LEFT TO RIGHT: The duo of Tatyana Madu and Makeda Bain (left) defeated Curaçao’s Keziah Fluonia and Briana Houlgrave (right) in the girls’ doubles finals yesterday at the National Tennis Centre (NTC)

As of Thursday, November 16, 2023

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LEFT TO RIGHT: The duo of Curaçao’s Brandon Bridgewater and Barbados’ Dimitri Kirton (left) took down Patrick Mactaggart and Alec Hooper in the boys’ doubles finals yesterday at the National Tennis Centre (NTC). Photo: Tenajh Sweeting/Tribune Staff

#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#Bahamians Tatyana Madu and Patrick Mactaggart secured the singles titles at the U-14 Junkanoo Bowl Finals at the National Tennis Centre (NTC) yesterday.

#The Central American and Caribbean Tennis Confederation (COTECC) event capped off with doubles and singles action.

#The doubles champion honours went to the duo of Dimitri Kirton and Curaçao’s Brandon Bridgewater for the boys’ match.

#Meanwhile, Madu teamed up with her fellow opponent Makeda Bain to collectively win the doubles trophy.

#On Wednesday morning, Mactaggart, the second ranked singles competitor, upset the number one ranked Kirton in consecutive sets in the boys’ singles finals. Despite being ranked one place behind Kirton, Mactaggart represented The Bahamas well with an identical 6-3 win in the first and second set.

#The weather definitely played a factor in the matches at the NTC on Wednesday which Mactaggart noted as he talked about his finals victory.

#“The conditions were super tough because it was windy and the ball was going all over the place but overall I think I played well and I am looking forward to playing in the tournament next year,” the singles champion said.

#Although Mactaggart got the edge in the singles event, Barbados’ Kirton along with Bridgwater got the last laugh in the doubles finals.

#The tandem dropped Mactaggart and Alec Hooper in two straight sets. They cruised to a victory in the opening set 6-3.

#Set two was too close to call at some moments between the two teams.

#Despite being pushed to the limits by their opponents, Kirton and Bridgewater snubbed

#Mactaggart and Hooper 7-6(6) in the final set for the doubles title. Both had friendly rivalries with Mactaggart as he handed them both losses in the singles matchups.

#“It was good and felt great to get revenge and win the doubles. The experience was fun and I loved the energy of the competitors,” Kirton said.

#His teammate was equally as grateful to earn a win against Mactaggart.

#“I lost to Mactaggart in the singles semifinals so it felt good to take revenge and get the comeback win.

#“It was a really nice experience, very nice courts, and the people were really nice even at the hotels,” Bridgewater said.

#The number one ranked Madu knocked off Trinidad and Tobago’s Bain in straight sets to earn one of her two titles on the final day. She made it look easy in the first set and won 6-0.

#The Grand Bahama native then followed that performance with a 6-3 win in set two to wrap up the girls finals.

#The 14-year-old had to make some adjustments to her game due to strong winds but still remained focused on the prize.

#“I had to change my plan, stay consistent and keep in mind that the wind is blowing from the north side so I had to hit differently. I thought I played really well, succeeded and won,” she said.

#She now has to make room for two new trophies after the U14 Junkanoo Bowl which she is excited about.

#“It feels great. I have not done this in a long time but I am just glad I ended off my under-14 year with a double win,” she said.

#The girls’ doubles finals was must watch action when fellow competitors Bain and Madu came together to face Curaçao’s Keziah Fluonia and the host country’s Briana Houlgrave.

#The tightly-contested two sets saw Houlgrave and Fluonia take set one 7-6(5).

#Bain and Madu then rebounded and persevered in set two for a 7-6(6) win. In the 10-point tiebreaker the tandem emerged on top 10-4.

#The doubles winners were elated to collect a hard-fought victory.

#“We played against each other so we had to switch our mindsets when we teamed up. We had to work together with our strengths and weaknesses to beat the other team,” Madu said.

#“I enjoyed it because I reached the finals and overall it was a good experience,” Bain said.

#The U14 Junkanoo Bowl Tournament is the last event for the juniors this year and was sponsored by Custom Computers.

As of Thursday, November 16, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#THE under-12 (U12) girls of Eva Hilton Primary School and boys of Sybil Strachan Primary School can now celebrate after winning the division trophies at the newly-named Dawn N Knowles Primary Schools Soccer Tournament hosted at the Roscow AL Davies Soccer Field yesterday.

#Eva Hilton’s U12 girls closed out EP Roberts Primary School 2-1 in a penalty shootout to be crowned champions in their division.

#For the boys, Sybil Strachan made good on a 3-2 comeback win against Gerald Cash in their championship round. Garvin Tynes Primary School ended with third place for the girls and Carlton E Francis Primary School’s boys came third as well.

U-12 CHAMPIONS: Sybil Strachan Primary School boys are the Dawn N Knowles Primary Schools Soccer Tournament champions. Photo: Tenajh Sweeting/Tribune Staff

#Boys’ Division

#In the boys’ championship game, Gerald Cash Primary School was the first to move the needle out of the two teams. They went into the halftime break with a 2-1 advantage on Sybil Strachan and looked determined to lift the division titles. However, despite Gerald Cash remaining undefeated until the U12 finals, Sybil Strachan got their heads in the game and scored an equaliser to make the score 2-2. The team rallied together and put another goal to the back of the net in the second half to complete the come from behind victory, 3-2.

#Greer Thompson, head coach of Sybil Strachan, said it was a great win for the team but an emotional one for her as she dedicated yesterday’s effort to her late mother. “It feels good, we stuck with our game plan, executed and went for the goals. We knew what we practiced and that is what we came out here and did once we got settled after halftime,” Thompson said.

#She also came away with the winning coach honours.

#As for the other awards in the boys U12 division, Ramon Rahming, of Carlton E Francis, was presented the Golden Glove trophy. Rashad Francis, of Gerald Cash, scored 29 goals in the tournament to earn the Golden Boots honours. Additionally, Hernandez Toussaint, of the victors, was named the Golden Ball (MVP).

U-12 CHAMPIONS: Eva Hilton Primary School girls are the Dawn N Knowles Primary Schools Soccer Tournament champions. Photo: Tenajh Sweeting/Tribune Staff

#Girls’ Division

#Eva Hilton and EP Roberts both fought hard in the actual match but were unable to score on their opponents.

#In the penalty shootout, EP Roberts delivered a strong kick to advance 1-0. Eva Hilton evened the score 1-1 after a successful kick.

#EP Roberts came up short on their final attempt but Eva Hilton did not and collected a 2-1 win.

#Zindora Munnings, head coach of Eva Hilton, acknowledged that the match was tough but she is grateful for another championship win.

#“The win feels great. At the end of the day, the girls really played hard to keep off EP Roberts and had very strong defence. As you can tell with the draw result, both teams were good but our girls came out on top because of determination,” Munnings said.

#She joined Thompson to receive the top coach honours and credited EP Roberts for playing a good game.

#Yellow Elder’s Aviana Heastie secured the Golden Ball award.

#Eva Hilton’s Raynique Tinker took home the Golden Boots hardware and her teammate Dwanae Rahming got the Golden Glove trophy.

#Dawn N Knowles, who assisted with the awards presentation, said that the future is bright in soccer after this tournament. “I thought it was an excellent tournament. It allowed more playing time and that was the purpose.

#“I think we are on the right track when it comes to development in primary school soccer,” Knowles said.

#On Tuesday, the under- 10 boys of Eva Hilton won the championship after defeating Sybil Strachan 2-1. Meanwhile, Cleveland Eneas matched up with Sadie Curtis and bested them 1-0 for U10 girls title.

#Eva Hilton placed third in the girls division along with Garvin Tynes in the boys. The NPPPSSA sports calendar rolls on to the baseball/softball disciplines starting November 27 and ending December 1.

‘Reno’ to retire at home next month

• Simba French
• 12 hrs ago
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Longing to fight at home, Bahamian professional boxer Tureano ‘Reno’ Johnson has emerged from a hiatus of over two years, looking to put on a show here in The Bahamas on Friday December 22. He is moving up three weight classes from his last fight, to cruiserweight, preparing for an exit from the sport, which he has been involved with since he was seven years old.

The venue is not known as yet, but Johnson knows that it will be a venue here at home. It will be announced later. He will be going up against Colombian Samuel Miller who has well over 50 bouts under his belt. Johnson has a 21-3-1 win/loss/draw record while Miller sports a 36-30-0 record. The fight card will feature four Dominicans, another Colombian, one American, one boxer from Cameroon and a Polish boxer.

“I started at home here in The Bahamas and it is where I would love to end, although I took my professional career abroad. Being able to fight home just once means a lot to me, knowing that this is where boxing began for me, and this is where it will end,” Johnson said. “I am definitely happy. My opponent has chosen me and I think he has made a big mistake. He sent a challenge out to me and I do feel as though I am more than ready and capable to take care of business against him. This is going to be a big highlight for me – to end my career against Miller here at home.”

The cruiserweight division is a strange weight class for Johnson, but he said that he feels

comfortable at that weight class. The cruiserweight boundaries are from 175 pounds to 200 pounds. The middleweight division is from 154-160 pounds.

“I found that throughout the year, the weight management hasn’t been the best for me. This is my last fight and I want to look better than I ever looked before. I feel stronger and faster. I feel much better as a cruiserweight than I did as a middleweight, where I was cutting a drastic amount of weight up to 40 pounds just to make 160 pounds. Now I am only cutting about 20 pounds which is around the category that I should be fighting in,” Johnson said.

At home, Johnson trains with his sister Kayla Johnson and Raynaldo Minus as he prepares for the bout next month. He said it is difficult for him training at home, citing no proper facilities and sparring partners.

“It has been a rocky road with difficulties training at home where the facilities are not acceptable for the likes of myself, a professional fighter. As to going abroad, the funding for that has been very limited for myself. It’s been hard, but I just came from Cuba using up the last that I had to go. I had an exciting and great successful training camp there. That is where I started the training camp. I was hoping to head over to New York to complete my training camp, but unfortunately, funding is not allowing that. I’m going to take advantage of this moment to train at home. … There are no sparring partners, at least for me to spar at home, but I’ll be ready.”

The last time Johnson was in the ring was back in October 2020 when he went up against Mexican Jaime Munguia in the middleweight division. The Bahamian lost the fight on a stoppage, receiving an uppercut to the face in the fifth round. Since the Munguia fight, Johnson has been home.

“The loss of my last fight put me in a bit of a turmoil as I was very depressed. I took some time off just to relax. I quickly got back on board with my youth program, which is a ‘Big Brother’ ministry that has been taking a lot of my time. I’ve been taking young men and young women through the eyes of boxing,” Johnson stated.

Through it all, Johnson said he is grateful for his sponsors, namely K.S.Moses, Aquapure, Food Kingdom, Original Patties and Transformations Landscape Development.

• Simba French
• 12 hrs ago
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Longing to fight at home, Bahamian professional boxer Tureano ‘Reno’ Johnson has emerged from a hiatus of over two years, looking to put on a show here in The Bahamas on Friday December 22. He is moving up three weight classes from his last fight, to cruiserweight, preparing for an exit from the sport, which he has been involved with since he was seven years old.

The venue is not known as yet, but Johnson knows that it will be a venue here at home. It will be announced later. He will be going up against Colombian Samuel Miller who has well over 50 bouts under his belt. Johnson has a 21-3-1 win/loss/draw record while Miller sports a 36-30-0 record. The fight card will feature four Dominicans, another Colombian, one American, one boxer from Cameroon and a Polish boxer.

This is special for the Bahamian Olympian who began his professional career in March 2010 with a win over American Cleoney Fuqua. He is ending his career at home with this bout.Commissioner Manfred on A’s moveCommissioner Manfred on A’s movecloseNextStay

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“I started at home here in The Bahamas and it is where I would love to end, although I took my professional career abroad. Being able to fight home just once means a lot to me, knowing that this is where boxing began for me, and this is where it will end,” Johnson said. “I am definitely happy. My opponent has chosen me and I think he has made a big mistake. He sent a challenge out to me and I do feel as though I am more than ready and capable to take care of business against him. This is going to be a big highlight for me – to end my career against Miller here at home.”

The cruiserweight division is a strange weight class for Johnson, but he said that he feels

comfortable at that weight class. The cruiserweight boundaries are from 175 pounds to 200 pounds. The middleweight division is from 154-160 pounds.

“I found that throughout the year, the weight management hasn’t been the best for me. This is my last fight and I want to look better than I ever looked before. I feel stronger and faster. I feel much better as a cruiserweight than I did as a middleweight, where I was cutting a drastic amount of weight up to 40 pounds just to make 160 pounds. Now I am only cutting about 20 pounds which is around the category that I should be fighting in,” Johnson said.

At home, Johnson trains with his sister Kayla Johnson and Raynaldo Minus as he prepares for the bout next month. He said it is difficult for him training at home, citing no proper facilities and sparring partners.

“It has been a rocky road with difficulties training at home where the facilities are not acceptable for the likes of myself, a professional fighter. As to going abroad, the funding for that has been very limited for myself. It’s been hard, but I just came from Cuba using up the last that I had to go. I had an exciting and great successful training camp there. That is where I started the training camp. I was hoping to head over to New York to complete my training camp, but unfortunately, funding is not allowing that. I’m going to take advantage of this moment to train at home. … There are no sparring partners, at least for me to spar at home, but I’ll be ready.”

The last time Johnson was in the ring was back in October 2020 when he went up against Mexican Jaime Munguia in the middleweight division. The Bahamian lost the fight on a stoppage, receiving an uppercut to the face in the fifth round. Since the Munguia fight, Johnson has been home.

“The loss of my last fight put me in a bit of a turmoil as I was very depressed. I took some time off just to relax. I quickly got back on board with my youth program, which is a ‘Big Brother’ ministry that has been taking a lot of my time. I’ve been taking young men and young women through the eyes of boxing,” Johnson stated.

Through it all, Johnson said he is grateful for his sponsors, namely K.S.Moses, Aquapure, Food Kingdom, Original Patties and Transformations Landscape Development.

Mactaggart, Madu come out on top in boys and girls finals

• Simba French
• 12 hrs ago
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Bahamian Patrick Mactaggart, center, won the boys singles title at the Junkanoo Bowl, which wrapped up on Wednesday at the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s (BLTA) National Tennis Center.

Bahamian Tatyana Madu, center, won the girls singles title at the Junkanoo Bowl, which wrapped up on Wednesday at the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s (BLTA) National Tennis Center. SIMBA FRENCH

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Bahamians Patrick Mactaggart and Tatyana Madu came out as the boys and girls singles champions respectively at the Junkanoo Bowl that wrapped up yesterday at the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s (BLTA) National Tennis Center.

The under-14 tournament, which was sponsored by Custom Computers, is a Central American and Caribbean Tennis Confederation (COTECC) event. It began on Saturday.

“It was very windy and the ball was going all over the place and it was super tough. The wind was very tricky,” Mactaggart said.

In the second set, Mactaggart went up 4-1 before Kirton won the next game to bring the score to 4-2 in favor of the Bahamian. Mactaggart had three chances to close out the match at 5-2, but Kirton battled back to pull to within 5-3.

“I was starting to get a little nervous because this means a lot to me, but I was able to come away with the win,” Mactaggart said.

Mactaggart said he will continue training and preparing for upcoming tournaments.

In boys doubles, Kirton and his partner, Curacao’s Brandon Bridgewater, took down Mactaggart and Great Britain’s Alec Hooper in straight sets, 6-3 and 7-6(6).

In girls singles, Madu played on court number four and was locked in as she took down Trinidad and Tobago’s Makeda Bain in straight sets, 6-0 and 6-3. It was an earlier than expected match as it got underway at 8 a.m., but Madu was able to adjust.

“It was super windy with some gusts coming through. I had to stay consistent and keep the ball in. I could not go for too many hard serves, and I had to put a lot of spin on everything but once I kept it in, it went well,” said Madu.

Madu, who said she loves to collect trophies, fought back to win the first set 7-6(3) in her semifinal match against Curacao’s Keziah Fluonia. She went up 4-1 in the second set, but Bain won the next two games. Madu then ended it at 6-3 to complete the straight sets win.

“What changed besides the wind was that I tried to stay calmer and stick to being consistent and not try to go for too much,” Madu said.

She is looking to stay consistent as she goes on to play more tournaments.

After beating Bain, the two teamed up for the doubles final and went against Bahamian Briana Houlgrave and Fluonia. Madu and Bain got a 6-7(5), 7-6(6) and 10-4 comeback win.

The tournament follows a week of intensive training at the first regional training camp for English-speaking countries, during which top players took part.

• 13 hrs ago
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Erquantae Edgecombe led the University of The Bahamas’ (UB) Mingoes men’s basketball team with 25 points, seven rebounds and eight steals, helping them record a 93-73 blowout win over the Zulu Great Whites in New Providence Basketball Association (NPBA) action at the Kendal G.L. Issacs National Gymnasium on Saturday night.

Kamari Minnis had 22 points, including four three-pointers, and Theodore Grant added 17 points, also with four three-pointers, to help the Mingoes pull off the win. Grant added six steals and five rebounds in the win.

Coming out of the half, the Mingoes played well defensively and that translated into offense. They were able to go on a 10-2 scoring run. The team’s defense allowed them to pull away for the win, raising their unblemished record to a perfect 2-0 in the NPBA standings.

“In the second quarter, our defense slowed down and that’s what allowed them to get back into the game,” said Grant. “If our defense had stayed the same and we held on to the same intensity, there was no way this game was going to be this close.”

The Mingoes are now getting ready for an upcoming two-game tour in South Florida against United International College (UIC) this weekend. Edgecombe, who had three assists as well, said they are looking forward to the tour.

“Coach really wanted us to get ready for our international trip this weekend and we implemented some new defensive strategies today in the game,” Edgecombe said. “Our zone defense was really working for us today. We felt that defensively we were more active athletically so we were trying that out with some new players to get that solid for this weekend.”

Gabriel Styles and Glenderson Black each had six points in the win for UB.

Bertram Minns led the Great Whites with a game-high 26 points.

The Mingoes play UIC Friday and Saturday in South Florida.

Bahamians Tatyana Madu in girls final and Patrick Mactaggart in boys final

• Simba French
• Nov 15, 2023
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After a busy day at the National Tennis Centre, the players for the boys and girls singles final in the Junkanoo Bowl are known, as those finals get underway today once weather permits. Action is set for 8 a.m.

The under-14 tournament, which is sponsored by Custom Computers, is a Central American and Caribbean Tennis Confederation (COTECC) event.

“It was tough in the first set, I had to overcome a lot. It was a tense match and nothing was working at the time, but once I overcame, it went well,” Madu said. “Some of my slices and strokes were not working for me in the first set. Once I took that first set, my opponent basically cracked. I kept my game going and she cracked and made unforced errors.”

Fluonia was up 5-3 in the first set, but Madu showed resilience and forced the tie-breaker that saw her winning 7-3 after the tie-break was tied at 3-3.

“When I was down 5-3, I went back to the basics. … I tried to avoid unforced errors and just let her make all the errors. When she gave me a short ball I took it. I just kept at it until I won the set,” Madu said.

Three sets were needed in the other girls semifinal matchup to determine who will play against Madu on the other side of the court. Bahamian Sarai Clarke and Trinidad and Tobago’s Makeda Bain were battling for that spot. In the end, it was 11-year-old Bain who got the spot, with a 6-4, 6-7 (2) and 6-1 victory. 

“Set one saw me being consistent and I was able to go up and win it. I was up 5-1 and started to lose consistency and lost the second set. I picked it up in the third set and won,” Bain said.

She is looking to stay consistent in the final against Madu.

The boys semi-final saw Bahamian Patrick Mactaggart getting the victory over Curacao’s Brandon Bridgewater. Mactaggart punched his ticket to the final with a score of 4-6, 6-2 and 6-0.

Barbados’ Dimitri Kirton went up against St. Lucia’s Ahil Cyril. That match started after the Bain and Clarke match, but was finished before it, as Kirton easily took care of Cyril 6-2 and 6-2.

“I played well and I think I was hitting the right shots. I played well and he started to get mad and that boosted me,” said Mactaggart.

He is happy with the win, but he has his eyes set on winning it all.

The boys doubles final match will see Alec Hooper and Mactaggart play against Bridgewater and Kirton. The girls doubles final will see Madu and Bain teaming up to play against Fluonia and Bahamian Briana Houlgrave.

Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin commands her Ole Miss Lady Rebels, who make their return trek to The Bahamas for another Thanksgiving tournament.

As of Wednesday, November 15, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#After coming off a 10-point loss in their last game, coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin hopes to get her Ole Miss Lady Rebels back on track tonight before they make their return trek to The Bahamas for another Thanksgiving tournament.

#The 23rd ranked Lady Rebels, with eight new players on their roster, won their season opener 91-44 over Queen’s North Carolina on Monday, November 6, and suffered an 80-70 defeat at the hands of the No.25th ranked Oklahoma Sooners last Thursday.

#Ole Miss, with Bahamian rookie forward Rhema Collins sidelined with a concussion before the season started, will be back in action tonight when they take on Temple.

#Then, it’s time to prepare for their trip to Atlantis to compete in the women’s segment of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament from Saturday, November 18 to Monday, November 20.

#The teams participating are the University of Arkansas, DePaul University, the University of Michigan, Middle Tennessee University, the University of South Dakota, Howard University and the University of Memphis.

#Grand Bahamian native McPhee-McCuin, who was the first Bahamian female to earn a female division one basketball scholarship to attend Miami Dade Community College from 2000-2002, said she’s looking forward to her Lady Rebels performing in the Battle 4 Atlantis. They open play against Temple on Saturday at noon. “We played a top 25 team and we lost to them after we played so well against a non-ranked team for the win,” McPhee-McCuin said. “Our non-conference games are going to be our test to see where we’re at as a team and where we want to go.”

#As they prepare to come back for their first appearance in the Battle $ Atlantis, having played here last year in another tournament at Baha Mar, McPhee-McCuin said they’re still trying to figure things out as a team.

#“We lost Rhema before our first game after she suffered a concussion the day before we played,” McPhee-McCuin said. “So we’re still trying to figure things out with her. She won’t play in the Bahamas either.

#“She’s okay. She will see if it makes sense to red-shirt her this season or allow her to play whenever she gets back playing with the team. I know a lot of people wanted to see her come home and play with us, but she will be there. She just won’t play.”

#Despite her absence on the floor, McPhee-McCuin said she hopes that doesn’t diminish the local crowd support for her Ole Miss team in the stands.

#“We want as many people to come out and watch us play,” McPhee-McCuin stressed. “We know this is a high-level competition, much higher than the tournament we played in Baha Mar. So we want as many Bahamians to come out and support us, support me as a Bahamian and support our team, even though Rhema won’t play.

#“This is our second year in a row coming home to play and this time it’s going to be some top tier competition. So we will need all of the support we can get to get through this tournament. It will definitely be a good opportunity for us to see where we are at so we know what to expect when we return to play our conference games.”

#With eight new players on their roster, McPhee-McCuin said the Battle $ Atlantis will be a very good opportunity for her and her players to come together and gel before they pick things back up in the United States

#“We gave up 80m points in our last game. We can’t give up 80 points and expect to be in the game,” McPhee-McCuin stated. “We have to be able to defend the ball a lot better than we did in that game. But everybody is still trying to figure out their places on the team.”

#She admitted that there’s a lot of expectations for her team, but she encouraged the fans to be a little more patient as they try to figure things out.

#“We just want the Bahamian people to come out and support us. That’s going to be important,” McPhee-McCuin summed up.

#Having missed what she calls “valuable time,” McPhee-McCuin said when they return from the Bahamas, the team’s doctors will further assess Collins’ medical condition and make a determination on her status for the remainder of the season.

As of Wednesday, November 15, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#THE Bahamas Scholastic Athletic Association (BSAA) volleyball championships saw the Teleos Christian Schools’ Cherubims senior girls and Mt Carmel Preparatory Academy junior boys advance to a 1-0 lead yesterday evening at the Tom “The Bird” Grant Sporting Complex in Yellow Elder.

#Two best-of-three championship series were played as well as the final remaining playoff games to determine the competitors in the junior girls’ division.

#For the championship round, the first-seeded Lady Cherubims knocked off the second-seeded Mt Carmel in game one of their series. Additionally, the Mt Carmel junior boys bested the Cherubims to lead the series.

#Championship Round

#The Lady Cherubims meant business when they stepped on the court to face the senior girls of Mt Carmel. They comfortably defeated their opponent in two straight sets to earn the first win in the BSAA senior girls volleyball finals. The pennant winners opened the first set 8-2 which turned into a 10-4 lead. Mt Carmel managed to add two more points to their total but the Lady Cherubims closed out the first set 25-7.

#In the following set, Mt Carmel refused to go down without a fight. Set two opened tied at 2 apiece but Teleos pushed the lead to 10-5 on the scoreboard. It looked to be another comfortable win for the Cherubims until Mt Carmel scored five points and made the score 12-10. The team collectively locked in and evened the score at 14 then claimed the lead 15-14. Despite Mt Carmel building some momentum late in set two, the Lady Cherubims poured in six straight points and changed the score to 21-16. After that point in the match, it was all the Lady Cherubims who won set two 25-17.

#Pastor David Adams, head coach of the Cherubims, was impressed with the play of the senior girls to win the first game of the three.

#“The last game the key to our win was Victoria Ferguson, and Jada. The captain and co-captain were very good and it was service again that did it for us especially with the wind that is blowing,” Adams said.

#He added that they are looking to finish off Mt Carmel in game two today.

#The Mt Carmel junior boys needed three sets to achieve the victory but they got it done. In set one, Mt Carmel had the advantage and emerged with a narrow 21-18 win. The Cherubims were laser focused in the following set and stormed out to a 9-0 lead. Mt Carmel got on the scoresheet at 12-6 but then their opponents dominated the rest of the way. They were up 18-10 and took the second set 21-11. In the final set of the match, Mt Carmel wasted no time and dropped the Cherubims 15-8.

#Dante Clarke, head coach of Mt Carmel, was elated to see her junior boys team grab the first win against the defending champions, Teleos.

#“It feels really good knowing that my boys and I have put in the effort and it feels good to defeat the reigning championships…tomorrow I am just gonna pray for no injuries on either side and that my boys play to the ability that I know they can,” Clarke said.

#The junior girls championship series will feature the Lady Cherubims versus Genesis Academy. The latter booked their ticket to the BSAA volleyball finals after blasting Mt Carmel in consecutive sets 21-9, 21-12. Meanwhile, Teleos ousted the International School of Business Entrepreneurship & Technology (ISBET) in three sets. The Cherubims’ junior girls claimed set one 21-19 but their opponents got revenge in set two, 21-10. In the final set, Teleos capitalised on the opposing team’s weaknesses and came away with a 15-8 victory.

#Shanell Carey, head coach of Genesis Academy, said her girls are ready for the Lady Cherubims.

#“It feels awesome we are really ready for the championships and ready to just come and show out. I am expecting to win tomorrow and the day after,” Carey said.

#The championship games continue today at 4pm.

Patrick Mactaggart, left, and Tatyana Madu have advanced to the finals of the U-14 Junkanoo Bowl Finals at the National Tennis Centre.

As of Wednesday, November 15, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#BAHAMIANS are all set to play in the under-14 (U14) Junkanoo Bowl finals at the National Tennis Centre (NTC) today.

#The venue has been quite busy following the first ever hosting of the International Tennis Federation (ITF)- COTECC regional training camp for English-speaking countries.

#The four-day event is scheduled to conclude today after singles and doubles matches wrap up.

#Among the top Bahamian juniors in action this morning are Tatyana Madu, Patrick Mactaggart and Briana Houlgrave.

#Madu, the number one seed, packed her bags for the finals after overcoming Curaçao’s Keziah Fluonia in two sets.

#The opening set went down to the wire for the Grand Bahama native but she won 7-6(3). The 14-year-old then collected a comfortable win in set two (6-1) to secure her place in today’s finals.

#One of the three Bahamian representatives said she made some errors but was able to regain her composure for the win in yesterday’s singles semifinals.

#“My match was pretty good. I had to overcome some unforced errors I was making but once I overcame that, the second set was a breeze,” she said.

#She added that for this morning’s match, she wants to be patient, wait for the short ball and take her time.

#Madu will face Makeda Bain of Trinidad and Tobago, who upset the second seeded Sarai Clarke in the semifinals.

#The latter and the former had a gruelling and competitive match at the NTC. In the first match of three, Bain gained the advantage and won 6-4.

#Clarke made good on her efforts in set two and dropped the visiting opponent 7-6(2). However, Bain outplayed her in the final set for a 6-1 victory.

#She was a bit winded after her long match but was ready for today’s finals.

#“It was a good match and a great experience. In set one, I was being consistent and then in the second set it was 5-1 and I just started to lose consistency. In the third set I just stayed consistent,” she said.

#Bain was happy to be in today’s finals and kept her strategy simple – stay consistent and do not get upset.

#Mactaggart, the second seed, is slated to battle against Barbados’ first seed Dimitri Kirton in the boys’ singles finals.

#Kirton ended the third-seeded Alhil Cyril’s hopes in yesterday’s semifinals in two sets.

#He reeled in the win in consecutive sets, 6-2, 6-2.

#Kirton talked about what led to the victory to earn a spot in the boys’ singles finals. “I played well and I was hitting my shots. I was playing well but another thing was he started to get mad and that was boosting me,” he said.

#The 12-year-old continued to say that he was happy to be in the finals but is not overly happy because he now wants to win.

#Mactaggart worked hard for his finals spot against Brandon Bridgewater. He fought his way to a win after three tough sets.

#His opponent nabbed set one 6-4.

#However, the Bahamian turned in a 6-2, 6-0 win to shut down Bridgewater’s finals ambitions.

#In the doubles matchups, fellow competitors Bain and Madu will pair up to take on Fluonia and Houlgrave for the girls’ finals.

#Curaçao’s Bridgewater and Barbados’ Kirton team up to play against Alec Hooper and Mactaggart for the boys’ doubles finals.

#The Bahamas’ Caitlyn Pratt and Ayai Bethel took home the trophies for the boys and girls consolation finals. Due to impending inclement weather, the finals are set to begin at 8am.

As of Wednesday, November 15, 2023

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#THE New Providence Basketball Association continued its regular season action with a double header at the AF Adderley Gymnasium on Monday night.

#• Here’s a summary of the games played:

#Island Development Rebels 96,

#Brandon Deli Kings 69

#Five players scored in double figures as the Rebels crowned the Kings in this men’s division one feature contest.

#Both Toureque Cartwright and Theo Ferguson produced 15 points to lead Island Development’s scoring attack.

#Cartwright also pulled down 15 rebounds, while Ferguson had eight rebounds and three steals.Martin Conliff (three rebounds) and Demeako Saunders (four rebounds) contributed 14 points apiece with Conliff also dishing out eight assists.

#Arnold Stubbs helped out with 10 points and four rebounds.

#Marques Cooper added nine points with two rebounds and as many assists and Chadwin James had seven points and two assists.

#Jarad Richardson paced the way for Brandon’s Deli with a game high 22 points with 167 rebounds. Two other players were in double figures with Levanti Roberts scoring 20 points with nine rebounds, four steals and two assists and Kevin Wright Jr chipped in with 19 points, six rebounds, four assists and steals.

#Heatwaves 65, Island Development Construction Rebels 63: With about 12 seconds left on the clock, Quebell Martin canned a jumper to break a 63-63 tie and pushed the Heatwaves out front for the win.

#Martin finished with a game high 26 points with 16 rebounds, four steals and two assists. Jousha Forbes ended up with 12 points and six rebounds. Johnacy Augustin added nine points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and four steals. Marco Beckford chipped in with six points and eight rebounds and Rhameeko Butler had five points, four assists and three rebounds and steals.

#In a losing effort for the Rebels, Mateo Taylor had 14 points, six rebounds and a pair of assists and steals; Andrew Strachan had 11 points, nine rebounds and two assists, steals and block shots. Shavnno Johnson had 10 points and 13 rebounds and Dario Dean (eight rebounds) and Prince McPhee (nine rebounds) both had nine points and Jude Vil had eight points, six rebounds, six steals and four assists.

#Tonight’s schedule

#7:30pm – Mekaddish Millionaires vs Produce Express Rockets (DII).

#8:30pm – TMT Giants vs Sunlight Cottage Stampers (D1).

#Friday

#7:30pm – Cyber Tech Blue Marlins vs Rythm Rebels (DII).

#8:30pm – Tucker Boys vs Brandon Deli Kings (D1).

#Saturday

#7:30pm – Your Essential Store Giants vs Javon Medical Rockets (DII).

#8:30pm – Zulu Medical & Symphony vs Caro Contractors Shockers (D1).