Home|Sports|McFall named PSAC West Athlete of the WeekSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailNovember 16, 2022 227 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian Jonathan McFall, a senior at Slippery Rock University (SRU) in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, has been named as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division Athlete of the Week in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II, the league office announced on Monday.

McFall earned the weekly honor after leading the Slippery Rock men’s basketball team to a pair of wins, taking down Alderson Broaddus University, 68-62, and Notre Dame College, 82-72, at last weekend’s Butler County Chamber of Commerce Conference Challenge.

In the two games, McFall averaged 21.5 points on 55.2 percent shooting from the field. He added 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. No other player in the PSAC West Division averaged at least 20 points and five rebounds per game last weekend.

The highlight of the performance for McFall came in Slippery Rock’s double-digit win over Notre Dame College as he scored a career-high 28 points while pulling down five rebounds, recording three steals and blocking a shot.

Now in his second season with Slippery Rock, McFall has started 25 of his 30 games played for SRU while producing per game averages of 13.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks while shooting 52.6 percent from the field overall and 81.8 percent at the foul line.

Slippery Rock returns to competition at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday when it hosts Penn State Greater Allegheny at Morrow Field House in Slippery Rock. A victory would improve SRU’s win/loss record to 3-0, giving the program its first 3-0 start since the 2009-10 season.

McFall stands at 6’5” and weighs 160 pounds. He plays the guard or forward position for the Slippery Rock men’s basketball team.

SRU is a small public university in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, USA, with an enrollment of just under 9,000 students.

https://thenassauguardian.com/mcfall-named-psac-west-athlete-of-the-week/

 Home|Sports|The Bahamas’ women pull out of CentrobasketSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailNovember 16, 2022 397 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Months after qualifying for the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Centrobasket Women’s Championship Mexico 2022, The Bahamas’ senior women’s national basketball team is forced to pull out due to a lack of funds. They officially withdrew from the tournament on Monday.

The Bahamas was set to take on some of the top teams from the Caribbean and Central American region, from November 23-27, in Chihuahua, Mexico.

There was initial speculation late last week about the possibility of the team not making the trip. Bahamas Basketball Federation (BBF) President Eugene Horton confirmed the news on Monday. The cost of the trip was set to be in the range of $25,000, according to Horton. FIBA had extended the deadline for confirmation, but as of Monday, the federation found itself short of funds and informed FIBA that the team wasn’t going to travel.

Donillo “Donny” Culmer was the head coach of the team when they played in the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championships in Havana, Cuba, in July. He was set to be the head coach again, for this tournament. He said he and his staff were working diligently with the women and preparing to compete.

“I am very disappointed, very disappointed,” Culmer said. “These women worked hard. We put in the work because we knew what we needed to do after we came from Cuba. We had hit the ground running because we were going to lose some of our younger talented players to school. They would not have been able to travel with the team.”

Culmer said that some veterans who played national team basketball before decided to come out of retirement and get in shape to represent the country. The team was working out six days per week in preparation for the tournament.

Culmer said he knows the women are upset, and admitted that he doesn’t know how women basketball will rebound after this debacle.

“I do not know how things are going to be from here on in when it is time for a women’s national team to form again. The women might feel some type of way – slighted because they put in the work. We had women who came in from abroad to work out and get acclimated,” Culmer said.

Culmer, who coaches both men and women’s night league basketball, feels that the women are being put on the back burner.

“All of a sudden there is no money to send the ladies but there is always money for the men. If The Bahamas ever back their women like they back the men, the women will make it farther,” Culmer said.

At the CBC Championships, The Bahamas placed third to book the final spot to the Centrobasket Championships. The team was able to beat Jamaica 68-57 in the third place game. Overall, the team finished with a 1-2 win/loss record. The team was led in points by a high school player who recently committed to Dayton University, Denika Lightbourne with 14.2 points per game. Britenique Harrison led the team in rebounding with eight rebounds per game and Valerie Nesbitt led the team in assists with 5.6 dimes per contest.

https://thenassauguardian.com/the-bahamas-women-pull-out-of-centrobasket/

 Home|Sports|Champions crowned in the NPPPSSASports

Simba FrenchSend an emailNovember 16, 2022 286 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

After Tropical Storm Nicole interrupted the soccer tournament last week, Sybil Strachan Primary School and Eva Hilton Primary School emerged as the boys and girls champions respectively in the New Providence Public Primary Schools Sports Association (NPPPSSA).

Braving the hot sun at the multi-purpose fields adjacent to the Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium, the youngsters brought the two-day championships to an end on Tuesday.

Hernandez Toussaint, who won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Golden Boot awards, played a huge role in helping Sybil Strachan to a 5-1 victory over Yellow Elder Primary in the boys division. The Golden Boot Award is given to the player who scores the most goals in the tournament.

Toussaint scored two brilliant goals for his school in the championship game, one was a far post header on a free kick and the other was a powerful right foot shot from about 18 yards out.

“It felt good to score those goals. My coach told me to pressure the big defender and I was able to score,” Toussaint said.

His coach Greer Thompson said it was a great win for the school as her team’s hard work paid off.

“I want to thank God for the victory. It feels good to get the victory. We’ve been through a lot but we made it to the top. The players worked hard. Coming into the game, we were a bit shy but I told them to give it their best and do what I tell them from practice,” Thompson said.

Thompson won the Shining Light Coach Award. Sybil Strachan also carted off the Golden Glove award which went to Novins Emile.

Eva Hilton came back after Claridge Primary School went up 1-0 early in the girls championship game to win 3-1. Scoring one of those goals for the champions was their captain, Aiyanna Hernandez. Like Touissant, she won the MVP and the Golden Boot awards.

“I am very happy to get the win because this means a lot to my school. It feels good to score in the championship game and to celebrate,” Hernandez said.

Eva Hilton’s coach Zindora Munnings said she is happy that her school won the title despite having to come from behind.

“The girls played well. They came together and worked as a team and we were victorious. It was a close game. The other team scored first but my girls kept their composure and now we are the champions,” Munnings said.

Winning the Golden Glove Award was Eva Hilton’s Dwanae Rahming. Cleveland Eneas Primary School’s coach Mariska Thompson won the Shining Light Coach Award.

It was a close battle for the bronze medal in the boys division as a penalty shootout was needed to decide a winner between T.G. Glover Primary School and Sadie Curtis Primary School. That game was deadlocked at 0-0 at the end of regulation time. In the end, it was T.G. Glover securing the win 1-0 in the penalty shootout. In the girls bronze medal game, Cleveland Eneas secured a close 1-0 victory over Garvin Tynes.

https://thenassauguardian.com/champions-crowned-in-the-npppssa/

 Home|Sports|Johnson wins gold in back-to-back weeksSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailNovember 17, 2022 308 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

For a second consecutive weekend, budding Bahamian Judoka Xavion Johnson left a competition with a gold medal around his neck after winning one at the Ontario Open at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, last Saturday. He picked it up in the under-18 60 kilogram (kg) division.

The 16-year-old took down Phillipe Manuel with an ippon. This was the second straight week he faced Manuel.

“It feels amazing to get another gold, two times in a row, in one of Canada’s biggest tournaments in judo. My final match was against an amazing judoka, who I beat in at the Québec Open, so I knew he was going for revenge,” Johnson said.

Johnson also competed in the senior men’s 60kg category but placed fifth.

In the under-18 60kg class, Johnson said Manuel put up a fight. He said it came with the territory as his competitors were looking for revenge from a week ago. However, Johnson said that he was driven to get the victory.

“It was a difficult match. I feel like he studied me, so he knew all my moves but that didn’t stop me. A minute and a half into the match, I caught him with one of my favorite techniques for the ippon – a full score. He thought he studied me but he didn’t do it well enough. I was more driven for the win. I wanted it more than he did. All through the match, I knew I was going to beat him,” Johnson said.

Even after all those matches over the two weekends in the very physical sport, the youngster is ready to hit the mat again.

“My body feels tired but mentally I’m not done yet. This is just the beginning. I’m not going to stop until I complete all my dreams in the sport. It truly was a rigorous week, even after winning the Québec Open and the Ontario Open. I did a training camp with the Canadian national team, training with the best two times per day for four days per week,” Johnson said.

The teenager said he had a challenging year but gave credit to his support system of his family and friends. He said he is grateful that he came to Canada to train, which has helped him to improve. While in Canada, Johnson is under the tutelage of Russ Gallant and trains at the Lethbridge Kyodokan Judo Club in Lethbridge, Alberta.

“It’s amazing to train in Canada. I train three times per day, six times per week. I remember when I first started training in Canada, the first two weeks I got better and after two months I was able to compete with the best Canadians in the senior 60kg class. The training here is perfect. I have to say I am humbled and super grateful for the opportunity. Canada produces some of the best fighters in the sport,” Johnson said.

Johnson said he is finished competing for the year and vows to be back on the mat in January.

https://thenassauguardian.com/johnson-wins-gold-in-back-to-back-weeks/

 Home|Sports|BAISS crowns three softball championsSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailNovember 17, 2022 491 7 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) crowned its first champions in a team sport in two years on Wednesday as the softball championships continued over at the Freedom Farm Baseball Fields in Yamacraw.

Junior Girls

SAC sweeps QC 2-0

Just two teams battled this season as the BAISS made a triumphant return to sports, and when the dust had cleared, it was the St. Augustine’s College (SAC) Big Red Machine celebrating another title.

SAC had to come from behind, taking down the Queen’s College Comets, 15-9. They scored 12 of their 15 runs in the last two innings to pull off the victory, and are now celebrating their first BAISS junior girls softball title since 2017.

“I feel ecstatic right now. We came a long way and we pulled it off,” said SAC’s Head Coach Ricka Rose, who is in her first year coaching the team. “We only had a month to get ready for this, but the girls worked hard and they cut down their errors today. That was the key in securing the victory.”

For SAC, they have become accustomed to winning softball titles, but falling short in 2018 and again 2019, plus the two years off due to the threat of COVID, made the wait extra long. Rose said they’re happy to be back on top and they’re looking to repeat as champions in 2023.

“To come back and win the title after two years off feels amazing. We’re not losing a lot of players so I expect us to be back even stronger next year, so this is just the begging of things to come,” she said.

SAC won game one of the best-of-three series, 23-19, on Tuesday and took game two, 15-9, yesterday.

SAC’s leadoff batter Malaya Pratt and Lauren Rolle scored three times apiece for them. Keila McPhee, Valiyah Farquharson and Taeja Pinder added two runs scored apiece.

After the third inning, they were down 6-3, but battled all the way back, plating seven in the top of the fourth and five more in the top of the fifth.

QC could only muster three runs after the third inning.

Tamil Strachan scored three of their nine runs, and Genesis Williams and Jaidyn Russell added two runs scored each.

Ashleigh Forbes was the winning pitcher for SAC while Rayne Duncombe suffered the loss for QC.

Junior boys

QC sweeps Temple Christian 2-0

The Comets used good pitching, strong defense and timely hits to fly past the Temple Christian Suns, 15-7, and complete a two-game sweep and repeat as BAISS junior boys champions yesterday.

After winning a close game on Tuesday, the Comets left no doubt as to who was the superior team on Wednesday. They prevailed 11-8 in game one.

“We knew that we had the talent to win,” said Comets’ Head Coach Adam Waterhouse. “We knew that we were up against a tough opponent, but once we came out and did what we needed to do, we knew we would come out on top. It feels great to win.

“There are only about four or five guys moving up so we feel about good about our chances of coming here and doing it again next year.”

The Comets won the last time the championship were held, in 2019, as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted play in 2020 and again in 2021.

Be that as it may, Waterhouse said it feels good to repeat as champions.

“We came together strongly. I’ve been telling them all season that if they come together they would win because the talent was there. They did that and we came out on top,” said Waterhouse.

The Comets lost their only game of the regular season to the St. Augustine’s College (SAC) Big Red Machine, and went into the playoffs as the number two seed.

They disposed of the Nassau Christian School Crusaders in their single elimination playoff game, and easily handled the Suns in the championship series.

The Comets jumped out front 3-0 after the first inning on Wednesday and never looked back.

Leadoff batter Liam Eneas was the spark plug for the Comets as he got on base every time he came he came to the plate and scored each time. He scored four runs in total.

Second-place batter Ajai Knowles added three runs scored for the Comets.

Sternaz Seymour was the only batter who scored multiple runs for the Suns. He scored twice.

Senior Girls

NCS sweeps QC 2-0

Nassau Christian School (NCS) Crusaders’ Head Coach Donna Brown said her team was hungry from the season started, and knowing the talent that she had, it was only a matter of them coming together and playing as a team, for them to win it all.

The Crusaders completed a sweep of the Queen’s College Comets on Wednesday, winning their first BAISS senior girls softball title in many years.

After taking game one, 14-10, the Crusaders had to rely on good pitching and strong defense to get the job done on Wednesday. They prevailed 4-3 in game two to complete the sweep.

The Crusaders finished a perfect 8-0 in the regular season, disposed of the defending champions St. John’s College Giants in the dingle elimination playoff game, and then took down the Comets in two games in the best-of-three championship series.

“Even though the hits weren’t there like that, we came out on top. We dug down deep for this one and we prevailed. The bats weren’t there but they pushed through,” said Crusaders’ Coach Brown. “This is exciting. It’s exhilarating. It feels great. We came together when we needed to and now we are champions. We had one or two errors today, but overall, we played as a team and we came out on top.”

Apryl Davis was the winning pitcher for the Crusaders while Michaela Bain suffered the loss.

The Crusaders scored three times in the top of the first inning. They were shut out in the next three innings, but got the winning run in the top of the fifth.

The Comets got one run in the second, another in the third and their third and final run in the fourth inning. They left runners stranded on second and third in the bottom of the fifth.

With the potential tying run on third, winning pitcher Davis got Comets’ hitter Shanaz Demeritte to ground out to first to end the game and the championship in their favor.

“This means a lot. It boosts their spirit to come back next year and do it again,” said Brown. “The girls were excited to play this year because of the stoppage due to COVID. They came out here and executed and got the job done. There are only two girls who are leaving so I expect another strong team next year.”

Brown said she wasn’t worried at all when they weren’t hitting the ball like she wanted them to because she knew they had the pitching and defense to pull them through.

Senior boys

Series tied 1-1

With their backs against the wall, the St. Augustine’s College (SAC) Big Red Machine senior boys responded when they needed to, taking the second game of their BAISS championship series on Wednesday.

They won a thriller, 19-18, scoring twice in the bottom of the seventh inning, to win the game and even the best-of-three championship series at a game apiece. The loss for the Nassau Christian School (NCS) Crusaders was their first of the season, and for them, they picked the wrong time to come out flat.

The Crusaders were battling from behind all night, and after finally going ahead in the top of the seventh, they watched as SAC plated two runs in the bottom of the seventh for a walk-off win.

With a runner at third and two out, it was Cedric Dualier who came through for SAC. He laced a line drive that barely got over the reach of Crusaders’ shortstop Jayden Brown to score the game-winning run from third. Game three in the series is set for Friday at 5 p.m. at the Freedom Farm Baseball Fields.

“Well, I know I needed a hit to keep our season alive. I just got good bat on the ball and put it in a good position,” said Duvalier. “We just needed a base hit and I’m thankful that I was able to get it. It feels great but the job isn’t finished yet. We have to come back and do the same thing on Friday.”

SAC had a sizable lead for much of the night, but the Crusaders kept battling back. NCS was down 5-3 after the first inning and 8-3 after being shut out in the second. SAC held a commanding 11-5 lead going into the fifth inning, NCS exploded for five runs in the fifth, but SAC responded with six in the bottom of the fifth to 17-10 lead into the sixth. Once again, NCS got back in the game. They scored six runs in the top pf the sixth and then held SAC scoreless in the bottom half of that frame to trail just 17-16 going into the seventh and final inning.

A pair off solo home runs, one inside the park and the next one out of the park game NCS an 18-17 lead going into the bottom of the seventh, setting the stage for Duvalier to be the hero.

“As you can see, our performance was off and on tonight. We made quite a few errors and allowed them to get back in the game, and we have to clean that up for Friday,” said SAC’s Assistant Coach Greg Jones. “We were able to get some timely hits when we needed to and we pulled it off, but we have to clean up the errors. We know we could play better than we did tonight, but the important thing is that we got the win and now we have to come out here and do the same thing on Friday.”

When NCS battled back and took the lead, Jones said he just told his players to relax because they were batting last and had a chance to respond which they did.

“We had the game in hand, gave it back to them and then took it again,” he said. “We have to be able to protect a lead and limit the errors. Once we get a good start on Friday and limit the errors, we should be fine. We knew if we lost, that would be it, so the guys responded when they needed two. Hopefully, we could come back on Friday and end the season on a good note.”

Leadoff batter Damani Scott scored four times for SAC. Duvalier and Leonardo Johnson added three runs scored apiece. Ormund Gibson, Nevron Harrison and Tayshawn Major each scored three runs for the Crusaders.

Joshua Burrows was the winning pitcher for SAC while Jaheim Davis suffered the loss for the Crusaders.

 The third and decisive game of the series will be played on Friday at 5 p.m.

https://thenassauguardian.com/baiss-crowns-three-softball-champions/

 Home|Sports|15 inducted into National Sports Hall of FameSports

Legends rewarded for their hard work and dedication to their sport

Simba FrenchSend an emailNovember 17, 2022 667 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

A total of 15 more sports icons were inducted into The Bahamas’ National Sports Hall of Fame on Wednesday, as the Class of 2022, including The Bahamas’ ‘Golden Girls’. The induction was done in a ceremony held in the Andros Ballroom at Baha Mar.

They were rewarded for their hard work and dedication in their respective disciplines, giving service locally and 

nationally at a high level for decades.

Making up the Class of 2022 are Lorenzo “Ray” Minus Jr. (boxing); Stephen Larrimore (boxing); the late Ivern Davis (squash); Everette Johnson (softball); Sidney “Bobby Baylor” Fernander (softball); Charles Franklyn Adderley (martial arts); Raymond Wilson (volleyball); Perry Thompson Sr. (basketball); the late John Terry Wildgoose (basketball); Maxine Darville (bodybuilding); Frederick Laing (basketball); Dr. Patricia “Patti” Symonette (volleyball); Monique Leary (bowling); Golden Girls Pauline Davis-Thompson, Eldece Clarke-Louis, Savatheda Fynes-Coke, Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie and Chandra Sturrup (track and field); and Wellington Miller (sports administration).

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg spoke about the achievement of being inducted to the hall of fame.

“To be inducted into the hall of fame is to be honored as one of the greatest in sports, not only in the arena of sports, but in the development and growth of sports for all of us. As a country, we must appreciate the work that these inductees have done to bring The Bahamas to the forefront for sporting achievements regionally and globally,” Bowleg said.

Bowleg spoke about the inductees’ hard work, the effort that they put into their crafts to be what they are now – hall of famers.

“To be great at sports, one must have the necessary characteristics and be passionate about what you do; being present and consistent in the daily process. One must be optimistic, even against the greatest odds and be resolute in achieving your goals. Each person being celebrated this evening has showcased greatness in their respective discipline,” Bowleg said.

Wilson spoke on behalf of the Class of 2022.

“We, the Class of 2022, thank you for being here. We thank the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture for what you have done and we, the Class of 2022, will leave you with this – the journey continues, march on Bahamland,” Wilson said.

Wilson also spoke about Minus fighting for a world championship belt three times and reminisced about where he was when the Golden Girls won the women’s 4×100 meters (m) relay gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

President of the Bahamas Olympic Committee Romell “Fish” Knowles told the inductees to wear the title hall of fame proudly.

“These are some of the finest sports icons in the history of The Bahamas. Their inclusion into the National Sports Hall of Fame is deserving. If you were to interview each inductee, you would appreciate his or her story. Their journeys are all diverse but you would find a singular most prolific thing as an athlete, which is adorning our national uniform and the raising of our Bahamian flag and hearing our national anthem gives one a sense of pride comparable to nothing else in the world,” Knowles said.

The Bahamas National Sports Hall of Fame came into existence in 1989 with six inductees. Those inductees were Thomas A. Robinson (track and field); Sir Durward Knowles (sailing); Cecil Cooke (sailing); Andre Rodgers (baseball); and Everette “Elisha Obed” Ferguson. Since then, the list has grown to almost 200 inductees.

https://thenassauguardian.com/15-inducted-into-national-sports-hall-of-fame/

 Home|Sports|UB Mingoes get close to first win, but come up shortSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailNovember 18, 2022 146 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The University of The Bahamas (UB) Mingoes women’s volleyball team went to the Anatol Rodgers Gymnasium on Wednesday, hoping to turn their New Providence Volleyball Association (NPVA) season around. They played like everything was on the line and even though they forced a decisive fifth set for the first time this season, they fell short, losing to the Lady Technicians who prevailed 25-27, 25-22, 25-17, 13-25 and 15-8.

The Mingoes started off strong in the first set, battling to the end. They went on win their first set of the season, coming out on top, 27-25.

The Mingoes stayed strong in the second set but couldn’t close the deal as they dropped that set, 25-22.

In the third set, the Mingoes had too many errors and ended up losing that set, 25-17. That meant the team had to win the next two sets to pick up a win.

The team regrouped and in the fourth set, they held the Lady Techs to just 13 points, taking that set, 25-13, to force a decisive fifth set.

The Mingoes had two crucial service errors after a mid-set changeover that the Lady Techs capitalized off. They went on to win the last set, 15-8, and take the match three sets to two.

Shanyha Bowe led the offensive charge for the Mingoes with 13 points including 10 kills. Miracle Stubbs had eight points including five kills.

Kimberly Thurston lead the Lady Techs with 15 points.

UB Assistant Coach Sydline Justillien said the team finally showed the fire the coaching staff knew they had.

“I think the girls did a very good job but just made simple mistakes,” she said. “I think they now know they can play hard and I think we are going to get them next time.”

She added that the team members need to work on their communication on the court.

“At the beginning of the game they were communicating really good but in the middle of the game they just stopped and we went flat,” she said. “We are going to work on that for the next game.”

The next schedule game for the Mingoes is next week Thursday at 7:30 p.m. when they take on the Panthers.

https://thenassauguardian.com/ub-mingoes-get-close-to-first-win-but-come-up-short/

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailNovember 18, 2022 128 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The University of The Bahamas (UB) Mingoes men’s basketball team practiced Thursday at the David Posnack Jewish Community Center in Davie, Florida, ahead of a two-game series against Atlantis University this weekend.

The Mingoes are expected to play Atlantis University at 8 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday.

UB Head Coach Bacchus Rolle, along with assistant coaches Lavar Johnson and Taige Adderley, ran the team through a series of drills along with a full court scrimmage.

The team is expected to have a shoot around session Friday morning before the night game.

The Mingoes won its season opening game at UB’s Homecoming November 4 against the Mambas, 82-65.

Coach Rolle said it’s always good to go into an international tour with a win. “That was a big win for us and we saw what some of our players could do,” he said. “I hope they come here and surprise us again.”

The team ran through some new plays in practice Thursday and hopes to impress international scouts and officials when they play Atlantis University.

“We looked good today and I think we can keep the momentum into the series,” Rolle said.

The Mingoes won their first game of the season and now, on Friday night, they will be playing in their first international game of the season.

https://thenassauguardian.com/mingoes-basketball-works-out-ahead-of-weekend-tour/

 Home|Sports|Table tennis tournament set for SaturdaySports

Simba FrenchSend an emailNovember 18, 2022 199 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas Table Tennis Federation and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China here in The Bahamas in conjunction with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture will host a table tennis tournament this Saturday at the A.F. Adderley Gymnasium.

The tournament will highlight 25 years of diplomatic relationship between the People’s Republic of China and the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. It is set to get underway at 9 a.m., with the junior, intermediate, adult, adult doubles and team competition categories competing.

Tournament organizer Sudan Khalfani said that everything is happening as per schedule. Khalfani said the relationship between the federation and the Chinese Embassy is new, with the two officially coming together earlier this year for the first time.

“We have mutual goals and interests, one of which is promoting and developing the sport of table tennis. So far the results have been phenomenal and with the collaboration with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, eager children and supporting parents, the sport has grown exponentially,” Khalfani said.

Interested persons can register online or register the morning of the competition. The online link is https://forms.gle/WLQiW1XL2W1jXF8Q8.

The top three positions in each category will receive a trophy, cash prize and of course bragging rights. Khalfani said he expects to see some tight competition in the different divisions as they battle for the top positions.

The federation has been holding training sessions for juniors at L.W. Young Junior High School. Khalfani said the program is coming along well. He said they are preparing two juniors for an international tournament.

This is the final table tennis tournament for the year. Next year, the federation is looking forward to starting a league for both juniors and seniors.

Persons can also call (242) 429-9881 or (242) 426-5153 for more information.

https://thenassauguardian.com/table-tennis-tournament-set-for-saturday/

 Home|Sports|Caribbean Baseball Championship on the horizonSports

Tournament will qualify two teams for next year’s CAC Games

Simba FrenchSend an emailNovember 18, 2022 155 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The plans for the 4th Annual Caribbean Baseball Championship are taking place as according to schedule as the Bahamas Baseball Association (BBA) addressed the media yesterday at the Office of the Prime Minister.

The tournament, that is set for December 4-11 at the new Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium, will pit The Bahamas against five other teams. Also competing are the defending champions Curacao, Haiti, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Cuba. This is a qualifier for the Central America and Caribbean (CAC) Games in El Salvador in 2023. Those six teams will battle for two spots at the games.

BBA Secretary General Theodore Sweeting addressed the media and provided updates about the tournament.

The Bahamian team has not been named as yet, but one thing for certain is that Major League Baseball (MLB) players who are on their team’s 40-man roster cannot play in this round. That means that Miami Marlins’ infielder Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm and Washington Nationals’ infielder Lucius Fox will be unavailable to play for The Bahamas.

“The team is in Grand Bahama,” Sweeting said. “That’s the only place we have a full 94-feet diamond field for them to practice and get ready for December. A lot of our other players are still in college and they’ll be home by November 28 and then we get ready to put that team in the field so they’re just coming together. I think we can be very competitive.”

The BBA will officially name the team on November 28 and Sweeting said that the federation is using Minor League Baseball (MiLB) and collegiate players. They are waiting on the MiLB teams to release the players. That is the biggest challenge the team is facing, according to Sweeting.

The manager for the team is Geron Sands. Some of the players the country can expect to see are Tahnaj Thomas, Chavez Young, Ian Lewis, Evan Sweeting and D’Shawn Knowles.

The baseball stadium that had its completion date shifted from year to year appears to be finally be finished. It is one of the main concerns that The Bahamas had when agreeing to host this tournament – when will the stadium be finished.

“MLB is coming in after the completion and they will do their inspection. What they like to do is to make sure that the surface and everything that their professional players are playing on meets their standards. Our field is astro turf, so we know we’re going to meet the standards when they do their final inspection of the stadium, so we’re not concerned about that,” Sweeting said.

The astro turf is currently being laid out.

“The field drains extremely well. About a month ago, we had a lot of rain that came down.  Within 10 minutes, after the rain stopped, we could go right back on the field and walk up and down. There was no puddle, so it drains very well,” Sweeting said.

Sweeting is expecting to see at least 2,000 fans come out and support the host nation at the tournament on a nightly basis. The tickets purchased will be valid for an entire day’s games. The Bahamas will be playing the evening game up until the second round of the tournament.

The Bahamas opens the tournament against Haiti on Sunday December 4 at 7:30 p.m.

https://thenassauguardian.com/caribbean-baseball-championship-on-the-horizon/