As of Monday, July 18, 2022

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Kai Jones (AP Photo)

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#KAI Jones and the Charlotte Hornets concluded the NBA2K23 Las Vegas Summer League with a 2-3 win-loss record.

#In five games, the second year forward averaged 8.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and two blocked shots in 20 minutes per game.

#He had his best performance of Las Vegas Summer with 11 points (5-7 field goals), six rebounds and two blocks in a 90-81 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

#He opened league play with 10 points and nine rebounds in a 96-84 loss to the Indiana Pacers, but struggled from beyond the arc as he shot 0-10 on threes. He also posted nine points and eight rebounds in an 89-73 loss to the Chicago Bulls and also eight points, four rebounds and four blocks in an 89-86 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

#This year marked Jones’ second appearance in the Las Vegas Summer League.

#As a rookie last year, he averaged 9.8 points and 9.4 rebounds in 28.1 minutes per game.

#The team was coached by Greensboro Swarm head coach Jordan Surenkamp.

#At the NBA level with the Hornets, Jones appeared in 21 NBA games but played sparingly on the bench, but excelled at the G-League level under Surenkamp on assignment with the Swarm.

#He averaged 16.5 points on 61.4 percent shooting from the field – 32 percent from three-point range – 9.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.1 blocks in 32 total G League games. He also posted 15 total double-doubles.

#Jones highlighted the season with a career high 30 points and grabbed nine rebounds in a 139-119 win over the Long Island Nets on March 27 at the Greensboro Coliseum in North Carolina. “I bought in out of the gate. I love basketball, so once I was told about the opportunity to play 30 minutes (in Greensboro) because I wasn’t playing up here (in the NBA), I was jumping. I was so excited and ready to go. It gives me extreme confidence. Coming in, I believed I could have an impact on this team on both ends.Now, it’s just that I think I can have a greater impact. I know there’s no ceiling for me. Just continue to work,” Jones said in his postseason exit interview.

#“Coming into the season, I didn’t think I was going to be down there, but God had a plan and I’m glad that I did go. I learned so much about myself and grew so much. It’s a blessing. The biggest thing for me was walking in gratitude. I think that’s huge. Learning how to be so grateful for playing the game every day and with the opportunity you have in front of you, making the most out of it.”

#Jones was selected No. 19 overall by the New York Knicks but his rights were traded to the Hornets for a future first round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft in June at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/18/jones-and-hornets-end-summer-league-2-3-win-loss-r/?news

MILLIE Vlasov and Gulliver du Saint-Chene have a clear first round in the CSI2* 1.45m Grand Prix at the Jumping International de Vichy event in Vichy, France.

As of Monday, July 18, 2022

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SMILES and tears of joy as Vlasov’s performance makes her the first Bahamian ever to achieve the Longines World Rankings in show jumping.

#MILLIE Vlasov achieved the most significant milestone yet in her equestrian career, becoming the first Bahamian show jumper to earn a place in the Longines World Rankings as a result of her placing in the 26.000 CSI2* 1.45m Grand Prix at the Jumping International de Vichy event in Vichy, France, aboard Gulliver du Saint-Chene.

#Out of a field of 54, the pair were only one of 15 to jump clear over French course designer Jean-François Gourdon’s challenging first round track, completing the course in 74.12 seconds.

#An unlucky rail down on the second fence of the jump-off cost Vlasov four faults. Despite this, a series of tight, nimble turns between the fences helped to shave off extra seconds, a successful strategy that landed her in the prize money – and, for the first time, in the Longines World Rankings.

#The Longines Rankings are the way the governing body of equestrian sport, the FEI, ranks the best riders in the world. The list is updated weekly.

#To be eligible for Longines Ranking points, riders must place in competitions meeting certain requirements with regards to fence height, technical difficulty and prize money.

#Competitions are divided into groups depending on the level of each.

#Vlasov’s performance earned her a spot in three categories. As well as the Longines Rankings, she is also now ranked in the FEI Jumping U25 Ranking and in the Pan-American Rankings.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/18/vlasov-achieves-longines-world-rankings/?news

As of Friday, July 15, 2022

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Bahamas’ Denika Lightbourne holds onto the basketball.

Head coach Donillo ‘Donnie’ Culmer leads the Bahamas cheering squad on the sidelines.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AFTER losing their first two games in the FIBA Caribbean Women’s Basketball Championships, Team Bahamas rebounded with three players in double figures as they took their frustration out on Jamaica on Friday in Havana, Cuba.

#Unlike their previous two losses to host Cuba on Wednesday and the Dominican Republic on Thursday, Team Bahamas came out firing on all cylinders and looked like a well oiled machine in a 74-53 rout.

#Team Bahamas surged to a 21-10 lead at the end of the first quarter and, despite being out-scored 19-15 in the second quarter by Jamaica, the team held onto a 36-29 advantage at the half.

#Coming out of the locker room, Team Bahamas turned up the heat with a 23-16 spurt in the third to take a 59-45 margin into the fourth quarter.

#Putting the finish touches on the game, Team Bahamas went on a 15-9 tear in the final quarter to stamp their approval on what has been a gratifying performance for the coaching staff led by Donillo ‘Donnie’ Culmer and including Diasti Delancy and Deven Johnson.

#Team Bahamas, with Sasha Johnson as the trainer, saw manager Anastacia Moultrie’s 16-year-old daughter Antonicia Moultrie leading the attack with 15 points, four rebounds, two assists and as many steals in her starting role in 24 minutes and 36 seconds on the court.

#Philicia Kelly, one of the veterans on the team at age 32, exploded for 14 points with three rebounds and a pair of steals, while 17-year-old Denika Lightbourne, the leading top performer for the Bahamas so far, contributed 12 points with five rebounds, four steals and two assists.

#Valerie Nesbitt, the team’s 23-year-old floor general, came through with nine points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals; Valicia Demeritte, 22, chipped in with seven points and three assists and 29-year-old centre Britenique Harrison finished with six points, 11 rebounds and five block shots.

#Other members of Team Bahamas are Latoya Rolle, 34; Karolyn Baptiste, 19; La’Tavia Brennen, 22; Lorraine Oliver, 30; Roberta Quant, 45 and Tiffany Wildgoose, 31.

#Gezelle Anderson led Jamaica with a game high 17 points and nine rebounds.

#Team Bahamas was coming off a 73-50 loss to the Dominican Republic on Thursday after suffering a 76-44 decision to Cuba on Wednesday on day one of the tournament. With only four teams in the tournament, Team Bahamas finished third in the round robin with a 1-2 win-loss record.

#On Saturday, however, the playoffs will get underway and Team Bahamas will face the Dominican Republic (2-1), while Cuba (3-0) will battle with Jamaica (0-3). The two winners will meet for the gold and silver on Sunday and the two losers will square off for the bronze.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/15/team-bahamas-recovers-defeat-jamaica/

 Home|Sports|The Bahamas finishes third at CBC; advances to CentrobasketSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJuly 18, 2022 109 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas has advanced to the FIBA Americas Women’s Centrobasket Championship in November after taking care of Jamaica in the third placed game of the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Women’s Championship yesterday, winning 68-57, at the Ciudad Deportiva Coliseum in Havana, Cuba.

It was an up and down tournament for The Bahamas at the CBC Championships, losing emphatically to Cuba and the Dominican Republic (DR), but taking care of Jamaica when it needed to – during the single round robin section of the tournament and prevailing in the game yesterday, to advance. Earlier in the tournament, they defeated Jamaica 74-53.

In the semifinals on Saturday, The Bahamas was drubbed, 81-58, to the DR, losing by 23 points again. They also fell by 23 points to the DR during the single round robin section of the tournament. In their first game of the tournament, against Cuba, they lost 76-44.

However, the top three teams advances to Centrobasket, and given their dominance over Jamaica, Team Bahamas was able to move on with a third place finish.

The Bahamas trailed just briefly, 2-0, in the opening minutes of the game against Jamaica.

After they went ahead 3-2, they never looked back. After Jamaica scored the first basket of the game, The Bahamas scored seven in a row to take a 7-2 lead. They went on to lead 18-14 after one.

Jamaica stayed close in the second quarter, but could never pull even or surge ahead. They stayed within striking distance, trailing just 32-29 at the half.

It was in the third quarter when The Bahamas began to pull away from the Jamaicans. After Jamaica got to within a single point at 32-31, The Bahamas went on 10-1 scoring run to take their first double digit lead of the game, 42-32. They led by as much as 14 before settling for a 50-38 advantage at the end of three.

The Bahamas led by as much as 19 points in the fourth and final quarter. The Jamaicans scored the final eight points of the game to make the score respectable, but it was too little too late for them.

Britenique Harrison paced The Bahamas with 14 points on 7-for-12 shooting. She added 10 rebounds for her second consecutive double-double, and third of the tournament. Denika Lightbourne had 12 points, six rebounds, five steals and three assists, and Valicia Demeritte added 12 points. They were the only players in double figures for The Bahamas.

Amen-Ra Faatimah led Jamaica with 12 points and added eight assists. Ashalee Gordon and Cadene Cowan added 11 apiece and Gezelle Allison dropped in seven and pulled down 12 boards. Cowan had a game-high 14 rebounds.

The Bahamas shot 35.4 percent from the floor (28-for-79) compared to 27.9 percent (19-for-68) for Jamaica. The Bahamas also forced a whopping 27 turnovers in the game while committing just 14, and dished out 16 assists compared to 11 for Jamaica. 

Host country Cuba and Jamaica played for the gold medal late last night. The result of that game was unavailable up to press time.

Team Bahamas was coached by Donillo ‘Donny’ Culmer and he was assisted by Devon Johnson and Diasti Delancey. The five-day tournament was sanctioned by FIBA (International Basketball Federation), and the top three nations qualified for the FIBA Americas Women’s Centrobasket Championship in November.

https://thenassauguardian.com/the-bahamas-finishes-third-at-cbc-advances-to-centrobasket/

 Home|Sports|Strachan just misses final; Gaither false starts, Miller-Uibo cruisesSports

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJuly 18, 2022 48 4 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Team Bahamas is off and running at the 18th World Athletics (WA) Outdoor Championships which got underway Friday at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, USA.

Both Anthonique Strachan and TyNia Gaither made it through to the semifinals of the women’s 100 meters (m) but could get no further as Strachan just fell short and Gaither suffered the most unfortunate result when she was disqualified for a false start. From the naked eye, it was near impossible to catch a false start from Gaither, but the starting blocks at World Athletics are fully automated and any glitch in the set position could trigger a false start. Gaither’s reaction time was 0.093 seconds. The allowable limit is 0.1. According to reports, she protested, but the final was ran last night without her.

As for Strachan, she ran a lifetime best in the semis, clocking 10.98 seconds, but was fifth in her heat and finished 10th overall in what turned out to be a blazing trifecta of semifinal races. A total of 10 women in the semis, including Strachan, ran under 11 seconds, possibly going down as the fastest women’s 100m semifinals in world championships history.

Strachan, who was one one hundredth of a second ahead of her previous personal best time, said she was pleased with her performance. She along with Gaither will run in the heats of the women’s 200m this evening.

“I like it. I ran a nice race and was able to get a PB (personal best time) out of it. I gave it my all and just came up short,” said Strachan from Hayward Field last night. “I am a better 200 runner, so I’m looking forward to that. I’m excited and looking forward to it.”

In the heats, Strachan ran 11.08 seconds while Gaither ran 11.16 seconds.

Last night’s final featured three Jamaicans and two Americans.

Strachan was looking to make her first global individual final on the senior side while Gaither was looking to make her third. She finished eighth in the women’s 200m at the last two world championships.

In the women’s 400m, two-time Olympic Champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo cruised into the semifinals, easily winning her first round heat in 51.10 seconds. She goes into the semis with the ninth-fastest time out of the heats and will run out of lane six in the first of three semifinal heats at 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday. Just the top two and the next two fastest times from the heats will advance to Friday’s final.

Donald Thomas was the first to see action for The Bahamas, competing in the men’s high jump on Friday. He had a best leap of just 2.21m (7’ 3”), and failed to qualify for the final. Thomas finished tied for 12th in his group and was tied for 23rd overall out of 29 jumpers.

The Bahamian had a successful clearance of 2.17m (7’ 1-1/4”) to one his competition before knocking the bar down on his first two attempts at 2.21m. Thomas went clear on his third attempt at 2.21m, but failed in all three attempts at 2.25m (7’ 4-1/2”).

LaQuan Nairn got his first taste of global competition in the men’s long jump, and also bowed out in the qualifying round. Nairn had a best jump of 7.80m (25’ 7-1/4”), well short of his qualifying leap for the worlds – a jump of 8.22m (26’ 11-3/4”) that was done at the USA Track and Field (USATF) Golden Games at Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut, California, in April.

Nairn leapt 7.80m on his first and third attempts and scratched on his second. He finished 18th among a field of 32 jumpers on Friday. Just the top 12 jumpers or an automatic qualifying leap of 8.15m (26’ 9”) made it into the final.

Samson Colebrooke experienced action in the men’s 100m and failed to make it out of the first round. Colebrooke was fifth in his heat and finished fifth in his heat and was 38th overall in 10.23 seconds. The final cut-off time for none-automatic qualifiers for the semis was 10.15 seconds.

It was an American sweep in the final as Fred Kerley went on to win his first global individual title in 9.86 seconds, Marvin Bracy was second in 9.88 seconds and Trayvon Bromell ran an identical time as Bracy but was outleaned for the silver. He finished with the bronze.

Terrence Jones was also scheduled to run the 100m for The Bahamas, but according to reports, he is not vaccinated and wasn’t allowed to compete.

The Bahamas competed in the heats of the mixed relay on Friday, but the team of Bradley Dormeus, Megan Moss, Alonzo Russell and Doneisha Anderson, in that order, could only manage a time of 3:19.73 which then gave a seventh place finish in their race. They were 15th overall out of 16 countries.

The Dominican Republic went on to a stunning gold in the final coming from behind to past the United States (US). The team, featuring Olympic silver medalist in the women’s 400m Marileidy Paulino, won in a world leading time of 3:09.82, the Netherlands also past the US and finished second in a national record of 3:09.90, and the Americans featuring the legendary Allyson Felix in what should be her final world championships race, finished third in a season’s best time of 3:10.16.

Competing for The Bahamas this evening will be Gaither and Strachan in the heats of the women’s 200m. Gaither will run out of eight in the fourth of six heats at 9:21 p.m, and Strachan will run out of lane eight in heat six at 9:35 p.m. The first three in each heat and the next six fastest times will move on to tomorrow’s semifinals.

Miller-Uibo will run in the women’s 400 semifinals on Wednesday.

https://thenassauguardian.com/strachan-just-misses-final-gaither-false-starts-miller-uibo-cruises/

 Home|Sports|All hail the return of the nationalsSports

New national champions crowned in bodybuilding and fitness

Sheldon LongleySend an emailJuly 18, 2022 130 6 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

Starving for an opportunity to compete, bodybuilding and fitness athletes came out in full force on Saturday night and the fans showed their approval, signaling a grand return of the Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation’s (BBFF) Novice and National Championships.

The 49th edition of the bodybuilding and fitness nationals, and the first in three years, due to the threat of COVID-19, drew hundreds to the Atlantis Theater at Atlantis on Saturday night.

Coming out with the overall titles were Fania Joseph in Open Bikini, Cara Saunders in Women’s Wellness, Kaif Young in Men’s Physique and Giovanne Farrington in Men’s Bodybuilding. Overall, 30 athletes took part in the competition and, for all of them, it was a welcomed experience after a three-year hiatus at the national level.

Joseph competed in just her second nationals. She competed for the first time in 2019 and is now the National Bikini Champion.

“I feel very good. This is incredible,” said Joseph. “I worked extremely hard for the past four months or so, and I feel as if the hard work has definitely paid off. I brought my best to the national stage and I’m very happy with the result. The work continues.”

Joseph will now prepare for the 49th Annual Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships, set for July 27 to August 1, in Bridgetown, Barbados. The CACs is an International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness’ (IFBB) world ranking event and an IFBB elite pro qualifier. Several Bahamians have attained their IFBB pro cards from the CACs over the years.

“I’m very grateful to the federation (BBFF) because even though we didn’t have nationals, they still provided opportunities for us to compete over the last three years,” said Joseph. “Right now, I’m just looking to going to the CACs and representing The Bahamas well. I’m optimistic that I will have a good showing.”

Joseph won the Open Bikini Class B title and the Overall Bikini title. In the Novice Division, Kastachia Stuart was the winner and she was followed by Britnae Davis and Danielle Rollins. In the Open Bikini Class G, Stuart came out on top and she was followed by Rollins. Davis took home the Class H title.

Also celebrating her first overall national title was Saunders, who duplicated her feat from the Northern Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships two weeks ago, in Women’s Wellness. She also won in Open Wellness Class C and was followed by Denica Thompson in that division. In Women’s Wellness Novice, Altonique Curtis came out on top and she was followed by Thompson, then Jackie-Jean Cleare. Curtis won in Women’s Wellness Class B and Cleare came out on top in Women’s Wellness Class D.

“This feels absolutely amazing,” said Grand Bahama native Saunders, who started competing in 2016. “After Northern Bahamas, I wanted to come out here and do the same thing, and I did. That was big for me. It’s so surreal. I wasn’t so much nervous, but I was a bit anxious.”

Saunders said she is looking to put on a little more mass, particularly in her glutes (gluteal muscles), for the CACs in less than two weeks’ time.

Prevailing in Men’s Physique for the second time in a row, dating back to 2019, was Kaif Young. He also took the Open Men’s Physique Class F title and was followed by Davin Johnson and Terrion Kemp in that division. Johnson won the Novice title and was followed by Judah Forbes and D’Angelo Edmunds in that division. Justin Lightbourne won in Men’s Physique Class A, Anthon Moxey took the Class C title, Wedlear Eugene won in Class D and was followed by his twin brother Wendly Eugene, and Forbes took the Class E title and was followed by Edmunds.

There were three other competitors in Men’s Physique – Gordon White, Kory Ingraham and sports broadcaster Marcellus Hall. Men’s Physique had the most competitors with 12 competitors in action.

In men’s Classic Physique, Andrew Gibson came out on top and was followed by Orick Nesbitt and Andrew Sweeting. Gibson won in men’s classic physique novice as well.

In Men’s Physique, Young celebrated his overall title much later than he was supposed to, as Lightbourne was initially announced as the overall winner. The BBFF admitted the error, and long after the show would have ended and fans left the arena, Young was decreed the official winner.

“I’m very happy,” said Young, who has been involved in the sport for 15 years. “It’s been a long journey for me, putting in the work since 2007, and to come here and win the national overall title is a good feeling. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to take it to further heights.

“I’m looking forward to traveling with the national team, and I hope I’m able to attain a pro card in Barbados. I’m definitely looking to finish in the top three, but it would be a blessing to attain a pro card. Normally, we would take about a week off, but with CACs being so close, it’s back in the trenches, starting tomorrow. There are no breaks this time. I want to bring back some trophies and hardware to The Bahamas. That’s the plan.”

Young said he was a bit disappointed not receiving the overall title on stage and taking a picture with the other overall winners, but he knows that mistakes happen and he is prepared to move forward.

“That’s a part of life. Mistakes happen but I try to remain humble through the whole process and move forward,” he said.

Claiming the title of Mr. Bahamas in Men’s BodyBuilding was Farrington. With athletes such as Jimmy Norius and Charles Reckley no longer on the scene, someone has to step up in Men’s Bodybuilding and carry on the legacy. Norius and Reckley are both three time national champions and Mr. Bahamas winners.

Farrington also won the Men’s Middleweight Division in Bodybuilding and was followed by Andrew Gibson and Andrew Sweeting. Gibson came out on top in Middleweight Novice, Orick Nesbitt won in Men’s Super Heavyweight, and in Men’s Masters, and was followed by Sweeting.

“It’s a great honor. I feel great,” said Farrington. “I give God all the glory and praise. Because of the Almighty, I am healthy and fit and here competing today. I was actually going to call it quits, but I just stuck in there and kept training. I went after it, and I have to give guys like Leonardo Dean and Paul Wilson credit because they encouraged me to go after it. Also, when I started my training, I was under Joel’s (BBFF President Joel Stubbs) tutelage, so I have to give him credit as well. I’m pleased and just grateful. I’m going to Barbados with a total package and bigger body,” he added.

Other winners on Saturday night included Sanadia Smith in Women’s Fit Model; Alexander Kemp, who won three gold medals – Men’s Fit Model Novice, Men’s Fit Model National and Men’s Fitness; Gemo Smith in Men’s Muscular Physique; Seanea Bowe in Women’s Fitness; and Dorcas Cox, who won in Women’s Figure Novice and Women’s Figure National.

In Men’s Fit Model National, Kemp held off Kyle Turnquest; in Women’s fFgure Novice, Cox defeated Jackie-Jean Cleare; and in Women’s Figure National, Kemp prevailed over Smith and Cleare.

Smith won the Women’s Team Player award and the Men’s Team Player award went to Demeko Nesbitt, who didn’t compete on Saturday night, but is a former athlete at the nationals level for The Bahamas and now competes as a professional.

Smith also won the Most Improved Female Athlete while Terrion Kemp took home that award for the men.

There was an award presented to the gym with the most athletes entered in the show, and that award went to J-Line Fitness Bahamas with seven athletes. The Northern Bahamas gym participation award went to Nesbitt Fitness with six athletes entered.

“I just want to say thanks to all of the athletes who took part and to everyone who worked behind the scenes to ensure that this event came off. Also, special thanks to all the athletes who came down from Freeport and made this an even better show,” said BBFF Project Manager Leonardo Dean. “We’re looking forward to getting a national team together, but for that to be realized, we will need to determine how much funding we are able to receive. If we receive the funding that is promised to us, we will be able to go to the CACs. We’re reaching out to the government to honor their commitment to us and also to corporate Bahamas. We really need this funding to make the trip to the CACs happen.”

As mentioned, the 49th annual CAC Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships is set for July 27 to August 1 in Bridgetown, Barbados.

https://thenassauguardian.com/all-hail-the-return-of-the-nationals/

The Bahamas mixed relay team of Alonzo Russell, Bradley Dormeus, Megan Moss and Doneisha Anderson.

As of Saturday, July 16, 2022

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#THE Bahamas, with a mixed relay team and three individual athletes, didn’t have a successful negotiation through the qualifying rounds of their respective events to advance on Friday as the World Athletics’ 2022 World Championships got underway in Eugene, Oregon.

#In the heats of the mixed relay, the Bahamas team of 24-year-old Bradley Dormeus, running a split of 47.94, 20-year-old Megan Moss (52.23), 30-year-old Bahamian Alonzo Russell (43.80) and 21-year-old Doneisha Anderson (53.76) finished seventh in three minutes and 19.73 seconds.

#The team finished in 15th place with the two heats combined.

#Grand Bahamian Donald Thomas, the 38-year-old 2007 world champion, bowed out of the qualifying rounds of the men’s high jump with a leap of 7-feet, 3-inches or 2.21 metres for a tie in 12th place in Group B and 23rd overall.

#In the evening session of day one, Samson Colebrooke was the only competitor to show up in the heats of the men’s 100m. He placed fifth in heat five in 10.23 for 39th place overall. American Fred Kerley had the leading performance with a stunning time of 9.97, followed by his compatriot Trayvon Bromell in 9.89.

#Grand Bahamian native Terrence Jones Jr was also scheduled to compete, but he didn’t.

#The only other competitor in action on Friday night was LaQuan Nairn in the qualifying round of the men’s long jump. He soared 25-7 1/4 (7.80m) for 10th in Group B and 18th overall. The top qualifier was Yuki Hashoka of Japan with 26-10 (8.18m) with American Marquis Derdy trailing with 26-9 ¼ (8.16m).

#On Saturday as day two unfolds, Anthonique Strachan, 28, will continue the Bahamas trek through the 10-day competition being held in the United States for the first time, when she contests the first heat of the women’s 100m.

#The Bahamian national runner-up will run out of lane three with her lifetime and season’s best of 10.99 ahead of her 27-year-old Jamaican training partner Shericka Jackson, who will run out of lane two with her season’s best of 10.77, just off her personal best of 10.76.

#And 29-year-old national champion TyNia Gaither will follow in heat two in lane eight with her season’s beat of 11.11. Her lifetime best is 11.02. The top contender in her heat is Jamaica’s 35-year-old Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who will also run out of lane two with her season’s best of 10.67 and her lifetime best of 10.60.

#The top three finishers in each of the seven heats and the next two fastest finishers will advance to the semi-final on Sunday. Both Strachan and Gaither will also contest the 200m starting on Monday with the heats.

#Also on Sunday, repeat Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo, 28, will open her campaign in the women’s 400m as she goes after the gold that slipped away from her in 2019 in Doha, Qatar when she was beaten by Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser.  

#The Bahamas, however, will not have 26-year-old Steven Gardiner in Eugene to defend his world title in the men’s 400m. Gardiner announced just before the start of the championships that he had to withdraw from the competition with a UTE tendon inflammation to his right foot.

#The Bahamas also has the women’s 4 x 400m relay; Devynne Charlton in the women’s 100m hurdles and Ken Mullings in the men’s decathlon to compete later in the week in the bid to continue a string of winning at least one medal at the championships since 2013.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/16/world-championships-bahamian-athletes-action-day-o/?news

As of Friday, July 15, 2022

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Bahamas’ Denika Lightbourne holds onto the basketball.

Head coach Donillo ‘Donnie’ Culmer leads the Bahamas cheering squad on the sidelines.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AFTER losing their first two games in the FIBA Caribbean Women’s Basketball Championships, Team Bahamas rebounded with three players in double figures as they took their frustration out on Jamaica on Friday in Havana, Cuba.

#Unlike their previous two losses to host Cuba on Wednesday and the Dominican Republic on Thursday, Team Bahamas came out firing on all cylinders and looked like a well oiled machine in a 74-53 rout.

#Team Bahamas surged to a 21-10 lead at the end of the first quarter and, despite being out-scored 19-15 in the second quarter by Jamaica, the team held onto a 36-29 advantage at the half.

#Coming out of the locker room, Team Bahamas turned up the heat with a 23-16 spurt in the third to take a 59-45 margin into the fourth quarter.

#Putting the finish touches on the game, Team Bahamas went on a 15-9 tear in the final quarter to stamp their approval on what has been a gratifying performance for the coaching staff led by Donillo ‘Donnie’ Culmer and including Diasti Delancy and Deven Johnson.

#Team Bahamas, with Sasha Johnson as the trainer, saw manager Anastacia Moultrie’s 16-year-old daughter Antonicia Moultrie leading the attack with 15 points, four rebounds, two assists and as many steals in her starting role in 24 minutes and 36 seconds on the court.

#Philicia Kelly, one of the veterans on the team at age 32, exploded for 14 points with three rebounds and a pair of steals, while 17-year-old Denika Lightbourne, the leading top performer for the Bahamas so far, contributed 12 points with five rebounds, four steals and two assists.

#Valerie Nesbitt, the team’s 23-year-old floor general, came through with nine points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals; Valicia Demeritte, 22, chipped in with seven points and three assists and 29-year-old centre Britenique Harrison finished with six points, 11 rebounds and five block shots.

#Other members of Team Bahamas are Latoya Rolle, 34; Karolyn Baptiste, 19; La’Tavia Brennen, 22; Lorraine Oliver, 30; Roberta Quant, 45 and Tiffany Wildgoose, 31.

#Gezelle Anderson led Jamaica with a game high 17 points and nine rebounds.

#Team Bahamas was coming off a 73-50 loss to the Dominican Republic on Thursday after suffering a 76-44 decision to Cuba on Wednesday on day one of the tournament. With only four teams in the tournament, Team Bahamas finished third in the round robin with a 1-2 win-loss record.

#On Saturday, however, the playoffs will get underway and Team Bahamas will face the Dominican Republic (2-1), while Cuba (3-0) will battle with Jamaica (0-3). The two winners will meet for the gold and silver on Sunday and the two losers will square off for the bronze.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/15/team-bahamas-recovers-defeat-jamaica/?news

DEANDRE Ayton in action.

As of Friday, July 15, 2022

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#Deandre Ayton remains the biggest restricted free agent on the market and is just hours away from finding out whether he will have a new NBA home alongside “Buddy” Hield in Indiana or return to the Phoenix Suns.

#ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported that Ayton and the Indiana Pacers agreed to a four-year, $133 million offer sheet – the richest in NBA history for a restricted free agent. The Suns have 48 hours to match the offer sheet and retain Ayton as a member of the franchise or allow him to leave for Indiana.

#Once Ayton officially signs the offer sheet, the Suns will no longer be able to involve him in a sign and trade with Indiana.

#Furthermore, if the Suns decide to match the offer sheet, they will be unable to trade Ayton until January 15, 2023 and will be unable to trade him to the Pacers for a full calendar year. Ayton would also have the right to veto any trade offers for a full year.

#The Pacers, who currently have Buddy Hield on the roster, continue their attempt at a rebuild after they traded away guard Malcolm Brogdon last month and All-Star forward Domantas Sabonis last season.

#In his fourth season, Ayton averaged 17.2 points on a career high 63 percent from the field and 10.2 rebounds per game in 58 appearances.

#Contract negotiations between Ayton and the Suns reached an impasse last April after both sides failed to reach an agreement on a rookie contract extension.

#Tensions heightened during a surprising playoff exit at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks.

#Ayton appeared in only 17 minutes of the Suns’ 123-90 elimination loss to the Mavericks in game seven of the Western Conference semifinals.

#The 24-year-old former no.1 overall pick was eligible for a five-year, $172.5 million extension that could have reached as much as $207 million if he reached benchmarks and incentives.

#During the NBA Draft Combine in May, Ayton’s agent Bill Duffy discussed his client’s future on SiriusXM’s NBA show.

#“We’re disappointed. We wanted a max contract,” Duffy said. “He went out and was a solider the whole year, played well, improved his statistics. So, we’re proud of him. A lot of guys handle things differently, but he was very mature about it. Things will work out for Deandre. He’s a valuable player. There’s other teams in the league as well. He’s a restricted free agent, so we’ll see how this process unfolds.”

#Suns general manager James Jones reiterated his organisation’s desire to keep its former no.1 overall pick under contract moving forward.

#“Nothing has changed on our end. We haven’t said anything different. DA remains a huge part of what we do and he’s a free agent. So we’ll talk about free agency when that time comes, but that hasn’t changed,” Jones said following last week’s NBA Draft.

#“I think you hear his teammates. They echo the same sentiment that we have. This team is a really good team and we’re going to keep it together.”

#Several players in Ayton’s 2018 NBA draft class have received max contract extensions, including Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks, Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Jaren Jackson Jr of the Memphis Grizzlies, Kevin Huerter of the Atlanta Hawks and Michael Porter Jr of the Denver Nuggets.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/15/pacers-agree-sign-ayton-133m-deal/?news

As of Friday, July 15, 2022

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Miami Marlins’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#JASRADO “Jazz” Chisholm Jr has been on the injured list since June 29, but the Miami Marlins’ All-Star second baseman has not ruled out a return to the field for an appearance in the midseason classic.

#The 92nd MLB All-Star Game will take place at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California and Chisholm still looks to make an historic appearance for both Bahamian baseball and the Marlins franchise. “My back right now is feeling alright,” Chisholm said. “I think I might be able to get on the field by [this] week. So, I feel like I should be able to play in the game,” Chisholm told reporters in a Zoom call.

#Chisholm is the first-ever Bahamian-born All-Star of the nine to ever play in the MLB. From the Marlins perspective, he joins Hanley Ramírez, Dee Strange- Gordon, Marcell Ozuna, Gary Sheffield and Giancarlo Stanton as the only Marlins to be fan-elected starters.

#Chisholm’s last appearance on the field in a Marlins uniform was June 28. He originally injured the back early in the season on a slide and re-aggravated it in late June, which forced him out of the lineup.

#He returned to the field the following game and doubled on “Bahamian Heritage Night” but was again sidelined the following day in the series finale against the New York Mets.

#Chisholm has reportedly been rehabbing his back at the Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium complex in Jupiter, Florida. No definitive timetable has been set for his return.

#Through 60 games he has a .254 average, 14 home runs, 54 hits, 45 RBI, 12 stolen bases and scored 39 runs.

#“I feel like I can go a lot further than I am now. I always say I can be a 40/40 [home run/stolen bases] guy, if I really focus the whole year. No distractions. No anything. Just go out there and play baseball,” Chisholm said. “That was always my goal. So, I’m going to keep that as my goal and my ceiling.”

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/jul/15/jazz-my-back-right-now-feeling-alright/?news