As of Wednesday, December 6, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#The stage is set for the Don’t Blink Baseball extravaganza this week. It all begins 4pm today at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium with a kid’s clinic, organised by the MLBPA. Immediately following that at 7pm will be the celebrity softball game at the stadium as well.

#Among those participating in the Celebrity game are Callix C, Jason Bourgeoi, Quintin Berry, Vincent Blue, Daryl Boston, Michael Bourn, Edwin Jackson, CC Sabathia, Natasha Watley, Curtis Granderson, Tim Beckham and Christopher Young on one team. The other team will include DJ Collie, Lewis Brinson, Donye Evans, Lucius Fox, Todd Isaacs Jr, Triston McKenzie, DeShawn Knowles, BJ Murray, Lawerence Butler, Dan Starwalt and Brennan Davis.

#On Thursday at 5pm, there will be the inaugural high school showcase back at the stadium.

#The climax will come on Saturday on Montagu Bay with the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby, starting at 1pm. The gates open at noon.

#For the Home Run Derby, each of the 20 participating players will get 15 swings at hitting a home run into the water on Montagu Bay.

#Out of that field, the top four hitters will advance to the semifinal and then it will wrap up with the final round for the title.

#BJ Murray is the defending champion.

#The list of Major League players expected to participate are Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm – Miami Marlins; Lucius Fox – Washington Nationals; Will Benson – Cincinnati Reds; Nick Gordon – Minnesota Twins; Triston Mckenzie – Cleveland Guardians; Josh Palacios – Pittsburgh Pirates; Richie Palacios – St Louis Cardinals; Dany Touki Toussaint – Chicago White Sox; Akil Baddoo – Detroit Tigers; Lawrence Butler – Oakland Athletics and Lewis Brinson – Yomiuri Giant. The minor

#league’s list include Brennen Davis – Chicago Cubs; James Wood – Washington Nationals; Termarr Johnson – Pittsburgh Pirates; Sebastian Walcott – Texas Rangers; BJ Murray – Chicago Cubs; D’Shawn Knowles – Los Angeles Angels; Chavez Young – Toronto Blue Jays; Tahnaj Thomas – Pittsburgh Pirates; Ian Lewis – Miami Marlins; Jon Flowers – Pittsburgh Pirates; Kristin Munroe – Los Angeles Angels; Ryan Reckley – San Francisco Giants; Parris Johnson – Los Angeles Dodgers; Adari Grant – Los Angeles Angels; Toby Simmons – Miami Marlins; Cheriff Neymour – Miami Marlins; Daniel Gaitor – Miami Marlins; Breyias Dean – Miami Marlins; Andru Arthur – St Louis Cardinals; Chad Delancey – Boston Red Sox and Janero Miller – Miami Marlin.

#Team Bahamas will be made up of Lucius Fox – Washington Nationals; BJ Murray – Chicago Cubs; Sebas Walcott – Texas Rangers; D’Shawn Knowles – Los Angeles Angels; Ryan Reckley – San Francisco Giants; Kristin Munroe – Los Angeles Angels; Toby Simmons – Miami Marlins; Adari Grant – St Louis Cardinals; Chavez Young – Pittsburgh Pirates; Breyias Dean – Miami Marlins and Paris Johnson- LA Dodgers.

#Team World will be made up of Will Benson – Cincinnati Reds; James Wood – Washington Nationals; Josh Palacios – Pittsburgh Pirates; Richie Palacios – St Louis Cardinals; Akil Baddoo – Detroit Tigers; Lawrence Butler – Oakland Athletics; Nick Gordon – Minnesota Twins; Lewis Brinson – Yomiuri Giants; Brennen Davis – Chicago Cubs and Termarr Johnson – Pittsburgh Pirates.

#“Everything looks great. We’re looking forward to it,” said Todd Isaacs Jr, who along with fellow Bahamian professional baseball player Lucius Fox started the event six years ago to give Bahamians a chance to watch the internationally based players in a unique event on Montagu Bay. “We have a great group of guys coming down to participate in all of the events.”

#The high school showcase is an added feature and will feature 25 of the top high school baseball players from around the United States of America, which are coming here through Minority Baseball Prospects.

#They will be in a showcase with some of the top local players from the Bahamas.

#Of course, the highlight of the weekend will be the Home Run Derby, which will also take on a new format when the Bahamas players will be matched against a host of foreign pro players coming to the Bahamas.

#“We hope to showcase our top players against these minor and major leaguers as we try to take the title right here in the Bahamas,” Fox Jr said.

#“So we’re looking forward to a really good showing as we continue to push the baseball narrative in the Bahamas.”

As of Wednesday, December 6, 2023

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MICHAEL Major Jr

MICHAEL Major Jr in action.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#BACK home among family and friends after completing his first semester as a freshman for the Bison men’s tennis team at Howard University, Michael Major Jr is looking forward to displaying his skills at both the Mark Knowles Tennis Cup and the Baldacci Tennis Open.

#Major Jr, 17, will be joining Jacobi Bain as two local players who are lined up to compete with a group of international tennis players who will be putting on a show at the Mark Knowles Tennis Cup from Friday to Sunday at the Baha Mar Tennis Club.

#A week later, beginning on December 18, Major Jr and Bain are expected to line up to compete in the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s year-ending Giorgio Baldacci Tennis Open at the National Tennis Center.

#For Major Jr, there’s no greater feeling than being back home, nothing compared to what he went through at school at Howard University.

#“I’ve had a good experience so far at school. It’s a lot of nice people, a lot of people encouraging you and a lot of people who are not showing you any hatred, or talking down on your dreams. In terms of tennis, I have a great team around me with a lot of great guys, good coaching staff, good fitness coaches and school wise it’s been going good. I have some really good professors, so I have really been engaging in my classes. It’s been good so far.”

#When he returns in January, Major Jr said he’s looking forward to getting on the court and playing in his first official match as a Bison. He spent the past four months just going through the formalities and getting used to his new environment.

#“I’m looking forward to going back and competing,” he said. “I’m looking forward to playing with my team.”

#But now that he’s back home, Major, the son of Bernadette ‘Chips’ and Michael Major Sr, admitted that there’s no place like home.

#“While I’m here, I will be training and working out

#and spending time with my family and friends,” said Major Jr, who will take his final exam here at home online.

#The 6-foot-two-inch Major Jr said if there’s anything he missed about home, it was the food.

#“Being away from home for about four months, being back around my family and friends, you get to appreciate the small little things that you took for granted when you were at home,” he stated. “So it’s just nice to be surrounded by my family and friends.”

#As he prepares to get on the court here this weekend, Major Jr said he’s delighted to have been afforded another opportunity by Bahamian tennis icon Mark Knowles to participate in his international event.

#“Being able to play with such huge figures in the game of tennis is a great feeling,” Major Jr said. “Just being able to step on the court and be around such great people is just an amazing feat.

#“I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to it and I’m just going to go out there and do what I always do and that is play tennis.”

#Major Jr, who benefitted from the Mark Knowles Foundation, allowing him to complete his final two years in high school at the Windsor High School as a part of the Albany Tennis Academy, said he will forever be grateful to Knowles.

#“It feels great to have someone like him recognise the talent for such a long time. They have been helping us out as long as I could remember,” Major Jr pointed out. “It’s just a great feeling to have someone like him helping out.

#“He’s already been at the top of the game and now he’s helping us out. It’s good to have someone like him who believes in you. I’m just happy for the experience and the exposure that I got from him.”

#Hopefully, Major Jr said he would like to follow in Knowles’ footsteps, representing the country at the prestigious Davis Cup.

#He first has to go through the qualifying process that starts with the Giorgio Baldacci National Open where he will compete against some of the top players in the country.

#“I’m looking forward to competing with the guys, I know there’s going to be some strong competition, but I feel as though I’m ready,” he said. “With the college tennis I’ve experienced so far, it has taught me how to adapt and to find a way when there’s no way.

#“So I am looking forward to competing and to see how far I can go. I just have to use all of my skills mentally and physically, but I think I can get it done.”

#The Bisons, coached by Nicholas Askew, will begin their season on Major Jr’s return to Howard University in January. They play out of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).

IN THE BOOKS: The Sts Francis and Joseph Lower School Shockers boys and girls advanced to a 1-0 lead in their respective series in the Catholic Board of Education Primary Schools championships. Photos: Tenajh Sweeting/Tribune Staff

As of Wednesday, December 6, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#THE Sts Francis and Joseph School Shockers boys and girls advanced to a 1-0 series lead after game one of the Catholic Board of Education Primary Schools Championships yesterday at Loyola Hall.

#The girls landed the first blow against the Xavier’s Lower School Giants with a 14-9 victory.

#The Shockers’ boys won a competitive game 21-13 against the Giants to emerge one step closer to the championship trophy and remain undefeated.

#Boys

#The Shockers and Giants both struggled with offence in the opening quarter. The undefeated team was locked at three apiece with the Giants.

#The Giants then split a pair of free throws at the charity stripe to change the score to 4-3.

#They had the Shockers on the ropes as they went into the halftime break leading 6-3. However, the tides turned in the second half where the Shockers got out to a 7-1 run after tying the score at six to lead the game 13-7.

#After this juncture in the game, the Giants were unable to regain their footing in the contest and went down 0-1 in the best-of-three championships series.

#Emery Sturrup, who poured in 10 points in the last game, scored 13 of the Shockers’ 21 total points in the contest.

#Nkomo Ferguson, head coach of the Shockers, shared the difference between the first and second half for his team in game one.

#“We were sluggish in the first half.

#“Our point guard got three early fouls so we had to sit him out for a whole quarter but the secondary team stepped up and in the third quarter we got our starting five back in the game and they closed it out,” Ferguson said.

#With a chance to sweep the series today, the head coach is confident in the team’s ability to get it done.

#“We are planning on closing it out tomorrow and that’s it,” the head coach said.

#Girls

#Grace Smith led the way for the Shockers with a game-high eight points en route to a game one win.

#The Shockers got on the scoreboard early and charged out to a 7-3 advantage. The Giants got within three to make the score 10-7 but the Shockers never let up and secured the first victory of the series.

#Coach Ferguson was pleased with the team’s chemistry and execution with game one now in the books. “They played well today. We beat them convincingly and let them know that we are here and we basically came to win. “Everybody did their job and handled their assignments today,” he said.

#He added that the expectations are the same for both teams to close out their respective championship series today at Loyola Hall.

#Game two of the Catholic Board of Education Primary Schools championships begins at 3:45pm.

UB midfielder Peter Julmis celebrates his goal against Western Warriors at The Roscow A.L. Davies Field. Photos: UB ATHLETICS

As of Wednesday, December 6, 2023

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UB midfielder Stanley Grand Pierre (blue 10) moves the ball against The Western Warriors.

#THE University of The Bahamas men’s soccer team came into the Bahamas Football Association match against The Western Warriors looking for a win and a shot to move up the standings.

#In a very defensive match, The Mingoes and Warriors had to settle for a 1-1 tie Sunday at The Roscow A.L. Davies Field.

#Peter Julmis scored the lone goal for The Mingoes.

#The Mingoes now have eight points in league play for fourth spot over four matches (2-0-2 win-loss-draw) and The Warriors have 10 points over four matches (3-0-1).

#The IM Bears lead the league with 13 points over five matches (4-0-1).

#The Renegades sit in third spot with nine points over three matches.

#In the first half, The Mingoes had several missed opportunities to score.

#At about the 28th minute mark a very close shot on goal seemed to reverberate around the goal line but was not scored.

#The Mingoes captain Marlon Barnes also had a penalty kick outside of the box as well in the 37th minute. The half ended in a 0-0 tie.

#Mingoes midfielder Peter Julmis in the 46th minute came out on a long pass from Junior Kelly and controlled the ball deep in the box.

#Julmis fired the shot through the legs of Warrior’s keepers Tahjae Sharpe for the goal.

#“I guess my striker’s instinct just kicked in,” he said. “I saw the pass in the air and I went for it and it was a 50-50. I won the ball and I just wanted to get a shot on target. I got that and lucky it went through the keeper’s legs and I scored a goal.”

#The Warriors would answer back with a goal of their own in the 51st minute to tie the match.

#The Mingoes had a total of three shots on goal for the afternoon compared to the 10 shots on goal for The Warriors.

#Mingoes goalie Antonio Beckford had three saves on the afternoon.

#Both sides had several opportunities to score after that but the match ended in a 1-1 draw. The Mingoes wanted all three points for a win though.

#“It was a disappointing result,” head coach Alex Thompson said. “We had our chances to win it today but we just didn’t finish well. We had six players coming off of the flu and I believe that played a role in our up and down energy levels today.”

#Julmis agreed. “I think the boys know that between us and The Western Warriors we are the best teams in the league,” he said.

#“Going against any opponent, we look forward to get all three points from a win.

#“Unfortunate tonight we were not able to get all three. It was a great opponent but I guess it was just the boys not coming out to practices – myself included.

#“We just need to go back to the training ground, go to practice and follow coach’s plan.”

#In the overall standings, a team is awarded three points for a win and one point for a draw.

#The University of the Bahamas Mingoes are scheduled to play Inter FC-17 (1-2-1) 5:30pm Sunday at The Roscow A.L. Davies Field.

As of Wednesday, December 6, 2023

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MAJOR League Baseball player Lucius Fox helps out at the Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru.

MAJOR League Baseball player Deshawn Knowles hard at work at the Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru.

#ON Monday, Dunkin’ Donuts on East Street was transformed into the epicentre of baseball and Dunkin’ delights, as local baseball players from the highly anticipated Don’t Blink Home Run Derby took a break from knocking balls out of the park to serve customers not only coffee and donuts, but lots of smiles.

#In a fusion of sports, caffeine and community, Dunkin’ Bahamas proudly announces its partnership with the 2023 Don’t Blink Home Run Derby, a dynamic event created by esteemed Bahamian international major league baseball prospects Todd Isaacs Jr and Lucius Fox, with the Washington Nationals.

#Katherine Nelson, operations manager for Dunkin’ Bahamas, said: “As an official MVP sponsor of the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby, we are honoured to be a part of this event.

#“The Don’t Blink Home Run Derby is a celebration of baseball, community and the vibrant spirit of The Bahamas.

#“Our collaboration goes beyond coffee, it’s about creating memorable experiences for our customers and supporting initiatives that uplift our young people and our community.

#“Today, we brought the excitement of the Derby right to our Dunkin’ store. We are truly grateful to our talented young Bahamian baseball stars who will be participating in the Derby for taking a break from the field, swapping bats for Dunkin’ aprons and serving our customers while promoting this weekend’s Home Run Derby.”

#“This week, we are also providing Dunkin’ Donuts and goodie bags to the Kids Baseball and Softball Skills Clinic and more donuts with our signature refreshers for the Future’s Showcase scheduled for Wednesday at the Andre Rodgers Stadium.”

#In 2017, event co-founders, Isaacs and Fox recognised the need for inclusive baseball experiences in The Bahamas, inspiring them to establish the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby. This extraordinary event provides a unique opportunity for young baseball enthusiasts to watch and play with international league players at home. Now in its sixth instalment of the event, it has grown to a full week of activities, including the Kids Clinic, a Celebrity Game, Golf Tournament and main event, the Home Run Derby scheduled for Saturday, December 9 at Montagu Beach.

#Isaacs expressed gratitude to Dunkin’ Bahamas. “Having Dunkin’ on board as a sponsor for this year’s event is significant and we are appreciative. Our partners allow us to bring baseball to the kids in our local communities and to bring our vision for this year’s event to life, to showcase The Bahamas while we advance the game of baseball. We are very grateful! Today was a really cool experience here at Dunkin’ and we are thrilled to have had the opportunity to interact with customers, fans and the Dunkin’ employees and to put smiles on faces as we start the week.”

#About the main events, Isaacs added: “This week we will be bringing some of the best players to play the game alongside today’s top talent and the future stars of baseball in a high number of energy events. Not only is this a baseball showcase, but we are opening the doors of The Bahamas to showcase the beauty of our country while highlighting the depth of our sports talent and creating opportunities for future generations.”

#Lucius Fox, co-founder for the event, also expressed gratitude for the support offered to the event over the years but noted that there is stillmore work to do.

#“Our vision is to take the event to the Family Islands, there are so many Bahamians that have never had the opportunity to experience what we do so we want to take the show to them.”

#Fox, who also donned a Dunkin’ apron, said: “We are super grateful to Dunkin’ for allowing us to come into the store and help serve customers, make drinks and even learn how to frost donuts. This was a unique, fun experience for us and we look forward to building on this partnership in years to come.”

#At the heart of the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby is a thrilling competition where players vie to hit the most balls the furthest into the water, scheduled this Saturday, December 9 at Montagu Beach.

#Aptly named ‘The Greatest Show on Sand,’ this event not only entertains but also serves as a catalyst for increased tourism, community engagement and economic opportunities.

#About Dunkin’ Bahamas:

#Dunkin’ Bahamas, proud MVP Sponsor of the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby, is dedicated to blending the joy of Dunkin’ with the passion for community and sportsmanship. There are nine Dunkin’ locations across the island of New Providence.

PACERS’ Buddy Hield (7) goes to the basket against Celtics’ Derrick White (9) during the second half of their NBA basketball In-Season Tournament game. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

As of Wednesday, December 6, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#SINCE being added to the Indiana Pacers’ starting unit in late November, Bahamian guard Chavano “Buddy” Hield has thrived in his starting role.

#In addition to Hield’s success, the Pacers are rolling not only in the Eastern Conference but also in the inaugural National Basketball Association (NBA) In-Season tournament.

#The Grand Bahama native’s team currently sits at the sixth position in the respective conference with an 11-8 (win/loss record) and earned an undefeated 4-0 record in the group stage of the NBA’s newest tourney.

#The Pacers’ most recent victory came against the Boston Celtics, the Eastern Conference’s first-seeded team, on Monday night in the quarterfinals of the In- Season Tournament.

#The Pacers ousted the Celtics 122-112 in a crowd-thriller at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

#The former no. 6 pick played an instrumental role for the Pacers to help the team advance to Thursday’s semifinals.

#He was the team’s second highest scorer, behind point guard Tyrese Haliburton, with 21 points in 32 minutes of action.

#Additionally, he collected two rebounds, two assists and two steals. Offensively he was in top form, knocking down 7-for- 11 field goals on 63.6 per cent shooting and from behind the arc shot 4-for-6 on a 66.7 per cent shooting clip.

#After a quiet first quarter, Hield got it going in the following period when he scored a driving layup on an assist from Benedict Mathurin at the 9:33 mark.

#Less than two minutes later, the senior national team player splashed one of his four three-pointers on the night to give the Pacers a 33-30 lead.

#The Bahamian three-point marksman garnered some momentum after he dropped yet another three followed by a dunk to give him 10 points in the knockout game.

#In the fourth quarter alone, Hield scored 11 points to push his team to yet another tourney win.

#During the 30-year-old’s seven games as a starter this season, he has averaged 17.4 points per game (ppg), pulled down 2.4 rebounds and dished out 2.6 assists. He has been a prolific scorer with a 53.6 per cent average for field goals and 47.1 percentage from behind the three-point line.

#At the charity stripe, his efficiency remains up to par with 88.9 per cent.

#Over the last seven games Hield has started, the Pacers have a 4-3 record which translates to a .571 win percentage.

#The Bahamian guard has turned in some dominant games recently, particularly against the Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors.

#In his first game back in the team’s starting lineup, Hield dropped a then season-high 24 points on a scorching 81.8 shooting percentage.

#In the game, Hield canned 6-for-6 three pointers which was the first time in his career he made that amount of threes without a miss. If that performance was not enough, in the Pacers’ next game against the Raptors, the Grand Bahama native put up a season-high 31 points.

#The points were paired with five assists and two steals.

#He upped the ante with scoring in this game, making 7-for-12 shots from behind the arc for 58 per cent while shooting 70.6 per cent on field goals.

#After rejoining the team’s starting lineup, Hield has been nothing short of productive for the Pacers.

#Indiana hopes this continues as the team remains in contention for the NBA Cup.

#The Pacers are scheduled to play again in the NBA In-Season Tournament semifinals at 5pm on Thursday, December 7.

Mark Knowles

As of Tuesday, December 5, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#Another talented group of international stars will be in town this weekend to participate in the fourth annual Baha Mar Cup.

#The one-of-a-kind tennis fundraiser, organised by legendary Bahamian tennis player Mark Knowles, is scheduled for Friday to Sunday with a variety of events being staged for both the visitors and local participants.

#Fans will get to see some of the top players who have been or are still ranked among the top five in the world, on both the men and women sides. They include Victoria Azarenka, James Blake, Jessica Pegula, Milos Raonic, Taylor Townsend and Austin Krajicek along with icon Knowles. “I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be a great weekend. We have a great line-up for the public to come out and see,” Knowles said.

#Pegula, currently ranked at number four in the world in women’s singles and No.8 in doubles, is a three-time major quarterfinalist in singles and was a 2022 French Open doubles finalist. Coco Gauff will also be returning for an encore after participating in last year’s event, along with Blake, who had a career high No.4 in singles, was a 10-career ATP Tour men’s singles champion, three-time major quarterfinalist and a 2007American representative on the Davis Cup team.

#Azarenka is a former No.1 player in the world in singles, a two-time Australian Open champion, three-time US Open finalist and winner of 21 career WTA women’s singles titles, while Townsend is pegged at No.5 in women’s doubles, a four-time WTA doubles title holder, a 2022 US Open doubles finalist and 2023 French Open Doubles finalist.

#Raonic is a former No.3 player in the world in singles who made the Wimbledon finals in 2016 and has won eight career ATP Tour singles titles.

#Knowles, on the other hand, is a five-time Bahamian Olympian who was a former No.1 player in the world in doubles and a three-time doubles major winner with Canadian Daniel Nestor at the 2002 Australian Open, 2004 US Open and 2007 French Open.

#“We have a good line-up. It’s exciting to have such great players coming to the Bahamas,” Knowles stated.

#“The players on tour have a short off season, so I’m extremely appreciative when the great players can take the time out of their busy schedule to come down to the Bahamas and support the event.

#“We will also have our local stars Jacobi Bain and Michael Major Jr, who are both in college. They are in

#town and they are two guys who have been huge beneficiaries of the Mark Knowles Charitable Foundation and so it’s always good to have them involved as well as they show how they are progressing year after year.”

#This is going on the 20th year that Knowles has been bringing the high-level tennis competition to the Bahamas, although he started out in the first 13 years at Atlantis.

#“We’re happy to have this relationship with Baha Mar to be able to continue this event over the past four years,” Knowles said. “I’m always passionate about our country and what better way for me to use my platform than to provide opportunities for those less fortunate.

#“At the same time, I get to expose our country to some of these great tennis players. Sometimes we get a lot of great pros who come to the event and they want to come back. It just goes to show that we have a lot to offer to the world and so we are excited to be able to partner with Baha Mar.”

#The Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association, as well as a number of young players, are expected to benefit from the funds raised during the tournament. In the past, charities such as Cancer Society of the Bahamas and the Sassoon Heart Foundation and several others have benefitted.

#Knowles, who has been working as a TV commentator for the Tennis Channel and serving on the Board of Directors for the ATP, will be coming from his home in Dallas on Thursday.

#He’s married to Dawn and they have three children. Their oldest son is 18-year-old Graham, a quarterback in his senior year in high school who has received a full scholarship to attend Georgia Tech in January.

#Their middle son Brody, 15, is a wide receiver in football and an avid basketball player and their daughter Presley, 12, has not yet decided on which sport she will play, but is leaning more towards tennis as she follows in her father’s footsteps.

#A series of events have been planned for the weekend.

#They include the following:

#Friday – Welcome Reception at ECCHO.

#Saturday – 9:15-10am – Kickoff Classic, 10am-12:30 pm Pro-Am Tournament, 2:30-4:30pm – Pro Exhibition. 7pm – Baha Mar Foundation Dinner hosted by Marcus Samuelsson.

#Sunday – 9:30-11am – Kid’s Clinic.

As of Tuesday, December 5, 2023

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#THE Rev. Diana Francis is expected to be honoured on Saturday night when the Roadrunners Track Club hosts its 23rd annual Presentation and Awards Banquet at the Sandals Royal Bahamian hotel on West Bay Street.

#Club president and head coach Dexter Bodie said Francis, the senior pastor at First Baptist Church, was selected based on her commitment and dedication to the club over the years. Bodie said they decided to honour pastor Francis because she has been instrumental in the development of their club from a spiritual standpoint.

#She also served as his senior pastor at First Baptist, where he was a long-time member.

#Under the theme “Chosen to Rise Up,” the event is also expected to attract a number of dignitaries, including Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg, North American and Central American president Mike Sands, Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations president Drumeco Archer and former BAAA president Rosamunde Carey.

#Athletes of the club will be recognised for their stellar performances on and off the track as well as in the classroom. As usual, an array of awards will be presented to the deserving student-athletes.

#Among some of the athletes to be honoured for their achievements in the sport are Trent Ford, Tamia Taylor and A’Karee Roberts, all of whom made this year’s CARIFTA track team. Most outstanding athletes from the AAU Club Championships in Orlando, Florida, will also be awarded.

#And for their scholastic achievements, athletes will be recognised for making the honour roll at their various schools and also for passing their BGCSE examinations.

VOLLEYBALL FAMILY: Players and coaches in the Northern Bahamas Volleyball Championships at St George’s gym in Grand Bahama on Saturday.

As of Tuesday, December 5, 2023

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AGAPE Most Valuable Player Emma Sawyer and coach Stephon Johnson receive their awards.

Lucayan International School senior boys celebrate with their trophy.

Agape Eagles senior girls and coach Stephon Johnson with their trophy.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER Ethan Paice with trophy.

#THE Northern Bahamas Volleyball Championships took place Saturday at St George’s gym in Grand Bahama with both the senior girls and boys games being completed in two-game sweeps.

#Winning the senior girls’ title was the Agape Eagles, coached by Stephon Johnson, with a 21-15 and 21-11 sweep over Lucayan International School.

#Emma Sawyer was named the Most Valuable Player. The Patrick J’ Bethel out of Abaco got third place. On the boys’ side, Lucayan International School, coached by LaToy Williams, knocked off Agape 21-15 and 21-11. Ethan Paice was named the Most Valuable Player. Third place went to Patrick J Bethel.

Newton says a lot of players are coming home to compete in the event

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The annual Giorgio Baldacci Open National Tennis Championships is back, set for December 18-21 at the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s (BLTA) National Tennis Center.

The tournament is a key one as the top two finishers in both the men and women’s divisions qualify for the respective national teams. Two of the four spots on each team will be filled. The men’s national team participates in Davis Cup competition while the women’s national team competes in Billie Jean King Cup tournaments.

“We don’t know exactly what it is going to be like until after this coming Monday, but we are looking forward to this year’s tournament. It’s also an exciting time where we begin our first preparation for 2024 with the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup teams and we’re working hard toward that,” Newton said.

The defending champions are Denali Nottage in the men’s division and Elana Mackey in the women’s division. Newton is expecting a lot of athletes to come home for the event, particularly junior players.

“We always want to have the most competitive event. We have a lot of people who will be coming to attend this tournament,” Newton said. “We expect some of our

collegiate players to be back in town. I got confirmation that Baker Newman is going to be attending this year’s tournament. It is going to be a very intense tournament. We had some good matches last year. Nottage is a player who has been playing some good tennis and we’re expecting him to come and compete hard.”

Newton said he is looking forward to seeing new players compete in the tournament.

“We’re going to have some new players playing. Some of our upcoming junior players are going to be vying for spots. For the last two years, we had at least one junior player on the Billie Jean King Cup team with Sapphire Ferguson last year and Sierra Rodgers the previous year. It is good for them as they prepare for college and a good opportunity for them to compete at a high level.”

Players must be at least 14 years of age to play in the tournament.

Before the tournament gets underway, Newton said that they will host an awards dinner. That dinner is set for Saturday December 16.