Home|Uncategorized|National high school championships are backSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailSeptember 12, 2022 203 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

After a three-year hiatus, the Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training Sports Unit has brought back the National High School Championship Series for the 2022-2023 school year under the theme “Sports Is Back”, starting with the volleyball championships in November in Grand Bahama.

According to the unit’s senior officer, Evon Wisdom, they have added two new disciplines – swimming and tennis. The other sports are cross country, basketball, track and field, golf, soccer, primary school track and field, baseball and softball. Wisdom said that it was imperative that the minster, Glenys Hanna-Martin, gets sports back.

“Educational time was lost, significant contact time with our students was lost, and a lot of our students suffered academically because of that lost time on task and actual physical contact with teachers. Minister Hanna-Martin feels that a significant number of children were hurt recreationally during the pandemic and feels that scholarships may have even been lost because of the non-activity,” Wisdom said.

He added, “She is trying her best to ensure and that sports is back, so that our coaches are able to get contact time with these children and for activity to positively take place. The children to a greater extent would be able to receive academic advantage through athletic scholarships.”

Volleyball, basketball and soccer are set to be held in Grand Bahama, as they want to give the student-athletes from the other islands the opportunity to travel, and the ones who are outside of New Providence the opportunity to travel to the capital.

Volleyball is set for November 16-18. Cross country is right after volleyball on November 24. There is no action in January and February in terms of national championship action. However, March will see basketball, track and field, and the golf championship being played. Basketball is planned for March 2-6, track and field is right after on March 9-11 and golf will be played March 17-21. Soccer is the only event set for April, with a tentative date of April 26-30, to take place between Grand Bahama and New Providence.

May will be the busiest month with five national championships – tennis, primary school track and field, swimming, baseball and softball. Tennis is up first on May 3-6. That will be followed with primary school track and field, slated for May 10-12. May 18-21 will be busy as swimming, baseball and softball will all happen on those dates.

Although face-to-face learning has resumed, Wisdom said the ministry is still operating in a COVID-19 environment and as such wants to ensure that the student-athletes are safe. They are looking to implement certain measures.

“We expect the school associations to operate under the protocols,” Wisdom said. “We want to see monitoring from home to school and then for after-school activity, that monitoring will include checking a child’s temperature. Should the parents in their home environment feel that their child may have been exposed to COVID, they should ensure they are tested and if positive, quarantine for 14 days.”

“In the game environment we would like for two things to be always available – a sanitation station where children are able to sanitize, and officials must be in possession of a temperature gun, so that before the game starts, they’re able to check the temperatures of the participants. We’re also asking, as best as possible, that there be social distancing as best as possible.”

Wisdom is hoping that in the team sports they can get schools from New Providence, Grand Bahama, Bimini, Abaco and Eleuthera. All the associations do not play the various sports at the same time, but Wisdom said that he is hoping that they can have it happen in the future.

https://thenassauguardian.com/national-high-school-championships-are-back/

 Home|Sports|‘JJ’, Sun come up short as Aces takes 1-0 leadSports

Jones finished with 15 points and nine rebounds

Simba FrenchSend an emailSeptember 12, 2022 192 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

After going down by as much 12 points in the first quarter, Bahamian basketball player Jonquel “JJ” Jones and the Connecticut Sun made the game close, but in the end fell to the Last Vegas Aces 67-64 yesterday. With the win, the Aces take a 1-0 lead in the 2022 WNBA Finals series.

Playing on the road in front of over 10,000 loud spectators at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jones poured in 15 points and missed a double-double as she pulled in nine rebounds in 30 minutes on the floor. The center shot 7-for-15 from the field and 1-for-4 from deep. She had six offensive rebounds and three on the defensive side of the ball.

It is the fourth trip for the Sun and the third trip for the Aces to the WNBA Finals. However, none of them has won the title. It was the first WNBA Finals victory for the Aces.

As expected, the series had some fireworks as both teams were in a dog fight in the second half, but the Aces was able to take down the Sun for the third time this season. After all, the series is featuring the 2021 WNBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) in Jones and the 2022 WNBA MVP, Aces A’ja Wilson.

The Sun had a slow fourth quarter but they almost erased a 60-67 Aces lead with 1:24 left in the game. That came when Alyssa Thomas made back-to-back jump shots as the Aces led 67-64 with 34.2 remaining in the game. After the Aces failed to make a field goal with 17 seconds left in the game, Sun’s head coach Curt Miller called a timeout that saw DeWanna Bonner took the game tying three-point shot, but it was too short as it hit the side of the rim.

Jones had a tough first quarter offensively, as she did not attempt a single filed goal in that quarter to come up empty. That quarter saw them having the tall task of overcoming a 12-point deficit as the Vegas led 21-9 with 4:05 left in that quarter. Miller called a timeout.

They took the lead down to a single digit at the end of the first quarter, as the Aces went into the second quarter with a 25-17 lead.

Jones came alive in the second quarter, scoring eight points on 4-of-7 shooting. She was instrumental in waking the Sun in the second quarter, where they held a 21-9 advantage to make it a competitive game. The Grand Bahama native had a four-point run of her own in the midway point of the quarter. She made a layup and drew the foul with 5:44 left in the second quarter, to cut the Aces lead down to 29-28. She missed the free-throw to tie the game up. Forty seconds later, Jones came down the court and scored a five-foot jump shot to put her team up for the first time of the game, 30-29.

At the end of the first half, the Sun led 38-34.

The Sun was led by Alyssa Thomas, who finished with 19 points and 11 boards to go with three steals and blocks apiece.

Wilson finished with 24 points, 11 rebounds, four blocks and two steals in the win. She had help from Chelsea Gray who scored 21 points.

Both teams shot the ball poorly from the field, as the Sun shot 37.8 percent while the Aces shot 39.7 percent. There was a huge difference in free-throw shooting, as the Sun finished 3-for-5 while the Aces finished 16-for-19 from the charity stripe. The Sun held the advantage on the glass as they had 38 rebounds compared to the Aces 33 rebounds.

The best-of-seven series remains in Las Vegas. It is almost a must-win game for the Sun if they do not want to put a lot of pressure on themselves as the series continues. They will play the second game tomorrow night at 9 p.m. on ESPN.

https://thenassauguardian.com/jj-sun-come-up-short-as-aces-takes-1-0-lead/

Connecticut Sun forward Jonquel Jones (35) battles for the ball over Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray (12) during the first half in Game 1 of a WNBA basketball final playoff series Sunday, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/L.E. Baskow)

As of Monday, September 12, 2022

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#JONQUEL Jones and the Connecticut Sun nearly overcame another fourth-quarter deficit but their late rally fell just short in game one of the WNBA Finals.

#Jones finished with 15 points and nine rebounds, but the Las Vegas Aces took an early advantage in the best-of-five series with a 67-64 win yesterday at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

#Jones shot 7-15 from the field in 30 minutes.

#“Ultimately I’m happy with the game that we played and we gave ourselves a good opportunity to come out there with a win, and it just didn’t go our way. But we are excited about game two,” Jones said in her postgame availability. “I think it was just, you know, it was just basketball. We were shooting shots and they weren’t going in. But ultimately we were playing great defence as well and that’s one of the things I talked about, finding the wins within the game. Yes, we weren’t hitting the shots we know we can hit but we were also playing good D. Ultimately, we’ll be all right.”

#The Aces will also host game two at 9pm on September 13, broadcast live on ESPN. The series shifts to Connecticut for games three (September 15 at 9pm on ESPN) and four if necessary (September 18 at 4pm on ESPN). A fifth and deciding game would be hosted by the Aces at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 20.

#Jones looked ahead to the process of managing her body in preparation for the workload and quick turnaround based on the schedule of the series.

#“I like the playoff format. The championship format is a little different. The games are kind of quick. I feel like in our series against Dallas, we had at least two days in between so you had time to really recover and rest. I’m looking at the Finals schedule and it’s like, play one day, play again. So, it’s a little different, but you know it’s for the trophy, so you just got to suck it up and get it done,” she said.

#“I think a good night’s sleep after the game and making sure I’m stretching directly after. Any type of recovery that will help me recover..you’re working an entire season, so you just want to go out there and put your best foot forward and be locked in.”

#Las Vegas finished with the best record in the league at 26-10 and also claimed the Commissioner’s Cup. The Sun finished the season 25-11 for the third-best record.

#Las Vegas had the advantage in the regular season with wins in two of the three matchups.

#Jones added that the Sun will have to find ways to limit the balanced scoring attack of the Aces.

#“For us as a team, it’s just their firepower. They have so many people that can score the ball.

#“From A’ja (Wilson), Chelsea (Gray), Riquna (Williams), and Jackie (Young) scoring on different levels as well,” she said.

#“I think the biggest challenge for us is making sure we’re locked in on defence, getting them to slow down and not giving them easy buckets in transition with our turnovers and stuff like that.”

#Wilson finished with a game high 24 points and 11 rebounds, Gray scored 21 and Young added 11.

#Jones averaged 13 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game in the 3-2 semifinal win over the defending champion Chicago Sky.

#In the opening round, she averaged 16.7 points and nine rebounds per game against the Dallas Wings.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/12/jones-and-sun-lose-wnba-finals-opener/?news

As of Monday, September 12, 2022

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Devynne Charlton

LaQuan Nairn

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#Devynne Charlton brought the curtain down on her most successful season as a professional yesterday with a second-place finish in the women’s 100 metre hurdles at the Memorial Borisa Hanzekovica in Zagreb, Croatia.

#The Bahamas’ national record holder was one of two Bahamians participating in the event. The other was Commonwealth Games champion LaQuan Nairn, who had to settle for sixth place in the men’s long jump with his best leap of 25-feet, 8-inches or 7.82 metres on his third attempt.

#Winning the event that was staged on Thursday was Australia’s Henry Frayne with 26-7 1/3 (8.11m) on his third attempt as well.

#Croatia’s duo of Filip Pravdica 26-6 ½ (8.03m) and Marko Ceko 26-3 (8.00m) got second and third respectively.

#Finishing fourth was Tajay Gayle of Jamaica with 26-2 ¾ (7.99m) and just ahead of Nairn in fifth place was Radek Juska of the Czech Republic with 26-1 (7.95m).

#On the track, Charlton couldn’t catch American Tonea Marshall, who took the victory in the 10 flights of hurdles on the 100m straightaway in 12.74.

#Charlton trailed in 12.86 to take second ahead of Jamaica’s Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper, who did 13.03 for third.

#“It probably wasn’t a good race for me at all. My execution was poor and the conditions wasn’t that great at all,” said Charlton, whose parents Laura and David Charlton were in the stands cheering her on in Zagreb.

#“I’m just glad that I came out it healthy, but I felt I could have done a whole lot better. That’s all I had this time around, but to come out it with a second place in my final race for the year wasn’t that bad at all.”

#While starting her season with a silver medal at the World Indoor Championships in March, Charlton went on to capture a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games and a bronze at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Championships where she also ran on the silver medal winning women’s 4 x 100m relay team.

#“Overall it was a good season. I had five major championships, including World Indoors, and I was a finalist in all of them,” said Charlton, who also placed seventh at the World Championships last month.

#“This was definitely the most outstanding season that I’ve had in the four years I’ve been a pro.”

#“I just want to thank all of the people who believed in me and stuck with me and guided me through it.”

#Heading the list were her parents, Laura and David Charlton, who travelled with her to a number of the Wanda Diamond League meets, the World Indoors, World Championships, Commonwealth Games, NACAC and a number of Wanda Diamond League meets.

#With the season now completed for her, Charlton said she will enjoy a steak at dinner with her parents as she takes some time off to recuperate from the vigorous season and begin her preparation for next year with her Bahamian coach Rolando ‘Lonnie’ Greene at the University of Kentucky. She thanked her parents, her family, coaches, training partners, the University of Kentucky Athletic facilities for allowing her to use the facilities and Greene from his duties as the head coach, her Bahamian agent Dominic Demeritte and her team at Hawi Management, the Bahamas Government and the Bahamas Olympic Committee.

#Charlton, 26, said they all helped to form the village that enabled her to perform as well as she did this year. She’s hoping that her success will carry over to next year when she attempts to lower her national record of 12.46 and return to the podium on the global stage.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/12/devynne-charlton-2nd-nairn-6th/?news

Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm

As of Monday, September 12, 2022

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#JASRADO “Jazz” Chisholm Jr has been sidelined for over two months and, with the MLB regular season winding down, the Miami Marlins officially ruled out their All-Star second baseman for the remainder of the year.

#MLB.com first reported that Marlins manager Don Mattingly and general manager Kim Ng announced that Chisholm Jr would not return from the injured list for the remainder of the 2022 campaign.

#“We could probably push Jazz to be able to come back and DH or something. I think the risk/reward on that — he has a stress fracture in his back. It’s something you could say, ‘Well, it’s healed, but is it all the way?’ It just doesn’t seem to be worth it,” Mattingly told MLB. com. “I think Jazz would like to play, he would like to have played. I think the organisation basically made that decision for him, that we were going to just let this thing go, keep strengthening all year long, so we know going into the winter that he’s healthy, he’s ready, he’s doing everything, he feels great. So again, I think an organisational decision.”

#The Marlins have 24 games remaining on the schedule.

#“I think [Jazz] thinks he could have played two weeks ago, probably,” Mattingly said. “I think this is more about: Let’s make 100 percent sure there’s no reason to even be on the limits of this. I think it’s more of a medical thing for Jazz, knowing that this guy’s pretty natural at what he does. It’s not like he had to play these games to prove to himself he was going to be OK next year. I think he already thinks he’s going to be OK next year.”

#Due to a back strain, Chisholm has been on the injured list since June 29. According to Christina De Nicola of MLB. com, Chisholm underwent a CT scan on July 21 that revealed a stress fracture in his lower back. Chisholm’s last appearance on the field in a Marlins uniform was June 28. He originally suffered the back injury early in the season on a slide and eventually re-aggravated the injury in late June, which forced him out of the lineup.

#He is the first-ever Bahamian-born All-Star of the nine countrymen to ever play in the MLB.

#Through 60 games he has a .254 average with 14 home runs, 54 hits, 45 RBI, 12 stolen bases and scored 39 runs.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/12/jasrado-chisholm-ruled-out-rest-year/?news

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Mike Strachan (17) catches a pass before an NFL football game against the Houston Texans Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

As of Monday, September 12, 2022

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#FOR the second consecutive season, Mike Strachan factored into the Indianapolis Colts’ passing game.

#Strachan was targeted twice and finished with two catches for 26 yards in the Colts’ 20-20 tie with the Houston Texans yesterday at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

#In week one of the 2021 season, Strachan finished with two catches for 26 yards in the Colts’ 28-16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

#Strachan’s standout performance last training camp led the seventh round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, to a spot on the 53-man opening day roster.

#He began the year with appearances in the first two games of the regular season but played sparingly for the remainder of the campaign.

#This season, he successfully overcame an offseason injury and a late start to training camp to make the Colts’ opening day roster. He was listed as fifth in the depth chart of wide receivers ahead of week one.

#After nearly three weeks on the Physically Unable to Perform list, he returned to the practice field and had enough of an impact to return to the roster for his second campaign with the club.

#The second year wideout finished his two preseason appearances with four receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown.

#Indianapolis head coach Frank Reich said he was impressed by Strachan’s ability to return to the field and produce immediately.

#“It’s seemed like he’s gone from zero to 60 in a second,” Reich said. “There was a couple of weeks back I was thinking, I’m not even sure he’s going to be ready to practice until the season opener.

#“Then, all of a sudden, he made a speedy recovery, and next thing you know he’s out there catching a big-time touchdown in this game today. Credit to Mike and credit to our training staff.”

#The Colts will travel to TIAA Bank Field to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars, next Sunday, September 18.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/12/colts-strachan-makes-his-season-debut/?news

As of Monday, September 12, 2022

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#WHILE Martin Burrows Jr just missed a perfect game on the mound, third baseman Sherman Ferguson didn’t pass up the opportunity for a big offensive outing on Saturday night for the New Providence Softball Association defending men’s champions C&S Hitmen.

#In the feature game at the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex, Burrows ended up with a one-hitter and Ferguson blasted a monster three-run homer to help propel the Hitmen to an abbreviated 10-0 shoutout over the Atlantis Titans.

#The Hitmen, managed by Darren Stevens, was coming off a 13-12 slugfest over the pesky Chances Mighty Mitts.

#The Titans, on the other hand, suffered another loss over the weekend, losing 10-2 to the Cybertech Blue Marlins on Friday.

#On the ladies’ side, the improving University of the Bahamas Mingoes routed the Johnson Lady Truckers 27-7 in Saturday’s opener, while on Friday, the defending champions Sunshine Auto Wildcats prevailed with an 18-9 decision over the RAB Operators.

#• Here’s a summary of the games played:

#Hitmen 10, Titans 0: Sherman Ferguson Jr and Martin Burrows Jr delivered a 1-2 knockout punch for C&S as they whitewashed Atlantis in a quick four-inning affair abbreviated by the 10-run mercy rule.

#Ferguson Jr drilled a one-ball pitch over the centre field fence for a three-run homer in a six-run third inning for the Hitmen as he earned the Most Valuable Player of the game – his second for the season.

#“I just came out here to do me,” Ferguson said. “I am trying to hit the ball hard every time I bat.”

#On the home run, he added that “Stuff happens. Sometimes it will be like that. You just have to be ready.”

#Right fielder Rudy Fox was also ready for the parade as he went 2-for-3 with three RBI. Centre field Rodney Forbes joined him by also going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and shortstop Dino Sweeting was 1-for-1 with two runs scored.

#“We played a pretty good game. This was the second time around facing Atlantis,” Ferguson said. “Our bats are getting there. When we face the rest of the teams in the league, we are looking for the same thing to happen.”

#Burrows Jr was working on a perfect game until the top of the fourth with two out when Angelo Dillet ripped a shot back to the mound. Burrows Jr’s glove could barely retrieve the ball hit to his left side as Dillet was safe. Burrows Jr, however, struck out the next batter to end the game.

#While Burrows finished with a one hitter for the win with four strike outs, Dillet suffered the loss, giving up seven hits.

#Marlins 10, Titans 2: Catcher Garfield Bethel cracked a two-run homer in a four-run first inning to earn the MVP honours on Friday night.

#Left fielder Winston Seymour was 2-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored and right fielder Ellis Adderley was 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored.

#Thomas Davis got the in on four hits with 11 strike pouts on the mound. Angelo Dillet was the losing pitcher on seven hits with four strike outs.

#Colton Chase was 1-for-1 with a RBI and run scored for Atlantis.

#Mingoes 17, Lady Truckers 7: Sophie Cartwright, playing third base, went 2-for-2 with four RBI and two runs scored to earn the MVP honours for the University of the Bahamas in their abbreviated four-inning affair on Saturday.

#Left field Nabria Hamilton was 1-for-2 with three RBI and centre fielder Adonya Rolle was 1-for-4 with a RBI and four runs scored.

#Shortstop Vanricka Rose and centre fielder Latonia McPhee were both 1-for-2 with two and one run scored respectively in a losing effort.

#Both teams had to use a combination of pitchers to try and contain the other.

#Wildcats 18, Operators 9: Sunshine Auto went wild with just about every batter in their line-up coming through with at least two hits, led by right fielder Lynette Kelly, who made her presence felt going 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored.

#First sacker Dornette Edwards went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, second sacker Crystal Taylor was 2-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored, centre fielder Lashanda Bethel was 2-for-4 with a RBI and three runs scored, winning pitcher Thela Stevens was 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored, catcher Adiyah Russell was 2-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored and shortstop Larikah Russell was 1-for-3 with a run scored.

#Eiliyah Ferguson was 2-for-2 with a RBI and run scored, catcher Ruthann Simms was 1-for-3, right fielder Sheryl Evans was 1-for-2 with a RBI and two runs scored and centre fielder Lathera Brown was 1-for-2 with a RBI and a run scored in a losing effort for RAB.

#This is the final week of the regular season in the NPSA.

#• Here’s a look at the games on tap:

#Tuesday

#7pm – Black Scorpions vs Johnson Lady Truckers (ladies)

#9pm – Chances Mighty Mitts vs Atlantis Titans (men)

#Thursday

#7pm – Black Scorpions vs RAB Operators (L)

#9pm – Renegades vs Cybertech Blue Marlins (M)

#Friday

#7pm – Black Scorpions vs UB Mingoes (L)

#9pm – Renegades vs Chances Mighty Mitts (M)

#Saturday

#7pm – Johnson Lady Truckers vs Sunshine Auto Wildcats (L)

#8:30pm – Chances Mighty Mitts vs Atlantis Titans (M)

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/12/npsa-hitmen-pull-10-0-shoutout-atlantis-titans/?news

Jonquel scores 15, grabs 10 rebounds as Sun rally in 4th to beat Sky 72-63

Connecticut Sun’s Jonquel Jones shoots over Chicago Sky’s Candace Parker during the first half of Game 5 in a WNBA basketball playoffs semifinal Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

As of Friday, September 9, 2022

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#Powered by a furious quarter rally, Jonquel Jones and the Connecticut Sun won a series finale on the road and are headed to the WNBA Finals.

#Jones posted a double double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, and the Sun defeated the defending champion Chicago Sky 72-63 last night at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.

Connecticut Sun’s DeWanna Bonner (24) and Jonquel Jones celebrate with teammates after their win over the Chicago Sky after Game 5 in a WNBA basketball playoff semifinal Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

#The Sun held the Sky scoreless over the final 4:46 seconds of regulation and ended the game on a 19-0 run to advance to their fourth WNBA Finals in franchise history.

#Chicago’s Kahleah Copper made a jumper to give her team a 63-54 lead with just under five minutes left to play before the Suns concluded the game and series on an epic run.

#Jones converted a conventional three-point play at the two-minute mark to put the Sun ahead for good – 66-63 with two minutes left to play.

#She was one of five Sun players in double figures and one of two to record a double double.

#DeWanna Bonner had 15 points and nine rebounds, Alyssa Thomas finished with 12 points and nine rebounds, Natisha Hiedeman scored 14 and Courtney Williams finished with 12.

#Jones averaged 13 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game in the semi-finals.

#She opened the series with 12 points and nine rebounds in a game one win followed by a series high 23 points, seven rebounds and two blocks in a game two loss. In game three, Jones finished with just six points on 3-10 shooting from the field with eight rebounds and two blocked shots in just 24 minutes and followed with nine points, seven rebounds and five assists facing elimination in game four.

#The Sun will advance to face the Las Vegas Aces in the best-of-five WNBA Finals. The Aces will host game one, Sunday, September 8 at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tipoff is at 3pm and the game will be broadcast live on ABC.

#The Aces will also host game two at 9pm on September 13 on ESPN before the series shifts to Connecticut for games three (September 15 at 9pm on ESPN) and four if necessary (September 18 at 4pm on ESPN). A fifth and deciding game would be hosted by the Aces at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 20.

#Las Vegas finished with the best record in the league at 26-10 and also claimed the Commissioner’s Cup. The Sun finished the season 25-11 for the third-best record.

#Las Vegas had the advantage in the regular season with wins in two of the three matchups.

#Jones finished with eight points and 13 rebounds in game one, an 89-81 win for the Sun on May 22. She followed with 20 points and seven rebounds in the Aces’ 97-90 win on June 2 but was out of the lineup in game three – a 91-83 Aces win on July 17.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/09/jones-and-sun-wnba-finals/?news

As of Friday, September 9, 2022

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#WITH schools back in session, the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association is hoping that they can get their afterschool athletic programme back up and running again as they celebrate their 30th anniversary in grand style.

#The GSSSA, headed by president Varel Davis, held a meeting on Wednesday at CH Reeves Junior High School where they outlined their plans for the upcoming season with the returning and new physical education teachers as well as those who have been shuffled from one school to the next.

#Based on their data, two prominent teachers have retired, including Natasha Huyler from CI Gibson Secondary High and Ricky Moxey from CC Sweeting Secondary High. There has been shifting with Ann Bullard returning from a sting in Harbour Island where she is now stationed at CC Sweeting with Benjamin Lightbourne coming on board to replace Moxey.

#Long-time Mystic Marlins’ basketball coach Denycko Bowles has been transferred from Doris Johnson and will also be at Anatol Rodgers, who also benefits from the transfer of Antonio Saunders back to New Providence as well as having Theodore Hanna in his transfer from Government High School.

#Rashad Patton was moved from HO Nash Junior High to replace Hanna at Government High.

#While they wait to see how these transfers will all play out, Davis, a member of staff at CH Reeves, said the GSSSA is eager to get its season started after being sidelined for the past two years because of COVID-19. “We have been out of action for the past two plus years because of the pandemic, so we are happy to be back,” she said.

#“The kids are excited. They want to get back to playing sports again, so we are hoping we can do that this year. “The last time we played our kids who are in grade nine were in grade seven and those now in grade 12 were in grade 10. So we are hoping that before these children can graduate from their respective schools, they will get the opportunity to compete for their schools.”

#As they get set to resume their sporting programme, Davis said they intend to stage every core sport on their calendar, but they are still debating which one will get started first, whether it’s volleyball or softball and baseball.

#In any event, she indicated that they are leaning towards starting in October.

#“We are very happy to be able to have sports back in our schools,” Davis said. “The Minister of Education Glenys Hanna-Martin indicated to us that she wants to see sports up and running and so we are going to try our best to do it.”

#Davis, however, said there are minor issues that they are trying to get resolved before they can begin playing sports again.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/09/gsssa-celebrate-30-years-grand-style/?news

GABRIELLE THOMAS, of the United States in 2nd, Jenna Prandini of the United States in 4th, Shericka Jackson of Jamaica wins, Mujinga Kambundji of Switzerland 5th and Tynia Gaither of The Bahamas 6th, from left, compete in the 200m during the Weltklasse IAAF Diamond League international athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich, Switzerland, yesterday. (Michael Buholzer/Keystone via AP)

As of Friday, September 9, 2022

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@trkibunemedia.net

#ENJOYING what she described as her best season ever, Tynia Gaither said she’s satisfied with her sixth place finish in the women’s 200 metres at the Wanda Diamond League Final in Weltklasse, Zurich, Switzerland, yesterday.

#The 29-year-old Gaither, coming off her silver medal performance in the 200m at the NACAC Championships in Grand Bahama, clocked 22.06 seconds, off her lifetime best of 21.41 she posted this year, running out of lane three.

#“Considering how my body is feeling, I think I went out there and gave it my all, so I’m pretty satisfied with that,” said Gaither after the race.

#“I tried to get out as best as I could, but my start and the curve wasn’t the way I wanted it to be lately.

#“But I know I have a very strong finish, so I just tried to keep myself in a position to try to make up at the end and I think I did that very well.”

#Jamaican sensation Shericka Jackson, who earlier got silver (10.81) in the 100m behind compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (in a meet record of 10.65), won the deuce in 21.80 over the American pair of Gabrielle Thomas (22.38) and Tamara Clark (22.42).

#American Jenna Prandini was fourth in 22.45 with Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji was fifth in 22.65, while Denmark’s Ida Karstoft was seventh in 22.80 and Great Britain’s Beth Dobbin rounded out the field in 22.83.

#“We had some of the best women in the world, so to place sixth in that field, I’ll take it,” Gaither said.

#“The goal is always to run a personal best, but I will take sixth for now.”

#Gaither was one of two Bahamians competing in one of the biggest prized events for athletes this year. National record holder Devynne Charlton got fifth place in the women’s 100m hurdles to earn $2,500.

#For her efforts, Gaither pocketed $2,000.

#The other prize money offered for the Diamond League was $30,000 for first place, $12,000 for second, $7,000 for third, $4,000 got fourth, $1,500 for seventh and $1,000 for eighth place.

#The meet brought the curtain down on Gaither’s season and now she will return to Austin, Texas to do some rehab and treatment and just allow her body to heal before she and her coach Tonja Buford- Bailey begin prepping for next season.

#“It was a fantastic season. My coach is amazing. I ended up getting into the best shape of my life and I ended up having my most consistent season,” Gaither reflected.

#“I ran two personal bests and I had a lot of fun this season. I got to compete a lot, so I’m very grateful.”

#Next year, however, Gaither said one of her goals is to crack the 11-second barrier in the women’s 100 metres.

#She’s sitting on the edge looking in, having ran a personal best of 11.02 as the eighth fastest Bahamian.

#Her PR of 22.41 has her listed at number seven.

#“My second year with coach Bailey should be awesome, so I’m really looking forward to that,” she said.

#“And when I make the championship meets, I really want to be able to do something.

#“Making the semi-finals won’t cut it anymore. So my goal next year is to make an impact for Team Bahamas in the sport.”

#Hopefully, she can eventually get back on the podium like she did at NACAC in Grand Bahama (with the silver in the 200m and as the anchor of the women’s silver winning 4 x 100m relay team) for another medal to add to the bronze she collected at the Pan American Games in the 200m in Lima, Peru in 2019.

#While she will gear up for the possibility of returning to the Pan Am Games, scheduled for Santiago, Chile, October 20 to November 5, 2023, Gaither is also looking at making her presence felt at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, August 19-27.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/sep/09/gaither-sixth-200-metres-diamond-league-final-zuri/?news