STRIKERS Boxing Club founder Ronn Rodgers talks to students of CR Walker Secondary High School during a special session in the T Nicola McKay Auditorium. Photos: Austin Fernander/Tribune Staff

As of Tuesday, November 29, 2022

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#With a renewed focus on getting more young people involved in sports, Strikers Boxing Club introduced the sport to a group of students at the CR Walker Secondary High School.

#During a special session in the T. Nicola McKay Auditorium, Strikers Boxing Club founder Ronn Rodgers talked about his introduction to the sport by his uncle Ray Minus Sr at the Poinciana Arena and how the sport afforded him the opportunity to travel around the world.

#Rodgers, however, said that if young men and women are looking for a more disciplined sport to get into and to learn very quickly, it would be boxing.

#He noted that the Strikers Boxing Club is inviting persons to join them at their training site on Marshall Road or wait until they announce when they will be bringing their training programmes into the inner-city next year.

#Rodgers was originally scheduled to conduct the session with Bahamian heavyweight Amron Sands. But Sands, who is preparing for his return to the ring after recuperating from an injury, had to fly back to Florida yesterday to get back in training for his next fight.

#“The presentation was excellent. It was actually a larger turnout than I expected,” Rodgers said. “I didn’t realise that this school had so many kids that were interested in boxing. I knew they had a lot of troubled youths and that was why I was asked to come and speak to them, but we had some of the good kids too.”

#Based on what he saw, Rodgers said they are planning to stage a regional programme where the potential boxers can train in camps situated in their regions and then eventually compete in a national amateur boxing tournament. While there is no programme of such in the federation, Rodgers said that they intend to provide the programme from the Strikers Boxing Club.

#Jihan Knowles, the 10th grade head and a geographic teacher, said he liked what he saw Rodgers was doing with the Strikers Boxing Club and so he reached out to him to speak to the youngsters at CR Walker with the view of getting them into some positive sporting activities where they are not involved in any programme at all.

#“The boys are very interested and I’m glad to see that we have some girls who are also interested,” Knowles said. “The boys have a lot of energy and some of the sports are not physical enough for them and so it was decided to garner some interest from the students.”

#Knowles said he was pleased to see how the boxers were able to interact with Rodgers as he demonstrated how to use the boxing equipment he brought along. He also noted that the boxers were very enthused by the number of questions that they asked.

#Jesse Johnson, a 12-year-old 11th grader at CR Walker, was one of those students.

#“I watched boxing and I like it,” he said. “I learn that street fighting and ring fighting is not the same. I liked how he told us how we can get involved in training to become proper fighters. I think it’s something that I am willing to take on whenever it is introduced to us in training.”

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/nov/29/strikers-boxing-club-hits-cr-walker/?news

As of Tuesday, November 29, 2022

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DEYTON Albury

PAUL Greene

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#DEYTON Albury and Paul Greene continue to lead Chipola’s ascent up the national rankings while Emmanuel Alexandre and Colin Storr’s production continue to lead the group of Bahamians at Northeast Community College.

#Chipola moved up two spots and is now ranked no.4 in the NJCAA rankings and remain undefeated with a 10-0 record after they hosted the Thanksgiving Classic in Marianna, Florida.

#Chipola opened with a 70-62 win over the LSU Eunice Bengals.

#Albury nearly posted a double double with a team high 17 points and nine rebounds. It was his fourth game this season leading the team in scoring. Greene finished with a team high 10 rebounds. In game two, Chipola won 94-50 over Southern Union Community College. Greene recorded his third double double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

#Albury added seven points and seven rebounds.

#Albury has increased his numbers in his sophomore campaign to average 14 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. In his first year with the programme, Greene is averaging 8.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

#Chipola opens a five-game home stretch tonight when they face South Georgia Tech.

#Alexandre had his seventh 20-point game of the season to lead the Northeast CC Hawks to a 71-69 win over Marshalltown CC on November 26.

#Alexandre was just shy of a triple double with 22 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. Storr had eight points and 10 rebounds, Bryan Rolle got his first start of the season and scored seven points.

#The Hawks began the week with an 80-79 loss to Southeast CC. Alexandre scored 21 with four steals while Storr had 14 points and a game high 17 points.

#Alexandre is averaging 19.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 47 percent from the field and 44 percent from three-point range. Storr is averaging 16 points and 10.8 rebounds per game on 67 percent shooting from the field.

#Jaden Strachan has been a key contributor off the bench with 7.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

#Oswald Meadows led the Butte Community College Roadrunners in scoring for the first time this season and Rolontae Knowles nearly posted another double double.

#Meadows scored 21 points and added six rebounds and a team-high five assists in an 88-82 victory over Diablo Valley.

#Knowles finished with 19 points and a team high eight rebounds.

#The Roadrunners scored 52-points in the second half to overcome a 14 point deficit.

#Knowles is averaging 15.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, leading the team in both categories.

#Meadows is averaging 12.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.

http://sportsinthebahamas.com/wp-admin/post-new.php

As of Tuesday, November 29, 2022

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Kai Jones (AP Photo)

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#KAI Jones has taken full advantage of his increased opportunities recently in the rotation for the Charlotte Hornets.

#Jones tallied nine points, 12 rebounds and one block across 28 minutes in Friday’s 110-108 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves and followed with nine points and six rebounds in 22 minutes of last night’s 140-105 loss to the Boston Celtics.

#“My confidence level has always been really high, just believing in myself and the work that I put in over the summer to develop into a complete player so I’m just going to continue to have faith in God.

#“My confidence comes from God really and believing he can take me where I’m destined to be,” Jones said. “I’m going to try to stay even keel, continue to work on my game, get my shots up and work on all my stuff.”

#The second year forward said earning increased opportunities will come from a trust developed with Hornets head coach Steve Clifford.

#“Trust is huge for me. Talking with [Clifford] in his office saying things like ‘coach I’m going to do this this and that’ and then go out and executing those things, for me it’s huge because I gain the trust of him and the organisation,” Jones said.

#“l can believe in him and he can say ‘ok you listened so you can get your opportunity’ the trust goes both ways and that’s huge for any coach player relationship. It’s big for the team because togetherness and synergy is huge in winning.”

#The Hornets exercised the team option on Jones earlier this season and the extension on his rookie deal through the 2023-24 campaign.

#The 6’11 forward has appeared in 12 games this season after a rookie season where he appeared in just 21.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/nov/29/hornets-jones-my-confidence-level-has-always-been-/?news

As of Tuesday, November 29, 2022

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#AHMARD Harvey and Franco Miller Jr saw their respective programmes win early season tournaments over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

#Harvey and his High Point Panthers defeated Tennessee State 77-72 in the finale of the SoCal Challenge Sand Division Championship in San Juan Capistrano, California.

#Harvey finished with five points and a game high eight rebounds.

#The 6’7” junior forward’s effort on the glass came through in critical moments, half of which came on the offensive side.

#The Panthers trailed by seven midway through the first half, when Harvey’s rebound and putback ignited a run to get them back into the game.

#He had another influential play in the second half, when his three pointer gave the Panthers a 55-51 lead with just under 12 minutes left to play.

#Within the last two minutes, Harvey came up with two rebounds that led to fastbreak opportunities to seal the win.

#Harvey is averaging 4.5 points and a team leading seven rebounds per game. He made his debut with eight points and seven rebounds followed by back to back 10 rebound performances.. HPU was picked to finish fifth overall in the preseason poll Big South Preseason poll after they finished 14-18 last season, 7-9 in the Big South.

#Harvey transferred from the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers of the Sun Belt Conference, where he spent the previous three seasons of his collegiate basketball career.

#Miller and the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles captured the Gulf Coast Showcase title with a 73-59 win over Kansas City in Estero, Florida.

#It completed a run of three wins in three days with wins over Northern Kentucky, 82-61, and Drexel, 67-59.

#“I’m proud of these guys,” said FGCU head men’s basketball coach Pat Chambers. “It’s not easy with a new coach and some new players. We came in and they just wanted to please me, please our staff and get better. That’s what we are seeing. We won these games in July, with our strength program and staff buying in from the start. I kept saying from June and all summer long ‘back-to-back-to-back’ – to get ready for it, to have the mental toughness for it. We just went out and proved we did.” .

#Miller is in his third season as a member of the Eagles. Last season, he had just 15 appearances with just one start. This season he has appeared in all seven games but is just averaging 9.9 minutes per contest.

#The FGCU men’s basketball team was picked fourth in the ASUN Preseason Coaches’ Poll as well as the Preseason Media Poll.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/nov/29/miller-jr-harvey-win-tournaments-thanksgiving/?news

SHOWN, from left to right, are Kelsie Johnson-Sillis, acting director of sports, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg and consultants Rev Harrison Thompson and James “Jimmy” Clarke.

As of Tuesday, November 29, 2022

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SHOWN, from left to right, are coach Oswaldo Taylor, Kelsie Johnson-Sillis, acting director of sports, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg and consultants Rev Harrison Thompson and James “Jimmy” Clarke.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#MINISTER of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg officially launched the return of the Father Marcian Peters Invitational Basketball Tournament.

#Geared for primary boys and girls, junior boys and senior girls’ teams, the 34th edition of the invitational with a double elimination format will take place December 9-13 at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

#“It is our hope that teams participating in the tournament will give their players on their registered rosters at least five minutes of playing time for us to showcase the growth and development of the game of basketball,” Bowleg said.

#“That means that if you bring a roster of 12 or 15 players, it is hoped that you will play all of your players.”

#Bowleg, a former player/ coach and president of the Bahamas Basketball Federation, said Father Marcian Peters spent 45 years in the country developing the game and they hope to continue the legacy left behind by the ‘Sporting Priest.’

#“We are happy that we can give our young people the exposure through the game of basketball through this basketball tournament,” Bowleg said. “We hope that we will have some Family Island teams participate as well.”

#Clarke said in the past, Family Island teams were given a stipend of $250 to assist in getting their teams to the tournament, but this year they have increased the funding to $1,000.

#Hopefully, that will inspire more of the Family Islands to bring their teams into the tournament.

#According to Bowleg, Father Marcian Peters was a gentleman in the growth and development of the game of basketball here in this country in his 45 years of giving back.

#Legendary coach and former player James ‘Jimmy’ Clarke, a consultant in the ministry and the tournament director, revealed that a total of eight senior girls’ teams, six junior girls, 10 junior boys, three primary girls and six primary boys.

#Clarke noted that they have decided to eliminate the intermediate boys’ division because of the number of tournaments held in the country for the boys. He said they hope to host a nationally televised game for the senior girls.

#“We are trying to develop more Jonquel Jones to play in the NBA and more girls to get into college,” Clarke said. “The boys are doing okay, but we want to highlight more of the girls.”

#At the end of the tournament, Clarke said the top senior girls from each school will be selected to participate in a developmental programme on Saturdays where he will be working with them on their shooting game.

#Some teams, according to Clarke, will be involved in their examinations and won’t be able to participate.

#For those teams wishing to enter, Clarke said they can still contact the ministry to register.

#No team will be turned away from registering before the tournament starts on December 9.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/nov/29/its-official-father-marcian-peters-invitational-to/?news

 Home|Sports|Visiting Columbia team wins Thanksgiving tournamentSports

The Nassau GuardianSend an emailNovember 29, 2022 122 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

High school basketball is in full effect in the nation’s second city as the William Dale Burns Thanksgiving Basketball Tournament wrapped up over the weekend at the St. George’s High School Gymnasium in Freeport, Grand Bahama.

Winning the title was the Columbia High School Eagles out of DeKalb County, Georgia, USA. They defeated the Sunland Baptist Stingers, 72-66, in the championship game on Saturday.

Tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP) Rashad Hedges led the way for Columbia with a game-high 24 points. Donnell Basden led the Stingers with 15.

The defensive player of the tournament was Terrell Wright from Columbia and the coach of the tournament was Dr. Phil McClary, also of Columbia.

The Tabernacle Baptist Christian Academy Falcons knocked off the St. George’s Jaguars in the bronze medal game, winning 15-13. In other consolation games, Louise McDonald out of Bimini, defeated the Eight Mile Rock Blue Jays, 53-49, and the Brainerd High School 

Panthers out of Chattanooga, Tennessee, got past the Jack Hayward High School Wildcats, 43-35.

The All-Tournament Team is inclusive of Donovan Thomas of Brainerd, Donnell Basden and Teano Roberts from Sunland, Aiden Miller out of Tabernacle, Desmond Hall Jr. from Jack Hayward High, Leon Evans of St. George’s, Derek Francis representing Louise McDonald, and Trevian Callaway, MVP Rashad Hedges and defensive player of the tournament Terrell Wright, all from Columbia.

According to one of the organizers Ozzie Simmons, there are six American teams confirmed for Thanksgiving 2023.

Also coming out of Grand Bahama, the first ever Northern Bahamas High School Volleyball Championships is set for this weekend, Thursday to Saturday at the St. George’s Gymnasium.

A total of four girls teams and two boys teams out of Abaco will head to Grand Bahama to play teams out of Grand Bahama for the Northern Bahamas Volleyball Championships.

Tournament organizers will be honoring two former national team players in Arnold Ferguson from Grand Bahama and Cedric Ferguson out of Abaco.

The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture in conjunction with the Sports Unit of the Ministry of Education & Technical & Vocational Training, the Grand Bahama Secondary Schools Athletic Association (GBSSAA) and the Abaco Schools Sports Association will host the event this weekend.

It will be held under the motto of ‘Up North with Sports’.

The participating schools in the girls division will be Forest Heights, Agape Christian, SC Bootle and PJ Bethel out of Abaco, and Sunland Baptist, Bishop Michael Eldon, Tabernacle, Lucaya International School and Eight Mile Rock from Grand Bahama.

In the boys division, the participating schools will be Agape Christian and PJ Bethel out of Abaco, and Sunland Baptist, Jack Hayward High, Tabernacle, Lucaya International School, St. George’s and Eight Mile Rock from Grand Bahama.

The tournament is a double elimination one and will conclude Sports Month for the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.

https://thenassauguardian.com/visiting-columbia-team-wins-thanksgiving-tournament/

 Home|Sports|Jones has career-high numbers in Hornets’ winSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailNovember 29, 2022 150 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Second-year center/forward in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Kai Jones is coming off a career night on Friday night for the Charlotte Hornets (6-14) and it looks like the Bahamian might be turning the corner in his career. He was instrumental in guiding the Hornets to a 110-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves (10-9).

The 19th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft experienced a career-high 28 minutes on the floor after averaging just 7.2 minutes per game this season. He made the most of those 28 minutes, coming away with a career-highs in points with nine and he pulled down 12 rebounds. He shot at a 60 percent clip, going 3-for-5 from the field. Jones also went 3-for-4 from the charity stripe. Defensively, the big man came away with a block.

“I am glad we got the W (win) and try stay even-keeled. I am going to continue to work on my game, get my shots up and work on everything. I am just glad we got the win and I want to continue to win,” Jones said.

Jones had a few dunks in the game and was highlighted on ESPN’s SportsCenter’s top 10 plays of the night at number three when he completed an alley-oop dunk on a fast break with 11:07 left in the fourth quarter. They went up 93-83 at that point.

“They continue to tell us young guys to stay ready,” Jones said. “We continue to stay in the gym, and it feels good to be able to contribute to winning. That is what I am all about.”

Jones added: “My confidence level has always been high, just believing in myself and the work that I put in over the summer to develop into a complete player. I am just continuing to have faith in God – believing in Him and Him taking me to where I am destined to be.”

Last season, Jones played in just 21 games. He has played in 11 games this season. He is progressing in the right direction, averaging 7.2 minutes per game this season compared to last season’s three minutes per game.

Hornets’ Head Coach Steve Clifford has noticed Jones’ growth and praised his play.

“I don’t see that he’s doing anything that he can’t do every night,” Clifford said. “He’s playing to his real strengths. He’s tough, he’s a terrific athlete, he’s got a good nose for the ball, and he’s playing very smart.”

Jones said that it is huge to have Clifford’s praise.

“I talk to him in his office about what to do in the game and executing those things is huge for me because I gain trust in him and the organization,” Jones said. “For him, I can believe in him with him saying that I listened to him and I get an opportunity. The trust goes both ways and that is huge for any coach-player relationship. It is also huge for the team and building that with everyone on the team.”

Jones said his progression is a testament of his hard work behind the scenes.

Bahamians got to see Jones this summer when he made his debut on The Bahamas senior men’s national basketball team at the Kendal G.L Isaacs 

Gymnasium. He stole the spotlight with his acrobatic plays and energy. He led the team with 20 points and 10 rebounds in a 86-81 loss to Venezuela in the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Basketball World Cup Americas Qualifiers. Jones also played in The Bahamas’ next game against Argentina, in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Jones had 16 points and six rebounds in that game, but The Bahamas fell, 95-77.

Jones and the Hornets played the NBA leading Boston Celtics at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, last night, but the result of that game was unavailable up to press time.

https://thenassauguardian.com/jones-has-career-high-numbers-in-hornets-win/

 Home|Sports|Ayton gets first weekly honorSports

Bahamian center named Western Conference Player of the Week

Sheldon LongleySend an emailNovember 29, 2022 168 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Bahamian DeAndre Ayton is putting up huge numbers and he was rewarded with his first-ever player of the week honor, the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced on Monday.

In three games for the week that covered November 21-27, the Phoenix Suns’ starting center averaged 23.7 points on 67.4 percent shooting from the field, 16.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while recording a double-double in each of the Suns’ three wins.

Ayton climaxed the week with a monster 29-point, 

21-rebound performance in Phoenix’s 113-112 win over the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City, Utah, in the second game of a back-to-back on Saturday. His 21 rebounds matched a career-high, and it was the third 20-20 game of his career.

A humble Ayton said afterwards that he just wanted to contribute in whatever way that he could. He signed a four-year, $133 million deal during the offseason after the Suns matched an offer sheet from the Indiana Pacers, and he is showing that he could produce on the floor, earning that money.

“I want to do more, I feel like I can do more,” Ayton said. “I’m just trying to do what I can to 

contribute to my team.”

It’s been a pretty eventful week for the Bahamian big man, starting the week off with a 14-point, 15-rebound effort against the Los Angeles Lakers in which he shot 63.6 percent from the floor, going 7-for-11. He helped the Suns record a 115-105 win on their home court at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

During that game, Ayton was shoved aggressively by Patrick Beverley in the back after it appeared he stood over Lakers’ swingman Austin Reaves. Reaves was fouled hard by the Suns’ Devin Booker and it appeared that Ayton might have stood over Reaves while he was on the floor. He stepped toward Reaves when he was still down, and Beverley responded aggressively and paid the price as he has been suspended for three games without pay.

After the shove, Ayton fell to the floor and quickly got up. He was shielded from responding to Beverley by his teammates and team officials. They were both assessed technical fouls, and Beverley was ejected.

Since then, Ayton has really taken off. The 24-year-old center erupted for 28 points and 12 rebounds – both game-highs – in a 108-102 victory for the Suns over the Detroit Pistons. Following that, Ayton turned in his monster 29-point, 21-rebound effort against the Utah Jazz, scoring a season-high for the second straight night. Ayton was the first player to have at least 28 points and 20 rebounds in a game for the Suns since Amar’e Stoudemire in 2007. He shot 11-for-19 from the field and added three assists and two blocks.

Ayton has been named the Western Conference Player of the Week, and Milwaukee Bucks’ forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has been named the Eastern Conference’s Player of the Week.

After being selected No. 1 overall out of Arizona in the 2018 NBA Draft, Ayton has had four successive seasons in which he has averaged a double-double for the Suns. This season, he is right under that, dropping in 16.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game while averaging a career-high 2.2 assists per game. He is shooting 59.6 percent from the floor.

Ayton has extended his double-double streak to five games, matching another career-high. In those five contests, he is averaging 20.2 points on 66.7 percent shooting from the field, 13.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. Those metrics over a five-game span have only been accomplished by two players since the 2014-15 season – Antetokounmpo (2018-19) and Denver Nuggets’ center Nikola Jokić (2021-22), who both went on to win the NBA’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award in those seasons.

Ayton and the Suns boast the NBA’s Western Conference’s best win/loss record at 13-6 and the NBA’s best home record of 11-1. They were set to take on the Sacramento Kings on the road at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, last night, but the result of that game was unavailable up to press time. 

https://thenassauguardian.com/ayton-gets-first-weekly-honor/

As of Friday, November 25, 2022

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AFTER a two-year hiatus as a result of COVID-19, the country’s most prestigious Father Marcian Peters Invitational Basketball Tournament for primary and high school basketball teams is back.

#This year’s event is scheduled for December 9-13 at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, but will be played without the intermediate boys’ division, according to tournament director Jimmy ‘Joe Black’ Clarke, who noted that the emphasis will be placed on the senior girls’ division.

#Clarke, a consultant in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, revealed that there are already 32 teams confirmed to participate in the event, which will only take place over five days.

#“We have teams from Abaco and Andros and the Majority Special School is entered in the primary boys division and they say they are ready for any public or private school team,” Clarke said. “Woodcock Primary is also looking forward to participating.

#“In the senior girls’ division, the CV Bethel Stingrays are expected to be the top-ranked school. They have about four to five players who are members of the junior girls national basketball team. This time around, it’s going to be interesting.”

#The Ministry of Sports, according to Clarke, has increased the stipend they have provided to the Family Island teams to assist in getting them to New Providence for the tournament and so they are encouraged by what they see.

#Clarke said the ministry will release the team rankings when they hold a press conference on Monday. But he noted that the primary boys and girls and junior boys and girls as well as the senior girls division will be keenly contested.

#Clarke, however, said they eliminated the intermediate boys division from this year’s lineup because of the High School Hoop Fest that will start on December 14 for high school boys between teams coming in from the United States and all-stars teams from New Providence and Grand Bahama. “Our females will be in the spotlight this year,” Clarke said.

#“We feel we have some very exciting teams that will be on display and so we want the public to get ready for the Father Marcian Peters Invitational. It’s on.”

#This is the 34th edition of the Father Marcian Invitational, which is being held in honour of the late ‘Sporting Priest,’ who is known as one of the founders of the establishment of organised basketball in the country.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/nov/25/father-marcian-peters-tourney-back/?news

VIEW of the new Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium.

As of Friday, November 25, 2022

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#WITH just about a week left before the start of the fourth Caribbean Baseball Cup, the Bahamas Baseball Association is putting the final touches on Team Bahamas.

#The BBA national team, headed by Geron Sands and Albert Cartwright, wrapped up a week-long training camp in Grand Bahama. The team is expected to come together in New Providence starting on Monday with practices inside the newly constructed Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium.

#The stadium, with its artificial turf and scoreboard in place, is having the lighting fixtures installed and all of the cosmetic work in and outside completed in time for the tournament that is scheduled to run from December 4-11. The road leading into the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex is also expected to be paved.

#Team Bahamas will be playing against teams from the US Virgin Islands, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Curacao as host COBABE will attempt to have the two teams qualified to represent the region at the Central American and Caribbean Games in El Salvador in 2023.

#Sands said after wrapping up practice on Wednesday night at the Emera Baseball Park in Grand Bahama, he noted that they are looking forward to getting together in New Providence for the final stretch before the start of the tournament.

#“We went to Grand Bahama to bring the bond back,” Sands said. “Even though these guys played together as youngsters, we were able to give them some quality time together.”

#On the first night in Grand Bahama, Sands said the team was hosted by Pastor Laquez Williams, a motivational speaker, who addressed the topic of ‘Being the best you.’ Sands thanked him for getting the ball rolling in Grand Bahama. “He was able to get to the guys and allowed them to open up about their life experiences as professional baseball players,” Sands said. “We got that family feeling back again. On the field, the guys got to bond together. We didn’t have to do any teaching, just go over some strategies with them.”

#Sands said the whole idea for the camp was to get the players ready for the task ahead of them because he wants to make sure that they are in the right frame of mind as a team to represent the country.

#“I took this on with a purpose,” he said. “I want to bring back what we once had and make it better. I got tired of us not doing things the way it should be done. As one who is highly involved in baseball internationally, we want to develop a national culture for baseball.

#“Hopefully, I can get the opportunity after this tournament to really get this national programme up and running. I want to see us competing as a team in the World Baseball Classic by 2025 and eventually by 2029 to win the title and even go on to represent the country at the Olympic Games.”

#In addition to Sands and Cartwright, the other members of the coaching staff participated in the camp. They included Dominic Collie, Donovan Cox and Trae Sweeting. The team coordinator is Avard Hart.

#The schedule for the tournament is as follows:

#Sunday, December 4

#11am – Curacao vs Puerto Rico

#5pm – Official opening ceremonies

#7:30pm – US Virgin Island vs Bahamas

#Monday, December 5

#2pm – Cuba vs US Virgin Islands

#Tuesday, December 6

#2pm – Curacao vs US Virgin Island

#7pm – Puerto Rico vs Cuba

#Wednesday, December 7

#2pm – US Virgin Islands vs Puerto Rico

#7pm – Bahamas vs Cuba

#Thursday, December 8

#2pm – Cuba vs Curacao

#7pm – Puerto Rico vs Bahamas

#Friday, December 9

#(Off day)

#Saturday, December 10

#2pm – 3rd seed vs 2nd seed

#7pm – 4th seed vs 1st seed

#Sunday, December 11

#2pm – Third place game

#5pm – Championship game

#8:30pm – Closing ceremony

#• Tickets are priced at $15 for children, $25 for adults and $45 for VIP.