As of Wednesday, September 13, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#Michael Albury Jr is following in the footsteps of his brother Deyton Albury as he heads off today to enrol in Believe Prep Academy in South Carolina.

#Eighteen-year-old Albury Jr left Teleos Academy here to complete his high school tenure in Miami, Florida before he went to play for Florida Coastal Prep Sports Academy last year. Deyton Albury, 21, pursued a similar path as he left Temple Christian Academy to attend Sunrise Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas, before he went on to Believe Prep and now he’s in his junior year at Chipola College in Marianna, Florida.

#Before he left town today, Albury Jr said he decided to go to this school because of the history behind it.

#“Ninety percent of their players go on and earn scholarships beginning their college careers including my older brother and that’s a part of my dream,” said Albury Jr, who some believe is just as talented or even better than Deyton Albury.

#“Also the coach Kevin Jackson is legendary and known for his hard coaching, winning and making players better and that’s the environment I want to be in on and off the court.”

#As he is headed to Believe Prep, Albury Jr said the expectation is for him to bring the same Bahamian mentality to hard playing and coachability that was exhibited by Deyton Albury.

#Albury Jr said he hopes to go in and work hard everyday and help his team be successful. 

#“I feel very comfortable. Deyton has been someone I look up to my whole life and knowing this is where he went and been through, I feel I can do the same or even better,” Albury Jr said. “He has motivated me a lot, constantly calling me to remind me this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I should take advantage of it.

#“He told me this is going to be one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life but if he can do it, he knows that I can do it too.”

#While waiting to make the transition from high school to his road to college, Albury Jr said he’s ready to take his talent to the next level. 

#“I spent a lot of time working out, staying in shape, watching a lot of college films and just getting mentally prepared for what’s to come,” he pointed out. 

#With the stage set again, Albury Jr said he wanted to make the best of his opportunity to succeed.

#“I’m always trying to grow my game as a player,” he stressed. “I want to get more comfortable shooting the ball, being more aggressive defensively, and just learning from the films I watch.”

#Nobody is watching the progress of the Albury brothers than their proud father, Michael Albury Sr.

#“I am feeling very proud that my two boys are chasing their dreams on the road to become professional basketball players,” he stated. “I am more confident than proud though because my boys are in great programmes surrounded by great people. They love the game, work hard and are very talented. So I feel like the sky’s the limit.”

#Albury Sr said he will watch with interest as his sons continue to soar. 

As of Wednesday, September 13, 2023

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#BY TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#National Football League (NFL) Flag Bahamas hosted a successful officiating and coaching clinic last week Thursday at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium. Participants got the opportunity to learn in-game rules, coaching strategies, and practice plans from the director of officiating at NFL Flag and RCX Sports, Tom LaNeve.

#LaNeve was grateful to be a part of the programme’s preparations and talked about the focus of the NFL Flag Bahamas officiating and coaching clinic.

#“The purpose of the seminar is to educate coaches and officials on the game of NFL Flag Football and everything that has to do with rules,” he said.

#From a coaching standpoint he added that the seminar was useful in helping potential coaches to understand offensive and defensive strategies, and how to set up their practice plans to take advantage of the time that they have to grow the game.

#“By teaching the game and trying to give them every tool that I possibly can while here they can be as successful as they possibly can to build the programme for the youth here in this country,” he said.

#Participants will also be required to be certified on a yearly basis, which is extremely important according to LaNeve.

#“It is extremely important because it refreshes everything in their mind from an understanding rules standpoint . . . we all learn by doing, studying, and repetition,” he said.

#As an official for more than two decades LaNeve not only believes that being certified yearly is important but also these types of officiating and coaching clinics.

#“I think they are invaluable and I just want to thank Chris Prudhome and his entire team here and understanding that it is a privilege for me to be here I certainly appreciate the opportunity to serve Chris, the programme here, as well as the country as we grow the game of football,” he said.

#Following the announcement of NFL Flag Bahamas in June, the league has hosted various clinics in preparation for the season’s eventual start in October.

: Set for second four-year term after this Saturday’s vote

As of Tuesday, September 12, 2023

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ROMELL Knowles

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#ROMELL Knowles will return to office unopposed for his second four-year term as president of the Bahamas Olympic Committee.

#The BOC’s elections will take place on Saturday at 10am at the Royal Bahamas Police Force headquarters following the annual general meeting.

#The former long-time executive in softball and volleyball said he’s always been interested in giving back to the development of sports, especially considering the fact that he played just about every sport and at a high level.

#“What really motivates me to do what I do in sports administration is to see the accomplishments and the development of young people in sports,” Knowles said. “There’s no greater joy, I can tell you, when in 2012 in London when the Bahamas had not won any medals at the Olympic Games.

#“Then in the last event, the Golden Knights came through with a magnificent performance, capturing the gold on the world stage in the men’s 4 x 400m relay. I can tell you the sense of pride, the accomplishment, the tears of joy hearing the national anthem played and the flag being raised was one of the greatest experiences in my life.”

#Behind the scenes, Knowles said there’s tireless hours being spent to prepare teams to compete in the Central American and Caribbean Games, the Pan American Games, the Commonwealth Games, the Youth Commonwealth Games, the Youth Pan Am Games and the Caribbean Games.

#“To see Team Bahamas assemble and to see our athletes with the guts and pride get set to go out represent the country is an awesome experience,” Knowles said. “To know that you played a hand in that behind the scene is just awesome.

#“I think one of the greatest take aways from being in office was the hosting of the Commonwealth Youth Games. More than 100 athletes paraded during the opening ceremonies. I believe it was one of the largest team’s contingent of athletes assembled on home soil.”

#After working with the National Sports Authority to get the facilities ready, Knowles said he commended the federations and associations, who all pitched in to make the event a grand success.

#“One of the young ladies in judo had only been practicing for a year, but she captured our first youth Commonwealth Games medal,” he said. “We captured 15 medals and it turned out to be our largest haul at the games.

#“Then, to have been able to travel to the Family Islands to see young athletes compete in the trials or the team with less than adequate facilities as well to get ready for our own Bahamas Games, these were priceless moments for me as an administrator.”

#When he looks at federations like track and field, swimming, soccer and now basketball with the men’s national team on the verge of qualifying for the Olympics next year in Paris, France, Knowles said it brings a lot of satisfaction to be president of the largest sporting body in the country.

#Knowles said he will be content knowing that he has given the best of his service as an administrator, just as he did when he was on the other side of the playing field as an athlete.

#Nominations for the elections closed on Saturday and from the list of nominees, Knowles, secretary general Derron Donaldson and treasurer Dorian Roach will not be opposed.

#However, there are three candidates for assistant secretary, which include Jennifer Isaacs-Dotson, the Bahamas Softball Federations first female president; Catherine Ramsing-Pierre, Equestrian Bahamas president, and Oria Wood, the assistant secretary general of the Bahamas Baseball Association. 

#Isaacs-Dotson; Adam Waterhouse, of the Bahamas Rugby Football Union and Vincent Strachan, president of the Bahamas Boxing Federation, have been nominated for the post of assistant treasurer.

#There are also 17 persons running for six vice president posts, including incumbent members of the past administration – Roy Colebrook, Robert Butler, Joseph Smith, Clarence Rolle, Cora Hepburn and D’Arcy Rahming.

#The new additions are Gina Rolle from the Bahamas Golf Federation; Drumeco Archer from the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations; Brian Cleare from the Bahamas Basketball Federation; Algernon Cargill from Bahamas Aquatics; Theodore Sweeting from the Bahamas Baseball Federation; Catherine Ramsingh-Pierre from Equestrian Bahamas; Sean Bastian from the Bahamas Handball Federation; Lori Roach from the Bahamas Triathlon Association; Vincent Strachan from  the Bahamas Boxing Federation; Shane Albury from the Bahamas Softball Federation; Moses Johnson Jr from the Bahamas Basketball Federation.

As of Tuesday, September 12, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#WHILE the Bahamas men’s national team is in Guyana playing their second match in the 2023 Nations League, Puerto Rico will host Antigua & Barbuda in their home game tonight at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.

#The Bahamas men’s national team, coached by Nesly Jean, will be out to redeem themselves after losing 6-1 to Puerto Rico in their opening game on Saturday at the TAR Stadium.

ANTIGUA & Barbuda’s DeAndre Bishop, head coach Anthony Ferguson and Myles Weston at the press conference at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

#Antigua & Barbuda are coming off a 5-1 loss to Guyana, but on their arrival to the Bahamas on Monday, head coach Anthony Ferguson said they are eager to turn things around when they play Puerto Rico.

#In making his median voyage to the Bahamas, Ferguson said he heard about the facilities and they are looking forward to playing here, especially after the warm reception they have received from the Bahamian people.

#“We have players who are home based and they have been joined by players overseas,” Ferguson said. “Over the last few weeks, we have been working out in preparation for the tournament.

#“It’s been a fantastic experience so far. We lost our first game on Saturday, but we are here to compete and we want to make sure that everybody knows that we can compete with our opposition.”

#Ferguson said all of their players are looking forward to the challenge and competing at the best of their abilities, but the goal is to come here to win.

#DeAndre Bishop, also making his first trip to the Bahamas, said the team are mentally, physically, spiritually, technically and morally ready to compete.

#And Myles Weston, back in the Bahamas for the first time since he played against the Bahamas about four years ago, said he’s excited about his team’s chances in the match against Puerto Rico.

#He noted that as long as they trust in their coach and trust in themselves as players, they will be a team to reckon with. He admitted that the players on this team have not played against Puerto Rico before, although there are former players who did.

#Once they come out and play with a lot of “excitement” and are “organised,” he said, they will be ready to play, even though he noted that they are not taking Puerto Rico for granted.

#Having settled in Guyana, coach Nesly Jean said the Bahamas team spirit is up and they are confident that they can compete at this level of competition.

#“It’s about taking risks. Speaking to them and getting them to believe in themselves and also slight technical changes,” said Jean about the approach the players and coaches have made to get ready for the tournament. 

#“The last game in the second half, we were far behind, but obviously, it showed that we wanted to improve and shoe the fans and to the world that we could play.”

#Jean said there are some players who played on Saturday who didn’t make the trip, but he said they will make the adjustment with who they have and he’s confident that they have a team that could win. 

#With the first game against Puerto Rico game over and done with, veteran Lesly St Fleur said they have to regroup and get prepared for Guyana.

#“The game (tonight) is a more important game, so we have to come out much better than we did in the first period, just like how we played in the second period,” St Fleur said. “The confidence is there and the players are there. 

#“There are a few things we have to change. We have to communicate a little more and move together as a team and pull each other up. Tomorrow (tonight) is going to be a difficult game, but we have to pull through.”

#Playing on the road is not the same as playing at home, so St Fleur said if they can’t win, they need to at least end up with a draw. 

#Goalkeeper Vance Wheaton said after getting off to a great start in the first half against Puerto Rico, they let the game slip away from them until the second half when they switched their formation. 

#“We are hoping that we can switch back to that in the Guyana game and we can come back just as hard,” Wheaton said. “Hopefully the line up will change and it will help us get better. I’m looking forward to it.

#“Playing at home, I was really nervous representing my country on our home field in front of my family and friends., I felt more pressure,” he said. “I’m hoping that we can do that same thing again, but this time we can win.”

#Walter Sawyer, who came in to play in the 57th minute of the game, said he had a good experience.

#“I got to do a lot of running, so it was a good experience,” he said. “To see the home fans cheering me on when I came in, was really good.”

#Learning from the experience, Sawyer said if he gets the call from coach Jean to play, he hope he won’t make the same mistake that he made against Puerto Rico.

#“I wasn’t taking all of my one on ones, so that’s something I would look forward to doing, instead of passing the ball all the time,” Sawyer said.

#The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Antigua & Barbuda and Guyana are all playing out of League B and Group 4 in the Nations League that will run for the next three month in a home and away series.

As of Tuesday, September 12, 2023

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Champion Francis Adderley receives his awards from Jim Wilson from Royal Fidelity and BGF president Lyford Miller.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#FORMER softball/baseball player Francis Adderley, who has played well in partnership with others in recent times, emerged as the champion of his first individual tournament over the weekend.

#Competing in the Bahamas Golf Federation’s two-day President’s Cup Tournament on Saturday and Sunday at the Royal Blue Golf Club and sponsored by Royal Fidelity, Adderley emerged with a one-stroke win over Nolan Johnson.

#After taking the lead with a score of 71 on day one, which was hampered by the rain, Adderley held on with a 72 to out-score Johnson, who came back on the final day with a 70 to add to his 74 on day one for his total of 144.

#Andrew Benjamin got third place with 146 (76-70); Anthony Hinsey got fourth with 147 (77-70) and Horace Miller rounded out the top five with 148 (74-74).

#Adderley, who normally teams up with Richard Gibson Jr, who is currently in New York participating in the 43th US Mid-Amateur Golf Championships, said he was pleased with his performance.

#“I’ve been trying to get my game to the level where I can be competitive,” Adderley said. “The competition is always keen when you are playing these types of events, but I was very pleased with my performance.

#“The course was in very good condition. Even though we had some rain on the first day, it was pretty sunny on the final day. So I’m very pleased that I was able to get a good start on the first day and it held up for me on the final day.”

#Adderley said he’s now looking forward to teaming up with Gibson Jr on September 18 in the 2nd annual Tee Off For Hunger Golf Tournament at the Ocean Club on Paradise Island, where they will be out to defend their title and to cart off some of the exciting prizes that will be up for grabs. 

#Johnson, the latest Bahamian to secure a ranking on the USGA’s world ranking where he’s pegged at 887, said he was delighted to be able to perform as well as he did in the tournament.

#“I played okay. I started the first round and finished two-over-par and I shot the final round two-under-par,” Johnson said. “I stroked the ball very well, but Francis just shot a little bit better, especially on day one and he held on longer than I did.”

#Johnson is now preparing to team up with Gibson on October 10 as they participate in the US Amateur Four-Ball Championship qualifier at the Bayou Oaks South Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. If they qualify, they will participate in the championships at the Philadelphia Cricket Club from May 25-29, 2024.

#While Gibson Jr heads the list for Bahamians on the world stage at 245, BGF president Lyford Miller trails Johnson at about 1,459 and Heathcliff Kane is sitting about 2,452.

#Although it wasn’t a big field as the BGF had anticipated, Miller said they were still pleased with the turnout and the results posted.

#“The crowd wasn’t as big as we wanted too. We felt it was attributed to the hurricane that was passing and some people didn’t know if it as going to affect us or not,” Miller said.

#“We had some rain on the first day, but the remainder of the day and the second day was all good. “

#Miller, who also played and finished 17th overall and was fifth in the Mid-Amateur division, said the competition was extremely tough amidst the golfers who came out and anticipated.

#He thanked their main sponsor Royal Fidelity, whose vice president of corporate Finance, Jim Wilson, was on hand to assist in the awards presentation. The BGF will stage its qualifier on Saturday and Sunday at Royal Blue for the men’s senior team for the 2023 Four-Ball Championships from October 15-20 at Royal Blue. 

#Here’s a breakdown of the top performers in the various categories:

#Ladies division – Rosa Lua with 172 (83-89); Mia Underwood – 180 (84-96); Payton Haye – 185 (87-98) and Thaddia Simms – 223 (87-98).

#Legends – Oswald Moore – 155 (77-78); James Steven Wallace – 157 (71-86).

#Mid Amateur – Nolan Johnson – 144 (74-70); Trevor Wallace – 151 (74-77); Livio Bisterzo – 159 (78-81); Christopher Adderley – 159 (78-81); Lyford Miller – 163 (82-81); Evan Cartwright – 168 (85-83) and Ural Pratt – 169 (85-83).

#Regular – Andrew Benjamin – 146 (76-70); Juan Wilson – 149 (76-73); Malcolm Adderley – 173 (92-81) and Travis Cartwright -215 (104-111).

#Seniors – Peter McIntosh – 152 (7379); Neil Abrahams – 156 (77-79); Dwight Tinker – 158 (78-80); Lawrence Glinton – 161 (82-79); Kelsey Rolle – 167 (85-82); 82; Colin Lightbourn – 178 – (83-95); Marc Robinson – 181 (84-97) and Crestwell Gardiner – 188 (100-88).

#Super seniors – Francis Adderley – 143 (71-72); Anthony Hinsey – 147 (77-70); Horace Miller – 148 (74-74); Raymind Gibson – 156 (76-80) and Larry Wilson – 174 (86-88).

#President’s Cup – Francis Adderley – 143 (71-72); Nolan Johnson – 144 (74-70)’ Andrew Benjamin – 146 (76-70); Anthony Hinsey – 147 (77-70)’ Horace Miller – 148 (74-74); Juan Wilson – 149 (76-73); Trevor Wallace – 151 (74-77); Peter McIntosh – 152 (73-79); Oswald Moore – 155 (77-78) and Neil Abrahams (77-79) and Raymond Gibson (76-80) tied with 156.

XAVION Johnson (second from right) sharing a moment with the cadets medalists.

As of Tuesday, September 12, 2023

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Xavion Johnson with his coach Russell Gallant.

XAVION Johnson with his bronze medal.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AS he continues to improve on his career as the next Bahamian judoka to watch on the global stage, Xavion Johnson completed the 2023 Pan American Oceania Championships in Calgary, Canada with a bronze medal in the 60 kilogramme cadet division on Friday.

#However, he didn’t place in the junior category on Saturday where he admitted that the competition was very stiff.

#Despite his mixed results, Johnson, now ranked at number 38th in the world as a junior, said he was pleased with his performance overall.

#“My performance was really good throughout the tournament. Winning the bronze medal was really good too,” Johnson said.

#Although he would have liked to have placed in the junior category, Johnson said he will definitely use it as a learning experience.

#“I’m really happy that I could get a medal in my last year as a cadet and my last time fighting in this weight division,” said Johnson, who is now gearing up to fight in the youth under-21 division where he will be fighting in the 66kg division.

#Johnson, who resides in Alberta, Canada, is currently being trained by Russell Gallant and Evan Beaton out of the Lethbridge Judo Club.

#“I just have to be more calm and work on my gripping a little better,” he said. “Other than that, everything is working out quite well.”

#The 17-year-old Johnson still has about seven more tournaments to compete in this year before he begins college at the University of Lethbridge in January having completed his high school tenure at Capstone Academy where he was the Salutatorian.

#“I am excited about college. They have a very good programme for international business,” said Johnson, who will also be competing on the judo team. “My first priority is school. But I’m looking forward to competing in college.

#“I will be moving up to a heavier weight class, so I just need to get bigger and stronger because I know the opponents will be harder to compete against.”

#He thanked his mother, Ordain Moss, and his family and friends, the Bahamas Judo Federation and the Bahamas Olympic Committee for their financial contributions in helping him to get to where he is right now.

: Puerto Rico win 6-1 in Nations League opener

The Bahamas in action against Puerto Rico on Saturday night. Photos: Racardo Thomas

As of Monday, September 11, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AFTER getting off to an “electric start” from a quick shot from Christopher Rahming to ignite the home crowd inside the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, the Bahamas men’s team could not stop the relentless onslaught from Puerto Rico as they responded with a flurry of goals.

#In what many expected to be a keenly contested match-up to the end, Puerto Rico claimed a 6-1 victory on Saturday to start both teams’ appearances in the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League home and away series.

#Rahming’s goal that came right up the centre of the field into the net in the first two minutes of the game, was shortlived for the Bahamas as Puerto Rico got the equaliser from Gerald Diaz in the sixth minute. 

#Puerto Rico took the lead in the 14th minute from Ricardo Rivera and before they closed out the first half, they got a pair of insurance goals from Joel Burges and Rodolfo Sulio in the 35th and 42nd minutes for a commanding 4-1 lead at the break.

#Although the Bahamas had a couple of chances to get at least one more goal on the scoreboard, Burges came back in the second half and completed a hat-trick in the 86 and 89th minutes to put the stamp on a convincing victory.

#Despite the loss, Bahamas head coach Nesly Jean noted that his young but talented team will only get better from the experience they gained.

#“I think the guys did pretty well, especially in the second half,” he said. “Obviously in the first half, there were a few mistakes that we needed to adjust. In the second half, we did that. But it’s a learning experience for the younger guys.

#“Some of these guys were making their debut, so we’re going to make mistakes. In the meantime, we must learn from it.”

#Jean, a former national team player, said their plan was to analyse what Puerto Rico would do and if they pressed really high, they would hit them on the counter. He said they did it, but they needed to push it a little more in the first half, as they did in the second, to counter attack their opponents.

#William Bayles, a centreback, noted that they got off to an electric start, scoring the first goal, but they allowed their opponents to take control of the tempo of the game and they underestimated themselves.

#“In the second half, we showed what we could do. We were all over them for the first 30 minutes of the second half. We kept the ball, we were getting chances, we just needed to put those away,” Bayles summed up.

#And Wood Julmis, a striker, said they got a “perfect start with a beautiful team goal,” but they “fell asleep” and allowed a few mistakes that enabled Puerto Rico to rally back.

#“We found our identify,” Julmis said. “Normally, we would sit back and allow teams to come to us and hit them on the press, but today we saw and we executed. We realised that we could play with the big teams and we moved the ball and got better chances.”

#If there’s one lesson they can take away from the game, Julmis said it’s the fact that they can trust themselves to take a lot of risks as they get on the scoreboard early and try to win more games.

#He said that the fans in the stadium really inspired them to perform.

#“I played a few home games, but I think this was the most fans I’ve seen as a player,” he said. “Since Covid-19, we really appreciate it as a team. Even when we were down three to four goals, they were still cheering and rooting for us. It’s 11 players on the field, but the fans are our 12 players and we really felt that home support.”

#After the game, the team left town and headed for Guyana where they will play their next game on Tuesday. Jean said they will face a different team and a different style of play, so they will have to make the necessary adjustment and be ready for the challenge ahead of them.

#“We have nothing to lose. We need to take risks,” said Jean, who noted that there were no injuries to report after their game against Puerto Rico. “By doing that, we will get our chances.”

#Puerto Rico’s head coach said they showed a lot of resilience, bouncing back from the 1-0 deficit.

#“We started playing Puerto Rico football,” he said. “The scoreline is a little bit funny for me because we were so close to having a lot more goals than what we did there with six. We just implemented a new system, so I’m proud of the boys, how they were willing to play it.

#“It was very risky, but this is our identify and it was really fun watching them be brave and taking those risks at times when we played some beautiful football, which was appealing to the eye. But the scoreline says it and it was a great moment for our team.”

#He said he wasn’t surprised by the performances of his young team and hopefully if they can get through their recovery process really quickly, they will be able top put up the numbers he expects when they play their home game right here on Tuesday in hosting Antigua & Barbuda at 7pm.

#Team captain Nicholas Cardona said they played aggressively and they are trying to learn as quickly to score as many goals as they can and go on to win a lot of matches.

#“They scored in the first few minutes of the game, but we knew that we had a lot of time, a lot of minutes to impose our game on them,” said Cardona, about the win over the Bahamas. “In the second half, we started a little slower, but we are aware of it and we will train harder to play better in our next game.”

#The teams are playing out of League B and Group D in the CONCACAF’s 2023 Nations League that will be played over the next three months for a chance to advance to League A at the end of the season.

As of Monday, September 11, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#The Police Crimestoppers and Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture (MOYSC) Panthers both earned blowout wins this past Saturday at the AF Adderley Gymnasium. The second-seeded Crimestoppers blasted the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) Rampage 78-58 to earn a 20-point blowout win. The Panthers, the league’s defending champions, delivered a 40-point drubbing to the Real Deal Rangers in their 85-45 win. Both teams now sit 1-0 in their respective best-of-three series.

#Police Crimestoppers vs RBDF Rampage

#The Rampage were already struggling coming into the Bahamas Government Departmental Basketball Association (BGDBA) playoffs. The RBDF basketball team had dropped four straight games prior to the opening game of the postseason and the trend continued on Saturday night. The Crimestoppers took advantage from the opening tip and had already climbed out to a 12-point lead (20-8) by the end of the first quarter.

#In the second period, the league’s second best team kept their feet on the gas pedal to overwhelm the Rampage. Kirklyn Farrington played a key role in the team’s blowout victory. He drained two free throws at the 2:24 mark in the second quarter to stretch the team’s lead to 19 (36-17).

#Farrington ended the game with a team-high 17 points along with three timely three-pointers from behind the arc, and four free throws at the charity stripe. Michael Furley Bain Jr was Farrington’s running mate on the court. He dropped 14 points to pair with seven boards, three assists and two steals on the night.

#The Rampage were able to close the gap to 39-26 to head to the locker room for halftime. The team tried to keep the bout close behind the efforts of De’Joan Sturrup who led both teams with 23 points. Sturrup also pulled down six rebounds, and forced three steals in the game. Ultimately, the Crimestoppers’ gameplan in the third period derailed the Rampage’s second quarter momentum. The team ended the third period in the driver’s seat, leading 60-40 over their opponent. After that juncture in the game, the Crimestoppers never looked back en route to their first win of the series.

#Anthony “Cops” Rolle, head coach of the Crimestoppers, said the win felt great but the team still has some adjustments to make on the offensive and defensive end.

#“It feels pretty good just to get a win against any team in such a competitive league. Even though we had a comfortable win, there are still some things that we have to do better as a team,” he said.

#According to Rolle, the guards have to improve their perimeter defence and, on offence, they need more overall movement for better offensive flow.

#In terms of the team’s postseason expectations the Crimestoppers are going after the championship hardware.

#MOYSC Panthers vs The Real Deal Rangers

#The BGDBA Panthers had a strong opening to the playoffs after delivering a 40-point beatdown to the Real Deal Rangers. The latter struggled against the BGDBA defending champions from the first period of play. The Panthers asserted their dominance early in the game after jumping out to a 16-point lead to wrap up the first quarter.

#In the following period, the game plan remained unchanged for the Panthers as they pushed the lead to 41-21 at the 2:41 mark of the game. The team ended the quarter leading their opponents by 18 points to transition into the halftime break.

#The Real Deal Rangers struggled offensively in the game. The team collectively shot a dismal 28.4 per cent from the field and 12.5 per cent from behind the arc. Additionally, they did not capitalise at the charity stripe as they shot 4/23 on 17.4 per cent shooting.

#The Real Deal Rangers only had one player score in double digits, Dwight Moss Jr. Meanwhile, the Panthers shared the load on offence, having four players notch double digits in points.

#Kemsey Sylvestre, of the MOYSC Panthers, led both teams in scoring with 19 points on the night. He shot the ball flawlessly going 9/10 in the game on a crisp 90 per cent shooting clip. The team’s leading scorer also stole the ball four times, and dished out four dimes.

#The game was a foregone conclusion long before the final buzzer as the Panthers amassed a 37-point lead to culminate the third period and, ultimately, the game for their first playoff win.

#Perry Darling, head coach of the Panthers, said it was a great feeling to win and he felt the team played like the defending champions.

#“In the regular season it was hard to find our chemistry because we had players traveling on summer vacation and work obligations but we had our full team tonight and stuck with our gameplan,” he said.

#He acknowledged that being the league’s defending champions is one of the hardest things because every night teams are coming for you. However, he believes that the team is capable of repeating once they stick to the game plan.

#Game two of these respective series will continue on Wednesday starting at 7:30pm at the AF Adderley gymnasium.

As of Monday, September 11, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#The Bain and Grants Town Cybots and Airport Authority Avengers nabbed the first wins in their round one playoff matchups.

#The Cybots, the Bahamas Government Departmental Basketball Association’s (BGDBA) leading team, defeated the eighth-seeded Police Royals 72-66 on Friday night. Meanwhile, the Avengers snuck away with a 87-86 nail-biter win on Saturday night against the Bamboo Shack Patrollers at the AF Adderley Gymnasium.

#Cybots vs Royals

#Despite matching up against the lower seeded Royals, the Cybots had their hands full until the final buzzer of their first playoff game. Both teams were evenly matched in the opening quarter of the playoffs. The game got off to a 8-4 start favouring the Cybots but the period culminated with the ball game tied 17-17. In the second period the Royals gained the advantage after outscoring the Cybots 18-16.

#The game remained competitive until the final quarter of play with 18 lead changes and the score was tied 15 times.

#In the final period of the game the Cybots were leading 63-58. However, at the 2:23 mark of the quarter, the Royals tied the game 64-64. They were unable to capitalise after tying the game which led to the Cybots outscoring them 20-16 in the fourth quarter for the win.

#Tyrone Sands, assistant coach of the Cybots, said although they got a sloppy win, he felt the team did not play their brand of basketball.

#“We have not had the opportunity to get together as a team and practice. I keep telling them hard work beats talent if talent refuses to work hard – our guys refuse to show up to practice in a timely manner and it showed tonight,” Sands said.

#He added that he thinks the team is talented enough to beat any team in the league but their commitment will be the key to it happening.

#The Cybots outscored their opponents 17 to 11 in second chance points. Additionally, their bench scored 30 points compared to 15 from the Royals.

#Avengers vs Patrollers

#After trailing for most of the game, the Avengers stole a one-point win against the Patrollers. The latter remained in control starting from the first quarter where they got out to an early 12-5 lead and closed out the quarter leading by eight (24-16).

#In the following quarter, the Patrollers outscored the Avengers 18-13 which gave them a 13-point lead – just three points shy of their biggest lead, which was 16.

#The Avengers mounted a comeback in the third quarter in a collective team effort with five members scoring in double digits. Cameron Chery played a pivotal role for the team scoring 19 points along with six rebounds, and three assists in the narrow win.

#The fourth-seeded team trimmed the Patrollers lead down to four (61-65) to close out the third period. The Patrollers were leading 73-72 at the 5:49 mark of the game. However, with under 2:00 minutes remaining in the game, the Avengers’ Trevez Hamilton canned a big three to even the score at 82 apiece.

#Following a technical foul, Hamilton drained three consecutive free throws at the charity stripe to put the Avengers up by three. In the final seconds of the game, the Patrollers were hoping for a win, leading 86-85 after a successful layup by Ivan Rolle. However, Chery thwarted their valiant efforts after he nabbed an offensive rebound following a miss by Tyler Moncur and tipped it in to seal the win for the Avengers.

#Chery, small forward on the Avengers, talked about the pivotal game winning play.

#“I just trusted my teammates. He went for the layup and I knew I had to be there to clean up in case it did not go in . . . we are looking to come out with more tenacity and to be more aggressive next game,” he said.

#Both series will get underway tonight starting at 7:30pm.

As of Monday, September 11, 2023

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Anthonique Strachan finished second in Belgium. (File photo)

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#SPRINTER Anthonique Strachan is content going into the season-ending Prefontaine Classic Diamond League Final of the Wanda Diamond League in Eugene, Oregon on the weekend of September 16-17.

#This weekend, in the last of the 13 races during the course of the season in the lead up to the grand finale, Strachan placed second in the women’s 200 metres at the Memorial van Damme in Brussels, Belgium.

#In what could be considered her best showing in the series of meets that started in Doha, Qatar in May, Strachan clocked 22.31 seconds as she trailed her Jamaican training partner, Shericka Jackson, who won in 21.48 – erasing the meet record previously held by her compatriot Merlene Ottey with 21.64 in 1991.

#Strachan and Jackson, who continue to get closer to cracking the late American Florence Griffith-Joyner’s world record of 21.34 from the 1988 Olympic Games, were followed by Jenna Prandini of the United States in 22.47.

#“It was good. I can’t really complain about it,” said Strachan, a very close friend of Jackson, whom she got to interview in a special segment in Zurich where they competed in their first meet since Budapest.  

#“The race went well. I didn’t go into the race with any expectations like that, so I’m content with the results.” 

#Running out of lane six ahead of Strachan in five, Jackson said she was elated with her performance.

#“For me personally, it is just to show up and especially in front of such an amazing crowd,” she said. “You just have to put in your best and that’s what I did today. It felt really good tonight, I definitely feel like I’m getting there, closer to that record. 

#“But it’s also important to have some fun and I really had fun tonight. It’s amazing to run against such a strong field and everyone did good tonight but for me personally it’s important to have fun.”

#Jackson noted that the crowd really urged her on as she continued her quest for the world record.  

#“It helps with the sprinting and I’m really enjoying the sprinting. Life recently is very good for me and I had the same feeling this evening,” she added. “I am loving it here, I run here since 2016 I think and I enjoy it every time.

#“Even if I didn’t win, it has been a good season and I hope to get one more win and to get closer to that record.”

#As a result of their performances, Jackson, who has made a remarkable showing since dropping down from the 400 to the sprints in 2021, leads the pack with 32 going into the finale. 

#Strachan will head into the final with the third highest qualifying spot with a total of 22 points. Great Britain’s Neita Daryll, who was fourth in Friday’s race in 22.59, is sitting in second with 24.

#“This race was just to sharpen up what I’ve already done to get into the final,” Strachan said.

#It’s also a good indication of the tremendous season that Strachan has enjoyed since she captured the world junior titles in both the 200 and 200m in 2012, making her first global final as a senior at the World Championships as a senior in Budapest, Hungary last month.

#“I feel alright with my progression since Worlds,” said Strachan, who got sixth in 22.29 in Budapest. “So I can’t complain. I wanted to run faster, but that’s not in my cards right now because my body can’t manage it.

#“I’m just trying to get my body to stay in that healthy position so that I can end the season injury free and so I can get ready for next year at the Olympic Games (in Paris, France) where I hope I can run even faster.”

#The Bahamian top female sprinter this year admitted that she’s content with her accomplishments and it’s all based on the sacrifices that she made to get to the point where she is right now.

#“I trained and I worked hard for this,” she declared. “What I put in is what I’m going to get out. I know where I’m at, so I don’t have anything to prove to anybody.”

#Strachan, who celebrated her 30th birthday in Budapest, got a prank played on her by one of the mascots at the championships as she waited in the call room during the semifinal to see if she would earn one of the spots in the final.

#As she sat on the couch, the mascot rubbed her out stretched arm. As she jumped to her feet, anticipating that it was a spider or some type of creature, Strachan was shocked when the mascot revealed himself.

#“He got me good,” Strachan quipped. “He got me good.”

#With the Prefontaine Classic as she final event for the year, Strachan said she’s hoping there wont be any more surprises. She’s just hoping that she can close out the season with a bang and earn some of the hefty cash prize that is being offered.

#The winner will earn $30,000, while the remaining positions will pocket $12,000 for second, $7,000 for third, $4,000 for fourth, $2,500 for fifth, $2,000 for sixth, $1,500 for seventh and $1,000 for eighth.

#“I also want to change my history of competing in Eugene,” said Strachan, referring to her injury that prevented her from coming out of the first round of the World Championships last year. “People find it hard that I don’t have much expectations, but I really don’t have any.”