As of Thursday, December 22, 2022

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#It will be youth versus experience and Grand Bahama vs New Providence when rising teenager Denali Nottage faces former champion Kevin Major Jr in the men’s final of the 2022 Giorgio Baldacci Open Nationals.

#The tournament, hosted by the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association, will come to a close today at the National Tennis Centre when the women’s champions will be decided as well in a rematch of last year’s finals between champion Sydney Clarke and runners-up Elana Mackey.

#In what was the longest matched played so far during the week, Nottage survived a grueling three setter against fellow Grand Bahamian Rodney Carey in a marathon affair, while Major Jr got by fellow veteran Davis Cup player and captain Marvin Rolle in two sets in Wednesday’s semifinals.

#The winner of the men’s title will automatically earn a spot on the national team that will represent the Bahamas at the Davis Cup competition and the women’s winner will book her ticket to the Billie Jean King Cup.

#The BLTA has not announced as yet how the other spots on the teams will be determined, but it’s expected that another qualifying tournament will take place next year before the teams travel.

#Nottage in three

#over Carey Jr

#Nottage, who made his debut in the tournament with an exit in the quarterfinals, breathed a sigh of relief when he dropped an ace to hold serve and secure the game, set and match, much to the applauds of the crowd that endured almost three hours of an exciting match.

#In the end, Nottage had just prevailed with a 7-6 (5), 5-7, 7-5 win over an equally exhausted Carey as both players noted how glad they didn’t have to battle through another tie breaker.

#“This one was one. I knew I was facing one of the toughest players in the Bahamas in Rodney Carey,” said Nottage, who will celebrate his 19th birthday on Saturday. “I just had to fight until the end. “The main goal was to hold serve. There was a couple of times when I was down love-30 (0-30), but I just had to hold serve.”

#Holding serve was a major problem for both players, especially at the end of the first two sets. Nottage broke Carey Jr to level the score and force the tie breaker.

#Then in the second set, Carey Jr returned the favour as he broke Nottage, but this time he pushed the match to the decisive third set.

#In the final set, Nottage had taken a 3-1 up a break, but Carey Jr got the break back for a 4-4 tie. Carey Jr held serve on an ace for a 5-4 lead, but Nottage withstood the challenge and broke again for a 6-5 lead and then completed the match with the ace as he held serve.

#“This year, I’m in the final, so it’s an improvement,” said Nottage, who is currently enrolled at the Bill Adams Tennis Academy in Pembroke Pines, Florida, after he graduated from St George’s High School. “This year, I’m a little more mature, so I was looking forward to playing the tournament.”

#For Carey Jr, who made his return after a little hiatus from the game, said he thought they both played very well. He said he was disappointed in his performance because he blew the opportunity to win the first two sets.

#“Having to go three sets, I knew it was going to be tough,” Carey Jr insisted. “I did good to stay in there to take it to the distance, so I’m happy with that. But I’m not too upset about it.”

#Carey Jr, 30, said he’s happy to see Nottage playing at such a high level and his father Daniel Nottage, who coached many of the players in Grand Bahama, was just as elated watching on the sidelines.

#With just a day to let it sink in that he’s into the final, Nottage said the only thing he wants to do now is “get some rest,” because it’s not going to be easy against Major Jr, so “I just have to come out fighting again.”

#Major Jr sweeps

#Marvin Rolle

#Even though he admitted that Major Jr would come out victorious the day before in his quarterfinal victory, Rolle still came out and provided a stiff challenge, even if it was just for one set.

#Major Jr, the younger of the two competitors, pulled off a 6-4, 6-1 win, but he gave a lot of credit to Rolle.

#“Playing Marvin is always tricky. He’s a nice guy, but he always has blood in his eyes, so you always have to be careful,” Major Jr said.

#“So, I was ready for a fight, and I got a fight.

#“I just think he pulled back off the gas because to maintain that world-class level is not that easy and that was how I was able to take control of the match.”

#Major Jr, the tournament 2019 winner over Baker Newman, said he expected to reach the final because he came home well prepared from his training in Tampa, Florida.

#“I’m looking forward to playing Davis Cup next year and all of the tournaments I can get into,” Major Jr said.

#“I love playing other people than Bahamians. I know what I can do against Bahamians. I’m ready to take on the world.”

#Rolle, the savvy 39-year-old, said he took the match to the 27-year-old Major Jr up to the ninth game and then it just slipped away from him.

#“Kevin is tough. That’s why he’s considered one of the best players we have right now,” Rolle said. “Between him and Justin Roberts, is our best player, so it was a good win for him.”

#Rolle said while he would have preferred to be on the other side of the draw so that he could have ended up possibly facing Major Jr in the final and not the semifinals, he will look forward to the next trials to try and secure his spot on another Davis Cup team.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/dec/22/major-jr-and-nottage-face-mens-final/?news

As of Thursday, December 22, 2022

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#WHEN they are not playing each other or teaming up together in doubles, close cousins Saphire and Breann Ferguson are on the sidelines cheering for one another.

#The daughters of two brothers – Barron and Bjorn Ferguson – recalled how they got introduced to the sport of tennis by their grandfather Roscoe Ferguson, whom they call “pappa.”

#“At first I didn’t like it that much, but then I started to fall in love with it,” said Saphire, who was around seven years old when she touched the tennis racket for the first time at the National Tennis Centre.

#Saphire, the older of the two at 15, said they’ve had some hiccups playing the sport over the years, but now they are seeing some light through the tunnel, which is giving them some glimmer of hope to become the players their “pappa” envisioned.

#“It’s all about the progress,” said Saphire as they both made their debut in the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s 2022 Giorgio Baldacci Open Nationals at the National Tennis Centre.

#They both lost their first-round matches and were forced to play in the consolation round to determine their final standings.

#While Breann Ferguson, who will turn 15 on January 6, ended up in fourth place, Saphire Ferguson was fifth.

#With the open as a challenge for both players to improve their game, the junior national team players are eager to play in their own age group where they occasionally play against each other and as a team whenever doubles are scheduled.

#“Whenever we play each other and one wins over the other, we just hold it in. We probably won’t talk to each other for about five minutes,” Breann Ferguson said.

#“It’s not a competition against each other for us because we are trying to better each other.”

#As the elder of the two, Saphire Ferguson said the goal is to “push each other.”

#For Breann Ferguson, her progress has been steady. “I think it could always be better. You could always be improving, but up to this point, I feel very good about my progress,” said Breann Ferguson, a ninth grader at St John’s College.

#As they look ahead to the future, the Ferguson cousins said they would like to see not just one of them, but both of them be competing for the national title when they return home from college and before they pursue a professional career in the sport.

#“I would like to become a sports therapist,” said Saphire Ferguson, who admitted that because she’s been to one so much, she’s got accustomed to it, and she would certainly like to help others.

#After losing to collegian Elana Ferguson in the first round of the tournament, Saphire said she learned a valuable lesson.

#“You have to always focus on getting better because even when you think you’re good, there’s always someone out there that is at a different level, so you have to continue to train hard,” she stressed.

#“I just have to concentrate on playing my pressure points better.”

#None of them were under more pressure than Breann Ferguson, who had to take on the top seed and defending champion Sydney Clarke where she lost to the collegian in the second round after knocking off Calia Bowe in the first round.

#“Even though I didn’t win (against Clarke), I just wanted to play better in that match than I did in the first match (against Bowe). I just need to definitely use my footwork and be more consistent with my strokes.”

#Although they are pushed by their parents, the Ferguson cousins said “pappa” Ferguson takes the time out to work them out in doubles every chance he gets. Right now, they are making the best of every opportunity to get to improve their game.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/dec/22/cousins-making-their-presence-felt-nationals/?news

As of Thursday, December 22, 2022

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#DURING the Christmas holiday, instead of taking time off to relax and enjoy the festivities, the Nassau Rowing Club will be busy entertaining the Sparks Rowing Camp for the second consecutive year.

#The camp, scheduled for December 27-30, will be staged at the NRC’s headquarters at Oaks Hills Road, according to Kyle Chea, the president of the association.

#Building on the success of the inaugural camp last year, Chea said coordinator Ryan Sparks will be bringing 24 American high school coxswains to hone their skills under the direction of coaches from Dartmouth, Cambridge and Boston University.

#“This is proof-positive that rowing is developing into a solid pillar for sports tourism in The Bahamas,” Chea said.

#Rowers and alumni from both the NRC and the Windsor School will be collaborating with the visitors during the camp when the sessions take place between 9-11am and 1-3pm on December 28-29, and from 9am to noon prior to the campers’ and staff departure on December 30.

#Last year, an opportunity came up for Sparks Rowing to help with the acquisition of two shells – one for Nassau Rowing Club and one for Windsor School – such that they could hold an inaugural camp in December 2022.

#“We were very pleased to still be able to successfully execute the camp in compliance with the increased restrictions around the COVID surge, and it was so popular Sparks was able to expand the offering,” Chea said.

#“We’re very lucky to be able to work with the pre-eminent operator of rowing camps in the US, and arguably the world.

#“It’s even better for our young Bahamian rowers who are helping to fill the boats as the coxswains hone their skills steering, commanding and strategising.”

#Chea further noted that the coaches a brand like Sparks is able to attract is unmatched.

#He revealed that this year, coaches from Boston University, Dartmouth and Cambridge are coming to provide a unique opportunity for the local rowers, who would have to spend thousands of dollars just to meet them separately.

#“With our community rowing and public-school outreach focus, Nassau RC wants to bring as much of the rowing world to the island so that our rowers can expand their horizons and broaden their athletic and educational goals,” Chea stated.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/dec/22/sparks-rowing-camp-set-december-27-30/?news

 Home|Sports|BLTA planning for the road aheadSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailDecember 23, 2022 118 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Now that the 2022 season is over, the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) could begin its preparation for what is expected to be a busy 2023.

Up first on its calendar of events for the new year is an under-14 and under-16 tournament in January. That event is set for January 7-10 at the BLTA’s National Tennis Centre.

Following the completion of the under-14 and under-16 tournament, the BLTA will facilitate the Bahama Pure Water & Ice Juniors National Tournament and the 1st Senior Love Doubles Smash Tournament on Grand Bahama and Abaco, respectively. The Bahama Pure Water & Ice Juniors tournament will be held from February 9-12, and the Senior Love Doubles Tournament is set for February 11.

In March, the Jr. Davis Cup and Jr. Billie Jean King Cup tournaments will be contested. That is set for March 6-11. A World Juniors Boys and Girls event is set for March 20-25, and the BLTA Spring Classic will be contested at the BLTA’s National Tennis Centre on New Providence from March 30 to April 2.

The BD Global Junior Classic for 12-and-under (12U), 14-and-under (14U) and 18-and-under (18U) players will be held on Abaco on April 8, and the Tim’s Refrigeration Doubles Tournament will be held on Eleuthera on April 22.

From May 3-6, the Bahamas High School National Championships are set for the BLTA’s National Tennis Centre on New Providence.

The junior nationals – 8-and-under (8U) to 18-and-under (18U) – is set for June 17-21; the Junkanoo Bowl ITF (International Tennis Federation) & COTECC (Confederation of Tennis of Central America and the Caribbean) Jr. Circuit (qualifying round) will be held from June 24-25 at the BLTA’s National Tennis Centre. The main draw of that tournament (14U and 18U) will be held from June 26 to July 1.

There will be a tennis segment at the Bahamas Games which is set for July 7-15 and an under-12 (U12) team competition is planned for July 17-22.

From August 5-7, the Abaco Junior Nationals (ranked tournament), featuring 12U, 14U and 18U players, will be held on Abaco.

From September 15-17, the Flawless Construction 14U and 16U (16-and-under) Junior National Tournament will be held on Grand Bahama.

In October, the senior nationals (35-and-older) will be held on New Providence. That event is set for October 6-9. The Sheri Roberts Memorial Open will be held on Abaco from October 21-22, and the FOCOL (Freeport Oil Company Limited) National Juniors Tournament is set for Grand Bahama from October 26-29.

The Goombay Splash ITF Jr. Circuit (qualifying round) for 18U players will be held at the BLTA’s National Tennis Centre from November 11-12, and the main draw for that tournament will be held from November 13-18.

The BLTA Awards Banquet is planned for December 16, and finally, to complete the 2023 schedule, the Giorgio Baldacci Open Tennis National Championships will get underway in mid December at the BLTA’s National Tennis Centre. The qualifying round is set for December 16 and the main draw will be held from December 18-21.

The dates for the events are subject to change.

https://thenassauguardian.com/blta-planning-for-the-road-ahead/

 Home|Sports|Mackey, Nottage win national titlesSports

Both players are celebrating their first senior national championships

Simba FrenchSend an emailDecember 23, 2022 124 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

For the first time in their young careers, Denali Nottage and Elana Mackey are senior national tennis champions of The Bahamas. They lifted the men and women’s national titles at the Giorgio Baldacci Open National Championships yesterday.

Nottage and Mackey won the titles on the final day of competition that began on Monday at the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s (BLTA) National Tennis Centre.

Nottage went up against Kevin Major Jr. in the men’s final and Mackey went up against the defending champion Sydney Clarke on the women’s side. 

Nottage hardly broke a sweat as Major retired after winning the first game of the first set. 

“I feel good. It wasn’t the way I wanted to win, but a win is a win,” said Nottage. “Mentally, I was ready because we played at the last one and he came out on top so I was looking forward to seeking revenge this time.” 

Nottage said he is looking forward to making his debut with Major at the 2023 Davis Cup – something that he calls a big accomplishment. The top two finishers in each gender assured themselves of spots on next year’s Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup teams for The Bahamas.

It was much more competitive on the women’s side as Mackey earned a hard fought win. She won in straight sets, 6-3 and 7-5. 

“It feels good because I was training for this tournament the whole fall season while I was at college. I had a plan and I was able to execute it. I felt like I played more free today and I played with confidence like I wasn’t nervous or anything,” Mackey said. “My plan was to jump on her from the first set. I didn’t want to start late because I am normally a late starter like it takes me long to warm up. Today, I felt like I did a good job of just going for my shots and playing.”

Clarke said that her serve was not working in the match and she made too much errors.

“I made a lot of errors today and my serve broke down,” Clarke said. “I had my chances, and my opportunities, but I was in and out and eventually my serve broke down and I think that’s what cost me the match. Mackey took the opportunities she had, especially when I made errors. She cleaned up her game which allowed her to pull out the win.”

After Mackey won the first set, Clarke won the first three games of the second set and it looked like she was on the verge of taking the match to a third set. Mackey showed resilience and composure as she was able to tie the second set 3-3. 

“Clarke is good. I know that she wasn’t going to give up after the first set. I know that in order to beat her I just had to stay focused and just believe in the plan that I had,” Mackey said.

Mackey went on to win the second set 7-5.

Mackey and Clarke will now team up for the Billie Jean King Cup tournament set for next year. They along with two other players will represent The Bahamas. The names of the other two members of the team will be released at a later date.

Mackey is at Mars Hill University, playing collegiately. She is getting ready for her school’s spring season, set to commence in February. Clarke is at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and will also be playing next spring.

Rodney Carey Jr. finished third on the men’s side. He also won the sportsmanship award. Jalisa Clarke finished third on the women’s side. Calia Bowe won the sportsmanship award on the women’s side. 

An invitational is expected to be held in 2023 to fill the remaining spots on the teams.

The tournament was sponsored by RMS Insurance Agents and Brokers and Fidelity Bank and Trust.

https://thenassauguardian.com/mackey-nottage-win-national-titles/

 Home|Sports|‘Coach Yo’, Rebels close out non-conference play with a winSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailDecember 23, 2022 85 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Classes have ended at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) for the fall semester, but there was one more game on the schedule for Bahamian Yolett ‘Coach Yo’ McPhee-McCuin and the Ole Miss Lady Rebels (11-2) before heading into their Christmas break. The Bahamian head coach of the program and her team made light work of the Temple University Owls (5-7) on the road at McGonigle Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, winning 75-55, on Wednesday.

With the win, the Rebels closed out their non-conference regular season play and will now get their grueling Southeastern Conference (SEC) schedule underway. Their two losses came against nationally ranked schools in number 17, the University of Utah Utes, and the number 24 ranked University of Oklahoma Sooners.

In the game on Wednesday, McPhee-McCuin was able to play her entire roster and four of her starters scored in double figures. Junior Madison Scott and senior Angel Baker both finished with a double-double with Scott scoring 16 points and grabbing 10 boards and Baker adding 14 points and 10 boards. Senior Tyia Singleton and senior Marquesha Davis scored 16 points and 10 points, respectively.

The Lady Rebels came out the gate on a mission as they jumped out to a 26-9 lead after the first quarter. That included an 8-0 start to the game. In that quarter, the Lady Rebels went 11-for-14 from the field, shooting 78.6 percent. They were a perfect 3-for-3 from deep in that period.

In the second period, Ole Miss outscored the Owls, 18-16, to go into the third quarter with a 44-25 lead. It was a great defensive display from McPhee-McCuin’s team as they held the Owls to 32.3 percent shooting from the field. 

The Rebels went on to outscore the Owls, 15-10, in the third quarter and they cruised to victory in the fourth. 

The Rebels shot the ball well all game, knocking down 50 percent of their shots. Temple shot just 35 percent from the field. The Lady Rebels held their own in rebounding, pulling down 37 rebounds compared to Temple’s 33 rebounds.  

The Lady Rebels will have a week off from competition and will return to action on Thursday December 29 when they face the Auburn University Tigers to open SEC play. That game is set for 7 p.m. Eastern Time at the Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi. 

McPhee-Mcuin and her team finished the SEC portion of the 2021-2022 season with a 10-6 win/loss record – a great improvement from 4-10 the previous season.

https://thenassauguardian.com/coach-yo-rebels-close-out-non-conference-play-with-a-win/

 Home|Sports|Sydney Clarke giving back to the communitySports

Simba FrenchSend an emailDecember 22, 2022 138 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

For the last three years, Bahamian senior women’s national team member Sydney Clarke has been collecting donations and galvanizing support for the Children’s Emergency Hostel on McKinney Drive off Carmichael Road. This year is no different as she is staging an event on Friday December 23.

The donation drive is set for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday but items could be dropped off before or after the time period.

“I am accepting toys, non-perishable foods on behalf of the Children’s Emergency Hostel because every year they are in need of restocking their pantry, and so I’ve just decided to take the initiative to keep improving the event and just help them out every time I come home during the Christmas break,” Clarke said.

Currently, Clarke is in her junior year at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) where she plays tennis on a full scholarship. She said she feels good to be doing her part in helping out in the community.

“I do a lot of community service at school. It’s something I enjoy doing and I feel as though when I give back, it just transfers over. I just love helping people and it’s also because so much people help me. I feel as though it’s just my duty as a citizen – to do what I can and make an impact in some way,” Clarke said.

Clarke and her team are accepting toys, non-perishable goods like tuna, spaghetti and meatballs, Vienna sausage and cereals. Disposable items like cups, plates and forks are also welcomed. If there are any bigger donations like kitchen appliances or bedroom items, persons can contact the hostel.

“This will be my third year hosting the drive,” Clarke said. “I just hope to keep expanding it and getting better at organizing the event each year. So far, I’ve gotten a lot of donations and I’m very appreciative of those who have donated. I’m just looking forward to it getting better.”

The 21-year-old is home for the Christmas holidays to be with family and friends. In the meantime, she is competing at the Giorgio Baldacci Open National Championships, looking to successfully defend her women’s national title. She will take on Elana Mackey in the women’s championship today. Clarke and the UAB Blazers will return to action on January 15, 2023, when they face the Mississippi State University Bulldogs in Starkville, Mississippi.

https://thenassauguardian.com/sydney-clarke-giving-back-to-the-community/

 Home|Sports|Major, Nottage advance to men’s finalSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailDecember 22, 2022 129 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Kevin Major Jr. won his semifinal match quickly and was able to watch a set and a half of the other semifinal at the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s (BLTA) National Tennis Centre yesterday.

Both Major and Denali Nottage advanced to the final of the Giorgio Baldacci Open National Championships, and they will play in the final at 11 a.m. today.

Also scheduled for today is a rematch of last year’s women’s championship match between Sydney Clarke and Elana Mackey. That match gets underway at 9 a.m.

The wins for Major and Nottage in the semifinals mean that they both have booked their spots on the 2023 Davis Cup team. It will be Major’s seventh time on the Davis Cup team while Nottage will be making his debut.

Major, who was the 2019 men’s national champion, was brilliant in his match against veteran Marvin Rolle yesterday. He turned back Rolle in straight sets, 6-4 and 6-1.

Nottage, who is playing in his second Giorgio Baldacci Open National Championships, went down to the wire in a tight three-set match against Rodney Carey in an all-Grand Bahama semifinal match. Nottage struck first, winning the first set 7-6 (7-5). Carey won the second set 7-5. Nottage then bounced back and won the final set, 7-5.

Major said that it was tough playing against Rolle because of Rolle’s high tennis IQ (Intelligence Quotient).

“Playing Marvin is always tricky because his IQ is so high, so no matter how well I play, he knows how to counter, how to stay aggressive, and how to keep himself in the match. My job is to make sure he never felt comfortable or if he did feel comfortable, make him uncomfortable,” Major said.

Nottage was knocked out in the semifinals last year. This year, he said he has become more matured and was focused.

“It’s always good playing a top performer from The Bahamas like Rodney. It is always good to share the court with those type of players and just fight until the end like what I did today,” Nottage said.

The main goal for Nottage was to hold serve, he said. There were a couple of times when he was down love-30, but in the back of his head, he said he had to remember the plan was to hold serve. He will look to get in some rest after a three-hour match and prepare to play the number one seeded Major in the final.

Against Carey, Nottage said he dug down deep in the final game after going up 6-5 in the third set. He was serving in that final game and finished off Carey with an ace to punch his ticket to Davis Cup competition for The Bahamas.

“It’s a dream come true for every tennis athlete,” Nottage said. “You would want to represent your country, so now, I can say I am able to represent my country.”

Looking ahead to today’s match, Major kept it simple.

“I am looking to do the same thing I did today (yesterday) which is to take high percentage shots, have high percentage first serves, stay aggressive, stay calm and just fight,” Major said.

The tournament is sponsored by RMS Insurance Agents and Brokers and Fidelity Bank and Trust.

https://thenassauguardian.com/major-nottage-advance-to-mens-final/

 Home|Sports|Hanna thrilled to represent The BahamasSports

Bahamian pro player looking for more opportunities in baseball

Sheldon LongleySend an emailDecember 22, 2022 191 5 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian Ellison Hanna has come from being afraid of the baseball during his days at the Junior Baseball League of Nassau (JBLN) in Nassau East to launching 400-foot home runs professionally.

His performance during the 4th COCABE (Caribbean Baseball Confederation) Caribbean Baseball Cup, which was held at the Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium two weeks ago, quickly endeared him into the hearts of Bahamians.

Hanna, 24, launched the first home run by a Bahamian in the new stadium, immediately becoming the answer to a key trivia question going forward, and became a fan favorite from his contributions on the field and off-field personality. Hanna, a second-year professional baseball player, finished the week-long tournament with four hits in 15 at-bats, one home run, two RBIs (runs batted in) and four runs scored.

The Bahamas finished fourth in that regional tournament, thereby missing out on a qualifying spot for next year’s Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in San Salvador, El Salvador, but Hanna certainly did his part to propel the team forward. He led the team in home runs with one, runs scored with four, slugging percentage (SLG) at .467, was second in on-base plus slugging (OPS) at .820, tied for third in RBIs with four others at two, and fifth in hits and batting average at four and .267, respectively.

Professionally, he plays for the Lake Erie Crushers professional baseball team in Avon, Ohio.

“Coming home and representing my country in a tournament of this level was a lifelong dream of mine. It meant the world to me,” said Hanna. “Having my parents and friends being able to watch me play, and being able to put on the uniform for The Bahamas, was an absolute blessing. I could never say that I was satisfied because as a team, we didn’t get the job done. There is always more that you would feel that you could have done. There are some regrets, but nevertheless, there were a lot of positives.”

Hanna had a couple of huge hits for The Bahamas in the Caribbean Baseball Cup. He blasted a towering solo shot against Cuba to get The Bahamas on the scoreboard in that game and had a huge two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning against the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) to put The Bahamas up, 3-2, in that game. The Bahamas defeated the USVI, 4-3, but lost to Cuba, 9-3.

“With the home run, that was an awesome feeling,” said Hanna. “I met a kid from JBLN and when I told him that I was Ellison Hanna, he told me he knew who I was. He said ‘you’re the guy who hit the home run’ so that was cool. It seems like that will always be something that people will remember.”

As a pinch hitter in the top of the ninth against Cuba, Hanna said he was just looking to be a spark plug for the team with them being down 9-0 at that point.

“I wanted to lift the spirit of the team in any way possible. I saw two sliders away and a fastball up and in. I saw a slider in the dirt and another fastball away. On the last pitch, he threw me a slider that missed its spot. It was middle in and I just turned on it. It was a good feeling,” said Hanna.

The Bahamian slugger is a graduate of St. Augustine’s College (SAC) and then went off to Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to further his education and continue his baseball career. Hanna then attended Indiana State University before entering the professional ranks in 2021, signing with the Missoula PaddleHeads in the Pioneer League, a Major League Baseball (MLB) Partner League. The PaddleHeads are based in Missoula, Montana.

In his senior year in university, Hanna helped the Indiana State Sycamores to a 31-21 win/loss record that included a 13-14 record in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I baseball. He finished the season with a .337 batting average with five home runs and 21 RBIs. He was selected to the MVC Baseball Tournament All-Tournament Team, finishing the tournament hitting .278 with three home runs and nine RBIs.

“I’m working hard and still trying to keep the dream alive of getting to the majors but I’m also very realistic. I feel like my entire purpose on this earth is to inspire, transform and help cultivate young people. Going to the majors would be an easy way to do that, but if I have a chance to work with kids, I would be okay with doing that. I would still like to play professional baseball for the rest of my life, but I’m realistic, understanding that I’m 24 and the window is kind of closing,” said Hanna.

Hanna said he was afraid of the baseball when he first started plating at nine-years-old at JBLN, but just decided one day that if he was going to progress in the sport, he had to get over that fear.

“I actually started off playing soccer and doing gymnastics, but my dad was a softball player, and I kind of just told him that I wanted to be like him. I never wanted to get hit, but eventually I adjusted and stopped being afraid of the baseball. The experience at JBLN was all about transformation and progress in my life. I just decided that I wasn’t going to let one little ball determine whether or not I would be able to do great things. JBLN, for me, represented a lot of opportunities,” he said.

Hanna said through JBLN he was able to a MLB elite baseball camp in Brazil, multiple showcases – one each for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds – and he was able to meet lifelong friends.

“JBLN formulated a 

structure in my life that I didn’t know that I needed,” said Hanna. “There were kids who were better than me and it was easy to quit, but at the end of the day, I was able to progress and had opportunities to become a professional baseball player. All of that happened at JBLN.”

Hanna said he would embrace an opportunity to coach young baseball talent in the future.

“Coaching is something that I enjoy. Through coaching, I get to live out three objectives – to inspire, transform and help cultivate. With coaching, I’m just trying to figure out if to do that in the U.S. after I get my degree or come home and pay it forward and try to help young kids over here,” he said. “Dreams are what you make them. It’s up to you to decide what you want to do and how you want to achieve it. Your brain will automatically feed into any experience that you put it through and it will try its best to make sure that it comes true. If there’s a kid out there trying to be the best basketball player or the best baseball player, they have to know that it is achievable. Continue to work hard and allow yourself to grow and just allow yourself to become a better person. Keep feeding yourself with experiences.”

Hanna is currently pursuing a master’s degree in human resources management and is gradually anticipating the next step in his baseball career and in mentoring others. He was plugged in primarily as an outfielder for The Bahamas during the Caribbean Baseball Cup.

The Bahamian said he is looking forward to representing The Bahamas in baseball again in the not too distant future.

https://thenassauguardian.com/hanna-thrilled-to-represent-the-bahamas/

As of Wednesday, December 21, 2022

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#THE men’s semifinal of the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s 2022 Giorgio Baldacci Open Nationals is scheduled to be played today at the National Tennis Centre between two familiar names and two surprise entries from Grand Bahama.

#On one half of the draw, top seed Kevin Major Jr will take on veteran Davis Cupper Marvin Rolle and the other will be a showcase between former Davis Cupper Rodney Carey and Denali Nottage.

#In one bracket of yesterday’s quarterfinal match, Major Jr stayed spotless in his two matches with a 6-0, 6-0 whitewashing of high schooler Dentry Mortimer Jr, while Rolle got by Anthony Burrows Jr in identical scores of 6-1, 6-1.

#The other bracket saw Carey Jr outlast collegian Jacobi Bain 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (8-6) and Nottage made easy work of Savano Hanna 6-0, 6-0.

#From the tournament, the BLTA will begin the process of selecting its men’s team for the 2023 Davis Cup competition with the two finalists given the first two spots.

#Rolle, at 39, is the longest serving member on the team, having not only travelled as a player, but also a captain.

#He admits that while he’s glad to be in a position to get another spot on the team, it won’t be easy facing Major Jr.

#“He should win the match because he’s out there playing,” said Rolle.

#“I’m going to go out there and give it 100 percent. Hopefully it will be a good match and he won’t blow me out. He’s still in his 20s and I’m almost 40. Hopefully it would be a good match.”

#Against Burrows Jr, Rolle said he just wanted to get through the match as quickly as possible.

#“AJ is one of the top guys coming up. He played well,” Rolle said.

#“I guess it was my experience over the years that really pulled me through the match.”

#In his match, Major Jr said he didn’t want to exert too much energy playing Dentry Mortimer Jr, a student at St Augustine’s College.

#“The match was pretty much straight forward. I played another top junior, but I’m still holding it down and I will continue to hold it down for as long as I can,” said Major Jr, who is now training in Tampa, Florida and is back on the circuit after a three-year hiatus.

#“When these youngsters do decide to enter the pros, I want to be there to help them. But for now, playing against them, it’s all business. It’s all business whenever I come here.”

#Looking ahead to the semi today against Rolle, Major Jr said he’s aware of the experience that he brings to the match, but everybody is on his radar, and he knows he’s on their radar as well.

#“I’m just prepared to do whatever it takes to win,” he said. “We will let the dust settle and when it settles, we will see who the winner is.”

#Should he get past Rolle, Major Jr said it doesn’t matter who emerges between Carey Jr and Nottage. He claims that he’s only here to take care of business.

#In his quarter-final match against Bain, Carey Jr had the longest and most exciting encounter of the day.

#In the third and deciding set, 30-year-old Carey Jr had taken a 3-1 lead and was up 5-3 but couldn’t put 21-year-old Bain away as he stormed back to even the score at 6-6 to force the tie breaker.

#In the tie breaker, Carey Jr held on for the nail-biting 8-6 decision.

#“I was still trying to find my groove because I haven’t been performing as I should,” said Carey Jr, who is employed with the Ministry of Education in Grand Bahama. “I just came here to try and stay here in the game.

#“I’m happy that I came through with the win and now I can look forward to the semifinal. I know I will have another tough match against Denali, but I’m hoping that my experience can pull me through as I try to win this match and get back on the Davis Cup team.”

#Nottage, a former outstanding junior player, said he played much better yesterday than he did in his opening match of the tournament on Monday.

#“I had a game plan and rhythm,” Nottage said. “I feel good. I’m coming along good. I’ve been training hard. So, to be in the semis, I know the competition will get tougher. But I just hope to go out there and give it my best.”

#The men are slated to be back in action today, starting at 9am.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/dec/21/blta-giorgio-baldacci-open-nationals-mens-semifina/?news