Bahamas News

The Bahamas Football Association senior men’s National team left the capital on Friday in route to Kingston Jamaica for the second round of qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

In the first round, the Bahamas advanced over the British Virgin Islands after a double draw. In game one the score was 1-1 which was a home game and in game two the score was 2-2 which was an away game.

According to BFA General Secretary Lionel Haven, the away game had more importance and the Bahamas was able to force a draw resulting in the team advancing.

The team is under the direction of Technical Director Neider Dos Santos, and they will be looking to upset Jamaica on their home soil.

Dos Santos said he expects a serious challenge from Jamaica, but noted that in football anything is possible.

“Jamaica had three scrimmage games and lost one of the games to Grenada 2-1, which shows that they are beatable.”

“We however did not play in any scrimmage games, but our team is ready and prepared to play against Jamaica”, said Dos Santos.

The team will play the first match tomorrow (Sunday) in Kingston and on Wednesday in Trelawney for the second match.

He said both games are of high importance to the team’s advancement into the third round of qualifying.

Source: Bahama Journal

The sport of beach volleyball continues to grow in The Bahamas with the help of businessman Peter Nygard and the Defenders Volleyball Club who recently completed their annual beach tournament.

Nygard said this is the only sport in The Bahamas where the facilities of beach, sun and sand are already provided.

Nygard, a former Olympian in sailing pledged his support for the continuation of beach volleyball in The Bahamas and to the athletes who play the sport.

Nygard said they have been trying to get a Bahamian team into the 2008 Olympics for beach volleyball but were unable to do it.

He said they are not going to stop because he believes the talent is there and they will continue and try out for the 2012 London Olympics.

“My major ambition for sports in The Bahamas is to see a beach volleyball team at the Olympic games because we have the best beaches in the world to achieve that goal and whenever you travel to Brazil, you will see on all of the beaches volleyball nets,” said Nygard.

During a press conference held at Nygard Cay, members of the NPVA beach volleyball tournament consisting of Glen Rolle, Lahaundro Thompson, Muller Petit Tony and Rony Simon made a special presentation to Nygard.

Tony Simon acted as the spokesman for the group said their relationship with Nygard has grown to the where they consider him a brother.

Simon said a few weeks ago, they took part in two volleyball tournaments here in The Bahamas with one indoor and the other outdoor.

Simon along with the group presented their first place trophy to Nygard thanking him for his full support to their development and the development of the sport.

Source: Bahama Journal

The Hugh Campbell Basketball Tournament entered day five on Friday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium with more than a half dozen eliminations games on the schedule and the defending Champions C.C. Sweeting Cobras took on the Queen’s College Comets during the afternoon session with both teams facing elimination.

It was the struggling champions that scaved off defeat against the Comets, 49-34. The victory gave the Cobras new life. They will advance to the next round where they will meet the winner of the Telios Academy and Temple Christian who will play on Saturday morning.

For the Cobras, Dwight Rolle led with a game high 15 points. His teammate Gabi Laurent contributed 12 points. Nathaniel Carter and Eleazor Johnson settled with 9 points each in the loss.

The Cobras attacked early and stifled the Comets with tough hardnosed defense in the first quarter and they took and early 14-6 edge.

By the end of the first half the Cobras had increased their lead to 26-12, as they continued to play strong defense and pressured the Comets forcing them into multiple turnovers.

In the second half of the game, the Comets showed signs of life. Their offense came to life as a result of a trapping defense that began to affect the play of the Cobras, at one point forcing the champions into a shot clock violation.

The Comets picked up the majority of their points at the free throw line. The Cobras committed six team fouls in 45 seconds in the fourth quarter, which gave the Comets many opportunities to score without the game clocking running and it gave them a chance at the upset, but it was not meant to be.

During Friday’s morning session, another three teams were eliminated in addition to the four from Thursday’s evening session. Those teams eliminated on Friday morning included the S.C. Bootle Dolphins, South Andros High Cheetahs, and the Bimini All Age School.

In the feature game of the morning session, the Clement Howell Eagles out of the Turks and Caicos Islands took on South Andros.

In the first half, the Eagles played a strong defense breaking down the offense of the Cheetahs and forcing them to commit turnovers.

Down by 15 points, the Cheetahs made a charge in the third quarter, and shut down the scoring attack of the Eagles forcing a tie at 35 all.

In the fourth quarter the game was close, as both teams traded baskets. With two minutes left in regulation the score was tied 52-52. The Eagles added an additional five points to bring the score to 57-52.

The Cheetahs however forced the Eagles to commit two turnovers in the last 59 seconds allowing them to hit a three pointer and a lay up to tie the game once again at 57-57 with 25.8 seconds on the clock. The game was forced into overtime and both defenses stood tall in the final seconds.

In the overtime period, the Eagles dominated with more of their pressure defense which forced the Cheetahs turnovers. In addition the Cheetahs missed valuable free throws which resulted in them not being able to force a second overtime, and they lost 63-60.

Eagles Steve Bras scored 21 points, his teammate Krishna Penn dropped in 15, while the Cheetah Shemeko Greene had a game high 29 points in the loss. His teammate Travis Sands contributed with 14 points.

In the first elimination game of the day during the morning session, the Comets took on Bimini All-Age handing them a defeating 45-44.

The team from Bimini played a very good defensively and although they struggled offensively they were in a position to win the game but their strong defense began to fall apart down the stretch and suffered defeat and elimination.

In the second game of the morning session, the Harbour Island Panthers defeated the S.C. Bootle Dolphins, 48-34.

For the Dolphins this was their second loss of the tournament. They were beaten on Thursday by the Tabernacle Baptist Falcons.

The Dolphins did secured one victory in the tournament. They defeated the Bishop Michael Eldon Warriors.

Rolando Davis led the winning Panthers eight points with his teammate Robert Knowles contributing seven points.

In the loss the Dolphins Oryshawn Rolle had a game high 12 points with his team mates Rashad Moxey and Edward Burrows contributing eight.

Source: Bahama Journal

The Bahamas Swimming Federation continued on the road to the Carifta Games with five athletes attaining the required standards during the Swift Swim Club Classic on Saturday past at the Betty Kenning Kelly Aquatic Complex.

Berchadette Moss, representing the Dolphin Swim Club, went under the Carifta mark of 35.09 seconds in the girls 11-12 50 metres butterfly, winning the race 34.18 seconds.

In the girls 13-14 50 metres butterfly, Bria Deveaux from the Barracuda Swim Club won the event in 33.01 seconds while Shaunte Moss of Swift placed second in 33.44 seconds, both girls dipping below the Carifta mark of 33.63 seconds. On the boys’ side, T’Auren Moss of the Sea Bees, won 400 metres freestyle in 5:12.36 seconds to dip below the Carifta mark of 5:15.49 seconds.

Mancer Roberts and Matthew Lowe, both from the Barracuda Swim Club qualified undere the Carifta mark of 4:52.89 seconds in the 13-14 boys 400 metres freestyle.

Roberts won the event in 4:49.44 seconds while Lowe settled for second place in 4:52.08 seconds.

Source: Bahama Journal

The Government All for One Regatta came to an end on Sunday at Montague Bay with the Red Stripe winning the A-Class while Cobra took the B-Class and Chris Sands won the Optimist event. On, Saturday Irene Goodnight clinched the C-Class title.

On Monday night at the Ministry of Youth and Sports the awards presentation took place, resulting on smiles from the winners and the runner-ups as they collected their earnings. Minister of State for Youth and Sports, Hon. Byran Woodside said he is extremely please with the overall performance of the organizing committee in making the regatta successful.

“The Ministry placed the theme on this ‘All For One Regatta’ season, “Sailing 2008- Strengthened, Fortified and Unified.” Those are some serious words”, said Woodside. “The Bahamian people have strengthened up to go forward in making this regatta season the most successful one ever seen.

“They are fortified in going forward with no looking back and being unified coming together as untied they stand. Divided they fall.

“With the Farmers Cay Exuma Regatta coming up, I am expecting the participation of many skippers and the Bahamian people. Then we move on to Long Island, Cat Island and Acklins,” said Woodside. The Red Stripe owned by Sheldon Gibson and skippered by Lundy Robinson took home the top prize of $2,000.00 in the A-Class with the Bahamar Boat of the Year Good News placing second and garnering $1,700.00. Pieces of Eight placed third for $1,400.00 and the Ana Nicole rounded out in fourth and got $1,100.00. Gibson said this time he sat back and allowed the younger guys to take command of the boat and they were indeed successful.

“This is the first time I really had the chance to see the Red Stripe sailing and she looked beautiful on the water. “Red Stripe will sail at the “Catch Me If You Can Regatta” slated for February and we are again looking for success there. “Red Stripe, having already won Boat of the Year before, was out of action last year so we concentrated on the Silent Partner. This year is different and we will win”, said Gibson.

Lee Armstrong skipper of the 2007 Boat of the Year, the Good News, said the race was successful on Sunday and he is quite confident that there will be success at the end of the year.

“The Red Stripe got a better start on us on Sunday and because of the weather we only sailed one race, giving them the victory but come “Catch Me If You Can Regatta” the results will be a lot different” said Armstrong
In the B- Class the Cobra took the top prize of $1,700.00, with the Eudeva placing second for $1,400.00, the Ant’s Nest third and winning $1,100.00 and Ansbacher Queen fourth for $800.00.

Cobra owner Dwanye Higgins said the races went “okay in their favor on Saturday” as they were able to pull of two first places. On Sunday they ran into some difficulties and finished third, but still took the overall prize.
“I was extremely happy to have my father Jacob Higgins out there to watch the boat sail as he has always been there to give us pointers and good ideas as to what needs to happen.

“We are planning on having a very positive and productive season. We are heading into George Town to bring the championship back and from there we will compete in all of the regattas” said Higgins
He said with this being the first points producer for Boat of the Year, he believes the Cobra can continue on the right track and win although the B-Class is a very competitive.

The Optimist boats headed by Jimmy Lowe also got in some action during the Regatta as a part of their youth development programme.

Chris Sands won with Michael Gibson and Bruce Hall taking second and third respectively.

Source: Bahama Journal

Young Phillip Major boosted the Bahamas’ junior tennis image recently by capturing an important event in the Casely International Camps at Florida International University.

Major won the Boys’12 Series No. 10 by beating Canadian Mckenzie Sterns in the final 6-2-, 6-0.

The Bahamian advanced to the final by winning his first round match and then powering through to the final. Japan’s Ryota Tanuma (6-1, 6-1) and Israeli Aderlin Dav (6-1, 6-4) were his respective victims.

The accomplishment by Major is testimony to the depth of young players in the country’s talent pool. Regularly, Bahamian players are doing well on the Florida circuit.

The Casely format entailed 11 consecutive 2-3 day competition camps with a player playing possibly two matches in a day. As indicated by Major’s opponents, the field is made up of lots of internationals. Also the top nations from the United States are always in the mix.

The Casely International Training/competition Package includes non-boarders, boarding groups and individuals. The fee includes registration, five days of training (two hours per day), airport pick-up and drop-off, shared rooms, meals and transportation.

Source: Bahama Journal

Sports mentor and former Olympic medallist Frank Rutherford on Monday told the Bahama Journal he was “very happy” for another of his Bahamian recruits who has ended up in a major basketball college programme.

He spoke of the ex-Doris Johnson High School star Dwight Miller who has signed a letter of intent to attend the University of Pittsburgh. After visiting a “goodly Number” of interested institution, Ruther said it was decided to finally settle on Pitsburgh.

Miller accordingly gave a commitment to be a part of the Panthers. He is the latest in the string of Bahamian recruits by Rutherford who have gone on to seize opportunities on the collegiate and professional level.

Ranked in the top 100 on the United States’ high school chart, Miller, at 6-8 and 220 pounds is in his senior year at St. Pius High in Houston. St. Pius is the defending state champion and on the squad is another Bahamian, Probese Leo.

The University of Pittsburgh competes in the noted Big East Conference and is considered one of the top basketball colleges in the nation. They have gone to the round of 16 in the prestigious National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) four out of the last seasons.

Rutherford says his expectations are high on Miller.

“I expect that barring injury he will develop into a top college forward,” said Rutherford, a triple jump bronze medallist for The Bahamas, at the 1992 Olympic Games.

Source: Bahama Journal

The Bahamas Softball Federation will host its 2007 National Championship this weekend beginning on Thursday October 18th to Sunday October 21st at the Blue Hills Sporting Complex.

Championship teams from Andros, Long Island, Eleuthera, Abaco, Grand Bahama, New Providence will slug it out for the national fast pitch crown.

The weekend of the 2006 men’s nationals held in Eleuthera was marred by relentless rainstorms, but through it all Eleuthera defeated New Providence for the title.

The women’s tournament was held in Grand Bahama and was also hampered by heavy continuous rain, however, the women were not able to complete the tournament that saw Grand Bahama’s Triple Play Pearls and the New Providence based Electro Telecom Wildcats reach the final. The National title was eventually awarded to the Wildcats.

The federation, coaches and players are hoping for much better weather this year. Friday’s weather is predicted to be perfect with partly sunny skies and winds up to 14 km/h.

On Saturday the forecast reads clouds and sun with possible thunderstorms, and on Sunday the things are expected to improve with a mixed bag of sun and clouds with winds up to 12 km/h.

The defending men’s national champions are from Savannah Sound, Eleuthera. On the women’s side a national championship was supposed to be decided between the Electro Telecom Wildcats and the Grand Bahamian champions, the Triple Play Pearls

The 2007 tournament robin is being held in honour of Arthur Thompson a member of the International Softball Hall of Fame. He is also the rules interpreter for the local federation and he is an internationally certified softball instructor.

Thompson will share his honour with Beulah Kelley, a long time veteran pitcher with the women’s national team.

According to the Tournament Director, Burkette Dorsett, the tournament will take the format that is used in international play, which allows the top four teams from the men and ladies division to play in a sudden championship series the same week.

The round robin portion of the tournament will end on the morning of Saturday October 20. The Sudden death round would begin on Saturday.

Some of the teams that will compete at the Nationals include the D’s Truckers who defeated the New Breed for the New Providence men’s title.

After both the men and women’s championship series in the Grand Bahama Amateur Softball Association became entangled in a controversy, the BSF stepped in and determined that the BTC Rockets men and women’s teams would represent Grand Bahama at the Nationals.

The BTC Lady Rockets were leading The Bahamasair Flyers in their best of seven series three games to two, while the Bommer George Swingers trailed the BTC men’s squad three games to none after they refused to play because one of their coaches was “unfairly” suspended for three games.

Source: Bahama Journal

At 31, she has accomplished a lot within the grouping of the fabulous Golden Girls and also on her very own merit in both the 100 metres and 200 metres. Respected more for her prowess over the half lap, she has also been quite outstanding in the century. Her anchor leg on the 2000 relay gold medal team will forever be etched in our memories.

Ever since her bronze medal achievement at the Athens Olympics in 2004 she has struggled however.
There have been layoffs due to injuries and surgeries, the difficult journeys along the rehabilitation trail, and this year an annoying bout with chicken pox.

At the World Championships in Osaka, normally a given for her, Ferguson failed to make the finals in any of the short sprints. Nevertheless, she continued to battle though, with the World Athletics final as her target.
The resilient one showed some signs of a late return to form when she ran 23.07 in the race prior to the World Athletics Final in Stuttgart, Germany this past Saturday and Sunday.

The Athletics Final’s women’s 200 metres list was as talented as the World Championships. Americans Lauryn Williams, LaShauntea Moore and Stephanie Durst were there. So were France’s Muriel Hurtis-Houairi, Belgium’s veteran Kim Gevaert, Great Britain’s Joice Naduaka and Jamaica’s Sheri-Ann Brooks.

Given the problems she has had during the latter part of the season, Ferguson was not considered a favourite.
But, she has always been a rock of confidence and pulled out a 22.74 performance, her highlight effort for the year given the glamour of the Athletics Final. (Only a 22.49 clocking way back in February has been better).

On Saturday, the mainrace was between Ferguson and the French lady. She settled for second, but Ferguson’s feat gave her a solid mental approach for the 2008 season.

It was another high water mark in a glorious career for ’she’ of the wonderful demeanor.
Her bubbling personality has endeared her to many around the world, track and field folks and others. Debbie is most deserving of that exciting climax to 2007. She has filled Bahamians with pride many times.

Apart from her significant role as a Golden Girl, and the courageous run to bronze in Athens, there was her great display in Manchester, England during the year 2002 at the Commonwealth Games.

There she wrote a spectacular page in Commonwealth history by doubling up in the 100 and 200 metres and being a part of the last taste of relay glory for the Golden Girls.

She surely has persevered.

We salute this Golden Girl and wish her the best for 2008 and beyond.

If you think you’re the best at shooting pool, the Nassau Valley Eight-Ball Association (NVEA) has scheduled an event just for you.

The NVEA will host the first Best-Of-The-Best Pool Tournament beginning 11am at the family friendly Mecca Grand Lodge next to British American Insurance on the Independence Highway.

The tournament was initially scheduled to be held at the Kendal Isaacs Gym.

The event will feature competition in a number of categories for men and women.

“Quite a number of the people who have already registered are unknown in the local pool arena. They are ready and excited about the competition and are looking to upset a few of the local regulars who believe they can play,” said NVEA President, Lori Lightfoot on Wednesday.

The drawing will be held at Millie’s Place, East Bay Street at 9 pm this evening (Friday September 14).

“Absolutely no one would be able shoot once the drawing begins. Additionally, the prize money is still not finalized because it is still growing, but I think the winners will be more than pleased to have participated in this historic event,” said Lightfoot.

She said, “It is my hope that from this event we will be able to attract additional talent to the association and in particular to encourage more women to play this upcoming season.”

The 2007/2008 season begins on October 1. The deadline to get teams registered for the new season is September 27.

Local pool legends like Grand Master James Lockhart Sr., and Master Sweet Boy who have taken the game of pool to new levels in The Bahamas are scheduled to participate.

NVEA Vice President Michael Demeritte said, “We have some real good players in New Providence, but we have seen some new faces that have been shooting well and I’m sure some of the younger players are prepared to try and knock off the best-of-the-best. So we are expecting an exciting tournament with lots of highlights. So if you think you can shoot, be there.”

Additionally he said, “We would also like to invite players to bring their family and friends to support them, and spectators are more than welcomed to join in the fun.”

Source: Bahama Journal