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As of Thursday, December 28, 2023

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RAYNOR ANDREWS with his mother Lakeya Hamilton and step-father Anthony Hamilton.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AFTER making the switch from basketball to football, Raynor ‘Big Ray’ Andrews now finds his way on the verge of joining one of the elite college football programmes at Rutgers University where he will be playing for the Scarlet Knights team next year.

#The former student of SC McPherson Junior High School and Noble Preparatory Academy left the Bahamas in the 10th grade to attend Miami Jackson to continue playing basketball, but after he switched to Miami Norland last year, he completed his high school tenure as a football player for the Vikings through one of his advisors.

#After starting off with just two offers for college, by the time he was ready to sign his letter of intent, he had more than 20 colleges and universities to choose from. Watered down to the final five, which included Florida State, West Virginia, University of Central Florida and Colorado, Andrews made the commitment to Rutgers.

#“When I first came over here (in Florida), that was one of the first schools I visited,” said Andrews about his college tour of all the potential schools. “Before they even offered me a scholarship, they saw the potential in me. They always stayed in contact with me and they encouraged me and told me that I would be a great football player.

#“When I narrowed down the schools, that was the best choice for the style of football that I play. Even their programme they offered was exactly what I was looking for. I spoke to my parents and my grandparents and they liked it too, so that was why I made it my choice.”

#Andrews, who turned 19 on October 17, is a native of Black Point, Exuma, and is the oldest of three sons of Lakeya Hamilton, who is married to his step-father Anthony Hamilton. They were all on hand with his girlfriend Thalia Smith and her parents, Urban and Thelma Smith, as well as his coaches and some of his friends when he made it official, signing his papers on December 20 at Miami Norland.

#“It was a surreal moment because all I was thinking about during the whole time was when I was back home and I was thinking about how I would get off to school,” Andrews said. “To know that this is what my future is like was a crazy moment for me.

#“To know that my people in Black Point were really happy for me because it was a big deal. I’m the first Bahamian student-athlete at Rutgers. It just felt great because all of the hard work and energy I put into my preparation is paying off. I now just have to go and finish it off.”

#At Miami Norland, under coach Daryle Heidelburg, Andrews helped the Vikings to a perfect 14-0 win-loss record during the regular season, only to lose in the state championship game. They were the district and G-Mac champions.

#As the anchor of the Vikings’ offensive line that produced more than 6,700 yards of total offence, Andrews was ranked at number 99 as an offensive tackle nationally by On3.

#“That was a crazy experience because when I first transferred there, our main goal was to get to the state championship and win it,” Andrews recalled.

#“We worked so hard the whole year. We beat every team, including Miami Central, the number three ranked team in the nation. They won three straight championships, but we kicked them out in the playoffs.

#“We beat three state championship teams in our regular season. But when it was time to close out, we took the team we played lightly and we underestimated them. But coming second place in the state championship, I won’t forget because I know I have to play much harder because I don’t like losing. I was mad for a couple of days.”

#Although he won’t officially join the Scarlet Knights team until August, Andrews will be heading to Rutgers on January 11 having graduated already from Miami Norland.

#But the 6-6, 315-pound left tackle already started his college workouts to get his body fit and ready for the collegiate circuit.

#“I primarily play left tackle, but there’s a senior player who decided to stay on, so after the right tackle left to declare for the draft and the backup entered the transfer portal, they said the spot is open and the head coach (Greg Schiano) told me I can come in and play that spot once I put my mind to it and put in the work,” said Andrews, who intends to study business marketing.

#“He (Schiano) said he doesn’t mind putting a freshman in the starting lineup at that position, so it’s possible that I can come in and play in that spot immediately. I just have to go through the workout sessions and the job is mine.”

#While he has no regrets in making the switch over from basketball to football, Andrews said he’s appreciative of the support he got from persons like his father Raynor Andrews Sr, uncle Raymone Andrews and coach Geno Bullard and Noble Preparatory Academy, as well as the Black Point community in Exuma.

#“To my family, I want them to know that I am doing this big for us and I will continue to do so to put our island on the map in football,” he said. “And to the kids back home who want to pursue their football dreams, don’t think that you can’t play football because you are in the Bahamas.

#“There are a lot of connections out there to get you over here. You just have to put in the work and expose yourself a lot and the coaches and scouts will come looking for you.”

#Andrews said he thanks “God” for all of his blessings he’s received so far.

As of Thursday, December 28, 2023

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LAURANN BROWN in action at bat.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#IN one year, Laurann Brown made an impressive switch to softball at Harris- Stowe State University in Missouri after she transferred from Dodge City Community College where she played soccer.

#The 5-foot, 6-inch outfielder, who occasionally plays infield, is now in her senior year and she’s quite thrilled about her transition, considering the fact she never played softball before.

#“At first, the softball coach needed some help with numbers, so we decided to help out,” said Brown, who joined a few other soccer players who moved from soccer to softball. “With soccer, I sort of lost the love and passion, so I decided to try softball.

#“It was kind of hard because the game was totally different. They apply two different things. I believe soccer is more physical and softball is more mental. Having the softball IQ was what I was working on. It’s been difficult, but I think I’ve gotten much better than where I was when I first started playing.”

#From the fourth grade at Xavier’s Primary School, Brown started playing soccer. She continued through high school at St. Anne’s until she graduated in 2018. At the same time, she was also playing in the Bahamas Football Association’s girls’ league with Cavalier Football Club.

#During the past semester, Brown said they played fall ball and when she returns to school in January, they will begin preparation for the regular season, starting in February.

#“We want to win a lot more games than we did in the past,” Brown stated. “We just want to score a lot of runs, limit the errors and have a level headed mentality during the season.”

#Harris-Stowe State University is coming off a 6-37 win-loss record last year, but Brown said if they can develop a level-headed mentality during the season, they can play much better and win more games in the AMC Conference in the NAIA Division One.

#“I believe that we can win the conference. We have a lot of key players that we recruited in the fall, who should definitely be able to help us in the spring,” she pointed out. “I feel like this team can mesh well together. The only person who will stop us from winning is ourselves.”

#With the expectations for themselves, Brown said they are eager to surpass the performances of the team in the past and prove to everyone that they are a much better team and they can recruit more talented players in the future.

#As the only Bahamian and even foreign player on the team, Brown said she felt right at home with her peers.

#“As a walk-on with the team, I felt the expectations for me were there,” she said. “My team-mates find it funny that I’m from a different country. But they support me in anything I say, especially with my slang and some of the things that I say. They find it very funny.”

#Likewise, Brown said it’s been a learning experience for her, just as much as it was for her team-mates.

#“They learn from me and I learn from them,” she stated. “I am proud to say that I am from the Bahamas. Any time I get, I try to teach them something about the Bahamas. So I think it’s fun for me as well.”

#While home on a break for the Christmas holiday, Brown said the first thing she wanted to engage in was some good home cooking from her mother, Charlene Stubbs-Brown. Of course, she couldn’t resist getting a meal from Bamboo Shack. The only thing she hasn’t indulged in is conch salad, but she intends to get some before she returns to school on January 8.

#The 23-year-old finance major said she’s also enjoying her final year in college, especially playing softball.

#“My last semester as I prepared for my graduation in May, I got a 3.8 GPA in my last semester so school is going very well,” Brown said. “I think softball has helped me to grow a lot as a person and so I really don’t have any regrets making the switch when I did. I don’t regret it at all.

#“We got to travel to different states and had an overnight stay. We also made it to conference finals, which was also good. But in softball, there’s been a lot more travel and overnight stays. And to play in that stadium was amazing.”

#Once she’s done this year, Brown said she’s contemplating on returning to grad school to get her master’s degree in sports administration or she may start working. However, she doesn’t envision playing softball, but is more interested in returning to soccer.

#“I have been training a little bit for soccer. I think I will try out for one of the semi-pro leagues and see how that goes,” Brown said. “But after I graduate, I think I’m going to be done with softball. I’m good, but it’s not something I want to continue to pursue.”

#Since she left home to attend college, Brown said she’s been pleased with the support she’s gotten from her mother, grandfather Charles ‘Chuck’ Stubbs, her Cavalier coaches and her college coaches in both soccer and softball.

#“They all helped me to learn more of the game and about myself, so I’m really grateful for all that they have done in supporting me,” she summed up.

#Hopefully as she gets set to complete her collegiate tenure, Brown said she’s looking forward to making everyone proud of her accomplishments.

As of Thursday, December 28, 2023

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KURTWOOD Greene

#KURTWOOD Greene, the third vice president of the Bahamas Volleyball Federation (BVF), was elected to the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) Board of Administration during the electoral congress held at the Brix Hotel on Coblentz Avenue in Port of Spain on Sunday, December 17, 2023.

#The congress was attended by 12 of 14 national federation members and was held under the supervision of North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) president Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz.

#CAZOVA members include Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Suriname, US Virgin Islands, Trinidad and Tobago and Turks and Caicos Islands.

#Mushtaque Mohammed of Trinidad and Tobago was re-elected as president along with Cayman Islands’ Kennedy McGowan (first vice-president); Bonaire’s Gisette Emer (second vice-president), Jamaica’s Jacqueline Cowan (secretary general) and board member Filomena Daniel Curiel of Aruba along with newly appointed Bahamian Kurtwood Greene (treasurer) and board member, Mark Lewis of Barbados.

#Greene is the latest board member from The Bahamas since Don Cornish, who served as president in 2001-2002.

#“I am truly grateful to the BVF for nominating me for this position,” Greene said. “My focus is to provide full transparency, especially with all financial matters while improving the conditions of volleyball within the region and to represent The Bahamas with pride.”

#Greene, who is also vying for the presidency of the BVF in January 2024, indicated that he will do everything in his power to implement a strategic plan that includes amongst other things improving good governance, building partnerships with all stakeholders, and providing a consistent development environment for athletes.

CHAMPION – Jamiah Nabbie

As of Thursday, December 28, 2023

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#Jamiah Nabbie capped off a successful track season crowned as the Tribune’s 2023 Junior Female Athlete of the Year.

#It was a long but exciting year across all the sporting disciplines with the 50th Oaktree CARIFTA Games being hosted at home, the Bahamas Games making a return and the CARIFTA Aquatics team pulling off a five-peat.

#Nonetheless, the results of the top junior performers of 2023 are now officially in.

#Champion – Jamiah Nabbie

#Nabbie made her mark and etched her name in the minds of Bahamians after turning in a remarkable performance at the 50th CARIFTA Games at home.

#The Queen’s College student secured the first gold medal for The Bahamas on the track in the under 17 girls’ 100 metre finals.

#The 16-year-old clocked a personal best time of 11.67 seconds to get the home crowd rocking at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium. She collected another gold medal, this time in the 200m finals with a personal best of 23.67 seconds.

#Her work at the track and field regional competition was not done as the relay team consisting of herself, Shayann Demeritte, Darvinique Dean and Bayli Major claimed the second podium spot in the under 17 girls’ 4x100m relays with a time of 46.43 seconds.

#Nabbie’s run in 2023 was not done by any means. The CARIFTA double gold medallist came away with a gold medal at the Speed Capital International Championships in the 100m event, notching 11.85 seconds for the win.

#Meanwhile, at the 2023 Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) National Track and Field Championships, Nabbie pulled off two second place finishes in the 100m and 200m events with times of 11.63 and 24.10 respectively.

#She was not only named the Tribune’s 2023 Female Junior Athlete of the Year but also the Female Senior High School Student Athlete of the Year at the National Sports Awards.

#The top CARIFTA performer played a pivotal role in helping The Bahamas to rack up 41 total medals, including nine gold medals, doubling last year’s total of 17 medals.

RUNNER-Up – Saleste Gibson

#Runner-Up – Saleste Gibson

#Saleste Gibson was equally as impressive for The Bahamas at the 2023 CARIFTA Aquatics Championships in Willemstad, Curaçao. She competed in a total of 13 races in the 11-12 age group.

#In the nine individual events she swam in, Gibson hauled in seven gold medals and one silver medal.

#The top junior claimed victories in the 50 and 100m butterfly, 50m, 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle. Additionally, she conquered the 200m individual medley and captured her lone silver medal in 200m fly.

#She reeled in four gold medals in the relay events as well.

#Gibson was a force to be reckoned with in the pool, scoring 75 points in the 11-12 girls’ category to take the high point award and help The Bahamas to five-peat at the 2023 CARIFTA Swimming Championships.

3RD Place Finisher – Keyezra Thomas

#Third Place Finisher – Keyezra Thomas

#Keyezra Thomas, who attends Bishop Michael Eldon, made it hard to ignore her strides in athletics in 2023.

#She helped The Bahamas to yet another North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Under-13 and U-15 Age Group Championship in July. Thomas placed second in the U15 girls’ heptathlon with a total of 4,355 points for silver.

#The 13-year-old also managed to qualify for the 50th CARIFTA Games, delivering outstanding first place performances in the 200m, 400m and long jump events at the CARIFTA Trials.

#In the 400m event, she ran a swift time of 56.28 seconds to meet the CARIFTA standard but was unable to join the team due to her age.

#At the Speed Capital International Championships, she earned her second fastest time of the season in the 200m 13-14 girls’ division with 24.66 seconds.

#Although she was ineligible for the 2023 CARIFTA team, it would be wise to keep an eye out for Thomas on the track and field next year.

VALDEZ ‘VJ’ Edgecombe

As of Friday, December 29, 2023

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#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#Valdez “VJ” Edgecombe has been awarded the Tribune’s 2023 Junior Male Athlete of the Year. With athletics and aquatics garnering a number of the top stories throughout the year, Edgecombe provided a bright spot for basketball in the junior category.

#Champion – Valdez Edgecombe

#The verdict is out on the Bimini native potentially being the next household name in basketball for The Bahamas. He is currently ranked number five on the ESPN Class of 2024 national rankings and up to 25 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division one programmes are actively trying to recruit him to their respective schools.

#Among the top NCAA D1 basketball programmes in the mix are the Duke University Blue Devils, Baylor University Bears and University of Kentucky Wildcats. The trio of teams are currently the top three potential landing spots for Edgecombe as he expects to make a decision soon.

#The 6-foot-5 shooting guard was also offered an opportunity to play for the NBA G League Ignite. The 18-year-old, who currently plays for the Long Island Lutheran High School, was presented the 2022-23 Player of the Year Award for the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC).

#During this stint, the team boasted a 10-2 win/loss record while VJ averaged a team-high 17.3 points per game, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.1 steals.

#Additionally, he was selected as the Adidas Eurocamp Most Valuable Player (MVP) this summer.

#The top 2024 prospect had a sweet homecoming earlier this month at the second Hoopfest in Paradise hosted at the Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium. He had a stellar performance in the top high school tourney, propelling the Crusaders to an unblemished 2-0 record to complete the trip.

#He helped the team to knock off Mater Dei Catholic High School 81-68 behind his game-high 30 points. In the following game, the result was the same with the Crusaders defeating Riviera Preparatory School 83-50.

#Edgecombe had 25 points in this game and averaged 27.5 points in the two games played.

#Runner-Up – David Singh

#The year was nothing short of successful for the aquatics sporting discipline and David Singh contributed greatly to that success in 2023.

#He made a name for him-self at the 2023 CARIFTA Aquatics Championships and Bahamas National Swimming Championships to earn the runner-up position for Junior Male Athlete of the Year.

#Singh, of the Barracuda Swim Club, hauled in eight medals at the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships in Willemstad, Curaçao. The junior rounded up wins in the 400m freestyle, 200m and 400m individual medley, 50m and 100m breaststroke, and 50m backstroke.

#He earned an additional two silver medals in the 100m and 200m backstroke and a fourth place finish in the 50m fly.

#In the 11-12 boys’ divi-sion, Singh ended the 50m breast with a personal best time of 34.63 seconds.

#Additionally, in the 100m breast, he touched the wall in 1:16.03 for another personal best.

#For the 200IM and 400IM events he clocked times of 2:29.75 and 5:24.80 which were both personal bests. He came first in the 50m back in 31.15 seconds and clocked 4:46.23 in the 400m freestyle. He claimed the 11-12 boys’ division high point award after amassing 73 points in the division.

#At the Bahamas Aquatics National Swimming Championships, Singh received six first place finishes in the 100m and 200m backstroke, 100 and 200m breast, 200m and 400m IM to solidify himself as a top performer in aquatics.

#Third Place Finisher – Adam Musgrove

#Adam Musgrove wrapped up his final season as a junior in iconic fashion. Musgrove shined brightly at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) National Track and Field Championships in July.

#He completed the event as a double national champion, winning the 100m and 200m U20 events. In the under 20 boys’ 100m finals, he ran a scorching 10.30 seconds which was a new personal best for him and a new junior national record.

#At the 50th CARIFTA Games, the 19-year-old earned bronze in the under 20 boys’ 100m and 200m finals with times of 10.44 and 20.96 seconds respectively.

#He helped his relay team to earn first and second place finishes in the 4x100m relays at the Pan American Under-20 Championships and NACAC U-23 Championships.

#Musgrove concluded his final season as a junior on his own terms.

• Simba French
• Dec 28, 2023
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Bahamian professional basketball player Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield and the Indiana Pacers picked up their 15th win of the season with a 123-117 triumph over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday. The win lifted the Pacers to over .500 basketball coming out of the Christmas break.

The road win at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, improved the Pacers to a 15-14 win/loss record on the season. The win also snapped a three-game skid. The Rockets have a 15-13 record.

The Pacers were efficient as a team, finishing the night at 52.4 percent from the field. They connected on 19 shots from deep compared to the Rockets’ five made three-pointers.

Leading the way for the Pacers was guard Tyrese Haliburton with a game-high 33 points. Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 30 points.

It was a back-and-forth game that had 15 lead changes but none as important for the Pacers as Haliburton’s made three-point shot with just over a minute left in the game. That shot gave them a 120-117 lead. They never trailed again.

Hield had a key offensive rebound with 42.1 seconds left in the game and Pacers’ Head Coach Rick Carlisle called a timeout.

Coming out of the timeout, the Pacers made a key bucket to go up 122-117.

It was a close game at the end of the first half as the Rockets led 67-64. The Pacers took control in the third quarter. They outscored the Rockets, 37-23, to take a 101-90 lead heading into the final quarter. Hield was most impactful in that fourth quarter as he made two shots from deep.

The Pacers return to action tonight when they take on the Chicago Bulls (14-18) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m.

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• Dec 28, 2023
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The Bahamas Youth Flag Football League (BYFFL) has sent three teams to the USA Flag Football Youth World Championships, representing The Bahamas in San Antonio, Texas, December 30-31, 2023.

The three teams will compete in the 13-and under, 14-and-under and high school divisions

Jayson Clarke, assistant coach of the high school team and BYFFL coordinator, expressed high optimism about The Bahamas’ representation at this year’s championships.

“I am looking for all three teams to do very well this year. They’ve shown tremendous improvement in their level of play, and we even have a few of our players who are now off to school in the United State, rejoining the team during the semester break so we’re that much stronger,” Clarke said.

The teams left yesterday for San Antonio, Texas, and they will play three games each on December 30 to determine seeding for the final day of play on December 31.

• SIMBA FRENCH Guardian Sports Reporter simba@nasguard.com
• Dec 29, 2023
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Bahamian professional basketball player Eric ‘EJ’ Gordon put on an offensive clinic on Wednesday, finishing with a season-high 27 points to propel the Phoenix Suns to a 129-113 blowout road victory over the Houston Rockets in National Basketball Association (NBA) action.

Gordon was able to match Kevin Durant for team- and game-high honors.

Playing at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, for the first time since getting traded in February, Gordon ripped his old team, going 10-for-15 from the field to shoot at a 66.7 percent clip. He was able to go 7-for-11 from deep where he shot 63.6 percent. The shooting guard had an uncharacteristic night on defense as he come away with three blocks in 40 minutes on the floor.

“It was great to be back here,” Gordon said. “I had a lot of good memories and a lot of fun here and it was a major turning point in my career, coming to Houston, and tonight (Wednesday), we did what we’re supposed to do.”

The Suns’ Kevin Durant had his 18th career triple-double when he came away with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists. Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 24 points in the loss.

As a team, the Suns shot the ball at a 57 percent clip. The Rockets finished the night shooting 42 percent from the field.

Gordon was a man on a mission in the second quarter as he missed just one of his seven shot attempts, pouring in 17 points in that stanza. Five of his made shots in the second quarter came from deep and he also had two blocks in that period. The Suns as a team were hot in that quarter as they finished 16-for-21 from the field, shooting 76.2 percent.

In that second quarter, the Suns outscored their counterparts, 43-31, to take a 73-55 lead at the intermission. Gordon had 21 points at the half to set his team on the right path.

The Rockets played the Suns close in the second half, but it was not enough to cut into an 18-point first half deficit.https://37a345d68c71b6fede6bc3ccf8c353c1.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html

The Suns outrebounded the Rockets, 44-33. They had 27 points off 10 turnovers by the Rockets.

Gordon has played in 26 games this season and was able to start in 19 of those games. He is averaging 32 minutes on the floor in those 26 games. He is averaging 13.8 points, two rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. The 15-year veteran is showing no signs of rust as he is shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 40 percent from deep. He is averaging one steal per contest.

Action continues for the Suns today when they return home to the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona, where they will host the Charlotte Hornets (7-21), starting at 9 p.m. The Hornets were on an eight-game losing streak before facing the Los Angeles Lakers last night. The result of that game was unavailable up to press time.

• SHELDON LONGLEY SIMBA FRENCH longley@nasugard.com simba@nasguard.com
• Dec 29, 2023
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Charlton holds off a pair of track and field athletes for the top honor

What a year it has been for athletics in The Bahama

Devynne Charlton has had arguably her best year in track and field, running her best of collection of races when it mattered the most – at the world championships of track and field – and coming within an eyelash of winning what would have been her first-ever medal at a global meet outdoors.

She took home The Nassau Guardian’s Senior Female Athlete of the Year honor with 40 points. Finishing one point behind her was javelin thrower Rhema Otabor and she was followed closely by Anthonique Strachan. Bahamian professional female basketball player Jonquel ‘JJ’ Jones finished fourth and former track and field athlete turned fitness athlete Ivanique Kemp rounded out the top five.

Charlton was fourth in the world championships final in Budapest, Hungary, missing out on the medal stand by six one hundredths of a second. She ran a personal best national record time of 12.44 seconds in the heats – the same time as the silver medalist in the final.

Charlton clocked 12.49 seconds in the semis and 12.52 seconds for fourth in the final. It was her best ever finish at the world outdoor championships and the highest-ever finish for any Bahamian in the short hurdles at a major meet outdoors, proving that the country is making strides in the short hurdles.

Following her competition at the world championships, Charlton went on to compete at the Weltklasse Zürich Diamond League Meet in Zürich, Switzerland, and turned in an eighth place finish in 12.75 seconds. It was her 13th race under 13 seconds in 2023, the second-most for her in any calendar year.

She had a series of appearances on the European circuit, running at the FBK (Fanny Blankers-Koen) Games in Hengelo, Netherlands; the 5th Irena Szewińska Memorial in Bydgoszcz, Poland; the 62nd Ostrava Golden Spike Meet in Ostrava, Czech Republic; the BAUHAUS-Galan Diamond League Meet in Stockholm, Sweden; and the Weltklasse Zürich in Zürich, Switzerland.

Indoors, she clocked a season’s best time of 7.87 seconds at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston, Massachusetts, just off her national record time of 7.81 seconds.

Otabor was outstanding in the women’s javelin in 2023, setting a new personal best and becoming just the second Bahamian to win a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I title in the women’s javelin, following in the footsteps of national record holder Laverne Eve.

Otabor also became the second Bahamian female behind Eve to toss the javelin in excess of 60 meters (m), turning in a personal best throw of 60.54m (198’ 7”) to finish second at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, in November.

She struggled at the Budapest World Championships, but just to qualify for that meet, she made history, becoming the second Bahamian woman to do so in the javelin behind Eve.

Collegiately for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Otabor won the Big Ten title with a throw of 57.85m (189’ 9”), qualified for the NCAAs out of the regionals and then went on to win the NCAA title at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas, in June, with a toss of 59.49m (195’ 2”) a personal best throw at that time.

The following month, Otabor established a new personal best of 59.75m (196’) at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) Junior and Senior National Track and Field Championships. She was just getting started.

Following the nationals, Otabor went on to win the under-23 title at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) Under-18 and Under23 Championships, turning in a toss of 57.48m (188’ 7”). Otabor went on to compete at the 19th World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, bowing out in the qualifying rounds, and then turned in her massive throw of 60.54m for the silver medal at the Pan American Games.https://95ec8484abd69d874769acb17c2c3eff.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html

Strachan also had arguably her best year in athletics, running personal best times in both short sprints and culminating the year by advancing to the final of the women’s 200m at the Budapest World Championships. Strachan finished sixth in that world championships final, running 22.29 seconds. She clocked 22.31 and 22.30 in the rounds, running her best collection of 200m races in her career.

In May, Strachan set her personal best time of 22.15 seconds at the Meeting International Mohammed VI d’Athletisme de Rabat, in Rabat, Morocco, solidifying herself as the second-fastest Bahamian woman of all-time over that distance. It was one of four Diamond League appearances for her in the 200m in 2023, setting the stage for a fantastic finish at the Diamond League Final, the two-day Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon. Strachan finished third in the Diamond League Final in 22.16 seconds, just a hundredth of a second off her personal best time.

Strachan was impressive in the 100m in 2023 as well, but chose just to focus on the 200m at the world championships.

She clocked a personal best time of 10.92 seconds in the women’s 100m at the Bislett Games Diamond League Meet in Oslo, Norway, in June. That time has her listed as the fourth-fastest Bahamian woman of all-time over that distance and she is now just eight one hundredths of a second off Chandra Sturrup’s national record of 10.84 seconds.

Strachan qualified for the world championships and the Diamond League Final in both the 100 and 200m in 2023, but chose to focus on the 200m each time.

Jonquel Jones, who led the New York Liberty to the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Championship this year before they fell to the Las Vegas Aces, and Ivanique Kemp, who won a gold medal for The Bahamas in women’s wellness at the 50th International Federation of BodyBuilding and Fitness’ (IFBB) Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships this year, finished fourth and fifth respectively, in voting for the Nassau Guardian’s Senior Female Athlete of the Year.

THE CI Gibson Rattlers came close to bringing home one of the divisional championship titles at the Tarkanian Basketball Classic in Las Vegas, Nevada. But they had to settle for unwrapping the runners-up hardware over the Christmas holiday weekend.

As of Wednesday, December 27, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#THE CI Gibson Rattlers came close to bringing home one of the divisional championship titles at the Tarkanian Basketball Classic in Las Vegas, Nevada. But they had to settle for unwrapping the runners-up hardware over the Christmas holiday weekend.

#The team, coached by Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnson, assisted by Wilton Johnson and Shannon Williams, finished with a 3-1 win-loss record in the games they played at the Faith Lutheran High School, one of the six venues where the tournament was played last week.

#In their first game played, the Rattlers won 70-57 over Chino out of California. They came back and beat North Medford out of Oregon in game two. They also won 65-58 over TMI Episcopal out of Texas in their semifinal match.

#But in their finale, they lost 58-49 to Monsignor Scanlan out of New York in the championship.

#“The trip was great. Thank God I had the opportunity to take these young men to Las Vegas to play in the Tarkanian Basketball Classic,” Johnson said. “It was a huge opportunity for our young men to be showcased in front of a lot of coaches. They played extremely well.

#“We played in the Team Athletic Division, which had 16 teams in our pool. We went to the championship game and got beat by nine points. We played some very good teams in the tournament.”

#Chino Hills, according to Johnson, was the alma mater for the Ball brothers, who currently play in the National Basketball Association. Against North Medford, Johnson said they encountered a strong shooting team.

#The team from Texas was coached by former NBA player Bruce Bowen, whose son, along with the son of Tim Duncan, also played on the team.

#“They had two 6-10, 6-9 and 6-8 players on that team,” Johnson said. “We played extremely hard and very fast. We felt we were more athletic than them, so we played extremely fast and organised and controlled and that helped us to win to get into the Team Athletics divisional final.

#“But in the final, we ran into a very strong team from New York. We got beat because we didn’t make our free shots. We missed 21 free shots and got beat by nine. We also missed about 13 lay-ups. So at the end of the day, if we had capitalised on their missed free shots and layups, we would have had an opportunity to win.”

#They didn’t, but Johnson said he was happy and thankful that his Rattlers played at a high level.

#“A lot of the coaches gave our team high praises because of how hard we played and we never gave up,” Johnson stated. “That was the trademark for our team this year in this tournament. We played extremely hard for four quarters and we never gave up.”

#Gerrad Rolle and Tashon Butler were both named to the All-Tournament team as a result of their performances.

#The other members of the team were Charles Maynard, D’Neo Smith, Mario Rolle, Darius Hanna, Dwayne Findley, Sergio Bain, Condae Smith, Joshua Fynes, Osee Olibrice and Zavion Lloyd.

#“The young men bought into what we are doing. They understand the importance of the off-season training,” Johnson pointed out.

#“They prepared themselves for this moment and worked extremely hard to be a part of this moment.

#“I must say, they cherished the time they came and played together. They understood the importance of being ready when the time came for them to play.”

#Right before his eyes, Johnson said he watched as his players grew up and held their own against some of the top ranked high school players out of the United States.

#The Rattlers will now prepare to defend their title in the 24th Providence Basketball Club Yuletide Classic at the CI Gibson Gymnasium. The tournament, which will feature both a junior and senior boys’ division, will get underway today at 9am and wrap up on Saturday. There will be two sessions held each day. The entry fee for the fans is $3 each.