Hield, Williams making waves
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
They have been training and travelling partners since their amateur days and now Carl ‘King Flashy 242’ Hield and Rashield ‘Raw’ Williams are making waves together in the professional ranks. Thanks to Ronn Rodgers of the Strikers Boxing Club, the dynamic duo got a chance to compete for another pair of titles in their respective weight divisions on Saturday night in Macuto, La Guaira, Venezuela.
While Hield needed just one round to dispose of Felipe Larez for the National Boxing Association’s Latino super welterweight title, Williams had to go 10 rounds before he finally got the decision over Nestor Gonzalez for the FedeBol AMB title.
Hield in one round
In adding to his World Boxing Association’s FedeCaribe title, Hield finally
realised the knockout power that he possesses as he took care of Larez with an overhand left shot in the first round.
It was a reverse from his overhand right that he knocked out Jhon Cadavid in his last fight on February 5 in Santa Marta, Cartagena, Colombia to defend his World Boxing Association’s FedeCaribe title.
As he improved his winloss record as a pro to 11-0 with as many knockouts, Hield said he just went in the ring and did what he had to do.
“I am just realising that I do have the power to knock out someone with just one punch.
“I am just figuring it out right now,” said Hield, who has a wealth of experience as an amateur with more than 50 fights under his belt.
“In the last three fights as I got more adapted to the professional style and sitting down more on my punches, the knockout can come so easy with just one punch.”
The 38-year-old Hield said he is delighted to be making history with Williams as they perform on the same stage in the international arena, winning title fights.
“We’re hoping that by the end of the year, we can bring a world title fight to The Bahamas,” said Hield, who hopes to return to the ring on May 31 for his next fight.
“I’m trying to be as active as I could getting the wins and the titles so that I can get this world title shot.”
In dedicating the fight to his deceased mother, Norma Hield, he thanked
his sponsors Beer Pressure Bar, West End Construction and Repair, Strikers Boxing Club, Rolling Type Importers Limited and Rigger 242 Life for their support.
Williams in 10 rounds
It took Williams a little longer to get past Gonzalez, whom he noted was a “boxer,” who did a lot of movement as a “technical” fighter with a 30-6 record.
“It was a little bit of a challenge until my corner gave me the go ahead to take him out,” said Williams as he improved to 13-3 with the win.
“I didn’t expect it to go this long. I dropped the guy about seven times, but he kept getting up.”
With Hield in his corner, Williams said he felt he had all the extra push he needed to add to his National Boxing
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
OLYMPIAN Charisma
Taylor and high school sensation Terrell McCoy were among the top Bahamian performers during a series of meets in the United States of America over the weekend.
Meanwhile, in the debut of the newly formed Grand Slam Track in Kingston,
Association welterweight title.
“He’s like my brother. We had the opportunity to fight on the same stage again for another title. It was a pleasure to do it with him,” Williams said.
The 35-year-old Williams assured the Bahamian public that there’s still more left in the tank as they continue to progress in their pro careers as a package.
“We want to rack up all the titles we can get,” Williams said.
“Me and Carl want to make history together. We are the only two professional fighters doing anything, so we want to do it together.” Hopefully they can return home and put on another show for the Bahamian crowd as they did in December.
JUNIOR athletes made their performances count when they needed them the most at the 2025 Splice and Connect/Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) CARIFTA Trials over the weekend at the original Thomas A Robinson Stadium.
Track and field athletes were already rounding into top form throughout the season but, over the weekend, they did what they had to do to book a spot to the 2025 CARIFTA Games slated for April 19-21 in Trinidad & Tobago.
The under-17 girls’ 200m event had three qualifiers dip under the CARIFTA standard of 24.65 seconds.
Grand Bahama’s Keyezra Thomas was first in the event with a blistering time of 23.99 seconds to qualify for her second CARIFTA Games appearance. She was pleased to make the mark and outlined her expectations for Easter weekend.
“It was a good race. I thank God for giving me the strength to finish the race. It was a good race. I liked the competition and I hope that me and my partner can go to Trinidad and do something big for our home,” she said.
Brion Ward, representing DTSP Wolfpack, has been a premier sprinter all season. She clocked 24.08 seconds for the second spot in the event. Star Tracker’s Deryn
Jamaica, fellow Olympic hurdler Denisha Cartwright and sprinter Terrence Jones produced varied results in their specialties.
Pepsi Florida Relays At the Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, Florida, Taylor won the women’s 100m hurdles Olympic development race in a time 12.02 seconds, beating out a field that saw Brandee Johnson, competing unattached, take second in 13.14.
Taylor, 25, is on her quest to the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, in September. She’s coming off her double appearance in the hurdles and the triple jump at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Terrell McCoy, an 11th grader at The Bolles School, was third in the girls’ shot put with a heave of 42-feet, 8 3/4-inches or 13.02 metres on her fourth try. In surpassing the qualifying performances for the CARIFTA Games in Trinidad & Tobago over the Easter holiday weekend, McCoy had throws of 39-8 (12.09m) on her first attempt, 39-5 1/4 (12.02m) on her second, 39-11 1/2 (12.18m) on her third and 41-3 1/4 (12.58m) on her sixth after scratching the fifth.
RASHIELD WILLIAMS, left, and Carl Hield - with their title belts - hoist the Bahamian flag in Venezuela on Saturday night.
OLYMPIAN CHARISMA TAYLOR, HIGH SCHOOL SENSATION
AMONG TOP PERFORMERS IN USA MEETS
FROM PAGE E1
Fort Myers, was second with 43-10 ¾ (13.38m).
In the discus, McCoy was also third with her best toss of 148-1 (45.15m) on her second throw. She did 123-0 (37.49m) on her first and 140-5n (42.80m) on her third, only to scratch her next three attempts.
This time, Lemmon won with 157-7 (48;05m) on her fifth attempt. Hannah Hoffman, a 12th grader at Eastside, was second with 149-1 (45.44m) . Also on the field, Kaiwan Culmer, now being trained by Bahamian Olympic bronze medallist Leevan ‘Superman’ Sands, placed fourth in the men’s triple jump invite with 52-7 1/2 (16.04m) on his second attempt. It was his only mark posted after he scratched his first try and the third and fourth, before passing the fifth and again fouling the sixth.
Sean Dixon-Bodie, competing unattached, had the winning leap of 55-0 (16.76m) on his third attempt.
And national record holder Keyshawn Strachan, a transfer to Nebraska, got back on the field in the men’s javelin with a best heave of 243-1 (74.11m) for sixth place.
Strachan, working his way back from an injury, had two other legal throws of 229-3 (69.89m) on his first and 241-8 (73.67m) on his sixth, but scratched the second, fourth and fifth.
Marc Anthony Minichello, competing unattached, won with 271-1 (82.63m) on his third try.
Back on the track, Grand Bahamian Cassie Thompson, a junior at Jacksonville, was 11th overall in the collegiate women’s 100m in 11.45. Camryn Dickson, a junior at Texas A&M, won the race in 11.11. In the women’s 200m, Thompson came back and placed seventh in 23.07 with
Shatayla Dorsett, a sophomore at Georgia Southern 21st in 23.65. Dejanea Oakley, a junior at Georgia, won in 22.43. Two Bahamians contested the same heat of the women’s 400m with Cassidra Thompson, a senior at Jacksonville, taking the tape in 52.81 ahead of Grand Bahamian Olympian Qunicy Penn, a sophomore transfer at Florida, who trailed in 53.03 for second. They, however, finished ninth and 13th overall with JaMessie Ford, a sophomore at South Carolina, winning the event in 50.43. Another Grand Bahamian, Zion Campbell - a junior at Minnesota - won his heat of the men’s collegiate 100m in 10.31 for 11th overall. The winning time was 9.87 by Abdul-Rasheed Saminu, a junior at South Florida. Campbell came back in the 200m where he was second in his heat in 20.96 for 18th overall. Dario Matau, a senior at Auburn, won the event in 20.49. And in the men’s collegiate 110m hurdles, Oscar Smith, a senior at Louisiana Tech, ran 14.04 for 13th overall as he missed advancing to the final. Grand Slam in Jamaica
Denisha Cartwright, coming off her appearance at the World Indoor Championships, competed in the Grand Slam Track in the women’s short hurdles that comprised of the 100m hurdles and the 100m. Competing as a member of the Challengers’ team, Cartwright finished sixth in the women’s 100m hurdles in 12.96 at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica on Friday.
The 25-year-old Olympian came back on Saturday and got fourth in the 100m in 11.74 as a part of the women’s short hurdles event to collect a total of eight points to place fifth in the standings and a cash prize of $20,000.
American Tia Jones clocked 12.63 to win the 100m hurdles race in a world-leading time.
Jamaican Danielle Williams was second in 12.70, American Olympic champion Masai Russell was fifth in 12.78. Williams, however, came back and won the 100m in 11.54 to finish with 12 points for victory in the two events combined for a hefty cash prize of $100,000.
Jones got sixth in the 100m in 12.26 to combine for 15 points to cart home $50,000 for second place. Ackera Nugent, fourth in the hurdles in 12.75 and second in the 100m in 11.57, finished in third place overall with 13 points for $30.000.
Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, third in both the 100m hurdles in 12.70 and the 100m in 11.73, was fourth overall with 12 points for $25,000.
And Grand Bahamian Terrence Jones, the men’s co-national record holder in the 100m in his comeback after an injury last season, competed in the men’s short sprints for the Challengers as well.
The 22-year-old came sixth in the 100m in 10.26 and eighth in the 200m in 20.79 to end up in eighth place with four points.
American Kenny Bednarek pulled off the sprint double in the 100m in 10.07 and the 200m in 20.07 to top the list with 24 points
SPORTS CALENDAR FROM PAGE E1
McKenzie and will be sponsored by Pro Youth Foundation. It will feature baseball teams for boys and softball teams for girls from Grand Bahama and New Providence. It’s also anticipated that some teams from the Family Islands will also be in New Providence to participate.
RESURRECTION
10K RUN/5K WALK
“Arise and Shine” is the theme for the Resurrection 10K run, 5K walk, bike and breakfast fellowship as they encourage persons to “push your limits, cross the finish for change.”
The event, powered by Unity Initiative, is scheduled for Easter Monday, April 21, starting at 5:45am from the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.
for his $100,000. Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes trailed Bednarek with 12 after he got second in the 200m in 20.37 and third in the 100m in 10.13.
The Gland Slam League was started to provide an avenue for professional athletes in the Western hemisphere to compete against each other.
While it got started in Jamaica, the league will run through September heading into the World Championships. The league is being organised by American multiple 200/400m Olympic and World Championship medallist Michael Johnson.
The league will continue in Miramar, Florida at the Ansin Sports Complex in
Miramar, Florida, from May 2-4, head to the Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from May 30 to June 1 and then at the Drake Stadium in Los Angeles, California from June 27-29. Athletes are competing for cash prizes from the purse of $262,500 in each of the four venues mentioned above.
Miramar Invitational
After making his appearance at the World Indoor Championships, quartermiler Wendell Miller kicked off his outdoor season in the men’s 300m at the Miramar Invitational at the Ansin Sports Complex.
Miller came through with a comeback victory in the 300m B final in 33.45 for third overall. American Rusheen McDonald won in 32.39 with Great Britain’s Toby Harries second in 32.47 in the A final to finish ahead of Miller. And Bahamian Olympic sprinter Ian Kerr ended up 12th in 10.32 after he came in fifth in the men’s 100m B final. Jamaica got a sweep of the top two spots with Rohan Watson running 9.99 and Yohan Blake 10.06.
Masked Rider Open New Mexico’s sophomore Amari Pratt got second in her heat of the women’s 100m in 11.95 for third place overall at the Fuller Track and Field Complex in Lubbock, Texas. Pratt came behind Success Umukoro, who won in 11.69 and Oluwatumininu Sanyaolu, second in 11.95. Also at the meet, Antonicia Moultrie, representing Garden City in her sophomore year, placed second in the women’s 400m hurdles in 1:05.36. Nour Rahou of South Plains, Texas, won the race in 1:01.03. Moultrie, who also plays basketball, was also 12th in the women’s long jump with her best leap of 15-1 1/4 (4.60m) on her second attempt. She fouled her first and third tries.
“Come one, come all as we celebrate” is the call for all physically challenged, families, churches and all civic groups. For more information, persons can contact Votebcp242@gmail.com, telephone 242-524-1798 or log onto www.bcppaerty.org
BASKETBALL
PEACE ON DA STREET
FAMILY NIGHT
PLANS are underway for the staging of the Peace on Da Streets’ Basketball Classics’ Road to 30 years of existence. The event, being organised by the Hope Center under the theme “Shooting hoops instead of guns,” will be held from July 14-19 at the Michael ‘Scooter’ Reid Basketball Center. The highlight of the event will be the Family Night, scheduled for Sunday, July 20 at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium when the finals in all of the divisions will take place,
The registration is $20 for adults and $10 for children under 12. The categories include 12-andunder, 13-17, 18-39, 40-59 and 60-and-over for male and females. Trophies and medals will be presented to the top finishers in all categories.
starting at 3pm. There will also be the Mr Ship It Three-point shootout and the Joe’s Slam Dunk Contest. The night will conclude with the exciting Clergy versus Politicians matchup. Lots of prizes, including round trip tickets, will be up for grabs. FAST TRACK ATHLETICS SPRING FLING INVITATIONAL THE Fast Track Athletics Club is scheduled to hold its 4th annual Spring Fling at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex May 16-17. The event is open to competitors from throughout The Bahamas. The action is slated to begin at 5pm on Friday, May 16 and at 10am on Saturday, May 16. It promises to provide fast competition, perfect prep for championship season and an unmatched island atmosphere in Grand Bahama.
The entry fee is $5 for children and $10 for adults. For more information on the meet, persons can email fasttrackmanagement00@ gmail.com
OLYMPIAN Charisma Taylor was among the top Bahamian performers during a series of meets in the United States of America over the weekend.
HIGH school sensation Terrell McCoy was among the top Bahamian performers during a series of meets in the United States of America over the weekend.
OLYMPIC hurdler Denisha Cartwright competed in the debut of the newly formed Grand Slam Track in Kingston, Jamaica.
Bahamians in the middle of NBA playoff push
By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter
tsweeting@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMIAN National
Basketball Association (NBA) pros Klay Thompson, Kai Jones and Chavano “Buddy” Hield are all in the middle of a playoff push in the Western Conference as the regular season comes to a close.
While the Dallas Mavericks fight to remain in play-in contention, Hield and the Warriors continue to climb the Western Conference standings since acquiring Jimmy Butler III at the trade deadline.
The Warriors picked up significant back-to-back wins over Western Conference contenders - Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets – in their last two outings.
Golden State took down the Lakers 123-116 in a crowd thriller on the road on Thursday night and followed it up with a convincing 118-104 victory over the Nuggets.
The team improved to 46-31 (win/loss record) for the fifth seed in a highly competitive Western Conference.
As for the Mavericks, they were on the receiving
end of a 135-104 blowout loss against the seventh seeded Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night at the Intuit Dome.
Dallas remains in playin territory at the ninth spot with a 38-41 win/loss record.
Warriors “Buddy” is on the verge of making the second NBA postseason appearance of his career. Hield made his first playoff appearance last year while playing with the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference.
He logged 17 minutes against the Nuggets and pitched in five points, two rebounds and a block. It was not his best shooting night as he went 2-for-6 from the field.
Stephen Curry led the Warriors in scoring with 36 points and five assists in 32 minutes.
The 2024 Most Valuable Player (MVP) Nikola Jokic had a team-high 33 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in the loss.
Hield gave the Warriors just a one-point lead (2625) at the 4:34 mark when he drained his only three of the game. The Warriors were down by 10 (44-34) going in the second period.
The Dubs had a scoring run early in the second quarter and tied the game at 51 apiece thanks to a three from Curry. They took over 66-60 at halftime.
Curry eventually helped the Warriors to a 15-point lead in the third period and the Dubs never looked back.
The next few games will be crucial for Golden State as the Western Conference playoff picture from the third seed to the eighth seed is separated by less than two games.
Mavericks Injuries have ruined the potential the Mavericks had after the Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis swap but somehow the team still has a chance to secure a postseason berth.
Jones, who has quietly revived his NBA career with the Mavs, posted 18 points, seven rebounds and three blocks off the bench in 21 minutes. He was a perfect 9-for-9 from the field.
Klay Thompson pitched in 14 points with four threes in 25 minutes.
Dallas was no match for the Clippers at home. Los Angeles took off with a 25-11 lead after Kawhi Leonard hit a two-pointer at the 4:48 mark of the first.
Jones cleaned up a Naji Marshall miss to put the Mavs within 12 (27-15) but they ended the first behind 33-21.
The former 2021 first rounder found the bottom of the net again at the 5:07 mark to shave the deficit down to 10.
NBA FINES GRIZZLIES’ JA MORANT $75,000 FOR CONTINUED FINGER-GUN GESTURES, AFTER WARNING HIM TO STOP
By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer
MIAMI (AP) — Ja Morant showed off an imaginary gun. The NBA hit back with a real fine.
A day after Morant again used his aiming-a-gun gesture to celebrate making 3-pointers, the Grizzlies’ star was fined $75,000 by the league Friday. It’s the second time this week that Morant — who was suspended twice in 2023 for incidents with actual weapons — heard from the league about mimicking the act of using a gun during a game. The league called the gesture “inappropriate,” adding that “Morant was previously warned by the league office that this gesture could be interpreted in a negative light.”
The first interaction with the league office
resulted in that warning, after Morant and Golden State’s Chavano “Buddy” Hield made the gesture at one another during a Grizzlies-Warriors game on Tuesday. The warning from the league office was evidently ignored, since Morant made similar gestures in Thursday’s game. The NBA said it happened twice, though it appeared to have happened after all three of his made 3-pointers. The third instance was not shown on the TNT broadcast of the
game. Morant and other members of the Grizzlies have used the gun gesture numerous times this season, including during Thursday night’s game at Miami.
Morant made a 3-pointer in the first quarter of that game, then turned toward the Memphis bench with his left arm fully extended, his right thumb pointed in the air and his index and middle fingers pressed together.
The other gestures were similar, again directed toward Memphis teammates.
The two suspensions in 2023 cost Morant 33 games and about $8.3 million in salary. The first was an eight-game ban for the live streaming of a video in which he displayed a firearm while in an intoxicated state at a Denver-area nightclub.
The other was a 25-game ban after posing with a
firearm in a car during another live-streamed video, when the league said Morant “wielded the firearm while knowing that he was being recorded and that the recording was being live streamed on Instagram Live, despite having made commitments to the NBA and public statements that he would not repeat the conduct for which he was previously disciplined.”
Asked Thursday — after he made a game-winning shot at the buzzer to lift Memphis over Miami — about the criticism, Morant said he is “well aware” of what gets said about him.
“I’m kind of used to it,” Morant said.
“I was pretty much a villain for two years now. Every little thing, if somebody can say something negative about me, it’s going to be out there. So, yeah. I don’t care no more.”
Dallas trailed 61-52 at halftime but got outscored 44-30 in the third period. The Clippers never gave the Mavs any chances to get back in the game again.
James Harden and Leonard both led the Clippers in scoring with 29 points apiece.
If the Mavericks hope to remain in the Western Conference playoff picture, they will have their work cut out for them.
The team will face former Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers at home 7:30pm Wednesday.
MAVERICKS forward Kai Jones dunks during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the LA Clippers, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photos/Mark J Terrill)
DALLAS Mavericks guard Klay Thompson, right, drives past LA Clippers forward Nicolas Batum during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Inglewood, California.
GOLDEN State Warriors guard Chavano “Buddy” Hield (7) reacts after making a 3-point basket during the first half against the Denver Nuggets on Friday, April 4, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
GRIZZLIES’ Ja Morant. (AP)
UConn returns to top of women’s basketball, beats South Carolina 82-59 to capture its 12th title
By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer
TAMPA, Florida (AP)
— During the final sweet moments of UConn’s 12th national title, Geno Auriemma and Paige Bueckers embraced after the star guard departed her final game with the Huskies.
It was the moment they wanted all along.
“They’ve all been gratifying, don’t get me wrong,” Auriemma said. “But this one here, because of the way it came about and what’s been involved, it’s been a long time since I’ve been that emotional when a player has walked off the court.”
Bueckers, Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong led the way as UConn returned to the top of women’s college basketball by rolling to an 82-59 victory over defending champion South Carolina yesterday.
Fudd, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four, scored 24 points. Strong had 24 points and 15 rebounds, and Bueckers scored 17 points for UConn (37-3).
“Well, it’s amazing to have three players, three people like that on the same team,” said the 71-year-old Auriemma, who became the oldest coach in major college basketball to win a championship. “And Sarah, you would think Sarah was graduating the way she plays, right? All three of them complement each other so well. They all have such unique skill sets.”
Bueckers capped her stellar career with the Huskies’ first championship since 2016, ending a nine-year drought for the team. That was the longest period for Auriemma and his programme without a title since Rebecca Lobo and Jen Rizzotti led the Huskies to their first championship in 1995.
Since then the Huskies have had dominant championship runs, including in the early 2000s led by Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, 2009-10 with Maya Moore and finally the four straight from 2013-16 with Breanna Stewart. All were in attendance in Florida on Sunday to see the Huskies’ latest title.
“You just never know if you’ll ever be back in this situation again,” Auriemma said. “And there were so many times when I think we all questioned, ‘Have we been here too long? Has it been time?’ And we kept hanging in there and hanging in there and that’s because these players make me want to hang in there every day.”
Bueckers, the expected No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft on April 14, delivered for the Huskies throughout their championship season.
Winning a title was the only thing missing from an incredible UConn career that was slowed by injuries. She was the first freshman to win AP Player of the Year before missing a lot of her sophomore season with a tibial plateau fracture and meniscus tear. She then tore an ACL before the next season. “It’s been a story of resilience, gratitude of overcoming adversity and responding to life’s challenges,” Bueckers said. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
UConn closed the first half up 10 points and then put the game away in the third quarter, with Fudd, Strong and Bueckers combining for 23 of the team’s 26 points in the period. UConn was up 50-39 with 3:21 left before closing with a 12-3 run.
Fudd and Strong got it started with back-to-back 3s, and the rout was on. Auriemma subbed Bueckers, Fudd and Strong out with 1:32 left in the game.
UConn’s leading trio finished the tourney with 368 points, including an NCAA freshman record 114 for Strong. It was the highest point total for three teammates in a single NCAA Tournament, according to Stats Perform. Chamique Holdsclaw, Tamika Catchings and Semeka Randell scored 363 points for Tennessee in the 1998 women’s tournament, and Glen Rice led the way for a trio of Michigan men that had 366 points in 1989.
The UConn trio proved to be way too much for South Carolina. Dawn Staley’s team was trying for a third title in four years and fourth overall. It would have tied her with Kim Mulkey for third most behind Auriemma and former Tennessee Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt, who had eight.
“Our kids gave it all they had. When you can understand why you lost and when you’ve been on the other side of that three
times, you understand it,” Staley said. “You can swallow it. We lost to a very good basketball team.”
UConn had reached the title game only once during its drought since 2016. The Huskies had been eliminated by heartbreaking last-second losses in the Final Four on buzzer-beaters.
The Huskies’ last title game appearance came in 2022 when Staley’s team beat UConn to start the Gamecocks’ current run of
success, a game that ended Auriemma’s perfect record in title games. There seemed to be no nerves early for either team as the game got off to a fast start. The teams traded baskets for the first few minutes before the defences started to clamp down. The Huskies led 19-14 after one quarter and then extended the advantage to 36-26 at the half.
Fudd had 13 points and Strong added eight points and 11 rebounds.
Houston rallies to beat Duke 70-67 in the Final Four, will face Florida for NCAA title
By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer
SAN ANTONIO (AP)
— Sorry guys, “Phi Slama Jama” is already taken. How ‘bout something simple, like “Comeback Kids.”
“National champs” might be a possibility, too.
Houston’s no-room-tobreathe defence wiped away a 14-point deficit over the final eight minutes, erased Cooper Flagg and Duke’s title hopes and brought the Cougars within a win of a championship of their own Saturday night with a 70-67 stunner over the Blue Devils.
Led by Joseph Tugler’s four blocks and an amoebalike defence that smothers everything, Houston held Duke to a grand total of one field goal over the last 10 1/2 minutes. The 67 points were Duke’s second-lowest output of its now-ended season.
The Blue Devils’ second-to-last attempt during their contest-ending 1-for-9 stretch was a step-back jumper in the paint by Flagg that J’Wan Roberts disrupted. The last was a desperation heave by Tyrese Proctor that caught nothing at the buzzer and sent Flagg and company shuffling off in shock.
“We just had to keep that belief and keep the faith,” said L.J. Cryer, who won a title with Baylor in 2021
and led the Cougars in this one with 26 points. This is the programme’s first trip to the final since 1984 — which marked the official close of the Phi Slama Jama era, a fun-and-gun dunkfest that never won the title despite the efforts of Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon, who was at the Alamodome for this one.
Lots has changed since then. One constant: Defence wins championship.
Houston has allowed the fewest points this season and even against Duke, with Flagg, Kon Knueppel (16 points) and a roster with five or six NBA prospects, it made things impossible down the stretch. “Got to give them a lot of credit for what they do every single night they play,” Flagg said. “We could have been a little bit more sharp down the stretch executing some things. At the end of the day, you got to give them a lot of credit, as well.” It was Roberts’ two free throws with 19.6 seconds left that gave the Cougars their first lead since 6-5. Cryer made two more to push the advantage to three. That matched Houston’s biggest lead of the night.
The Cougars (35-4), who have never won a title, will play Florida tonight for the championship. Florida’s 79-73 win over Auburn in the early
game was a free-flowing bundle of fun. This one would’ve looked perfect on a cracked blacktop and a court with chain-link nets. Neither team cracked 40% shooting. That’s just how Houston likes it. It closed the game on a 9-0 run over the final 33 seconds, and though Flagg, the AP Player of the Year, finished with 27 points, he did it on 8-for-19 shooting and never got a good look after his 3 at the 3:02 mark put the Blue Devils (35-4) up by nine. “Knowing going into that game that he was the player of the year, that he brought his team to the Final Four, we knew it would be challenging,” Roberts said.
Trailing 64-55, things looked dire for the Cougars. But they were just getting started. A team that prides itself on getting three stops in a row — calling the third one the “kill stop” — strung together two stretches like that, broken up only by Flagg’s 3. Duke settled for a measly three free throws over the final 3 minutes. One came when Tugler got a technical for batting the ball from Sion James’ hands as he was trying to throw an inbounds pass. That didn’t make things any better for the Blue Devils. On the possession following the technical, Tugler
rejected Knueppel, then Emanuel Sharp (16 points) made a 3 to cut the deficit to three. Mylik Wilson stole the next inbounds pass and missed a game-tying 3, but Tugler tipped it in to cut the deficit to one.
Proctor missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 20 seconds left to set the stage for the Roberts free throws.
Duke’s slow walk off the court came through a phalanx of Houston fans who waved goodbye to Flagg, who will likely be off to the NBA as the first pick in the draft. Houston held Duke to 37.5% shooting in the second half; that was nearly 20% lower than its first four
games of the tournament, which included a blowout over the nation’s best offence, Alabama, in the Elite Eight.
“We held that team to 67 points,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said, marvelling at what his team had done.
The Cougars finished with six steals and six blocked shots, and a bunch more altered by Roberts and Tugler, who might be the best shot blockers to wear that Cougars uniform since Olajuwon himself. There are no stats, however, for the heart Houston showed after the country’s best player had all but buried them with 8 minutes to go.
“Cooper was not going to beat us by himself,” Sampson said. “Even when we were down 14, these guys will tell you what I was talking about in the huddle was, ‘Just hang in there, hang in there.’”
Big win for AI The huge comeback also netted a $1 million win for artificial intelligence. An AI disruptor bet a professional gambler that his programme could do a better March Madness bracket, and it all came down to the Duke-Houston game.
Even if the Houston loses in the final, the AI bracket will get more points in the contest and the disruptor, Alan Levy, will pocket the million bucks.
(4) celebrates with teammates after Houston beat Duke in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament on Saturday in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
UCONN players shower guard Azzi Fudd (35) with confetti after defeating South Carolina in the national championship game at the Final Four of the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
SWIMMERS compete in the Lightning Aquatics’ Spring Invitational over the weekend at the
LIGHTNING AQUATICS’ SPRING INVITATIONAL HELD AT BETTY KELLY KENNING SWIM COMPLEX
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
THE Lightning Aquatics’ Spring Invitational, postponed earlier in the Bahamas Aquatics season, was staged over the weekend at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex.
While the meet didn’t feature any of the CARIFTA swimmers, except for Lightning Aquatics’ Donald Saunders, many of the swimmers got a chance to qualify for the Bahamas Aquatics’ National Swimming Championships in June.
Lightning Aquatics’ head coach Shawn Neely liked what he saw.
“We battled through some stuff, but the meet went fairly well,” he said. “We had some pretty good swims from our clubs and it looked as if some of the other clubs had some good swims as well.
“I’m very happy with what we saw today and hopefully everybody got the same level of production that I got out of it.”
Neely said he was glad that they didn’t get to stage the meet when it was originally scheduled because the pool was nice and cool and so was the weather.
Bahamas Aquatics’ president Algernon Cargill said while the CARIFTA swimmers are in practice mode, the other swimmers got a chance to qualify for the Nationals and the younger competitors for the Goodwill Games.
“Our CARIFTA team was decided a couple weeks ago and they are doing their training sessions, so this meet allowed the other swimmers to qualify for the Goodwill Games and the Nationals,” Cargill said. Without the competition from the CARIFTA swimmers, Cargill said a number of swimmers were able to improve on their times, but there wasn’t anything spectacular.
As for the CARIFTA swimmers, Cargill said
Team Bahamas is looking forward to winning its seventh straight title in Trinidad & Tobago during the Easter holiday weekend.
“I’m predicting that we will win our seventh straight title. We have won six straight. We are the only country to do so,” he stated.
“I predict that despite us going into a friendly hostile environment, we will win.
“We know Trinidad & Tobago is ready as the host and the Cayman Islands will be very strong in providing us with the challenge, but we are going for our seventh straight victory.”
Cargill, however, said they are still appealing to corporate Bahamas to provide Bahamas Aquatics with their financial donation as swimming is the only sport to dominate their competition the way they have.
Saunders, Harold Simmons, Jaylah Threadgill, Dylan Musgrove, Summer
McKenzie, Katie Goulandris, Isabelle Wiberg and Asher Seymour were among the swimmers who won two or more events in their age groups during the meet.
In the boys’ 15-17 age group, Saunders took the 50m breaststroke in 33.69; the 50m butterfly in 27.98 and the 100m breaststroke in 1:19.46.
However, Saunders got some competition in the final event of the meet in the 50m free. Mark Anthony Thompson, competing in the 18-and-under division, won the race in 25.48, but Saunders topped his age division in second in 25.88.
Simmons, of Mako, captured the boys 11-12 200 freestyle in 2:15.23, clocked 1:13.89 in the 100m backstroke; the 400m freestyle in 4:54.70 and the 200m individual medley in 2:33.71.
Threadgill, representing the Lyford Cay Swim Club, won the girls’ 13-14 200m backstroke in 2:27.85 and the 100m backstroke in 1:17.96.
Musgrove, representing the Blue Waves, won the boys’ 9-10 200m IM in 3:03.89, the 100 butterfly in 1:34.10 and the 50m freestyle in 34.94. McKenzie, competing for Alpha, won the girls’ 15-17 400m freestyle in 5:40.52; the 200m backstroke in 2:57.35 and the 200m backstroke in 2:57.35.
Goulandris, of the Lyford Cay Club, was the winner of the girls’ 18 & Over 100m breaststroke in 1:26.52 and the 100m freestyle in 35.82.
Wiberg, a member of Alpha Aquatics, won the girls’ 11-12 200m freestyle in 2:39.93 and the 200m IM in 3:05.63.
Seymour, a representative for the Barracuda, captured the girls’ 13-14 400m IM in 6:17.70; the 100m freestyle in 1:07.08 and the 50m backstroke in 36.07.
Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex.
Photos: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff
Athletes qualify at CARIFTA Trials
FROM PAGE E1
Rodgers came third with a finishing time of 24.30 seconds.
In the boys’ division, Eagan Neely was not playing in the 200m finals. He cruised through the finish line in 21 seconds flat which was well under the qualifying mark of 22.08 seconds.
Neely was also a top performer in the under-17 boys’ 400m event. He ran a swift 47.45 seconds to shave time off the qualifying standard of 49.27 seconds.
He did not mince words when it came to his goals for the CARIFTA Games.
“I got out pretty decent and pretty hard. I made sure to keep my stride on the home stretch but I just missed that 20 seconds area by just a smidge but I am gonna get it at CARIFTA and I am gonna break that record as well,” he said.
Zion Bradford, of Golden Eagle, was second in 22.19 seconds and third place went to Jamaal Deloach, of Tazmanian Speed, in 22.21 seconds.
The under-20 girls’ 200m finals was a fight to the finish line. The qualifying mark for the event is 24.35 seconds.
Fast Forward’s Jamiah Nabbie blitzed the competitors with a time of 24 seconds to make her return to the CARIFTA Games.
Nabbie admitted that it was not her best race but she was happy with the results.
“I’d say it was an okay race. It wasn’t my best technically or physically but I just thank God that I finished safely and secured my spot for the CARIFTA Games. I hope to once again push past my limits, secure a new PB and set a name for myself going into my collegiate year,” she said.
Red-Line Athletics’ Alexis Roberts was also special in the event. She trailed for second in 24.13 seconds.
Nabbie’s teammate K’Leigh Davis fell to third in 24.23 seconds. It was also Nabbie and Roberts finishing in the top three of the under-20 girls’ 400m event earlier in the weekend.
Roberts was the victor in that event with a time of 54.72 seconds which was quicker than the qualifying mark of 55.40 seconds.
Makaiah Hitchman, representing Tazmanian Speed, came second in 55.79 seconds and Nabbie was third overall with a time of 56.30 seconds.
Road Runners’ Akaree Roberts was once again in the CARIFTA mix for the under-20 girls’ 800m event. She dug deep for a finishing
time of 2:15.00. The qualifying mark was 2:16.38. Roberts shared how it felt to come out on top with a qualifying mark.
“I want to thank God because I know without him this wouldn’t be possible. I want to thank my coaches, my family, my friends and everyone who has supported me.
“I just wanted to go out there and do the best that I could and make that qualifying time and that’s what I did,” she said. Erin Barr, representing GB Heats, was second in 2:22.06 and Jayla Rahming, of Core Athletics, settled for third in 2:22.94.
Arcady Thompson, representing GB Invictus, displayed some grit in the under-17 boys’ 800m to clear the CARIFTA qualifying time of 1:59.82. He bested his competitors with a time of 1:58.33. He was overjoyed to accomplish the feat.
“It’s a lot of people at home that sacrificed for me to be here. I just had to dig deep and really push through. It feels amazing because of all my training and hard work and all my time leaving practice. It feels good to be recognised,”‘ he said Team Velocity’s Cordell Munroe dropped back to second in 2:01.41 and Qurai Frith, of DTSP Wolfpack, got third in 2:02.62. There were no shortage of CARIFTA qualifiers in the under-20 girls’ 110m hurdles.
The qualifying standard is 14.68 seconds. Bayli Major, who has qualified in multiple events, secured a first place finish with a time of 14.21 seconds. Her teammate Darvinique Dean was right on her heels for second in 14.23 seconds. Kaily Pratt, who competed unattached, fell to the third spot in 14.40 seconds.
In the boys’ event, the qualifying mark is 14.20 seconds.
Quick Step Athletics’
Jehiel Smikle stopped the clock at 13.88 seconds for first place.
Red-Line Athletics’ Tahj Brown was a few steps behind for second place in 14.06 seconds. Third place went to Rondino Dean Jr, of Quick Step Athletics, at 14.57 seconds.
Competition was stiff in the under-17 boys’ 110m hurdles.
Jahcario Wilson, of Bahamas Speed Dynamics, blasted his way to a time of 13.44 seconds well below the CARIFTA standard of 14.87 seconds.
Rohman Rolle, of Fast Forward, held on for second place in 14.77 seconds. Patron Taylor, representing the T-Bird Flyers, came third in 15.74 seconds.
On Saturday, Wilson smashed the CARIFTA qualifying mark of 55.72 seconds in the under-17 boys’ 400m hurdles. He ran 53.22 seconds for the victory.
Johnathan Higgs, of Bahamas Speed Dynamics, was a distant second place finisher at 55.68 seconds.
Star Tracker’s Gabryel Saunders settled for third in 56.03 seconds.
The under-20 boys’ 400m hurdles event had three CARIFTA qualifiers.
Finishing in the top two were Star Elite’s Zion Davis and Red-Line Athletics’ Morgan Moss with times of 52.15 seconds and 53.16 seconds respectively.
Hurry Murray’s Tieanno Ferguson secured the third spot in 53.18 seconds.
The CARIFTA standard for that event is 54.47 seconds. Dean added another CARIFTA qualification under her belt in the under20 girls’ 400m hurdles event.
Two athletes attained the qualifying mark of 1:02.08.
Dean was first in 59.60 seconds. Second place went to Star Elite’s Kei-Mahri Hanna in 1:00.39.
Fast Forward’s Taylor Robinson clinched the third podium spot in 1:04.84.
Red-Line Athletics’ Symirah Crawley and Roadrunners Denika Gittens were under the CARIFTA standard of 1:06.19 in the under-17 girls’ 400m hurdles event.
Crawley crossed the line first in 1:03.54 and Gittens ran 1:05.43.
Taylor Moss, of RedLine Athletics, was third in 1:07.21.
On Friday, there were numerous qualifiers in the distance and sprint events.
Barr qualified with a winning time of 5:00.33 in the under-20 girls’ 1500m event. The qualifying standard was 5:02.60.
Ross Martin qualified on the boys’ side in 4:05.17. The qualifying mark was 4:06.20.
Two Zions got under the CARIFTA standard of 47.65 seconds in the under20 boys’ 400m event.
Zion Miller, of Bahamas Speed Dynamics, got a good start and finished the event with a time of 46.79 seconds.
Zion Shepherd, a CARIFTA team veteran, was second in 47.33 seconds.
Ward, of DTSP Wolfpack, qualified for her second event, this time in the under-17 girls’ 100m finals.
She ran 11.67 seconds to surpass the standard of 12.08 seconds. Red-Line Athletics’ Taree was also phenomenal, running 11.92 seconds.
Third place went to Star Tracker’s Deryn Rodgers in 12.01 seconds. There were two qualifiers on the boys’ side.
Team Velocity’s Kamron Henfield qualified with a winning time of 10.72 seconds. Henfield along with
Jamaal Deloach got under the qualifying time of 10.92 seconds.
Deloach ran 10.82 seconds for the silver medal spot.
Two qualifiers emerged in the under-20 boys’ 100m event.
Aiden Kelly, of Tazmanian Speed, recorded a time of 10.43 seconds.
Swift Athletics’ Ishmael Rolle was the second best finisher at 10.53 seconds. The qualifying standard for that event is 10.53 seconds.
Field Events
Although the action on the track was hot, the field athletes did not leave any chips on the table.
Jazae Johnson, 14, qualified in the under-17 girls’ long jump event. She soared to 5.88m for first place. Red-Line Athletics Taree Forbes was second with her jump of 5.75m and third went to Fast Forward’s Keely Deveaux at 5.47m. Swift Athletics’ Givedy Gerlin surpassed the qualifying mark of 5.58m in the under-20 girls’ long jump event. She placed first at 5.59m. Major had a wind-aided jump of 5.35m for second place. Dream Watkins got third at 5.23m. Ethan North turned in a massive throw of 60.65m in the under-20 boys’ javelin throw event. He was over the qualifying distance of 59.07m. Air Assaults’ Ashton Moxey recorded a heave of 50.01m for second and Kendal Cooper, who competed unattached, was third at 48.52m. Air Assaults’ Taysha Stubbs and Dior-Rae Scott claimed the top two spots in the under-20 girls’ javelin throw event. Stubbs requalified with a winning throw of 47.76m and her teammate Scott threw 47.09m for second.
Kamera Strachan, of SAC, just missed the cut with her throw of 46.29m for third. The qualifying mark was 39.75m. Air Assaults’ Ahkeel Williams took care of business in the under-17 boys’ javelin throw event. He won with a toss of 60.15m. His teammate Wyatt Cartwright finished in the top two at 52.91m and Kendal Turner was third at 47.52m.
The T-Bird Flyers’ Obadiah Cherizar got first place with a jump of 1.98m in the under-17 boys’ high jump event.
Placing second was Jumpers Inc. Ainsworth Ferguson at 1.91m. Ravon Davis, of Tabernacle Baptist, rounded out the top three at 1.88m.
The qualifying mark for that event was 1.87m.
On the final day of competition, Blue Chip Athletics’ Annae Mackey won the under-20 girls’ discus throw event with a toss of 43.01m. She was above the qualifying mark of 40.36m. Mackey also qualified in the shot put event with a toss of 14.61m which is above the standard of 12.49m.
Three throwers eclipsed the CARIFTA mark of 41.64m in the under-17 boys’ discus throw event. Carmeljo Woodside got the first spot with a heave of 47.51m. CH Reeves’ Kaiden Kemp pulled off a second place finish with a throw of 43.33m.
His schoolmate David Douglas dropped to third with a toss of 42.78m. The BAAA selection committee had a meeting last night to pick the team members for the 2025 CARIFTA Games.
Team Bahamas will be announced at a press conference today at 6:30pm in the Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium.
JUNIOR athletes made their performances count when they needed them the most at the 2025 Splice and Connect/ Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) CARIFTA Trials over the weekend at the original Thomas A Robinson Stadium.
Photos: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff