With 90 per cent of the athletes attaining the qualifying standard, Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ president Drumeco Archer said he’s confident that Team Bahamas will perform very well at the CARIFTA Games.
Archer, along with head coach Dereck Wells, made the announcement of the 78-member team on Monday in the foyer of the
The team, consisting of 17 under-17 girls, 21 under17 boys, 20 under-20 girls and 20 under-20 boys, was selected following the Spice & Connect final trials held over the weekend at the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium.
The track and field championships will take place from April 19-21 at the Haseley Crawford Track and Field Stadium in Trinidad & Tobago - the CARIFTA swimming will take place at the same time
at the National Swim Complex about one hour away.
In releasing the names in the presence of Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg, Acting Director of Sports Kelsie Johnson-Sills, parents and some of the athletes, Archer said the team is a quality one. “I think this is one of the better teams that we have easily seen in about a decade,” he said.
“I see the making of a new Usain Bolt in Eagan Neely, we have some really bright spots that you won’t normally see at CARIFTA,” he said.
“Even though Jamaica has some times better than us, I don’t think that we have been tested as yet. It’s a very excited team that is ready to compete. So I’m looking forward to a Gussie Mae team that will produce some Gussie Mae results.”
Grand Bahamian Aiden Kelly, the top male sprinter on the team, competing in the under-20 boys’ 100m and on the 4 x 400m relay team, said he and his teammates are coming back for vengeance.
“I feel extremely great about being a part of this
team,” said the 17-year-old 12th grader at Tabernacle Baptist Academy.
“I’m happy for this team. This is a very strong team. Just about everybody qualified.”
As for his expectations, Kelly said he just wants to win a medal. “It doesn’t matter which medal I get in the 100m, I just want one,” he said. “But in the 4 x 400m, we want that gold. We got robbed last year when we got disqualified, but we are coming back for the gold this year.”
SEE PAGE E2
Boxers win two gold medals
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
COACH Valentino
Knowles was more than happy with the performances of the Bahamas’ eight-member team at the Sugar Bert Golden Gloves Boxing Tournament in Atlanta Georgia.
Over the weekend, the team, consisting of four boxers each from New Providence and Grand Bahama, picked up a gold medal from both Shantao Fernander and Cayden Higgs.
Knowles, who was accompanied by Grand Bahama coaches Jermaine
Gibson and Robert Harris, said the team was a representation of the Boxing Federation of the Bahamas and the newly formed Bahamas World Boxing Federation.
“The trip was a great experience. I think the boys enjoyed it. This was the first time some of my boys ever travelled to the United States, so it was good to work with their
By BRENT STUBBS
AFTER playing spar-
ingly as a reserve for the past three seasons with the Creighton Bluejays, Fredrick King is heading to Murray State where he’s expected to play a more pivotal role with the Racers men’s basketball team.
Acquired on Monday from the transfer portal, the
families to get their passports and visas to make the trip,” Knowles said.
“From the time they got here, I felt they were all
DESPITE still painful from the injury he sustained in competition in Europe a month ago, Xavion Johnson was still able to secure a bronze medal at the PanAmerican Cup in Panama over the weekend.
The 18-year-old, who represents the future for The Bahamas in judo, won his opening match against Tobias Vidal from Argentina in pool B of the 66 kilogram class. However, he lost to Adel Fresneda of Cuba in the next round. He came back in the repechage round and took care of Juan Pablo Ramirez of Mexico, Fabricio Meyer from Chile and Mateo Condor from Puerto Rico.
Johnson is now a top 25 in the world and ranked at number seven in PanAmerica after he emerged with the bronze medal along with Francisco Schir from Brazil.
“My performance was okay. I felt like I could’ve fought better, but that’s life,” Johnson said. “I was just coming off an injury a week ago and didn’t have much time to prepare for this competition.”
While he competed without a coach in his corner at the competition, Johnson said he still went in
6-nine, 9-inch centre from Mangrove Cay, Andros, will join the Racers for the 2025-26 season as he reunites with newly hired head coach Ryan Miller.
Miller was an assistant coach with the Bluejays during King’s three seasons there. He now becomes Murray State’s 18th head coach and is excited to have King on his roster.
“Having coached him at Creighton, I know
firsthand the energy, athleticism, and competitive spirit Fred brings to the court,” Miller said.
While at Creighton, King played a backup role to two-time All-America centre Ryan Kalkbrenner, one of the best big men in college basketball.
In addition to King, Miller also signed 6-4 guard Ben Shtolzberg from Cal Santa Barbara. But he said he really likes the physicality that King brings to the Racers as he welcomed him to Murray State.
“His experience guarding and learning from a player like Ryan Kalkbrenner, combined with his efficiency when given minutes, makes him a versatile big man who can impact both ends of the floor,” Miller stated.
In playing more than 15 minutes per game, King shot 64% from the field, while averaging 10.5 points,
TEAM Bahamas relaxing at Sugar Bert Golden Gloves Boxing Tournament in Atlanta, Georgia.
Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium.
GO TEAM BAHAMAS! - The 78-member CARIFTA Games team, shown above, was announced yesterday in the foyer of the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium.
Team Bahamas named for CARIFTA Games
At 14-years-old, Brion Ward said she’s excited to finally be a part of Team Bahamas. “It’s a dream come true. It’s something that I have been working on for a while and I finally made it,” she said. “I feel like we have a very powerful team because all of us are powerful and we will go out there and do our best and execute our events to the best of our abilities.”
She said her goal is to win a gold medal in the under17 girls’ 100 and 200m and help the 4 x 100m relay team to win as well.
Jamiah Nabbie, 17, is back on the team after missing last year’s games because of an injury. She will be one of the top contenders to watch in the under-20 girls’ sprints and on the relay teams.
“I’m in better shape than last year,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to this year’s CARIFTA team and hopefully I can win some medals. “ She noted that Team Bahamas is solid, especially in the under-20 girls’ division with a very competitive season between all of the girls, so they feel they can do very well.
Head coach Dereck Wells from Grand Bahama said they have assembled a very strong team that will perform very well. “For the first time in a long time,
we have a full contingent of athletes with 90 per cent making the qualifying standards,” he said.
“Only 10 per cent we had to name, so I think this team will perform very well.
“I expect us to do much better than last year. This team is extremely good. The expectations are among my wildest dreams. We are going to perform.”
With a strong number of hurdlers, Wells said they will add to the dominance from the field competitors, along with the 400m runners and the sprinters.
If there’s any weaknesses, Wells said there are some
spots that they couldn’t fill, especially in the distance events, but where they lack the competitors, they hope to make up in their stronger events.
Khyle Higgs, making his first appearance as a coach on the team, said it’s a humbling experience for him.
“It’s really a full cycle for me to go from being an athlete on my first national team in 2010 to the Dominican Republic for the Jr CAC Games, winning several medals over my five years competing for the country to now being named as a coach for the CARIFTA team,” he said.
To the athletes, Higgs said he just wants them to “just go out there and give it their best. Success is progress and that is what we have to look for.
“This is our time. This is our season. We will not leave Trinidad empty handed.”
Alexis Roberts, returning for his second sting as a coach on Team Bahamas after he competed in 1999 and 2000 in the 400
and 800m and on the relay team, said it’s so cool to be able to make his contribution, especially with his daughter, Alexis Roberts, now carrying on the family legacy.
“Because I’ve been through it, I know what it’s like, so I am happy to be able to give them some tips on how to get through their rest, hydrate and make sure they eat properly,” he stated. “I’m happy that I
TEAM BAHAMAS will consist of the following:
will be able to lend that expertise to them.” Bowleg, in his admonishment to Team Bahamas, said he will be a presence in the stands cheering for the athletes just like some of their parents. He wished the athletes all the best as they prepare to travel on the Bahamasair charter fight to Trinidad & Tobago. He encouraged them to go out and give it their best shot.
Under 17 Girls - Brion Ward - 100m/200m/4x100m/4x400m; Tarae Forbes - 100m/ long jump/4x100m; Keyezra Thomas - 200m/400m/high jump/4x100m/4x400m; Jade Knowles - 800m; Jayla Smith - 100m hurdles; Jasmine Thompson - 100m hurdles/4x400m (pending fitness); Syrmiah Crawley - 400m hurdles/4x400m; Denika Gittens - 400m hurdles/4x400m; Alexandria Komolafe - high jump; Jazae Johnsonlong jump/triple jump/4x100m; Dallas Strachan - triple jump; Ahnae Smith - shot put/ discus; T’Arjahnaye Green - discus/shot put; Keely Deveaux -javelin; Deryn Rodgers - 4x100m; Brianna Bootle - 4x100m/4x400m and Daveigh Farrington - 800m/4x400m. Under 17 Boys - Kamron Henfield - 100m/4x100m; Jamal Deloach - 100m/4x100m; Eagan Neely - 200m/400m/4x100m/4x400m/Mixed; Jonathan Higgs - 400m/400m hurdles/4x400m; Arcady Thompson - 800m/4x400m; Kayden Thurston - 1500m/3,000m; Jahcario Wilson - 110m Hurdles/400m hurdles/4x100m/4x400m; Rohman Rolle - 110m hurdles; Obadiah Cherizar - high jump; Ainsworth Ferguson - high jump/long jump/ triple jump; Terran Beckles - long jump; Lyndavion Storr - triple jump; Carmeljo Woodside - shot put/discus; David Douglas - shot put; Kaiden Kemp - discus; Ahkeel Williams - javelin; Wyatt Cartwright - javelin; J’Mari Moss - 4x100m; Jireh Woodside4x400m; Zion Bradford - 4x400m/4x100m and Kristoff Munroe - Octathlon.
Under-20 girls - Shatayla Dorsett - 100m/200m/4x100m; Jamiah Nabbie200m/4x100m/4x400m; Alexis Roberts - 400m/4x100m/4x400m/Mixed; A’Karee Roberts - 800m/4x400m; Erin Barr - 1500m/3000m; Bayli Major - 100m hurdles/ triple jump/olng jump; Darvinique Dean - 100m hurdles/400m hurdles/4x400m/4x100m; KeiMahri Hanna - 400m hurdles/4x400m/Mixed; Koi Adderley - high jump; Anaiah Rolle - pole vault; Jade Ferguson - pole vault; Gerlin Givedy - long jump; Annae Mackey - discus/shot put; Terrell McCoy - discus/shot put; Taysha Stubbs - javelin; Dio-Rae Scott - javelin; Aaliyah Evans - heptathlon; Khylee Wallace - 100m/4x100m; K’Leigh Davis - 4x100m and Makaiah Hitchman - 400m/4x400m/Mixed.
Under 20 Boys - Aiden Kelly - 100m/4x100m/4x400m/Mixed; Ishmael Rolle 100m/4x100m; Zion Miller - 400m/4x400m/Mixed; Zion Shepherd - 400m/4x400m; Ross Martin - 1500m/5000m; Tahj Brown - 110m hurdles/4x100m; Jehiel Smikle - 110m hurdles; Zion Davis - 400m hurdles/4x400m; Morgan Moss - 400m hurdles; Joshua Williams - hHigh jump/long jump; Claudius Burrows - high jump; Kenny Moxey - pole vault; William McKinney - long jump/triple jump; Carlin Archer - triple jump; Ethan North - javelin; Nijae McBride - 4x100m; Everette Fraser - 200m/4x100m/4x400m; Quinton Gordon - 4x100m; Emanuel Adams - 200m/4x400m/Mixed and Nathan Smith, decathlon. Management team Dereck Wells, head coach; Assistant coaches - Bernard Newbold (sprints), Khyshell Rolle (hurdles), Khyle Higgs (throws), Alexis Roberts (distance) and James Rolle (jumps).
Team manager - Laketah Charlton, assisted by Sophia Higgs. The chaperones are Nekeno Demeritte, Mikahilo Strachan and Charmaine Lubin, Dr Kent Bazard is the team’s doctor; the physiotherapist is Deandra Miller and the massage therapist is Nicholas Morley.
GO TEAM BAHAMAS! - The 78-member CARIFTA Games team, shown above, was announced yesterday in the foyer of the
Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium.
Florida wins its third national title and denies Houston its first, rallying for 65-63 win
By EDDIE PELLS
National Writer
SAN ANTONIO (AP)
— Florida and Walter Clayton Jr. somehow overcame Houston’s spirit-crushing defence last night to will out a 65-63 victory in an NCAA title-game thriller not decided until Clayton’s own D stopped the Cougars from taking a game-winning shot at the buzzer.
Clayton finished with 11 points, all in the second half, but what he’ll be remembered for most was getting Houston’s Emanuel Sharp to stop in the middle of his motion as he tried to go up for the game-winning 3 in the final seconds.
Clayton ran at him, Sharp dropped the ball and, unable to pick it up lest he get called for travelling, watched it bounce there while the clock ticked to zero.
Will Richard had 18 points to keep the Gators (36-4) in it, and they won their third overall title and first since 2007.
The Cougars (35-5) and coach Kelvin Sampson were denied their first championship.
This was a defensive brawl, and for most of the night, Clayton got the worst of it.
He was 0 for 4 from the field without a point through the first half. He didn’t score until 14:57 remained in the game. He finished with one 3-pointer and, before that, a pair of three-point plays that kept the Gators in striking range. It was Florida’s defence, not Houston’s, that controlled the final minute.
After Alijah Martin made two free throws to put Florida ahead 64-63 -its first lead since 8-6 -- the Gators lured Sharp into a triple-team in the corner, where Richard got him to dribble the ball off his leg and out of bounds.
Florida made one free throw on the next possession and that set up the finale. The ball went to Sharp, who was moving to spot up for a 3 when Clayton ran at him. That left him with no choice but to let the ball go. Sampson, who designed a defence that held Florida under 70 points for only the second time this season, looked on in shock. Instead of Sampson becoming the oldest coach to win the
title at age 69, 39-year-old Todd Golden becomes the youngest since N.C. State’s Jim Valvano in 1983 to win it all.
AP
FLORIDA guard Alijah Martin celebrates after their win against the Houston in the national championship at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Monday, April 7, 2025, in San Antonio.
(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
FLORIDA’s Micah Handlogten (3) and Walter Clayton Jr. celebrate after Florida beat Houston in the national championship at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Monday, April 7, 2025, in San Antonio.
(AP Photo/ Stephanie Scarbrough)
HOUSTON’s Mylik Wilson (8) leaves the court after Florida beat Houston in the national championship at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
BOXERS WIN GOLD X2 AT SUGAR BERT GOLDEN GLOVES TOURNEY
FROM PAGE E1
winners because these are young people I helped to save from the streets. From this experience I think they will want to do more travelling to compete.”
Fernander, who just started boxing seven months ago at the Shock Treatment Boxing Club headed by Knowles and Keyshawn Major, won his 2025 Sugar Bert golden glove title over Brandon Moore from Atlanta, Georgia, in the junior male 132pound division.
“It was not easy. During my training camp, I had to wake up early every morning and put in the work because I knew what I wanted to achieve,” he said. “I had to keep on pushing and do what I had to do. “When the competition started, that discipline helped me to get through my fight. I actually prayed to Jehovah to give me the strength. He did it unexpectedly where he put me in a position to be the best fighter in the ring.”
The 16-year-old 12th grader at RM Bailey High School said he always saw how people celebrated when they won, but he didn’t know how to react when he got his first victory on the big stage. “This was the first time for me leaving the country and to win at the same time,” he said. “God really opened up many doors for me in winning this title.
“My goal now is to be the greatest fighter in The Bahamas. My goal started last September when I came to the gym from doing my community service. So I want to thank Jehovah for that.”
In reflecting on what he described as the best experience he’s ever enjoyed, Fernander also thanked Knowles for being there and giving him the opportunity to compete in the sport.
“He believed in me and he invested in me and so I want to thank God for that,” Fernander said. “If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here today. He pushed us a lot, even further than I thought we could go.
“I want to thank him for taking us this far. I can’t wait to see how far we can go with him guiding us. The sky is definitely the limit for us. I wanted to play some other sports, but only After Shock gave me the opportunity so I’m very grateful.”
Higgs, just 12 years old, said he was frustrated that he didn’t have an opponent to compete against.
“I watched my team-mates fight their best. They fought their hardest. It gave me courage that whoever I fight, I will be ready. But the person I was hoping to fight, he didn’t make the weight.
“I was dedicated and disciplined. I was pushing to make my weight. But the other guy wasn’t disciplined at all. He was 10 pounds over the weight limit.”
Despite not fighting, Higgs said he still managed to get home with some hardware to show off to his family and his friends at Yellow Elder Primary where he is a sixth grader.
“I just want other people to know that even though you might be discouraged and the devil might be holding you down, you have to pray so you can come back up,” he said. “That’s why you have to always give praise to Jehovah.”
Mario Goddard, a 2024 graduate of Galilee College last year, lost to Jaren Nay after he suffered an accidental thumb to his right eye in the first round that prevented him from seeing anything, forcing the referee to stop the fight.
“I just want to give thanks to our coach Valentino Knowles for pushing us in our training camp. It was our consistence and dedication that got us here,” he said.
“Leading up to the fight, I was ready, but I was also nervous. When the fight started, we were jabbing at each other as we were feeling each other. But after one of our close encounters, I only remember that I couldn’t see anything.”
That was when Goddard said he realised that Nay had injured his right eye with his thumb.
He said he pleaded with the referee, telling him he couldn’t see anything, but to no avail. The fight was stopped.
“This hurt because I know I would have won. I’m just disappointed that he didn’t even call the medical doctor to check me out,” he said. “Before I could really great started, the guy took it away from me.
“This is just the beginning. I will be back.”
Versatile Lionel Pinder, an 18-year-old 12th grader at St John’s College, lost to Irvin Saenz from Atlanta, Georgia, competing
in the youth male division 165 pounds in a fight that he felt was given in a home town decision.
“Even though some stuff don’t go your way, you have to accept it,” Pinder said. “It was some sort of robbery going on in the fight. It didn’t go my way. I felt I did enough to win, but with him being a home town fighter, I think it was a decision that they gave to him. I won my first fight with a first round knockout, but this time, I learn that once I’m in condition and I fight even harder, there won’t be any need to worry about a home town decision.”
Grand Bahama was represented by four youth competitors, including fighters 13-year-old Jamaal Smalls, who lost to Jelani Botoy in the intermediate male division 145 pounds, Dante Anderson, 14, lost to James Hankinson in the intermediate male division 125 pounds, Ameil Bullard, 12, lost to Willie Franklin in the bantam division 132-pound division and Keano Cox, 20, also lost his bout.
With the experience now under their belts, Knowles said the boxers will go back into the gym and prepare for the Guyana School Boys Championships in August and in November to the Sugar Bert Tournament in Los Angeles. Efforts to reach Gibson and the competitors in Grand Bahama were unsuccessful.
Judoka Xavion Johnson secures bronze medal at Pan-American Cup in Panama
FROM PAGE E1
disappointed in the bronze.
“The competition was great,” he reflected. “An unfortunate loss, undoubtedly enhanced by my lack of a seated coach, but I thank God for going along with me in every match helping me to make the podium.”
Now that it’s done, Johnson said he will regroup and prepare for the Junior Panamerican Championships in Peru in about two weeks.
“I expected myself to get gold but I can settle for bronze, especially because I’m planning to peak for the Jr Pan Am,” he said.
“I have to trust in myself that I am the better fighter and I belong on the world stage.”
Johnson is heading back to his training site with the Canadian Olympic team in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
He said he have some specific goals in mind and that is to “become junior world champion and junior Panamerican champion when he heads to Peru.
“Honestly, all I need right now to prepare is to treat this current injury. I’m still very limited in judo, unfortunately,” he pointed out. “Once I’m fully healed, I’ll be ready.
“My goal is to become the Junior Pan American champion. I’ve already had the chance to go up against almost everyone who will be competing.” Johnson, in thanking everybody, including his mother Ordain Moss, for their “support and prayers” as he feels it every time he fights, said after the competition this weekend, he’s “in pain, but it’s okay. I’ll live” to fight another day.
He informed the public that he will be ready for the task ahead of him in Peru at the end of the month.
FREDRICK KING EXPECTED TO PLAY A
PIVOTAL ROLE WITH MURRAY STATE RACERS
FROM PAGE E1
With those stats, Miller said King is “ready to take on a bigger role here at Murray State, and this is a significant step in building our programme.”
During his freshman year in the 2022-23 season, King was honoured as BIG EAST Player of the week after a pair of double-double performances against Arizona State and Marquette where he combined for 32 points (16-of-19 FG) with 21 rebounds.
Last November, he made a start against Notre Dame, played a career-high 26 minutes and put up 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting with five rebounds and four blocked
shots. As the first Bahamian development player at the NBA Academy Latin America in Mexico, King went to the Bluejays where he emerged as a four-star recruit in the Class of 2022 where he had some big games in 2021 and averaged 23 points and 12 rebounds over three contests. He actually didn’t start playing basketball until he was 14. But his size was what made a difference in his transformation as he now possesses a widespan of 7-1.
A former player with the CI Gibson Rattlers and coach Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnson, King is the son of Carson and Pamela Lundy and a brother to his siblings Jade, Amelia, Celeste and Shamell. While he became the biggest name from The Bahamas to move on so far, there are a number of other players who hope to follow King in the transfer portal. The portal gives them the option to sign with another programme without losing their eligibility, or to remain with their current team.
Among the others are guard Zion Richardson from Cal State, forward Roman Dean from Fordham, forward Rhema Collins from Ole Miss with Bahamian coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, Jada Miles, a guard at James Madison and Veronaye Charlton, a guard from North Alabama.
FREDRICK King is heading to Murray State where he’s expected to play a more pivotal role with the Racers men’s basketball team.
XAVION JOHNSON, second from right, with other medallists on the podium with the presenter.
