SPORTS
FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 2025
‘Junkanoo Beach Boyz’ beat T&T 5-4
The home crowd at the Malcolm Park Beach Soccer Facility got a real treat last night as the Bahamas men’s national beach soccer team knocked off Trinidad & Tobago 5-4 to advance to the semifinals of the 2025 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship. The “Junkanoo Beach Boyz” have been on a tear since dropping game one of Group B play against Panama.
The host team finished as the top team in Group B with two wins, one loss and a leading total of six points. They advanced alongside the USA, who defeated Panama 5-1 for the second spot in Group B. Francis Farberoff, head coach of Team Bahamas, spoke about what has changed for the team since their loss against Panama.
“We kind of worked a lot on improving the mistakes that we had in that game and it showed against the USA yesterday. We were able to close them down and now today again a tough game back and forth. To be a championship team you gotta be able to overcome being behind, turning the game so I think that is a part of being a good team and winning team,” he said.
It was truly a competitive affair between the “Junkanoo Beach Boyz” and the Soca Warriors.
Jordan Riley got the scoring frenzy started early for Trinidad & Tobago with a crafty goal at the 10th minute of the first period to pull ahead 1-0. Wood Julmis was on target for an open goal that levelled the score at 1-1 for the host team with three minutes on the clock in the
THE year of upsets in track and field continued yesterday at the 2025 Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) Track and Field Championships hosted at the original Thomas A Robinson Stadium.
The SC McPherson Sharks pulled off an historic comeback victory in the junior division to deter the CH Reeves Raptors from claiming their fifth consecutive GSSSA track and field crown.
The Sharks amassed a winning total of 679 points to claim their first GSSSA track and field title in the school’s history.
The Raptors lost their day one advantage and fell to the second spot with 643 points.
The HO Nash Lions climbed ahead of the DW Royals to wrap up the junior portion of the meet in third with 483.50 points. SC McPherson’s head coach Neketa SearsKnowles was overjoyed after the Sharks first GSSSA Track and Field Championship win.
“Words cannot express how awesome we feel right now. This has been a long time in the making and we
WHO WILL BE CROWNED GOLF CHAMPIONS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL DIVISIONS?
won the overall crown, there is only one division for the junior and senior high teams.
WHILE the national junior golf champions have already been decided, it will come down to the final day of competition to determine who will be crowned the champions in the high school divisions. Unlike the primary division where there were both a private and public school winner before they combined to determine who
Both divisions played on Thursday and will be back today at the Bahamas Golf Federation’s Driving Range as the nationals wrap up with the high school champions crowned.
Leading the way in the junior girls’ division are the Bahamas Global Academy with +28, followed by
SOFTBALL MASTERS ALL-STARS ON Sunday at the Archdeacon William Thompon Softball Park, Southern Recreation Grounds, the New Providence Masters Softball Association is scheduled to hold its All-Star Classic.
The event is slated for 2pm in memory of the late player, coach and scorer Dudley ‘Bones’
Moxey, who recently passed away. The honorary captains for the event are Ken O’Brien and Ronald ‘Big Boy’ Seymour. Named to play on the respective teams are the following: Ronald ‘Big Boy’ Seymour team, managed by Perry Seymour and coached by Vince Seymour - Kevin Davies, John Lockhart,
SEE PAGE E3
Contrast therapy: The best of both worlds for athletic recovery
By Dr Kent L Bazard
ATHLETES are constantly looking for ways to recover faster, reduce soreness, and keep their bodies in peak condition. While ice and heat therapies are well-known tools for injury management and muscle recovery, a growing body of research highlights the benefits of contrast therapy - the strategic use of alternating heat and cold to optimise circulation, reduce inflammation, and enhance overall recovery. The Science Behind Contrast Therapy Contrast therapy involves switching between cold and hot treatments to create a pumping effect in the circulatory system. Cold therapy constricts blood vessels and reduces inflammation, while heat therapy dilates
them, increasing blood flow and promoting muscle relaxation. This process helps flush out metabolic waste, deliver fresh nutrients to muscles, and speed up the body’s natural healing processes. Studies in sports medicine suggest that contrast therapy can be more effective than using heat or cold alone in managing post-exercise fatigue and soreness. It has been widely used in professional sports, particularly in recovery protocols for high-intensity training.
Best Practices for Athletes
For athletes looking to integrate contrast therapy into their routine, timing and technique are key.
A typical session follows a structured alternation between cold and heat:
immersion (10-15°C) for 1-2 minutes
application (38-42°C) for 3-4 minutes
Repeat for 15-20 minutes
This cycle can be done using ice baths, cold showers, hot tubs, heating pads, or even natural elements like ocean water and sun exposure - especially relevant in The Bahamas, where beach recovery options are readily available.
When to Use Contrast
ery, reducing delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). and stiffness, such as in conditions like tendonitis. particularly for non-acute injuries like sprains or muscle tightness.
However, it is not recommended immediately after an acute injury, where cold therapy alone is better suited to control inflammation.
Contrast Therapy in High-Performance Sports
Many elite athletes incorporate contrast therapy into their recovery regimens. NBA players, Olympic sprinters, and endurance athletes frequently use hot and cold immersion techniques to maintain performance levels.
Therapy Contrast therapy is particularly effective for: -
For Bahamian athletes, access to warm seawater and cooler inland pools provides a natural setting for contrast therapy. Coaches and trainers can implement structured protocols to help reduce the impact of high training loads, especially during intense competition seasons.
The Role of Sports Science in Optimising Recovery
With sports science evolving, contrast therapy is gaining recognition as a proactive recovery strategy rather than just a reactive one.
By planning recovery as strategically as training, athletes can avoid burnout, reduce injury risk, and sustain peak performance.
Final Thoughts
In the ongoing debate of heat vs. ice, contrast
therapy emerges as a powerful tool that combines the best of both worlds.
For athletes pushing their limits - whether on the track, court, or field— integrating intelligent recovery strategies is just as important as the effort put into training.
By utilising contrast therapy in a structured manner, Bahamian athletes can train smarter, recover faster, and compete stronger.
medicine physician at Empire Sports Medicine, specializes in ensuring athletes reach their peak performance safely. With extensive experience and a passion for sports health, Dr. Bazard provides insights and guidance for athletes of all ages - men and women.
SC McPherson Sharks claim first GSSSA track &
title in the school’s history
are eternally grateful for all of the hard work from our whole staff and our whole team. It has been a long road but we are very grateful and ecstatic,” she said.
Coming into day two of the GSSSA Track and Field Championship, the Sharks were trailing by just 45 points but mounted a strong rally on Thursday to dethrone the defending champions.
Coach Sears-Knowles shared day two’s strategy with reporters.
“We had a conference call last night. We went over the results and we saw that we were lacking in the field events so, when the kids came to the field this morning, we had a real talk with them. We told them where our deficits were, we told them how close we were and what we needed to do. They maximised all of those
weaknesses and we are grateful. It is wonderful,” she said.
The Sharks prevailed in the under-17 girls’ division and under-13 boys’ divisions. Meanwhile, the Raptors nabbed victories in the under-15 girls’ and boys’ divisions and under-17 boys’ divisions.
Junior Division
The Sharks snuck away with a few victories in the field events.
Breon Neely soared to a winning jump of 1.44m for the Sharks in the under-13 boys’ high jump event. The Royals’ Reynaldo Pierre secured the second place finish at 1.42m. Deon Fowler rounded out the top three for SC McPherson at 1.34m.
The Sharks’ Ryan Rolle turned in a winning toss of 8.34m in the under-13 boys’ shot put event. Placing second was AF Adderley’s Jayden Glinton at 8.10m.
It was once again the Sharks in the third spot with Makai Symonette posting a throw of 7.67m.
D’Asia Albury, competing for SC McPherson, was a cut above the rest in the under-17 girls’ long jump event.
She posted a winning jump of 4.24m. Gianna Gibson, of HO Nash, was the second best finisher at 4.21m. The Sharks’ Soleil Rahming came away in third with her jump of 4.19m. SC McPherson also had some brilliant performances on the track.
The newly crowned champion got a perfect onetwo punch in the under-17 girls’ 200m finals.
Naveah Mackey and Angel McPhee capped off the race with times of 26.08 seconds and 26.92 seconds for first and second place respectively.
The Royals’ Ormanique Curtis trailed for third in 27.96 seconds. The victors picked up a pair of victories in the under-15 girls’ 75m hurdles and under-15 boys’ 80m hurdles events.
Tia Thompson crossed the finish line first in 13.52 seconds in the hurdles event. Rashae Robinson clocked 14.14 seconds to finish second for the LW Young Golden Eagles.
Kacey Coleby, competing for SC McPherson, completed the top three with a time of 14.16 seconds.
In the boys’ event, Gilberto Bain ran strong for a winning time of 13.07 seconds in the 80m hurdles.
CH Reeves’ Kevon Sinsurin was a few steps behind at 13.36 seconds for second place.
Clayton Murphy, representing HO Nash, fell to the bronze medal position in 14.01 seconds.
The Sharks also reigned supreme in the under-13 boys’ and under-17 girls’ 4x400m relays. With such an historic victory under their belt, there is no doubt the Sharks will be in celebration mode for the rest of the year.
Senior Division
While the Sharks celebrated their junior championship victory yesterday, the CV Bethel Stingrays continued to maintain their double-digit deficit in the senior division.
The Stingrays remain in the driver’s seat with 343 points. The defending champions CR Walker are holding onto second place with 300 points and the RM Bailey Pacers have racked up 198 points for third. Taevia Wright, representing CV Bethel, won the under-17 girls’ 100m hurdles with a new GSSSA record of 16.64 seconds.
She replaced Janicka Collie’s 11-year-old record of 16.70 seconds. Keilesha Saunders stopped the clock at 16.74 seconds in second place for CR Walker.
Kenisha Capron, competing for the Pacers, paced her way to a time of 18.40 seconds for third overall. CR Walker’s Azaria Dean set a new GSSSA record in the under-17 girls’ long jump event. She soared to a winning jump of 5.08m. Her mark replaced Alexis Miller’s former GSSSA record of 4.95m established in 2015. The Stingrays’ Syraia Smith placed second in the event and Khloe Bonaby came third for CR Walker. The senior portion of the 2025 GSSSA Track and Field Championships will wrap up today. Will the Knights rebound for their
BAZARD DR KENT
MAKING SCHOOL HISTORY: The SC McPherson Sharks celebrate yesterday after winning their first GSSSA track & field title in the school’s history. Photos: Patrick Hanna
Who will be crowned champions of golf in the high school divisions?
FROM PAGE E1
Queen’s College with +46, Home Schooling with +72 and St Augustine’s College with +101.
Individually, Maddison Carroll and Haley Hall, both from Bahamas Global Academy, are tied for the lead with 28 with Anissa Robinson of Achiever’s Christian Academy in third with 29.
Mila Zelsman of Windsor Academy is fourth with 30 and Kayleigh Rolle of King’s College School rounds out the top five with 35.
Achievers Christian Academy are out front in the junior boys’ division with eight. Windsor Academy is next with +16, Home Schooling in third with +41, Lyford Cay International School fifth with +48, Queen’s College sixth with +70, St Augustine’s College seventh with +76 and Aquinas College eighth with +98.
There is a two-way tie for first place in the individual category for the junior boys with Zachary Joseph of Achiever’s Christian Academy and Lance Valdez of King’s College School with 29 apiece.
Windsor Academy’s Archie Mitchelmore and Hugo Johnson are tied for third with 32, while there are four others - Deandrey Poitier (TG Glover Primary), William West (Windsor Academy), Rashawn Hanna (Achiever’s Christian Academy) and Juan Wilson (St Andrew’s) tied for fifth with 33.
Windor Academy leads the senior boys with +10, Queen’s College has +36, St Andrew’s +62 and St Augustine’s College +108. Aiden Gorospe of Home Schooling leads the pack individually in the senior boys’ division with 28, while there is a two-way tie for second at 29 with Luke Grimes of Queen’s College and Christopher Callendar of Windsor Academy. Maximillian Landry and Camdyn Forbes of Windsor Academy are in fourth and fifth respectively with 30 and 32. And in the senior girls, Windsor Academy tops the field with +2, Queen’s College has +14, Kingsway Academy +47 and St Augustine’s College +115. Amelie Zalsman of Windsor Academy is out front in the senior girls’ division with her teammates Grace Crawford and Roisin Scanlon tied for second with 29.
In fact, Windsor Academy occupies the top four spots with Lilly Bisterzo trailing with 30. There is a two-way tie for fifth place with Chemari Pratt of Queen’s College and Seannae NorvilleSmith of The Heuristic Academy with 36 apiece. Although they will have to wait for today’s final round to be completed, some of the schools are still pleased with the performances of their golfers after the first day of competition.
Kingsway Academy’s coach said they only have a handful of students who are interested in golf and
ON THE GREEN: The Bahamas Golf Federation’s High School Nationals took place this week in the Driving Range at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. The final two days of competition yesterday and today were geared for the high school teams. SEE MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 7
so they were only able to bring two girls to participate this year.
“I am looking for great things from Taylor Sands. She has been playing golf for a long time,” said coach Juliet Sands.
“She got fifth last year, but I’m looking for her to step up to at least third place or better.”
And St Augustine’s College coach Daria Adderley said after getting their feet wet in the competition last year, the Big Red Machine are out to make their presence felt.
“We have some lower scores than last year, which means that the kids are learning something,”
Adderley stated. “They are also enjoying. When you come out and you enjoy what you are doing, everything just flows.”
Adderley said SAC will be back today to move up the standings.
Windsor Academy, who won all four high school divisions last year, has not entered a team in the junior girls’ division, but has one player participating and she’s in the top five, so hopefully she can get on the podium.
“Our junior boys are right in the mix. It’s very competitive this year, but we should be in the top three again this year. Our senior boys and senior girls
Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr
are right where we want them to be, so hopefully we can pull it off again this year.”
Roach said the level of competition has been extremely high in both the junior boys and senior boys, but both the girls’ divisions have grown this year, “so it’s going to be a tough battle all round for us if we are to defend our titles.”
Tournament organiser Georgette Rolle-Harris said the competition will be extremely tough, considering the way the golfers performed yesterday.
She anticipates that the winners will be decided by close margins.
MACEDONIA BAPTIST PULLS OFF ANOTHER VICTORY IN SOFTBALL REGULAR SEASON
MACEDONIA
Baptist pulled off another victory as the Bahamas Baptist Sports Federation continued its 2025 softball regular season on Saturday.
In the lone game played at the Charles W Saunders High School on Jean Street, Macedonia held off Golden Gates for a close 9-7 decision.
Gary Wright went the distance for the win on the mound, while Thela Johnson was tagged with the loss.
Trailing 5-4 going into the bottom of the third inning, Macedonia produced three runs to go ahead 7-5.
Golden Gates cut it to 7-6 with two more runs in the fourth, but Macedonia responded with a pair in the bottom of the frame to stay ahead.
Golden Gates didn’t score in the fifth.
Norman Bastian led the way for Macedonia with a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs batted in and three runs scored. Nabria Hanna was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and Sean Rolle, Alex Gabriel, Grace Chea and Wright all had a hit and scored a run.
Vashawna Bastian was a perfect 4-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored for Golden Gates. Thelma Stevens and Samantha Bastian were both 2-for-3 and Dustin Moss was also 2-for-3 with a solo home run.
Saturday 11am - Golden Gates vs New Bethlehem. 12:30pm - Jubilee vs Golden Gates.
BAARK! POWERADE POTCAKEMAN TRIATHLON ALL SET FOR MARCH 30 AT JAWS BEACH
THE countdown is on for the 12th Annual Baark! Powerade Potcakeman Triathlon, set to take place on Sunday, March 30, 2025, at Jaws Beach. This highly anticipated event will bring together athletes of all levels for a thrilling day of swimming, cycling and running in support of a great cause. Over the years, this fun-filled family event has become a staple and much-anticipated highlight on The Bahamas’ annual event calendar. Baark! is delighted to have Powerade as their presenting sponsor for this event for the 11th consecutive year.
Jonathan Thronebury, director of marketing, Caribbean Bottling Company, said: “we are excited to reaffirm our role as the presenting sponsor of the Baark! Powerade Potcakeman Triathlon. Baark’s focus on community health and wellness - promoting education
and the well-being of both animals and individuals - perfectly aligns with our values. Through our Powerade brand, which champions active lifestyles, we are proud to support this fundraiser by providing premium hydration solutions for athletes and spectators alike.”
The sprint-distance triathlon will challenge participants with a 750m swim, a 12-mile bike ride finishing with a 5K run. Athletes can take on the full triathlon solo or team up with friends and family to compete as a relay team. For younger competitors, the event also offers the FYP Puppy Tri, featuring shorter distances tailored to juniors and kids. All finishers will be rewarded with a customdesigned medal and adult participants can look forward to a refreshing Surfside drink, along with a delicious burger or hot dog courtesy of the Rotary East’s famous burger van.
THE 12th annual Baark! Powerade Potcakeman Triathlon is all set to take place on Sunday, March 30, at Jaws Beach.
Young athletes will be treated to a special postrace treat from Dunkin’ Donuts.
Baark! is also thankful to the other sponsors who help make this event possible. Our Leaders of the
Pack sponsors include Tile King, Modernistic, Think Simple, and CBS. Purina Friskies is sponsoring
the swim caps, while our race crew is once again supported by Bahamas Sotheby’s. The exclusive race bag is sponsored by JS Johnson.
Our Top Dog sponsors include Subway, Dunkin’ Donuts, Corner Bank, Jane Iredale, Albany, and Scotia Wealth Management. Morley Realty is a Best Friend sponsor, and King & Co. are Loyal Companions. The Baark! Powerade Potcakeman Triathlon is a major fundraiser for Baark! (Bahamas Alliance for Animal Rights and Kindness), with proceeds supporting the organisation’s spay/neuter and education programmes throughout the country. Registration and full event details are available at HYPERLINK “http://www.potcakeman. com/”www.potcakeman. com. Don’t miss the chance to test your endurance, have fun and make a difference for animals in need.
Randolph Coakley, Michael Smith, Wayne Farquharson, James Davis, Walter Charlton, Deon Seymour, Brian Forbes, Julius Seymour, Dwight Butler, Damian Robinson, Sidney Thomas, Kevin Smith, Rory N Newbold, Lester Stuart, Pat Lockhart, Ricardo Major, Keith Johnson, Andrew Basden, Halson Ferguson, Chris Charlton, Foster Dorsett, lix Knowles and Anthony Bullard. Ken O’Brien team, managed by Clelia Armbrister and coached by Robert Cox - Sean Cartwright, Warfield Bain, Simeon Dean, Sherman Ferguson, Marvin Lloyd, Angelo Dillette, Mario Ford, Dwight Knowles, Ron Demeritte, Kervin Culmer, Greg
Smith, Roberto Goodman, Glenroy Saunders, Elgin Smith, Dwayne Dean, Clay Wilson, Frantz Antoine, Thomas Sears, Greg Ferguson, Kirkwood Ferguson, William Harris, Chet Culmer, Walter Neymour, George Burrows and Tommy Stubbs. UNCLE LOU FUN
RUN/WALK
THE St Augustine’s College and the Alumni Association is inviting the general public to come out and participate in the Uncle Lou Fun Run/Walk. Under the theme: “Paint the streets red,” the event will take place on Saturday, March 15, starting 6am at SAC’s campus off Bernard Road.
The route will leave SAC’s campus and head on Bernard Road, turn onto Soldier Road to Prince Charles Drive, turn east
onto Prince Charles Drive and head back to SAC.
The registration fee is $20 for adults and $10 for persons under the age of 20. The first 200 participants will receive road race t-shirts.
Persons can register now by logging onto www.saintaugustinescollege.com. Following the race, a health screening will take place. There will also be a souse out with chicken priced at $10, pig feet at $12 and sheep tongue at $15. Drinks will also be on sale. For more information, persons can call 242-324-1511 or email Thesacalumni@ gmail.com
RUGBY AT WINTON
AFTER making some minor repairs to the Winton rugby pitch, the Bahamas Rugby Union is scheduled to play matches on Saturday, March 22.
All ages and all abilities are welcome, including men and women, ‘Golden Oldies’ teams and beginners and seasoned players.
The BRU is also inviting persons to come and try rugby this year.
The only equipment needed are tennis/cleats and PE kit. For further information, persons are urged to call (242) 812-0417.
NOBLE
PREPARATORY
ACADEMY TRACK & FIELD
CLASSIC THE Noble Preparatory Academy is all set to hold its 2025 Track and Field Classic from 9am to 6pm on Saturday, March 15. The event will be held at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.
The registration deadline was Tuesday, March 11. Athletes can register at info@npabahamas.com
SWIMMING LAST CHANCE
CARIFTA MEET
BAHAMAS Aquatics has announced that its Last Chance Meet for swimmers wishing to qualify for the 2025 CARIFTA Swimming Championships will be held over the weekend of March 14-15 at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex. The event is open to all Bahamas Aquaticsregistered swimmers who have previously competed in a Bahamas Aquatics competition.
Swimmers who have not competed in a specific event previously will not be allowed to register for that event. (No Time Entries will not be accepted for this meet).
The first session is scheduled for 6pm on Friday, March 14. The second session is slated for 9am Saturday and the final session at 4:30pm on Saturday. The entry deadline was on March 11, 2025 at 11:59pm.
All Hytek Electronic Files only should be forwarded to Kendric Albury at meetmananagement@ bahamasaquatics.com Confirmation emails will be sent on receipt of all entries. Following the meet, Bahamas Aquatics will select its team that will travel to Trinidad & Tobago over the Easter holiday weekend in April.
Klay Thompson scores 12 points for injury-depleted Mavericks in loss to Spurs
By RAUL DOMINGUEZ Associated Press
SAN ANTONIO (AP)
— De’Aaron Fox had 32 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds and the San Antonio Spurs snapped a three-game skid, beating the injury-depleted Dallas Mavericks 126-116 on Wednesday night. Dallas (33-34) remained 10th in the Western Conference, holding the final spot for the play-in tournament by 2 1/2 games over Phoenix.
Fox was 12 for 25 from the field in his highestscoring game since joining San Antonio in a trade with Sacramento on Feb. 5.
Keldon Johnson and Jeremy Sochan each had 18 points off the bench for San Antonio. Devin Vassell added 16. Brandon Williams returned from a one-game absence to lead Dallas with 19 points. Dante Exum added 17, Naji Marshall and Kessler Edwards had 15 each and Klay Thompson contributed 12.
The Mavericks beat the Spurs 133-129 on Monday to snap a five-game skid.
Dallas only had nine active players Wednesday as the team remains without Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis among others.
The Mavericks closed the first quarter on a 19-4 run in taking a 28-20 lead.
Dallas extended the lead to 11 points in the second quarter while shooting 60% from the field. San Antonio had eight turnovers in the opening quarter but only 16 for the game.
Takeaways Mavericks: Williams returned after missing Monday’s game with a hamstring injury. Williams was 6 for 12 from the field and played 28 minutes.
Spurs: Point guard Chris Paul played in 1,336th career game to pass Hall of Famer Gary Payton for 17th in league history.
Key stat San Antonio is 4-8
Key moment San Antonio took an 82-73 lead midway through the third on an 8-0 run capped by a dunk and 3-pointer from Fox. He had 11 points in the third.
a
Both
Raptors beat 76ers for fifth win in six games
TORONTO (AP) — AJ
Lawson scored 28 points, Jared Rhoden set career highs with 25 points and 12 rebounds and the Toronto Raptors beat the Philadelphia 76ers 118-105 on Wednesday night in a matchup of short-handed teams.
Orlando Robinson scored a career-high 25 points and matched his career high with 12 rebounds to help the Raptors win for the fifth time in six games.
Andre Drummond returned after sitting out Monday night in a loss at Atlanta due to illness but the 76ers were without eight players including Joel Embiid (left knee), leading scorer Tyrese Maxey (back/ finger), Paul George (left groin) and former Raptors star Kyle Lowry (right hip).
Quentin Grimes scored 29 points and Jeff Dowtin Jr. had a career-high 20 against his former team, but the 76ers lost for the fifth time in seven games following a nine-game losing streak.
HAWKS 123, HORNETS 110
ATLANTA (AP) — Trae
Young made all of his 21 free throws and scored 35 points to lead Atlanta to their fourth straight victory, over Charlotte.
Young added 12 assists on a poor shooting night from the field. He was 7 of 20 and missed all five of his 3-point attempts.
The Hawks are seventh in the Eastern Conference and moved within five games of idle sixth-place Detroit as they seek to avoid the playin tournament.
Miles Bridges had 31 points and 11 rebounds, and LaMelo Ball added 25 points and nine assists for the Hornets, who are second-to-last in the East.
DaQuan Jeffries contributed 20 points and Mark Williams had 14 points and 14 rebounds.
THUNDER 118,
CELTICS 112
BOSTON (AP) —Shai
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 and Chet Holmgren had 23 points and 15 rebounds to lead Oklahoma City to a victory over Boston in a
much-anticipated potential NBA Finals preview. The Western Conference-leading Thunder withstood a barrage of Boston 3-pointers — a franchise record 63 attempts in all — to sweep the defending NBA champions in the two-game season series and win for the 17th time in their last 18 games.
Jayson Tatum scored 33 for Boston, which had won five straight and 15 of its last 18 games. Al Horford added 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Derrick White scored 22.
ROCKETS 111, SUNS 104
HOUSTON (AP) — Jalen Green had 29 points to lead Houston to a
victory over Phoenix in a game where Houston’s Steven Adams and Phoenix’s Mason Plumlee were ejected for fighting.
Alperen Sengun scored 20 points and Dillon Brooks added 19 to help the Rockets extend their winning streak to four.
Bradley Beal’s two free throws got the Suns within eight with about 9 1/2 minutes to go before Houston used a 9-2 run to make it 99-84 with about seven minutes remaining.
Jock Landale opened the run with a 3-point play and Brooks capped it with a layup after a turnover by Devin Booker. Beal had 25 points and Booker and Kevin Durant
added 19 each as the Suns lost for the third time in four games.
CLIPPERS 119, HEAT 104
MIAMI (AP) — Bogdan Bogdanovic scored a season-high 30 points and Ivica Zubac added 26 points and 14 rebounds, helping Los Angeles beat Miami.
James Harden had 24 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds for the Clippers, who won for the fourth time in five games and pulled within 1 1/2 games of idle Golden State for the No. 6 — and last guaranteed — playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Tyler Herro scored 31 points and Andrew Wiggins added 22 for the Heat,
who fell 2 1/2 games behind Atlanta in the race for the No. 7 spot and most advantageous play-in position in the Eastern Conference.
TIMBERWOLVES 115, NUGGETS 95
DENVER (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 29 points, Julius Randle added 25 and Minnesota extended their winning streak to six games by routing Denver. Rudy Gobert finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who improved to 3-0 against the Nuggets this season. The last game between these two Northwest Division foes is April 1 in Denver.
Donte DiVincenzo had 10 points as Minnesota’s bench outscored Denver’s reserves by a 26-14 margin. Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 34 points and eight rebounds. He and the rest of Denver’s starters were taken out with 5:05 remaining and Minnesota up 109-84.
KNICKS 114, TRAIL BLAZERS 113 (Overtime) PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) — Mikal Bridges hit a 25-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer to give New York an overtime win over Portland. Bridges finished with 33 points and AG Anunoby had 23 as New York won its second in a row and improved to 2-2 on its fivegame West Coast trip with one game remaning.
Scoot Henderson led Portland with 30 points, while Deni Avdija had 27 points — including a three-point play with three seconds left in overtime to give the Trail Blazers a brief 113-111 lead — but Portland lost its fifth in a row. Avdija also had 15 rebounds.
Karl-Anthony Towns shot 8 of 12 from the field, including two 3-pointers late in regulation, to finish with 21 points for the Knicks.
GRIZZLIES 122, JAZZ 115 MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Luke Kennard scored 30 points and Ja Morant had 28, helping Memphis top Utah.
Kennard went 7 for 9 from 3-point range, and Morant was 4 for 7 from deep. Desmond Bane added 17 points as Memphis posted its fourth straight win. Utah lost its seventh consecutive game. Collin Sexton had 22 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and John Collins also scored 22 points. Sexton scored to give the Jazz a 115-114 lead with 1:16 left, but Kennard responded with a 3 for the Grizzlies. Morant then hit another 3 to make it 120-115 with 12 seconds remaining.
since
losing All-Star centre Victor Wembanyama for the season on February 20 due to
blood clot in his right shoulder. Up next
teams play today. Mavericks are at Houston.
The Spurs host Charlotte.
DALLAS Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) tries to get off a shot over San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) during the first half on Wednesday night.
(AP Photo/Eric Gay)
PHILADELPHIA 76ers guard Ricky Council IV (14) drives the ball to the net between Toronto Raptors guard Jared Rhoden (8) and teammate Jamison Battle (77) during second half NBA basketball action in Toronto on Wednesday night. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Patrick J Bethel High School wins
Abaco School Sports Association Track & Field Championships
THE Patrick J Bethel High School emerged victorious with 1,119 points at the Abaco School Sports Association (ASSA) Track and Field Championships last week. SC Bootle High School claimed the second position with 1,047 points. Agape Christian School settled for the third spot with 640 points. The newly crowned champions secured the victory in four out of eight divisions. They won the under-13 girls’ division, under-17 girls’ division, under-15 boys’ division and under-17 boys’ division. SC Bootle had the advantage in the under-15 girls’ division, under-20 girls’ division and under-13 boys’ division. Agape Christian School clinched the victory in the under-20 boys’ division.
NBC AND IOC SIGN $3 BILLION OLYMPIC MEDIA RIGHTS DEAL THROUGH 2036 INCLUDING SALT LAKE CITY WINTER GAMES
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — NBC will now be the champion of Olympic broadcasting in the United States through at least 2036.
The IOC said yesterday it signed its long-time United States broadcast partner to a $3 billion renewed deal for the 2034 Salt Lake City Olympics and the 2036 Summer Games.
The International Olympic Committee’s statement said the agreement elevates Comcast NBCUniversal to being a strategic partner instead of just a media rights holder, promising “innovative joint strategic initiatives and projects” and involving the streaming platform Peacock.
The IOC said it would benefit from “Comcast’s investment in relevant and innovative start-ups” in a
deal that was surprisingly announced in the final weeks of Thomas Bach’s leadership of the Olympic body.
The 2036 host has yet to be decided with interest shown by Olympic officials in countries including India, Qatar, Turkey, Hungary and Indonesia.
NBC signed its most recent Olympic rights deal in 2014 covering each Summer Games and Winter Games through 2032. That was valued at $7.75 billion and includes the next Summer Games in 2028 in Los Angeles.
NBC was widely seen to have a good and profitable 2024 Paris Olympics, with roving correspondent Snoop Dogg proving to be a huge hit with audiences at home and fans in the city.
The broadcaster said its coverage from Paris reached 67 million total viewers on average daily across all platforms.
That NBC deal done 11 years ago was a major decision early in Bach’s IOC presidency that secured the financial future of the Olympic body.
The new U.S. rights deal has been sealed just one week before Bach’s successor is to be elected at an IOC meeting in Greece, on March 20.
“The media landscape is evolving rapidly and, by partnering with one of the world’s leading media and technology companies, we will ensure that fans in the United States are able to experience the Olympic Games like never before,” Bach explained in the statement.
NBC has broadcast every Summer Olympics since 1988 and every Winter Games since 2002 in Salt Lake City — all the games since the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
A previous renewal in 2011 secured each games from 2014 through 2020 for $4.38 billion.
“It is our honour to continue to bring the full power of our company’s expertise in creating and distributing content that connects with Americans,”
Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts said, “as well as to begin to provide even more innovative technological support and solutions to the IOC and its stakeholders in areas that benefit athletes and the many people dedicated to organising the Olympic Games around the world.”
MOUNTAINEERS VISIT THE BAHAMAS
SIX players, including senior Bahamas national water polo player Nicholas Wallace-Whitfield, from the prestigious Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers visited the Bahamas from March 7.
Mantas club’s water polo players took full advantage of it during last week, combining trainings and scrimmages kept with these very experienced and highlevel athletes.
“Our young players did ball technique and tactical moves with them in small groups led by the visitors,” said coach Lazlo Borbely of Bahamas Mantas Water Polo Club.
“Our swimmers bonded well with them, giving 100 per cent effort. They learned a lot of cool moves and enjoyed playing matches in higher speed and more tactical.
“We hope to keep up cooperation with the Mountaineers and run more training camps with them in the near future.”
Bahamas Aquatics executive Christine Wallace-Whitfield and mother of Nicholas Wallace-Whitfield, said it was truly an honour and a pleasure to host the young men here in The Bahamas for a week, during their spring break vacation.
Shenell Stewart awarded
BAHAMIAN Shenell
Stewart and Mia Sao-Martinez led the Marshalltown Community College Tigers women’s basketball in their post-season awards.
Stewart and Sao-Martinez were announced as two members of the Tigers’ squad who received division II Iowa Community College Athletic Association Conference (ICCAC) All-Region honors.
The visitors included Alex and Chris from Greece, Casper and Carter from Canada, and Michael, from the USA, who is cocaptain with Nicholas of the men’s Mountaineers water polo team back in Maryland. As first timers to The Bahamas, they enjoyed the amazing sunny weather, a boat ride to Exuma, and exploring the beautiful blue Bahamian waters and beaches. They were excited and ready to get into the pool at the BKKAC along with the Bahamas Mantas water polo members to share their techniques and skills
from their collegiate training. It was nice watching them interact with the kids from Mantas who were very happy to learn, and coach Lotty was happy to have them play a game at the end of each practice.
Nicholas Wallace-Whitfield is hoping to invite their teammates back this summer to host a water polo camp along with the Mantas Water Polo club and Bahamas Aquatics.
“Being a former competitive swimmer, I moved over to water polo and have never looked back,” Nicholas said.
“I love the sport as it is a team sport and it has
been a great avenue for me with many successful achievements.
“I have travelled with the Bahamas national water polo team to many countries throughout the world representing The Bahamas at CARIFTA, CAC, CCAN and the Junior Olympic Qualifiers, which have all helped me afford opportunities at the collegiate level and the NCAA level for sports.”
Wallace-Whitfield will be graduating this May with a bachelor’s degree in economics and business.
And he has recently been accepted to Nottingham University in England to a
master’s degree programme continuing to play water polo there.
Wallace-Whitfield said all of this would not be possible without him receiving good grades and all of the support and discipline he has achieved from water polo, coach Lotty and the Bahamas Aquatics Federation.
The water polo players from the Mount St Mary’s Mountaineers presented both coach Lotty and Algernon Cargill, the president of the Bahamas Aquatics Federation, with a Mount St Mary’s University t-shirt as a small token of their appreciation.
Sao-Martinez of Las Vegas, NV, received ICCAC All-Region Third Team honours.
She averaged 11.5 points per game and shot 30.1 per cent field goal percentage, 27.2 per cent from threepoint range, and 78.9 per cent from the free throw line.
Stewart received AllRegion Second Team honours. The Tigers’ freshman guard averaged 13.2 points per game as well as 6.8 rebounds and two assists per game.
DIANA TAURASI SAYS GOODBYE TO ONE OF THE GREATEST CAREERS IN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HISTORY
By JOHN MARSHALL AP Sports Writer
PHOENIX (AP) — Diana Taurasi wanted to take her time before deciding whether to retire.
Once the Phoenix Mercury star made up her mind, the decision came with the same kind of decisiveness she displayed through one of the greatest careers in women’s basketball history.
“I thought really hard about maybe playing again, but I knew that in my heart, I was physically, mentally, just full with the game of basketball,” Taurasi said during her retirement news conference yesterday.
“Everything it’s given me in life, the ups and downs, the journeys, the
incredible smiles, the frowns, the championships. It’s always been with a group of people that always cared about this game.”
Taurasi leaves with women’s basketball at the height of its popularity, with record attendance, viewership and merchandise sales. She helped set the foundation. With her taut hair bun and supreme confidence, Taurasi inspired a generation of players while racking up records and championships. She led UConn to three straight national titles from 2001-04 and kept on winning after the Mercury selected her with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2004 WNBA draft.
Taurasi spent her entire 20-year career in Phoenix, leading the Mercury
to three WNBA championships. She was the 2009 WNBA MVP and one of four players to earn WNBA Finals MVP honours twice, in 2009 and 2014.
“There’s just this pride of being from the Valley that’s close to my heart because for the last 20 years, I’ve really grown up here,” said Taurasi, who announced her retirement on February 26.
She gave fans in the desert — and beyond — plenty to cheer about.
Taurasi made the allWNBA first team 10 times and was on the first or second team a record 14 times.
She’s also an 11-time WNBA All-Star, four-time USA Basketball female
athlete of the year and was the 2004 WNBA rookie of the year. The 42-year-old added six Euroleague championships while playing year-round most of her career and won her record sixth Olympic gold medal at last year’s Paris Games. Her 10,646 career points are nearly 3,000 more than second-place Tina Charles. The Glendale, California, native holds numerous other WNBA records, including playoff scoring, field goals, 3-pointers and 30-point games. She also holds 16 Mercury records. Taurasi had career averages of 18.8 points, 4.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds. She averaged 14.9 points,
3.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists while leading the Mercury to the playoffs during her 20th season.
“I did everything because I wanted to win — I wanted to compete and I wanted to win,” she said.
“I didn’t do it for a little bit of fame, a little bit of money. I didn’t do it for any of that. I did it literally to win and have the respect of the people around me.” Now that she’s retired, Taurasi will be able to spend more time with her wife, Penny Taylor — a former Mercury teammate — and their two children. The Mercury plan to induct her into their ring of honour this summer — a fitting tribute to one of
game’s greatest players.
SHOWN are members of the men’s Mountaineers water polo team, presenting the shirt to coach Lotty, Bahamas Mantas and Bahamas Aquatics executive, Christine Wallace-Whitfield standing in for president Algernon Cargill.
Aspiring golfers hit the course
GOLF SWING: The Bahamas Golf Federation’s High School Nationals took place this week in the Driving Range at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. During the first day of competition on Monday, games were played for the private primary schools. Tuesday’s second day of competition was designed for the public primary schools.Wednesday, the top schools from the private and public primary schools competed for the overall team title. The final two days of competition on Thursday and Friday were geared for the high school teams. Young golfers from the public primary schools competition in action on Tuesday.
CONCACAF BEACH SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP DAY 3
‘Junkanoo Beach Boyz’ defeat Trinidad & Tobago 5-4, advance to semifinals
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first period. The Soca Warriors and the host team both battled for possession of the ball at the minute mark of the first period but The Bahamas’ Lekenson Chery snuck the ball past the defenders for a 2-1 advantage.
The Bahamas’ deficit was short-lived as Trinidad’s Riley picked up his brace in the final minute to tie up the matchup 2-2 headed into the second period.
The scoring opportunities were in abundance in the second period with both sides trading goals the rest of the way.
Brandon Adderley found the back of the net on backto-back plays at the 11th and 7th minute mark for the “Junkanoo Beach Boyz”.
The Soca Warriors tied this game once again when Zane Coker connected on a goal at the 5th minute of the third period which levelled the score at 4-4.
Veteran player Kyle Williams would ice the game for the “Junkanoo Beach Boyz” at the 7th minute mark of the third period. He caught the Soca Warriors’ goalkeeper sleeping and connected on the game-winning strike.
The visitors had an open goal opportunity with less than a minute to go but misfired on their attempt to tie the contest and force extra time.
Williams spoke about how it felt to seal the win for Team Bahamas.
“It was an amazing game. We made it a lot more difficult than we wanted to but they are a tough team. We have been playing against them for years, they know us and we know them. It went down to the wire…I was in the right place at the right time and I was able to score the ball at home,” he said. The Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship semifinals are scheduled to begin on Saturday evening and the “Junkanoo Beach Boyz” ’are looking to make it into the top two to qualify for the 2025 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.
The Bahamas picked up a fourth-place finish at the 2023 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship hosted at home.
They lost 3-2 against Mexico in the semifinals and came up short 3-2 against El Salvador in the third-place match. The fourth-place finish was their best showing at the biennial tournament to date.
Coach Farberoff admitted that the team collectively has one goal headed into the semifinals.
“The mindset right now is that we are one game away from the World Cup. We have been climbing one ladder at a time and we know that now is the highest ladder that we have to climb but the guys can now see it. It is there at the end of the tunnel so now it takes everybody’s effort together to get there,” he said. Next up on the schedule for The Bahamas will be Guatemala.
The latter wrapped up the Group A standings in the second spot with two wins, one loss and a total of 6 points.
The semifinals will begin with the USA matching up against El Salvador at 6pm followed by the host team versus Guatemala at 8pm. Only the top two nations will secure a berth for the 2025 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.
ON THE REPLAY: The Bahamas men’s national beach soccer team knocked off Trinidad & Tobago 5-4 last night to advance to the semifinals of the 2025 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship.
Photos by Chappell Whyms