SWEET VICTORY: The Grand Bahama All-Stars carted off the ladies’ championship title in the Bahamas Softball Federation’s All-Star Classic on Sunday. Photo: Dante Carrer

As of Tuesday, November 14, 2023

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CHAMPIONS: The Grand Bahama All-Stars carted off the ladies’ championship title in the Bahamas Softball Federation’s All-Star Classic on Sunday. Photos: Dante Carrer

THE Cyber Blue Marlins kept the men’s title in New Providence in the Bahamas Softball Federation’s All-Star Classic.

MVP Larikah Russell, left, celebrates.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#Despite playing in the wee hours of the morning, the Bahamas Softball Federation completed its 2023 All-Star Classic on Sunday with the Cyber Blue Marlins keeping the men’s title in New Providence while Grand Bahama carted off the ladies’ crown.

#The tournament was staged as a follow up to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s 6th Bahamas Games in July. And with not that many islands participating in any type of fast-pitch competition, the entry list was limited but there were still keenly contested matches over the four days in the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

#• Here’s a look at how things turned out at the end of the competition:

#Men’s Championship

#Cyber Blue Marlins 8, Grand Bahama 3

#Winning pitcher Thomas Davis, with 15 strike outs on five hits, was named the most valuable player as he sparked the Blue Marlins to victory.

#It took two extra innings after the game ended up tied at 2-2 at the end of the seven innings before Cyber opened the flood gates in the sixth, scoring six runs in the eighth to push the game out of reach for Grand Bahama.

#Shortstop Austin Hanna had a pair of hits, scored as many runs and drove in another, centre fielder McKell Bethel was 2-for-5, scoring two runs for Grand Bahama. Marvin Rolle, coming in to pinch run in the sixth, scored their only other run. Chris Tynes was the losing pitcher.

#Ladies’ Gold medal game

#Grand Bahama 22, Long Island Scorpions 4

#With just about every batter in their line-up making a contribution offensively in their 18-hit barrage.

#MVP Larikah Russell, playing shortstop, ignited the fuel as she enjoyed a 3-for-5 night with three RBI and two runs scored. Terah Evans was 3-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored; third sacker Kenya Forbes was 2-for-5 with two RBI and four runs scored and second sacker Tamika Davis was 2-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored.

#Romona Hanna was the winning pitcher and Mia Turner suffered the loss.

#Outfielder Vashawna Bastian and infielder Kendalia Turner both scored a pair of runs in a losing effort. Deante Colebrooke helped out with a pair of RBI.

#Men’s Bronze medal game

#Titans 10, Columbus Isles’ Mighty Mitts 7

#Micah Bethel, playing center field, rode a perfect 3-for-3 production at the plate with four RBI, including a three-run homer in the first inning and a RBI triple to pace the Titans.

#Shortstop Dino Sweeting was 1-for-32 with two runs scored and Angelo Dillet helped his own cause by going 1-dfor-2 two runs scored.

#Dillet, who suffered an eye injury during the game, was the winning pitcher before he left to be treatment. Alphonso ‘Chicken’ Albury was tagged with the loss.

#Catcher Kenneth Curry was 2-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored for the Mighty Mitts.

#Ladies’ Bronze medal game

#Wildcats 14, UB Mingoes 9

#First sacker Dachye Stubbs went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored to help the Wildcats clinched the bronze. Daria Cumberbatch, who started on the mound, but ended up at second, was 1-for-03 with three runs scored.

#Second sacker Adonya Stanislous and ri8ght fielder Brenna Hield both had a hit and scored a pair of runs in the loss for the Mingoes.

#Thela Stevens was credited with the win, while Keishana Coakley was tagged with the loss.

#Here’s a look at the team’s win-loss records going into the playoffs”

#Men’s Division

#Trams W L Pct.

#New Providence Cyber Marlins 3 1 .750 –

#Grand Bahama 3 1 .750 –

#Columbus Isles 2 2 .500 1

#Atlantis Titans 1 3 .250 2

#Eleuthera All-Stars 1 3 .250 2

#Ladies’ Division

#Teams W L Pct.

#Long Island Scorpions 3 0 1,000 –

#UB Mingoes 2 1 .666 1

#Eleuthera Briland 1 2 333 .2

#Grand Bahama 0 3 .000 3

Dekel Nesbitt, Briceston Anderson follow suit

Serena Decius-Norius, joined by her husband Jimmy Norius (far right), is presented with her awards on stage.

As of Tuesday, November 14, 2023

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BJ Anderson posing with his award.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#THREE more Bahamians, including Serena Salis Decius-Norius, have earned their professional cards after winning their respective divisions at the MCP Worldwide Caribbean Grand Prix at the Atlantis resort, Paradise Island, on Saturday

#While Decius-Norius emerged as the overall women’s physique champion, fitness instructor Dekel Nesbitt earned her card as the women’s figure overall champion and Briceston Anderson joined them by clinching the men’s physique overall title.

#A number of other Bahamians also participated in the show. Here’s a look at how they finished: Dawn Charlton won the women’s bikini Class C category, Dorcas Cox got third in the women’s figure masters 50-and-over, Jomar Farquharson was third in the men’s bodybuilding light heavyweight and Gemo Smith was second in the men’s physique masters 40-and-over.

#Also, Godfrey Stephen Robinson took first in men’s bodybuilding 50 years and over category, Ricardo Mitchell placed first in the men’s classic bodybuilding novice division, Wellington Wallace and DeAngelo Edmund got second and third respectively in the men’s physique category and Edmund also won the men’s physique novice division.

#For Decius-Norius, her victory was very special as she joined her husband Jimmy Norius as the only Bahamian couple to hold their pro cards at the same time. “I surprised myself because I was training for figure, but on Friday night, I decided to go for the physique,” she said.

#“So when I signed up, I signed up for the two categories. I won my pro card in the physique, so I am so happy that I decided to go in the physique.

#“I cut my routine short in the figure because I wanted to save myself for the physique. Now me and Jimmy are the first husband and wife in the Bahamas to have earned their pro card. Now my confidence is in the roof.”

#Decius-Norius, however, said she still prefers to compete in the figure category because she can maintain her physique. She said she will continue to work on her performances so that she can compete in that category more than the physique where it’s so much harder because of the competition she will face.

#“I decided to try them both because when you lose one time, you want to be able to see if you can do anything different in the other,” she said. “I have some time to get some rest and get my body ready for next month, so hopefully I can see how well I can compete in both figure and physique.”

#Her husband, Jimmy, said it now makes it so much easier for the two of them to travel together and compete on the same stage in the same show.

#“Sometime when we travel, she can only get to compete because she was a still an amateur and there were no pro segments, so I couldn’t compete,” Norius said. “But when that she gets her pro card, we can both train to compete in the same show. I am happy for her It feels so good.”

#in critiquing his wife’s performance, Norius said she delivered a complete package.

#“Her symmitry, her posing, her harmony, her balance, her density, everything just came together at the right time,” he pointed out. “She went up against bigger girls in the physique, but she was more proportionate.

#“They placed her in the middle immediately and they kept her in the middle. Anybody who knows anything about bodybuilding, when they place you in the middle during a pose down, you automatically win it.”

#Now that they both can enjoy the benefits of being professionals in the sport, Norius said their next goal is to qualify for Mr. Olympia or Masters Olympian.

#“So we will regroup, reset and work on getting ready for our show, hopefully in May or June,” Norius said. “I’m no longer on the subvention from the government, so we have to change our budget. I don’t know why they took me off, but I have to change the way we approach our training and competition without the subvention.”

#Norius, however, said he’s not too concerned about it because at least his wife is now a pro builder just like him, which makes it so much better for them as they continue in the sport.

As of Tuesday, November 14, 2023

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#BAHAMAS SCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION VOLLEYBALL

#AFTER playing its sudden death volleyball playoffs on Monday at Tom ‘The Bird’ Grant Community Center, the Bahamas Scholastic Athletic Association will begin its championship series today, starting at 4pm.

#Tuesday

#JG – PLAYOFF 1 – Genesis Academy 2 vs 3 Mt. Carmel Preparatory Academy

#JG – PLAYOFF 2 – Teleos Christian School 1 vs 4 ISBET

#JB – CHAMPIONSHIP 1 Teleos Christian School vs Mt. Carmel Prep. Academy

#SG – CHAMPIONSHIP 1 Teleos Christian School vs Mt. Carmel Prep. Academy

#BAHAMAS FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

#THE Bahamas Football Association has determined the matchups for the under-10 boys and girls divisions for this year’s Dawn Knowles Primary School Soccer Tournament.

#The format this year was modified so that emphasis was more on development and it surely has proven that this was the right formula as the players have improved week after week.

#Games kick off at 10am sharp this morning at the Roscow AL Davies Soccer Complex. Schools and parents are invited to come on down and cheer on your favourite school to victory.

#Today’s schedule

#U-10 Boys and Girls Championships

#Wednesday

#U-12 Boys and Girls Championships

Coach Patrice Curry with her L W Young Golden Eagles’ cross country top finishers.

As of Tuesday, November 14, 2023

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L W Young Golden Eagles celebrate their junior boys and girls titles in the GSSSA volleyball and cross country championships.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#IN a special ceremony yesterday morning, the faculty and staff of L W Young Junior High School celebrated its impressive performances from its Golden Eagles’ boys and girls teams in the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association’s volleyball championships.

#As the only school to place two teams in the championship series, the Golden Eagles boys’ team soared to a 2-1 victory over the Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves on Friday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

#The Golden Eagles’ junior girls, however, fell short after they were swept 2-0 by the HO Nash Lions.

#Principal Deborah Thompson said they wanted to ensure that their student-athletes know that LW Young will continue to give them the accolades that they are due for their performances.

#“We appreciate them for all that they did,” she said. “Too often, we only hear about the negativities, but we want them to know that we celebrate our champions whenever they are successful.”

#Thompson added that although the girls didn’t win the title, they wanted them to feel just as celebrated as the boys because they did a fantastic job in advancing to the championship just as the boys did.

#“That’s is something to celebrate because no other school had two teams in the championship,” Thompson stated. “We are very proud of both of our teams.”

#Players from both teams were introduced individually during the school’s assembly and after they ascended from the back of the room to the stage in the front, much to the cheers of the student-body, they received their trophies for their performances.

#Patrice Curry, the head of the physical education department at LW Young, said despite the girls falling short, she too was proud of their accomplishment.

#“It was a lot of hard work and determination and I think we gave it our best,” Curry said. “We didn’t win, but I am so very proud of them.”

#Having spent the past six years at LW Young, Curry said they haven’t had a celebration like this for their Golden Eagles’ programme, so they are elated to have both teams in the championship at the same time. “Since 2018 when we won the bantam girls division in the GSSSA track and field championships, we haven’t won anything. We’ve made the playoffs, but we haven’t won anything until now,” Curry said.

#“So this is a really great accomplishment, not just for the Golden Eagles’ athletic department, but for the entire school population. They did extremely well and we are so glad to be able to celebrate them today.”

#Boys’ head coach Rashad Brice gave God all the praise for allowing him to find the “diamonds in the rough” and was able to refine them to secure the victory for LW Young.

#“My boys said to the principal that if they win the championship, they wanted a special assembly and to hear their names called one by one,” he said.

#“All through the mid-term break, every break we had, Monday through Saturday, we were here preparing for this.

#“We just did what we do best. We focused on winning the championship and next year we want to come back and celebrate with another victory.”

#If the Golden Eagles are successful, they will have to do it without two important pieces in Calvin Severe and Kendrick Miller, who are both graduating this year.

#Nonetheless, they both cherished the performances this year.

#“We worked hard for it, so we are very pleased to win it,” said Severe, the tallest member of the team. “Last year, we lost, so it was good to come back and win it. We haven’t won again in a long time, so it was good to get this one and to celebrate the way we did today.”

#“I feel that we have it. It really was something when we won it in the third set,” he started. “It feels so good.”

#At the same time, four of their athletes were also recognised for their accomplishments in the GSSSA’s Cross Country Championships that was staged on Saturday in front of the new Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

#Honoured were Kaden Newbold, who was second in the under-13 boys’ division, Jaynaz Pratt and Anilyah, who were third and fifth respectively in the under-13 girls, and Deontry Rave, third in the under-15 boys.

Bahamas under-14 co-ed team bringing home the medals

Team Bahamas celebrate with their CARIFTA under-14 gold and bronze medals in Miami, Florida.

As of Monday, November 13, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#With some highly-spirited performances, the Bahamas under-14 co-ed water polo team captured a gold and bronze medal at the CARIFTA Championships over the weekend in Miami, Florida.

#Team Bahamas, coached by Laszlo ‘Lotty’ Borbely assisted by Wandalee Burrows, won the gold in the CARIFTA tournament and they ended up with the bronze in the local tournament that included teams in CARIFTA and teams out of Florida.

#Yesterday in the CARIFTA tournament, Team Bahamas held off Bonaire 10-8 to clinch the gold medal as Shanterro Knowles struck for four goals and Jamar Bienamie added three more.

#The victory came after Team Bahamas lost 14-11 to the Orlando United for the bronze in the local tournament as both Bienamie and Knowles scored three goals apiece.

#At the end of the dual tournament at the Belen Jesults Preparatory School, Knowles was selected as the best scorer, while Isaiah Colon was named as the best goalkeeper.

#It was the performances that Borbely felt sparked the team to its successful showing.

#“It was a gruelling tournament. We played eight matches in three days,” Borbely said. “The Bahamas under-14 team performed extremely well.

#“The first day, we won three matches and drew one. The second day, we got one victory and lost one match. The last day we barely lost again to Orlando (for the bronze in the local tournament) and in the final against Bonaire, we crawled back from a 7-4 deficit to win the gold medal (in CARIFTA).”

#As the CARIFTA tournament got underway on Friday, Team Bahamas won their opener 18-6 over Trinidad & Tobago as Bienamie had eight goals, Jahmahl Wilson five and Knowles three before they played to an 8-8 tie with Bonaire with Bienamie, Knowles and Jayden Smith producing a pair of goals each.

#Team Bahamas came back and demolished Trinidad & Tobago in their rematch 22-8, thanks to Knowles’ 12 goals and Bienamie’s five. Paityn Burrows contributed three.

#As they commenced play in the local tournament, Team Bahamas knocked off South Florida 19-11 with Bienamie scoring eight times, while Knowles scored six goals and Smith added four.

#On Saturday, in their other matches played in the local tournament, Team Bahamas blew out the Whitecaps 16-6 behind six goals from Bienamie and four from Knowles, But the team lost 16-8 to Riptide as Bienamie led the attack with five goals.

#“The team showed a lot of character to focus on each match,” Borbely said. “Our strength is a tight defence where everyone helps each other and always has two defenders who crowd the attacker with the ball. From this solid defence, we drive dangerous attacks.”

#Borbely said Knowles was the spark of the team with his counter attacks. He also noted that Jayden Smith helped to establish their solid defence and he passed many accurate passes to the counter attackers, while his sister Chelsea was a capable defender.

#Burrows, according to Borbely, was the team’s best female player, who defended the ball very well, while Bienamie was their penalty shooter, whom they relied on constantly. As their goalie, Borbely said Colon kept their opponents at bay and Asher Bastian did a tremendous job as his back up.

#The other members of Team Bahamas were Joyelle Brown, Chelsea Smith, Landon Sumner, Indiya Jones, Jayden Turner, La’Mya Bodie, Jacob Johnson and Caylen Brown.

#Borbely said he was so proud of all the players, calling them the future of water polo in the Bahamas.

#Also traveling with the team was Erma Turnquest, who served as a referee during the tournament.

#With their mission accomplished, Team Bahamas will return home today at 1:55 pm on Western Air from Fort Lauderdale.

TUREANO Johnson has his arm raised by the ring referee in one of his victories.

As of Monday, November 13, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AFTER a glaring amateur and professional boxing career that fell short of a world title, Tureano ‘Reno’ Johnson is coming home for his final fight next month before he officially retires from the sport.

#Johnson, who has only had one fight at home during his 25-fight campaign that began with his successful debut on March 5, 2010 over American Cleoney Fuqua in Atlanta, Georgia, to last match on October 30, 2020 when he lost to Jamie Munguia in Indio, California, said he wants nothing better than to go out with a bang, despite reports that he had retired since 2020.

#Having fought during his tenure as a middleweight, Johnson will move up to compete as a cruiserweight against Colombian Samuel Miller on Saturday, December 15, at a venue yet to be determined.

#After losing his last fight to Munguia for the vacant World Boxing Organisation’s Inter-Continental Championship belt, Johnson said he was offered a fight in Miami, Florida against Miller, who once fought Grand Bahamian Sherman “The Tank” Williams.

#Johnson, however, declined the offer.

#But now that he’s getting ready to retire, he decided to negotiate to have the fight staged here at home as a farewell to Johnson. “He challenged me for whatever reason, I don’t know. Maybe, it’s for redemption for Sherman Williams,” Johnson said. “So we’re just trying to get a venue here in Nassau locked in. We will have at least five bouts on the card, featuring some of the guys I trained with in my camp in the United States.

#“It’s a big deal for me headlining a card at home, knowing that this is the last time that I will be stepping in the ring as a competitive fighter.”

#At the age of 39 and his dreams of becoming a world champion diminished, Johnson said he just thought it’s time for him to hang up his gloves and to venture into coaching and the administration of boxing in the country.

#“With the zeal and interest to fighting virtually gone, I decided to call it quits,” Johnson said. “I’ve found that my passion is now towards helping the younger folks and be more of a natalist, one who is more focused on the young men and young in the country.

#“I do have a bug brother ministry that I cater much of my time too and now I want to expand that. With the focus on boxing and outreach ministry, it does take a toll on you and so my focus is more on the outreach ministry and my boxing club, the Marlins Boxing Club in the south.”

#With so much to accomplish in the amateur boxing programme, Johnson said he want to help groom the next Bahamian boxer to compete at the Olympic Games and other international events like the Pan American Games and the Commonwealth Games.

#“I think it’s time for me to hang up the competitive gloves and help the younger boxers, who have the interest in becoming a world boxing champion,” said Johnson, who admitted that it was dream of his before it was shattered.

#As he looks back at his career, Johnson, who accumulated a 21-3-1 win-loss-draw record, said he was very pleased to set the bar as a young fighter.

#“I guess I could say I was a trailblazer in my own rights,” he reflected. “I am very proud of my accomplishments, having qualified for the Olympics as an amateur and made it to the quarterfinals. I believe that was a feat in itself.

#“But there are stronger, faster and much more talented young fighters out there and even more than that, I believe that there are some out there who are much more hungrier than I am or was and so I want to contribute, not only boxing in the country, but to the young men and women who want to make a positive impact in the sport.”

#As a professional, although the world title slipped out of his grasp, Johnson said he has no regrets about his past because he was once ranked as the number one contender in all four of the major boxing organizations – WBO, World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Federation (WBF) and World Boxing Council (WBC).

#“I am proud and I am satisfied with the work that I’ve done, thought I was not able to obtain the world title,” he said. “But I can say I’ve done extremely well with my career. I really can’t complain at all. I had a good time over the years.”

#Johnson’s only fight home was on December 5, 2014 when he secured s technical knockout over Humberto Toledo at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. It was his third straight victory after he suffered his fight loss of his career to Curtis Stevens on Philadelphia.

#Prior to the loss, Johnson was a 14-0-win streak. After his victory at home, Johnson went back to the USA where he extended his winning streak to six. He suffered his second defeat at the hands of Sergiy Derevyanchenko in Maimi on August 25, 2017.

#On February 9, 2019, Johnson drawn with Fernando Castaneda before he won over Jason Quigley on July 18, 2019 before he suffered his final loss to Manguia after he was unable to complete the fight because of a severe cut to his mouth.

#Back home after spending about five weeks in Cuba where he started his preparation for the fight, Johnson said he’s looking forward to putting on sparring sessions every Saturday on Goodsman Bay from noon for about two hours to any Bahamian who wish to support him. He said every competitor will get a free ticket for fight night.

#In preparing for his retirement, Johnson thanked his parents George and Ikenna Johnson, along with his wife Natania Johnson and the rest of his family for their tremendous support. He also expressed his delight to AquaPure Water, KS Moses, Food Kingdom, Original Patties, Transformations Landscape Development and Commonwealth Fabrics for their financial support over the years.

As of Monday, November 13, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#THE CH Reeves Raptors and CR Walker Knights won the junior and senior division titles at the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) Cross Country Championships.

#The one-day long distance meet was hosted in front of the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium on Saturday and saw competition between hundreds of athletes across the GSSSA senior and junior age groups.

#Varel Davis, president of the GSSSA, said the level of competition on display over the weekend was impressive.

#“I was very impressed with the level of competition this morning [Saturday] at our GSSSA cross country meet. Each year the competition is getting better and better. Hats off to all the hard working coaches who train and develop their athletes,” Davis said.

#The Knights claimed the overall senior division bragging rights for the second straight year on Saturday.

#The senior school won two out of four division titles, including the under-20 (U20) girls and under-17 (U17) boys divisions.

#Anatol Rodgers High School earned the division title for the U20 boys and the CV Bethel Stingrays won the U17 girls division title.

#The Stingrays’ Marquell Newbold finished way ahead of the pack with a time of 13:38.18 in the U20 girls event.

#Raynia Russell, who competes in multiple disciplines for the Knights, came in second with 14:12.20.

#Tarell McPhee, of Government Senior High School, finished third among competitors. The 12th grader, who specialises in sprints and hurdle events, was happy to get a win at the cross country meet another year.

#“The race was kind of tough for me at the beginning. I went out kind of fast, I feel like I went out too fast and I just had to maintain my pace, run smart up and coming down the hill and finish strong,” Newbold said. She added that she put extra pressure on herself because she was trying to beat her time from last year’s cross country meet of 13:27. Although she came up short, the now 17-year-old said the meet served as a great help for conditioning for the 400m and 400m hurdle events.

#The RM Bailey Pacers saw Lataji Moxey place first with a time of 9:57.08 in the U20 boys event. Fabian Saintil, of Doris Johnson Senior High School, was right behind with 9:57.78. Raywind Winder, who recently competed at the William “Knucklehead” Johnson Cross Country meet, grabbed the third podium spot for the Mystic Marlins with 10:45.83.

#“It was a little hard I pushed through, I am a little unfit with a little back problems but I got through it. At the end of the day I am very happy to come out with the win. I showed out for my school,” Moxey said.

#For the U17 boys event, Shanton St Germaine ran through the finish line first at 10:15.79 for the Stingrays. Vincent Alerte, of Anatol Rodgers, picked up second place after he stopped the clock at 10:16.44. The Knights’ Gabriel Johnson collected third place in 10:36.78.

#Bernichia Nelson, of the Pacers, emerged victorious on Saturday with a time of 12:27.85. Theresa Edouard placed second and Stacy Hummes of the CI Gibson Rattlers wrapped up third with 15:11.99.

#For the juniors, the Raptors won three out of four divisions to hoist the trophy. They won the under-13 (U13) boys and girls divisions, and the under-15 (U15) girls division. DW Davis Junior High School came away with the final division title to win the U15 boys group.

#Davis, who also serves as the Raptors head coach, was happy about their performance.

#“CH Reeves’ cross country team has been practicing everyday since September. I am so proud of these kids. Their dedication and willingness to practice and train hard everyday is unbelievable,

#“I am very happy and would like to say a special thanks to Mr Thurman Johnson, one of our coaches as well. We put a lot of time in our practices and with that comes great results,” she said.

#The DW Davis Royals’ Melvens Simeon concluded the U15 boys event in 6:56.45. The Raptors’ Javon Cherime capped off with 7:03.34 for second and Deontay Rolle, of LW Young, got third place for the Golden Eagles.

#Lendrea Davis, of the Raptors, won the U15 girls event in 8:19.92. Dina Risque, of the AF Adderley Tigers, notched 8:48.12 and Kevenna Bain got the third spot for the Raptors as well.

#Travon Moncur led the group of competitors in the U13 boys event. He came first for CH Reeves with 7:04.88. The second and third positions went to Kaiden Newbold and Jaynez Pratt of the Golden Eagles. The duo earned times of 7:23.27 and 7:56.34 respectively.

#The Royals’ Haleel Munnings got the victory for the U13 girls. She came through the finish line at 8:09.09. Esmaella Pauleon, of CH Reeves, trailed behind in 8:19.08. Meanwhile, her fellow schoolmate, Tirara Wallace, took home third in 8:38.66.

#Action continues for the GSSSA on November 20 when the basketball season begins.

As of Monday, November 13, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#THE New Providence Basketball Association (NPBA) regular season returned with a bang and so did the Commonwealth Bank Giants at the Kendal G L Isaacs Gymnasium on Saturday night.

#Along with pregame performances by Dillon “D-MAC” McKenzie and Nishie LS, halftime entertainment from Julien Believe and the Saxons Superstars dancers, the crowd witnessed the defending champions Giants defeat the Discount Distributors Liquors Rockets 104-89.

#The NPBA season opener was a finals rematch between the top division one teams and, from the opening tip to the final buzzer, it was all Giants.

#Perry Thompson Jr, head coach of the CB Giants, was thrilled about the statement win and talked about how his team got it done.

#“It was a great first half, third quarter lacked a lot, it was a lot of fouling, sloppy play, and the pace was slowing down a bit so we got out of the groove but they were able to get back into it in the fourth and finish up strong to come out with the W,” Thompson said.

#Last season’s Giants team struggled with sluggish starts, however, on Saturday night the team got off to a great start in their opening game.

#The team ran out to a 12-8 lead to begin the game which blossomed to a 10-point lead (26-16) at the end of the first period. The team ramped up the intensity in the following quarter and led by 18 (42-24) in its opening minutes.

#After outscoring the Rockets 30-23 in the second quarter, the Giants were in charge with 56-39 on the scoreboard to head into the halftime break.

#Jackson Jacob, the Giants’ leading scorer, gave the Rockets defence problems all game long.

#Jacob notched a game-high 26 points and scored 17 of his total points in the first half.

#Additionally, he complemented his scoring output with a trio of rebounds, assists and steals. His offensive prowess helped the national champions to earn their biggest lead of the game, 22, in the second period of play. Coach Thompson gave credit to one of the team’s longest members for his play style and leadership abilities. “He is one of the pillars of this team and a veteran. He does whatever we ask, last year he came off the bench this year we need him in the starting role. He gives us a spark. We need him as a leader and that’s what he has come out here and done,” the coach said.

#As for last year’s runners-up, the Rockets showed signs of life in the third quarter which they closed out down by 12 and outscored the Giants 21-16. This year’s Rockets team features some new additions including Kemsey Sylvestre from the Leno Regulators and Lerecus Armbrister from the CB Giants. The Rockets’ Livingston Munnings led the way with 22 points, grabbed five boards and stole the ball twice. Meanwhile, Sylvestre was second in the team’s scoring in his Rockets debut with 16 points, 5 rebounds and three steals.

#The Rockets drew close on the scoreboard in the final period but it was too late against the Giants. The latter collected 35 points from turnovers compared to 16 from their opponents. They edged out the Rockets by ten points in the paint with 44 to 34. The defending champions also dominated in the fastbreak with 27 to 12.

#In their last four meetings, including last season’s finals, the Giants have bested the Rockets. With the season now underway, coach Thompson is ready for what teams have in store for the defending champions.

#“We always have a target on our backs whether we win or not just the name alone brings a lot of pressure. Every year the goal is to win, we work hard and it shows when we get out there on the court,” he said.

#The NPBA regular season games will continue today with the Heat Waves facing the Island Development Construction Rebels in division two. The Brandon Deli Kings compete against the Island Development Rebels in division one at 8:30pm.

HARD-FOUGHT WIN: The LW Young Golden Eagles junior boys were the final team to hoist their championship trophies after defeating the Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves 2-1 at the Kendal G L Isaacs Gymnasium on Friday. Photo: Tenajh Sweeting/Tribune Staff

As of Monday, November 13, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#THE LW Young Golden Eagles joined the three crowned champions after knocking off the Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves junior boys in game three of the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) volleyball championships at the Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium on Friday.

#The second-seeded Golden Eagles versus the fourth-seeded Timberwolves was the final remaining game in the best-of-three championships, and was the only match to go beyond two games. Following their 2-1 series victory over the Timberwolves, the Golden Eagles are champions along with the HO Nash Lions junior girls, CV Bethel Stingrays senior girls and Timberwolves senior boys.

#Golden Eagles vs Timberwolves (2-1)

#On Thursday night when three combined junior and senior teams celebrated their championship wins, the Golden Eagles kept their championship window open.

#The second-seeded regular season squad managed to tie the series 1-1 on Thursday following a win in straight sets and rode that momentum to an identical result on Friday evening. With the GSSSA junior boys’ title up for grabs, both teams brought the intensity early in the initial set.

#The score was locked at six apiece then the Timberwolves advanced by one point (7-6). The lower seeded Timberwolves got the advantage by three points to lead 9-6 on the determined Golden Eagles.

#As the match winded down, the Golden Eagles took over 17-15 and then both junior teams scored on consecutive plays, changing the score to 19-17. The newly-crowned champions advanced by four points on the scoreboard (22-18) and eventually won set one 25-22.

#With just one set between the Golden Eagles and the championship hardware, the junior boys came out strong in the final set. They opened the final match 3-0 which then changed to 8-4 as the Timberwolves got back into the bout. The LW Young team put their feet on the gas pedal and charged out to a 13-9 score. Despite the lead, the Timberwolves were unphased and evened the score at 14.

#Following a few ties, the Golden Eagles proved why they were the second best team in the division and went up by six points (22-16). Although the Timberwolves fought their way back to make the score 24-20, the Golden Eagles scored the final point to spoil their chances of an upset and brought home the title to the nest.

#The Most Valuable Player (MVP) award went to Kevense Vilme.

#Rashad Brice, head coach of the Golden Eagles, was overwhelmed with excitement as he talked about the junior boys’ championship win.

#“We just did what we needed to do. Our boys came out a bit flat in game one, we came back in game two, [and] game three we did what we do best, win and soar for the sky,” Brice said.

#He acknowledged that the Timberwolves came out with a resilient energy but his team weathered the storm.

#“We knew that they were gonna come out with a strong fight so we just decided to resist it, after they broke that we said we got them and never let them go after that,” the head coach continued.

#He gave special thanks to Aquapure, Richard Morton and all of their other supporters during the GSSSA volleyball season.

#The championships wrapped up after three days with the Stingrays taking down the Magic 2-0 for the senior girls’ title.

#The Timberwolves senior boys swept the defending champions CI Gibson Rattlers in two games to hoist their trophies.

#For the juniors, the Lions junior girls doubled up on championships after winning the title for the second year in a row following a 2-0 sweep against the Golden Eagles.

#Next up for the GSSSA will be basketball for the senior and junior divisions scheduled for November 20.

• Nov 10, 2023
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The University of The Bahamas Mingoes men’s soccer team had to fight to pull off a win to open the team’s season in the Bahamas Football Association. The Mingoes won 3-2 over United FC on Sunday at the Roscow A. L. Davies Field to open the season.

The Mingoes came out strong in the first half with a swarming defensive attack to hold United from scoring.

Out of the break the scoring started for both teams.

Midfielder Peter Julmis entered the match in the 61st minute as the Mingoes were taking a corner kick. Julmis, on his first touch of the match, headed the ball into the net to put the Mingoes up 1-0.

United, though, responded quickly by scoring in the 70th and 73rd minute to go up 2-1 on The Mingoes.

In the 75th minute, midfielder Ronaldo Green was on a charge to the goal and in the box and he suffered a hard tackle, earning a penalty kick. He connected easily to even the match at 2-2.

Stanley Grand Pierre was determined to score after four shots on goal earlier in the match. He connected in the 77th minute after some spectacular footwork to give the Mingoes the go-ahead goal.

The Mingoes took a hard defensive stand to hold on for the 3-2 win to open their BFA campaign.

“We are missing quite a few players due to some circumstance and we had to go out there and play with what we have,” Green said. “Some players had injuries so we really had to fight to get the win. It was a touch game but it was key for us to get the win and start the season with a win.”

Mingoes keeper Antonio Beckford had seven saves on the night for the side.

The Mingoes next play IM Bears at 5:30 p.m. November 19th at RALD.