Lanisha Rolle as part of investigation

Lanisha Rolle

As of Thursday, January 12, 2023

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#By LEANDRA ROLLE

#Tribune Staff Reporter

#lrolle@tribunemedia.net

#POLICE Commissioner Clayton Fernander confirmed that officers questioned former Cabinet Minister Lanisha Rolle and her husband yesterday as a part of their investigations into the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.

#“Yes, at this time they are being questioned,” the police chief said when asked to respond to reports circulating on the issue.

#“They came into custody yesterday (Tuesday). They were released pending last night, to return this (Wednesday) morning so at this hour, I believe they are still speaking to investigators at this time.”

#Reports first circulated in November that Mrs Rolle was under active police investigation as a part of their probe into the ministry. Deputy Commissioner of Police Leamond Deleveaux later denied those reports when contacted by The Tribune and only said police were only looking into some “irregularities” at the ministry.

# However, he did not say if those irregularities occurred when the Minnis administration was in power or during Mrs Rolle’s tenure, explaining that the investigation into the matter was still in the early stages.

# When asked why Mrs Rolle and her husband were being questioned, Commissioner Fernander replied: “Well, I can’t say exactly what the officers put to them, but you know what was circulating in the media. We are speaking to them at this time.”

# Mrs Rolle resigned from Cabinet in February 2021 for “personal reasons,” she said at the time.

# Her departure came after former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis ordered a lockdown of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.

# The Tribune had previously reported that when ministry officials and the board of the National Sports Authority became concerned that established processes and procedures were not being followed, they took their concerns to Dr Minnis.

# The Auditor General was in the midst of auditing the NSA — which manages and develops sporting facilities — at the time.

#The audit was later tabled in the House of Assembly in November 2021, months after the Davis administration was voted into office.

# The audit – which was conducted between July 1, 2018 to January 2021- uncovered several red flags, including “poor maintenance practices at the agency, inadequate inventory controls and boards that were not able to carry out the functions of the authority, among other things.”

# The report also found that a contract was awarded without Cabinet approval and also instances where cheques to contractors were made out to named individuals, no companies, and collected by a senior official of the Ministry of Youth, Sports & Culture.

# However, Mrs Rolle has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, saying her track record spoke for itself.

# Most recently, she told reporters last November that she believed in due time, the truth will be revealed.

# “I have resigned from Cabinet from February 23 of 2021 and since then, we are here today. I recall the last official audit report disclosed, to my information, that the accounts of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture (were) fairly maintained,” the former Cabinet minister said at the time.

# “I did not hear that another audit or any further investigation was going on and so we are where we are today. I trust the police. I have been a police officer. I have served the country in that capacity for 11 years. I served in the Cabinet. I served as a member of Parliament. I served as an officer of the court and I trust that the due process of the law will be followed, the rule of law shall take its course and justice shall prevail. I trust the Lord in all of that.”

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/jan/12/police-question-former-minister-officers-quizzed-l/

 Home|Sports|Career night for HunterSports

Bahamian scores 19 points in a win for the Zips

Simba FrenchSend an emailJanuary 12, 2023 162 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas celebrated Majority Rule Day on Tuesday but it was no day off for Bahamian collegiate basketball player Sammy Hunter as he was in action for the University of Akron Zips.

Hunter had a career-high 19 points in helping the Zips record its first road win of the season.

The Zips took care of the Bowling Green University Falcons, 74-70, at the Stroh Center in Bowling Green, Ohio. For the season, the Zips have a 10-6 win/loss record and are 2-1 in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) play. The Falcons are 8-8 with a 2-1 MAC record.

Hunter had an impressive night, going 7-for-9 from the field. He made all three of his field goals from inside the three-point line. Hunter, who came off the bench, also had a career night from deep, going 4-for-6 in 25 minutes on the floor. He sunk his only free shot of the night. The forward grabbed three rebounds and had a block and a steal in the win.

This was the second time Hunter scored in double figures. He posted 13 points back in December. He is averaging 6.6 points per game to go along with 2.8 rebounds per contest this season.

For much of the contest, it was a back-and-forth game as there were 16 lead changes and six ties.

Hunter did most of his damage in the first half. He first checked in at the 16:16 mark and blocked a shot. He made his presence felt in the paint by grabbing an offensive rebound and making a putback layup before drawing a foul on a play with 15 minutes left in the first half. He completed the and-one play to put his team up 9-7 at that point. The Falcons went up 11-9 before Hunter put his team up 12-11 on a made three-point shot at the 12:32 mark of the first half.

The Bahamian played a significant role in the resurgence by the Zips in the first half. With less than two minutes left in the half, after the Flacons took a 33-26 lead, Hunted had a dunk on a fast break to help the Zips cut into the lead. That came with 1:50 left in the half. Hunter got a steal with just over a minute left in that half and turned that into two points. After the Falcons went up 36-33, Hunter connected on a three-pointer with three seconds left in the half to tie the game at 36. He was not finished there as he knocked down a shot from deep just nine seconds into the second half to put the Zips up 39-36. He hit another huge shot from behind the arc at the 14:03 mark of the second half. The Zips trailed 49-46 at that point. It was his last field goal of the game but his 19 points was huge as the Zips battled down the stretch to pull off the win.

As a team, Akron shot the ball poorly at 40.3 percent compared to the Falcons’ 49.1 percent. The free-throw line was one of the difference makers as the Zips went 13-for-14 while the home team finished 8-for-13.

Akron finished the game with 19 fast break points compared to the Falcons’ six fast break points. Hunter accounted for 19 of the Zips’ 24 bench points.

The Zips return home to Akron, Ohio tomorrow to play the University of Eastern Michigan (4-12, 1-2 MAC) at the James A. Rhodes Arena. The Zips are a perfect 8-0 on their home floor this season. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. and the game will be televised live on ESPNU.

https://thenassauguardian.com/career-night-for-hunter/

 Home|Sports|Miller, Shizuoka win 10th straightSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJanuary 12, 2023 99 1 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Make it 10 straight wins for Bahamian professional basketball player Tavario Miller and Shizuoka Veltex as they took care of the Gifu Swoops on Sunday, winning 84-56, at the Shizuoka City Center Gymnasium in Shizuoka City, Shizuoka, Japan.

The win pushed their win/loss record to 24-2 on the season as they stayed at the top of the table in the Japanese B3 League. The loss kept Gifu at eighth in the league with a 10-16 record. The game on Sunday was the backend of a back-to-back series. Shizuoka dominated in the first game as well, winning 96-67.

Miller finished with a double-double of 10 points and tying for a game-high of 12 rebounds. He had two assists and went 5-for-8 from the field, shooting 62.5 percent.

The outcome of the game was a foregone conclusion early. Miller came off the bench and played 29 minutes in the game.

Shizuoka distributed the ball well, dishing out 25 assists compared to Gifu who had six assists. They outrebounded their counterparts, 35-28. Defensively, Shizuoka had 11 steals compared to just two for Gifu.

On Saturday, Miller scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds. He went 6-for-7 from the field, shooting 85.7 percent. He went 3-for-4 from the free throw line. He added one block in 27 minutes on the floor. In the game, Shizuoka’s bench scored most of their total points with 52. They also dished out 25 assists in this game. It was a closer gap in rebounding in this game as Shizuoka won that category, 33-30. They also had 11 steals.

This season, Miller is averaging 12.6 points to go with 8.5 rebounds per contest. He is also averaging 1.5 steals and is playing 22.9 minutes per game in 26 games.

Miller and his team return to action with back-to-back away games against the ninth-ranked Tokyo Hachioji Trains (10-16) on January 13 and 14.

Miller spent last season in Brazil’s Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB) with Minas Belo Horizonte. The team reached the league’s semifinals before their playoff run came to an end.

https://thenassauguardian.com/miller-shizuoka-win-10th-straight/

 Home|Sports|Major boxing show slated for May at national stadiumSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJanuary 12, 2023 135 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

On Wednesday, the Bahamas Boxing Commission (BBC) announced that after working diligently with Bahamian entertainment promoter Whitney Ferguson, for three years, a blockbuster of an event is scheduled for Saturday May 13, 2023, at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium inside the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre.

According to BBC Chairman Fred Sturrup, “this is the finest indication of a revival of the sport we love so dearly” in the last decade.

“I wish to heap praises on Promoter Whitney Ferguson. He has demonstrated perseverance at the highest level. The calls made to me over the last three years and to BBC Secretary Calvin Greene have been quite an amount. There were disappointing occasions when it seemed he would not be able to put a show together, but Ferguson pressed on. He networked through the commission with Minister of Youth, Spots and Culture Mario Bowleg, US boxing affiliates and myself to get to this point,” said Sturrup, who also represents the Commonwealth Boxing Council. “Now a super boxing show, inclusive of participating Bahamian boxers, a matter being negotiated, is planned. The commission has endorsed the process and confirmed as much with Minister Bowleg. The show has been sanctioned by the Government of The Bahamas through its commission, and hopefully everything will work out.”

The show, dubbed ‘The Return of Drama in Paradise’, will be headlined by a 10-round match featuring lightweights Xolosani Ndongeni and Ladarius Miller.

Other bouts scheduled are welterweight Layla McCarter (USA) taking on Claudia Andrea Lopez (Argentina), 10 rounds; heavyweight Justin Jones (USA) going up against Saul Farah (Bolivia), 10 rounds; heavyweight Richard Lamontage (USA) battling Esteban Hillman (Bolivia), 8/10 rounds; super featherweight Alexander Casares (Mexico) vs. Kevin Lionel Acevado (Argentina), 10 rounds; bantamweight Abdulazeez Alamoodi (Dubai) taking on Jose Garcia Sifuentes (Mexico), 8 rounds; super lightweight Eduardo Javier Abreu (Argentina) going up against Jose de Leon Jasso (Mexico), 6/8 rounds; flyweight Marlen Avila (USA) battling Haiulie Villalobos Martinez (Mexico), 4 rounds; lightweight Ashton Barreras (USA) vs. Reymundo Gutierrez (Mexico), 4 rounds; heavyweight Anonia Zepeda (USA) taking on Skylar Lacy (USA), 6 rounds; and super lightweight Keith Hunter going up against an opponent to be named later.

The commission is appealing to government agencies, in particular, the Ministry of Tourism, the immigration and customs departments, to accommodate Promoter Ferguson as he seeks to present a major event in this The Bahamas’ 50th Independence anniversary year.

https://thenassauguardian.com/major-boxing-show-slated-for-may-at-national-stadium/

PATRICK MACTAGGART AND BRIANA HOULGRAVE.

As of Wednesday, January 11, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#While it was a double dose of victory for Briana Houlgrave on the girls’ side, Jackson and Patrick Mactaggart made it a brothers affair on the boys’ side of the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s New Year’s Tournament.

#The three-day event, held at the National Tennis Centre, was completed on Majority Rule Day on Tuesday as Houlgrave knocked off Grand Bahamian Tatyana Madu in both the girls under-14 and under-16 finals.

#In the under-14 finals between the pair of junior national team players, Houlgrave had to go to the third and tie-breaking set to win 4-6, 7-5, 10-6 before she regained her composure and came back and took the under-16 title 7-5, 6-2 over Madu.

#Jackson Mactaggart got the ball rolling on the boys’ side when he disposed of William McCartney Jr 6-3, 6-1 and his younger brother, Patrick Mactaggart, followed suit with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Chase Newbold.

#“It was amazing, especially since I knew I made my coach (Bradley Bain) and my parents proud, as well as myself,” said Houlgrave, a 12-year-old Bahamian-Canadian, who is in the seventh-grade at Windsor Academy.

#In the under-14s final, Houlgrave admitted that it was a bit nerve-racking.

#“I did a bit of overthinking, but once I looked over my notes, it all made sense and it made me extremely proud,” said Houlgrave, who took the opportunity after just about every crossover to check her notes she made to remind herself of what to do in the match.

#After about a two-hour break, Houlgrave came back and put the finishing touches on a great day on the tennis court.

#“I knew what to do, so even though it was very hard, it was still easy in some aspects of the game,” Houlgrave said.

#Despite the pair of losses, Madu, a 13-year-old ninth grader, said she gave it her best shot.

#“In the under-14s, I made a couple of errors here and there. I can’t do anything about that,” she said.

#“In the under-16s, I was pretty tired, but I tried my best. That’s what came out. But I think I can beat her the next time we play.”

#Madu said she was one of the few players from Grand Bahama who knew about the tournament, so she was happy to come here to see where her game is going into the new season.

#She said she just had to go back to the drawing board and make some adjustments in training.

#With all eyes set on their match, Jackson Mactaggart knew there was no room for error and he controlled the tempo of both sides, especially after going up a break in the first set and up two breaks in the second set.

#“I’m very pleased with my performances here because all of the players were tricky players, especially in the final.

#“I had to give it my all. Each (point) was tough and I had to fight for it,” said Mactaggart, who also plays golf.

#“I just took it one point at a time. I worked hard to get to the final and the hard work paid off. I felt I played well in all of my matches.”

#Mactaggart said hopefully this match will propel the rest of his season as he looks forward to a tournament in Grand Bahama and then on the Junior Davis Cup team with McCartney and Gerald Carroll.

#Patrick Mactaggart said he didn’t play the “greatest,” but it was good enough to win, just like his big brother.

#“I was just happy with winning. Next time, I hope to improve on what I did not do right today,” said the 12-year-old seventh-grader. “I was missing too much and double faulting.”

#In getting to the final, Newbold got past Panagiotis Mousis 2-6, 6-3, 10-2 in his semi-final match earlier in the day. The 11-year-old sixth-grader at Summit Academy, who indicated that he wants to one day become the best player in the Bahamas, felt he didn’t have anything left in the tank for the final.

#“Getting through the first match, like I did in all of my matches, I lost the first set and I came back in the second set and pumped myself up to win the game,” he said. “In my last match in the final, I tried my best, but he was just that much better today.”

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/jan/11/double-dose-victory/?news

As of Wednesday, January 11, 2023

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#BASKETBALL

#GSSSA SEASON OPENING

#THE Government Secondary Schools Sports Association will kick of its basketball season today with the junior boys and girls playing at the AF Adderley Gymnasium and the senior boys and girls at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

#The GSSSA is headed by Varel Clarke-Davis, who indicated that they are looking forward to a really competitive season across the board.

#• Here’s a look at the games on tap today:

#AF Adderley Gym

#4pm – CH Reeves Raptors vs AF Adderley Fighting Tigers (junior girls)

#CH Reeves vs AF Adderley (junior boys)

#TA Thompson vs LW young Golden Eagles (junior boys)

#Kendal Isaacs Gym

#Senior girls

#4pm – CC Sweeting Cobras vs Doris Johnson Mystics Marlins

#CC Sweeting vs Doris Johnson senior boys to be played following the girls’ game.

#BSAA BASKETBALL

#THE Bahamas Scholastic Athletic Association will continue its basketball regular season today at the Hope Center starting at 4pm with the following games on tap:

#Junior boys – Freedom Farm Academy B vs ISBET.

#Junior boys – Freedom Farm Academy A vs Akhepran International Academy.

#Senior girls – CV Bethel vs Teleos Christian Academy.

#Senior boys – Akhepran Internrational Academy vs Genesis Academy.

#Senior boys – New Horizon Christian Academy vs Teleos Christian School.

#BAISS BASKETBALL

#THE Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools, which got its basketball season started just before the Christmas break, will resume competition today with a full slate of games at various private high schools, starting at 4pm.

#Games will also be played on Thursday and Friday as the season swings into full gear.

#NPBA BASKETBALL

#THE New Providence Basketball Association will continue its regular season action at the AF Adderley Gymnasium with games on tap tonight, starting at 7pm.

#Games will also be played on Friday and Saturday nights in both the men’s division II and division one.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/jan/11/sports-notes/?news

PROFESSIONAL baseball players Lucius Fox, far left, and Todd Isaacs Jr, far right, pose with Todd Isaacs Sr, Dotlee Fox and Gina Gonzalez-Rolle.

As of Wednesday, January 11, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AS childhood friends, Lucius Fox and Todd Isaacs Jr have been each other’s greatest inspiration on and off the baseball field.

#The duo, who switched their concentration from track and field in St Augustine’s College to baseball while playing at Freedom Farm, have transcended their relationship to partnership as the co-founders and hosts of the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby that staged its fifth edition at Montagu Bay in December.

#At the same time, they are both doing what they love the most, playing baseball at the professional level, albeit, Fox in Major League Baseball, while Isaacs Jr is a member of the Frontal League.

#Together, the pair sat down at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium on Friday where they described their journey to where they are and their closely knitted friendship that is second to none as they indicated that they have been there for each other in every circumstance along the way.

#“Every game that Lucius and I played against each other (in minor league), it was some of the best baseball to watch. We always wanted to be one up on the other, Isaacs Jr said. “So if he makes a good play, I have to follow up with something better.

#“If he had a good game today, I had to follow up with one the next day. I remember the last time we played against each other in Lake County, I remember getting a walk home run against his team and he followed up the next day by getting four hits. Every time we stepped on the field together, we competed against each other, but we represented the Bahamas so we had to do it with pride.”

#Having played together on teams since they were nine years old, Fox said it was hard to play against each other even when they headed the two separate teams to play against each other in the Home Run Derby.

#“In that game that he hit the home run, it was my brother’s team that won, so I was happy for him,” Fox said. “It was also a tough competition, even in the Home Run Derby. We always wanted to win, but we also wanted to put on a show for our Bahamian people and to show the young people coming up that they can do it too.”

#With so many young players looking for the opportunity to also get their chance to play professional baseball, Fox said they try to inspire them as much as they can when they come home and participate in the Home Run Derby.

#“I feel like the players look forward to it every year. I know some of the young kids who are on the verge of signing their contracts, they don’t talk as much about it as they do about playing in the Home Run Derby,” Fox said. “So once we continue to inspire the kids coming up and we can teach them how to do this properly, our country can become one of the best baseball nations in the world. The Home Run Derby is the greatest show on sand.”

#As a kid, 26-year-old Isaacs Jr said he vividly remembers going into the old Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium and seeing the bright lights. Now he said he finally got to see the completion of the new stadium and he can’t wait to make his debut in it.

#“I remember coming home in December and on the Saturday before it opened up, I just wanted to come and see it and take it all in,” he said. “As a baseball player, it was the first time we came home and got to play in it.

#“We play so many times away, but to come home and to see the lights on and the music playing and so many people in the stands, for me it was a surreal experience. It just goes to show that now we can do whatever we want to do in the sport with this stadium.”

#Fox, 25, wasn’t able to play in the initial tournament because he was on a Major League roster, but he is still basking in his own success as the eighth Bahamian to crack the top echelon in the sport as a member of the Washington Nationals last year.

#“Since I started playing baseball when I was seven, I told my father I wanted to make it to the Major League and since then he’s pushed me and given me all of the opportunities to reach my goal,” Fox said.

#“Signing to become a professional player, I was just 18 years old. I only had Antoan Richardson and Albert Cartwright, who were before and they tried to explain it to me, but you really don’t know what it’s like until you get in there yourself.”

#After seven years as a pro, three of which he suffered a series of injuries, Fox said when he got the call up last year, it was a special moment for him.

#“There were so many moments that ran through my mind because you wanted to get there as quickly as possible,” he said. “But the game of baseball and sports in general is tough because injuries happen, so you just have to stay the course.

#“Making it to the Major League this past season is the first step in my journey and I’m looking forward to trying to help the Washington Nationals win a World Series in the near future. It was a special moment for me. I got to share it with my family and friends, who were there with me from day one.”

#Fox said he could feel the love of the Bahamian people as they rooted for him when he went out there and played for them because although he was wearing the Nationals on his chest, he was still a Bahamian.

#For Isaacs Jr, just knowing that he did it, made him more excited than Fox himself. “From nine years old, we waited for that day to come,” Fox Jr said. “Whatever I was into , he was into and whatever he was into, I was in it too. We talked about playing professional baseball and to see the work that he put in behind the scenes to get to the top is something that I will never forget.

#“I remember when he felt so deflated and he told me that he was going to Triple A and after he drove all the way to Rochester, he got the news that the next day he was going to the big leagues. I remember calling my mom and telling her that Lucius was going to the Majors. I felt like I was going there too because we waited patiently for that day to happen.”

#It didn’t happen to Fox Jr, who played for the Indians for four years and then went to the Rockies before he went to the Frontal League. But he said his goal is to get back into the minor league and to work his way up the ladder.

#“If anyone looks up at my numbers, they will see that I can’t be denied, so my goal is to just get better in the offseason and every game go out there and put on a good show for my team. My country and my family, which keeps me grounded,” Isaacs Jr said.

#“So this season, I just want to build on what I did last season and just wait patiently for my opportunity to get back into minor baseball and eventually get the chance as well to play in the majors.”

#One of the goals for Fox as he looks forward to making his presence felt is to become the first Bahamian to win “rookie of the year” honours.

#He intends to go to Spring Training and hopefully if he stays healthy, he can play a full season with the Nationals.

#“I missed a lot of time with injuries, but I want to play a full season without any injuries,” he said.

#Once he earns that feat, Isaacs Jr said they will celebrate it when they host the sixth edition of the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby in December in Montagu Bay.

#With his reliance on God and the support of his family, Fox said he was able to accomplish his feat, rather than just giving up due to the injuries and he missed so much time on the playing field. He said talking to Isaacs Jr and his mother has made a world of a difference.

#“I know that God doesn’t make any mistakes, so you just have to continue to trust him and keep the faith in him,” Fox said. “Whenever he does it, it’s the perfect time, so you just have to trust him. We always have our plans, but God laughs at you. So keep your faith in God, believe in yourself and have people in your corner who have your back like Todd, who is always there to boost my confidence.”

#For Isaacs Jr to get back on the road to the majors, he said he too has to continue to believe in God and to put his faith and trust in him because “God is making things happen that will keep me around the game forever.

#“So I just have to keep the faith and just ask him to direct me. I know I can play at any and every level in the sport, but God’s plan is different from mine, so I just have to wait for God’s direction,” he said.

#“Every time I take the field, I can just go out there and put on a show for the people in the stands and hopefully the right people will notice what I’m doing and I will get the opportunity that I’ve been waiting on to get back in the league.”

#Like a “peacock” with its chest standing out, Isaacs Jr said he’s like that every time he gets to represent the Bahamas, whether it’s in the minors or in the Frontier League, so he asks the country to continue to cheer and support them as they represent the country.

#“We came from a small country with small islands, but we’re not small-minded individuals,” Fox added. “I remember when we first came into professional baseball and we told people we’re from the Bahamas, they were astonished that we play baseball here.

#“Now they take notice. They don’t say that anymore. So we just continue doing our part to push the game forward and put the world on notice that Bahamian baseball is here and it’s here to stay as we continue to keep our little small island on the map.”

#Fox said every time they compete, they want to let the world know that they are from the Bahamas with their stellar plays and that there are many who went before them and many more to come after them.

#“The sports world is tough. You are competing against athletes from all around the world,” Fox summed up. “You have athletes who are bigger, stronger and faster than you, but with your heart and determination, you can get the job done.”

#“A lot of people don’t see how much time athletes put in trying to perfect their craft and the pain they go through and mental aspects that they have to endure. I know I have a lot more respect for athletes because I’ve been there and I’ve had to go through all of it myself.”

#While they look forward to continuing on the path that they are heading, both Fox and Isaacs Jr said eventually they hope that one day they end up either playing against or with each other just like they did on their initial home turf at Freedom Farm.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/jan/11/fox-and-isaacs-jr-encourage-each-other/?news

CHAMPIONS Andrew Bell and Marcus Farrington receive their awards from Phil Andrews and Gina Gonzalez-Rolle. Photos by Erin Stuart

As of Wednesday, January 11, 2023

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PHIL Andrews and Gina Gonzalez-Rolle present runners-up Aiden Gorospe and David Bethel with their awards.

THIRD place finishers Madison Carroll and Billy Holowesko receive their awards from Gina Gonzalez- Rolle and Phil Andrews (in the background).

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#THE fourth edition of the Cancer Society of the Bahamas charity golf tournament saw the team of Andrew Bell and Marcus Farrington emerge as the champions on Majority Rule Day yesterday at the Baha Mar resort’s Royal Blue Golf Course.

#The duo, playing under the team of Sands Beer, posted a net score of 53.10 to beat out the team of David Bethel and Aiden Gorospe, who shot 49.50. The third finishers were the pair of Billy Holowesko and Madison Carroll with 48.70.

#A full field of 104 golfers participated in the two-man scramble that raised close to $100,000 for the Cancer Society of the Bahamas, according to Phil Andrews, one of the tournament committee members.

#For Bell and Farrington, it was a total team effort.

#“It was just all, just ham and egg. When I was out in the hole, my partner carried me and he was in it. He was the egg,” Farrington said.

#Bell, a former national team swimmer and cyclist, said they just came out to relax. “Our last tournament, we didn’t play too well. We were probably a little too tense,” he said. “But we came out here and saw a lot of the professionals dressed in their orange and black, and the other teams, so we just decided to come out and have some fun.”

#To do it one shot at a time, Farrington said they did it for his grandmother Sue Roberts, who was the woman behind the formation of the Cancer Society of the Bahamas and Jimmy Sands and Sands Beer.

#As the runners-up, Bethel and Gorospe said they were pleased with their accomplishments.

#“It was a lot of fun. Aiden carried the team with putts all day. He made it look so easy as one of the young and coming juniors,” Bethel said. “He’s going to show what the Bahamas can do in the future. I’m glad I played with him.”

#Gorospe, however, refused to take all of the credit.

#“He sunk some putts some time and he helped us as a team to win,” said Gorospe, a 13-year-old eighth-grader at Windsor Academy. “It was great to play with him and to finish as the second best team.”

#Although they were third, it was a good effort.

#“I felt that it was great. I just needed to work on my putting and I know my iron shots were off, but on the last hole, I made the shot for birdie,” said Carroll, a 12-year-old sixth grader at Tambearly School.

#She noted that she couldn’t ask for a better partner than Holowesko, who helped her as they talked about each aspect of their game as they played the course.

#“It was a wonderful opportunity to play with such a talented junior,” said Holowesko, one of the top Bahamian sailors. “It was nice to get her perspective on what she likes to do on the golf course and what is her favourite hole. We had a great time out there. It was unexpected that we got third, but we just grinded it out.”

#Finishing in order to receive awards were the teams of Luke McCarroll and Mackenzie Brown, fourth with 48.65, Steve Tiller and Brent Chapman, fifth with 48.50, Phil Andrews and Sean Albury, sixth with 47.95, Jim Laroda and John Reckley, seventh with 47.90, Phil Gorman and Richie King, Alistar Chisnall and Curtis Robinson, eighth with 47.80, Marc Robinson and Jimi Thompson, ninth with 47.55, 10th with 47.00 and Neala Jones and Paul Winder, 11th with 46.70.

#Sue Roberts, of the Cancer Society of the Bahamas, said they are very pleased to host the event for the fourth year because it’s for such a worthy cause.

#“It brings out a lot of people and there’s great camaraderie and it’s played on such a wonderful golf course, but I have never played golf in my life,” she said.

#“There’s not one family in the Bahamas that has not been affected by cancer, so it touches everybody’s heart.”

#Gina Gonzalez-Rolle, a committee member for the Cancer Society golf tournament, said they had a great event.

#“We had a wonderful day, the weather was well and everyone had a great time and we had wonderful prizes to give out,” Gonzalez-Rolle said. “We want to thank everyone for their support, everyone who volunteered and came out and worked and all of the sponsors.”

#The committee, according to Gonzalez-Rolle, is now looking at how they can improve on this year’s tournament as they start to prepare for the fifth edition next year.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/jan/11/bell-and-farrington-win-golf-title/?news

 Home|Sports|Houlgrave, MacTaggarts win tennis titlesSports

Youngest female player won in both female divisions; brothers dominate

Simba FrenchSend an emailJanuary 11, 2023 76 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

She was the smallest and youngest one on the tennis court, but Briana Houlgrave proved that she is a giant of a player. Houlgrave captured the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s (BLTA) New Year’s Tournament under-14 and under-16 girls titles yesterday at the BLTA’s National Tennis Center.

Winning the under-16 boys title was Jackson Mactaggart and securing the under-14 title was his younger brother Patrick Mactaggart.

Houlgrave played Grand Bahamian Tatyana Madu in both division finals which were played yesterday because of rain on Monday. She said she was happy to pull off the double.

“It feels amazing,” Houlgrave said. “I am proud of myself. I didn’t actually think I could pull it off. It means so much to me considering that I am the youngest and it is the first time that I am eligible to play in the under-16 division.”

The 12-year-old played into the under-16 division unranked but was able to take down top seeded Saphirre Ferguson in the semifinals and then Madu in the final. Madu was her teammate on the BLTA’s under-12 girls national team last year and came into the under-16 match ranked at number two. Houlgrave took down Madu in straight sets, 7-5 and 6-2. In the first, Madu had a 4-2 lead before Houlgrave battled back. It was at 2-4 down in the opening set when Houlgrave went into her bag and pulled out a notebook. She knelt and looked at her notes and came back and dominated.

“It was an extremely tiring match. I was putting the balls out and was not closing my racket. When I looked at my notes, I had to remind myself as to what to do and how to do it. That was how I fixed it,” Houlgrave said.

On Tuesday morning, the duo played a three-set match in the under-14 girls division, ending up with Houlgrave winning. Madu won the first set 6-4 before Houlgrave tied the match in the second set with a 7-5 victory. A 10-7 third set tiebreak in favor of Houlgrave helped her pull off the upset over the number one seed in that division.

Jackson Mactaggart said he had the best game of the tournament, going up against William McCartney in the under-16 boys final. He took down McCartney, 6-3 and 6-1.

“It feels good to be the champion. I love winning. I learned to fight for every point and to have fun. I thought the match went well for me,” Mactaggart said. “I definitely played my best in the tournament in this match. My opponent played a great match too and he played hard. The points were long and he was making me run a lot and tire me after each point. I had to give it my all for every point.”

He added that the windy conditions were a little tricky but he was able to adjust.

In the under-14 boys category, Patrick Mactaggart said he did not play his best but was happy to take down Chase Newbold in straight sets, 6-2 and 6-1.

“I am happy to be the champion,” Mactaggart said. “I’ll look to come out stronger next time. I didn’t play my best. I think I could have played better by cutting down on the errors and having less double faults.”

The younger Mactaggart said he was happy that both he and his brother won. All of the players will head back to training, preparing for upcoming tournaments.

https://thenassauguardian.com/houlgrave-mactaggarts-win-tennis-titles/

 Home|Sports|GSSSA basketball gets underway todaySports

Simba FrenchSend an emailJanuary 11, 2023 111 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

After not being able to stage games for the past two years, one of the top high school sports leagues, the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA), will get its 2023 basketball regular season underway this afternoon at the Kendal G.L. Isaacs National Gymnasium and the C.I. Gibson Senior High School Gymnasium.

President of GSSSA Varel Davis said they are excited to finally be playing basketball again, despite having to push the start date from December 2022 to this month because of examinations.

“We’re now about to begin our GSSSA basketball season. We were preparing from last term and a lot of them took advantage of various tournaments that was held to fine-tune their teams. Coaches have been working extremely hard preparing their teams for competition,” Davis said. “After two years break, a lot has changed. We find ourselves working extra hard because these kids haven’t played much sports from 2020. We are excited to be back and can’t wait to see who will be the 2023 GSSSA basketball champions.”

Action gets underway at 4 p.m. this afternoon. The senior high schools will play at the Kendal Isaacs gym and the junior high schools will play at C.I. Gibson. The Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins and the C.C. Sweeting Cobras girls and boys teams will face each other with the girls playing first. The Mystic Marlins boys are the defending champions.

At the C.I. Gibson gym, there will be three games in the junior high division. The C.H. Reeves Raptors and the A.F. Adderley Tigers girls and boys teams will play the first two games with the girls playing first. The final game at C.I. Gibson will pit the T.A. Thompson Scorpions and the L.W. Young Eagles against each other in junior boys action.

Entry fee for students is $2 and for adults, it’s $3. Games will start at 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The C.I. Gibson Rattlers are the senior girls defending champions. The D.W. Davis Royals junior boys will be going for a sixth straight title while the Scorpions are the junior girls defending champions.

Basketball is the fourth discipline that the GSSSA is orchestrating for the 2022-2023 school year. They began with cross country running and then baseball and softball took place concurrently.

“Cross country went very well,” Davis said. “We had over 500 athletes compete in the GSSSA cross country meet as well other meets that were held last term. [Cross country] opened up our conditioning season, not just for track and field but for the other sports as well. Softball and baseball went extremely well. It shows how much talent we have in our government schools, especially in boys baseball.”

Capturing the junior girls softball title was the H.O Nash Lions while the Mystic Marlins won the senior girls title. The R.M Bailey Senior High Pacers won the senior boys baseball while the Tigers secured the junior boys title.

After the basketball season, the GSSSA will move to its track and field championship, set for early March and that will be followed by volleyball. They will end the sports year with soccer.

https://thenassauguardian.com/gsssa-basketball-gets-underway-today/