02202026 SPORTS

SPORTS

First four teams eliminated 42nd Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

GREENVILLE Preparatory, CV Bethel, Government High and CC Sweeting were the first four teams eliminated from the 42nd Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic.

As the prestigious weeklong tournament for senior boys’ basketball teams continued yesterday at the AF Adderley Gymnasium, those teams fell during the double elimination format from the all-losers bracket.

Falcons 51, Greenville Preparatory 28

Still keeping hopes alive, Jordan Prince Williams wasted no time in disposing of Greenville as they led from start to finish.

They used an 11-2 run in the first quarter to state their case as they duplicated the margin in the second to go up 22-10 at the half. By the end of the third, they had already put their stamp on the outcome with a 38-28 lead.

"We would like to thank God for the victory in our

do-or-die session," said Falcons' assistant coach Philip Hanna, who handled the coaching chores in the absence of head coach Ernest Saunders. "My guys came out and executed to the tee, so kudos to them."

Coming off their opening loss on Monday, Hanna said a lot of the guys got their introduction to playing in the tournament, so they got over the jitters and are now ready to settle down.

Clewshawn Newton led the attack for Jordan Prince Williams with a game high 17 points with four steals

and Antonne Stubbs helped out with 11 points and a pair of assists and steals.  Akeem Storr scored 13 points with six rebounds and three steals for Greenville Preparatory.

Marlins 56, Stingrays 32 It would have been a long dreary ride back home to Marsh Harbour, Abaco, for Patrick J Bethel, but they lived to play another game. Chancely Baptiste made sure of that as he pumped in a game high 20 points with six rebounds, three assists and as many steals.

Leandre Playdle had nine points, 13 rebounds and three steals and Tysean Stuart contributed eight points with six rebounds and four steals.

Leonardo Romer, their head coach, said his team played a good game.

"We had one or two mistakes, but we won at the end, so that was good enough for us," according to Romer.

Romer said they just want to see how long they can stay in the tournament.

"We're trying to at least get to Saturday for

the pool championships,” Romer stressed.

In a losing effort, Torriano

points

And Michael Mackey added 10 points with four rebounds and three steals.

After surging out front 18-10 at the end of the first quarter, the Marlins bit the Stingrays for a comfortable 34-22 lead at the half.

And they went on cruise control in the second half of the game.

Bonnie Basden passes away at her House of Hoops and Dreams

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IT was not business as usual for the Sunland Baptist Academy Stingers’ senior boys basketball champions from Grand Bahama. They were preparing for their second game in the 42nd edition of the prestigious Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic yesterday at the AF Adderley Gymnasium when they got the news that their mentor, former coach and mother-figure Bonnie Basden had passed away at her House of Hoops and Dreams in the Royal Bahama Estates in Grand

Bahama. Basden, the 64-year-old former female national team player and little sister to the legendary Basil 'the Kid' Sands, housed at least eight members of the Stingers' team at her home.

It's been a tradition she carried out over the past decade as she helped to build the dynasty at Sunland Baptist where the Stingers have captured five Tip Off Classic titles, three Grand Bahama Secondary Schools Athletic Association's crowns, a Catholic High title and three USA Christmas Tournament titles. They are here, hoping to add their third Hugh Campbell title to their ledger. But

upon hearing the news earlier in the day, head coach Jay Philippe said it was a difficult space to be in. "She's always been with us, but for some reason, she could not be with us on this trip for medical reasons," Philippe said. "We just spoke last night (Wednesday) about the games and to hear of her passing this morning (Thursday) is devastating for the entire sporting community in The Bahamas and in particular Grand Bahama and even more noteworthy Sunland Baptist.

"For me, Bonnie was a mentor, a coach, a stepmother, who adopted me as her own child and so I am ever grateful to her for

showing me the ropes. She was responsible for me being recruited from New Providence to Sunland as a high school student from CC Sweeting." That bond enabled Philippe to step into the coaching ranks when he returned from college. It was always her dream for me to become a coach and I've not only done it under her at Sunland, but also at the junior national team level."

Basden, who played up until the age of 55, followed in the footsteps of her parents, Elaine Turner-Sands and Basil Sands Sr, and her brothers Basil

and

Healthy Competition, Healthier Cooperation:

The missing link in national sporting success

By DR KENT L BAZARD Sports Medicine Physician

AT a recent regional competition, I witnessed something that should quietly redefine how we approach sports development in this country.

A national coach turned to another coach - from a different club - and said he was sending his athletes to train with him for a specific technical component because he recognised that coach’s athletes consistently

executed it better. There was no ego. No territorial defensiveness. Just acknowledgment of excellence and a willingness to learn from it. That team continues to dominate. It was a simple moment, but a powerful one. Because it reflected something we often talk about but don’t always practice: cooperation. In sport, we are conditioned to celebrate competition. Competition sharpens performance. It

builds resilience. It pushes standards higher. But cooperation—when done intentionally - builds systems. And systems win consistently. Too often, clubs operate in silos. Coaches guard information. Medical professionals are consulted late instead of early. Federations and private facilities work in parallel instead of partnership. Government initiatives sometimes exist without seamless integration into grassroots development. None of

this is malicious. It’s just fragmented. But fragmentation slows progress.

When a coach is willing to acknowledge that another coach has mastered a particular skill set, that is not weakness. It is leadership. It tells the athlete that excellence is the prioritynot pride. It models humility. And it reinforces that development is a shared responsibility.

Imagine if this mindset extended beyond two coaches at a regional meet.

Imagine structured collaboration between clubs - shared training sessions, technical exchanges, standardised strength protocols. Imagine sports medicine teams working proactively with federations instead of reactively after injury.

Imagine government ministries aligning infrastructure support, sports science resources, and longterm athlete development models across disciplines. We don’t lose competitive edge by sharing knowledge. We elevate the baseline.

Look at the most successful sporting nations in the world. Their dominance is not accidental. It is built on integrated systems where coaches, medical teams, performance scientists, and administrators communicate openly and pursue unified objectives. Talent identification feeds into

structured development pipelines. Injury prevention programs are standardized. Data is shared. Progress is tracked collectively.

Healthy competition still exists within those systems.

Athletes compete fiercely. Clubs battle for titles.

But beneath that rivalry lies cooperation because everyone understands the larger mission - national excellence.

In smaller nations especially, cooperation is not optional. It is essential. Our talent pool is limited. Our margins for error are smaller.

If one club develops a superior sprint mechanic or recovery protocol, that knowledge should not remain confined to a single circle. It should

strengthen the entire sporting community.

This does not mean erasing identity or rivalry. Rivalries fuel passion. They draw crowds. They inspire athletes. But rivalry should never prevent progress.

The same applies across sectors. Sports medicine clinics must coordinate with coaches early in the season, not just when injuries become crises.

Federations should create forums where knowledge exchange is normalised. Ministries can facilitate infrastructure that supports collaboration rather than duplication. Even regional partnerships between Caribbean nations can elevate standards through shared camps, sports science resources, and coaching education.

The culture shift begins with mindset. It begins with recognising that sending an athlete to learn from another coach is not surrender - it is strategy. If we want to consistently produce athletes who compete, and win, on the regional and international stage, we must outgrow isolated excellence. We must build collective strength.

Because medals are won by individuals, but sustained dominance is built by systems. Healthy competition will always push us. But healthier cooperation will carry us further.

42nd Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic: First four teams eliminated

Giants 49, Cobras 21

Facing each other for the second time in the tournament, St John’s made sure that they took care of CC Sweeting again, this time to move on to the next round.

Christophe Francis quietly controlled the Giants’ offensive attack with eight points, five steals, three rebounds and two assists to pace a balanced scoring attack.

Nathan Bullard had seven points with eight rebounds and four others chipped in with six points.

“We just had to come through and get the win and get ready for the next one,” St John’s head coach Dastyn Baker said.

“I felt good about the effort. I told them every game from here is do-or-die, so they have to come out and secure their fate.”

St John’s are the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools champions, but Baker admitted that they are a little banged up, but they have to be ready to come out and execute every game.

CC Sweeting, whom Baker also coached during the GSSSA season, got eight points and five rebounds from Kaleb Jean-Baptiste. Bradley Lubin was their next best scorer with four points and six rebounds.  Their  tournament rematch wasn’t close as the Giants stomped past the Cobras for a 14-3 lead at the end of the first quarter. They increased their margin to 24-11 at the half and 33-15 at the end of the third, closing out the fourth with a 16-7 flurry.

Pacers 47, Magics 29

RM Bailey, the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association’s top contender all season long until they got to the final where they ended up forfeiting the title, rebounded from an opening loss in the tournament to stay alive.

William Ingraham-Ward got the Pacers back on track with a game high 19-point performance  with 11 rebounds and Wodson Antoine helped out with 10 points and six rebounds.

“It’s good to get back. That is our first win. We dropped our first game,

but it feels good to be back in the winning bracket,” said RM Bailey’s head coach Lamont ‘Red-Head’ Armaly.

Armaly, who had predicted that they would win the title, said from day one of the tournament, he realised that it’s going to be competitive and so they have to be ready to play.

“It was a good bounce back,” he stated. “We lost the first game to Westminster, but it was a good bounce back win.”

As they made their exit, Government High got 10 points from Rayvon Burrell, while Onward Hamilton had seven points. Lynden Moss chipped in with six points.

The Pacers held the Magic under 10 points in all four quarters as they maintained their defensive strategy that forced numerous turnovers that they converted into fast break points. During the late sessions, teams still undefeated, including the visiting teams from Grand Bahama, were all in action. The tournament continues today at 10am.

Juniors set sail on Day 1

Rising Stars MVP ‘VJ’ Edgecombe scores 20 points for 76ers in 117-107 loss to Hawks

PHILADELPHIA (AP)

— Jalen Johnson had 32 points and 10 rebounds and CJ McCollum added 23 points as the Atlanta Hawks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 117-107 last night in the teams' first game after the All-Star break.

Dyson Daniels finished with 15 points, Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 14, and Zaccharie Risacher and Jock Landale each had 10 as the Hawks snapped a threegame losing streak with their third win over Philadelphia this season.

Tyrese Maxey scored 28 points and Rising Stars MVP Valdez “VJ” Edgecombe added 20 for the Sixers, who were without centre Joel Embiid, who missed the game due to soreness in his right shin.

Kelly Oubre Jr scored 17 points and Quentin Grimes scored 10 of his 14 points in the first half for Philly. Andre Drummond contributed 10 points and 14 rebounds as the Sixers lost their third in a row and for the fourth time in five games. The Hawks built an 11-point lead with approximately six minutes remaining before the Sixers charged back and closed within 108-104 with less than three minutes left. Atlanta closed the game with a 9-3 run that included five points by Johnson, who shot 14 for 16 from the line.

The 76ers said Embiid experienced soreness in his shin while participating in a right knee injury management programme over the break. After consulting with doctors, Embiid has received daily treatment,

Sports helped shape Jesse Jackson’s career and inspired the ex-quarterback to fight for equal rights

By CLIFF BRUNT

AP Sports Writer

THE Rev. Jesse Jackson stood mesmerised on the baseline, intently watching the Chicago Bulls warm up before an NBA playoff game against the Indiana Pacers.

He was comfortable and at ease in an atmosphere that clearly offered a familiar environment for the civil rights leader.

Jackson, who died on Tuesday at age 84, was an athlete from a young age, and throughout his life he immersed himself in the world of sports — as a player, as a fan and as an advocate. He accepted a football scholarship at Illinois, then transferred to historically Black North Carolina A&T after a year. He was a quarterback on the Aggies team that won a conference title in 1964 and was inducted into A&T's athletic Hall of Fame 20 years later.

“What is not a wellknown fact is that Rev. Jackson, first of all, he was a football player,” said CK Hoffler, Jackson’s attorney for 38 years. “He himself, as a former athlete, understood the plight of athletes.”

While Jackson was in his element at that Bulls-Pacers game back in 2011, he couldn't just blend in. Standing near professional basketball players, he had a 6-foot-3 presence that loomed largest of all. He even cast a shadow over Bulls star Derrick Rose — the league MVP that season and fellow Chicago icon whom he made the trip to Indianapolis to support.

His sports experiences fuelled a deep passion for ensuring that athletes like Rose were given equal opportunities and treatment, regardless of race, gender, sport or native country.

“He’s always been an advocate of greater inclusion, whether it was fair pay and other things for athletes throughout the country and throughout the world,” Hoffler said. “Athletes from overseas, ensuring that they got a fair shake as well. That was part of what (he) felt was fair. That was part of his social justice.”

Jackson’s advocacy knew no boundaries. At times that meant taking bold, public stands. At others, that meant enduring tough negotiations behind closed doors.

“The Harlem Globetrotters, they had their own cartoon," Hoffler said. "They did a lot of community building, and they were just iconic in and of themselves. But they had no insurance. They had no benefits. And Rev. Jackson, upon hearing that, took it upon himself to negotiate their benefits.”

Len Elmore, who played 10 seasons in the NBA and is a senior lecturer at Columbia University, said there is a strong connective tissue between Jackson’s sports roots and how it threaded through his advocacy for equality and social justice in all areas of society.

Over the years, Elmore witnessed firsthand how Jackson didn’t shy away from pushing for change at all levels, including in Major League Baseball, the NFL and NBA.

“He certainly had a vision and in trying to achieve that vision he was very forward and aggressive in stating what the world should be like,” said Elmore, who lectures on athlete activism and social justice in sports.

“He also was very critical of the timing of some of the actions that didn’t come fast enough or they weren’t capable enough.

"His understanding of the world and what it should be,

what it should look like was amazing. And his leadership in trying to get there was something that inspired a lot of us.”

Elmore, who had a sports agency in the early to mid1990s, said one of his most prized possessions is an award he received from the sports arm of Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH organisation for its efforts to increase Black sports agent representation. Jackson also championed minority coaches.

Elmore remembers just how much Jackson pushed Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney to adopt what became the NFL’s Rooney Rule in 2003.

That rule, aimed at addressing the low number of minority head coaches, originally required every team with a head coaching vacancy to interview at least one or more diverse candidates before making a hire.

Jackson, Elmore said, “wanted folks to have a piece of the pie. He wanted

that pie to have diverse overtones.”

But Jackson also didn’t shy away from being critical of the Rooney Rule's lack of effectiveness. After Brian Flores sued the NFL for racial discrimination, Jackson called for tweaks in a 2022 USA Today editorial in which he called the rule a “toothless tiger.”

“You recognise change and the type of change that he envisioned. It wasn’t just a dream, it was active,” Elmore said. “Whether it

was either influencing to some extent Harry Edwards in the '60s, the Rooney Rule, the Nike boycott (demanding more Black employees) in 1990 — he wanted athletes to recognise their platform and the legacy they possess. Not just in the field, but in the boardroom. ... That is what Jesse Jackson envisioned and what he was about.” Hoffler said Jackson loved all sports and identified with the athletes who fought for equality. Though he was a football player, he had a special love for basketball.

In recent years, he made appearances at NBA All-Star Weekend to specifically attend the HBCU Classic game showcasing underrepresented college players.

He could be seen on the sideline at basketball games well into his 70s and 80s.

“Even when he was physically not able to walk," Hoffler said, "he was still at some of those games in a wheelchair. That’s how much he was committed to the plight of athletes.”

Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka and join West Indies in finishing T20 World Cup group stage unbeaten

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka

(AP) — Brian Bennett finished what captain Sikandar Raza started as Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka by six wickets to head into the T20 World Cup Super Eights unbeaten yesterday.

Zimbabwe topped a Group B including former champions Sri Lanka and Australia.

Zimbabwe will meet the West Indies in their Super Eights opener in Mumbai on Monday. Sri Lanka will host England in Pallekele on Saturday.

West Indies also completed the group stage undefeated after dismissing Italy for 123 and winning by 42 runs in Kolkata.

Ibrahim Zadran missed out on claiming Afghanistan’s first men’s T20 World Cup century, finishing 95 not out as Canada was beaten by 82 runs in Chennai. Both teams had already failed to advance.

Bennett still unbeaten Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka had already booked their Super Eights spots after both dominated Australia, and still entertained. Sri Lanka opted to bat first and notched 178-7 and Zimbabwe overhauled it with 182-4 and three balls to spare. “I don’t think anyone gave us a chance

(of reaching the Super Eights),” captain Raza said. “To win everyone’s hearts and respect, it is a good position to be in. If we can win two out of three games who knows what can happen. Everyone loves an underdog story.”

Zimbabwe was behind the chase for most of the game until Raza hit four sixes and two boundaries in 45 off 26 balls to catch up with the asking rate. When Raza and Tashinga Musekiwa fell to leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha in the 19th over, Sri Lanka supporters suddenly had new hope.

But Tony Munyonga hit a six to start the last over and Bennett’s eighth boundary finished off Zimbabwe’s third win over Sri Lanka in the last five months.

Opening batter Bennett anchored the chase and was unbeaten on 63 off 48. He still hasn’t been dismissed in the World Cup after scoring 48 against Oman and 64 against Australia.

Sri Lanka’s total was held up again by Pathum Nissanka, who backed up his unbeaten 100 against Australia with 62 off 41 including eight boundaries.

ZIMBABWE’s Brian Bennett plays a shot during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Matthew Forde, and pacer

Shamar Joseph limited Italy in the middle and death overs with 4-30. Joseph also took four catches.

Hope kept the West Indies from floundering, opening the batting and hitting four sixes and six boundaries until he was bowled by Crishan Kalugamage in the 16th over.

In the Super Eights, the West Indies will face 2024 champion India, 2024 runner-up South Africa, and Zimbabwe, which knocked out Australia.

“We’ll have to find ways to be more forceful when the crunch time comes,” Hope said.

“We have batting depth but we need to be smart. Need to be clinical with strokeplay. Need to capitalise on deliveries. (We’re) in good shape going into the Super Eights.”

important for all associate nations to be funded and well looked after, which is tough. If we keep getting support from the ICC, if we get more cricket, we’ll get more competitive. Lack of games have hurt us (but) the more we play the higher are the chances to close out games like this.”

Zadran 5 runs short

Zadran said he wasn’t disappointed to miss out on scoring Afghanistan’s first century in a men’s T20 World Cup.

Zadran’s seventh boundary finished Afghanistan’s innings on 200-4 and stranded him on a T20 career-best 95 not out from 56 balls.

Dropped on 54, he still achieved Afghanistan’s highest World Cup score, including five sixes.

“We need to be more confident in the field. I felt that is what we lacked today,” Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka said. “Hopefully we come with a better attitude the next time.”

West Indies has Hope Italy and the West Indies struggled on what appeared

Pavan Rathnayake hit two sixes and three boundaries in a 25-ball 44 to help Sri Lanka to a competitive total.

to be a good batting pitch at Eden Gardens.

West Indies captain Shai Hope starred with 75 off 46 balls, his second straight World Cup half-century, and the next best score was Ben Manenti’s 26 for Italy.

West Indies defended a sub-par 165. Italy lost three wickets in the powerplay thanks to medium-pacer

Italy finished its maiden World Cup appearance with plaudits after stunning Nepal and losing to England narrowly, Scotland and the West Indies. Captain Harry Manenti said he was proud of their ability to stay in the fight.

“We haven’t played the perfect game despite showing promise in moments,” Manenti said. “It’s

THE WEATHER REPORT

“To be honest, it (the century) wasn’t in my mind,” Zadran said, “but we had a discussion before the game, in the circle. Rashid (Khan, captain) said we don’t have a T20 World Cup hundred, do your best, you can get one.”

Canada was limited to 118-8, off-spinner Mohammad Nabi taking an outstanding 4-7 off four overs, his career best at age 41.

MARINE FORECAST

Bonnie Basden passes away at her House of Hoops and Dreams

Desmond Sands.

She was the mother of one biological son, Anthony Basden, who resides in Florida and an adopted son, Darnell Basden, but she has raised even more young boys who stayed at her home as they played for Sunland Baptist.

“Bonnie had a pure heart and she was driven to help others,” said the flamboyant ‘The Kid’ Sands, who joins other surviving siblings, including Desmond, twins Catherine and Christine, along with Yvonne, Heather, Adrienne and Michelle.

“She had a very competitive spirit. She was a fierce competitor. When she was playing, she used to call herself “the Kid” sister as she reminded people that she was my little sister.”

Sands said her death was unexpected because she had just visited the doctor on Wednesday and got an “ok.” “It hit us all very hard,” Sands said. Last year, she received a government honour on Heroes Day and then she was inducted into the Grand Bahama Hall of Fame, joining Sands, who was in the first class of the Grand Bahama Hall of Fame, followed by the Bahamas Hall of Fame and he also received one of the national honours from the government.

“I’m going to miss her dearly. That was my heartstring,” concluded Sands, whose only wish was that he was still playing when she was so they could represent The Bahamas on the international scene.

Veteran women’s basketball coach Anthony Swaby

said his relationship with Basden got started when he was teaching at St Vincent in Grand Bahama and extended to the women’s national team when he coached it in the 1980s and she was one of the guards that won a silver at CARICOM.

“Me and Basil were close because he and my brother, Patrick, played on St Augustine’s College championship team in 1972 against Jordan Prince Williams, so we were always close to the family,” Swaby said.

“But her leadership and dedication was exceptional. Whatever she put her mind to, she did it. Just look at what she did with Sunland Baptist school. She was the driving force behind their success.”

Philippe, who is in town for double duties, firstly

as the coach for the Stingers and secondly, but more importantly to run for the Free National Movement for his own constituency of Bain and Grants Town, said Basden will be remembered

as a trendsetter in sports for women.

“She was coaching basketball, which was male dominated.

“But she made a remarkable achievement in getting

so many young men, including myself, to play for her,” Philippe said. Whatever happens from here, Philippe said it will be dedicated to the memory of the late Bonnie Basden.