Category: Athletics

Northern Bahamas Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships returns to Grand Bahama

FORMER bodybuilders from Grand Bahama were honoured by BBFF president Joel Stubbs over the weekend.

FORMER bodybuilders from Grand Bahama were honoured by BBFF president Joel Stubbs over the weekend.

As of Tuesday, July 5, 2022

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SHOWN, from left to right, are Antonique Curtis, Cara Saunders and Denica Thompson.

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JOEL STUBBS, president of Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation, congratulates men’s super heavyweight champion Orick Nesbitt (right).

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ORICK NESBITT, Northern Bahamas bodybuilding champion.

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DANIELLE Rollins

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ANDREW SWEETING, the Northern Bahamas bodybuilding runner-up.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#BAHAMAS Bodybuilding Federation President Joel Stubbs said he was delighted to see the return of the Northern Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships to Grand Bahama.

#The event was held over the weekend at the Grand Lucayan Hotel where Orick Nesbitt emerged as the overall male champion and Sanadia Smith took the spotlight on the female side.

#Nesbitt, the super heavyweight champion, won the overall title over middleweight champion Andrew Sweeting. They also finished in that same order in the men’s classic physique category. Smith captured both the women’s figure and Fit-Model titles.

#“It was a new beginning for the athletes from Grand Bahama and persons who wanted to improve on their fitness dream, goals and talents,” said Stubbs, a former international competitor representing the Bahamas.

#“We were able to bring that back to Grand Bahama and we’re looking forward to next year being even more extravagant with fierce competition.”

#Stubbs said he was also encouraged by many of the bodybuilders in Grand Bahama, who didn’t participate in the show over the weekend, who have expressed their interest in making their return next year as the country celebrates its 50th Independence. “In the past, the Northern Bahamas Championships has always been a fierce competition between the New Providence and Grand Bahama bodybuilders,” Stubbs said. “So, we’re hoping to get it back there for the audience in Grand Bahama to see.”

#During the show, Stubbs said the federation was able to present awards to the following pioneers of the sport from Grand Bahama: Philip Kemp, Samuel ‘Zulu’ Williams, Wendy Willis, Baldwin Darling, Dwight Palacious, Jenny and Ray Whylly, Charmaine McNabb, Jan Johnson, Petra Brice and Henry Cooper.

#Stubbs said the federation is now preparing to stage its National Championships on Saturday, July 16 at the Atlantis Theatre on Paradise Island, starting at 7pm. Following the championships, the federation will select the national team to represent the Bahamas at the Central American and Caribbean Bodybuilding Championships, scheduled for July 27 to August 1 in Bridgetown, Barbados.

#• Here’s a look at the winners in the various categories of the Northern Bahamas Championships:

#Men’s Bodybuilding

#Andrew Sweeting –

#Middleweight – 1st Place

#Orick Nesbitt – Super

#Heavyweight – 1st Place

#Men’s Bodybuilding

#Overall – Orick Nesbitt

#Women’s Figure –

#Sanadia Smith – 1st Place

#Women’s Fit-Model –

#Sanadia Smith – 1st Place

#Men’s Fit-Model –

#Alexander Kemp –

#1st Place

#Women’s Wellness – Cara Saunders – 1st Place; Altonmique Curtis – 2nd Place; Dedicated Thompson – 3rd Place

#Women’s Bikini – Kastachia Staurt – 1st Place; Brittany Davis – 2nd Place; Danielle Rollins – 3rd Place.

#Men’s Classic Physique – Orick Nesbitt – 1st Place; Andrew Sweeting – 2nd Place.

#Men’s Physique – Terrion Kemp – 1st Place; Frederick Greene – 2nd Place – Zak Bain – 3rd Place.

Mackey named assistant men’s basketball coach

As of Tuesday, July 5, 2022

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NASHAD Mackey

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#NASHAD Mackey continues to progress in the coaching ranks and was appointed to a new post at his alma mater.

#The former national team standout was named the assistant men’s basketball coach for the Daytona State Falcons.

#He joins head coach Joey Cantens’ staff that led the Falcons to a 13-19 record last season in NJCAA Division I – Region Eight play.

#Mackey spent the last two years as a graduate assistant for the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Eagles under head coach Steve Ridder.

#His staff led the Eagles to a 24-10 record last season and culminated in a berth to the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen.

#He graduated from Daytona State in 2017 after a stellar academic and playing career for the Falcons.

#On the court, he was named a JuCo All-American, the Mid-Florida Conference Player of the Year, First Team All-State and DSC Basketball’s Student Athlete of the Year. He was also named a Mid- Florida Conference Scholar Athlete, DSC Dean’s List honouree and DSC President’s List award winner.

#In his freshman season with the Falcons, he averaged 9.8 points and 10.1 rebounds per game while shooting 47 per cent from the field and 26 per cent from three-point range.

#As a sophomore, he improved his numbers across the board to average 15.3 points and 12.3 rebounds per game on 52 percent shooting from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line.

#Mackey earned his associate of arts degree with honours from Daytona State College in 2017.

#He matriculated to the Eagles as a player where he concluded his collegiate basketball playing career as one of the programme’s all-time leaders.

#In his two-year run with the Eagles, he was a two-time Sunshine State Conference All-Conference performer.

#He registered 39 double-doubles in 50 career games in an Eagle uniform, averaging 17.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 blocks per game. The only Eagle to average a double-double for his Embry-Riddle career.

#Mackey’s scoring average ranks fourth all-time in Eagle history, while his 12.2 boards per outing is easily the top mark in 31 seasons of ERAU basketball.

#His career totals also include second all-time in free throw percentage (.870) and eighth in blocked shot average (1.1).

#His name is listed six times on the single season record book, including the top spot in both rebounds (350 in 2017- 2018) and rebounding average (12.5 rpg in 2017-2018) and second on the all-time free throw percentage (.870).

#At ERAU he received his bachelor of science degree in human factors psychology in 2019 and a master of science in leadership degree in 2022.

#At the senior men’s national team level, Mackey was a member of Team Bahamas at the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games and the 2020 and 2022 FIBA Americup Qualifiers.

#He and his wife Simone have two children, Noah and Malayah.

Bahamas suffers loss to Dominican Republic

SENIOR MEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL TEAM IN FIBA WORLD CUP 2023 AMERICAS QUALIFIERS

DANRAD KNOWLES, of the Bahamas, dunks last night against the Dominican Republic during the FIBA World Cup 2023 Americas Qualifiers at the Baha Mar resort in Cable Beach.

DANRAD KNOWLES, of the Bahamas, dunks last night against the Dominican Republic during the FIBA World Cup 2023 Americas Qualifiers at the Baha Mar resort in Cable Beach.

As of Tuesday, July 5, 2022

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CHAVANO “Buddy” Hield put on a show playing in front of the home crowd for the first time as a pro last night. A fourth quarter rally from Team Bahamas fell just short as they lost the final game in the third window of FIBA World Cup 2023 Americas Qualifying opening round. Hield scored a game high 29 points.

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#Chavano “Buddy” Hield put on a show playing in front of the home crowd for the first time as a pro, but a fourth quarter rally from Team Bahamas fell just short as they lost the final game in the third window of FIBA World Cup 2023 Americas Qualifying opening round play.

#Hield scored a game high 29 points on 11-16 shooting from the field (6-11 from three), but the Dominican Republic held on for an 88-80 win last night at the Baha Mar Convention Centre.

#Hield also added a game high eight assists and five rebounds to lead The Bahamas in both categories.

#Travis Munnings scored 14, Danrad Knowles added 12 points off the bench and Franco Miller Jr scored nine. “It was beautiful, it was fun,” Hield said of his first experience at home playing as a member of the national team. “Seeing the crowd there, hearing the horns, the cowbells, people shouting. When we hit a three it sounded like a dunk effect so the energy they brought was amazing.”

#The Bahamas made its first three three pointers of the game, two from Hield and one from Mychel Thompson, to take an early lead but the visitors went on an early 12-0 run to take a 22-11 advantage.

#The DR took a 26-17 lead into the second and led by as much as 15 before Hield scored seven straight to make the score 36-28. Munnings missed a pair of free throws that could have cut the lead to six, but Victor Liz responded with six points of his own to swing the momentum back in favour of the visitors.

#Gelvis Solano followed with a three at the buzzer to give the DR a 46-33 headed into the half. Hield had 21 of his 19 points at the half but, to that point, no other player on the Bahmian roster scored more than five. The Bahamas had its biggest scoring run late in the fourth when Miller made a pair of threes and Hield’s assist to Knowles for a reverse layup made the score 83-74 before the DR was able to seal it late with free throws.

#The visitors had a 43-30 rebounding advantage and shot 63 percent from the field on the night. “Everything is a building process with this team. Coach [Chris] Demarco and his staff have done a tremendous job. Where we came from to now, making it to the second round of the qualifiers – we’ve never done that in Bahamian history so hats off to his staff and to the guys that got that first win over USVI that we needed to get, that was really big,” Hield said.

#“We wanted to win this one in The Bahamas, but it was fun and we qualified. I think the Bahamian people see the progress we have been making, we have some guys that will join us eventually but we are looking forward to August, getting better, and coming back for another homestand here.”

#The Bahamas will take on Venezuela on August 25 in the second round of FIBA World Cup 2023 Americas Qualifiers and will follow with a matchup against Argentina on August 29. In the second window, they are set to take on Panama on November 10, followed by the second matchup against Argentina on November 13. The third and final window will feature the second matchups against Venezuela (February 24, 2023) and Panama (February 24, 2023).

#“There’s a lot of excitement around here for basketball in The Bahamas,” Hield said.

#“Everyone has seen the growth, they have seen the draft picks, young guys are making strides and I’m glad the Bahamian people showed up. We just want you guys to come out again in August, continue to support us and we will do our best to get a win.”

#Victor Liz led the Dominican Republic with 26 points, Angel Delgado scored 17 and Eddy Polanco finished with a double double – 15 points and 11 rebounds.

#Demarco highlighted Hield’s leadership qualities that were on display during the third window, both on and off the court.

#“When your star player is as selfless as he is and as great a person as he is, that’s what wins games and that’s what wins championships. Everyone else follows that lead,” Demarco said.

#“I’ve been lucky enough to have been around some championship-type players with that same type of personality and way about them – Buddy is definitely that.

#“As a national team, we can’t go out and try to find that player, try to sign that player, so for us to have that in him is a lucky thing, it’s incredible.”

#The Bahamas completed a sweep over the US Virgin Islands to finish as a top three team in the group and advance to the second round. Canada finished as the leader of the group at 6-0, The Dominican Republic 4-2, The Bahamas 2-4 and the USVI eliminated with 0-6.

#“Over the four years I’ve been a part of this programme, we’ve tried to find guys that can be effective and learn the system, try to find high IQ players to learn the way we want to play,” Demarco said.

#“I do think we’re headed in the right direction that really understands what we have to do to try and win games.”

World Cup qualifiers continue tonight

 Home|Sports|World Cup qualifiers continue tonightSports

The Bahamas set to play the USVI; game against the DR to be held Monday

Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 1, 2022 461 5 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

 The Bahamas senior men’s national basketball squad.

The Bahamas Basketball Federation (BBF) has ratified a 14-member team to play against the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) and the Dominican Republic (DR) in the third window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Americas Qualifiers, today and Monday. The announcement came at a press conference held at the Baha Mar Convention Center yesterday.

Team Bahamas is currently in St. Thomas, USVI, for a matchup at the UVI (University of the Virgin Islands) Sports and Fitness Center at 7 p.m. tonight. The game against the Dominican Republic will be played at the Baha Mar Convention Center on Monday at 7 p.m.

The team is headlined by Indiana Pacers’ shooting guard Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield and it also includes Deyton Albury, Jaron Cornish, Joshua Dames, Radshad Davis, Shaquillo Fritz, Franco Miller, Travis Munnings, David Nesbitt, Kentwan Smith, Mychel Thompson, Danrad Knowles, Zane Knowles and Dominic Bridgewater.

Knowles, Thompson, Munnings and Davis are the only players on the team who played in the last window.

The Head Coach of the team is Golden State Warriors’ Assistant Coach Chris Demarco. He will be assisted by University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Women’s Basketball Head Coach Yolett ‘Coach Yo’ McPhee-McCuin, Mikhail McLean and Steve Barnes. The director of basketball operations for the team is Lynden ‘LJ’ Rose Jr. The head of delegation is Rodney Wilson. Eugena Patton and Alicia Greene are the athletic trainers. John Marc-Nutt is the public relations officer.

The Bahamas is currently sitting in third place in Group C of this round of the qualifiers. Leading the group is Canada with a perfect 4-0 win/loss record. The Dominican Republic is second with a 3-1 record. The Bahamas has a 1-3 record for third and the USVI has a winless 0-4 record for fourth. Just the top three teams will advance to the next round of qualifiers.

McPhee-McCuin, the first female to sit on the senior men’s coaching staff, was with the team during their training camp in Miami, Florida. She said she is happy with the work that the players and staff have done to ensure the team is ready to play.

“A lot of sacrifices have been made by these young men, coaches and support staff. We are appreciative for everybody who contributed,” she said. “This is a pivotal moment for Bahamas basketball as we move forward. Track and field is our national flag bearer but there are enough talented players in the men’s program who could propel the sport. Although we do not have all of our pro players, we have a very good group of guys who have been working hard and giving everything that they have for The Bahamas. I am grateful to be a part of it.”

Hield said he is happy for the opportunity to play at home as it is not something he and his teammates get to do often.

“Playing at home is a great opportunity not just for the BBF but for the guys who are not able to play in front of the Bahamian crowd because we play in the United States of America and overseas,” he said. “It is a great experience because as a kid you always want to give back to your country and playing in front of the fans is something that we all cherish. Hopefully, we could go out there and get a win.”

Moses Johnson usually assists Demarco in the summer months, but did not travel with the team this time. He is still intricately involved with the team.

“We have a diverse and a talented team which is interchangeable,” Johnson said. “In the halfcourt set, we are going to spread the offense. I think we are a great shooting team. Once we are able to knock down shots, we will be fine. In the halfcourt, we will spread them out and use advantages on key possessions. On the defensive end, there is a lot of continuity. I had a chance to see the guys practice and they look very well. They are well connected and are communicating. They are at a high level defensively.”

Johnson also spoke about the collegiate players on the team – Miller, Albury and Dames – and about them having an opportunity to be around experienced and high-level basketball minds.

“This is a great opportunity for them because they have been ecstatic from day one when they landed in training camp. They get to rub shoulders with Hield and the other pros, so it is a great experience for them. It enhances their learning curve, and it also gives them something to look up to. They can now forge relationships that they can use during their seasons and have guys they can call on for advice. It is good for them and for the program, as young people, to be able to contribute,” Johnson said.

The Bahamas will play this window without Phoenix Suns’ center DeAndre Ayton and the Charlotte Hornets’ Kai Jones – the other two Bahamian players in the National Basketball Association (NBA) along with Hield. Ayton is dealing with his contract, trying to get a max deal, and Jones has to report for the NBA Summer League for the Hornets. Johnson knows that having them would have been huge for the team, but they have to move forward with what they have, he said, adding that he is sure that they will have positive results.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg, former senior men’s head coach and BBF President, is optimistic about the team’s chances of qualifying for the FIBA World Cup 2023.

“I am here to give my support to the BBF and its request for the senior men to represent the country in the world cup qualifiers. I am expecting them to do good. They have one win so far and need one more to cross the finish line for the first time in history of this country – qualify for the next round of the world cup qualifiers. It will be so timely as we are about to celebrate our 50th anniversary as an independent nation.”

Oaktree Medical Center and Baha Mar were on hand to speak about their partnership with the BBF. Senior Vice President at Baha Mar Robert ‘Sandy’ Sands said that sports tourism is vital to the hotel business and they will be ready to host the game on Monday.

“When the minister called less than 10 days ago to make this happen, we jumped through the proverbial hoops to make this event and venue available. I am happy to say that it will be in a world-class condition. Sports tourism is an integral part of the marketing affairs here at Baha Mar and will continue to propel The Bahamas as a leading sporting destination. We look forward to a very successful basketball game,” said Sands.

Oaktree is a major sponsor and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kristi Deveaux spoke about their commitment to sports.

“Being a former junior national team player, when the invitation was extended to Oaktree to sponsor and support the BBF, we said yes. We said that this is the fitting thing to do. We strongly support sports because we know first-hand the transformative power it has to change lives and build communities. We stand with the government of The Bahamas, NGOs and Corporate Bahamas to support men and women making a difference in our country,” said Deveaux.

Hield thanked the partnership of Baha Mar and Oaktree for being corporate partners with the BBF.

“It is big. Thanks to Baha Mar for hosting this event. We appreciate you and moving forward as things get better throughout The Bahamas, we can host events and come together as one and make The Bahamas a sports country,” Hield said.

BBF President Eugene Horton is delighted for the support they received for the games.

“We are grateful for the support from everyone for coming together for these games. Having McPhee-McCuin with us, one of the top Bahamian coaches in the U.S., speaks to the power of women in sports. We are also thankful to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and also the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation for their support,” said Horton.

The BBF is looking forward to a full house on Monday. Tickets for the game are available for $30 each through the website www.bbfbasketball.com and at the door.

https://thenassauguardian.com/world-cup-qualifiers-continue-tonight/

Jeff Rodgers camp gets underway today

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJuly 4, 2022 146 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The 34th edition of the Jeff Rodgers Basketball Camp will get underway today on the outside basketball courts of the Kendal G.L. Isaacs National Gymnasium.

Camp organizer Jeff Rodgers said that he is excited to launch the camp for a 34th year.

“I am happy for the parents who have a lot of faith and confidence in me to trust me with their children for four weeks, so I am just excited about that and our corporate sponsors. This is going to be a great camp this year and I am looking forward to it. Everyone was locked down for a few years,” Rodgers stated.

The four-week camp will wrap up on July 29. It is open for boys and girls from ages five to 18 and runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekdays. The highlight of the camp is the interaction between National Basketball Association (NBA) and former NBA players and the campers on July 28 on what is dubbed “Family Night”.

Some of the players making the trek to The Bahamas are Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, and Brooklyn Nets players Kyrie Irving and James Johnson. On the retired players list are Tyrone ‘Muggsy’ Bogues, Shelvin Mack and Bahamian and former No. 1 overall draft pick Mychal ‘Sweet Bells’ Thompson.

“We do not use the professional players to tell the campers to be an NBA player. We use them to encourage them and share their information about what it takes for them to become a professional. So, we talk about the basic stuff like staying in school, how to conduct yourself and how to stay out of trouble. We use that part of the camp and if you become a professional, then so be it. The main focus is to educate and teach them how to be disciplined,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers is looking forward to ‘Family Night’ which will be held at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. On that night, the campers will get to show what they learned, then the exhibition game between the local players, camp instructors and the professional players will take place.

“I personally believe that everybody has a calling in life to give something back,” Rodgers said. “This is a way to give back to the community, making my sacrifice by taking my vacation time to work with the young people by keeping them busy for four weeks. We share information with them and invite other professionals from the community to come and spend time with them. It is a calling and, for me, I accepted my calling,” said Rodgers.

The camp is sponsored by South Bahamas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Church; the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture; the Royal Bank of Canada; Scotiabank Bahamas Ltd.; Bamboo Shack; Baha Mar; J.S. Johnson Insurance Ltd.; Bahamas First and Jewels Party Supply.


Jeff Rodgers camp gets underway today 

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJuly 4, 2022 146 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The 34th edition of the Jeff Rodgers Basketball Camp will get underway today on the outside basketball courts of the Kendal G.L. Isaacs National Gymnasium.

Camp organizer Jeff Rodgers said that he is excited to launch the camp for a 34th year.

“I am happy for the parents who have a lot of faith and confidence in me to trust me with their children for four weeks, so I am just excited about that and our corporate sponsors. This is going to be a great camp this year and I am looking forward to it. Everyone was locked down for a few years,” Rodgers stated.

The four-week camp will wrap up on July 29. It is open for boys and girls from ages five to 18 and runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekdays. The highlight of the camp is the interaction between National Basketball Association (NBA) and former NBA players and the campers on July 28 on what is dubbed “Family Night”.

Some of the players making the trek to The Bahamas are Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, and Brooklyn Nets players Kyrie Irving and James Johnson. On the retired players list are Tyrone ‘Muggsy’ Bogues, Shelvin Mack and Bahamian and former No. 1 overall draft pick Mychal ‘Sweet Bells’ Thompson.

“We do not use the professional players to tell the campers to be an NBA player. We use them to encourage them and share their information about what it takes for them to become a professional. So, we talk about the basic stuff like staying in school, how to conduct yourself and how to stay out of trouble. We use that part of the camp and if you become a professional, then so be it. The main focus is to educate and teach them how to be disciplined,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers is looking forward to ‘Family Night’ which will be held at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. On that night, the campers will get to show what they learned, then the exhibition game between the local players, camp instructors and the professional players will take place.

“I personally believe that everybody has a calling in life to give something back,” Rodgers said. “This is a way to give back to the community, making my sacrifice by taking my vacation time to work with the young people by keeping them busy for four weeks. We share information with them and invite other professionals from the community to come and spend time with them. It is a calling and, for me, I accepted my calling,” said Rodgers.

The camp is sponsored by South Bahamas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Church; the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture; the Royal Bank of Canada; Scotiabank Bahamas Ltd.; Bamboo Shack; Baha Mar; J.S. Johnson Insurance Ltd.; Bahamas First and Jewels Party Supply.

The Bahamas finishes fourth at CAJGC

 Home|Sports|The Bahamas finishes fourth at CAJGCSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 4, 2022 295 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

 The Bahamas’ junior national golf team placed fourth at the Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships (CAJGC), that wrapped up on Thursday in Humacao, Puerto Rico. BAHAMAS GOLF FEDERATION

The Bahamas’ junior golf team ended up with a fourth-place finish overall at the 34th Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships (CAJGC) after three rounds of golf at the Palm Course at the Palmas Athletic Club in Humacao, Puerto Rico. Action wrapped up on Thursday afternoon.

The Bahamas came into the third and final round in fourth place with 69 points and finished with 107 points after the third round. Winning the tournament was the host country Puerto Rico with 168 points. The Dominican Republic (DR) finished second with 119 points, narrowly edging Jamaica who scored 117 to place third.

There were some high individual performances from Team Bahamas, coming from players Aidan Gorospe, Kerrington Rolle and Heathcliff Kane.

Gorospe finished tied for second in the 13-and-under boys division with a score of 20-over par 233. Puerto Rico’s Evan Peña won that division with a score of 15-over par 228. Rolle was fifth in that division with a score of 31-over par 244.

Gorospe shot 10-over par 81 in the third round, turning in his toughest round of the tournament. After shooting 17-over par 88 in the second round, Rolle dug down deep and tied his first-round score, of seven-over par 78, in the final round.

This was Kane’s last hurrah at the CAJGC tournament. He came away with the Izzy Marley Sportsmanship Award. Kane, who served as team captain, competed in the 18-and-under boys division. He finished sixth overall with a score of 18-over par 231. In the third round, he scored four-over par 75, tying his first-round score.

Bahamian Alexander Dupuch finished tied for 14th in that division with a final score of 31-over par 244. He saved his best round for last as he shot seven-over par 78 in the third and final round.

In the 18-and-under girls division, Tyesha Tynes struggled in the first two rounds and had her best round in the third round. In that final round, she finished 16-over par 87 to end with a final score of 58-over par 271. She ended up in 10th place.

In the 15-and-under boys division, The Bahamas had three competitors – Jackson Mactaggart, Camdyn Forbes and Rhan Miller. Mactaggart finished seventh with a score of 36-over par 249. Forbes was tied for 14th with a score of 62-over par 275. Miller was 17th as he finished 78-over par 291.

Chemari Pratt struggled as she finished ninth in the 15-and-under girls division. She had a final score of 65-over par 281. Rounding out the competitors for The Bahamas was Haley Hall who competed in the 13-and-under girls category. She was sixth out of eight competitors with a score of 58-over par 274.

The coaches of the team were Lemon Gorospe, Georgette Rolle-Harris and Frederick Taylor. The team manager was Gina Gonzalez-Rolle.

https://thenassauguardian.com/the-bahamas-finishes-fourth-at-cajgc/

The Bahamas advances in world cup qualifiers

 Home|Sports|The Bahamas advances in world cup qualifiersSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 4, 2022 357 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

 havano “Buddy” Hield is shown driving to the basket for The Bahamas during their game against the US Virgin Islands at the UVI Sports and Fitness Center in St. Thomas, USVI, on Friday. The Bahamas won, 97-80, to advance to the second round of the FIBA Americas World Cup Qualifiers. FIBA AMERICAS

Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield scored a game-high 24 points on National Pride Day in The Bahamas to propel the senior men’s national team to a convincing win on the road, booking their spot in the second round of the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Americas World Cup Qualifiers, with a 97-80 victory over the US Virgin Islands (USVI) on Friday.

Hield led a balanced scoring attack for The Bahamas. Five other Bahamians scored in double digits in an away match-up at the UVI (University of the Virgin Islands) Sports and Fitness Center in St. Thomas, USVI.

Also scoring in double figures were Kentwan Smith (17 points), Franco Miller Jr. (16 points), Mychel Thompson (13 points), Radshad Davis (12 points) and Travis Munnings (10 points). The 97 points were the most ever scored by The Bahamas in a world cup qualifying game.

The Bahamas joins Canada and the Dominican Republic (DR) as the three teams from Group C to advance to the second round. Canada leads the group with a perfect 5-0 win/loss record while the DR sits in second with a 3-2 record. The Bahamas is in third with a 2-3 record. The USVI holds the fourth and final spot in Group C action with a winless 0-5 record and did not advance to the next round.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg congratulated the team for moving one step closer to qualifying for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

“I watched the game with great pride and extend congratulations to the senior men’s national team, which was led by NBA (National Basketball Association) player Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield, Mychel Thompson and Franco Miller,” said Bowleg in a press release.

He encouraged Bahamians to come out and support the team in their game against the DR tonight.

“On this day of national pride, I ask every Bahamian to join me in celebrating tonight’s (Friday) feat. This critical win gives Team Bahamas momentum heading into Monday night’s (tonight) game, which will be played right here at home, against the Dominican Republic. I encourage all Bahamians to come out and cheer on our men’s national team,” Bowleg said.

It was clear that The Bahamas was on a mission against USVI to clinch that spot in the second round as they played with much pace early and had a strong defensive presence throughout. The Bahamas had 14 steals in total with Hield owning five of those steals. The Bahamas had just nine turnovers compared to their counterparts who had a whopping 20 turnovers. The Bahamas scored a jaw-dropping 26 points from those USVI turnovers compared to USVI scoring just three points from The Bahamas’ turnovers.

In the fastbreak points category, The Bahamas had 18 points in the open court compared to USVI’s 13 points. As a team, The Bahamas made 16 three-point shots out of 40 attempts from deep, shooting 40 percent from distance. Hield was responsible for five of those made shots from deep and Thompson made three shots from deep.

The team showed chemistry as they had 33 made shots on 20 assists.

Thompson scored nine of his 13 points in the opening period for The Bahamas. The home team managed to keep the score close early in the game as it was tied at 24 after the first quarter.

After the coaching staff gave the team their feedback at the end of the first quarter, the Bahamian players responded positively as they began to pull away from the home team. Davis gave The Bahamas the lead with 9:28 left in the second quarter and they never looked back.

In the second quarter, Florida Gulf Coast University guard Miller came to life. Miller scored some key buckets and played some stifling defense in that quarter to lead all scorers with 12 points at the half. Miller hit a shot from deep on a pass from Munnings with three minutes left in the first half to give The Bahamas its first double-digit lead, 44-34.

At the end of the first half, The Bahamas led 52-39 and was in control of the game after a 28-15 second quarter advantage.

In the third quarter, The Bahamas built its largest lead of the game, 23 points, leading 75-52 with 3:33 remaining. They got to that margin on an alley-oop layup to Davis from Miller. The Bahamas led 77-62 at the end of the third quarter.

Hield had 16 points at the end of the third quarter. For good measure, he scored eight more points before making his final exit with 56 seconds left in regulation. He made two shots from beyond the arc and made two free throws in the final quarter.

Walter Hodge led the USVI with 18 points.

The Bahamas’ team is back home, preparing to face the DR at the Baha Mar Convention Center tonight. That game gets underway at 7 p.m. The DR is coming off a 95-75 loss to Canada on Friday.

http://sportsinthebahamas.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=4141&action=edit

New squash champions crowned at Four Walls

 Home|Sports|New squash champions crowned at Four WallsSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJuly 5, 2022 170 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

After five days of competition, new champions in five divisions were crowned at the inaugural Four Walls Squash Open Championship that took place last week. Sunday’s finals attracted old and new players, who were all excited to see the rebirth of the fun and competitive sport.

“The competition was a great success based on the level of participation on and off the court, and how much fun everyone had. Squash at Four Walls is recreational, but everyone loves a good competition every once in a while,” said Tournament Director Mike Fields, who was happy to see participation from members and non-members of Four Walls Squash & Social Club.

Winners in the amateur competition received over $2,000 in prizes. They included Ryan Reid (Division A), Andrew Hanna (Division B), Shawn Knowles (Division C), Bianca Lee (Women’s Novice) and Lavelle Symonette (Men’s Novice).

Justin Knowles won the Sportsmanship Award. He joined the club just one month prior to the tournament and had only 

participated in a few lessons.

“Just to get a feel for how other players play squash, I said I might as well enter it and have a bit of fun. It was a very welcoming and enjoyable experience. At no point did I feel pressure to perform beyond my abilities. Everyone was very welcoming and understanding of my skill level and willing to give me tips and pointers while not taking it easy on me, so I could get better. I really fell in love with squash during the tournament,” said Knowles.

Looking ahead, Four Walls is hosting a kids summer camp in July, and plans to launch a league in the fall along with its annual beginner’s tournament in October. Fields said he looks forward to the continued growth of the club’s popular group coaching program. This affordable, learn-to-play program for adults is introducing many new players to the sport.

Interested players can learn more and sign up for all of the sessions online at www.fourwallsbahamas.com.

https://thenassauguardian.com/new-squash-champions-crowned-at-four-walls/

Baha Mar Hoops returns in November

 Home|Sports|Baha Mar Hoops returns in NovemberSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 5, 2022 202 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

 In this file photo, the University of Louisville Cardinals held off the University of Maryland Terrapins, 63-55, to claim the inaugural Baha Mar Hoops “Bahamas Championship” on Saturday. KEMUEL STUBBS

Baha Mar Hoops will be making a return to the shores of The Bahamas for a second consecutive year, set for November 18-27, at the Baha Mar Convention Center.

The journey started with eight basketball teams under a different tournament name and location in 2017. This November, there will be 20 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I basketball teams in action during the event. They will play 28 games over the course of the 10 days. BD Global’s Vice President of International Affairs Josh Franklin said they want to keep growing sports tourism in The Bahamas.

“It is important to us that we continue to grow sports tourism here in The Bahamas and continue to drive heads in beds. We have a passion not only for basketball but for The Bahamas. We are excited to be here and to bring more teams,” Franklin said.

There will be eight women’s teams that will play in the Pink Flamingo Tournament, including four teams from the Southeast Conference (SEC). One of those teams, the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Rebels, is coached by Bahamian Yolett ‘Coach Yo’ McPhee-McCuin. Franklin said he and his team are always looking to bring Bahamian coaches and players home. The other three SEC teams are the University of Kentucky Wildcats, the University of Alabama Crimson Tide and the University of Missouri Tigers. The other four schools that will be in the Pink Flamingo Tournament are Dayton University, Virginia Tech, the University of Utah and Wake Forest University.

In the Bahamas Championship, teams like Oklahoma State University, the University of Central Florida, DePaul University and Santa Clara University will be in action.

The Nassau Championship will feature mid-major teams. Teams like the University of Vermont, Ball State University, Missouri State University, the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, the University of North Texas, San Jose State University, the University of Oakland and Long Beach State University will compete.

President of Baha Mar Graeme Davis said he is happy to see the event grow.

“It is thrilling for us to see it grow so quickly in popularity and, with the fan base, the players and the local community will have a tremendous opportunity to experience Baha Mar. It is a great opportunity to certainly showcase and grow the opportunity for sports tourism here in The Bahamas and certainly here at Baha Mar. We look forward to having this for many years to come,” Davis said.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg is hoping to see The Bahamas become a hub for Thanksgiving basketball.

“During the month of November, I do not know if persons are aware but The Bahamas is now becoming the greatest and the biggest sporting destination for basketball at Thanksgiving. There will be about 40 NCAA teams in The Bahamas between New Providence, Paradise Island and Bimini. The ministry will also be looking to have a Thanksgiving basketball tournament in Grand Bahama with American high school teams. We are going to continue to add to that. We are happy to advance and enhance our ‘Sports in Paradise’ brand through basketball,” Bowleg stated.

Senator Randy Rolle represented the Ministry of Tourism and thanked Jeff Rodgers for his efforts in helping to bring the event to The Bahamas.

“At the ministry, we are big on partnerships. There are 20 teams coming down and that means 20 different markets that will affect us at tourism. When college teams come down, they have large followings and that means a lot of heads in beds for us. We want to continue to grow those relationships and offer the marketing support that they bring along. We are excited about what is to come about this relationship,” Rolle said.

BD Global Sports also facilitated some summer tour events such as the University of Kentucky Wildcats playing exhibition games at Baha Mar from August 8-14. They will play national teams from Canada, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and The Bahamas.

The Bahamas falls to the DR

 Home|Sports|The Bahamas falls to the DRSports

Hield comes home to score 29 points for The Bahamas; team to play Venezuela and Argentina in August

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJuly 5, 2022 286 6 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

 Bahamian Chavano “Buddy” Hield looks for an open teammate during The Bahamas’ game against the Dominican Republic at the Baha Mar Convention Center last night. Hield scored a game-high 29 points for The Bahamas, but the team lost, 88-80.

Bahamian NBA player Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield led a spirited effort from Team Bahamas with a game-high 29 points last night, but in the end, they were just overmatched as they fell 88-80 to the Dominican Republic (DR) at the Baha Mar Convention Center in Nassau, The Bahamas.

Still the team can celebrate tremendous success, advancing to the second round of the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Americas World Cup Qualifiers for the first time in history.

The Bahamas finished with a 2-4 win/loss record in Group C of the qualifiers, third behind Canada (6-0) and the DR (4-2). The top three teams in each group advanced to the second round which gets underway in August, and Canada, the DR and The Bahamas will be joined by three other nations in a new six-team group. It’s as high as Bahamian basketball has ever been on the senior side, and a major accomplishment for team sports in The Bahamas.

Bahamians knew no matter what the result of last night’s game would be, The Bahamas would be playing in the second round by virtue of its 97-80 win over the US Virgin Islands at the UVI (University of the Virgin Islands) Sports and Fitness Center in St. Thomas, USVI, on Friday.

With that accomplishment in its back pocket, the senior men’s national basketball team went out there and tried to end the third window of the first round of the qualifiers on a strong note, but it just wasn’t to be. However, it still was an improvement for the national team. The last time The Bahamas played the DR, they fell by 25 points, 90-65, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

“I think when we started to find our groove, it was a little too late. I’m proud of the group and the way we fought and the progress that we made,” said Team Bahamas Head Coach Chris DeMarco last night. “Overall, we would have liked to get the win, but there is a lot of things we could take from this. I think we’re headed in the right direction. We found a real good core of players who understand what we need to do to win games and we could only build from this. I’m really excited for the future here.”

For Hield, it was his first time playing at the national level at home and the first time he played in a meaningful game in The Bahamas since his high school days at Jack Hayward High School in Freeport, Grand Bahama.

“It was fun. We started off slow, but the environment was good and it was good to be home playing basketball here at home,” said Hield. “We appreciate the crowd coming out and supporting us. We’re getting better and better. Hopefully, we could get DeAndre and Kai in August and go from there, and just keep building from this. We have a small window, and this is our chance to make it. We’re looking forward to it. It’s a blessing to be home and I looking forward to something like this continuing. I’m proud of the way we played and now we’re looking forward to the next round.”

Hield’s fellow National Basketball Association (NBA) players DeAndre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns and Kai Jones of the Charlotte Hornets were unavailable for Team Bahamas last night.

As for the game, on the strength of a 12-0 scoring run about midway through the first quarter, the DR stormed ahead of The Bahamas and never looked back. They went on to lead by as much as 15 points in the first half, and 19 in the second. The Bahamas got the lead down to single digits with a 13-4 run late in the game, but it was too little too late for the home country. They got no closer than seven points in the fourth quarter, and that came in the waning seconds of the game.

Hield was fantastic in the early going, hitting his first four shots from the field, but turnovers, bad interior defense and a lack of rebounding plagued Team Bahamas in the first quarter. They fell behind by as much as 11 and trailed 26-17 at the end of one.

Much of the same continued in the second, and The Bahamas fell behind by as much as 15. A 9-2 run, led by seven points from Hield, got The Bahamas to within 36-28 with 3:43 left in the first half, but the DR closed the half on a 10-5 run including a Gelvis Solano shot at the buzzer.

The DR led by as much as 19 in the third quarter and settled for 70-54 lead going into the fourth. The Bahamas scored eight in a row to get the lead down to single digits for the first time since the second quarter, but there was just 1:48 left on the clock. The closest The Bahamas got the rest of the way was seven points, 87-80, on a jump shot from Travis Munnings, but there was just eight seconds left on the clock. One of two free shots from Solano completed the scoring and time ran out on The Bahamas.

Hield was 11-for-16 from the field including 6-for-9 from three point range for his 29 points. Munnings had 14, and Danrad Knowles came off the bench to score 12 for Team Bahamas. Franco Miller came on late with three three-point shots in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough. He finished the game with those same nine points from the fourth quarter.

Team captain of the DR Victor Liz paced them with a side-high 26 points last night. Eloy Vargas dropped in 17 and Angel Delgado contributed 15.

Former NBA player, Bahamian Rick Fox, was in the stands supporting Team Bahamas and said it was a thrilling experience for him.

“Being in the stands and feeling this up close, you get to feel the energy. The Bahamas came out tonight to support its players and it’s a great feeling,” said Fox. “It’s good to see that players like ‘Buddy’ come home to help build Bahamas basketball. It’s going to encourage the youngsters out there on the basketball courts here at home and basketball in The Bahamas could only go up from here. We as a community have to continue to support ‘Buddy’ and the rest of Team Bahamas.”

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture and former Bahamas Basketball Federation (BBF) President and senior men’s head coach Mario Bowleg also spoke of the tremendous crowd support last night.

“What’s important tonight is that the guys put on a good showing,” said Bowleg. “I don’t think we shot the ball as well as we’re capable of shooting the ball. They were bigger and stronger than us, but at the end of the day, Team Bahamas accomplished what it wanted to in this round which was to qualify for the next round. I’m so happy that Bahamians came home and supported Team Bahamas tonight. This is what we want to continue to see because the future is certainly bright for Bahamian basketball.”

The DR shot 55 percent from the field (33-for-60) last night and out-rebounded The Bahamas 43-30. They also went to the free throw line 23 times and made 16 of those shots. The Bahamas shot 44.4 percent from the field (32-for-72) and went just 3-for-6 from the free throw line.

It doesn’t get any easier for The Bahamas as they now have to play home and away games against Venezuela, Argentina and Panama for an opportunity to advance to the 2023 FIBA World Cup, which is set for August 25 to September 10, 2023 in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia.

The second round for The Bahamas gets underway on August 25, 2022 when they will play Venezuela on the road. Four days later, they are scheduled to play Argentina at home.

The 12 teams in the second round of the qualifiers are divided into two groups of six teams – each formed from teams advanced from the first round groups.

All results from the previous round are carried over into the second round, and the three best placed teams in each group plus the best fourth-placed team will advance to the 2023 FIBA World Cup. The Bahamas is in the group with Venezuela, Argentina, Panama, Canada and the DR.

This is the first time in history The Bahamas has reached the second round of qualifiers for the FIBA World Cup.

https://thenassauguardian.com/the-bahamas-falls-to-the-dr-2/