Thursday, December 24, 2020

JASMINE Roker at practice.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#WHEN Jasmine Roker joined his Diamond Bas-ketball Development Programme, coach Ter-rance McSweeney said he knew he could turn her speed as a soccer player into a prime time basketball player.

#From 2017 when she transferred from HO Nash to St John’s College, McSweeney has been work-ing with Roker, whom he nicknamed ‘Coffee,’ devel-oping her as a point guard. She also utilised her skills as a track athlete.

#Those combined skills have enabled Roker to secure an athletic scholar-ship to attend Saint Leo University, a NCAA Divi-sion II school where she will enrol in August, 2021.

#“I am very excited for this opportunity for Jasmine Roker, another participant in the Diamond Basketball Development year-round training programme just for girls,” McSweeney said.

#“I am expecting Jasmine to fit right into the Saint Leo University women’s basketball programme right away because Jasmine is a very quick learner.”

#In making her selection after she couldn’t travel for a site visit because of the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, Roker said she decided to settle on a school that was in close proximity to home and the warm climate.

#“Saint Leo really clicked on all of my checked boxes and although they are a division two programme, coach McSweeney always told us that there’s room for improvement,” Roker said.

#“So I’m not mad about that. I’m honoured by this opportunity.”

#When she does go, Roker hopes to study biology, but she’s eager to prove to the coaching staff why they selected her for the scholarship.

#“They are going to get my best,” Roker said.

#“This programme has helped me tremendously. Coach played a big role in my development as a player.

#“He always talks to us and lets us know that we have the talent and we’re capable of doing whatever we put our mind to. We just have to put in the work. I told myself that all the time.”

#Roker said she has gotten so much encourage-ment from being a part of the Diamond Basketball League programme that she could only go on to be successful.

#McSweeney said he is confident that Roker’s ath-leticism to play soccer and run track will complement and enhance her skills on the basketball court at Saint Leo. “Chances are Jasmine Roker could very well end up running track and or playing soccer for the uni-versity,” McSweeney said.

#“While attending my junior girls’ basketball team practice, I realised that Jas-mine had other potentials and talents to play basket-ball as well as run track and now it’s paying off,” he added.

#Now, only time will tell how well Jasmine succeeds at Saint Leo University in St. Leo, Florida.

Thursday, December 24, 2020

DAVID NESBITT

TAVARIO MILLER

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#WITH their respective teams in late season playoff races, David Nesbitt and Tavario Miller con-tinue to provide key contributions for their clubs as they conclude the regular season.

#Nesbitt has helped to lead Minas Belo Horizonte to a 10-1 record, second in Brazil’s Novo Basquete Brasil. Nesbitt finished with 19 points, six rebounds and four assists in a 96-92 win over third ranked Sao Paulo (10-2).

#He followed with 14 points (4-8 on three pointers) and eight rebounds in an 84-76 win over Pinheiros. After an opening night loss, Minas has reeled off 10 con-secutive wins to surge near the top of the standings. Just three games remain in the regular season.

#In his first year with the club, Nesbitt is averaging 13.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 steals per game. The veteran for-ward is shooting 61 percent from the field and 36 percent from three-point range.

#Nesbitt came off the bench in the aforementioned season debut, a 102-68 loss to Flamengo, but since his move into the starting lineup the team has thrived. In his first start, he followed with a double double – 16 points and 11 rebounds – in a 76-54 win over Pato Basquete to begin the win-ning streak.

#This season with Minas marks Nesbitt’s third club in as many years in the NBB. He has also won two league championships during his tenure.

#He spent the 2019-20 season with Sport Club Corinthians Pau-lista. In 26 games he averaged 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and one steal per game.

#Over the course of the season, Nesbitt was voted to Latinbasket. com’s Brazilian League All-Imports Team and League Player of the Week on two separate occa-sions. In the 2018-19 season, he played 37 games for Flamengo and averaged 7.4 points and 4.1 rebounds in just over 17 minutes per game.

#Miller and the second-placed Boca Juniors in Argentina’s Liga Nacional de Básquet (9-5) was edged 74-72 on the road by the much lower-ranked Libertad Sun-chales (6-11) in the South group. Miller was the top scorer with 15 points (9-9 from the free throw line) and also grabbed seven rebounds in 21 minutes.

#Just two games remain in the regular season and Boca Jun-iors’ next matchup is with 10-8 Olimpico.

#In 12 games thus far, Miller is averaging 13.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. He is shoot-ing 54 percent from the field, 33 percent from three and 70 percent from the free throw line.

#Miller was an early-season acquisition for Boca Juniors and has had an immediate impact with his new club. He debuted with 14 points and 10 rebounds in a 76-60 win over Ferro just one day after signing with Boca Juniors.

#This season marks Miller’s second in Argentina.

#Last season, he played with Quimsa Santiago del Estero and in 21 games he averaged 10.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. He played an integral role in Quimsa winning the league’s pennant and finishing as the run-ners-up in the final.

#Travis Munnings and Shaquille Cleare helped bring an end to a three-game losing streak for UD Oliveirense in Portugal’s Liga Portuguesa de Basquetebol (LPB).

#Munnings finished with 14 points and six rebounds, and Cleare, in just his second game with the club, added four points and three rebounds in just 13 minutes.

#UD Oliveirense improved to 7-4 on the season.

#Cleare made his debut last week and finished with eight points in just 16 minutes of a 90-74 loss to Benefica.

#On the season, Munnings has emerged as a team leader, averag-ing 12.4 points, a team leading 8.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.

As of Friday, September 7, 2018

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#IT was a disappointing start to the postseason for Lucius Fox and Chavez Young as both of their respective clubs suffered game one losses in their first round series.

#Both players went 0-4 at the plate as their teams now face must-win situations in an attempt to stave off elimination.

#Game two in both series took place last night, however results were unavailable up to press time.

#Fox and the Montgomery Biscuits suffered a walk-off 4-3 loss in 10 innings to the Jackson Generals in game one of the Double-A Southern League North Division series.

#Heading into the bottom of the ninth, the Biscuits had a 3-2 lead but surrendered an RBI single and a walk off walk to conclude the road loss at The Ballpark at Jackson in Jackson, Mississippi.

#In the Single A-Advanced Midwest League, Young and his Lansing Lugnuts also trail in the series after a 10-inning loss at Cooley Law School Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan.

#The Bowling Green Hot Rods emerged with a 4-3 win in a game that took just over three hours to complete and included a pair of rain delays.

#The Lugnuts had previously rallied from 1-0 and 3-1 deficits, but were unable to rally in the bottom of the 10th inning.

#The series now shifts to Bowling Green Ballpark in Bowling Green, Kentucky, for game two and a possible game three in the best-of-three series.

#The Hot Rods need one more win to move into the Eastern Division Finals against the winner of Great Lakes/West Michigan.

#Jazz Chisholm and his Visalia Rawhide will also begin their playoffs in the Single A-Advanced league this week. They will host the first home playoff game tonight against the Stockton Ports.

Thursday, December 24, 2020

Charisma Taylor competing for Washington State University.

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#VERSATILE athletics star Charisma Taylor will make a move from the PAC-12 to the South-eastern Conference for her upcoming junior season.

#Taylor, who spent the last two years with the Wash-ington State Cougars, will transfer to join the Tennes-see Lady Volunteers track and field programme for the upcoming season.

#Taylor will join a Vol-unteers programme that won three SEC individual championships, eight SEC event medals, set four school records, three fresh-man records and 24 top-10 programme marks during the indoor season alone in a pandemic shortened NCAA Indoor season.

#In her shortened soph-omore season with the Cougars, she made her big-gest impact in several jump events and was named an NCAA Division I Track and Field All-American by the United States Track and Field and Cross Coun-try Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

#Her season was high-lighted by winning the women’s triple jump at the MPSF Indoor Track and Field Championships Feb-ruary 28-29 with a leap of 13.29m (43-7 1/4). She was also fourth in the 60m hur-dles in 8.29 seconds.

#She also produced her lifetime best in the triple jump of 13.48m (44-2 3/4) at the Don Kirby Elite Invitational.

#She is currently Wash-ington State indoor record holder in the 60-metre hurdles (8.19), the all-time triple jump leader at 43 feet, 7 1/4 inches (13.29m), and holds two WSU fresh-man records in the 60m hurdles and in the triple jump. She also ranks 10th all-time in WSU history in the long jump.

#As a freshman, Taylor burst onto the WSU track and field scene during her first year with the Cougs, posting multiple all-time records. She ranked sixth overall in the NCAA in the triple jump, and also ranked 25th in the nation in the 60-metre hurdles. She also did her personal best of 6.03m (19-9 1/2) in the long jump at the WSU Indoor Track and Field Meet.

#At the WSU Cougar Indoor last year as well, she did her PR of 7.65 in the 60m; she ran 13.79 for her PR in the 100m hurdles at the Cougar Invite and she posted her PF of 25.34 in the 200m at the Bronco Invite.

#The former Queen’s College Comet went on to compete for Spire Institute in Ohio before making the transition to the collegiate level.

#The 2018 Under-20 World Championship qualifier in the triple jump recently competed at the event last weekend as track and field returned to the Thomas A Robinson Stadium in the BAAAs Odd Distance meet. She won both Open women’s long and triple jumps and placed second in the 150m.

#In the triple jump, Taylor, representing Leap of Faith, cleared 12.81m (42-0 1/2) and captured the long jump with a leap of 5.59m (18-4 1/4). “On the whole, I think I did very well. It’s still early. It’s December, but I feel I’m in a good position for the season. There’s still some things I need to work on, but it was a good meet. I still have some things to work on,” Taylor told The Tribune.

SACRAMENTO Kings guard Buddy Hield, right, reacts after putting in the winning basket in overtime against the Denver Nuggets last night in Denver. Sacramento guard De’Aaron Fox is at left. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

As of Thursday, December 24, 2020

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#Chavano “Buddy” Hield’s late-game heroics helped the Sacramento Kings open the 2020-21 campaign with a thrilling win in the first overtime game of the season.

#Hield scored a team high 22 points and tipped in the game winner as time expired to give the Kings a 124-122 win over the Denver Nuggets last night at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.

#He scored 19 of his 22 in the second half, none bigger than the final field goal in overtime. Harrison Barnes deflected the Nug-gets’ inbound pass and had an opportunity to score the go ahead basket but his dunk attempt was blocked by the Nuggets’ Will Barton. Hield was trailing on the fastbreak and was perfectly positioned for the tip in as time expired.

#Hield shot 7-15 from the field including 5-11 from three-point range. He also added four rebounds and three assists in 41 minutes.

#Hield scored just three in the first half on 1-6 shoot-ing, 1-4 on three pointers and the Kings trailed 60-53. Out of the break, Hield made his second three of the game, was fouled on another attempt and fol-lowed with three free throws as part of a run that saw the Kings take a 72-70 lead.

#He scored nine points in the third quarter as the Kings outscored the Nug-gets by 12 in the period and took an 89-84 lead into the fourth.

#Tied at 112 late in regula-tion, Hield lost the handle on the final possession and the game went into overtime.

#At the conclusion of the preseason, Hield refer-enced the unselfish nature of the Kings’ approach to the game. On 47 made field goals last night, 27 came off assists. “Once you make the right play the ball will always find you in this offence. We just have to go out there, make the ball move and make teams play to our strengths,” Hield said.

#“It’s basketball. Each team needs to play rhythm, especially when we’re talk-ing about schemes, but I feel like we’re all grown men, once we put our minds to making things happen, giving up ourselves for each other, making the right play, understanding the game, which play we can make, which shot is a good shot, which shot is a bad shot, I think we should be fine.”

#Hield was the team’s leading scorer in 2018-19 and its second leading scorer in 2019-20, but started just 44 of 72 games before he was relegated to a reserve role off the bench in favour of Bogdan Bogdanovic.

#With Bogdanovic gone in free agency, Hield was second only to Harrison Barnes (42) on the Kings in minutes played.

#Hield also referenced his conditioning to be able to accept a greater load this season.

#“Once you’re stronger and guys can feel you and you can stay active. It helps with durability on offence and defence,” he said. “I’m a guy that likes to run, I’m conditioned well for this. I’m just trying to keep my guy in front of me and use my strength against them.”

Friday, December 18, 2020

#SCOTLAND’S Football Association partnered with the Union of European Football Association’s (UEFA) outreach programme to aide the development of the local game in the Bahamas.

#By way of the UEFA assist programme, the Scottish FA donated $40,000 to the Bahamas Football Association following the devastation of Hurricane Dorian in September 2019.

#According to UEFA, the donation is intended “to help the Bahamas FA rebuild its footballing infrastructure.”

#UEFA’s assist programme partners with its member federations to aide the global development of the sport through shared information and best practice guidelines. The programme has supported over 200 development projects in approximately 60 countries.

#UEFA assist is geared toward building capacity, developing youth football, strengthening infrastructure and supporting UEFA member associations.

#“The Scottish FA is delighted to provide assistance to the Bahamas FA in any way it can to ensure football is able to flourish across the country. We hope our support will not only help provide vital resources to the game but also forge a long-lasting partnership that will promote, foster and develop the game at all levels,” Scottish FA’s head of football development Andy Gould said to UEFA. com.

#“We recognise that our coaches in Scotland are central to providing high-quality activity and establishing a positive culture for our players, and we look forward to sharing how we have achieved this with the Bahamas FA and assisting them in developing their own coach education framework.”

#The funds were earmarked for equipment and the Scottish FA will also look to play a role in coaching development. Other areas of development will include strategic and operational management, retaining both coaches and players, and youth development.

#“We are very grateful and appreciative for the help and support we have received from the Scottish FA to help develop the game in our country,” BFA President Anton Sealey told UEFA.com.

#“Hurricane Dorian was obviously a setback for football in our country, but with the help of the Scottish FA, who are providing us with high-quality coaches and allowing us to obtain much-needed equipment, this can help us to move forward. I hope that our newly formed partnership will continue to develop over the coming years.”

f Friday, December 18, 2020

#THE Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA), along with the Grand Bahama Power Company (GBPC) and iElite Sports Academy based out of Nassau, Bahamas, is pleased to be among the sponsors of the upcoming New Balance Future Stars Series (NBFSS) 2020 World Combine international baseball tournament, taking place at the Emera Caribbean Baseball Park in Grand Bahama later this week.

#The event will bring youth baseball players to Grand Bahama together from the Dominican Republic, Columbia, Canada, the United States and The Bahamas from December 17 to 21, 2020.

#“The World Combine tournament is an annual global event that attracts skilled youth athletes from around the world,” said Philcher Grant, Director Group Corporate Affairs and Government Relations at GBPA. “We worked with iElite Sports Academy to have Grand Bahama host this much-anticipated tournament. Of course, with the ongoing pandemic COVID- 19, 2020 is a year like no other, and the health and safety of all involved is paramount. To that end, the event will be closed to the general public. Only players, parents, organisers, facility workers and the media will be permitted to be in attendance during tournament games.”

#The event presents a vital opportunity for many of Grand Bahama’s businesses who continue to be challenged by the devastating impacts of Hurricane Dorian compounded by the effects of the COVID-19 Emergency Order.

#Local hotels, transportation providers, restaurants and tour operators have an opportunity to take advantage of the influx of players and families who will bring an anticipated $1 million to the island’s economy. Due to GBPC’s efforts to restore the Baseball Park, which was severely impacted by Dorian, the island has a world-class facility to host the tournament.

#“Many of our tourism-related businesses including Pelican Bay Hotel and Taino Beach Resort, the Car Rental Association, H Forbes Charter Services and others will benefit from this much-needed trade on our island,” added Ms Grant.

#“We expect that food and beverage providers and retailers of all kinds will see increased business during the five-day tournament. It’s our most significant opportunity since the pandemic hit for our economy to begin to turn around.”

#Jeremy Booth, organiser of the 2020 World Combine Tournament, is pleased to be able to bring the event to Grand Bahama. “We are extremely excited to hold this long-awaited event in The Bahamas. We’re thankful for the group efforts to make it happen and are excited to take this step forward together,” Mr Booth stated.

#“In addition, I am looking forward to exploring the possibility of building a long term relationship in Grand Bahama, as the island’s geographical location is ideal for tournament organisers and participants alike.”

#“Today’s youth, including the many participating in this week’s tournament in Grand Bahama, are tomorrow’s leaders,” commented Geron Sands, president and co-founder of iElite Sports Academy. “The event provides an opportunity to reach two of this year’s key goals – to give children a sporting and development opportunity that they otherwise may not have, and to support the growth of baseball in The Bahamas.”

#Other sponsors of the NBFSS 2020 World Combine international baseball tournament include Cable Bahamas, Sanitation Services and B&B Galaxy. The event will be livestreamed on ZNS.

RADSHAD DAVIS

FRANCO MILLER JR

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#RADSHAD Davis had the better individual performance and his FIU Panthers got back into the win column with a dominant performance against Franco Miller Jr and the Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles.

#Davis scored 12 of his 16 points in the first half and also added eight rebounds while Miller went scoreless in 13 minutes off the bench in the Panthers’ 85-69 win over the Eagles last night in Ft Myers, Florida.

#With the victory, FIU moves to 5-1 this season, while the loss dropped FGCU to 3-2 on the year.

#After cancelled games against Jacksonville State (December 6) and North Florida (December 10), the Panthers suffered their first loss of the season, 80-77 to North Florida on December 12. The Panthers started the contest shooting 43.9% from the floor and 38.1% from beyond the arc while holding FGCU to shooting 31.4% from the field and just 28.6% from three.

#Davis is having a standout redshirt senior season averaging 14 points and a team leading 7.5 rebounds per game. He is shooting 49% from the floor, 39 from three-point range and a perfect 10-10 from the line. It was Miller’s first scoreless game of the season and in his first year with the programme, the redshirt sophomore guard is averaging 6.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per game.

#In his season low total of minutes played this season, Eagles head coach Michael Fly said the entire team struggled on the night.

#“I’m disappointed in our effort tonight to be frank,” Fry said.

#“We talked about not having a let down. I don’t think we had a sense of urgency tonight which is counter to how we’ve been playing. We’re certainly frustrated by how we played but there is the positive that we have a quick turnaround with practice tomorrow and another game Friday night.” The loss began a five-game home stand for the Eagles which continues with matchups against Webber International, Georgia Southern and North Alabama.

#HARBOUR Island native Lashann Higgs had another big game on Saturday, but it wasn’t enough to garner another victory for her Embutidos Pajariel Bembibre in the Spanish Women’s Professional Basketball League.

#On Saturday night, Higgs stayed red hot on the offensive end, matching game high honours with 22 points as Embutidos Pajariel Bembibre suffered a 69-58 loss to the IDK Euskotren at home in their José Antonio Gasca arena.

#In 35 minutes on the court, Higgs shot 8-for-20 or 40 percent from the field, was 2-for-3 (66.7 percent) from behind the three-point line and didn’t attempt a free throw. She also pulled down two rebounds with an assist and a steal, while committing one foul.

#“I felt as if I played well although I missed some shots that I would normally make,” said Higgs, who has turned out to be the team’s top performer in just her freshman season, averaging 15.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.

#“It’s a learning process. I just have to keep improving each game.”

#The University of Texas Longhorns stellar guard, who rebounded from a near career-ending injury in her junior year, is among the top 10 in scoring in the Spanish League.

#The 25-year-old who stands 5-feet, nine-inches, attributes her success so far to her “mindset and being confident in the work that I put in, realising as much as I can the blessings God gave me and that helps.”

#Embutidos Pajariel Bembibre opened the game on a 6-0 run and extended it to 24-12 at the end of the first quarter. They continued to apply the pressure as they managed to surge ahead 40-24 at the half. The second half was a different story for Embutidos Pajariel Bembibre, who is on a three-game losing streak as they remain in 15th place in the league standings with a 2-13 record.

#“We lost by 12. We started off very well, but couldn’t get going in the second half,” Higgs said. “We didn’t try to be consistent with the energy and aggressiveness.”

#IDK Euskotren rallied to start the third on a run that cut their deficit to 46-41 and drew within one, 50-49, going into the fourth quarter.

#That is when IDK Euskotren took full control of the game and once they went ahead, they never looked back as Embutidos Pajariel Bembibre seemed to have run out of gas down the stretch.

#“The first half we were both intense as well as focused and really locked in with the game plan,” Higgs stressed. “But in the second half, we lost focus.

#“I was disappointed (in the loss), but it’s something my teammates or myself can do well on. Have to keep it moving.”

#Embutidos Pajariel Bembibre will be back in action on Tuesday against Lointek Gernika before they close out the year on Sunday, December 27 when they play Spar Gran Canaria.