Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Iesha Shepherd

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#WITH the collegiate sports programmes taking shape in the landscape of the coronavirus pandemic, tennis player Iesha Shepherd will be one of those Bahamian student-athletes who will be staying at home until January.

#Shepherd, one of the top female players in the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association, should have already reported to Jackson State University to begin her senior year with the Tigers tennis team. But JSU advised all of their international students last week to stay at home until January and continue their studies online, due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus in the United States.

#The 21-year-old Shepherd, who transferred from Chicago State University, feels the move will benefit her in the long run as she will still have a chance as a junior to play tennis, although she will be a senior academically with her major in accounting.

#While she will be preparing to graduate in May, Shepherd said she will have the luxury of returning to JSU to complete her senior year and at the same time pursue her master’s degree.

#“It’s good and bad, but I’m okay,” said Shepherd, whose classes will commence next week.

#“I’m managing because I did online in high school when I left Queen’s College, so everything is fine. I’m just glad to be home. I haven’t been home this long in about six years.”

#Shepherd, who at the age of 16 left QC for California where she participated in Long Springs International, enrolled in their online classes as she pursued tennis.

#“This is probably like nine months that I will be home until December,” she stated.

#“I feel lost because I haven’t done it in a long time, so I’m still trying to find how I can enjoy this.

#“I’m really in my room during the lockdown, having just finished my summer classes two weeks ago so it’s mind-boggling.”

#Instead of going through her offseason routine to get ready for the upcoming season and juggling her time with her classes, Shepherd said she’s adjusting to the new norm that she’s engaged in.

#“I know the bigger picture and I realise all that is going on,”’ she said as she reflected on the pandemic.

#“My body needs this break. I’m feeling stronger because I’m more relaxed. I think this is good and bad for me.

#“At least I’m taking my vitamins on time to deal with my asthma, I’m learning how to play my guitar again, I’m starting yoga and I’m spending more time with my dog, Star, but I think the most important thing is my mom and my parents are happy that I don’t have to travel right now.”

#Shepherd, the daughter of Vernita Ellis-Daley and Ivan Shepherd, said she has been instructed by the coaching staff at JSU to continue to work on her game so that she can be in her typical playing condition when she reports to school in January.

#“We have a group chat called the SWAT chat and we have two of our personal trainers and our head coach and our assistant coach in the group with our team-mates, so we are constantly in touch with each other,” Shepherd said.

#“So since March when school shut down because of the coronavirus, they have been on us. Literally, there is a new workout session every day and nutritional facts of what we have to do during the quarantine period at home.”

#With a Nike app to monitor the required time they take to train on a personal level, Shepherd said their conditions will show whether or not they are ready to play when they return to school.

#“We are on scholarships, so the least they expect for us to do is to keep our bodies in tact because once January starts, we will have to compete against each other to see what’s the line-up,” she pointed out.

#“So if you are not in shape, you will not be in the line-up.

#“So what’s your purpose being there. They are constantly on you, reminding you what you have to eat and what exercises need to be done, so they are on us to show that they care and they want the best out of us.”

#Listed as the number two seeds in their conference when they started the season, which was called off in March before they could play because of the coronavirus, Shepherd said they had a chance to win the title, but they will never know.

#“We were looking at the possibility of winning the title and going to the NCAA Championships and then this whole outburst happened,” reflected Shepherd, who was listed at number two on the team in singles and was also included in doubles.

#Prior to going off to school, Shepherd has enjoyed a wealth of success as the former junior national champion, having won the 2015 BLTA Giorgio Baldacci National Tennis Open at the National Tennis Centre to earn her third berth on the Fed Cup, adding to her initial appearance in 2014 and her last in 2017.

#She’s hoping that when she’s done with her collegiate career, she will begin to make her mark as a senior player on the international tour.

#If that doesn’t work out, Shepherd is hoping her accounting degree will propel her into the job market.

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Buddy Hield

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#THE Sacramento Kings have been eliminated from playoff contention for the 14th consecutive season.

#Buddy Hield had his best shooting performance of the NBA seeding games thus far with 16 points on 6-11 shooting (4-9 from three), but the Kings lost 129-112 to the Houston Rockets Sunday night in Orlando, Florida.

#Sacramento fell to just 1-5 in the bubble and were officially eliminated from the postseason by halftime of their game once the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Philadelphia 76ers.

#The Kings are the third team to be eliminated from playoff contention in Orlando thus far, joining the New Orleans Pelicans and Washington Wizards.

#The Kings’ postseason drought is second only to the Los Angeles Clippers who missed the playoffs for 15 consecutive years.

#Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kings went on a surprising 13-7 win streak to work their way back into the playoff picture that was followed by a series of underwhelming performances in Orlando.

#“We have to understand and change our mindset as far as what it takes to win,” said Kings head coach Luke Walton.

#“We have a very good group of guys and the main thing I hope we take from this whole bubble experience is learning that lesson firsthand.”

#The Kings conclude their 2019-20 season against the New Orleans Pelicans (August 11), and Los Angeles Lakers (August 13).

#“I fully expect our main guys to play and to play at a hard level,” Walton said. “These are two more great opportunities for us. We have to be ready to go and take advantage of this opportunity.”

Oklahoma City Thunder’s Chris Paul (3) is pressured by Phoenix Suns’ Deandre Ayton during the third quarter in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Mike Ehrmann/Pool Photo via AP)

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#The Phoenix Suns had some nervous moments early on with Deandre Ayton on the sidelines but were able to right the ship and keep their undefeated streak alive in the NBA bubble.

#Ayton came off the bench to finish with 10 points and six rebounds in just 17 minutes to help the Suns improve to 6-0 with a 128-101 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder yesterday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.

#The second year centre missed his COVID-19 testing window on Sunday but was able to rejoin the team after he returned a negative test yesterday afternoon.

#Suns head coach Monty Williams told reporters Ayton made an “innocent mistake” by missing his testing window.

#“You get confused by it (getting tested every day). You have to give people grace,” he said. “He’s not the only one who’s done that since we’ve been here.”

#Ayton arrived at the arena with the game in progress and watched the entire first quarter from the sidelines, periodically on a stationary bike while the Suns fell behind by as much as 15 points.

#He entered the game in the second quarter, scored four points on a Phoenix run that cut the lead to four (49-45 ) on a Cameron Johnson four-point play.

#Once the Suns returned to full strength with Ayton in the lineup, they dominated the remainder of the game and outscored the shorthanded Thunder 42-27 in the second, 33-17 in the third and 30-20 in the fourth.

#The only undefeated team in Orlando, the Suns have two seeding games left in the regular season.

#They complete a back-to-back today against the Philadelphia 76ers and close out against the Dallas Mavericks for a second time on August 13.

#At 32-39, Phoenix is now one game behind the Memphis Grizzlies (33-38) for the No.8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. They are also just 0.5 game behind the Portland Trail Blazers (33-39) for the No. 9 spot.

#The remaining schedule for the Grizzlies includes matchups against the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks while the Trail Blazers will face the Mavericks and Brooklyn Nets.

Heat’s Bam Adebayo (13) is fouled by Suns’ Deandre Ayton during the second half on Saturday night in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

As of Monday, August 10, 2020

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#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#THE Phoenix Suns are the lone undefeated team at the NBA restart in Orlando, Florida.

#The Suns improved to 5-0 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex with a 119-112 win over the Miami Heat Saturday night.

#Deandre Ayton posted his third double double in thefive-game stretch – 18 points and 12 rebounds.

#“Coach Monty [Williams] built a culture in us in this bubble and throughout the whole quarantine,” Ayton said on ESPN’s The Jump.

#“Just instilling sharing the ball playing for each other and playing as a unit when stuff don’t go our way.”

#Phoenix began the restart to the regular season last among qualifiers in the Western Conference at No.13 and the second worst record among all teams invited to Orlando.

#At 31-39, Phoenix is now two games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the No.8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. They are also just 0.5 game behind the Portland Trail Blazers for the No. 9 spot.

#If the No.9 seed is more than four games behind the No.8 seed, No. 8 will make the playoffs. If they are fewer than four games behind, the teams will compete in a play-in tournament for the final spot.

#“I just think we had a group who wanted to come here and prove they were worthy of being here,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “They heard a lot of stuff that was being said.”

#The bubble has also represented an historic stretch for the team who is in the midst of its first five-game winning streak since 2014.

#The Suns have scored wins over the Washington Wizards, Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Clippers, and Indiana Pacers before beating Miami.

#The remainder of the seeding schedule for the Suns includes matchups against the Oklahoma City Thunder (August 10), Philadelphia 76ers (August 11), and the Mavericks for a second time (August 13).

#Suns General Manager James Jones discussed the development of Ayton on Arizona Sports’ Bickley and Marotta Show.

#“He’s bouncing back from play to play. You can see he has some tough stretches and he bounces back. He had some great defensive possessions and he turns that into a great offensive possession. He’s building on the, I say, basketball instances. A read or a coverage, he’s quarterbacking the backside of the defence,” Jones said.

#“We always want more. People always want more because you see his ceiling, you see his potential. If you take the long approach, every day, every game, every practice, getting him to be consistent, it’ll take care of itself.

#“He’s learning how to pick his spots offensively and defensively. That’s something tough for big guys, because we ask the big guys to do the dirty work. We ask them to screen, we ask them to roll, we ask them to collapse the paint. We ask them to sacrifice and not touch the ball.”

Thursday, November 8, 2018

BAHAMIAN high school gridiron star Michael Cartwright.

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#BAHAMIAN high school gridiron star Michael Cartwright re-entered the recruitment cycle and is once again one of the most highly sought after offensive lineman prospects in the state of Florida.

#Cartwright de-committed from the University of Indiana Hoosiers and during his final season for the Champagnat Lions in Hialeah, Florida, is once again eligible to join one of the many NCAA Division I football programmes seeking his services.

#“I would like to thank Indiana for recruiting me during my recruitment process and the entire Indiana coaching staff for making me feel like family the whole time,” he announced via social media. “But today I will be de-committing from Indiana University and reopening my recruitment for me to re-evaluate everything and to make the best decision for me as a person, player and most importantly a student.”

#Cartwright announced his commitment to join the Hoosiers last July.

#In the month of May alone, the 6’7″, 300-pound lineman received a new slate of eight offers from the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, Kent State Golden Flash, UCF Golden Knights, UAB Blazers, Georgia State Panthers, Temple Owls, UMass Minutemen and Nebraska Cornhuskers.

#He previously received offers from the Tulane Green Wave, FIU Golden Panthers, Indiana Hoosiers, Marshall Thundering Herd, FAU Owls, Southern Mississippi Eagles, Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions and the Pittsburgh Panthers.

#The Lions are currently 5-5 and will face Miami Christian tonight in the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 2A Tournament.

#Last season, the Lions won their second Class A Florida High School state title 24-7 over eight-time state champion Jacksonville University Christian.

#Cartwright, a former student at Aquinas College, has also blossomed into a three-sport star for the Lions. On the basketball court he averaged 12.6 points and 15 rebounds per game and in athletics, he became the school’s first multiple district champion in the shot put.

#Cartwright was also a member of the Bahamas’ 2016 Caribbean Basketball Confederation under-16 team that won gold in the British Virgin Islands.

Friday, January 25, 2019

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#IN the midst of his recruitment process, Michael Cartwright continues to receive accolades for a stellar senior season.

#The senior offensive lineman for the Champagnat Lions was named to the Miami Herald’s All-Dade Class 5A Independent Football First Team.

#The 6’6”, 293-pound offensive lineman recorded 65 pancake blocks on the season, most among any lineman selected to the first team. This week, he also picked up another offer from the North Carolina Central University Eagles.

#Champagnat finished as runners-up after a 28-20 loss to the North Florida Christian Eagles in the Florida High School Athletic Association State Championships Class 2A State Championship game.

#The Lions concluded the season with four consecutive wins to earn a trip to the state title game.

#Prior to the season, Cartwright, re-entered the recruitment cycle when he de-committed from the University of Indiana Hoosiers.

#He originally announced his commitment to join the Hoosiers last July but according to Cartwright, the second chance at recruitment gives him an opportunity to “re-evaluate everything and to make the best decision for me as a person, player and most importantly a student.”

#In the month of May alone, he received a new slate of eight offers from the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, Kent State Golden Flash, UCF Golden Knights, UAB Blazers, Georgia State Panthers, Temple Owls, UMass Minutemen and Nebraska Cornhuskers. He previously received offers from the Tulane Green Wave, FIU Golden Panthers, Indiana Hoosiers, Marshall Thundering Herd, FAU Owls, Southern Mississippi Eagles, Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions and the Pittsburgh Panthers.

#Last season, the Lions won their second Class 2A FHSSA state title 24-7 over eight-time state champion Jacksonville University Christian.

#Cartwright, a former student at Aquinas College, has also blossomed into a three-sport star for the Lions. On the basketball court he averaged 12.6 points and 15 rebounds per game and in athletics, and he became the school’s first multiple district champion in the shot put.

#Cartwright was also a member of the Bahamas’ 2016 Caribbean Basketball Confederation Under-16 team that won gold in the British Virgin Islands.

Thursday, January 31, 2019

Michael Cartwright

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#MICHAEL Cartwright officially brought his recruitment process to an end when he announced the NCAA programme he will join this fall.

#The senior at Champagnat Catholic High School in Hialeah, Florida, took to various social media outlets yesterday to announce his commitment to the North Carolina Central Eagles.

#“First of all I just want to Thank God for everything he has done for me in my life.

#“I want to thank all of my family members that have helped me and have been there through it all.

#“I want to thank Miss A for making me a part of the Champagnat Catholic School Family for the three years I’ve been a part of this great institution. I also would want to thank my coaches for not giving up on me and helping me be the best football player and student I wanted to be. Last but not least I want to thank the Lions football team for always pushing me in practice/games and for all the great memories we had together over the last three years,” he said.

#“It’s been a long and stressful recruiting process and I want to thank all the schools that have recruited me during the process, but today, January 20th 2019, I’m truly blessed to say I’m committed to North Carolina Central University.”

#Cartwright will be a member of the first recruiting class for new Eagles head coach Trei Oliver. Oliver was announced as NCCU’s 24th head football coach last December. In 2018, the Eagles finished 5-6 overall, 3-4 in the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference.

#He becomes the second Bahamian player to matriculate from the Bahamas to Champagnat, to NCCU.

#Jamal Symotte was a member of the Eagles programme from 2012-2016. In his senior season, he was named a member of the All-Academic Team and All-MEAC Second Team after posting the team’s second-highest grade of 89 per cent on blocking assignments with 27 pancake blocks.

#Prior to his announcement, Cartwright was recently named to the Miami Herald’s All-Dade Class 5A Independent Football First Team..

#The 6’6”, 293-pound offensive lineman recorded 65 pancake blocks on the season, most among any lineman selected to the first team.

#Champagnat finished as runners-up after a 28-20 loss to the North Florida Christian Eagles in the Florida High School Athletic Association State Championships Class 2A State Championship game.

#The Lions concluded the season with four consecutive wins to earn a trip to the state title game.

#Prior to the season, Cartwright re-entered the recruitment cycle when he de-committed from the University of Indiana Hoosiers in December. He originally announced his commitment to join the Hoosiers last July but according to Cartwright, the second chance at recruitment gave him an opportunity to “re-evaluate everything and to make the best decision for me as a person, player and most importantly a student.”

#In the month of May alone, Cartwright received eight offers from the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, Kent State Golden Flash, UCF Golden Knights, UAB Blazers, Georgia State Panthers, Temple Owls, UMass Minutemen and Nebraska Cornhuskers.

#He previously received offers from the Tulane Green Wave, FIU Golden Panthers, Indiana Hoosiers, Marshall Thundering Herd, FAU Owls, Southern Mississippi Eagles, Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions and the Pittsburgh Panthers.

#Last season, the Lions won their second Class 2A FHSSA state title 24-7 over eight-time state champion Jacksonville University Christian.

#Cartwright, a former student at Aquinas College, has also blossomed into a three-sport star for the Lions.

#On the basketball court he averaged 12.6 points and 15 rebounds per game and in athletics, he became the school’s first multiple district champion in the shot put.

#Cartwright was also a member of the Bahamas’ 2016 Caribbean Basketball Confederation under-16 team that won gold in the British Virgin Islands

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#HIS senior season ended just short of the ultimate team goal, but Michael Cartwright is already looking ahead to the complement of his recruitment process and NCAA decision.

#Cartwright and the Champagnat Lions finished as runners-up after a 28-20 loss to the North Florida Christian Eagles in the Florida High School Athletic Association State Championships Class 2A State Championship game.

#“Not the ending I wanted but I just want to say thanks to my teammates for a great season. Through all the adversity we’ve faced as a unit but we never gave in,” he posted to Facebook.

#“Thank you for the experience. But now it’s on the next step in my life. University of … Here I come.”

#The Lions, the defending 2A state champions, had nearly a complete roster overhaul headed into this season and reverted to the role of underdogs in the division for much of the season. They concluded the season with four consecutive wins to earn a trip to the state title game.

#Prior to the season, Cartwright, the 6’ 7” 300 pound offensive lineman, re-entered the recruitment cycle when he de-committed from the University of Indiana Hoosiers.

#“I would like to thank Indiana for recruiting me during my recruitment process and the entire Indiana coaching staff for making me feel like family the whole time,” he announced via social media.

#He originally announced his commitment to join the Hoosiers last July but according to Cartwright, the second chance at recruitment gives him an opportunity to “re-evaluate everything and to make the best decision for me as a person, player and most importantly a student.”

#In the month of May alone, he received a new slate of eight offers from the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, Kent State Golden Flash, UCF Golden Knights, UAB Blazers, Georgia State Panthers, Temple Owls, UMass Minutemen and Nebraska Cornhuskers.

#He previously received offers from the Tulane Green Wave, FIU Golden Panthers, Indiana Hoosiers, Marshall Thundering Herd, FAU Owls, Southern Mississippi Eagles, Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions and the Pittsburgh Panthers.

#Last season, the Lions won their second Class 2A FHSSA state title 24-7 over eight-time state champion Jacksonville University Christian.

#Cartwright, a former student at Aquinas College, has also blossomed into a three-sport star for the Lions. On the basketball court he averaged 12.6 points and 15 rebounds per game and in athletics, he became the school’s first multiple district champion in the shot put.

#Cartwright was also a member of the Bahamas’ 2016 Caribbean Basketball Confederation under-16 team that won gold in the British Virgin Islands.

QUINCY POITIER is expected to join the Concord University Mountain Lions as one of five members of the incoming recruiting class for the 2016 season.

Friday, August 26, 2016

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#ONE local basketball player will see his game make the transition to another level in the collegiate ranks this fall.

#Quincy Poitier will join the Concord University Mountain Lions as one of five members of the incoming recruiting class for the 2016 season.

#Concord University is an NCAA Division II school, and a member of the Mountain East Conference.

#Poitier, a 6’2 combo guard, spent last season with Roane State Community College and averaged 12.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.

#He started 19 of his 26 appearances which included a season high 24 points in a 98-92 loss at Walters State,  20 points in a 73-65 win over Cleveland State, and his lone double double of the year – 15 points and 10 rebounds in a 67-53 win over Bryan College JV.

#Poitier spent his true freshman season with Davis College, where he averaged 9.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.

#Originally from San Salvador, he played locally at the high school level under Kevin Johnson for the CI Gibson Rattlers.

#Poitier joins a Concord class which includes Patrick Eugene, Troy Gibson, Augustine Mathias and Pierce Mowery.

#Mountain Lions head coach Todd May said he was optimistic about the new additions to his roster and what they can bring the programme.

#“With this recruiting class our hope was to add length and athleticism, and to fill some holes with our graduation losses which will allow us to continue to compete at the top of the Mountain East Conference,” May said.

#“I feel each of these young men will impact our programme in a positive manner, not only on the court but off, as they are all great students and great young men.

#It is the first class for May who was hired as the 15th coach in school history, following the departure of former coach Kent McBride.

#May spent the last four seasons as the assistant coach on McBride’s staff at Concord as the Mountain Lions piled up a mark of 66-51 over that span with 42 of those wins coming the last two seasons.

#May played a vital part in Concord winning the 2016 MEC Tournament Championship and appearing in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Tournament. It was for the first time for both feats since 1997.