Category: Athletics

Jamaal Greene Coming To Forefront As Assistant Coach In The Ncaa

COACH GREENE, far right, in the huddle.

COACH GREENE, far right, in the huddle.

Friday, December 18, 2020

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#BAHAMIAN basketball players have been making their presence felt in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and now Grand Bahamian former player Jamaal Greene is coming to the forefront as an assistant coach.

#Greene, 38, became the assistant coach in 2011 for the McLennan Community College Highlanders’ basketball programme in Waco, Texas.

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Coach Jamaal Greene giving some instructions.

#Since joining the staff, Greene has helped lead the Highlanders to three second-place finishes and four North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference Championships, including three consecutive championships from 2016 to 2018.

#The Highlanders earned an 8-6 conference record in 2019 to attain the programme’s 17th consecutive Region V Tournament appearance, and they finished the season with an overall record of 22-9. McLennan’s success on the court garnered Greene the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) Junior College Assistant Coach of the Year honour in 2018.

#In 2016, Greene helped lead the Highlanders to the programme’s first appearance at the Division I NJCAA National Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas, since 1998.

#In Hutch (the well-known moniker for the tournament), the Highlanders defeated Marion Military Institute, marking the programme’s first national tournament victory.

#In Greene’s eight-year tenure with the Highlanders, the team has a combined record of 205-46 for an 82 winning percentage. Those teams have featured two NJCAA All-Americans and three NJCAA Academic Student-Athlete honourees.

#“I got into coaching after my senior year of playing college basketball in Arkansas,” said Greene, who played for Northwest College from 2000-02/2004-05: Harding University from 2004-05. “My former coach at the time offered me a position as a graduate assistant. He told me that he always saw in me as a coach and that I had the qualities to be a good coach.”

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#Greene, who attended Bishop Michael Eldon, formerly Freeport High School, coached by Curt ‘Six’ Hollingsworth and Wayne Smith, left the Bahamas to complete his high school tenure with Coconut Creek High School in Florida, graduating in 2000.

#He then went on to play for Northwest College from 2000-02 before he played for Arkansas Tech University from 2003-04 and finally Northwest College.

#After his playing days were done, Greene spent four years as an assistant coach at Midland College. During his stint there, the Chaparrals made two consecutive trips to the NJCAA National Championships, captured three West Junior College Athletic Conference titles and compiled a 123-13 record in four years.

#The Caribbean Basketball Network named Greene the 2010-11 Coach of the Year for his tremendous work with student-athletes in the region.

#Before moving to Midland, Greene served as a graduate assistant coach at Harding University (Arkansas). He also worked as a colour commentator for NBA-TV for two years.

#Greene called it a rewarding experience so far.

#“Just like anything in life, you have your ups and downs, but I would not trade it for anything else in the world,” he stated. “They say once you find something you love, you will never work a day in your life.”

#Life, however, has not been the same since the coronavirus pandemic struck in March. But like other sporting disciplines that have been affected around the world, Greene said they are trying to get through the uncharted waters.

#“It is new to every programme across the country and the world,” Greene pointed out. “For us here, we do a great deal of testing of our student athletes and staff.

#“We have certain protocols that we have to follow and maintain. We teach our student athletes to always be resilient and fight through any adversity, and so far they are doing it.”

#The Highlanders will not know the true effect of the programme until their season officially gets underway on January 23, 2021.

#“I’m hoping that we can complete this season without having to shut it down because of the pandemic,” Greene projected. “If we can stay healthy, I truly like our chances for competing in the postseason for the championship.

#“Moving forward in the future, I hope that this pandemic will be the thing of the past and we all can get back to whatever the new normal is.”

#Once things get back to some type of normalcy, Greene said he would be looking at recruiting some Bahamian players for McLennan Community College.

#“I have coached a few players in the past,” Greene said. “With this pandemic, it has made recruiting very difficult all across the board.”

#While the pandemic has played a key factor this year, Greene said in the past the road to getting players from the Bahamas into colleges and universities in the United States has not been an easy one.

#“It has not been easy because of the lack of exposure, lack of proper training and facilities that student athletes in America have at their disposal,” he pointed out.

#“If you look at the trend you are seeing with up and coming Bahamian student athletes, a lot of them have left the Bahamas at adolescent years to come to high school or prep schools here in America.”

#As one of those who benefitted from the move, Greene said it has helped tremendously because of the opportunities and proper training.

#“That has allowed them now to be on an even playing field with American student athletes,” Greene said. “We all know if you give a Bahamian an even playing field we always shine and come out on top.”

#Greene, who also played on the Bahamas junior national basketball team that won silver and gold medals in 1998 and 2000 respectively, was a prime example of taking advantage of the opportunities that avail any other Bahamian.

#He went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in communication management from Harding in 2005 and a master’s degree in kinesiology from Harding in 2007.

#But Greene, who is now married to Kari Greene and they are the proud parents of a daughter, Jayada, and a son, Kanaan, said he would certainly like to give back to the Bahamian basketball fraternity.

#“I would love to have the opportunity to get involved with and be a part of the national basketball programme back home in the Bahamas,” Greene said.

#“I was on the junior national teams many moons ago when I was coached by legendary coach Charlie ‘Softly’ Robins where we won a silver medal in Guyana and a gold right there in Nassau.

#“I had some of my fondest basketball memories playing on the junior national team. I feel with my knowledge and experience, I would love to help coaches and players back home in the Bahamas.”

#In the meantime, Greene is trying to niche his name as a collegiate coach in the USA.

BFA presents tablets to the Ministry of Education

The Nassau Guardian

“We remain committed to youth development in The Bahamas beyond the football pitch,” explained Anton Sealy, president of the Bahamas Football Association (BFA) as they presented 100 tablets complete with MiFi devices to the Ministry of Education.

As COVID-19 forced schools in The Bahamas, and indeed the world, to convert to virtual learning platforms, the BFA recognized that many of its players have been challenged to access their new online classrooms. As such, the association sought support from FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) and subsequently partnered with Aliv to purchase and donate the tablets to benefit disadvantaged students across the country.

“We at the Bahamas Football Association, along with our member clubs, decided to do something to assist the most vulnerable and severely impacted members of our constituents in football, that being our school age players and more so, those without the capability to effectively participate in the virtual learning process,” explained Sealy. “We trust that these devices will go a long way in supporting the educational needs of our young student athletes.”

Minister of Education Jeffrey Lloyd was on hand to receive the donation. Minister Lloyd expressed gratitude to the BFA.

“We will not stand by and let any child get left behind. As such, we are so grateful for the philanthropy and partnership of the BFA for its support of our virtual learning program through the donation of these tablets,” he said.

The minister explained that the donation moves the ministry that much closer to its goal of making virtual learning accessible for every Bahamian student.

Mobile Sales Manager for Aliv Matthew Davis said: “At Aliv, we are committed to innovation and technology and we are happy to be able to support the education of our young people. Giving back is an important part of who we are at Aliv. These 10-inch tablets are intuitive and user-friendly with a convertible keypad and with the MiFi devices, students can access the network at high speeds from anywhere in The Bahamas.”

Both the ministry and the BFA acknowledged the invaluable partnership of Aliv as vital to bridging the gaps that exist for those most disadvantaged in the communities.

In addition to Sealy, BFA Executive Vice President Anya James and Deputy General Secretary Carl R. Lynch Jr. were also on hand for the presentation to the Ministry of Education. 

Bio of Davis on fast track with well-known author, major publisher

The Nassau Guardian

 In this file photo, Bahamian “Golden Girl” Pauline Davis-Thompson was honored on, being named an Honorary Life Person Member of the IAAF. She will receive a plaque of merit and veteran pin awards. She is shown above with BAAA President Drumeco Archer at left. LAURA PRATT-CHARLTON

Pauline Davis, the Bahamian icon who once conquered the sprinting world, is about to get her own book with a major US publisher.

This country’s original “Golden Girl” signed a book deal with US publisher Rowman & Littlefield earlier this week, a move that will bring her remarkable story of resilience, determination and Olympic glory to the world.

Dramatic and unflinching, Davis’ upcoming memoir, titled, ‘The Girl Who Ran Sideways: The Story of an Olympic Champion’, will be co-written with noted Canadian author T.R. Todd, who recently penned the award-winning book ‘Pigs of Paradise: The True Story of the World Famous Swimming Pigs’.

Raised on Fleming Street, in Bain Town, Davis would defy the odds to not only become a double gold medalist, but the first woman from the Caribbean to take home the ultimate Olympic prize in athletics. It tells the story of a girl who was plucked from obscurity to become one of the most decorated female sprinters of her generation, and the first woman of color to join the World Athletics Council, the international governing body of track and field (formerly known at the International Association of Athletic Federations – IAAF).

“It is with absolute excitement that I can announce the upcoming publication of my book,” said Davis, who won her two gold medals at the Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, in 2000 – and a silver medal in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1996.

“At the end of the day, I am a product of Bain Town in Nassau. I was never meant to make it this far. From The Bahamas to the world, I hope my story inspires Bahamians and people from all walks of life to reach for their potential and never give up.”

With an expected release date in early 2022, The Girl Who Ran Sideways describes in raw detail Davis’ upbringing in Bain Town, without power or electricity. Every day, she carried the family’s buckets to the government tap to fetch fresh water. It was there she learned to run sideways, sprinting barefoot from bullies – it was the only way to get the buckets of water home, without spilling.

Neville Wisdom, a seasoned track coach with the Bain Town Flyers Track Club, couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw this poor little girl, barefoot, sprinting down the track sideways on a grainy video tape recording, but he also saw something else. He saw the heart of a champion.

“Pauline’s story is truly stranger than fiction,” Todd explains, Davis’ ghost writer and a former Business Editor of The Nassau Guardian.

“While we’ve known each other for years, it was only recently we finally came together and decided to write this book. Every aspect of her life is incredible and defies expectation. I hope this book is something the entire Bahamas can be proud of, but beyond that, it’s an opportunity for the whole world to know The Bahamas on a more intimate level, through the eyes of the original Golden Girl. In these challenging times, this is a story of perseverance that we all need,” said Todd.

Davis, who competed in five Olympic Games, first burst onto the international track and field scene in 1982 with her historic run at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Junior Track and Field Championships in Barbados, capturing four gold medals in the 100 meters (m), 200m, 400m and long jump. Later, in 1984, she forever endeared herself to the Bahamian public with her legendary performance at the 1984 CARIFTA Games in Nassau, Bahamas.

Despite a serious hamstring injury just months before, Davis won the 100 and 200m. Then, as the anchor of the 4x400m relay team, she flew around the track in dramatic fashion to secure the gold and defeat the Jamaicans in the CARIFTA Games, en route to winning the Austin Sealy Award for Most Outstanding Athlete at the meet.

It would only be the beginning of a decorated track and field career spanning 20 years, ending on September 30, 2000, when the “Golden Girls” – Eldece Clarke, Debbie Ferguson, Chandra Sturrup, Savatheda Fynes and Davis – defeated the world, including a Marion Jones-led US team, to win the women’s 4x100m relay, bringing home the country’s first gold medal in athletics at the Olympics.

“I could not have accomplished what I did without my Golden Girl sisters,” Davis said. “While we did not always agree, they pushed me and together we made history. So, I want to share this book with them. This story needs to be told.”

It was an historic year of firsts for The Bahamas. In that same Olympics, Davis would also win the silver in the 200m, which would later be upgraded to the gold after Jones was stripped of her medals for doping. Years later, she would make history again as the first woman of color to be elected to the World Athletics Council.

While inspiring and exhilarating, The Girl Who Ran Sideways is also a candid portrait of Davis’ personal struggles to become the best in the world.

Whether it was the separation of her parents, the racism she experienced at the University of Alabama, her two lifetime suspensions (both rescinded) from Bahamian athletics, or the classism and political victimization she endured along the way, Davis’ path to success was littered with hardship.

“In this book, I want to speak truth to power,” Davis said. “There were many things that happened to me in my life. I’ve experienced my fair share of tragedy and struggles. When people read this book, I hope what they take away from it is that success is not an accident. It takes work – hard work – and perseverance to reach your dreams.”

In these difficult times, The Girl Who Ran Sideways reminds us that it doesn’t matter how you start off in life – it’s how you finish.

Welcome to the Valley of the Suns

Simba French

 Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton (22). AP

Bahamian seven-foot center DeAndre Ayton said he wanted to do a backflip, a near impossible task for a man that height, when he got confirmation that his team, the Phoenix Suns, acquired veteran point guard Chris Paul (CP3) in a trade this past abbreviated offseason in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Paul was one of several new pieces that the Suns added to their roster. Another one of the Suns’ key pickups was defensive specialist Jae Crowder.

In Paul, they get a seven-time NBA All-Defensive First Team member and two-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team player. Not to mention, they get a 10-time NBA All-Star. Crowder is known around the league as a tough defensive player who can add tenacity and depth to a contender. He is coming off an improbable run with the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals last season. Ayton is looking forward to being on the court with the duo and feed off the defensive knowledge that they bring to the team.

“Knowing that we have to compete every day – that competitive spirit that they got is a norm. Being on defensive teams is not a given, that is somebody going out there competing every day on both ends of the floor. That is all those dudes do – we are going to have to do it. They have already stamped in this league that they are known for that,” Ayton said. “Me and Book (Devin Booker) are known for offense but we need that defense. I want to be that presence at the rim. Just them being defensive players already and knowing that they are going to be vocal and tell us young guys how to do this – not that we don’t do it, but them just giving us constructive criticism, is going to help us so much.”

The Suns finished in the middle of the pack in defensive ratings in the league last season with a rating of 110.8. With a locked-in Ayton on defense along with Paul and Crowder, the Suns are expected to finish higher this season. Last season, Ayton averaged 1.5 blocks per game, an improvement from 0.9 in his rookie season.

The third-year center was in the NBA bubble restart in the summer, helping the Suns finish with a perfect 8-0 record during that time. Ayton said that he and Booker spoke when they were playing in the bubble and that he told him what they can do in the league, and that they can compete in this league. After the bubble experience, he said he is willing to put in the required work.

“Coming out of the bubble did something to me – working every day, having this professionalism and being this professional that I am, and embracing that and actually approaching my craft seriously where it is like ‘Dude if you’re not with this then get out of here’,” Ayton said. “I worked so hard coming out of the bubble that I am not worried about what’s next. I know that these results will make their way, that is how hard I am working every day. I thought I was working hard during the suspension and my injuries, but no.”

The 2018 number one overall draft pick in the NBA said the two new acquisitions can help him develop and he is willing to learn more from their winning mindset.

“They are winners -– that is the biggest difference, they win,” Ayton said. “Being around a winner who probably won more than 10 games or like 14 games in a month – that is the type of people who I am going to be around. What that immediately does is when you win about five games and the hype is on you, those dudes handle that type of hype. Being in the bubble, we only had eight games. What about when its 72 games and we won eight in a row? We have more to go and to have those teammates who are going to say, ‘We ain’t do anything bro, like relax we ain’t do anything’. We are going to have that maturity on the team to tell players that we are not there yet and that is what we need.”

The Suns get their 2020-2021 regular season underway on Wednesday, December 23 when play the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The game will tip off at 10:30 p.m. and will be broadcasted on ESPN.

They tip off their four preseason games on Saturday night when they take on the Utah Jazz in an away matchup at the Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. That game will tip off at 9 p.m. and will be aired on NBATV.

Face To Face: Belinda Learned From Her Mother – Standing Up For Others And Making Their Voices Heard

BELINDA WILSON

BELINDA WILSON

Tuesday, October 6, 2020

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FELICITY DARVILLE

#By FELICITY DARVILLE

#MANY schools, especially public schools in The Bahamas, had their first day of school yesterday. It also happened to be World Teacher’s Day – the 26th annual day honouring teachers globally. This year’s theme was: “Teachers leading in crisis – reimagining the future”.

#In the view of a global pandemic, teachers are facing their most difficult time yet. The new school year is quite different from any other year, and schools are having to embrace the digital age like never before. The challenge in The Bahamas is complicated by the fact that at least a hundred teachers are in quarantine at this moment. In spite of it all, Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) president Belinda Wilson is confident her members are up to the task, but they will need as much support as possible.

#“I reimagine a future in education and teaching where teachers will be respected, honoured, and where our voices will be heard,” Belinda said.

#“I reimagine a future where teachers will be seen as the experts and the architects of our educational system. Thirty-two million teachers in 192 countries are celebrating. In this COVID-19 pandemic environment, be strong, be resilient. We will and we can succeed; we will make it. In Bahamas, I want to say to teachers, solidarity… forever!”

#Belinda has given her life to the cause of teachers in The Bahamas. She has played an active role in the BUT for the past 26 years, and continues to go strong. She has served as the union’s president since 2008 and she is the longest-serving in this post. She is also BUT’s longest-serving executive officer, and the third woman to serve as president, the first being the renowned educator Mabel Walker who led the union in 1947. Prior to COVID-19, Belinda and her executive team were at the table with the Ministry of Education negotiating the fourth collective bargaining agreement that she has taken part in. She has been co-lead for one and has taken the lead for three.

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BELINDA in an outfit made up of different student uniforms.

#“In 2012, we were able to get medical insurance for our members,” she said.

#“Our terms and conditions of service, as well as having a better quality of education for students… these are always on our mind and reflected in our industrial agreement.”

#Her monumental journey in the teacher’s union started in 1994. She was teaching physical education at CC Sweeting Junior High (now TA Thompson Junior High) under the great Leonard “Boston Blackie” Miller. Many find it surprising that a woman with a Master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of St Thomas, a Bachelor’s degree in English Language from St Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina, trained to teach English Language and Literature at the College of The Bahamas, would choose to teach physical education.

#Belinda replied: “Why? Because it is an easy fit for me. I spent three months teaching English Language and Literature when I went to the Ministry of Education to request a transfer to teach physical education. I felt closed in. It didn’t suit me. I like to move; I am upbeat and active.”

#She showed athletic prowess from a young girl. Born on Ross Corner, this Farm Road girl is the ninth of 11 children born to Reverend Basil and Maria Johnson. She attended Woodcock Primary before attending St John’s College for high school.

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BELINDA on being elected BUT president.

#Principal Arlene Nash Ferguson once held a competition at the school, which Belinda won. She is to thank for the name “The Green Giants” that students shout at competitions today. While at St John’s, Belinda not only excelled in academics, but also at athletics. She made records at the school in track events like the 400 and 800 metres, and long jump. She participated in numerous sports, including softball.

#It was for this sport that she was granted a full scholarship to St Augustine’s, thanks to Cynthia “Mother” Pratt and Tom “The Bird” Grant, who helped hundreds of Bahamian students have the opportunity to study there. She enjoyed a full ride from 1991 to 1994, and played outfield in softball consistently for the college, which is now a university. She also wrote for the school newspaper, and graduated Magna Cum Laude, completing her degree in three years instead of four.

#It was May of 1994 and Belinda was about to graduate. Her boyfriend, Arnold Wilson, had flown over to the graduation, but he also intended to propose. Unfortunately, Arnold lost the ring! Bewildered by the event, he ended up telling his love what had happened, and they went back to the mall where he thought he had dropped it. Lo and behold, the ring was still on the floor of the shop where he dropped it. It was carefully wrapped in a napkin. The fact that the napkin was still on the floor in the spot he dropped it was a sign to the couple that they “were meant to be together”. Twenty-six years later, they are still in love and going strong with a beautiful daughter, Nika, Belinda says. They got married at 11am on May 7, 1994 and at 12 noon, Belinda was walking across the stage in her cap and gown.

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BELINDA’s parents, Rev Basil and Maria Johnson. Her mother died in November last year at the age of 90, and her father is still alive at 91 years old.

#That same year, she started at CC Sweeting Junior and was elected a shop steward for her counterparts at the school. She taught there for five years before moving on to CV Bethel Senior High, and she was one of the pioneering teachers who were among the first to work at the new school. By 2003, Belinda went on to assist in the opening of another new school – Dame Doris Johnson Senior High. She became the first Teacher of the Year for the school, and also received the Excel award for Coach of the Year.

#She credits her first go at teaching to Bishop Neil Ellis, who made contact with the late great Rev Charles Saunders, requesting an opportunity for her to work at what was then the Bahamas Baptist College, now named after Rev Saunders. She says her first students are now 48 and 49-years-old, making great contributions to the country, which gives her great joy and pride. She and her family continue to attend Mount Tabor Church under Bishop Ellis to this day.

#Her strong faith, she said, was nurtured by her parents: “I thank my parents for teaching us the way of the Lord. My dad woke us up at 5am to pray every day. We went to church and Sunday school. On December 31, 1989 I accepted the Lord and I am a true believer. My husband is also a quiet, but prayerful man. He provided a safe, comfortable, loving home and whenever I have a rough day, I can go home to the loving arms of my husband. He is my rock and a pillar of strength. My daughter is quiet like him, but very observant. My siblings and some of my cousins and close friends have also been a pillar of strength for me in my life.”

#Her mother also made a tremendous impact on her, as she learned to be an activist under her wings: “I must have followed in my mom’s footsteps. We spent a lot of time with her at the Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union. She was a chief shop steward for 18 consecutive years there. We were on the ground with her when they demonstrated, and we watched her take a stand for others.”

#Belinda – who was a shop steward from 1994-1996 and a trustee from 1996-1999, found it necessary to take that same type of stand for others when she attended a union meeting back in 2004: “I never wanted to be president; I never even thought about it. But I attended a certain meeting and holy hell, as they say, came up in me. I saw what was happening in that meeting and I thought the teachers deserved better representation. I decided to seek out certain individuals and convince them to run with me for the new executive team. Among them was Ida Turnquest. She was to run for the president position and I would run for secretary general. She said yes. We ran with a small team, but our team was successful.”

#During the following BUT elections in 2008, Ida decided that she did not want to run, so Belinda made the decision to run for the post. Later on, Ida had changed her mind. So she ended up running against Belinda along with Francis Friend and Byron Small for the position of president. Belinda won. She has been at the helm ever since. She considers herself in good company, as the BUT has had some outstanding persons in leadership, including Carlton Francis and former Governor General Dame Ivy Dumont, who was the union’s first secretary general. The union has a rich legacy and on January 10, 2018, a document was produced in this regard. It is a booklet commemorating the oral history of the BUT, written and edited by Patricia Roker and designed by Sheila Bethell.

#Belinda has the honour of having the BUT’s multi-purpose building in Grand Bahama named in her honour – the Belinda Wilson Convention Center. Two executive committees voted on and approved the name. It commemorates a woman who continues to be at the forefront of the fight for the rights of teachers. In addition, hundreds of teachers have benefitted from local and international training under her leadership. Union members benefit from Christmas bonuses, and they also have retirement and death benefits.

#“I am very proud to be representing the teachers of this nation,” she said, “It is the profession of professions.”

#“It is an honour and privilege for me to serve them for such a long time. I have made so many friends and I have so many relationships with colleagues and associates that will last a lifetime. I enjoy life and I have a passion for what I do. There is something inside of me… I get very upset when I watch people being taken advantage of and when people are treated unfairly. It causes me to want to push and advocate even more for the rights not only of teachers, but people in general. I intend to serve my country and be a voice for the voiceless without fear or favour as long as I have breath.”

#There were some highs and lows in Belinda’s tenure. Among them, she was suspended several times by executive committee. In 2017, she went to the Supreme Court to plead for her place on the ballot. The court ruled in her favour, and she won her way back to the presidency by more than 1400 votes.

#“I have learned that you have people who for and those who are against you. After running and being successful seven times, I realise there’s more with me than against me. I am honoured to have served the teachers for so many years and we are still going strong!

‘Mr Consistent’ Maycock A National Golf Champion

SASHA and Christine Wallace-Whitfield present the championship trophy to veteran golfer Greg Maycock. Chris Lewis, president of the Bahamas Professional Golfers Association, at far right, looks on. Photos courtesy of David Knowles

SASHA and Christine Wallace-Whitfield present the championship trophy to veteran golfer Greg Maycock. Chris Lewis, president of the Bahamas Professional Golfers Association, at far right, looks on. Photos courtesy of David Knowles

Friday, December 4, 2020

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#As consistent as he was from day one, Greg Maycock maintained his lead and held on to win the Bahamas Professional Golfers Association’s Leroy ‘Roy’ Bowe Founder BPGA 2020 National Championship title.

#At the end of the four days of competition at the Ocean Club on Paradise Island yesterday, Maycock accumulated rounds of 74-74-75-73 for a total score of 296 to cart the prestigious title off to Grand Bahama.

#Maycock received it from Bowe’s daughter Christine Bowe Wallace-Whitfield, which could have still gone to Grand Bahama as fellow natives Keathen Stuart was runner-up with 76-76-79- 79 for 303 and Chris Lewis completed the top of the chart in third with 82-80- 77-77 for 316.

#The three Grand Bahamians were matched against each other in the last of the two threesomes between the six professional golfers who participated.

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BPGA treasurer Keno Turnquest presents Keathen Stuart with his second place prize.

#Rounding out the field in the other threesome were Marcus Pratt (80- 78-85-80-323); Glenn Pratt (89-82-83-82- 336) and Matthew Cox (97-88-88-87-360).

#Maycock, one of the two veteran players in the tournament that started on Monday, said the performance was just what he needed, considering the fact that he finished fourth in the last BPGA tournament he played here in July. “For today, I could say it was pretty nifty because somewhere in that round, I did some funny stuff,” Maycock said. “I had two double bogeys and so overall for four days, I will take it and just work with that. I’m happy about winning.”

#As one of the younger players coming on the scene when the late Bowe was making his exit, Maycock said it was an honour to win the title for the legend of the game in the Bahamas.

#“For what he did for the game, I am proud to take this trophy and appreciate it,” he said.

#“It was good to win the title in his honour.”

#It was a year ago when Maycock last won a tournament that was staged by Ricardo Davis. But he said this one is much sweeter because it comes with the national professional title of the Bahamas.

#Stuart, who is now based here at Albany where he is employed, said he was coming for Maycock. But not even the day’s lowest score of even-par-72 yesterday was enough.

#“Today, I played much better. I hit the ball more solid. I made a few putts, but it wasn’t as consistent as I wanted it to be,” he said.

#“I made a run at it in the first nine, but Greg Maycock held his own and it was a fight to the end. I’m happy with the way I played today.”

#Although he had a lot riding on his performance as the president of the BPGA, Lewis said he was just a little too inconsistent with some mental mistakes.

#“That happens when you are rusty as far as tournament play is concerned,” he said. “But all in all, I am very encouraged about the event and getting things back as far as the association is concerned.”

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KENO Turnquest presents Chris Lewis with his prize for third place.

#Marcus Pratt, who fell short of getting into the top stream of the competition, said his performance was not up to par, but it was a great improvement for him in a professional forum as he gave himself a C average.

#“This is the first tournament that I played in for a year and so believe it or not, the rust is knocked off,” he said. “I’m ready for the next one.”

#“My preparation now, since the Bahamas Professional Golf Association is in play, we are going to be doing some more stuff. My preparation is mental and my playing capacity is now going to be enhanced because I now know we have more things to do in the association.”

#Glenn Pratt, the executive director of the BPGA, said under normal circumstances, he would not have participated because he wasn’t ready to play. “But because of what we are trying to do in the association, I would suffer the humiliation and the pain and the agony,” said Pratt, who has been working behind the scenes trying to get the BPGA re-established.

#“It’s not every day you can get up and play with the type of numbers that people say in the newspaper because they don’t reflect the type of golfer that I am or any of us because we don’t play enough. We don’t have any places to play.”

#For Cox, it’s the first time playing in and completing a four-day tournament, so he has something to base his future on.

#“I hit some good shots out there,” he said. “It just took some adjustments playing in the wind and adjusting to the greens. Hopefully when I play in some more tournaments, I will get some better results.”

#Cox, however, commended Maycock for setting the pace and maintaining his position as he putted and improved his game each day.

#Lewis said the whole idea was for the BPGA to honour Bowe because he was a “true gentleman” of the sport whom they considered to be their golf hero as Arnold Palmer is to the United States of America.

#“Everybody needs to know Mr Bowe as the true hero of professional golf in the Bahamas,” Lewis said. “This is our king of golf.”

#One year after he became the Bahamas’ first professional golfer in 1967, Bowe founded the BPGA in 1968. Bowe, who was also an outstanding sloop sailor, died on November 1, 2012 at the age of 78.

#Bowe Wallace- Whitfield, who was accompanied by her husband Joey and their daughter Sasha Wallace- Whitfield, said they are elated that the BPGA is honouring her father and that was why they sponsored the trophy.

#“It’s wonderful. It’s long overdue. I’m just happy and thankful to Glenn Pratt, who has really put this together,” said Bowe Wallace-Whitfield, a former national swimmer.

#“He’s always been there through the golfing days with my dad, so it’s a passion of his, so we love that. We want to see this continue every year.”

#Pratt said in addition to hosting the championship this year, they will build a Roy Bowe Hall of Fame for professional golfers and they will lobby for his portrait to be displayed on the Wall of Fame in the Lynden Pindling International Airport along with all of the other national heroes.

#Lewis expressed his gratitude, on behalf of the BPGA, to the Ocean Club, for allowing them to stage the tournament there this week.

#But he said the BPGA will now put its emphasis on trying to get more of its members employed with the more than 10 golf properties in the Bahamas, as outlined in the constitution that Bowe established when he formed the organisation.

St Fort Signs With 3rd Team This Season In Japan B-League

Friday, December 4, 2020

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#MARK St Fort is on the move once again in the Japanese B-League and signed with his third team this season.

#St Fort signed with the Hiroshima Dragonflies for the remainder of the 2020- 21 season. Through 14 games this season, St Fort is averaging 10.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game on 70 percent shooting from the field and 43 percent shooting from three-point range. “Hiroshima Dragnflies has given me this opportunity and I thank them very much for their support. I am going to do my best to contribute to this team for as long as possible and help them be successful,” St Fort said in an official release issued by the team.

#Hiroshima is 4-12 on the season. “I am looking forward to playing in front of Dragonflies fans.”

#St Fort began the season with SeaHorses Mikawa but was released after just two games with the club. He went on to sign with the Niigata Albirex where he had his most productive stretch of the season where he was the team’s leading scorer in four games. He spent last season in Japan’s third division, the B3-League with the Saitama Broncos where he averaged 17.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. The B3-League has 11 teams made up of de facto semi-professional teams.

Chavez Young And Cavalry Two Weeks From Opening Day

Friday, December 4, 2020

photo

CHAVEZ YOUNG

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#CHAVEZ Young and his Canberra Cavalry are two weeks away from opening day and will have a busy two months of gameplay after the Australian Baseball League released its revised schedule.

#The Toronto Blue Jays minor league prospect and his club will open the season December 18 for a four-game series on the road against Perth. They follow with a two-game series at home against Melbourne and conclude in December with a three-game series against Sydney.

#The ABL will see games played on 26 out of 31 days in January. Each team will play 24 regular-season games.

#Young is ranked No. 30 on the Blue Jays’ prospect list, and joins a Cavalry club that has advanced to one championship series and three semifinal appearances in the last four seasons.

#Baseball Australia chief executive Cam Vale said the schedule set the stage for an exciting season and thanked fans for their patience.

#“The six teams and their key stakeholders have in the past week, despite the challenges thrown at us, shown why we are putting in the work to play – for the fans and for the future of the ABL, capitalising on the opportunities in front of us,” Vale said.

#“The ABL teams have worked hard with us over the past week to ensure as minimal impact as possible on the previously released schedule and we appreciate the patience and understanding of both our teams and fans during the process. We’ve faced some hurdles along the way but we now have an exciting schedule which will deliver an action-packed January and thrilling race to the playoffs.”

#The ABL is one of baseball’s recognised winter leagues where minor league prospects are assigned as an English-speaking alternative to the primary Spanish-speaking Latin America-based winter leagues. This season for the ABL features two conferences (Australian and International) with the traditional 40 games condensed to a 24 game regular season.

#Seven former Cavalry players were members of MLB 60-person Taxi-squads last season. The club has active strategic partnerships with two MLB teams, the San Diego Padres and the Houston Astros. Partner teams have also included the Blue Jays, Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves.

Jones, Coleman And No.17 Texas Beat No.14 Unc 69-67 For Title At The Maui Invitational

TEXAS forward Kai Jones (22), of The Bahamas, grabs a rebound over North Carolina forward Day’Ron Sharpe (11) in the first half of their NCAA college basketball game for the championship of the Maui Invitational yesterday in Asheville, N.C. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

TEXAS forward Kai Jones (22), of The Bahamas, grabs a rebound over North Carolina forward Day’Ron Sharpe (11) in the first half of their NCAA college basketball game for the championship of the Maui Invitational yesterday in Asheville, N.C. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

As of Thursday, December 3, 2020

photo

TEXAS celebrates and holds the trophy for the NCAA college championship game of the Maui Invitational after they beat North Carolina 69-67 yesterday in Asheville, N.C (AP Photos/Kathy Kmonicek)

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#Kai Jones’ perfect shooting streak from the field came to an end, but the sophomore forward scored four of Texas’ final six points to lead them to a Camping World Maui Invitational Championship.

#Jones finished with 12 points on 4-5 shooting from the field and tied a career high with eight rebounds for the second time this season in the No.14 Longhorns’ 69-67 win over the Tar Heels in the tournament finale last night at Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, North Carolina.

#Matt Coleman hit a stepback jumper for the game winner with 0.1 seconds left to play, but Jones also made several critical plays down the stretch.

#The Longhorns trailed 65-63 when Jones made a jumper to tie the game at the 2:29 mark. He followed with a transition dunk two possessions later to give Texas the lead (67-65) with 38 seconds left to play.

#The Tar Heels evened the score with a pair of free throws from Leaky Black, setting the stage for Coleman’s heroics.

#Texas improved to 4-0 and won their first Maui title in their fifth appearance in the tournament while the Tar Heels suffered their first loss of the season.

#With his third double digit scoring effort this season, Jones has already surpassed his total from his freshman season when he reached that mark just twice.

#Jones opened the Maui Invitational with 13 points on 4-4 shooting from the field, 2-2 from three-point range, in a 78-76 win over Davidson. He followed with just four points (2-2 field goals) and five rebounds in 13 foul-plagued minutes of a 66-44 win over the Indiana Hoosiers.

#In the Atlantic Sun Conference, Franco Miller Jr continues to see his production in his new role with the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. Miller scored a career high 10 points and shot 3-7 from three-point range but his Eagles lost 76-57 to the South Florida Bulls.

Demarco: ‘We Like Our Team’

CHRIS DEMARCO, left, head coach of our men’s national basketball team, and Mario Bowleg, president of the Bahamas Basketball Federation.

CHRIS DEMARCO, left, head coach of our men’s national basketball team, and Mario Bowleg, president of the Bahamas Basketball Federation.

Friday, November 27, 2020

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#Despite the challenges the programme has faced to this point, Chris Demarco remains optimistic on his official debut as head coach of the senior men’s national team at the FIBA level.

#A shorthanded Team Bahamas still faces uncertainty on its roster situation just days away from competition, against the United States (November 29) and Puerto Rico (November 30) at the FIBA Americup 2022 Qualifiers in Indianapolis, Indiana.

#“We like our team. Everybody who is here, the federation, myself, and the coaching staff, we got together and talked about our group of guys that are going to be competitive and play hard. There’s a lot to like about the guys that are here. Stuff can change from day to day, we still don’t know how it’s going to look Sunday and Monday but so far I think the roster reflects what we were trying to do as a federation,” Demarco said. “I think our strength is going to be able to move the ball and shoot the ball. I think we have a roster that has some good shooters but I think it always starts defensively. We tried to put together a team that can defend and compete on that end of the floor, force some turnovers and get out and push the basketball. Again I don’t know exactly what it will look like, but how the roster is built right now, the defensive end will get it done for us and create opportunities for us offensively.”

#Team Bahamas currently has eight players in Indianapolis confirmed to participate, but that number could increase to 10 by gameday. Available players include Mychel Thompson, D’Shon Taylor, Jaron Cornish, Nashad Mackey, Eugene Bain, Robert Nortmann, Godfrey Rolle III, and Ahmad Pratt.

#Several prospective players have been unavailable for a myriad of reasons ranging from COVID-19 travel restrictions in their respective countries, unable to clear COVID-19 protocol, or not acquiring a release from their club team.

#“It’s been difficult, FIBA and USA as the host team has been great so far but it’s been proving difficult for us and I know for some of the other countries to get players in from overseas. I don’t know how Puerto Rico and Mexico are doing but I know with the USA, the majority of their team is going to be from the states. That’s been the hardest thing, being able to get our guys over here. There needs to be 2-3 tests before you get here and there needs to be 2-3 tests here before you can play in the game. We are doing our best and I know our federation is doing their very best to make sure we put together a team that can compete.”

#Gathering the country’s top talent simultaneously during a given window for qualification events has proved to be the biggest obstacle for the federation thus far.

#“It’s always a challenge. It’s been about three years I’ve been working with the programme and we have yet to have that moment where we have all of our guys together but that’s always the challenge in FIBA. I do think we are headed in the right direction,” he said.

#“This window especially, guys aren’t that familiar with each other, but that’s been one of the things we have been trying to do since we got here – getting guys to hang out and get to know each other and I think that translates to the basketball court. That’s a challenge with the protocols and tight windows for when guys can be around each other so we have to maximise our practice time. I think the future of Bahamas Basketball is bright, we have the right people in place, the players are committed and I’m excited for it.”

#DeMarco, a former Dominican University (California) forward, has been a member of the Golden State Warriors’ coaching staff for seven seasons, serving as an assistant coach, member of the player development personnel, and video scout.

#With DeMarco assisting head coach Steve Kerr, the Warriors won three NBA championships and played in five Finals during that span.

#He served as an assistant for Team Bahamas in a win over the Dominican Republic in 2018 and most recently coached the national select team last summer against several elite NCAA Division I programmes.

#“This window is no different than when I was there for the Dominican Republic or in the summer when we played Texas Tech, Georgetown, and Memphis.

#“We’re all in this together. Coaches have daily discussions and we know exactly how we want to attack so it’s not one of those things where you’re out there on an island and it’s just you so I think it is going to feel very similar with everything, personally I’ve been through with the Bahamas and anytime I’ve participated in these events.”

#Thompson, Taylor, and Cornish are the only holdovers from the previous window of AmeriCup qualifiers when The Bahamas scored a 76-59 win over Mexico last February at the Atlantis resort. “That was a different situation where we got to play the same team twice within four days, so you were able to watch film and make adjustments,” Demarco said. “[Those guys that were there] how they can be helpful for their teammates is just talking about the style of basketball that we want to play and be leaders out there on the floor and let them know what we are looking for.

#“I think it was important for them to be there for those two games, but now we have a new team and we have a new team and we’ve got to work together and build chemistry with the guys that are here.

#Games will be streamed on ESPN+, but due to COVID-19 protocols, no fans or outsiders will be allowed inside the bubble for the games.