As of Monday, March 27, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AFTER a week of intense competition during the tournament, the Public Primary Schools Sports Association crowned Sandilands Primary as the boys and girls volleyball champions on Friday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

#Stephen Dillet won 12-15, 15-14 and 10-0 over Sybil Strachan Primary for the boys’ title, while Sandilands Primary prevailed over Cleveland Eneas Primary in two straight sets, 15-8 and 15-9.

#Head coach Margaret Albury was more excited about the victory than her players from Stephen Dillet, who stayed composed throughout the tournament.

#“They showed me, even when the ball was going out, they brought it back in and they got the three hits,” Albury said. “I’m pleased with their effort. I am ecstatic about their performances. I couldn’t ask for a better performance.”

#For Greer Thompson, the coach of Sybil Strachan, they were not as focused as she wanted them to be.

#“I think they played well, but in the last half, they got their minds out of the game. They were not focused and that is what caused us the game,” Greer said. “All in all, I think they did well. Thanks to God and to my mommy.”

#Thompson was referring to Linda Thompson, who passed away a few weeks ago. She noted that she tried to stay focused because the tournament was coming up, but it was a little hard for her knowing that she was still grieving the loss of her mother.

#For the third-place prize, Centreville Primary held off Sadie Curtis 9-15, 9-15 and 10-8.

#“In the semi-finals, we got a little nervous because we had to play so hard,” said Centreville’s first year coach Rashad Cunningham. “I was so happy with the way they came out and played. Centreville is not known for its athletic prowess, so it’s good that we can take something to our school to enjoy in a more positive light.”

#Vashon Armbrister, the head coach of Sandilands Primary, said it was a dream come true for his girls because if anybody saw what they looked like at the start of practice, they would not have anticipated them being the last team standing.

#“The girls did an excellent job,” Armbrister pointed out. “We started practicing in January, but it was a struggle. The girls could not bump and they couldn’t serve. So every day possible, we worked with the girls and they gave it their best effort and this is the result of it. I’m extremely proud of the girls.”

#He said he now believes in the quote that “practice does make perfect” because their performance was above their expectations and the entire Sandilands Primary School will ensure that they come back next year bigger and better to defend their title.

#In falling short of being the champions, Mariska Thompson said her team beat themselves.

#“My top players got upset, so I told them they have to be calm, whether they are leading or not,” Thompson stated. “You must be calm and composed and believe that you can win. So it wasn’t that the other team was better, it was just that my team lost focus.”

#It was another battle in the consolation third place game, as Garvin Tynes emerged on top of EP Roberts with a hard fought 15-6, 6-15, 10-8 decision.

#Shatia Seymour, who assisted head coach Janice Williams, said their Garvin Tynes team did excellent.

#“We lost the game to come into the championship, but they came back and did what they had to do,” Seymour said. “They served, they passed and they did very well.”

#Despite not getting into the final, Seymour said they will celebrate the third place because they earned it.

#Just about all of the teams participated in the tournament that got started on Monday and Tuesday with the elimination games for the girls and Wednesday and Thursday for the boys. Friday was designed for the quarterfinals, semi-finals and finals.

#The New Providence Volleyball Association and its referees association conducted all the games. Next up for the association, headed by Latoya Bain, track and field, April 26-28 at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/mar/27/volleyball-champions-crowned/?news

As of Monday, March 27, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#THE Commonwealth Bank Giants will advance to NPBA championship finals after defeating the Sand Dollar Imports High Flyers 96-81 on Friday night at the A.F. Adderley Gymnasium.

#In a game that got off to a slow start by both teams as the first quarter wrapped up 18-14 favouring the High Flyers, the CB Giants looked to take control coming out of halftime.

#Despite the first half of the game being all Sand Dollar, the Giants took over in the third quarter, leading the game 70-61 going into the fourth.

#Perry Thompson, head coach of the CB Giants, talked about the second half surge of his team. “It was more of a personal change than a gameplan, all season we have been getting off to relatively slow starts, our bench has been huge for us all year so our second quarters are historically better,” Thompson said.

#Thompson was right as the Giants’ bench outscored the High Flyers 36 to 15.

#Dylan Musgrove led the charge for the CB Giants as he was the game’s leading scorer with 23 points to go with four rebounds and two steals on the night. Musgrove was joined by Jackson Jacob who poured in 21 points to go with five assists and two steals.

#Although Sand Dollar battled hard in the first half, the Giants were able to overcome a sluggish start. The winning team dominated the paint 58 to 42 on an efficient 62%. The High Flyers beat the Giants 20 to 19 in second chance points. However, the Giants got out and ran, leading to 35 fast break points compared to the High Flyers’ 21.

#Musgrove talked about the team’s mindset on Friday night. “It feels good to get the W [win], we did not want to play a game three tomorrow and the mindset for us was to close this one out and that’s what we did,” he said.

#The two teams split the regular season series 1-1, making them no strangers to each other.

#Jackson credited the High Flyers team and coaching staff for competing hard with them. He added that he is thankful for being able to advance to the championships once again. The High Flyers had five players that scored double digits in the game with Rus-Shorn Strachan leading the way for the team with 20 points.

#Donnie Culmer, head coach of the High Flyers, talked about how proud he is with the progress of his team despite the series loss.

#Culmer said a loss is always disappointing but he told his guys it was always a three-year process but each year his team has progressed against the Giants.

#He added that the team will require some fine tuning and tweaking but will be back next year.

#He gave credit to the Giants for being a dominant team but emphasized that the High Flyers will be back and ready next year.

#The CB Giants will look to dethrone the defending division one champions the Discount Distributors Liquors Rockets.

#The Giants and Rockets are longtime foes as the two teams faced off at last year’s championships in which the Rockets swept the Giants 3-0. The two powerhouse teams will battle it out at A.F. Adderley Gymnasium at 9pm tonight.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/mar/27/npba-playoffs-giants-sweep-high-flyers-2-0/?news

As of Monday, March 27, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#TRINIDAD and Tobago didn’t waste any time putting their stamp of arrival on the outcome of their rematch against the Bahamas in the CONCACAF Nations League matchup at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium on Friday.

#Coming off their 1-0 triumph on Monday, June 6, 2022, Trinidad & Tobago came back and booted in their first goal in the first five minutes by Kareem Moses. They added another from captain Joevin Jones in the 26th minute and Ryan Telfer capped it off with another in the 34th minute to push their lead to 3-0 at the half.

#It didn’t matter because neither team scored in the second half as Trinidad & Tobago held on for a 3-0 victory.

#Bahamas head coach Nesly Jean said it was a learning experience for his youthful team.

#“The game was very good. But this is a young team. Most of the guys are just 21, 20 and some are 16, but it’s no excuse here,” Jean said. “We have to make mistakes, so this is where we learn.”

#While trying to press the Trinidadians, Jean admitted that it opened the game for their opponents to get through their defence and that made the difference in the outcome of the game.

#The Bahamas is now in St Vincent & The Grenadines where they are set to play their next game at 3pm.

#“I think the guys just need to hold their heads up,” said Nesly, in making the adjustment for today’s game after the loss at home. “We have to tweak it a little because it’s a different team. But we will be ready.”

#As the elder statesman on the team, defender Lesly St Fleur said it was a pleasure playing with the younger guys.

#“Being an older player on the team, we have to learn from each other,” St Fleur said. “We have to mix some of the veteran players with the young guys to keep the team solid. With the mix of veteran players, I think we will be a team that will be hard to beat.”

#But, in the meantime, one of the younger players on the team said they can only get better as they continue to play together.

#After the victory, Trinidad & Tobago’s coach Angus Eve said he thought his team played a very good “professional” team.

#“We are still gelling. We only brought the guys together three days in Fort Lauderdale and we had a camp and so I was very impressed with how we played today,” Eve said.

#“We linked up with each other. We should have scored more goals.

#“However, a win away from home, 3-0, is a good result.”

#Mission accomplished, was how Jones summed up their performance.

#“I think it was a great performance by the team. We came out and got the start we wanted to get and overall, we didn’t score in the second half, but we came here with the mindset to win.

#“We got three points and now we can go home and face the next team.”

#Eve said they knew once they got on the scoreboard early, they had enough firepower to hurt the young Bahamian team and it worked right into their favour.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/mar/27/bahamas-blanked-3-0-trinidad-tobago/?news

: SAC in the lead after Day 2 of National High School Track & Field Championships

FAST TRACK: St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine’s Amari Pratt and Queen’s College Comets’ Nia Richards battle it out in the finals of the under 20 girls’ 100 metre dash. Photo: Austin Fernander/Tribune Staff

As of Monday, March 27, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#Day two of the combined CARIFTA Trials and National High School Championships wraps up day 2 with St. Augustine’s College in first place. The Big Red Machine leads all schools with a total of 377 points.

#The Queen’s College Comets remain in second position with 317. St. John’s College follows them both with a combined team score of 129.

#Day two of three featured fewer finals than day one as athletes looked to qualify for the finals on day three of the combined event.

#In more CARIFTA qualifying action, yesterday’s under 17 boys’ high jump was an exciting one.

#A total of five athletes beat the CARIFTA qualifying mark of 1.85m. Joshua Williams brought home the victory for Tabernacle Baptist Academy with a jump of 1.93m.

#Queen’s College Comets’ Kenny Moxey notched a jump of 1.89m. St. Georges’ Erris Pratt and Kingsway’s Kenyon Johnson both accomplished the same feat to qualify for April’s 50th CARIFTA Games. SAC’s Demian Brice also joined the fray with a jump of 1.87m to qualify for April’s event. In the under 17 girls long jump, Jamiah Nabbie was victorious. Saturday’s under 17 girls 100m CARIFTA qualifier made her mark once again but this time on the field. Nabbie jumped 5.59m, passing the qualifying mark of 5.46m while also shattering Daejha Moss’ 2014 national high school record of 5.44m.

#In yesterday’s track action, Shimar Bain blitzed the competition in the under 20 boys 400m hurdles. Bain finished with 53.25 in the race to beat the CARIFTA qualifying mark 54.43. Bain was joined by The Big Red Machine’s Clinton Laguerre who clocked 54.19 in the race.

#Bain talked about how it felt to qualify for the country’s 50th CARIFTA Games. “It feels good, it was my expectation to win and also qualify for CARIFTA, seeing that it’s my last year and its at home,” Bain said.

#Bain said despite hurdles being the hardest race in track, he went through the race with the mindset of keeping calm, clearing the hurdles, being aggressive in attacking them and walking through the line.

#Laguerre, who also qualified for CARIFTA on day two of the trials and national high school championships, talked about his strategy in the race.

#Laguerre said although he expected a faster time, he saw his opponent pass him but decided to remain focused, knowing that he had another stretch to go. He added that despite qualifying earlier in the season, he still wanted to double down to ensure that he was on the CARIFTA team.

#Laguerre will look to put on a show with his teammates in the under 20 boys 4x400m relay finals today.

#The Big Red Machine saw more of its athletes qualify for CARIFTA in the under 17 girls and boys 400m hurdles. Darvinique Dean blew past the competition as she brought home a first place victory with a time of 1:01.84. Although she already qualified for April’s event on Saturday, the athlete beat the qualifying mark of 1:09.86 in this race as well. She was joined by fellow teammate Bayli Major who also qualified with a time of 1:02.13.

#Additionally, St.John’s Ta’mia Taylor joined her competitors as she beat the qualifying mark with 1:06.69.

#For the boys, SAC’s Quinton Rolle bested the CARIFTA qualifying time of 56.31 after clocking 56.23 in the race. He was followed by St. John’s Zion Davis who came second with 56.90. Third place finish belonged to C.R. Walker’s Christian Pierre who ran a time of 59.67.

#In the girls’ 3000 metres open run, Sunland Baptist’s Akaya Lightbourne placed first with a time of 11:18.52. She bested Lunnise Gibson’s 2015 NHS record of 11:44.51.

#She was followed by St. Andrews’ Grace Farrington who placed second. Kingsway’s Tellica Seymour came in third with 12.44.23.

#Lightbourne said it felt good to win and she gave credit to her coach’s strategy which was to make 1.40 or 1.30 every lap.

#She added that she kept on pace with that time and decided to pick it up every lap.

#Day two wrapped up with the girls 800m run open heptathlon and the boys 1500m run open octathlon.

#Kaily Pratt, winner of the girls 800m open run, emerged victorious in the long distance race with 2:45.08. The Big Red Machine’s Trinity Pennerman ran a time of 2:45.74. They were followed by Lashae Smith who came in third.

#In the men’s long distance action, CR Walker’s Kyle Bain brought home another first place victory. Bain notched 4:48.47 in his eighth event in a two-day time span. He was followed by second place finisher Rayheem Robinson of C.C. Sweeting. Third place finish belonged to C.R. Walker’s Reanno Todd.

#Kyle Bain talked about how it felt to finally complete the octathlon. “It feels amazing to finish it now obviously but throughout the two days it was hard,” Bain said.

#Despite being tired he credited being mentally strong and his will to earn points in the event for his first place finishes in the last two races.

#In this past weekend’s CARIFTA Trials and National High school Championships action, the CARIFTA qualifiers are:

#CARIFTA Qualifiers

#Darvinique Dean, Keyezra Thomas, Jamiah Nabbie, Shayann Demeritte, Ishmael Rolle, Shatalya Dorsett, Amari Pratt, Akaya Lightbourne, Carlos Brown, Adam Musgrove, Zion Campbell, Tylah Pratt, Alexand Komolafe, Lanaisha Lubin, Apryl Adderley and Calea Jackson.

#The final day of the three day meet will feature highly anticipated relay finals action. This morning’s session begins at 9am.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/mar/27/athletes-qualify-carifta-games-sac-lead-after-day-/?news

WORLD and Olympic champion Steven Gardiner said he is looking forward to getting back on top of the men’s standings in the 400 metres.

As of Wednesday, March 22, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#BACK in action after sitting out the past season with an injury, World and Olympic champion Steven Gardiner said he’s excited about his progress and looking forward to getting back on top of the men’s standings in the 400 metres.

#The 27-year-old multiple Bahamian national record holder from Abaco opened his season with a pair of quality performances indoors in February before he won his outdoor season opener on Friday in Puerto Rico, all three in the 300m.

#“At the beginning of the year, it started out rocky. I had to go to Germany in January for a checkup and I got the green light to compete,” said Gardiner in an interview with The Tribune.

#“I did my first indoor meet in South Carolina and then we went back to Gainesville (Florida) for my second competition. That’s where we ran really well. Then we went to Puerto Rico and I had a great start for outdoors. I almost PR (personal best).”

#Last year in his 300m opener before he went down with a UTE Tendon Inflammation injury that prevented him from defending his 400m title at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, Gardiner clocked his lifetime best and national record of 31.52 and over the weekend, he came close with his winning time of 31.59.

#“I think coming off the injury, we are in a great place where we need to be this year,” said Gardiner of his performance so far. “I feel good. Training has been going very well.

#“I’m excited about training and the times are right there.”

#With this being dubbed his “return to competition,” Gardiner said he’s looking forward to going to Budapest, Hungary in August and getting back on top of the podium in the men’s 400m.

#“I think it will take around 43 to win it, but whatever time is the winning time, that is what I want to be able to do,” projected Gardiner, whose national 400m record is listed at 43.48.

#Not having competed in a while, Gardiner said he has to concentrate on his start with his long-time coach Gary Evans in their training camp in Florida. But he said they have been making the necessary adjustments to get him ready.

#“I just want to run the perfect race,” said Gardiner, who has been training under Evans’ supervision since 2016. “He’s been a real help in getting me to where I need to be. He’s my coach and he’s been helping me to get everything together.”

#With each passing race as he makes his return to the international circuit, Gardiner said he’s seen the tremendous support poured in from the Bahamian public on social media. “I want to thank them for supporting me,” he stressed. “I want to continue to make them feel proud and to put the Bahamas back on the international stage and make more history for the Bahamas.”

#Gardiner, however, said he misses not having his close friend and fellow Bahamian star Shaunae Miller-Uibo competing. She’s taken some time off to have her baby with her husband, Maicel Uibo.

#“As my good friend, I just want her to have a healthy pregnancy and enjoy her time off because I know she really needs it, having gone back-to-back competitions for so long,” Gardiner stated.

#“I just want her to take her time and when she returns, we will link up and we can continue what we started before she took her break for motherhood.”

#Having competed on both silver and bronze medal winning 4 x 100 and 4 x 400m relay teams for the Bahamas at the 2014 CARIFTA Games in Fort-de-France, Martinique, Gardiner also sent his personal endorsement to the athletes who will be trying out this weekend for this year’s CARIFTA Games, scheduled for the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium over the Easter holiday weekend.

#“Always put your best foot forward. Most people can’t do it, so for those who make it, just do your best,” Gardiner stated.

#“You are competing at home with your family and friends there, so just go out there and do what you have to do and have fun.

#“Don’t put any pressure on yourself. The pressure should be in your training. You just need to be prepared to enjoy the games. Plus, this is our 50th year of Independence, so this is the icing on the cake. Just enjoy the experience of competing in CARIFTA and at home in your backyard.”

#Gardiner is looking forward to competing in his next meet in Florida, but while he will be running both the 200 and 400m, he said he might just surprise everybody and run in a 100m race.

#“The last time I did the 100m was in 2020 when COVID-19 started,” Gardiner said. “I ran a PB, so I will see if I can beat that.”

#But at the World Championships, Gardiner said his focus will be on the 400m where he was unbeaten in 23 consecutive races dating back to the 2017 World Championships when he won the silver medal behind world record holder Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa.

#If the opportunity presents itself, he said he could make himself available to run on the men’s 4 x 400m relay team.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/mar/22/gardiner-pleased-his-comeback/?news

 Home|Sports|‘Wenty’ Ford Sports Foundation launchedSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailMarch 24, 2023 368 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Percival ‘Wenty’ Ford is a sports legend, and to carry on his legacy, his daughter Dr. Wentia Ford has officially launched a non-profit organization, the Wenty Ford Sports Foundation. That launch occurred earlier this month and the aim is to develop young people.

Wenty Ford, as he was affectionately called, was the first Bahamian pitcher to play in Major League Baseball (MLB), suiting up for the Atlanta Braves in 1973, officially entering the professional ranks with the club’s minor system in 1966. He also played for the first national cricket team of The Bahamas.

The foundation will be targeting inner city schools such as Stephen Dillet Primary School where students can do both sports and academics in an after-school program setting. They are looking to start with baseball and softball, once there is enough girls, and adequate funding. As the year progresses, organizers will attempt to add different sports, looking to secure scholarships in the future for the children. The target age group is 5-12 years old.

“There is sports development and the other part of the program is academic growth,” Dr. Ford said. “It is very important for the children, so two days out of the week will be dedicated to tutoring and homework. I plan on offering stipends to the teachers and coaches to help them.”

The foundation has a target date of September 2023 to be up and running, 50 years after Ford made his debut in MLB. It will run concurrently with the academic school year. Organizers are looking to develop leadership skills, provide mentorship, instill moral values and implement community service to help the student-athlete learn about giving back to the community. There is a GPA (grade point average) minimum requirement of 2.5 and a minimum of 2.0 in their subjects to be a part of the program.

After she went through scrapbooks of her father, Dr. Ford came across a letter from the Braves congratulating her father on his appearance on his first MLB game which was dated September 1973.

“What better time than now to start this foundation, at the 50th year of his appearance in MLB and 50th year of The Bahamas’ Independence. It is just an opportune time and now I am in a position where I can dedicate my time to the foundation and get it going. As a Bahamian, I feel it is my duty to give back to my country,” Ford said.

Ford said she has done humanitarian trips to Haiti and West Africa so it is time for her to give back to her country while maintaining the legacy of her father.

“Words cannot describe how I truly feel. I am honored and privileged to even have a father who is a legend in The Bahamas. To be able to give back and maintain my father’s legacy, is a great feeling. It is important to me to give back, especially to the youth who need it,” Ford said.

Dr. Ford is looking at starting off with 50 student-athletes once the funds for the foundation allow her to do so. Persons who are interested in finding out more information can visit the website, www.wentyfordsportsfoundation.com.

https://thenassauguardian.com/wenty-ford-sports-foundation-launched/

 Home|Sports|Big throws for Blue Chip AthleticsSports

Club continues to produce top performances at track and field meets

Sheldon LongleySend an emailMarch 24, 2023 484 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Blue Chip Athletics continues to produce some of the top throwers in the country, and by extension the region, getting young Bahamian athletes qualified and prepared for major international competitions.

The 50th Oaktree CARIFTA Games is just two weeks away, set for the Easter holiday weekend, April 8-10 at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. The final local qualifier, the Bahamas National High School Track and Field Championships/CARIFTA Trials, will be held this weekend, March 25-27, at the stadium. There are more than 40 qualifiers for The Bahamas’ team and throwers, particularly Blue Chip Athletics and Air Assault athletes, occupy a significant portion of those qualifiers. Air Assault is a branch of the Blue Chip Athletics Throwing Club, catering solely to javelin throwers.

Following a number of top finishes at the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) and Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) athletics championships, the number of qualifiers of throwers from Blue Chip Athletics has risen to eight, and more are expected at the CARIFTA Trials this weekend.

“It’s always a great feeling, a sense of accomplishment when as a coach, you would see your athletes doing great things. It’s an accomplishment, not only for the kids but the coaches and the country as well,” said Corrington Maycock, head coach of Blue Chip Athletics. “These athletes are doing great things, and individually, they all want to be great. Funding is always needed but nonetheless we will continue to produce great throwers and great athletes. We’re thankful for the opportunity to train at Queen’s College and to be able to use that equipment, but when you consider funding, or the lack or funding in this case, that is always needed to get your own equipment and better equipment and continue the trek for these kids to be great. That would be ideal.”

At the BAISS Track and Field Championships, there were first and second finishers by Blue Chip Athletics athletes in the under-20 girls javelin in the persons of Dior-Rae Scott and G’Shan Brown, respectively, in the under-20 girls discus in the persons of Annae Mackey and Brown, respectively, in the under-20 boys javelin in the persons of Kaden Cartwright and Robert Deal II, respectively, and in the under-20 boys shot put in the persons of Deal and Kristian Mondesir, respectively.

There were first place finishes in the under-20 girls shot put with Mackey, in the under-17 boys javelin with Ashton Moxey and in the under-17 girls javelin with a new meet record with the performance of Kamera Strachan. Additionally, there was a medal sweep in the under-20 boys discus with the performances of Cartwright, Deal II and A’jai Culmer, respectively, and there was a first, third and fourth place finish in the under-17 boys shot put given the performances of Tristan King, Jayden Stuart and Reuben Bain, respectively. That trio, in that order, were first, third and seventh in the under-17 boys discus.

In the under-17 girls shot put, Blue Chip Athletics athletes Milan Mondesir and Danielle Nixon, in that order, were second and fourth. In the under-15 girls discus, T’Arjahnaye Green finished second and in the under-17 girls discus, Nixon finished third.

In addition to the eight qualifiers for CARIFTA, seven athletes from Blue Chip Athletics have qualified for the 127th running of the Penn Relays, set for April 27-29, 2023, at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – the home stadium for the University of Pennsylvania’s football, track and field and lacrosse teams.

As far as Blue Chip Athletics collegiate throwers are concerned, Rhema Otabor is representing the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Tarajh Hudson, Bernesha Knowles and Carnitra Mackey are at Northwestern State University, Keyshawn Strachan is at Auburn University, Michaelangelo Bullard is at Texas State University, Acacia Astwood competes for the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Roadrunners, Abner Johnson is at Cowley College, and Latia Saunders represents Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (Florida A&M).

Calea Jackson, Kaden Cartwright and G’Shan Brown have signed their letters of intent to attend the University of Miami in the fall.

“We still need bodies. Every day, we’re searching for new talent. We’re trying to keep the feeder program going, always looking for talented throwers who could be the next top athletes. We’re trying to build the field events, particularly the throwing events so that we could continue to experience success in the future,” said Maycock.

Based on results, Blue Chip Athletics has proven that it provides a top throwing program in the country, and by extension in all of the Caribbean region.

Maycock is looking to get more athletes qualified for the 50th Oaktree CARIFTA Games at the CARIFTA Trials/High School Nationals this weekend.

Like the CARIFTA Games, the CARIFTA Trials/High School Nationals will be held over six sessions from a Saturday to a Monday at the Thomas A. Robinson stadium – just two weeks apart.

The CARIFTA Trials/High School Nationals will get underway at 9 a.m. on each day of the three-day meet. The second sessions each day will start around 3-4 p.m. This is the first time that both events are being combined.

https://thenassauguardian.com/big-throws-for-blue-chip-athletics/

 Home|Sports|Bahamians out of NCAA basketball tournamentsSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailMarch 27, 2023 135 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

All three Bahamians are out of the 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. The last Bahamian to be eliminated was center Fredrick King as he and the University of Creighton Bluejays fell to the San Diego State University Aztecs, 57-56, at the YUM! Center in Louisville, Kentucky, in Elite Eight action on Sunday.

Bahamian head coach for the eighth seeded University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Lady Rebels Yolett McPhee-McCuin and her team fell 72-62 in the Sweet 16 to the number five seeded University of Louisville Cardinals. That game was played at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington, on Friday. Sports Performance Assistant Coach Bryan Clarke Jr. and the number one seeded University of Houston Cougars were not able to hold off the fifth seeded University of Miami Hurricanes as they lost 89-75 in Sweet 16 action at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Friday.

It was not the ending that King and the Bluejays were hoping for. The Aztecs went to the free throw line with 1.2 seconds left in the game with the score tied at 56 points. They split the free throws and a full-court inbounds pass by the Bluejays did not go their way as time expired and the Aztecs made their first trip to the NCAA Final Four in school history.

The Bluejays could not hold on to the 33-28 lead they held at the end of the first half. It was a back and forth affair in the second half and it went right down to the wire as both teams were looking to play in the Final Four.

King, a freshman, played three minutes on the floor and was only able to tally two rebounds. It’s the end of his freshman year and the South Andros native finished the season averaging 3.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. He shot 61 percent from the field and averaged 8.4 minutes in the 37 games he played this season, starting three times.

The Bluejays finished the season with a 24-13 win/loss record that includes a 14-6 Big East Conference record.

The tale of the game for McPhee-McCuin and the Rebels was their shooting from the field as the Cardinals shot the ball at 45.1 percent. The Rebels shot a dismal 37.1 percent from the field and only made four shots from deep.

The Rebels jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead to start the game. However, that lead was quickly erased. The Cardinals took their first lead of 14-13 at the 3:11 mark of the first quarter. The Cardinals led 20-15 heading into the second quarter.

An 8-0 scoring run by the Rebels cut the deficit to win 24-23 at the 5:20 mark of the second period. Ole Miss took their final lead of the game at 29-27 with 3:41 left in that period. The Cardinals took the lead for good on the next possession and went into the half with a 34-29 lead.

The Rebels’ shots were not falling in the third quarter as they went 4-for-13, shooting 30.8 percent from the field. They never recovered from that quarter and eventually lost that game.

The loss brought an end to their coming-out party at this year’s tournament that included the slaying of a giant, number one seeded Stanford University, in the Seattle 4 Region in the second round. It was a good season for the Rebels as they were able to win a program best 11 wins in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They ended the season with a 25-9 win/loss.

Clarke and the Cougars were the last number one seed in the tournament to fall. Their early exit marked the first time in tournament history that the final eight teams did not have a top seeded team since seeding began in 1979.

The Hurricanes started strong early, taking a 7-2 lead at the 16:56 mark of the first half. The Cougars took a 10-9 lead at the 15:15 mark. At the end of the first half, the Hurricanes led, 42-36.

The second half was not kind to the Cougars as they trailed by as much 17 points. They were unable to make a run as the Hurricanes got the win.

The Cougars finished with a 33-4 record and a 17-1 record in the American Athletic Conference.

https://thenassauguardian.com/bahamians-out-of-ncaa-basketball-tournaments/

 Home|Sports|Trinidad and Tobago blanks The Bahamas, 3-0Sports

Simba FrenchSend an emailMarch 27, 2023 119 4 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

A trio of goals in the first 34 minutes was all Trinidad and Tobago needed to come away with a 3-0 victory over The Bahamas in men’s soccer action at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium on Friday.

That loss has The Bahamas senior men’s national soccer team sporting a 1-4 win/loss record to sit in third with three points in League B Group C action in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Nations League. Trinidad and Tobago remains in second place with 12 points and a 4-1 record.

The last time these two teams played, The Bahamas played a more defensive game with just one forward. This game they played with two forwards, and head coach for The Bahamas Nesley Jean said they wanted to play a more attacking game.

“We were in a stage where we wanted to press and get higher up the pitch and closer to their goal,” Jean said. “That is why we wanted to push up our team. When we look at it, we have a young team with most of these guys being in their early 20’s with some being 16, but no excuses. We are going to make mistakes but this is where we learn. As we keep training together and playing more games, we will get there gradually.”

The away team came in with a game plan to attack the Bahamian side early. That worked as they got on the scoreboard in the fifth minute of the game from a rocket shot as the Bahamian goalkeeper Ian Lowe had no chance of stopping it. The shot was in the top-left corner.

Trinidad and Tobago’s head coach Angus Eve, who was happy to get the three points for the win on the road, said his team stuck to their game plan.

“We were trying to put them on their back foot as early as possible. We thought we had the players to hurt them, so we wanted to go after them early. We were able to get a goal in the third minute of the game in Trinidad where they played more defensive. They tried to play a little bit more and it opened up spaces for us,” Eve said.

The Bahamas had a chance in the 10th minute to get an equalizer but a well-placed cross from Quinton Carey to Christopher Rahming saw the latter putting the ball too high off a header.

Trinidad and Tobago’s captain Joevin Jones joined Moses on the scoresheet 21 minutes later with a goal of his own. He was able to put away a perfectly timed pass at the top of Lowe’s six-yard box for an easy goal. Trinidad and Tobago’s Ryan Telfer got a through ball and was able to find the back of the net in the 34th minute to put the visitors up 3-0.

The Bahamas had another chance at scoring just before the half-time whistle when William Bayles struck the ball from outside the 18-yard box to call the Trinidadian goalkeeper Niklas Frenderup into action. He made his first save of the game and denied The Bahamas an opportunity.

With Trinidad and Tobago scoring at such a high rate, it appeared that they had more in their arsenal. However, The Bahamas’ side did not concede another goal in that first half and the visitors went into half-time up 3-0.

Jean said he expected Trinidad and Tobago to come out like this.

“We expected them to be aggressive. If you watched the last two games that we played them, we knew they were coming because we played them close the previous two games. Our guys are young and they are going to make mistakes,” Jean said.

In the second half, the Bahamian side was playing a lot more relaxed and composed. They were unable to find the back of the net although they had several chances to score. They did not concede any more goals.

One of those young players who Jean spoke about is center back Roen Davis. He had some key defensive plays and even created some attacking for The Bahamas.

“I just wanted to go out there today (Friday) and play some defense and not give up a goal,” Davis said. “It was a tough game today and we have to learn from our mistakes. I learned to not step too high and to compose myself.”

Playing on the side of Davis was veteran Lesly St. Fleur who said that it is a learning process.

“It is a pleasure playing with them,” St. Fleur said. “Being an older player on the team, I learn from them and they learn from me – we have to learn from each other to make the team better. It is a young squad and we have to keep them going with a mix of veterans to keep the team going.”

Both teams left The Bahamas to play their final game of the tournament. The Bahamas’ team is in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to take on that country in a match where they have to win or draw to stay in League B. A loss will relegate The Bahamas to League C. St. Vincent and the Grenadines has one point. That match will take place at the Arnos Vale Stadium in the capital city of Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Jean said that they will be ready for that match.

“We need to get our heads up. They did well today (Friday),” Jean said. “We are going to tweak a little because they (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) are a different team. They play a different formation. We did our studies and we will be ready.”

Trinidad and Tobago went home to play the Group C leader, Nicaragua, who has one more point than them. That game, which will be played in Tobago today, will determine the winner of the group.

https://thenassauguardian.com/trinidad-and-tobago-blanks-the-bahamas-3-0/

 Home|Sports|Number of qualifiers soars to over 50Sports

CARIFTA Trials/High School Nationals wrap up today at Thomas A. Robinson stadium

Sheldon LongleySend an emailMarch 27, 2023 74 8 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

As expected, there have been a significant amount of qualifiers for the 50th Oaktree CARIFTA Games over the first two days of the ICS Security Concepts Bahamas National High School Track and Field Championships/CARIFTA Trials, adding to the 40 who had previously qualified.

The three-day meet wraps up this evening at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium – the same venue for the actual CARIFTA Games in less than two weeks’ time. This is the first time that the high school nationals and the CARIFTA Trials are being combined, and the event is serving as a test event for the CARIFTA Games.

In the overall school competition, the St. Augustine’s College (SAC) Big Red Machine are in the lead going into the final day of competition today with 354 points. The Queen’s College Comets are second with 298 points and the St. John’s College Giants round out the top three schools with 123 points. The top government school is the C.R. Walker Knights who are fourth overall with 103 points. The Sunland Baptist Stingers lead the Family Island schools, and are fifth overall, with 94 points. C.H. Reeves is the top junior school with 47 points.

Up until Saturday, there was just one qualifier for one of the marquee events in sprints at the junior level, the under-20 boys 100 meters (m). After the final of that event on Saturday, there are now four. The top three on Saturday qualified and one previously qualified.

Carlos Brown, of C.R. Walker, led the way, winning the gold medal in a season’s best time of 10.49 seconds. Running unattached, Adam Musgrove finished second in a personal best time of 10.55 seconds and Zion Campbell, also unattached, rounded out the top three with a personal best of 10.60 seconds. Jeremiah Adderley, of Nassau Christian Schools (NCS), finished fourth in 10.61 seconds and SAC’s Jonathon Fowler finished fifth in 10.74 seconds. The qualifying time for CARIFTA was 10.60 seconds. Fowler had previously qualified, running 10.60 seconds at the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) Track and Field Championships.

Brown and Musgrove both dipped under 10.60 seconds this season but the times were wind-aided.

“I feel really good about finally qualifying, especially coming off an injury,” said Brown on Saturday. “I didn’t get as good of a start that I wanted to, but I just wanted to get my knees up and keep my composure and finish strong. I feel like I was able to do that. I just want to thank the Lord for coming out of it injury-free and now it’s on to the CARIFTA Games. I’m looking forward to performing well and representing my country well at CARIFTA.”

In the under-20 girls version of that race, Shatalya Dorsett, the silver medalist from last year’s CARIFTA Games in Kingston, Jamaica, qualified again in her specialty, running a a season’s best time of 11.81 seconds for the gold medal – a tenth of a second off her personal best time.

The Sunland Baptist athlete said she was pleased with the result, but knows there are aspects of her race she could fix going forward.

“It feels good to qualify again. That was the main thing,” she said. “I just hope that I go out there at CARIFTA and do what I need to do to win a medal for my country. I was kind of nervous today and my start was a li’l off, but I pulled through with a season’s best time and I’m glad with that.”

Giving Dorsett a push and also qualifying for CARIFTA, for the first time, was SAC’s Amari Pratt. Pratt, who had previously qualified in the 200m, ran a personal best of 11.86 seconds for second on Saturday night. Finishing third was Nia Richards, of Queen’s College, in 12.19 seconds. The qualifying time for CARIFTA was 11.90 seconds.

In the under-17 boys 100m, Ishmael Rolle, of St. John’s, qualified for CARIFTA again, winning the gold medal in 10.93 seconds. Andrew Brown, of SAC, who has previously qualified for CARIFTA, was second in 11 seconds flat, and Trent Ford, of SAC, rounded out the top three in 11.01 seconds.

Rolle suffered a slight hamstring strain at the BAISS Championships about three weeks ago, but said he feels close to full strength.

“I still feel the hamstring a bit but I try not to think about it. I’m just focused on running my race,” said Rolle. “I feel good about qualifying again, but I know I could do better. I’m just glad to get it out of the way and now I’ll looking forward to CARIFTA.”

The qualifying time for CARIFTA in the under-17 boys 100m was 10.96 seconds.

Jamiah Nabbie, of Queen’s College, won the under-17 girls 100m in 11.89 seconds, qualifying for CARIFTA for a second time in that event. Shayann Demeritte, of SAC, was second in 12.20 seconds, also qualifying for CARIFTA for a second time, and Shekinah Johnson, running unattached, finished third in 12.47 seconds. The qualifying time for CARIFTA in the under-17 girls 100m was 12.20 seconds.

Nabbie also qualified again in the under-17 girls long jump, leaping 5.59m (18’ 4-1/4”). Phebe Thompson, of Bishop Michael Eldon High, and Jamiah Hepburn, of Sister Mary Patricia Russell Junior High, finished tied for second, both jumping 5.23m (17’ 2”). The qualifying mark for CARIFTA was 5.46m (17’ 11”).

Over in the 400m finals, there were a couple of qualifiers in the under-17 girls division, and shockingly one of them had just turned 13 years old and is ineligible to compete at CARIFTA. Reference is to Keyezra Thomas, of Bishop Michael Eldon High School, who ran a torrid 56.28 seconds for the gold medal in that event in the under-14 girls division. She finished more than eight seconds faster than second-place finisher, Trinity Rolle, of Sunland Baptist, who clocked 1:04.54. Cierra Delancy, of Queen’s College, ran 1:05.95 for third. Thomas also won the under-14 girls long jump, leaping 4.86m (15’ 11-1/2”). SAC’s Jayla Smith finished second with a leap of 4.42m (14’ 6”), and Inaya Nesbitt, of Sister Mary Patricia Russell, finished third with a leap of 4.21m (13’ 9-3/4”). Thomas also qualified for the under-14 girls 200m final with the fastest time, running 25.30 seconds. That final will be ran today.

SAC’s Darvinique Dean is eligible and won the under-17 girls race in 56.58 seconds. Her school and club teammate at Red-Line Athletics Bayli Major finished second in 57.36 seconds and Ta’mia Taylor, of St. John’s, broke up a SAC sweep, running 57.70 seconds for third. The qualifying time for CARIFTA was 56.64 seconds.

“I feel great,” said Dean who has qualified for CARIFTA in three events and is the only Bahamian athlete to do so. She previously qualified in the 100m and 400m hurdles. “I’m glad that I was able to run my race the way I wanted to. I’m happy to represent my school and come out with the win. I’m proud of myself. I’m excited. This will be my first CARIFTA, and to come out here and qualify in three events is a good feeling. There’s two weeks to go, so I just have to put in the final touches and come here ready for CARIFTA.”

Terrell McCoy, of Windsor School, had a toss of 12.37m (40’ 7”) to win the under-17 girls shot put event. Danielle Nixon, of Queen’s College, finished second with a toss of 12.25m (40’ 2-1/4”), and Saana Roberts, of Bishop Michael Eldon High, rounded out the top three finishers with a throw of 11.39m (37’ 4-1/2”). McCoy previously qualified for CARIFTA, surpassing the qualifying distance of 12.56m (41’ 2-1/2”) with a massive throw of 13.53m (44’ 4-3/4”) at the BAISS Track and Field Championships.

Qualifying for CARIFTA in the under-20 girls 1500m on Saturday was Akaya Lightbourne, of Sunland Baptist. She ran 5:02.93 for the gold medal. Finishing a distant second was Jasmine Mackey, who ran unattached. Mackey ran 5:18.15. Coming in third was Alfrenique Knowles, of St. George’s High, who ran 5:20.39. The qualifying time for CARIFTA was 5:03.24 seconds.

Lightbourne came back and won the open women’s 3000m on Sunday, but didn’t qualify for CARIFTA in that event. She won in 11:18.52. Raynia Russell, of C.R. Walker, finished second in 11:21.27, and Grace Farrington, of St. Andrew’s, rounded out the top three in 12:44.22. The qualifying time for CARIFTA was 11:15.63.

“I feel like the 1,500 could have been better. In the 3,000, I tried my best and tried to pace myself. Not qualifying last year motivated me to qualify this year and it feels good to do it. I just hope that I’m ready. I prey to God that I do my best and we’ll just see what happens,” said Lightbourne.

Over in the under-17 girls high jump, a couple of athletes qualified for a second time each. Tyler Pratt, of Huntley P. Christie High out of North Andros, won the gold medal, soaring a personal best of 1.64m (5’ 4-1/2”). Alexandria Grace Komolafe, competing unattached, finished second, matching the CARIFTA qualifying mark for a second time this season, leaping 1.57m (5’ 1-3/4”). Kennedy Hanna, of St. Anne’s, finished third with a clearance of 1.51m (4’ 11-1/2”).

Also qualifying for CARIFTA for a second time was University of Miami bound Calea Jackson in the under-20 girls discus. She turned in a massive personal best heave of 48.21m (158’ 2”) for the gold medal, surpassing her previous personal best by almost three meters. Cailyn Johnson, also competing unattached, finished second with a best throw of 40.57m (133’ 1”), and coming in third was Annae Mackey, of Queen’s College, who has qualified for CARIFTA in the under-20 girls shot put. In the discus, Mackey could only muster a throw of 32.22m (105’ 8”) for the bronze. The qualifying mark for CARIFTA was 41.23m (135’ 3”).

There were a couple qualifiers for CARIFTA in the under-20 girls triple jump event. Lanaisha Lubin, of Queen’s College, won the gold medal with a leap of 12.51m (41’ 0-1/2”). Apryl Adderley, of SAC, who had previously qualified for CARIFTA in the under-20 girls long jump, added the triple jump qualification to her accomplishments on Saturday. She leapt 11.89m (39’ 0-1/4”) to finish second, just going over the qualifying distance of 11.88m (38’ 11-3/4”). Adonya Taylor, of Queen’s College, finished third with a leap of 11.49m (37’ 8-1/2”).

On Sunday, three young women went under the qualifying standard in the women’s 400m hurdles, but they had also previously qualified. It was a 1-2 finish for SAC as Dean won in 1:01.84 and Major was second in 1:02.13. Just like in the 400m, Taylor broke up a SAC sweep as she finished third for St. John’s, running 1:06.69 seconds. The qualifying time for CARIFTA was 1:09.86.

After qualifying in the under-17 boys 110m hurdles earlier in the season, SAC’s Quinton Rolle added the 400m hurdles qualification to his list of accomplishments, finishing first in 56.23 seconds. St. John’s Zion Davis finished second in 56.90 seconds and Christian Pierre, of C.R. Walker, was third in 59.67 seconds. The qualifying time for CARIFTA was 56.31 seconds.

Running unattached, Shimar Bain qualified in the under-20 boys 400m hurdles, winning that event in 53.25 seconds. SAC’s Clinton Laguerre, who qualified earlier in the season, qualified again as he ran 54.19 seconds for second. Berkley Munnings, of St. Anne’s, was third in 55.36. The qualifying time for CARIFTA was 54.43 seconds.

There was a qualifier for CARIFTA in the open women’s heptathlon as Essence Sands, of Doris Johnson Sr. High School, scored 4,011 points to win that title. Kaily Pratt, of Sunland Baptist, finished second with 3,838 points, and LaShae Smith, competing unattached, rounded out the top three with 3,790 points. The qualifying standard for CARIFTA was 3,924 points.

There was another qualifier in the open men’s octathlon as Lavardo Deveaux scored 4,989 points while competing unattached. Reanno Todd, of C.R. Walker, was second with 4,683 points, and Brandon Hutchinson, competing unattached, rounded out the top three with 4,485 points. The qualifying standard for CARIFTA was 4,869 points.

Also on Sunday, there were a couple of qualifiers in the under-20 boys long jump – both had previously qualified. Johnathon Rodgers, of C.I. Gibson, won that event with a leap of 7.32m (24’ 0-1/4”). Robert Stuart, of St. George’s, was second with a leap of 7.14m (23’ 5-1/4”), and Stephan Farquharson, competing unattached, rounded out the top three with a leap of 7.11m (23’ 4”). The qualifying mark for CARIFTA was 7.14m.

More results can be found on the website tekresults.net.

The 50th Oaktree CARIFTA Games is just 12 days away, set for April 8-10 at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. The ICS Security Concepts CARIFTA Trials/High School Nationals wraps up today.

Tickets for CARIFTA can be purchased online at the website www.carifta50.com or in person at the box office at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. Daily rates start at $5 and go up as high as $50 for the VIP section. There are also tickets for all three days that start from $40 for the bronze section and go up to $130 for the VIP section.

https://thenassauguardian.com/number-of-qualifiers-soars-to-over-50/