball teams in action during the event. They will play 28 games over the course of the 10 days. BD Global’s Vice President of International Affairs Josh Franklin said they want to keep growing sports tourism in The Bahamas.

“It is important to us that we continue to grow sports tourism here in The Bahamas and continue to drive heads in beds. We have a passion not only for basketball but for The Bahamas. We are excited to be here and to bring more teams,” Franklin said.

There will be eight women’s teams that will play in the Pink Flamingo Tournament, including four teams from the Southeast Conference (SEC). One of those teams, the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Rebels, is coached by Bahamian Yolett ‘Coach Yo’ McPhee-McCuin. Franklin said he and his team are always looking to bring Bahamian coaches and players home. The other three SEC teams are the University of Kentucky Wildcats, the University of Alabama Crimson Tide and the University of Missouri Tigers. The other four schools that will be in the Pink Flamingo Tournament are Dayton University, Virginia Tech, the University of Utah and Wake Forest University.

In the Bahamas Championship, teams like Oklahoma State University, the University of Central Florida, DePaul University and Santa Clara University will be in action.

The Nassau Championship will feature mid-major teams. Teams like the University of Vermont, Ball State University, Missouri State University, the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, the University of North Texas, San Jose State University, the University of Oakland and Long Beach State University will compete.

President of Baha Mar Graeme Davis said he is happy to see the event grow.

“It is thrilling for us to see it grow so quickly in popularity and, with the fan base, the players and the local community will have a tremendous opportunity to experience Baha Mar. It is a great opportunity to certainly showcase and grow the opportunity for sports tourism here in The Bahamas and certainly here at Baha Mar. We look forward to having this for many years to come,” Davis said.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg is hoping to see The Bahamas become a hub for Thanksgiving basketball.

“During the month of November, I do not know if persons are aware but The Bahamas is now becoming the greatest and the biggest sporting destination for basketball at Thanksgiving. There will be about 40 NCAA teams in The Bahamas between New Providence, Paradise Island and Bimini. The ministry will also be looking to have a Thanksgiving basketball tournament in Grand Bahama with American high school teams. We are going to continue to add to that. We are happy to advance and enhance our ‘Sports in Paradise’ brand through basketball,” Bowleg stated.

Senator Randy Rolle represented the Ministry of Tourism and thanked Jeff Rodgers for his efforts in helping to bring the event to The Bahamas.

“At the ministry, we are big on partnerships. There are 20 teams coming down and that means 20 different markets that will affect us at tourism. When college teams come down, they have large followings and that means a lot of heads in beds for us. We want to continue to grow those relationships and offer the marketing support that they bring along. We are excited about what is to come about this relationship,” Rolle said.

BD Global Sports also facilitated some summer tour events such as the University of Kentucky Wildcats playing exhibition games at Baha Mar from August 8-14. They will play national teams from Canada, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and The Bahamas.

 Home|Sports|The Bahamas falls to the DRSports

Hield comes home to score 29 points for The Bahamas; team to play Venezuela and Argentina in August

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJuly 5, 2022 286 6 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian NBA player Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield led a spirited effort from Team Bahamas with a game-high 29 points last night, but in the end, they were just overmatched as they fell 88-80 to the Dominican Republic (DR) at the Baha Mar Convention Center in Nassau, The Bahamas.

Still the team can celebrate tremendous success, advancing to the second round of the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Americas World Cup Qualifiers for the first time in history.

The Bahamas finished with a 2-4 win/loss record in Group C of the qualifiers, third behind Canada (6-0) and the DR (4-2). The top three teams in each group advanced to the second round which gets underway in August, and Canada, the DR and The Bahamas will be joined by three other nations in a new six-team group. It’s as high as Bahamian basketball has ever been on the senior side, and a major accomplishment for team sports in The Bahamas.

Bahamians knew no matter what the result of last night’s game would be, The Bahamas would be playing in the second round by virtue of its 97-80 win over the US Virgin Islands at the UVI (University of the Virgin Islands) Sports and Fitness Center in St. Thomas, USVI, on Friday.

With that accomplishment in its back pocket, the senior men’s national basketball team went out there and tried to end the third window of the first round of the qualifiers on a strong note, but it just wasn’t to be. However, it still was an improvement for the national team. The last time The Bahamas played the DR, they fell by 25 points, 90-65, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

“I think when we started to find our groove, it was a little too late. I’m proud of the group and the way we fought and the progress that we made,” said Team Bahamas Head Coach Chris DeMarco last night. “Overall, we would have liked to get the win, but there is a lot of things we could take from this. I think we’re headed in the right direction. We found a real good core of players who understand what we need to do to win games and we could only build from this. I’m really excited for the future here.”

For Hield, it was his first time playing at the national level at home and the first time he played in a meaningful game in The Bahamas since his high school days at Jack Hayward High School in Freeport, Grand Bahama.

“It was fun. We started off slow, but the environment was good and it was good to be home playing basketball here at home,” said Hield. “We appreciate the crowd coming out and supporting us. We’re getting better and better. Hopefully, we could get DeAndre and Kai in August and go from there, and just keep building from this. We have a small window, and this is our chance to make it. We’re looking forward to it. It’s a blessing to be home and I looking forward to something like this continuing. I’m proud of the way we played and now we’re looking forward to the next round.”

Hield’s fellow National Basketball Association (NBA) players DeAndre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns and Kai Jones of the Charlotte Hornets were unavailable for Team Bahamas last night.

As for the game, on the strength of a 12-0 scoring run about midway through the first quarter, the DR stormed ahead of The Bahamas and never looked back. They went on to lead by as much as 15 points in the first half, and 19 in the second. The Bahamas got the lead down to single digits with a 13-4 run late in the game, but it was too little too late for the home country. They got no closer than seven points in the fourth quarter, and that came in the waning seconds of the game.

Hield was fantastic in the early going, hitting his first four shots from the field, but turnovers, bad interior defense and a lack of rebounding plagued Team Bahamas in the first quarter. They fell behind by as much as 11 and trailed 26-17 at the end of one.

Much of the same continued in the second, and The Bahamas fell behind by as much as 15. A 9-2 run, led by seven points from Hield, got The Bahamas to within 36-28 with 3:43 left in the first half, but the DR closed the half on a 10-5 run including a Gelvis Solano shot at the buzzer.

The DR led by as much as 19 in the third quarter and settled for 70-54 lead going into the fourth. The Bahamas scored eight in a row to get the lead down to single digits for the first time since the second quarter, but there was just 1:48 left on the clock. The closest The Bahamas got the rest of the way was seven points, 87-80, on a jump shot from Travis Munnings, but there was just eight seconds left on the clock. One of two free shots from Solano completed the scoring and time ran out on The Bahamas.

Hield was 11-for-16 from the field including 6-for-9 from three point range for his 29 points. Munnings had 14, and Danrad Knowles came off the bench to score 12 for Team Bahamas. Franco Miller came on late with three three-point shots in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough. He finished the game with those same nine points from the fourth quarter.

Team captain of the DR Victor Liz paced them with a side-high 26 points last night. Eloy Vargas dropped in 17 and Angel Delgado contributed 15.

Former NBA player, Bahamian Rick Fox, was in the stands supporting Team Bahamas and said it was a thrilling experience for him.

“Being in the stands and feeling this up close, you get to feel the energy. The Bahamas came out tonight to support its players and it’s a great feeling,” said Fox. “It’s good to see that players like ‘Buddy’ come home to help build Bahamas basketball. It’s going to encourage the youngsters out there on the basketball courts here at home and basketball in The Bahamas could only go up from here. We as a community have to continue to support ‘Buddy’ and the rest of Team Bahamas.”

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture and former Bahamas Basketball Federation (BBF) President and senior men’s head coach Mario Bowleg also spoke of the tremendous crowd support last night.

“What’s important tonight is that the guys put on a good showing,” said Bowleg. “I don’t think we shot the ball as well as we’re capable of shooting the ball. They were bigger and stronger than us, but at the end of the day, Team Bahamas accomplished what it wanted to in this round which was to qualify for the next round. I’m so happy that Bahamians came home and supported Team Bahamas tonight. This is what we want to continue to see because the future is certainly bright for Bahamian basketball.”

The DR shot 55 percent from the field (33-for-60) last night and out-rebounded The Bahamas 43-30. They also went to the free throw line 23 times and made 16 of those shots. The Bahamas shot 44.4 percent from the field (32-for-72) and went just 3-for-6 from the free throw line.

It doesn’t get any easier for The Bahamas as they now have to play home and away games against Venezuela, Argentina and Panama for an opportunity to advance to the 2023 FIBA World Cup, which is set for August 25 to September 10, 2023 in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia.

The second round for The Bahamas gets underway on August 25, 2022 when they will play Venezuela on the road. Four days later, they are scheduled to play Argentina at home.

The 12 teams in the second round of the qualifiers are divided into two groups of six teams – each formed from teams advanced from the first round groups.

All results from the previous round are carried over into the second round, and the three best placed teams in each group plus the best fourth-placed team will advance to the 2023 FIBA World Cup. The Bahamas is in the group with Venezuela, Argentina, Panama, Canada and the DR.

This is the first time in history The Bahamas has reached the second round of qualifiers for the FIBA World Cup.

https://thenassauguardian.com/the-bahamas-falls-to-the-dr-2/

Sports

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.

https://thenassauguardian.com/the-bahamas-advances-in-world-cup-qualifiers/

 Home|Sports|New squash champions crowned at Four WallsSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJuly 5, 2022 170 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

After five days of competition, new champions in five divisions were crowned at the inaugural Four Walls Squash Open Championship that took place last week. Sunday’s finals attracted old and new players, who were all excited to see the rebirth of the fun and competitive sport.

“The competition was a great success based on the level of participation on and off the court, and how much fun everyone had. Squash at Four Walls is recreational, but everyone loves a good competition every once in a while,” said Tournament Director Mike Fields, who was happy to see participation from members and non-members of Four Walls Squash & Social Club.

Winners in the amateur competition received over $2,000 in prizes. They included Ryan Reid (Division A), Andrew Hanna (Division B), Shawn Knowles (Division C), Bianca Lee (Women’s Novice) and Lavelle Symonette (Men’s Novice).

Justin Knowles won the Sportsmanship Award. He joined the club just one month prior to the tournament and had only 

participated in a few lessons.

“Just to get a feel for how other players play squash, I said I might as well enter it and have a bit of fun. It was a very welcoming and enjoyable experience. At no point did I feel pressure to perform beyond my abilities. Everyone was very welcoming and understanding of my skill level and willing to give me tips and pointers while not taking it easy on me, so I could get better. I really fell in love with squash during the tournament,” said Knowles.

Looking ahead, Four Walls is hosting a kids summer camp in July, and plans to launch a league in the fall along with its annual beginner’s tournament in October. Fields said he looks forward to the continued growth of the club’s popular group coaching program. This affordable, learn-to-play program for adults is introducing many new players to the sport.

Interested players can learn more and sign up for all of the sessions online at www.fourwallsbahamas.com.

https://thenassauguardian.com/new-squash-champions-crowned-at-four-walls/

 Home|Sports|Baha Mar Hoops returns in NovemberSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 5, 2022 202 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Baha Mar Hoops will be making a return to the shores of The Bahamas for a second consecutive year, set for November 18-27, at the Baha Mar Convention Center.

The journey started with eight basketball teams under a different tournament name and location in 2017. This November, there will be 20 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I basketball teams in action during the event. They will play 28 games over the course of the 10 days. BD Global’s Vice President of International Affairs Josh Franklin said they want to keep growing sports tourism in The Bahamas.

“It is important to us that we continue to grow sports tourism here in The Bahamas and continue to drive heads in beds. We have a passion not only for basketball but for The Bahamas. We are excited to be here and to bring more teams,” Franklin said.

There will be eight women’s teams that will play in the Pink Flamingo Tournament, including four teams from the Southeast Conference (SEC). One of those teams, the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Rebels, is coached by Bahamian Yolett ‘Coach Yo’ McPhee-McCuin. Franklin said he and his team are always looking to bring Bahamian coaches and players home. The other three SEC teams are the University of Kentucky Wildcats, the University of Alabama Crimson Tide and the University of Missouri Tigers. The other four schools that will be in the Pink Flamingo Tournament are Dayton University, Virginia Tech, the University of Utah and Wake Forest University.

In the Bahamas Championship, teams like Oklahoma State University, the University of Central Florida, DePaul University and Santa Clara University will be in action.

The Nassau Championship will feature mid-major teams. Teams like the University of Vermont, Ball State University, Missouri State University, the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, the University of North Texas, San Jose State University, the University of Oakland and Long Beach State University will compete.

President of Baha Mar Graeme Davis said he is happy to see the event grow.

“It is thrilling for us to see it grow so quickly in popularity and, with the fan base, the players and the local community will have a tremendous opportunity to experience Baha Mar. It is a great opportunity to certainly showcase and grow the opportunity for sports tourism here in The Bahamas and certainly here at Baha Mar. We look forward to having this for many years to come,” Davis said.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg is hoping to see The Bahamas become a hub for Thanksgiving basketball.

“During the month of November, I do not know if persons are aware but The Bahamas is now becoming the greatest and the biggest sporting destination for basketball at Thanksgiving. There will be about 40 NCAA teams in The Bahamas between New Providence, Paradise Island and Bimini. The ministry will also be looking to have a Thanksgiving basketball tournament in Grand Bahama with American high school teams. We are going to continue to add to that. We are happy to advance and enhance our ‘Sports in Paradise’ brand through basketball,” Bowleg stated.

Senator Randy Rolle represented the Ministry of Tourism and thanked Jeff Rodgers for his efforts in helping to bring the event to The Bahamas.

“At the ministry, we are big on partnerships. There are 20 teams coming down and that means 20 different markets that will affect us at tourism. When college teams come down, they have large followings and that means a lot of heads in beds for us. We want to continue to grow those relationships and offer the marketing support that they bring along. We are excited about what is to come about this relationship,” Rolle said.

BD Global Sports also facilitated some summer tour events such as the University of Kentucky Wildcats playing exhibition games at Baha Mar from August 8-14. They will play national teams from Canada, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and The Bahamas.

https://thenassauguardian.com/baha-mar-hoops-returns-in-november/

TERELL McCoy in action during the bronze medal game against the Dominican Republic in the FIBA Centrobasket Under-15 Championships for women in Gurabo, Puerto Rico.

As of Friday, July 1, 2022

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Dwaynae Knowles

Savannah Turnquest

#IT was ultimately a fourth-place finish for Team Bahamas as they completed competition winless at the FIBA Centrobasket U15 Championships for women.

#The Bahamas lost 79-39 to the Dominican Republic yesterday in the bronze medal game in Gurabo, Puerto Rico.

#Terell McCoy led Team Bahamas with her second double double of the tournament – 13 points and 14 rebounds. Savannah Turnquest scored 11 with five assists, Geontae Simpson had five points and 10 rebounds, while Dwaynae Knowles added five points and seven rebounds.

#Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Dominican Republic will now qualify for the FIBA U16 Women’s Americas Championship in 2023.

#On Sunday, the Bahamas opened up tournament play with a 101-20 loss to Puerto Rico, before a 79-45 loss in the first meeting with the Dominican Republic. They followed with a 119-19 loss to Mexico in the playoff round prior to the bronze medal game.

#McCoy led the team in scoring and rebounding at 9.8 points and 10 rebounds per game. Turnquest averaged 6.5 points per game while Knowles averaged five points, 2.5 steals and 3.3 assists per game.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/01/u-15-girls-lose-bronze-medal-game/?news

Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Steven Gardiner on their way to winning their 400 metres races at the Diamond League athletics meeting at Charlety stadium in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

As of Friday, July 1, 2022

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#With the women’s 4 x 400 metre and mixed relay teams now added to the list, the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations will field a squad of 16 athletes for the World Championship in Eugene, Oregon, next month.

#Heading the list of competitors on Team Bahamas are reigning World champion and Olympic gold medallist Steven Gardiner and two-time Olympic champion Shaunae Miller- Uibo, along with World Indoor Championship silver medallist Devynne Charlton.

#Kendrick Thompson, the NACAC decathlon champion, along with 2002 World champion Donald Thomas, long jumper LaQuan Nairn and sprinters Anthonique Strachan, Tynia Gaither, Terrence Jones Jr and Samson Colebrooke.

#Just before the deadline for qualification on Monday, the Bahamas women’s 4 x 400m and the mixed relay teams both earned the 16th and final spots following the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National Championships over the weekend to secure their spots at the World Championships.

#As a result of their performances, the BAAA named the women’s pool for both relays to include Miller-Uibo, Strachan, Megan Moss, Donneisha Anderson, Javonya Valcourt and Jenae Ambrose, while adding Gardiner, Alonzo Russell, Bradley Dormeus and Wanya McCoy to the men’s pool for the mixed relay.

#Head coach Rupert Gardiner said the team is a pretty good one and the management team is eager to work with them in Oregon for the championships from July 15-24.

#“We have some veterans like Shaunae and Steven and others like Anthonique Strachan, Tynia Gaither and Devynne Charlton and veteran like Donald Thomas and newcomers like LaQuan Nairn and Ken Mullings and both relay teams, so it’s a great team,” Gardiner said.

#“I expect them to do very well. Great things could happen for us. We have two relay teams and we expect that they will perform very well.”

#It was anticipated that the men’s 4 x 400m relay team would have also made the cut of the top 16 in the world, but they are the last team standing on the outside in 17th place. Should one of the top teams opt out of competing, the Bahamas could end up earning another team in the championships.

#Gardiner was a coach on the Bahamas team at the Olympic Games in 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.

#He told Tribune Sports he anticipates that this team will perform very well and bring home a couple of medals.

#The team is scheduled to depart on July 12 in time to get acclimatised for the championships.

#Women team – Anthonique Strachan (100/200m/4×400/ mixed medley relays); Shaunae Miller-Uibo (200/400m/4x400m/mixed medley relays); TyNia Gaither (100/200m); Devynne Charlton (100m hurdles); Donneisha Anderson (4x400m/mixed relay); Javonya Valcourt (4 x 400m/ mixed relays) and Janae Ambrose (4x400m/mixed relays).

#Men’s team – Steven Gardiner – 400m/mixed medley relay); LaQuan Nairn (long jump); Terrence Jones (100m); Samson Colebrooke (100m); Ken Mullings (decathlon); Donald Thomas (high jump); Alonzo Russell (mixed relay); Bradley Dormeus (mixed relay) and Wayna McCoy (mixed relay).

• The management team consists of the following:

#Rupert Gardiner – head coach; Shaun Miller Sr – assistant coach and James Rolle – jumps coach. Mabelene Miller – manager; Dionne Britton – assistant manager; Cindy Dorsett – team doctor and Pharez Cooper – therapist.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/01/world-championship-team-named/?news

As of Friday, July 1, 2022

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BUDDY Hield and Deyton Albury.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#WHILE the men’s national basketball team is preparing to play the US Virgin Islands tonight, the focus will be on their home game on Monday night against the Dominican Republic at the Baha Mar resort.

#The Bahamas Basketball Federation, in conjunction with Baha Mar and Oak Tree Medical Center, the principal sponsors, released the names of the players yesterday and encouraged the public to come out and cheer for them in their bid to qualify for the World Cup.

#Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg, who served previously as both the president of the BBF and the men’s national coach, said during the press conference yesterday at Baha Mar that the team only needs to win one of these two games in order to qualify.

#Federation secretary-general Jurelle Nairn-Mullings, who conducted the press conference, said Team Bahamas, with a highly accredited coaching staff that includes Chris DeMarco of the Golden State Warriors, Grand Bahamian Yolett McPhee- McCuin, the head coach of Ole Miss women’s team, Mikhail McLean, an assistant coach at the University of Houston and Steve Barnes, encouraged the Bahamian public to come out and watch a fantastic show on Monday night in what will be a pre-Independence celebration.

#Baha Mar’s senior vice president Robert Sands said they were delighted when they got the call from Bowleg less than 10 days ago to make it happen, they got the wheels in motion to make the venue a world-class facility.

#“Sports tourism is an integral part of the marketing that we have here at Baha Mar and will continue to propel the Bahamas as a leading sporting destination and also as a leading tourism destination,” Sands said as he congratulated the BBF, the team and its principal sponsors for including Baha Mar in this venture.

#Kristi Deveaux, chief executive officer of the Oak Tree Medical Center and a former junior national team member, said when Oak Tree was invited by the federation to sponsor the event, they could not have turned down the offer, especially with their presence at the press conference on her husband’s birthday. She noted that Dr Deveaux, the medical director at Oak Tree, joined her in wishing the team every success and they look forward to watching coach McPhee make history on the sidelines as the first female to coach the national team.

#“Oak Tree is delighted to be here and we invite everybody to come out with their Bahamian flag to cheer on the Bahamian team,” she said.

#Moses Johnson, a coach on the men’s national team, announced the team that is currently competing in the US Virgin Islands tonight before they come home and take on the Dominican Republic on Monday.

#The players are – Deyton Albury – guard; Dominick Bridgewater – guard; Jaron Cornish – guard; Joshua Dames – guard; Radshad Davis – guard/ forward; Shaquilio Fritz – center; Buddy Hield – guard; Danrad Knowles – forward; Zane Knowles – center; Franco Miller Jr. – guard; Travis Munnings – forward; David Nesbitt – forward; Kentwan Smith – forward and Mychel Thompson – forward.

#It was hoped that both NBA players Deandre Ayton, who is with the Phoenix Suns and Kai Jones of the Charlotte Hornets, would have suited up for this window, but both players passed up the opportunity because of prior commitments.

#The other members of the management team are LJ Rose, the director of basketball operations, Rodney Wilson as the head of delegation, Eugenia Patton and Alicia Greene as the athletic trainers and John Nutt as the public relations officer.

#Federation president Eugene Horton, who thanked Nairn and her team for the job they did in getting everything set up for the game, said the World Cup qualifier is an opportunity to get the Bahamas qualified for the next level.

#He noted that the inclusion of McPhee-McQuin as an assistant coach speaks of the power of women in sports and they are confident that she will be a valuable asset to the team.

#Horton also thanked both the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture for their involvement and participation in the promotion of the sport on the international scene.

#Bowleg said if the team can win one of these two games, they will qualify for the first time for the World Cup, and he thanked both Baha Mar and the Oak Tree Medical Center for partnering with the federation to make the journey possible.

#When he was coaching the team, Bowleg said he predicted that he would be in an administrative role when the team is on the verge of qualifying for the World Cup, but he never envisioned he would have been a politician.

#“I’m proud to be the Minister of Sports and on Monday, I’m asking all Bahamians to come out and see this team with a high qualified coach in Yolett McPhee- McCuin and players like Buddy Hield, so let’s come out and support this team,” Bowleg said.

#Both McPhee-McCuin and Hield addressed the media via Skype from where the team was getting ready to face the US Virgin Islands tonight.

#“A lot of sacrifices have been made by these young men and the coaches and supporting staff,” she said. “I think this is a good opportunity for basketball in the Bahamas to move forward.”

#Although track and field is considered the national flag carrier, McPhee-McCuin said basketball has a number of talented players who can make the sport a very competitive one and she’s just grateful to be a part of it.

#As for Hield, the Grand Bahamian native said he’s excited about coming home and playing in front of the Bahamian crowd.

#He thanked Baha Mar and Oak Tree for stepping up as sponsors and he encouraged the Bahamian fans to come out and watch an exciting game against Dominican Republic.

#Nairn-Mullings reminded everyone that tickets are priced at $30 for general admission, $60 for VIP and $250 for platinum, and are still available at BBFbasketball.com as well as onsite on game day, but she advised persons to get their tickets early and be in attendance in their Bahamian national colours to cheer on Team Bahamas. The doors open at 6pm on Monday and the tip off is at 7pm.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/01/bahamas-ready-host-dominican-republic/?news

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#THE country’s best youth baseball talent will take on regional and international competition next weekend at the Babe Ruth Region Caribbean Championships and Invitational.

#A total of 16 teams from 13 countries are expected to compete in the U12 and U16 divisions July 7-11 at the newly renovated baseball fields at the Baillou Hills Complex.

#National Sports Authority chairman Greg Burrows Sr also serves as the Commisioner for Babe Ruth Baseball in the Caribbean.

#“My responsibility was mainly developing the brand in the region. The way I thought would be a good way to launch this brand was to host a tournament during our Independence.

#“I ended up at the NSA so I, immediately with the staff of the NSA and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force started the refurbishment of the Baillou Hills Fours,” he said. “I find that unless we create things, alot of us do not have the drive to do something. I’ve never seen so many people – once they have the understanding that something is happening – have the drive to get their hands dirty and start to develop those fields.”

#Ticket packages for the event can be purchased at the NSA office at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium. Five day packages for adults are available at $65 for adults and $20 for children. Daily rates are $15 for adults and $5 for children.

#SuperClubs Breezes will be the Games Village and teams are expected to begin arriving on July 4.

#Javier Bowe, head of government innovations at Cable Bahamas, spoke on his orgaisation’s role as a major stakeholder.

#“Once we were approached with sponsorship, our company gladly jumped in to assist with this worthwhile initiative,” he said. “We are happy to support this initiative. The support is from our CEO all the way down. We are excited to build on our mandate, connecting individuals and communities in a positive and meaningful way.”

#Bowe also serves as manager of one of two under- 12 teams The Bahamas will enter into the eight-team field. Lionel Ferguson Jr will serve as manager of the other U12 team while Greg Burrows Jr will be the manager of the U16 team.

#“We hosted showcases here in Nassau where each league sent their best players and the coaches had an opportunity to assess the players. We did the same thing in Grand Bahama to assess the talent. It was a very open process and each league was afforded an opportunity to make their players available,” Bowe said of the selection process. “We made the selections based on our criteria. There are no clubs, all teams have players represented from different leagues. We are all wearing Bahamas across our chest and that is what it is all about.”

#Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg said the event is indicative of the current administration’s Sports in Paradise initiative.

#“We have to understand that the amount of money we invest in our youth determines the future of our nation. The little that we put into these events is not sufficient compared to the lives we save with these young men,” he said. “We have a lot of professional baseball players in our system. These U12 and U16 divisions, this is where they start. So the investment we as a people, as a government, the Sports in Paradise brand is not about just having heads in beds, it is about giving exposure to our young people, giving them the opportunity to explore the world.”

#A final schedule will be released in short order, pending confirmation from several outstanding teams.

#Each of the age groups will feature two divisions competing in pool play for the first three days of the tournament. All teams will go into a single elimination playoffs on Sunday, July 10.

#The opening ceremony will take place at 7pm on July 7 at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

#Admission is free of charge.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/01/babe-ruth-region-caribbean-invitational-july-7-11/?news