Month: January 2023

NPBA: Tucker Boys beat Giants 57-56, Eagles top Rebels 76-60

As of Monday, January 16, 2023

#THE New Providence Basketball Association continued its regular season action at the AF Adderley Gymnasium over the weekend with a pair of games played on Friday and Saturday night.

#On Saturday night in the division one feature contest, the Tucker Boys nipped the TMT Giants 57-56, while the RC Liquors Eagles got by the Rebels 76-60 in the division II opener.

#On Friday night, the Caro Contractors Shockers def. The University of the Bahamas Mingoes 67-53 in the division one feature contest. Your Essential Store Giants pulled off a 89-84 win over Cyber Tech.

#Shockers 57, Mingoes 53: Dominique Fernander scored 17 points with 11 rebounds Friday to lead Caro Contractors to victory. William Rigby also scored 16 points with five rebounds and four steals and Jeron Smith added 12 points with three rebounds and as many steals.

#The University of the Bahamas got 17 points with two steals from Delano Armbrister and Glenderson Black helped out with 10 points and three rebounds.

#Tucker Boys 57, Giants 56: Leon Bain scored 18 points with five rebounds to lead the Tuckers Boys to victory. Clayton Tucker had 12 points and three rebounds and Jaden Stubbs also had 12 points with seven rebounds.

#Randy Miller paced TMT with 16 points, 14 rebounds, three block shots and a pair of assists and steals. D’Angelo Mackey had 12 points, six assists, four steals and two rebounds and Donovan Dean added 10 points.

#Eagles 76, Rebels 60: Alexio Francis scored 26 points with 14 points and four steals to lead RC Liquors to victory. Cornelius Rigby had 10 points with nine rebounds, three assists and two steals, Elexion Morley added nine points and 12 rebounds.

#In a losing effort, Giano Francis had a game high 20 points with six rebounds and three steals, Kristan Munroe had 16 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and and two assists, Marcian Pickstock had 16 points and two rebounds and Brandon Hall had eight points and three rebounds.

#Giants 89, Cyber Tech 84: Brandson Strachan connected on a game high 26 points with 11 rebounds and three assists to lead the YES Giants to victory.

#Touretue Cartwright had 21 points, nine rebounds and three assists while Kirklyn Farrington had 15 points and four assists.

#Cormardo Seymour had 11 points and 11 rebounds and Edward Williams added 10 points with 14 rebounds asnd three assists.

#Tyrese Porter had five assists and three rebounds while Steve Schurton had 17 points and six rebounds.

#Daniel Bethel had 14 points and seven rebounds, Devon Bonaby Jr also had 14 points and five rebounds and Jermaine Mackey had nine points and nine rebounds.

#Tonight’s

#schedule

#8pm – University of the Bahamas vs Discount Distributors Liquors Rockets (D1)

#Wednesday

#8pm – Sand Dollar vs

#Zulu Media Marketing (D1)

#Friday

#8pm – Leno Regulators

#vs Rebels (D1)

#Saturday

#8pm – TMT Giants vs

#Caro Contractors

#Shockers (D1)

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/jan/16/npba-tucker-boys-beat-giants-57-56-eagles-top-rebe/?news

GHS Magic slow down RM Bailey Pacers 39-33

As of Friday, January 13, 2023

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#While the RM Bailey Pacers senior girls prevailed over the Government High Magic, the Magic senior boys avenged the defeat by knocking off the Pacers in their Government Secondary Schools Sports Association double header at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium yesterday.

#RM Bailey doubled up Government High 56-24 in the senior girls opener, while GHS prevailed with a 39-33 win in the senior boys’ feature contest.

#Pacers 56, Magics 24: Vincinique Dames canned a game high 21 points and Janea Ariste had 17 points to pace RM Bailey to victory. Chadanay Knowles helped out with seven.

#Teajah Johnson, the captain for the Pacers, said their coach Keisha Pratt had them clicking on all cylinders.

#“I think we did good. We can work on some things, but we were able to get the ball where we needed it to go,” said Johnson, a 17-year-old 12th grader.

#“We’ve been practicing well, so we just have to perfect our craft by playing more defence and getting the ball in the paint.”

#Dames, their major benefactor when they did get the ball in the paint, said it was a good feeling to get the first game under their belt. “Our defence was a bit slack. I’m sure we could do better,” Dames said. “Once we can work on our defence, we will be much better.”

#Dames scored nine and Ariste had five in the first quarter as RM Bailey raced out to an impressive 19-7 lead and they were never challenged. They took a 33-14 lead into the half as Dames connected on six and Ariste had four in the second period.

#Things slowed down a bit in the second half for the Pacers, who held onto a 47-21 margin at the end of the final break. They went on an 8-6 run in the fourth to preserve the win.

#Roshan Ingraham scored 13 points and Rihanna Ferguson had four in the loss for Government High, whose coach Bernice Penn said they knew they had their work cut out for them.

#“I guess the kids were nervous, but we came in here knowing that we are going to be working on our development,” said Penn, who was assisted by Salathial Dean. “I’m proud of the girls. We got a little nervous and were shaky out there, but this is just day one. Our next game is on Monday, so hopefully we will get it together and play much better.”

#Magic 39, Pacers 33: With two of their starters not playing, Lens Dolcine led Government High to victory in their senior boys’ match-up with 10 points.

#Rasheed Brennen had eight, Lathario Babbs had six and Peter Tilusnord added five to help preserve the win.

#Government High doubled up the score at the end of the first quarter with a 12-6 lead, but RM Bailey cut it down to two (23-21) at the half.

#The Magic stayed out front 31-27 at the end of the third and they out-scored the Pacers 8-6 in the fourth to clinch the win.

#Coach Elkin Sherman gave his team a grade of C-plus.

#“Honestly, we could have played better. We were missing two starters, but with this air-conditioning in here, it was killing the boys, but we just had to thug it out,” Sherman said. “Our two starters were out with the flu going around, but I had to keep the rest of our team strong.”

#Bryson Rolle also scored 10 in a losing effort for the Pacers, who also got seven from Kendrick Emilien and six from Isaiah Williams. Coach Devon Miller said they still have a lot of work to do.

#“Today, we didn’t follow the game plan. We missed one or two others. Other than that, we did fairly well,” he said.

#“This is their first time out. We didn’t have a scrimmage. “We had a short pre-season to prepare. I think the next time out, we will be much better.”

#Looking back at their performances, Miller said the most important thing they have to work on is their “defence, lay-ups and free throws.”

#Today’s schedule

#CI Gibson Gymnasium

#4pm – HO Nash vs DW Davis junior girls and boys.

#Kendal Isaacs Gym

#CV Bethel vs CR Walker (senior girls).

#CI Gibson vs Anatol Rodgers (senior girls).

#CV Bethel vs CR Walker (senior boys).

#CI Gibson vs Anatol Rodgers (senior boys).

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/jan/13/ghs-magic-slow-down-rm-bailey-pacers-39-33/?news

T-Bird Flyers Track Classic this weekend

As of Friday, January 13, 2023

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#THE T-Bird Flyers Track Classic will be the first meet out of the gate as the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ 2023 season officially gets underway this weekend at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

#And according to the T-Bird Flyers Track Club’s head coach Foster Dorsett, they are anticipating a grand time as the meet starts at 6pm today and wraps up on Saturday, starting at noon.

#“With this being the first meet of the year, what we do is we give the kids an opportunity to see where they are going into the season,” Dorsett said.

#“We have some great expectations from them because this is the CARIFTA year and we want to have a really good showing.

#“So we feel that the coaches have been doing a great job getting the kids ready and I know the kids are eager to compete in their first meet of the year.

#“We anticipate that we might have some qualifiers for the CARIFTA Games because the kids have their sights of competing for the Bahamas.”

#The Bahamas is playing host to the 50th Golden CARIFTA Games April 7-11 as a part of the 50th anniversary of the nation, so Dorsett said this year’s meet is going to be very special.

#He said the athletes will find out that there will be events in all age group categories that will enable them to compete at their best.

#While they are expecting close to 600 athletes to compete, Dorsett said they are aware that some of the athletes from Queen’s College, who hosted their inter-school track meet on Thursday and St Augustine’s College, whose inter-house meet is today, may not have all of their athletes compete.

#“The meets are just too close in these instances, so we know that not all of the athletes from these two schools will compete,” Dorsett said.

#“They are some of the top athletes who could be vying for spots on the CARIFTA team, but we still expect some of their athletes to compete.

#“We also still have a lot of athletes who are eager to compete in the meet, so we expect that there will be some keen competition. We have some athletes coming in from Grand Bahama and some of the Family Islands, so the meet should be an exciting one.”

#Additionally, Dorsett, who now serves as the first vice president of the BAAA and a member of the Bahamas Association of Certified Officials (BACO), said they will be honouring two fallen members of BACO.

#“We will be remembering our past president Courtney Wallace and our senior official Ivy Charlton,” Dorsett said. “We will be honouring and recognising them posthumously during the meet for their contributions to the sport of track and field.”

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/jan/13/t-bird-flyers-track-classic-weekend/?news

Mt Carmel senior boys 3-1 after 37-32 loss to Genesis

Academy

As of Friday, January 13, 2023

#COACH Wilton Johnson and his Mt Carmel Preparatory Academy Cavaliers senior boys’ basketball team’s winning streak came to an abrupt halt yesterday at the Hope Centre.

#However, the Cavaliers are still holding their own, strong atop the Bahamas Scholastic Athletic Association basketball standings at 3-1 after Thursday’s 37-32 loss to Genesis Academy.

#“I know what it is. Yal worrying about too much girls, that’s what it is,” coach Johnson shouted at his players on the bench yesterday as they were trailing by four points.

#Nathan Wallace, no. 9 of Genesis, scored 24 points in the win.

#Dorien LaRoda, no. 1 of Mt Carmel, had nine points in the loss.

#A number of games were played on Thursday as the BSAA continued basketball action inside the Hope Centre located on University Commons and Games Boulevard.

#• Here are the results:

#Mini Division

#Temple Christian School 10 def Kingsway Academy 2

#Joshua Taylor no. 8 of Temple Christian had five (5) points in the win.

#David Fraser no. 8 of Kingsway had two (2) points in the loss.

#Primary Boys

#Freedom Baptist Academy 18 def Kingsway Academy 2

#Dedrick Johnson no. 5 of Freedom had ten (10) points in the win.

#Shiloh Smith no. 17 of Kingsway had two (2) points in the loss.

#Junior Boys

#International School of Business, Entrepreneurship, and Technology ISBET 28 def Genesis Academy 15 Zhyon Thompson no. 8 of ISBET had thirteen (13) points in the win.

#Alex Braunlich no. 6 of Genesis had seven (7) points in the loss.

#Freedom Baptist Academy B 27 def Akhepran International Academy 25

#Stephanson Dormauille no. 23 of Freedom B had twenty (20) points in the win. Adisa Eneas no. 9 of Akhepran had fifteen (15) points in the loss.

#Senior Boys

#Akhepran International Academy 40 def C. V. Bethel Senior High 34

#Evan Hanna no. 0 and Delroy Mackey no. 10 of Akhepran both had twelve (12) points in the win.

#Alfred Lloyd no. 8 of C. V had twenty (20) points in the loss

#Wednesday Results

#Primary Boys

#Temple Christian School 20, Teleos Christian School 2: Theo Bethel of Temple scored nine points in the win. Khari Ramsey of Teleos scored two points in the loss.

#Junior Boys

#Freedom Baptist Academy A 37, Akhepran International Academy 10: Joevardo Wright of Freedom scored 27 points in the win. DeAlverez Carter Akhepran scored five points in the loss.

#Senior Girls

#C.V Bethel Senior High 21, Teleos Christian School 10: Danielle McCoy of CV scored 12 points in the win. Azariah Anderson of Teleos scored four points in the loss.

#Senior Boys

#Akhepran International Academy 47, Genesis Academy 31: Evan Hanna of Akhepran scored 11 points in the win. Amarri Bethel of Genesis scored 10 points in the loss.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/jan/13/mt-carmel-senior-boys-3-1-after-37-32-loss-genesis/?news

International tennis teams to join Bahamas for IC Caribbean Doubles Week Championship

SHOWN above is Team Bahamas at a previous championship tournament.

SHOWN above is Team Bahamas at a previous championship tournament.

As of Friday, January 13, 2023

#INTERNATIONAL tennis teams from USA, Barbados and Canada will be joining The Bahamas team for the sixth bi-annual International Tennis Clubs (IC) Caribbean Doubles Week Championship from Monday, January 16 to Friday, January 20.

#This week-long event features top older players from these countries playing men’s, ladies and mixed doubles in combined age pair categories from 105 to 125 years.

#The Bahamas team is captained by Neil Mactaggart. Among his players will be former top Caribbean, Davis Cup Captain and player John Antonas.

#Also on that team will be the No.1 ITF ranked lady in the world in the 75+ age category. This is Sue Kimball who for many years was a teacher here and has kept up strong contact with The Bahamas and its International Tennis Club (IC) ever since those days.

#The event is being hosted at Nassau Lawn Tennis Club on Market Street.

#The Nassau Lawn Club was established in 1880 and is one of the very oldest clubs in the whole Americas region. It is almost exactly the same age as Wimbledon.

#There will be two inter country matches each day starting at 9.30am and 1.30pm with all teams playing every other team over the five days to decide the eventual champion team.

#The USA are the current holders of this title.

#Each inter country match consists of two men’s doubles, one ladies’ double and two mixed doubles matches.

#The International Tennis Clubs (IC) are made up of 40 countries around the world. They consist of top international players and national title holders in their country who respect the IC Tradition of “Hands across the net, friendship across the ocean”.

#As well as organising many international tennis events around the world for member countries, they sponsor The IC Rod Laver Junior Challenge.

#This is held bi-annually on every continent with the winning teams going to the World-wide Finals which recently has been held in Wimbledon, Monte Carlo and Japan.

#This is fully sponsored by the IC organisation at no cost to the juniors.

#The IC also has a philanthropic section that runs and sponsors many projects around the world for juniors in poor areas.

#This is part of the IC tradition of top players who are invited to join and give back to the world of tennis. For more information on IC activities, go to www. ictennis.net

#The Council of

#International Lawn

#Tennis Clubs

#In 2009, IC Philanthropy was established by the IC Council to teach tennis to disadvantaged children.

#In some communities, the sport provides an alternative path from life on the streets and the dangers of drugs and crime.

#Bahamas IC President, Kit Spencer, who will be playing in the event, thanked sponsor Winterbotham Trust for not only helping with staging this international event but also for their great help in sponsoring The Winterbotham IC Junior Series over recent years.

#This has enabled many young Bahamians to get in to tennis competition in an enjoyable way and help the BLTA develop junior tennis.

#So from this junior activity to this Caribbean event for older players, tennis is “a game for life.”

#For more information, contact Kit Spencer @

#363-2930 and 395-8258.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/jan/13/international-tennis-teams-join-bahamas-ic-caribbe/?news

Junior tennis players headline New Year’s tourney

BRIANA Houlgrave and Tatyana Madu receive their champions and runners-up trophies from Chilean Burrows. At left is Andrew Burrows Jr.

BRIANA Houlgrave and Tatyana Madu receive their champions and runners-up trophies from Chilean Burrows. At left is Andrew Burrows Jr.

As of Friday, January 13, 2023

photo

RUNNER-up Chase Newbold and champion Patrick MacTaggart receive their trophies from past president Darnette Weir and current president Perry Newton.

#JUNIORS in two age categories, U14 and U16, participated in the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) New Year’s Tournament from January 7-10 at the National Tennis Centre.

#A group of talented juniors headlined the opening tournament of 2023.

#President Perry Newton, vice-president Chilean Burrows and immediate past-president Darnette Weir were on hand to present the trophies.

#The winners’ circle consisted of:

#U14 Girls

#Champion: Briana

#Houlgrave

#Runner Up: Tatyana

#Madu

#U14 Boys

#Champion: Patrick

#Mactaggart

#Runner Up: Chase

#Newbold

#U16 Girls

#Champion: Briana

#Houlgrave

#Runner Up: Tatyana

#Madu

#U16 Boys

#Champion: Jackson

#Mactaggart

#Runner Up: William

#McCartney

#Sportsmanship Boy:

#Panagiotis Mousis

#Sportsmanship Girl:

#Claudia Drgon

#The BLTA congratulates all the winners and participants. Special mention is made of Brianna Houlgrave who captured two age divisions in U14 and U16. 12-year-old Briana played for the first time in the U16 category winning over the #1 and #2 seeds and emerging victorious.

#“Continue to shine,” the BLTA wrote. “We thank the tournament director and officials for their hard work.”

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/jan/13/junior-tennis-players-headline-new-years-tourney/?news

Mystic Marlins bite up Cobras

As of Thursday, January 12, 2023

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#Coach Kevon Spence said he felt his Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins were in a 10-round heavyweight main event fight against the CC Sweeting Cobras.

#As the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association kicked off its 2023 basketball season yesterday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, the Mystic Marlins senior boys took the sting out of the Cobras with a 65-52 victory.

#The win came after CC Sweeting, with only seven players in uniform, turned back a fully loaded Doris Johnson in a 45-20 rout in the senior girls’ opener.

#Over at the CI Gibson Gymnasium, the junior girls and boys played. CH Reeves Raptors demolished the AF Adderley Fighting Tigers junior girls 41-5, CH Reeves held off AF Adderley junior boys 33-31 and TA Thompson Scorpions got by the LW Young Golden Eagles junior boys 28-16.

#After helping to coach the Mystic Marlins in the senior girls’ loss, Spence didn’t want to get his senior boys knocked out as well.

#“I felt really good that we came out here and executed. It was like after all of the sparring, we got a chance when the lights were on to execute in the ring,” he said. “We executed when we needed to on the court and that got us the win.”

#The Cobras opened a 9-1 run and held on an 11-5 advantage at the end of the first quarter.

#The Mystic Marlins, however, stormed back to cut the deficit to two (22-20) at the half.

#In the third period, the Marlins outscored the Cobras 22-17 to take control of the game. They cruised in the fourth quarter on an 18-12 spurt to seal the deal.

#“I was pleased with the way our team was able to respond to the punch of the next team,” Spence said. “We talked about it a lot. We said when the next team gave us a punch, we must know how to react. So it was great that we had so much time to come back in the game and get the job done.”

#In Doris Johnson’s comeback, Laterro Young had 17, including eight in the

#third quarter and five in the fourth, while Bredon Williams scored 16, canning two of his three three-pointers in the third quarter when they turned the tables on CC Sweeting. Sammy Joseph and Jay-Onn Joseph both had eight and Mervin Miller chipped in with six in the win.

#As the last team to win the GSSSA senior boys crown since the league went into a two-year hiatus because of COVID-19, Spence said all they need to do is “take it one game at a time” and they will be in a good position to go after another title.

#Mataeo Minnis had 12, Jason Williams 10 and Tavari Roker added six in the loss. It was a loss that assistant coach Brian Tucker said they deserved.

#“We didn’t come out and play our style of basketball,” admitted Tucker, who assisted head coach Darshtyn Baker. “We had a lot of turnovers, which were unforced. We really didn’t play our game. This was the first game of the season, so we had to get the jitters out, but we will learn from this. We will go back to practice and get it together.”

#Cobras 45,

#Mystic Marlins 20

#Although they were short-handed, it didn’t matter as Doris Johnson didn’t have any answers for CC Sweeting’s 1-2 punch of Dominiqua Rolle and Bernell Colebrooke.

#Rolle poured in a game high 19 points and Colebrooke finished with 13 as the Cobras got some extra help with Alferan Destamar and Diamond Evans scoring four and three respectively in the win.

#“I want to give God thanks. As believers, we are admonished to give God thanks for whatever the situation is, whether it is a win or a loss. Today we came out with a W, but we are lacking personnel in terms of what we have to go through for the entire season,” McSweeney said. “At one point, we had up to 22 girls who signed up to play, but it came down to just 11 this week. We took a break for Majority Rule and our physical education head Tiffany Wildgoose has been doing a tremendous job to come out, but some decided they would not play today. So we’re just glad we walked away with the win.”

#With some time off because they play again next week, McSweeney said they have sufficient time to iron out some things defensively as they go to a zone until their players get in better shape. He said they won’t cry over spilled milk, but rather will make the adjustment with what they have. With a full squad, coach Zena Kemp expected a lot more from her Mystic Marlins, but they just folded up down the stretch when it counted the most in the second half.

#Anthonique Delancy scored eight and Faith McKinney added four, but it wasn’t enough.

#“They came out playing pretty good, but then we just couldn’t maintain our composure,” Kemp said.

#The league will be back in action today with Anatol Rodgers playing SC McPherson in junior girls and boys at CI Gibson, starting at 4pm, while the Government High Magics and the RM Bailey Pacers will tangle in the senior girls and boys at Kendal Isaacs.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/jan/12/mystic-marlins-bite-cobras/?news

Insurance gold sponsor for the CARIFTA Games

NUA Agency Limited and its members joined the Local Organising Committee of the 50th CARIFTA Games as a gold sponsor.

NUA Agency Limited and its members joined the Local Organising Committee of the 50th CARIFTA Games as a gold sponsor.

As of Thursday, January 12, 2023

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#WITH their cheque presentation of $50,000, NUA Insurance Agents & Brokers became a gold sponsor of the 50th Golden Jubilee CARIFTA Games over the Easter holiday weekend.

#The cheque presentation was made yesterday in the foyer of the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

#Speaking on behalf of NUA was Stanford Charlton, the managing director, who said they are happy to partner with the LOC in putting on the 50th edition of the CARIFTA Games, marking the ninth time it will be held in the Bahamas.

#“Our $50,000 sponsorship is a reflection of our commitment to the shared goals and spirit of the games,” said Charlton, noting that they hope the games will deliver an unparalleled experience for the athletes, spectators and fans, who will fill the stadium.

#“This year, the Bahamas celebrates 50 years as an independent nation and it coincides with the 50th CARIFTA Games,” Charlton said.

#“We understand the magnitude of this moment and we hope to contribute to its success.”

#CARIFTA LOC chairman Lynden Maycock welcomed NUA on board and indicated that they are looking forward to them making the games a success as they make this one of the most memorable games ever held.

#“Once again, thank you, thank you, thank you,” Maycock summed up.

#Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations president Drumeco Archer, in reading from the mandate of NUA from their website, said he’s delighted that they have decided to support track and field, the largest sporting body in the Bahamas and by extension, the CARIFTA Games, the largest track and field event in the world for junior athletes.

#“I believe that by your sponsorship, you will receive exponential returns for your investment,” Archer stated.

#“Through our LOC, headed by Lynden Maycock, we hope to make this the most exciting games hosted in its 50th year of existence.”

#Mike Sands, the president of the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC), which comprises of 36 area associations or nations and 26 of which are a part of CARIFTA, said while it’s good that NUA is making its presence felt in the Bahamas, it’s his hope that they will be able to spread their wings into some of the countries participating in the games.

#Sands pledged his commitment to introduce Charlton and his team to the NACAC membership as he looks forward to NUA assisting the region in the hosting of the games here in the Bahamas and at the same time, welcomed them as a partner of NACAC.

#Rev Harrison Thompson, the chairman of the CARIFTA Games, said the games are in great shape with a medical firm, Oak Tree, as the major sponsor and now NUA, as an insurance company, as a gold medal sponsor. He thanked NUA on behalf of the LOC and encouraged them to increase their donation to another $50,000 and at the same time, he advised them to consider sponsoring the BAAA in some of their ventures this year.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/jan/12/insurance-gold-sponsor-carifta-games/?news

BAAA will be ready for 50th Golden Jubilee

As of Thursday, January 12, 2023

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#ALTHOUGH there are a number of international events on their agenda for 2023, Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations president Drumeco Archer said they are making sure that they are ready for the hosting of the 50th Golden Jubilee CARIFTA Games.

#The games, to be hosted here for the ninth time, will be held April 7-11 and will be a part of the 50th Independence celebrations of the Bahamas.

#Coming out of a successful election in November as he was returned to office for the second consecutive four-year term, Archer said the buzz in track and field is very high for the games. “The athletes are excited about competing and this is the most excitement I’ve seen for the games in a long time,” Archer said.

#“What I can say is that there are people who are emerging as superstars, who we have never seen before.

#“That’s a testimony to the work that our coaching staff have been doing since last year. So, I’m very excited about what our season holds for us and what we can expect for the CARIFTA Games.”

#After attending their annual church service on Sunday at St Barnabas Anglican Church, the BAAA 2023 calendar of events will kick off this

#weekend with the T-Bird Flyers Track Classic, starting at 6pm on Friday and from noon on Saturday at the original Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

#The T-Bird Flyers Club, headed by BAAA first vice president Foster Dorsett, is expected to honour Courtney Wallace, the immediate past president of the Bahamas Association of Certified Officials (BACO) and one of their field judges Ivy Charlton, both of whom recently passed away.

#On the heels of that meet will be the DTSP Wolf Pack Track Meet, scheduled for January 21, honouring former coach, educator and Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Neville Wisdom.

#The month will close out over the weekend of January 28-29 with the Red-Line Athletics’ Third Annual Sonja Knowles Track and Field Classic.

#“We’re looking for really exciting performances,” Archer projected.

#“We started a stimulus programme by the Bahamas Coaches Association several months leading into the new year.

#“We believe that is something that has caught the imagination of our athletes, not just in New Providence, but in the Family Islands. So, I’m really excited about what fruit can come out of that initiative.

#“I believe that there is much more that can come out of it, but we are pleased with where we are with it right now.”

#With the games being staged here at home in the new Thomas A Robinson National Stadium, Archer said it could be a little bit intimidating for the athletes to compete in front of their home crowd, but he’s confident that they will rise to the occasion and perform at their optimum level.

#With a new executive board in place, Archer said they have just sent out their applications to the Coaches Association, headed by Corrington Maycock, to make their recommendations for the coaching staff for the team.

#Once they respond over the next few weeks, Archer said they will release the list of the entire management and coaching staff no later than the first week in February.

#In the meantime, Archer said they have released the requirements for the athletes to attain through the qualification standards in order to make the team to represent the Bahamas.

#“Before the start of this year, I think in September or October, we engaged the coaches in an effort to come up with a reasonable standard for the games, which has always been a major bone of contention in our association,” he stated.

#“Finally, we came to a conclusion of those standards at our general meeting last week and they have been ratified, with the exception of the field events. All of the standards will be based on an average of fifth place performances of CARIFTA.”

#Archer, however, said while the primary focus is to increase their fan participation and their sponsorship engagement, when the dust is settled, they still have a federation to run.

#“I just want to remind corporate Bahamas, both large and very small, to the extent that we are looking at individuals, to primarily fund the BAAA,” he stressed. “We have a full complement of international events that we have to underwrite. So, we’re looking for continued support.”

#Archer also revealed that during the CARIFTA Games, the BAAA will honour three pillars of the sport in former public relations officer and president Alpheus ‘Hawk’ Finlayson, administrator Doyle Burrows and the late Leviticus ‘Uncle Lou’ Adderley, who was responsible for the formation of BACO.

#“We want to celebrate them during these 50th Jubilee CARIFTA Games for their work and contribution to our sport over the years,” Archer declared.

#“We feel they are all worthy of the recognition that will be bestowed upon them at the games.”

#A banquet is expected to take place during the games to recognise and honour the men for their contributions that were second to none in the roles that they all played.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/jan/12/baaa-will-be-ready-50th-golden-jubilee/?news

Sports Notes

As of Wednesday, January 11, 2023

#BASKETBALL

#GSSSA SEASON OPENING

#THE Government Secondary Schools Sports Association will kick of its basketball season today with the junior boys and girls playing at the AF Adderley Gymnasium and the senior boys and girls at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

#The GSSSA is headed by Varel Clarke-Davis, who indicated that they are looking forward to a really competitive season across the board.

#• Here’s a look at the games on tap today:

#AF Adderley Gym

#4pm – CH Reeves Raptors vs AF Adderley Fighting Tigers (junior girls)

#CH Reeves vs AF Adderley (junior boys)

#TA Thompson vs LW young Golden Eagles (junior boys)

#Kendal Isaacs Gym

#Senior girls

#4pm – CC Sweeting Cobras vs Doris Johnson Mystics Marlins

#CC Sweeting vs Doris Johnson senior boys to be played following the girls’ game.

#BSAA BASKETBALL

#THE Bahamas Scholastic Athletic Association will continue its basketball regular season today at the Hope Center starting at 4pm with the following games on tap:

#Junior boys – Freedom Farm Academy B vs ISBET.

#Junior boys – Freedom Farm Academy A vs Akhepran International Academy.

#Senior girls – CV Bethel vs Teleos Christian Academy.

#Senior boys – Akhepran Internrational Academy vs Genesis Academy.

#Senior boys – New Horizon Christian Academy vs Teleos Christian School.

#BAISS BASKETBALL

#THE Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools, which got its basketball season started just before the Christmas break, will resume competition today with a full slate of games at various private high schools, starting at 4pm.

#Games will also be played on Thursday and Friday as the season swings into full gear.

#NPBA BASKETBALL

#THE New Providence Basketball Association will continue its regular season action at the AF Adderley Gymnasium with games on tap tonight, starting at 7pm.

#Games will also be played on Friday and Saturday nights in both the men’s division II and division one.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/jan/11/sports-notes/?news