Home|Sports|Ferguson finishes third at ILCA Mid-Winters East RegattaSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailFebruary 22, 2023 122 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian junior sailor Craig Ferguson continues to shine both locally and internationally in sailing.

Representing the Bahamas Sailing Association (BSA), the 14-year-old youth sailor finished third in the Laser 4.7 Class of the ILCA (International Laser Class Association) Class 4 Mid-Winters East Regatta in Clearwater, Florida, over the weekend. There were 46 sailors in the fleet.

Ferguson, who has emerged as one of the top youth sailors locally, had one first-place finish, two seconds and two thirds in the seven-race series, finishing with a net total of 23 and a grand total of 29. He also had a fifth and a sixth, but the sixth was thrown out for being the lowest score. Representing Team Happy of the South Carolina Yacht Club (SCYC), on board the boat Dogger on da Water, 

American James Pine claimed the top overall spot, finishing significantly ahead of the rest of the competition. He was second overall at the optimist worlds last year.

Pine had four first-place finishes, a second and two thirds in the seven-race series, finishing with a net total of 12 and a grand total of 15. He was followed by his teammate at SCYC Nathan Pine on board Shark!! with a net total of 21 and a grand total of 29.

Ferguson, who finished first overall in silver fleet at the 2022 Arkas Optimist World Championship, was one of five sailors to compete for The Bahamas in the regatta.

Also competing were Enzo Godoy, Zachery Knowles, Katie Kelly and Ellieann Higgs, all in the ILCA Class 6.

They finished 73rd, 78th, 79th and 84th, respectively. In total, there were over 170 registered participants in the regatta, and the event was hosted by the Clearwater Yacht Club in Clearwater, Florida.

https://thenassauguardian.com/ferguson-finishes-third-at-ilca-mid-winters-east-regatta/

Yolett McPhee-McCuin

As of Tuesday, February 21, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin and her University of Mississippi Lady Rebels had their chances in regulation on Sunday, but they blew it and lost in overtime as the NCAA top-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks stayed undefeated.

#Playing before a record crowd of 65,630 fans at The Pavilion at Ole Miss, the Lady Rebels managed to close out the regulation tied at 55-55, but in the extra five minutes, they couldn’t contain South Carolina, who went on to secure a 64-57 win. While the Gamecocks, coached by Dawn Staley, improved to 27-0 overall and 14-0 and need one more win at Tennessee on Thursday to clinch the Southwestern Conference (SEC) regular season title, McPhee-McCuin and her Lady Rebels are 20-6 and 9-4 with two more games to play this week to at least match or improve on their 10th SEC winning season last year.

#“I think it was great. They’re the number one team in the nation. A lot of people have tried to take them down and have been unsuccessful,” said McPhee-McCuin of the live nationally televised game.

#“We had a chance to take them down in regulation, but just couldn’t figure it out. “It’s a learning experience for us and we will only get better as a result of it.”

#With Ole Miss scheduled to play Missouri at 7pm on Thursday and close out their regular season on Sunday against Alabama, McPhee-McCuin said they are on the verge of surpassing last year’s 10-6 SEC season. “It’s been great. I think we are playing good basketball, but not our best basketball yet,” she said.

#As they work on getting to that level, McPhee-McCuin said if they are more efficient on the offensive end scoring the baskets rather than making the costly turnovers, as they did against South Carolina, they will be right where she wants them to be.

#“We have to be able to capitalise on our free throw shooting or a two-on-one situation and stuff like that. So I would like to see us do that.

#“If we do that, we will be in good shape. Defensively, we’re one of the best in the country. We just need our offence to start catching up.”

#Following in the footsteps of her legendary basketball coach Gladstone ‘Moon’ McPhee, McPhee- McCuin said she was quite pleased to hear the compliments she continues to receive from the media and her peers as they consider her to be one of the top coaches in the NCAA.

#“I think it’s well earned. There’s been a lot of work put into this,” McPhee- McCuin said.

#“I come from a coaching tree, so it’s pretty cool. But I work hard every day. I’m humble. I learn a lot. I’m a student of the game and for us to go back-to-back 20-plus seasons and go to the NCAA Tournament is a blessing.”

#This is the 18th year for McPhee-McCuin as a coach after she made the transition from playing as a point guard.

#She is now in her 10th year as a head coach and the fifth at Ole Miss, having just signed on a four-year deal.

#“You know they will have to run me my money after this season right,” McPhee-McCuin joked.

#McPhee-McCuin is even more excited about what next season holds as she will get the opportunity to coach her second Bahamian player in Rhema Collins, who will be joining Ole Miss after completing her high school career at Weber School.

#“We’re really excited about Rhema and what she will be bringing to Ole Miss,” said McPhee- McCuin, who a few years ago coached point guard Valerie Nesbitt on her Lady Rebels’ team.

#“You haven’t seen her best performances yet. Rhema is a special talent and honestly, I think her best talent is ahead of her. I don’t think you have seen the best of her yet.

#“We hope to help bring that out of her when she comes.”

#With Collins being on the team, McPhee-McCuin hopes to come back home in November to play in a tournament at Atlantis, similar to what they did last November when they played in a tournament at Baha Mar.

#On Saturday, Collins helped Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, clinch their third regional championship title.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/feb/21/mcphee-mccuin-and-lady-rebels-fall-short/?news

LET THE GAMES BEGIN – Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg shoots a basketball yesterday to signify the official opening of the prestigious Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic for senior boys. The opening ceremonies were held at AF Adderley Gymnasium but the games will be played at the Kendal Isaacs Gym. Photo: Austin Fernander/Tribune Staff

As of Tuesday, February 21, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#WALKING back into the AF Adderley Gymnasium for the opening ceremonies of the 36th Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic brought back some fond memories for Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg.

#Bowleg, who started out as a basketball player for the AF Adderley Fighting Tigers when they were a high school, ventured into coaching, before he became the president of the Bahamas Basketball Federation and eventually emerged into politics.

#Bowleg, who captured a pair of back-to-back titles with the CC Sweeting Cobras in 2012 and 2013 and again in 2015 and 2016, said he’s been constantly asked if he misses coaching and he would consistently say “no.”

SHOWN, from left to right, are Alsworth Pickstock, one of the tournament founders, Belinda Wilson, president of the Bahamas Union of Teachers, Mrs Hugh Campbell, wife of the late Hugh Campbell, Kenneth Rolle, vice principal of AF Adderley, and Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg.

#But upon hearing the roar of the crowd in the mystique AF Adderley Gymnasium on Monday morning, Bowleg said he felt the adrenaline that he experienced in the past and had a change of heart about whether or not he missed coaching.

#He stated empathically that he “did.”

#Bowleg was declaring the weeklong tournament for senior boys open.

#In its return after not playing for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all of the games will be played at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

#Bowleg commended Alsworth “Whitey’ Pickstock, who convinced Fighting Tigers’ head coach Doug Collins that they should start the tournament to raise funding for their athletic programme.

#The idea was accepted by principal Hugh Campbell and gave birth in 1992 when the LW Young Golden Eagles, also a high school team then, won the first title under coach Walter Rand and led by most valuable player Bernard.

#It was during one of the tournaments that he was playing in, Bowleg said he found his wife on the basketball court in AF Adderley Gym and they have been married for the past 18 years.

#In his brief address, Bowleg said he’s also delighted to have been able to serve as a coach for some of the coaches, who will be coaching their respective teams in the tournament. Among the list were Dario Burrows of the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools’ champions Charles W Saunders, Dastyn Baker, now coaching at CC Sweeting and Ernest Saunders, the head coach, of the Jordan Prince Williams Falcons.

#With teams from Jordan Prince Williams, Government High, RM Bailey, Charles W Saunders, CC Sweeting, CV Bethel, Anatol Rodgers and CI Gibson all in attendance, Bowleg declared the tournament open. He also shot the ceremonial shot from the free throw line, but missed the first two before converting the final one.

#Pickstock, who was also among the list of dignitaries on hand, said he was pleased to see the tournament return because it provides an opportunity for the young men to develop their skills, especially against their counterparts who come in from Grand Bahama and some of the Family Islands.

#“The whole idea for establishing this tournament was for the players to have some camaraderie among themselves,” Pickstock said. “The advent of bringing in Freeport was to take the tournament to another level from a national perspective.”

#Grand Bahama teams participated in the tournament for the first time the following year in 1983 when the Catholic High Crusaders, coached by Gladstone ‘Moon’ McPhee, won. In fact, Grand Bahama teams won the next two with the Hawksbill High Hawks, coached by the late Errol Bodie and the Eight Mile Rock Bluejays, coached by Gary McIntosh, were the 1994 and 1995 champions.

#The tournament was cancelled in 1986 when there was a dispute with the high school coaches, forcing a split with the government and private schools and the formation of the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) and the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS).

#When the tournament resumed in 1987, the host AF Adderley Fighting Tigers, coached by Collins, went on to become the first two-peat champions before there was a dominance of the Grand Bahamian teams up to 1997 when the CR Walker Knights, coached by Trevor Grant, returned the title to New Providence.

#In that span of Grand Bahama success, Jimmy Clarke coached Hawksbill High to the first of three-peats from 1992-1994.

#The only other team to three-peat was the CI Gibson Rattlers, coached by Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnson, with their feat from 2004-2007.

#Following Bowleg’s two-straight from 2012-2014 with CC Sweeting, the Tabernacle Baptist Falcons, coached by Kevin Clarke, won it consecutively in 2017-2018.

#Clarke also played for the Falcons, whose coach then was Norris Bain when they won it back-to-back in 2009-2010.

#Bain, who won his first two straight in 1995 and 1996, is listed as the winningest coach in the tournament, having won six titles. Bowleg, Johnson and Clarke have each captured four crowns, albeit Clarke is the first to win with two different teams after he came to New Providence and led the Knights to their victory in 1997.

#The defending champions of the tournament are the Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins, coached by Denycko Bowles.

#Since then, Bowles has been moved to Anatol Rodgers where he is coaching the Timberwolves.

#The Mystic Marlins are now coached by Kevon Spence.

#Comedian Das Quay served as the master of ceremonies for the opening, which featured entertainment by the AF Adderley School Band and cheerleaders, the Royal Bahamas Police Pop Band and musician Julian Believe.

#Theophilus Claridge, a former principal at AF Adderley and now the Southern District superintendent, brought remarks on behalf of Dominique Russell, the director of education, science and technology.

#Also in attendance was Belinda Wilson, the president of the Bahamas Union of Teachers.

36TH HUGH CAMPBELL BASKETBALL CLASSIC @ KENDAL ISAACS GYMNASIUM

As of Tuesday, February 21, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#THE Jordan Prince Williams Falcons, in their first game since losing the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools’ senior boys title to the Charles W Saunders Cougars, didn’t have any mercy on the Kingsway Academy Saints.

#In a lopsided victory on day one of the 36th edition of the Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic yesterday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, the Falcons flew past the Saints 76-49.

#In the feature game of the night, the CC Sweeting Cobras doubled up the Government High Magicmen 67-31.

#The CV Bethel Stingrays stunned the Queen’s College Comets 41-36.

#Falcons 76, Saints 49: Although they only had two players in double figures, Jordan Prince Williams had a balanced scoring attack as they marched past Kingsway Academy in a lopsided affair.

#Kamari Minns led the attack with 16 and Jakayo Kemp had 13. Both Ellery Lockhart and Barkley Cadet had eight and Valentino Ferguson, Broc Glinton, Kenneth Reckley and Philip Robinson all scored six as head coach Ernest Saunders had his team clicking on all cylinders.

#Minns had 10, with a pair of three-pointers, to help the Falcons open a 19-10 first quarter lead. Kemp came up with nine in the second quarter as they extended their lead to 38-20 at the half. They were never challenged the rest of the way.

#For good measure, and Lockhart had five as they extended their lead to 64-32 at the end of the third.

#Ferguson canned a pair of three-pointers in the fourth as they stayed ahead for good.

#Evan Cartwright had a game high 21 points and Rayjin Smith added 11 in a losing cause. Kenyon Johnson had six, Cayden Cunningham five and Ethan Burrows four, but it wasn’t enough.

#Cobras 67, Magicmen 31: Jaheim Armbrister canned 13 points as he led the attack for CC Sweeting as just about every player scored.

#Jamerolston was the only other one in double figures with 11.

#Mauricio Davis had nine, Jason Williams eight, Ronald Adderley six, Emmanuel Adams five, and Calvin Thurston, Mataeo Minnis and Robert Prater all added four.

#In a losing effort, Leroy Rolle had 11 and Rasheed Brennen finished with eight.

#Stingrays 41, Comets 36: Charles Major III had 12 points, Prescott Stubbs had 11, Derrick Edgecombe eight, Marvince Dorel five and Juvenson Jilles chipped in with four in pushing CV Bethel to victory as they led from start to finish.

#The Stingrays had went up 17-7. Leonardo Burrows had a game high 19 points and Tayshawn Taylor had eight in the loss.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/feb/21/falcons-fly-past-saints-76-49/?news

As of Tuesday, February 21, 2023

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WINNERS of the 36th St Valentine’s Regatta over the weekend in Montagu Bay.

#THE 36th edition of the St Valentine’s Regatta turned out to be a huge success over the weekend in Montagu Bay.

#The popular sloop sailing event, the brainchild of the late Eleazor ‘the Sailing Barber’ Johnson, took place on Saturday and Sunday.

#Winning the title was Whisper with 15 points, followed by Sweet Island Gal with 13 in second and Flash placed third with 12.

#The Dream Girl was fourth with 10 points, the Cobra got fifth with seven and Unca John completed the field in sixth place with four points.

#Organisers of the event thanked the Bahamas Boat Owners and Sailors Association, along with the fans, who showed up on Montagu Bay.

#The Johnson family indicated that they will redouble their efforts to ensure that the legacy of their father continues to live on. The event was sponsored by Cuba Libre & Street Side Pizza, Goombay Punch, Bank of the Bahamas and Johnson’s Trucking and Johnson’s Barber Shops.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/feb/21/36th-st-valentines-regatta-huge-success/?news

THANKS to founder Howard Chang, a second homeowner in Exuma, with strong support from other second homeowners like Bob Coughlin, 2nd from right, founder of Friends of Exuma, the 8th Annual Tour de Turquoise cycling event hit a record high, raising $165,000 for Exuma needs, topping the 2022 raise that purchased a new bus for LN Coakley High.

As of Tuesday, February 21, 2023

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A GROUP of cyclists who completed the 2023 record-setting Tour de Turquoise event gather in front of the bus purchased for LN Coakley High with funds from last year’s race.

#FOR donors who wonder where exactly their dollars go and who they help, in Exuma they only have to look as far as the school bus that proudly bears the name LN Coakley High.

#Sponsors, supporters and riders who participated in the 2022 Tour de Turquoise raised more than $100,000 to pay for that bright blue bus that has been a student body gamechanger.

#But having wheeled in record success, when founder Howard Chang and sponsoring supporters like author Jeff Todd, Peter Nicholson, the largest shareholder at Grand Isle Resorts & Residences, and Bob Coughlin, founder of Friends of Exuma, vowed to top that figure in 2023, many held their breath, doubting they could do it.

#This week, the announcement came.

#“Tour de Turquoise 2023 raised more than $165,000, a fantastic new record, thanks to all those who support this grass roots cycling event and especially the second homeowners who have made Exuma their home and want to give back,” said Todd. And co-founder Chang, who introduced the growing cycling event after being a founding member of Canada’s Les Domestiques (‘cyclists who serve’) touches on the appeal of the local event.

#“What our donors love about this event is how the money really touches those who need it,” he said.

#“Exuma is such an impressive community with so many needs, whether it be in health, education or the environment. Our job is to identify those needs and do our best to invest in causes that have a direct impact on people’s lives.”

#Among other causes, the event has helped purchase a bus for the local hospital, revitalised a local basketball court, sent children to camp, created a cycling club for students, and most recently, bought that new bus for the high school so students can participate in extra-curricular activities after school.

#But getting to the level of donations the Tour now enjoys did not happen easily. According to Todd, the event only raised modest sums, though it brought the community together, until the big boost in 2021 when it brought in over $100,000 for the first time.

#“That’s when major donors and supporters like Bob Coughlin and Friends of Exuma (an NGO founded by Coughlin) stepped up,” said Todd.

#“We wouldn’t be where we are without people like Howard Chang and his family and Bob Coughlin, second homeowners who love the community and want to give back to Exuma.”

#Also key to Tour de Turquoise has been the Exuma Foundation of Canada, a registered charity that allows Canadians to receive a tax deduction for their donations and more recently, Friends of Exuma, which offers tax incentives for American donors.

#The event features two races for all ages and abilities, including a community ride of about 40km (25 miles), and a ‘VIP route’ of 80km (80 miles) for more experienced cyclists.

#In both, donors and locals ride side by side and socialise while taking in the island’s vistas and famously blue water. Tour De Turquoise partners with the medical and law enforcement authorities. Timing of the event is no accident. Exuma’s world-class water and beaches, not to mention the friendliness of the locals, has been a winning combination for donors seeking a fundraiser that’s off the beaten track, especially in January when temperatures in northern climates are freezing and cyclists in Exuma are pedalling along in t-shirts astride a shoreline of warm sparkling waters. “I look forward to coming here every year,” Norbert Frisckhorn says, a retired entrepreneur who has been to all eight events.

#“First off, the island is incredibly beautiful. And then there are the people who remember you year after year. It’s a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a holiday, connect with friends, while also making a difference in a place that really benefits from it.”

#Much like Chang, Coughlin had an inherent drive and motivation to give back to an island he also calls home. As the founder of Paycor, a platform that delivers payroll and human resource services to major companies across US, he knows a thing or two about building winning teams.

#“Friends of Exuma has been leaning in and supporting many projects,” adds Coughlin, who is also the founder of the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati, one of the largest running events in the US. “Tour de Turquoise is a perfect chance for us to collaborate and introduce potential new donors to the island. Chang and his team have done a wonderful job with the ride and we look forward to reaching greater heights together in the future.”

#To learn more about Tour de Turquoise in January 2024, visit its website at rideforexuma.com

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/feb/21/tour-de-turquoise-raises-record-165000-exuma/?news

 Home|Sports|Hugh Campbell classic gets underwaySports

Falcons dominate Saints in matchup of BAISS playoff teams; action continues today

Sheldon LongleySend an emailFebruary 21, 2023 106 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Day one of the 2023 Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic is in the books, and whereas there were no major upsets, a game between two playoff teams in the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) turned out to be a complete one-sided affair as the Jordan Prince William High Falcons flew away from the Kingsway Academy Saints.

A 20-1 scoring run covering the second and third quarters allowed the Falcons to pull away from the bewildered Saints last night, winning 76-49 at the Kendal G.L. Isaacs National Gymnasium.

The Saints were competitive early, taking a 9-8 lead at the 2:57 mark of the opening quarter. However, that is when the Falcons got going defensively and offensively, and the Saints never recovered.

A couple of three-point shots from Kamari Minns highlighted the 

breakaway run for the Falcons. In total, they hit four three-point shots in the opening quarter, transforming a 9-8 deficit into a 19-10 lead after one. Much of the same continued in the second quarter, but this time, it would be the defense of the Falcons that took center stage. They forced a number of turnovers and converted them into easy transition baskets.

The stifling defense of the Falcons kept the Saints off the scoreboard altogether in the second quarter, and they stretched their lead to a commanding 38-10 cushion at the half.

Minns led the Falcons with 16 points last night. Jakayo Kemp added 13 and Ellery Lockhart and Barkley Cadet dropped in eight apiece. Evan Cartwright had a game-high 21 for the Saints. Rayjin Smith was their only other player in double figures with 11.

“I was pleased with the way we shot the ball tonight. The shooting was exceptional,” said Falcons’ Head Coach Ernest Saunders. “The guys shot the ball well and if we continue to shoot like that, we will be tough to beat. Also, the defensive intensity picked up, and that was the key for us. I knew once we play defense, the offense would feed off that and that is what happened tonight. I just believe we just need to be more disciplined in certain areas. We just need to come out and play our brand of basketball, and once we do that, we’ll be okay.”

The Falcons continued to thrive in the third quarter, pushing the lead to as much as 34 points in the third. They led 64-32 after three, and coasted the rest of the way.

The Saints gave the C.W. Saunders Cougars a push in their sudden death elimination playoff game in the BAISS while the Falcons rolled past the St. Augustine’s College (SAC) Big Red Machine in the other sudden death playoff game. The Cougars swept the Falcons in the championship series.

The game last night was billed to be a thrilling and intense competition, but the Falcons ended that notion early. They stamped their authority on the game from midway through the first quarter. They were not going to be denied, dominating and moving into the winner’s circle at the Hugh Campbell tournament. It doesn’t get any easier for them as they will face the Jack Hayward High Wildcats out of Freeport, Grand Bahama, in their next game. That game is slated for Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Kendal Isaacs gym.

“We know that we’re going to meet tougher opponents starting Wednesday, but we’re not focused on that. We’re just focused on what we need to do. I know that once we stick to our defensive strategy, we’ll be fine,” said Saunders last night.

In the opening game of the Hugh Campbell tournament, the Temple Christian Suns squeezed past the R.M. Bailey Pacers, 51-49. Also yesterday, the C.V. Bethel Stingrays held off the Queen’s College Comets, 41-36.

Action at the 2023 Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic continues today. The Grand Bahama and Family Island teams begin play on Wednesday.

https://thenassauguardian.com/hugh-campbell-classic-gets-underway/

 Home|Sports|McPhee-McCuin, Rebels lose in overtime to No. 1 ranked GamecocksSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailFebruary 21, 2023 129 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian Yolett “Coach Yo” McPhee-McCuin and the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Lady Rebels had the number one team in the nation on the ropes on Sunday, but fell in overtime, losing a hard-fought battle.

Playing on their home court at the Sandy and John Black (SJB) Pavilion at Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi, the Rebels gave the University of South Carolina Gamecocks all they could handle, but couldn’t stave off a late surge by Zia Cooke and the Gamecocks on Sunday evening.

The Rebels had a lead in the final minute of the game in regulation and had a shot to win after the Gamecocks tied the game at 55, but Angel Baker missed a jumper, and a turnover with just two seconds left on the clock caused them. They failed to get off a potential go-ahead shot in the final seconds.

In the overtime session, Cooke and the Gamecocks took over, outscoring the Rebels, 9-2. Cooke scored five of her 24 points in overtime to help the No. 1 Gamecocks remain unbeaten, winning, 64-57, on the road.

In a matchup between two of the top defensive teams in the country, the defending national champion Gamecocks persevered, winning their 33rd straight game. They improved to an unblemished 27-0 win/loss record on the season, 14-0 in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Rebels dropped to 20-7 and 9-5 in the SEC.

For the Bahamian head coach of the program, it was a tough loss. They never trailed by more than six points in regulation and flirted with their first win over a nationally number one ranked team in 46 years.

“Tough one. Man, today was an incredibly emotional game for me, our players, everybody,” she said to reporters after the game. “I just grew up looking up to Dawn Staley. I just have so much respect for her as a person. She has become a mentor of mine. To be able to take them into overtime and have an opportunity to win after being in our third game of the week was incredible.”

The Rebels have lost two straight and three of their last five games, but should receive some national rankings consideration after carrying the undefeated number one team in the nation to the brink of defeat.

South Carolina Head Coach Staley gave credit to the Rebels for forcing the issue and dictating the pace of the game.

“They were locked in,” she told reporters afterward. “They played their zone and were committed to it, and we didn’t handle it well until we actually had to, so it was a good game plan.”

She called the Rebels “an NCAA Tournament team”, and added that they certainly looked the part.

McPhee-McCuin and the Rebels are looking to make their second straight trip to the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament this year after missing it in the previous 14 seasons.

Cooke had six rebounds and four assists to help offset a 7-for-18 shooting performance. Aliyah Boston added 13 points and 11 rebounds on 4-for-14 shooting for the Gamecocks.

Angel Baker led Ole Miss with 17 points. Silentianna “Snudda” Collins added 11 and Marquesha Davis had nine points and seven rebounds. Rita Igbokwe blocked six shots for Ole Miss.

Prior to Sunday, the Gamecocks had been winning by an average of 33.5 points. Not only did Ole Miss remain competitive throughout, but they had a shot to win. They rallied from a six-point deficit over the final seven minutes to force overtime, but went ice cold from the field in the extra session.

South Carolina made only 23 of 61 shots in the game (37.7 percent) but outrebounded the Rebels, 49-36, and shut down the Rebels in overtime.

McPhee-McCuin and the Rebels will stay home and host the Missouri Tigers on Thursday night. That game is set to get underway at 7 o’clock.

https://thenassauguardian.com/mcphee-mccuin-rebels-lose-in-overtime-to-no-1-ranked-gamecocks/

 Home|Sports|Junior tennis players excel on Grand BahamaSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailFebruary 21, 2023 88 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Grand Bahama Tennis Association’s (GBTA) Bahama Pure Water & Ice Tournament, featuring some of the top players in the junior ranks in the northern Bahamas, wrapped up last week in Freeport, Grand Bahama.

According to reports, there was some good competition. Young tennis athletes competed in the under-12 (U12), under-14 (U14), under-16 (U16) and under-18 (U18) categories, looking to earn the top spots in their respective divisions.

Coming out on top in the U12 Boys Division was Chase Newbold while Kingston Rees finished as the runner-up. Patrick Mactaggart was the winner in the U14 Boys Division while Reeves Mahelis finished as the runner-up. Jerald Carroll prevailed in the U16 Boys Division while Khai Rees was the runner-up. In the U18 Boys Division, Carroll came out on top, winning his second title, and Jackson Mactaggart was the runner-up.

Danielle Saunders won the title in the U12 Girls Division and Londyn Mortimer finished as the runner-up. Kaylah Fox was the winner in the U14 Girls Division and Millie Beukes finished as the runner-up. Jalisa Clarke prevailed in the U16 Girls Division and Tatyana Madu was the runner-up. Clarke also took the title in the U18 Girls Division and Saphirre Ferguson was the runner-up.

The Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) congratulates the tournament participants and organizers and extends special congratulations to the winners, particularly the double crown winners – Jerald Carroll and Jalisa Clarke.

https://thenassauguardian.com/junior-tennis-players-excel-on-grand-bahama/

 Home|Sports|Final two champions crowned in the GSSSASports

Royals junior boys hold off the Sharks; Rattlers senior girls beat the Knights

Simba FrenchSend an emailFebruary 20, 2023 238 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The D.W. Davis Royals junior boys and the C.I. Gibson Rattlers senior girls were able to repeat as champions in their respective divisions in the Government Secondary Schools Sporting Association (GSSSA) best-of-three basketball championships on Friday.

The Rattlers senior girls witnessed their senior boys lifting the championship trophy the night before and came back to the Kendal G.L. Isaacs National Gymnasium looking to do the same. They took care of the C.R. Walker Knights, 45-41, to get the victory in the third and decisive game. The Royals avoided losing two straight games for the first time this season, taking down the S.C. McPherson Sharks, 47-43, in Game Three of their championship series.

Junior Boys

Royals 47, Sharks 43

After getting a wake-up call on Thursday, the Royals came back more focused but still had a tough battle against a pesky Sharks team on Friday. Led by Kami Davis, who had eight points in the second quarter, the Sharks went into halftime with a slim 24-23 lead.

Coming out of the intermission, the Royals played more aggressive on the defensive end and were able to dial-in on their shots. Led by Darius Hanna and Kamal Miller with four points each, they were able to put up 13 points in the third quarter while holding the Sharks to nine. The Royals went up 36-33 heading into the fourth.

In the fourth quarter, the Royals turned up their defense another notch, forcing Davis and the Sharks to earn their points. All four of Davis’ points in the final period came from the charity stripe.

After their Game One victory, Royals’ Head Coach Mark Hanna joked that his son, Darius Hanna, owed him a championship after he lost a championship game the day he was born. Darius scored five points in the final period including a three-point shot to lift the Royals.

The younger Hanna finished with 17 points to deliver his father a championship, and as a bonus, he won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy. Miller scored 11 points with seven coming in the second half.

Davis had a game-high 18 points for the Sharks.

For the Royals, it’s their sixth straight GSSSA junior boys basketball title.

Senior Girls

Rattlers 45, Knights 41

In this series, two evenly matched teams played their hearts out for a championship but only one could lift the trophy. That team was the Rattlers as they had a stronger second half in the third and decisive game, especially in the fourth quarter.

Rattlers’ Head Coach Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnson was looking for his team to bring the same defense and intensity that they had in the second game on Thursday night.

However, early in the first quarter, it was the Knights who would take command. They led 13-8 at the end of the first quarter. The Knights withstood a challenge from the Rattlers in the second quarter and led 25-21 at the half.

At the end of the third quarter, the Knights held a slim 35-33 lead.

Johnson had to wait until the fourth quarter to see the defense he wanted to see from his team as they held the Knights two key players, Shenell Steward and Brianna Hanna, to just two points each in that stanza. The Rattlers scored 12 points in that final period and held the Knights to just six points.

Francis won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the Rattlers. She finished with a game-high 24 points, 10 of which came in the second quarter. Her teammate Phillpps Ferguson scored 14 points.

Stewart’s 19 points was not enough for the Knights as they fell short.

The Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic, featuring the best senior boys basketball teams in the country, gets underway today at the Kendal Isaacs gymnasium.

https://thenassauguardian.com/final-two-champions-crowned-in-the-gsssa/