Home|Sports|Carey, Moss swim at conferenceSports

Both collegiate swimmers will be in action today

Simba FrenchSend an emailFebruary 10, 2023 220 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian collegiate swimmers DaVante Carey and Keianna Moss, representing the McKendree University Bearcats, got in some action at the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Swimming and Diving Championships at the Deaconess Aquatic Center in Evansville, Indiana, yesterday.

Moss was up first, competing in the women’s 100 yards butterfly. She clocked a time of 57.37 seconds to finish with the 11th fastest time overall, falling short of a spot in the ‘A’ final by less than a second. She swam splits of 26.49 and 30.88 seconds. The freshman was scheduled to be in the pool last night to swim in the ‘B’ final but the result was unavailable up to press time.

Carey was set to swim in the men’s 100 yards fly but scratched from that race.

In Wednesday’s action, Moss swam in the 50 yards free ‘C’ final. She placed 23rd overall. Her time of 24.22 seconds was a personal best for her. Earlier, in the morning session, she powered her way to touch the wall in 24.26 seconds which was a personal best at the time. Moss had the 21st fastest time in the preliminaries.

Carey took part in the 50 yards free on Wednesday and clocked a personal best time of 21.22 seconds. The collegiate senior finished 33rd overall.

The two swimmers were a part of their respective 200-yard medley relay teams on Wednesday. Carey teamed up with Noah Tague, Alireza Yavari and Mario Torrado on the Bearcats ‘B’ team and they placed second in the ‘B’ final. The quartet finished with a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II provisional time of 1:27.80.

Moss swam with the Bearcats’ ‘B’ team. They were able to place third in the ‘B’ final with a time of 1:45.70. The freshman’s team included Caitlyn Sligh, Emily Drabick and Gabriela Lima.

Moss is set to compete in the 200-yard fly today which will wrap up her first conference championship. She is ranked sixth out of 27 swimmers in the conference with a time of 2:05.48. Carey has one more individual race left in his last conference championship – the 100-yard back set for today. He enters that event with the 17th fastest time of 50.12 seconds.

Action at the GLVC Championships wraps up on Saturday. A total of 10 men’s teams and nine women’s squads are vying for the conference championships.

The next Bahamian who will experience action at a conference championship is Henderson State Red Wave’s Lamar Taylor. He will be swimming at the New South Intercollegiate Swim Conference (NSISC) Championships set for February 15-18 at the Ronnie Mayers Aquatics Center in Cleveland, Mississippi.

https://thenassauguardian.com/carey-moss-swim-at-conference/

 Home|Sports|‘Buddy’ drops in 29 but Pacers fall to the HeatSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailFebruary 10, 2023 204 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

It was a strong night on the offensive side for Bahamian professional basketball player Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield as he scored a team-high 29 points but his Indiana Pacers fell 116-111 in an Eastern Conference showdown against the Miami Heat on Wednesday night.

Playing on the road at the Miami-Dade Arena in Miami, Florida, the Pacers received their seventh straight road loss and they dropped to 12th in the Eastern Conference Standings of the National Basketball Association (NBA) with a 25-31 win/loss record. They have lost 13 of their last 15 games.

Hield finished the night shooting 10-for-18 from the field. Six of those made field goals came from behind the three-point line. It moved his total three-point made shots this season to 214 three-pointers which leads the league. His closest competitor is Portland Trail Blazers’ guard Anfernee Simons with 192 three-pointers. Hield decided to make a return to the three-point competition at the NBA’s all-star weekend. The 2020 champion will compete among the league’s best shooters in the Starry Three-Point Contest at the NBA All-Star Weekend this year.

On Wednesday, to go along with his 29 points, the Bahamian had seven rebounds and two assists.

The Heat was led by center Bam Adebayo with 38 points and nine rebounds.

In the fourth quarter on Wednesday, the Pacers got off to a rough start as the Heat went on a scoring run and took a 97-85 lead with 8:47 left in the game. The Pacers stuck close, shrinking the deficit to three points at one point. Hield missed a potential game-tying three pointer with 5:40 left as the Heat led 101-98 at that point. The Heat went up 109-101 at the 1:28 mark of the final quarter, but on their next possession, Hield made a shot from deep to cut the margin to 109-104. The Pacers, needing a stop down the stretch, got a steal from Hield with 19.1 seconds left on the clock. They got the margin down to 112-109, but the Heat made their free throws down the stretch to seal the win.

Hield hit a three-pointer with 9:17 left in the first quarter to tie the game at nine points each. It went downhill for the Pacers after that as the Heat went on a 14-0 scoring run to take a 23-9 advantage. At the end of the first quarter, the Pacers cut that lead to single digits, trailing 39-30.

The Pacers were more fortunate in the second quarter as they went on to claw their way back and eventually took a 52-51 lead at the 4:22 mark. Chris Duarte hit a jump shot to give them that lead. Hield’s layup with 35 seconds left in the first half put the Pacers up 63-60 and the score remained at that after the first 24 minutes of play.

The two teams shot almost the same from the field with the Pacers hitting 48.7 percent of their shots and the Heat shooting 46.8 percent. The Heat were a force on the boards, winning that battle 48-31.

Hield and the Pacers will face fellow Bahamian DeAndre Ayton and the re-tooled Phoenix Suns (30-26) tonight. That game will be played at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, and tip-off is set for 7 o’ clock.

Ayton has been on a tear in February, averaging 25 points and 12.5 rebounds per contest. He is also shooting a blistering 74.1 percent from the field. He had back-to-back 30-plus points and 15-rebounds games in the past week. The 35 points Ayton had against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday matched a career-high for him. His scoring will definitely take a hit with guard Devin Booker back and with the addition of Kevin Durant, but the Suns are now regarded by many analysts as one of the better teams in the league.

https://thenassauguardian.com/buddy-drops-in-29-but-pacers-fall-to-the-heat/

 Home|Sports|Mariposa Gold Drops picks up win in BIEL competitionSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailFebruary 10, 2023 168 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Mariposa Gold Drops emerged victorious for the second time this year in Bahamas Interscholastic Equestrian League (BIEL) competition. Four teams comprised of 20 young riders from different schools competed in the league’s winter term competition, held last weekend at the Camperdown Equestrian Centre under the watchful eye of USEF (United States Equestrian Federation) Judge Lori Arnold of Sorrento, Florida.

This second win of the season for the Gold Drops was a much closer call than their fall term victory. This time around, the competition was hotly contested at all levels, with just six points separating the top three teams. At the end of the day, the Gold Drops finished in front with 45 points. Finishing second was the Mariposa Monarchs with 40 points, and the CEC Blue Marlins fell just one point short of second, finishing in third with 39 points. Finishing fourth was the CEC Sand Dollars, who obtained 25 points. Erika Adderley, of Mariposa Stables, is the coach of the Gold Drops and the Monarchs while Kimberly Johnson, of the Camperdown Equestrian Centre, coaches the Blue Marlins and the Sand Dollars.

Established in 2017, BIEL competitions have been a perennial favorite among junior riders because of the team emphasis and the unique format, based on collegiate competition rules, in which riders and horses are matched by random draw. The teams are ‘mixed’, comprised of students from schools across New Providence, and provide riders with an exciting opportunity to show their skills in the ring while riding unfamiliar horses. Sponsored by Equestrian Bahamas, the national federation, the league consists of a series of three competitions, culminating in a national championship. The final BIEL competition of the year will be held at Camperdown Equestrian Centre in May.

https://thenassauguardian.com/mariposa-gold-drops-picks-up-win-in-biel-competition/

 Home|Sports|Scotiabank comes on board as gold partner of CARIFTASports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailFebruary 10, 2023 253 5 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

About two months from the staging of the Oaktree Medical 50th CARIFTA Games, another partner has come on board, defraying the cost of the mega junior regional event.

Scotiabank Bahamas Ltd. is no stranger when it comes to the financial support of sports in The Bahamas, in particular, track and field. In fact, the Canadian banking institution is a former title sponsor of the national high school track and field championships and the Olympic Trials.

This week, the bank has partnered with the Local Organizing Committee of the 50th CARIFTA Games (LOC) as a gold elite sponsor – to the tune of $100,000.

Managing Director at Scotiabank Bahamas Ltd. Roger Archer said they are happy to assist in the staging of the region’s premier junior track and field event and look forward to what they anticipate will be a thrilling competition.

“We are really excited to be here and excited to be a part of the CARIFTA Games – this is indeed a monumental milestone for us,” he said. “CARIFTA is the cornerstone of regional athletics on the junior side and our region is the birthplace of some of the best athletes that the world has ever seen. For most of them, the CARIFTA Games has been a solid foundation. This is where our regional stars emerge on to the world stage. CARIFTA has nurtured world and Olympic champions. The CARIFTA Games remain an important part of our athletic tradition in the Caribbean, and Scotiabank is proud to support this iconic regional legacy so that our region can continue to create avenues for our emerging athletes. We are honored to be a part of CARIFTA and we look forward to welcoming our Caribbean neighbors to the stunningly beautiful islands of The Bahamas. Let’s continue to celebrate and move our region forward.”

Scotiabank has been based in the Caribbean for over 130 years, and in The Bahamas for over 65 years, and has regularly been a supporter of sports, and in particular, track and field.

“We have always been a part of the athletic landscape in The Bahamas and we will continue to support sports in the Caribbean,” said Archer. “We believe in unifying the restorative and transformational power of sports and we believe in its ability to change lives for the better. Track and field creates a future for the athletes and their families. Our athletes place the country on the world stage, and show that as a region, we are powerful. At Scotiabank, we are proud to support our athletes and invest in their future. We understand the success of regional institutions like CARIFTA and that our contributions help to continue the success of our regional athletes where they can get an opportunity to shine and unlock the power of their future.”

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg said Scotiabank’s support shows commitment and dedication to the growth and development of young people and genuine care for sports.

“On behalf of the government of The Bahamas, we are very happy for Scotia coming on board and being a gold sponsor for the CARIFTA Games,” he said. “CARIFTA is the birthplace of all of the greatest athletes of this region, and with Scotia being well established in the Americas and the Caribbean, the brand of Scotiabank will be well-accepted and seen at the CARIFTA Games. You have helped the government spend less money, so we are happy when corporate sponsors like yourself come on board. The government alone cannot fund all of the sporting activities, so thanks to Scotia for being an elite gold sponsor.”

The bank is respected as a valued member of the community where they operate through donations, sponsorships and employee volunteerism. They have been an integral part of building communities in The Bahamas and throughout the Caribbean region.

“We are delighted to know that Scotiabank has come on board as a responsible corporate citizen for the development of our communities, and particularly, the community of track and field,” said Drumeco Archer, president of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA). “Scotiabank has made a clarion call, not only to the banking community, but to the entire corporate community, that we need to do more and give more to this sport, and more to young people. Scotiabank is the only Canadian bank that will have regional presence at the CARIFTA Games. Thank you for being so generous. It is a giant step for track and field and we say thank you.”

President of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Bahamian Mike Sands said The Bahamas did an awesome presentation in its bid for the 50th CARIFTA Games and that the BAAA always had the confidence that Corporate Bahamas would step up to the plate and assist in the funding of this mega event.

“The 50th CARIFTA Games was awarded to The Bahamas on the basis that the executive board of NACAC felt confident that The Bahamas would do a yeoman’s job,” said Sands. “Scotiabank is no stranger when it comes to supporting sports, in particular, track and field. On more than one occasion, Scotiabank has been a major sponsor of track and field. That is the kind of support that Scotiabank has shown throughout the years, and it is indeed a pleasure on behalf of NACAC, to say thank you for the continued support of sports in the country, and in particular in support of the BAAA.”

Scotiabank Managing Director Archer spoke proudly of their support of the development of young people, particularly in the key areas of education, sports and community awareness. He said their support of this event shows that they believe that the development of our youth is the security of our future.

A total of 28 of the 36 countries in the NACAC region have confirmed participation in the 50th CARIFTA Games, set for the Easter holiday weekend – April 8-10 at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. Over 600 athletes are set to take part.

Former Austin Sealy winner Pauline Davis-Thompson, the LOC’s Honorary Dame of the 50th CARIFTA Games, said she is proud to be a product of track and field and the CARIFTA Games. The Austin Sealy Award is given out annually to the CARIFTA Games’ best athlete.

“Track and field is something that has made the lives of so many young people better. It has given them opportunities they otherwise wouldn’t have had access to,” she said. “The growth I had as an individual and as a professional, I would not have had if not for track and field and the CARIFTA Games. We are grateful to Scotiabank for their support and their belief in the goals of the CARIFTA Games and what they mean to the development of young people, not just here in The Bahamas, but throughout the region as well.”

Davis-Thompson, the country’s first individual Olympic gold medalist, is encouraging more companies and corporate citizens to come on board with the LOC in the staging of CARIFTA.

Tickets are available to be purchased on the 2023 CARIFTA Games website, www.carifta50.com, or at the CARIFTA Games box office at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. For more information, persons can visit the website, send an e-mail to info@carifta50.com or call 808-Gold (4683). Interested persons can also follow the CARIFTA Games progress on its social media platforms @carifta2023.

https://thenassauguardian.com/scotiabank-comes-on-board-as-gold-partner-of-carifta/

 Home|Sports|Chickcharney Challenge deemed a successSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailFebruary 9, 2023 113 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Chickcharney Challenge’s return is now officially in the books, with event organizers already setting their sights on a possible relay event which they hope can be held in tandem with the country’s upcoming 50th anniversary of independence celebrations.

“For our first event out of the gate, after the COVID-19 pandemic, I thought that we had a decent turnout,” said Chickcharney Chirren Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Chester Robards. “The course was a nice and pretty fluid course. A lot of people talked about how challenging it was but also said that it was fun. It was a decent restart to the Chickcharney Challenge. We had a lot of teams come out to compete, as well as some gym representation and so as usual there was some fun competition there.”

The Chickcharney Challenge, which is billed as the country’s premier obstacle course event, was held on January 28 at Clifton Heritage Park. This year’s event, which was dubbed “The Return”, was powered by Colina Insurance. The wildly popular event tested the fitness and endurance of participants over a three-mile course which featured about 16 obstacles.

“I really want to thank the sponsors,” said Robards. “Colina was our title sponsor and there was also Advantage Insurance, Guardian Radio 96.9, Powerade, Kalik, Everything Local, Art of Graphix and of course Clifton Heritage Park; all of whom helped to make the event a success.”

The top prize – a stay at Comfort Suites – was generously donated by the Paradise Island resort. Robards said he’s now looking ahead to a possible Chickcharney relay event for the country’s 50th anniversary of independence.

“That’s something we are really looking forward to, a relay event to mark the growth of obstacle course racing,” said Robards.

In the fall, Robards said he hopes to pull off another event – a Chickcharney zombie run for Halloween.

“We are hoping to host our Chickcharney Zombie Run which is our Halloween event,” he noted. “We’re looking to collaborate with some other private entities, maybe from the US. All in all, it was a good first event out of the gate. It wasn’t without its challenges but with obstacle course racing, there is always a challenge.”

The top three male participants of the Chickcharney Challenge were Mackey Williams, Robbie Corriveau and Jeffrey Burnside in that order. The top three female participants were Barbara Kiraly, Tangerine Dinnick and Alicia Curry in that order. The top three teams were Team Payne (Rashad Rolle, Duran Ching, Jamaal Curry and Ryan Payne), the Goat Peppa Steppas (Rashad Adderley, Devaughn Fraser and Noel Henderson) and Top Gun (Cordero Bonamy, Jamie Saunders, Kohen Kerr and Kent Bonamy) in that order.

In the 17-and-under category, the top three participants were Rathan Corriveau, Na’aman Thompson and Taevia Wright in that order.

https://thenassauguardian.com/chickcharney-challenge-deemed-a-success/

 Home|Sports|US Embassy launches program for coaches and administratorsSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailFebruary 9, 2023 265 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The United States of America (US) Embassy here in The Bahamas has launched a new program that will look at sending Bahamian track and field coaches and administrators to the US in a two-week program dubbed “Bridging the Gap: Sports Visitor” in Los Angeles, California, and Eugene, Oregon, from May 6-20, 2023.

The announcement came at a press conference held at the American Corner, located in the Harry C. Moore Library at University of The Bahamas yesterday. The fully funded exchange program is in partnership with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. The exchange is aimed to provide support for Bahamian coaches and administrators in their efforts to create and/or build upon their Family Island track and field youth programs. The exchange program will also focus on ways to increase girls’ participation in sports.

Deputy Chief of Mission for the US Embassy Lance Posey spoke about what the program will entail.

“Participants will engage with their American peers and sports practitioners,” said Posey. “They’ll participate in clinics and sessions on leadership, team building and inclusion, and equity in sports. This ‘Bridging the Gap’ series is the theme that we have at the US Embassy that we’re initiating in bridging several gaps. First of all, what it intends to do is to bridge the gap with gender issues, by encouraging specifically, and targeting specifically, girls participation.”

There are 14 spots available – seven males and seven females to make the trip in May. The criteria for the program include being a Bahamian, vaccinated for COVID-19, involved in youth and/or sports, preferably track and field, and about two years’ minimum experience coaching or being an administrator. The deadline is Wednesday, February 22. Applications can be found on their website, bs.usembassy.gov, or on their Facebook and Instagram pages.

Posey said they are looking at the Family Islands and explained why they chose the sport of track and field.

“We’re focusing on the Family Islands – targeting recruitment to as many of the Family Islands as possible. We chose track and field because it’s a sport that is unique where you don’t need lots and lots of equipment. It’s something where the resources on the Family Islands can be able to meet the track and field needs. It is also one of the most popular sports in The Bahamas,” said Posey. “As you all know, and myself included, there are all kinds of education opportunities through sports. We also know that all students don’t make it to the college level, but there are many students who benefit from sports to get through school and get to universities in the US, so that is another opportunity we are looking to provide.”

The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture in conjunction with the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) will be helping the embassy in the selection of 14 coaches and administrators. Undersecretary at the ministry Montez Williams said they are grateful for the opportunity to work with the embassy and know that it will yield great results.

“We know they are eager and ready to take great advantage of this opportunity, so we will be tasked with identifying the coaches,” said Williams. “I know our doors are going to be knocked on because that’s going to be a task within itself because we have so many people who are working in the trenches, especially on the Family Islands. This program is aimed at reaching as many as possible in the Family Islands, so we’re going to do our homework and make sure that we have the best representation.”

According to US Embassy Public Affairs Officer Suemayah Abu-ouleh, they are looking for it to be a long-term program but cannot confirm if it will be an annual program. They are also looking into different ways to create different sports exchange programs.

https://thenassauguardian.com/us-embassy-launches-program-for-coaches-and-administrators/

 Home|Sports|Four champions crowned in the BAISSSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailFebruary 9, 2023 118 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The brooms were out at the Kendal G.L. Isaacs National Gymnasium Wednesday night as all four teams that had the upper hand got a sweep in the championships of the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS).

The C.W. Saunders Cougars won the ‘Battle of the Baptist Schools’ competition when they won a close 54-50 game against Jordan Prince William to carry the senior boys basketball trophy to Jean Street. After a one-point victory in Game One, the Kingsway Academy Saints easily took care of the St. Augustine’s College (SAC) Big Red Machine, 25-12, to repeat as the champions in the junior girls division.

In the junior boys division, the Jordan Prince William Falcons overpowered SAC, 49-41, to win that best-of-three series 2-0. After seeing their junior boys and girls teams fall, SAC senior girls put on a dominant performance to get a 53-21 victory over the St. John’s College Giants to sweep that series two games to none.

Junior Girls

Saints 25, SAC 12

The Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the junior girls division Andica Curtis was strong for the second straight game for the Saints, scoring seven points, but it was her teammate Dashante Sears who came up with a game-high eight points to lead the Saints to the championship.

Head Coach Tamaro Butler said the game plan coming into this one was to play defense.

“The last game they had a lot of fastbreak points so coming into this game we had to limit their fastbreak points and force them to play half court basketball,” Butler said.

Curtis, who is in grade seven and has two more years at the junior level, was happy to win the title.

“From we saw the competition that we had, we assumed that we were going to win. We were not thinking about a game three,” Curtis said.

Zion Carey led SAC with six points.

Junior Boys

Falcons 49, SAC 41

The junior boys game was all Falcons before SAC cut into the lead with 3:50 left in the game. SAC got close to Prince William, trailing 33-32 at that point, but they couldn’t surge ahead. The Falcons turned up their defense and turned SAC’s turnovers into points to seal the game and complete the sweep.

Micheal Munnings was clutch in the final quarter for the Falcons, putting in nine of his 24 points in that stanza, to lead them to victory. He had 10 points in the first quarter. Broc Glinton chipped in with 12 points for the Falcons.

“We worked all season to get this so we deserve this. We just had to relax and let the game come to us,” Glinton said.

Nathan Rolle led SAC with 20 points.

Senior Girls

SAC 53, Giants 21

The scoreline shows a dominant performance by SAC but early in the second quarter, the Giants held a slim 10-9 lead. That was the wake-up call that SAC needed. SAC went on to lead 22-14 at the half.

SAC dominated the second half, 31-7.

Head Coach for SAC Anastasia Sands-Moultrie said she told the girls to pick up the pace.

“I told the girls about the slow start and that they have to pick it up. They did not have any energy in the early going but they put out more energy and went from there,” Sands-Moultrie said.

Moultrie’s daughter, Antonicia Moultrie, was tough to guard. She finished with a game-high 17 points. Her teammate Dior-Rae Scott finished with 16 points.

Coach Sands-Moultrie said they had to bring one home for SAC.

“My team did well,” Sands-Moultrie said. “I knew we were going to win the game, not being cocky but we knew what we had and what we came out here to do,” she said.

Reyannah Green scored 15 points to lead the Giants.

Senior Boys

Cougars 54, Falcons 50

C.W. Saunders Cougars’ big man Nakero Brown-Cox rocked DeAndre Ayton’s purple Puma shoes and was a menace on the defensive side. Ayton is the starting center for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association (NBA). As for Brown-Cox, he was swatting away shots after shots and he scored 10 point to help his team record the win and sweep the Falcons.

“It feels great to win the championship,” The grade 11 student said. “I just go up and block shots and time it properly,” he added about his defensive prowess.

This game had no double-digit lead and was very competitive right down to the final whistle.

The Cougars got out of the third quarter with a 41-38 lead, but the Falcons battled back to tie the game at 44 points apiece. That came with 5:08 left in the game. The Cougars went on a 6-0 scoring run to go up 50-44 with 3:49 left. The Falcons did not back down as they went on their own 6-0 run to tie it at the 1:54 mark of the fourth quarter.

The Falcons had their chances but could not score in the final two minutes Brown-Cox’s presence was felt. A 4-0 run to end the game gave the Cougars the victory.

Cougars’ Head Coach Dario Burrows said he was happy with his team’s fight to get the victory.

Ramon Woods led the Cougars with 22 points, including 10 points in the third quarter.

Kamari Minnis led the Falcons with 19 points in a losing effort.

https://thenassauguardian.com/four-champions-crowned-in-the-baiss/

COACH Andrew Moles and captain Marc Taylor.

As of Wednesday, February 8, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#COACH Andrew Moles is confident that he will have the men’s national team fit and ready to travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina to compete in the International Cricket Club’s World T20 Americas Region Qualifiers.

#The tournament is scheduled for February 22 to March 5 and the Bahamas will be playing against Argentina, Belize, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and Panama.

#The team will comprise of the following players: Marc Taylor, Gregory Taylor Jr, Johnathan Barry, Narendra Ekanayake, Kevorn Hinds, Julio Jamison, Keith Burrows, Sandeep Goud, Everette Haven, Dwight Wheatley Jr, Ashok Nair, Festus Benn, Junior Scott and Turan Brown.

#Moles, who has spent the past 30 years coaching in various parts of the world, said he is delighted to be here in the Bahamas assisting the men’s team to reach their full potential.

#“I think the team is much better than when I first got here,” said Moles. “From the last tournament we played in, I think we have seen a great improvement, so I don’t see why we can’t perform very well this time.”

#In preparation for the tournament, Moles said he has taken the players through a vigorous training programme on the pitch at the Cricket Club, but he’s also taken advantage of the scenic view across the road by working out on the sand and in the beach.

#“Sometimes we get together for 3-4 hours every day, but it all depends on the work schedule of everybody,” he said. “For those who can’t make it, they come in and do their personal work on their time, but they go through the same training routine.”

#Marc Taylor, the team captain, said under Moles, they had a different start because their standard was not up to par when he first arrived, but their schedule and plan he implemented turned things around in the right direction.

#“We still have some time left, so hopefully when it’s time to leave, we will be in tip-top shape for the tournament,” Taylor said.

#From a mental perspective, Taylor said as long as they can do it together as a team, they can achieve their goal.

#“The most difficult thing is each one actually making time from their schedule to attend all of the sessions,” he pointed out.

#Based on what he’s seen, Taylor feels as if the BCC has assembled one of its most versatile teams in a long time. “Previously teams were definitely not as strong as this one,” he noted.

#“In batting, we can go from number one straight to number eleven. We also have a lot of bowling on the team and we have a lot of seniors who played on the previous team, so it’s a good variety of players on this team.”

#As for the expectations, Taylor said it’s simply to qualify.

#“We have to beat a certain amount of teams, so we expect to qualify,” he stated. “We have high expectations for this tournament.”

#The team is scheduled to open play against the Cayman Islands on February 25.

#Moles said with the team assembled, he’s confident that the Bahamas will advance to the next round.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/feb/08/mens-national-team-ready-t20-americas-region-quali/?news

As of Wednesday, February 8, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AFTER sitting out for the past two months and-a-half with an injury, the Bahamas’ top ranked international tennis player Justin Roberts is back and is looking forward to a productive season this year.

#Roberts, the 26-year-old pro player, returned to action over the weekend, winning the Wild Card Tournament in Palm Beach, Florida, earning the rights to go directly into the main draw that will get started today.

#“I had to play five matches in two days and won them all, so I feel pretty good about my return after not playing for more than two and-a-half months,” Roberts said. “I was very pleased with my performance. It was very solid.”

#With the time off to recuperate, Roberts said there was some court rust, but he was able to play himself into a competitive form, which speaks well for what he’s capable of doing as he moves into his first full season since emerging on the pro scene in 2020. “It was a good start for me,” Roberts said. “I had a chance to see where I am at and so I was pleased.”

#Roberts, however, admitted that the main draw this week will be a good testing ground for him and he’s eager to see where he is in the whole scheme of things.

#“I know there’s a lot to work on, but I am just glad to be back out there,” Roberts said. “I feel like this is the year that I can really do some great things and hopefully end up playing in some of the majors, if not by the end of the year or at least early next year.”

#Following this tournament, Roberts will be heading to the Dominican Republic to play in two tournaments.

#“This tournament is just for me to see where I am at before I head overseas to play in these tournaments,” Roberts said.

#“Right now, I am feeling good and hopefully I can play up to par on the circuit.”

#Roberts, however, indicated that although he’s had some success as a doubles player, he will only concentrate on singles as he makes his way back on the circuit.

#He said once he can get back into a groove, he will add doubles to his agenda.

#At the end of last year, Roberts was ranked at 1,248 in singles.

#He last played on December 21 when he was forced to retire in the round of 32 in his match against Barbados’ Darian King in his last appearance in the Dominican Republic.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/feb/08/tennis-ace-justin-roberts-looking-forward-producti/?news

Cougars take Game 1

As of Tuesday, February 7, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#The Charles W Saunders Cougars took the early bragging rights over the Jordan Prince Williams Falcons in the showdown of the two Baptist schools in the senior boys’ finals of the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools last night.

#With both teams bringing out their boisterous fans, the Cougars prevailed with a hard-fought 65-57 victory over the Falcons to snatch game one of the best-of-three championship series.

#It capped off another Baptist victory as Jordan Prince Williams prevailed over the St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine 58-42.

#Amidst the Baptist celebrations, St Augustine’s College chopped down the St John’s Giants 49-16 in the senior girls’ opener and the Kingsway Academy Saints marched past the Big Red Machine 34-33 in the nail-biting junior girls’ opener.

#Game two in all series will be played on Wednesday, starting at 4pm and, if necessary, the third and deciding games will take place on Thursday.

#Senior Boys

#Cougars 65, Falcons 57: Raymone Woods pumped in a game high 17, Treymon Wright had 14, Tenaj Strachan had nine and Romial Strachan added seven to lead a balanced scoring attack for Charles W Saunders in the battle of the Baptist schools in their senior boys’ feature encounter.

#For Jordan Prince Williams, Trae Clarke scored 20, J Kemp 12 and B Godet and Kamari Minnis helped out with 10 apiece.

#In the closely contested game, the Cougars raced out to a 14-12 lead at the end of the first quarter and held onto a 32-31 advantage at the half. Jordan Prince Williams opened a 52-40 margin at the end of the third, but they had a complete collapse in the fourth quarter, scoring just five points.

#As the Cougars rallied back, Nakero Brown-Cox came up big, converting one-of-two free throws before he put the explanation mark on the game with a break away two-handed reverse dunk in the final minute.

#Coach Dario Burrows couldn’t be happier with the performances of his CW Saunders squad as they avenged a one-point loss to Jordan Prince Williams in their last encounter during the regular season as they both finished with identical 9-12 win-loss records.

#“In a three-game series, you don’t want to go down one to nothing because it’s very hard to come back, so we wanted to secure this game as our home game. We got it, so I’m grateful,” Burrows said.

#Game two is scheduled for Wednesday and Burrows is anticipating the same result.

#“We have to be a little better on the offensive end. Our defence was okay, but we will clean that up and be prepared for the next game.”

#Falcons’ head coach Ernest Saunders said it’s definitely going to be a different outcome in game two. “At certain times we were lost. We got lackadaisical, but overall, we are a lot better than we were tonight,” he pointed out. “The best thing about it all is that we have to play the game all over again, so it should be different from the way we played tonight.”

#Senior Girls

#Big Red Machine 49, Giants 16: Antonica Moultrie stamped her approval on this lopsided affair as she canned 19 points for St Augustine’s College as she out-scored St John’s by herself in their senior girls’ series opener.

#Moultrie, who came up with 13 alone in the fourth quarter, was assisted by Twanna Gibson with eight. Arannna Gomez and Dior- Rae Scott both had six as the Big Red Machine remained undefeated on the season.

#Moultrie’s mother and head coach Annie Sands-Moultrie said it was just want they expected. “It went the way we wanted it to go,” she said. “The girls stuck to the game plan, but we still have to work on our defence. We hope to improve on that in game two. We hope to do the same thing, but even better.”

#SAC opened a 13-2 lead at the end of the first quarter. They extended it to 31-8 at the half. After getting out-scored 5-3 in the third, the Big Red Machine rolled out the fourth quarter on a +5-3 spurt to easily preserve the win.

#Lebronique Demeritte and Rexannah Green both contributed five in a losing effort for St John’s, who also got four from Geontae Simpson.

#Giants’ head coach Oswaldo Taylor said they got distracted because they were told they were playing at one point and the girls got all hyped up and then the officials told them they had to wait a little longer.

#“Our girls went out there, running around the court getting ready to play and they told us that we were not playing then,” he said. “That dampened some of the girls spirits and because of the hold up, it killed the momentum that we had. “We are playing against SAC and although they beat us by eight points on their home court, we came out here to win this game. Our centre then got hurt early in the game and that really took us out of our rhythm. But I will have them ready for game two on Wednesday.”

#Junior Boys

#Falcons 58, Big Red Machine 42: Michael Munnings’ game high 20 and Condae Smith’s 16 points was more enough for Jordan Prince Williams to rely on as they slowed down St Augustine’s College to clinch the junior boys’ opener in grand style. Smith had seven and Munnings five as the Falcons flew out to an 18-10 advantage at the end of the first quarter and opened a 32-22 margin at the half.

#They were in complete control of the second half, out-scoring SAC 15-12 in the third and 11-8 in the fourth as they coasted to victory.

#Nathan Rolle scored points, Keitho Johnson had 11 and Tyler Frazier had nine in a losing effort for St Augustine’s College.

#Junior Girls

#Saints 34, Big Red Machine 33: Andica Curtis canned Kingsway Academy’s final seven points, including the winning basket to lift Kingsway Academy to knock off SAC in a junior girls’ game that could have gone either way.

#Curtis, who only scored a basket in each of the first two quarters, came up with 10 in the third and eight in the fourth to seal the deal as she led the attack with a game high 22 points.

#Mihayla Joseph had five and Dashante Sears four to help in their cause.

#Azara Marshall scored 13 and Alexis Robets had six in the second half as St Augustine’s College made it a contest down the stretch. Marshall ended up with 16 and Roberts had 10.

#Tashae James chipped in with five for the Big Red Machine, who led 7-4 at the end of the first quarter and held a slim 11-10 margin at the half.

#Behind Curtis’ 10 points, St John’s surged ahead 25-24 and slowed down the Big Red Machine with an 11-9 spurt in the fourth as Curtis took over down the stretch.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/feb/07/cougars-take-game-1/?news