CRUISE CONTROL: Shaunae Miller-Uibo (left) wins the 200 metres at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Tuesday. In a season’s best performance, she set another meet record.

Friday, July 12, 2019

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#While Shaunae Miller-Uibo, with her silver hairstyle, inked her name on another meet record in producing a season’s best performance, Steven Gardiner fell shy of eclipsing his own mark as they were both victorious in their respective events in Szekesfehervar, Hungary.

#On the eve of Independence Day on Tuesday, Miller-Uibo sprinted around her first half-lap race for 2019 to win the women’s 200 metres in 22.18 seconds at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial, a Hungarian Grand Prix meet.

#As the 2016 Olympic champion pulled away from the field, she went on to erase the meet record of 22.26 that was posted by Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown in 2011.

#In the process, the six-foot, one-inch Miller-Uibo left arch-rivals Marie-Josee Ta Lou and Jenna Prandini trying to catch her. Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast came in second in 22.76 and American Prandini was third in 22.88.

#Although she ran away from the field, the 25-year-old Miller-Uibo was just off the world leading time of 22.00 that was produced by Jamaican world champion Elaine Thompson at the Jamaica National Trials in Kingston, Jamaica, on June 23.

#The Bahamian double national record holder at 21.88 in the 200m and 48.97 in the 400m is tied for fifth place on this year’s world list with Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith with her win in 22.11 in Stockholm, Sweden, on May 30.

#Miller-Uibo also tops the 400m list with her 49.05 she established on April 27 in Gainesville, Florida. She is followed closely by Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain with 49.17 on Friday in Lausanne, Switzerland.

#While Miller-Uibo was enjoying her debut in the half-lap race in Szekesfehervar, Naser took care of business in the one-lapper in her winning time of 50.13 over American Phyllis Francis, who did 51.24 and Jamaican Stephenie Ann McPherson (51.76).

#Miller-Uibo, however, still holds the meet record of 49.54 that she recorded in her victory in the one-lapper last year. She now holds both the 200/400 records at the meet.

#Gardiner triumphed in 400m

#Gardiner, on the other hand, was almost as equally impressive over his one-lap victory.

#He clocked 44.45 to win the men’s 400m, but the world silver medallist was shy of surpassing his meet record of 44.30 that he posted in 2015.

#In securing the win, the lanky, 6-2 Abaco native came across the line well ahead of his American counterparts as Tyrell Richard got second in 45.59 and Vernon Norwood was third in 45.62.

#The 23-year-old Gardiner’s time in Hungary now has him at No.5 on the performance list for 2019.

#Four Americans are ahead of him, inclusive of Michael Norman with 43.45, Kahmari Montgomery at 44.23, Stewart Trevor at 44.25 and Rai Benjamin at 44.31.

#The double Bahamian national record holder at 19.75 in the 200m and 43.87 in the 400m is also 12th in the 200m, having ran a season’s best of 20.04 on April 13 in Coral Gables, Florida.

#American Noah Lyles leads 10 other competitors under 20 seconds with his world-leading time of 19.50 done in Lausanne, Switzerland on Friday. American world indoor champion Christian Coleman, in just his second 200m race since June 2017, crossed the line in a meet record of 19.91, well ahead of world champion Ramil Guliyev (20.23) and Canada’s Aaron Brown (20.24).

#Thomas missed a mark

#Donald Thomas also competed in the meet on Tuesday, but he didn’t post a mark in the men’s high jump that was won by Ilya Ivanyuk, an authorised neutral athlete from Russia, who cleared a world leading height of 2.33 metres or 7-feet, 7 3/4-inches.

#Thomas, the 2007 world champion, is not yet on the world’s list that includes Jamal Wilson, tied with eight other competitors at 2.25m (7-4 1/2) for his victory in Shanghai, China on May 18 and Trevor Barry, with 2.24m in his victory as well in Opole, Poland on June 23, matched by 13 others for 47th place.

#Gaither split sprint double

#Coming off her victory in the women’s 100m at the Star Athletics Sprint Series in Montverde, Florida on Friday in 11.11, Tynia Gaither showed up at the 2019 Spitzen Leichtathlerik in Lucerne, Switzerland on Tuesday for the sprint double. In the straight-away race, she held on for fifth place in 11.29 in the final after placing third in the second of two heats of the 100 in 11.35 for the fourth fastest time.

#Gina Luckenkemper of Germany took the final title in 11.20.

#Gaither, 26, came back in the 200m and picked up the crown in 22.69 with Canadian Crystal Emmanuel trailing in 22.90.

#From the meet in Montverde, Gaither is now tied with six other competitors in the 100m and her time in the 200m in Lucerne has her pegged at No.12 with American Gabrielle Thomas after she won the half-lap in race in Lausanne on Friday.

#Elaine Thompson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce share the top of the 100m leaderboard after their photo finish at the Jamaica National Trials in Kingston, Jamaica, on June 21.

#BAAA Nationals

#The Bahamian athletes are all gearing up for the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National Championships, scheduled for the weekend of July 26-28 at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex.

#It’s the same weekend that the United States will hold their national championships.

#From the nationals, athletes will qualify for team selection to the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) World Championships in Doha, Qatar, September 28 to October 6.

Steven Gardiner (file photo)

Sunday, August 23, 2020

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#LIKE his Bahamian On Track Management, Inc. counterpart Shaunae Miller-Uibo, World Championship men’s 400 meter champion Steven Gardiner showed his versatility and speed over the weekend by competing in a pair of meets in Mariette, Georgia. 

#On Saturday night at the Atlanta 150m Challenge at the Life University in Mariette, Georgia, Gardiner erased Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown’s Bahamian national 150m time of 15.10 seconds that he ran in Manchester, England on May 17, 2014 when he clocked 15.07 to pull away from his nearest rival Christopher Belcher of Nike, who did 15.58 for second. Alonzo Edward of Adidas was third in 16.08.

#Earlier in the day at the American Track League Meet #6 at the same facility in Georgia, Gardiner raced to victory in the second of six heats of the century in 11.19. However, that was only good enough for 10th place overall.

#Edward had the fastest time overall in 10.37 as he took heat six. Another quarter-miler Fred Kerley of Nike won heat three in 11.05 for eighth place overall.

#Gardiner, who improved from the men’s 400m silver medal at the 2017 World Championships in London, England to gold in Doha, Qatar last year, is now the national record holder in the 150m, 200m (19.75), 200m straight (19.88), 300m (31.83) and 400m (43.47). His name is also on the indoor 300m record with a time of 32.24.

#Claude Bryan, the chief executive officer of On Track Management, Inc., the management group for Gardiner and Miller-Uibo, simply stated that they were “quite pleased with his run.”

#Gardiner, the 24-year-old sprinter from Murphy Town, Abaco, who started his international journey as a 200m competitor under coach Anthony Williams, adds his 150m time to his season’s best of 19.96 in the 200m and 31.83 in the 300m.

Shaunae Miller-Uibo pictured in July.

#As for Miller-Uibo, who had to withdraw from the finals of the women’s 100m last week at the Star Athletics Sprint Showcase in Florida where she ran 13.56 seconds in the first round of the event, was back in action as she contested the women’s 150m in the same meet Saturday night.

#Still not at full strength from her unconfirmed condition, Miller-Uibo had to settle for sixth place in 20.35. American Jessica Beard, also representing Adidas, was the overall winner in 18.02 with Chrisann Gordon-Powell second in 18.18. Hannah Cunliff was third in 19.32.

#Before her final two races, 26-year-old Miller-Uibo was the world leader up to August 9 with 10.98 before Jamaica’s 1-2 punch of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.87) and Elaine Thompson-Herah (10.88) surpassed her in a meet last weekend as well in Kingston.

#Miller-Uibo, however, remains the world leader in the 200m at 21.98 and 400m with 50.52. She also holds the Bahamian national records in the 150m straight (16.23), 200m (21.74), 200m straight (21.76), 300m (34.41) and 400m (48.37). The 2014 World Indoor Championships’ bronze medallist also holds the national indoor 300m record (34.35).

#Both Gardiner and Miller-Uibo have opted from competing in the 400m this year. Last year, Gardiner ascended to the top of the podium at the World Championships with the gold in the men’s 400m, just a day after Miller-Uibo had to settle for the silver in a sterling run in the women’s event behind Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser in Doha, Qatar.

#Naser, who rocked the championships by producing the third fastest time of 48.14 to become the first woman athlete from Asia to win the 400m gold, is under investigation by World Athletics for a doping violation.

#If she is proven guilty, Miller-Uibo could be elevated to the gold after her Central American and Caribbean and Bahamian national record breaking silver medal feat of 48.37, adding to her title in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

#The results could also determine whether or not there will be a rematch at the 2020 Olympic Games, which have been postponed to 2021 in Tokyo, Japan because of the coronavirus pandemic as Naser could face a suspension for the violation.

Tynia Gaither and Steven Gardiner.

f Monday, August 24, 2020

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#The coronavirus pandemic may have limited the amount of meets that they compete in, but quarter-miler Steven Gardiner and sprinter Tynia Gaither are making the best of the opportunities they’re provided with.

#Competing at the American Track League Meet #7 on Saturday at Life University in Marietta, Georgia, the duo pulled off victories in the 100 metres.

#Gardiner, coming off his national record-breaking performance in the men’s 150m a week ago, produced his lifetime best of 10.35 seconds. The 24-year-old Adidas-sponsored athlete took the race ahead of Cejhae Greene of the Knoxville’s All-Stars in 10.38.

#“I wished I was more explosive because I have the foot speed, but overall I felt good about it,” Gardiner told The Tribune. “I don’t normally start on the straight away, so my coach told me to be explosive coming out and to work on my arm movement.

#“I did that and I came across the line in a pretty good time. I was working on my technique and my drive phase.”

#Gaither, on the other hand, emerged on top of the field in the women’s century in 11.61 over Madison Fleming, who did 12.51.

#Gaither, 27, came back in the finale of the meet and lowered her time to 11.59 for another victory over Kimberly Williams of Adidas in 12.07.

#Prior to the meet, Gaither picked up a pair of victories at the Back to the Track Series III Meet at Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas in the 60m in a personal best time of 7.46 and the 100m in a wind-aided 11.25.

#Looking back at his time of 15.07 the previous weekend at the Atlanta 150m Challenge at the same site to erase Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown’s national record of 15.10 in the 150m, Gardiner said he was fully prepared for the century this weekend.

#“It showed that I am in great shape. I could have gone faster, but I am still pleased with the way I performed,” he said.

#“It’s been a great season. It’s not what I expected, but I ran some really good times this year in the 200m, 150m and now the 100m, so I feel good about my performances.”

#Now that he’s officially done for the year, Gardiner said he can take a break and get ready for the long haul towards to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, which was postponed in July to July 2021.

#“This year we won’t be able to compete in the big races, so hopefully next year everything will be back to the way it was,” said Gardiner of the season that was interrupted due to the coronavirus.

#“I just want to continue training and working hard, regardless of what happens. I know I will have to be ready for whatever happens next year.”

#As the 400m champion at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar last August, Gardiner has not contested any one-lap races this year and he indicated that the focus next year will probably be on his assault of the 200m, an event he made his international debut in when he came from Moore’s Island, Abaco when he was coached by Anthony Williams.

#“I think we will be switching it up from now on,” said Gardiner, referring to the recommendation from his current coach Gary Evans. “You will see me doing a lot more 200m with the 400m. I enjoy competing in both and I believe I can have just as much success in the two of them.”

#With limited amount of fans or in some cases none at all due to the coronavirus protocols, Gardiner said he has been able to concentrate on his mission and that is to run as fast as he can.

#In addition to his PR in the 100m, Gardiner has also produced season’s bests of 15.10 in the 150m, 19.96 in the 200m and 31.83 in the 300m.

#Gardiner’s manager Clyde Bryan, the chief executive officer of On Track Management. Inc. said he was pleased that Gardiner “finished the race injury free. On to 2021.”

#Bryan is also the manager for female Olympic champion and World Championship silver medallist Shaunae Miller-Uibo, who didn’t compete this weekend.

#The 26-year-old Miller-Uibo was sixth in the 150m race in the Atlanta 150m Challenge in 20.35 when she returned to action a week ago after she had to withdraw from the finals of the women’s 100m the previous week at the Star Athletics Sprint Showcase in Florida where she ran 13.56.

#Bryan said Miller-Uibo will compete again prior to season’s end, but he was not at liberty to announce when or where.

#Miller-Uibo is also waiting on the results of the case against Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser, who was provisionally suspended for missing three drug tests in a 12-month span after last year’s World Championships. If she does, Miller-Uibo will be elevated to the top of the podium.

Shaunae Miller-Uibo (file photo)

f Monday, August 31, 2020

#In her second straight meet, Bahamian Olympian 400 metre champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo was unable to complete the finals of her event, prompting her to put a lid on the coronavirus-laden track and field season on Saturday.

#Three weeks after she withdrew from the final of the women’s 100m at the Star Athletic Sprint Showcase at the Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida, Miller-Uibo returned to action, but pulled up in the 200m at the Drake Blue Oval Showcase at the Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa. Miller-Uibo didn’t finish the last of two heats in the half-lap race.

#In the race was fellow Bahamian and two-time World Championships finalist Tynia Gaither, who picked up a third place in 23.08 seconds for fourth place overall.

#Lynna Irby, sponsored by Adidas just as Miller-Uibo and Gaither, had the fastest time in winning with 22.52 with Kyra Jefferson of Nike coming in second in 22.69. Shakima Wimbley, also of Adidas, won heat one in 23.07 for third place.

#After withdrawing from the final of the 100m on August 10, Miller-Uibo’s manager Claude Bryan, the chief executive officer of On Track Management Inc., said it was “just a mild discomfort so she opted for caution.”

#However, after Saturday’s race, Miller-Uibo said she “felt a little discomfort in my leg and decided to stop.” She nor Bryan gave any indication of what might have caused the discomfort.

#Coming off her silver medal performance at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar last October behind Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser, Miller-Uibo stormed out of the resumption of the track and field season after the world-wide stoppage of sports in March because of the spread of the coronavirus.

#Except for coming in second in a 150m virtual race behind American Allyson Felix and ahead of Mujinga Kambundji of Switzerland at the ‘Weltklasse Zurich Inspiration Games on July 9, Miller-Uibo has been unbeaten in all of her races in face-to-face competition on the track.

#She has also produced the world-leading time of 21.98 in the 200m at the National Training Center in Clermont, Florida and previously had the best time of 10.98, now listed at No.4 in the 100m. “We’ve had a really great season and it just wasn’t worth taking the risk,” said Miller-Uibo about whether or not she intends to continue competing this year with the European circuit now in full swing.”

#Miller-Uibo, like fellow Bahamian male compatriot Steven Gardiner, under the management of On Track Management Inc., has signalled the end of her season.

#“This is my last competition of the season,” she stated. “So now it’s time to take a break and focus on being ready for next season.”

#Miller-Uibo, the reigning Olympic champion from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016, has hinted that she will probably just concentrate on the 200m in Tokyo, Japan with the 2020 Olympics rescheduled for July 2021 because of the coronavirus.

#She was hoping that the World Athletics and the International Olympic Committee would have granted her request to amend the schedule so she could pursue the 200/400m double, but that has been denied. So Miller-Uibo is more committed to contesting the shorter race.

#If she does, Miller-Uibo could be providing a 1-2-3 punch in the half-lap race for the Bahamas with Gaither and Anthonique Strachan, who is training and competing in Kingston, Jamaica with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah.

#At the American Track League Meet #7 at Life University in Marietta, Georgia, Gaither clocked 11.61 after running 11.59 in the heats for her victory in the 100m.

#Two weeks prior at the Back to the Track Series III Meet at Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas, the 27-year-old Gaither, now training in Texas, took 60m in 7.46 and the 100m in 11.25, the latter of which is listed in the top 25 in the world.

#Strachan, who celebrated her 27th birthday on August 22 cramping up in the 100m at a meet in Jamaica, came back Saturday at the Velocity Fest 7 Track Meet and placed second in the 200m in 23.87 behind Thompson-Herah (22.79) at the Sports Development Foundation National Stadium. (See full story below)

Friday, November 9, 2018

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#JUST a week into his senior season, Nashad Mackey is already earning conference accolades for the Embry Riddle Eagles men’s basketball programme.

#Mackey earned the first Sunshine State Conference Defensive Player of the Week as the Eagles got off to a 2-1 start to the year.

#He recorded three double-doubles in the Eagles’ first three games, averaging 20.0 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. He also recorded seven steals and turned away a pair of shots for the Eagles over the weekend.

#In the season opener, he posted 18 points, 14 rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots in Embry-Riddle’s 72-69 win over Concordia.

#In game two, he finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds and three steals in a 79-70 win over Azusa Pacific.

#In their first loss, Mackey finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds and two steals in a 94-81 loss to Lindenwood.

#The Eagles return to the court tonight and look to get back into the win column against Lee University.

#Mackey has 26 double-doubles in 31 career games with Embry-Riddle.

#As a junior, Mackey produced a number of career milestones and postseason awards.

#He was named to the All-Conference second team as well as the All-Newcomer team when the Sunshine State Conference office announced the 2017-18 men’s basketball postseason awards.

#Mackey made school history when he became the first Eagles player to earn an All-Conference selection. He had an immediate impact on the programme as they transitioned to NCAA Division II with his record-breaking junior season.

#He averaged 17.3 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, both team leads. In 28 starts, he also set a new single-season double-doubles record with 23 on the year and ended the season with 13 such consecutive games. He posted a total of 350 rebounds, another school record, ranked second in NCAA Division II.

#He finished with nine 20-point games, including one 20-point, 20-rebound game in an upset of No. 10 Barry University. He also shot 88.8 per cent from the free throw line this season, ranked sixth among single-season totals in programme history.

#The Eagles closed out the 2017-18 season last week with a 104-97 loss to Florida Southern to end the season at 11-17, 5-15 in the conference.

#Mackey ended the campaign strong with his final double-double of the season with 26 points and 14 rebounds. He transferred to the Eagles and NCAA Division II level after he posted stellar individual numbers and garnered postseason awards at the JuCo level.

#During his stint with the Daytona State College Falcons, he was named the Mid-Florida Conference Player of the Year and was also named First team All-State in the conference as a sophomore

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

NASHAD MACKEY

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#NASHAD Mackey has always been heralded for his scoring and rebounding, but we can now add improved defence to his skillset during his first season with the Embry Riddle Eagles.

#The junior forward was named the Sunshine State Conference defensive player of the week when the league announced its weekly honours yesterday.

#Embry Riddle recently got their first Sunshine State Conference win with an 86-77 triumph over No.10 Barry University for their first win over a ranked opponent this season.

#Mackey finished with 26 points and 20 rebounds on 8-10 shooting from the field, including 4-5 from three-point range and 3-4 shooting from the free throw line.

#He became just the second Eagle in school history to record a 20-20 game.

#En route to winning the weekly honour, Mackey led the Eagles to a pair of wins. Mackey scored 10 points and grabbed 14 rebounds while registering three assists, a block and two steals in the Eagles’ first ever conference win over NSU

#On the season, Mackey is averaging 16.1 points and 12.0 rebounds per game.

#He transferred to the Eagles and NCAA Division II level after he posted stellar individual numbers and garnered postseason awards at the JuCo level.

#During his stint with the Daytona State College Falcons, he was named the Mid-Florida Conference Player of the Year and was also named First team All-State in the conference as a sophomore.

#Mackey played in over 850 minutes for the Falcons in his sophomore season, leading his team in time on the court. For the Falcons he averaged 15.1 points per game on the season, and 18.8 points in conference play. Mackey also averaged three times as many boards as his next teammate statistically, averaging 14.4 rebounds per game in conference contests.

#He said the educational opportunities at Embry-Riddle were at the forefront of his decision process.

#“I always valued my education. Being an engineering major, Embry-Riddle is one of the best programmes nationwide. The university and campus is growing rapidly. Also Embry-Riddle is a winning programme under the leadership of Steve Ridder, who is father of the head coach at Daytona State.

#“I also developed a great relationship with the entire coaching staff through this recruiting process and I believe they had my best interest at heart,” he said.

#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. He led the team in double doubles with several standout performances, including 28 points and 11 rebounds in a 105-78 win over South Georgia Technical College and 18 points and 15 rebounds in a 77-74 loss to Florida Southwestern.

#This season is ERAU’s third and final year of the NCAA II transition process after spending its entire history in NAIA.

#Mackey was a former standout for the CR Walker Knights with before he relocated to the US and the Champagnat Catholic School Lions programme in Hialeah, Florida, along with fellow Bahamians Jaron Cornish and Oswald Parker.

#He was named to the Miami Herald’s All-Dade first-team for 4A-2A schools in Dade County, Florida, and also named to the Florida Association of Basketball Coaches (FABC) and Source Hoops 2014-2015 Boys Class 2A All-State Teams.

#He posted averages of 19 points, nine rebounds and three blocks per game as a high school senior.

NASHAD MACKEY

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#HIS final season at the Junior College fell short of his ultimate team goal of a national championship, but Nashad Mackey’s stellar individual numbers continue to garner postseason awards.

#Mackey, the 6’6” guard/forward for the Daytona State College Falcons, was named the Mid-Florida Conference Player of the Year and was also named First team All-State in the conference.

#Mackey played in over 850 minutes for the Falcons this season, leading his team in time on the court. For the Falcons he averaged 15.1 points per game on the season, and 18.8 points in conference play.

#Mackey also averaged three times as many boards as his next teammate statistically, averaging 14.4 rebounds per game in conference contests.

#Falcons assistant coach Ian Gibson lauded Mackey’s effort this season.

#“Probably the best rebounder in the state. Great kid, great person, does everything right on and off the floor every single day. You can always depend on him to do everything that we ask,” Gibson said.

#Mackey is expected to continue his basketball career at the NCAA Division II level after he signed with the Embry-Riddle Eagles in November.

#He said the educational opportunities at Embry-Riddle was at the forefront of his decision process.

#“I always valued my education. Being an engineering major, Embry-Riddle is one of the best programmes nationwide. The university and campus is growing rapidly. Also Embry-Riddle is a winning programme under the leadership of Steve Ridder, who is father of the head coach at Daytona State. I also developed a great relationship with the entire coaching staff through this recruiting process and I believe they had my best interest at heart,” he said.

#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.

#He led the team in double doubles with several standout performances, including 28 points and 11 rebounds in a 105-78 win over South Georgia Technical College and 18 points and 15 rebounds in a 77-74 loss to Florida Southwestern.

#“My time here at Daytona has been a blast, I’ve spent countless amounts of hours working on my game and making a body transition. It paid off quite fine. I became more athletic and agile, making the game a whole lot better for myself,” he said. “I think I’ll fit into the programme effectively. My skill set is sufficient to make immediate impact and, who knows, maybe an all conference player. At this level division two and with this programme I can play anywhere on the court from 1-5.”

#This season is ERAU’s third and final year of the NCAA II transition process after spending its entire history in NAIA.

#Mackey was a former standout for the CR Walker Knights with head coach Trevor Grant. He relocated to the US and the Champagnat Catholic School Lions programme in Hialeah, Florida, along with fellow Bahamians Jaron Cornish and Oswald Parker.

#Mackey was named to the Miami Herald’s All-Dade first-team for 4A-2A schools in Dade County, Florida, and also named to the Florida Association of Basketball Coaches (FABC) and Source Hoops 2014-2015 Boys Class 2A All-State Teams.

#He posted averages of 19 points, nine rebounds and three blocks per game.

#This offseason his attempt to make the men’s senior national team was seen as a learning experience and motivation to get better.

Sunday, March 15, 2020

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#FRANCO Miller Jr’s tenure with the Ole Miss Rebels men’s basketball programme has come to an end.

#Miller announced his intention to enter the NCAA’s transfer portal and will have three years of eligibility remaining when he signs to a new programme.

#“To the University of Mississippi. I have greatly enjoyed my time here at Ole Miss. I’d like to thank the coaching staff for giving me the opportunity, my teammates and friends that I have made on and off the court. The support here at Ole Miss was tremendous.

#“I’ll cherish the amount of memories and friendships I made in Oxford,” he said in a message posted to social media. “However, after constant conversations with my family, I feel like now is in my best interest to enter my name into the transfer portal.”

#Miller played sparingly last season as a redshirt freshman and appeared in just 13 games. In those few appearances, he reached double figures in minutes just three times.

#He scored four points in his season debut against Alabama State, but would go scoreless for the remainder of the season.

#Prior to the NCAA’s cancellation of winter and spring sports due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Rebels’ season ended with a 81-63 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs in the first round of the SEC Tournament.

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Franco Miller

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#FRANCO Miller continues to bolster his recruiting stock in his lone season of prep basketball with the Crestwood Prep Academy Lions.

#Miller opened up session two of the The National Preparatory Association’s Prep League yesterday with a game-high 30 points in the Lions’ 111-88 win over Beast Basketball.

#The tournament which began yesterday continues through January 6 and is hosted at the Lions’ campus in Toronto, Canada.

#The Vice Principal and Director of Athletics at Crestwood Prep, Lisa Newton, said northpolehoops.com is a vital platform to showcase prep basketball in the country.

#“Crestwood is excited to be hosting the NPA New Year Challenge this January 3-6, 2018. We are thrilled to have so many elite Canadian basketball players coming to Crestwood to show their talents and participate in some great basketball.

#“We hope many people will come join us at Crestwood to watch and celebrate these excellent high school athletes,” said Newton.

#Players on the competing post-grad prep programmes bye for opportunities at receiving scholarship offers from various NCAA, USports and Junior College programmes.

#NCAA Division I programmes at the event include Purdue, Illinois, VCU, Toledo, SMU, Rhode Island, Kansas State, Jacksonville State, Canisius and Central Michigan. Local Canadian teams from U Sports programs include the University of Toronto, Brock, McMaster, Queen’s, Guelph and Western and George Brown from the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association. The National junior college champions Hutchinson complete the list of programmes scouting players.

#Miller, a highly sought after recruit for the class of 2018, is spending this season at the prep school in Toronto, Canada before he makes the leap and has made an immediate impact since the first preseason tournament.

#Miller averaged over 20 points per game and led Crestwood to a 3-1 finish at the Father Henry Carr Early Bird Classic in November.

#The 6’2″ guard spent much of the summer playing under coach Ro Russell for the Grass Roots Elite Club where his performance on the AAU circuit garnered offers from several Division I programmes.

#Russell was hired to head the programme at Crestwood in 2016 and Miller followed suit.

#Crestwood makes its transition this year into the National Preparatory Association for the 2017-18 season.

#The programme will be tested right away as Crestwood will be competing in the Southeast Division against powerhouse programmes such as St Michael’s College, Toronto Basketball Academy, and Central Tech Prep.

#Miller’s play on the AAU circuit last summer has attracted official offers from Montana State University, the University of Wyoming, St Bonaventure University and the University of Illinois at Chicago. There are also several other programmes that have expressed interest.

#His most noteworthy performance came at the Fab 48 Invitational in Las Vegas, Nevada, in July where he averaged over 20 points per game with Russell’s Grass Roots Elite Club.

Thursday, July 2, 2020

Franco Miller Jr

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#FRANCO Miller Jr ended his time in the transfer portal and committed to join the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles to continue his collegiate basketball career.

#Miller’s tenure with the Ole Miss Rebels came to an end in March when he announced he would be leaving the programme. He will have three years of eligibility remaining in his NCAA career. “We are excited to add a student and player of Franco’s calibre to our programme. He is an experienced guard who can play the point guard position or slide over to the wing as a scorer,” said Eagles head coach Michael Fly.

#“The coaching staff at Ole Miss was extremely complimentary of Franco on and off the court. With three years of eligibility, his addition should strengthen our backcourt for the foreseeable future in combination with our other newcomers and young players.”

#According to the Eagles, Miller becomes the sixth newcomer for the Eagles roster heading into the 2020-21 season, joining four early signees and one graduate transfer. The Eagles will return 70-per cent of its scoring back in the line-up along with seven players who saw significant action in 25-or-more games during the 2019-20 season.

#FGCU competes in the Atlantic Sun Conference. They come off a 10-22 season that concluded with a loss in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament. FGCU is best known for their run in the 2013 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament, their first since moving up to Division I. They became the first 15th seed to advance to the Sweet 16.

#Miller’s tenure with the Ole Miss Rebels came this offseason when he announced his intention to enter the NCAA’s transfer portal.

#Miller played sparingly last season as a redshirt freshman and appeared in just 13 games. In those few appearances, he reached double figures in minutes just three times.

#He scored four points in his season debut against Alabama State, but would go scoreless for the remainder of the season.

#Despite falling out of the rotation, Miller made an impact off the court and was named to the 2020 SEC Men’s Basketball Community Service Team. The only freshman to receive the recognition. His community service résumé participated in Adopt-a-Basket, which gives food items to families in need during the Thanksgiving season. As part of Reading with the Rebels, he has visited several local schools to promote the importance of reading while sharing some of his favourite books. His biggest activity was coordinating a campus-wide Hurricane Dorian relief drive to help those affected by the devastating hurricane that hit his native country of the Bahamas.”

#He also joined a team visit to LeBonheur Children’s Hospital and helped raise more than $10,000 as part of the first #SinkCancer event at Ole Miss.

#Miller had his true freshman season cut short due to a stress fracture in his kneecap that eventually led to surgery. He was granted a medical redshirt.

#While sidelined he was one of eight Rebels that silently protested by kneeling during the American national anthem in response to Confederacy rallies hosted near the stadium in February 2019. Minutes before the Rebels’ tipped off against the Bulldogs he joined teammates KJ Buffen, DC Davis, Brian Halums, Luis Rodriguez, Devontae Shuler, Bruce Stevens and Breein Tyree by taking a knee during the “Star Spangled Banner.”

#Miller chose the Rebels over the Oklahoma Sooners, Oregon Ducks, Minnesota Golden Gophers and Towson Tigers.

#The 6’3”, 200-pound guard previously received offers from Hofstra, Montana State, Wyoming, St Bonaventure and Illinois at Chicago.

#Following his tenure for the Tabernacle Baptist Academy Falcons, Miller played at Crestwood Prep in Ontario, Canada. He led the Lions to the National Preparatory Association playoffs.

#While there, he averaged 25.8 points per game, 6.0 rebounds per game, 5.2 assists per game and 3.3 steals per game. He broke the 40-point threshold twice throughout the year, tallying a game-high 42 points versus Thetford Academy and scoring 40 points against the Toronto Basketball Club.

#While north of the border, Miller earned first-team All-Canada NPA honours, first team All-CISAA accolades and Universal Hoops First Team All-Canada recognition.

#His play also earned him a spot in the prestigious Allen Iverson Roundball Classic as well as the Signature All-Canadian Showcase.

#At the local level with the Tabernacle Baptist Falcons, Miller had a senior season filled with accolades highlighted when he was named as the Most Valuable Player of the 34th Annual Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic.