03132026 SPORTS

Rhema Collins:

‘I

had

a

lot I wanted to prove’

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

RHEMA Collins, the newly minted 2025-2026 Conference USA Player of the Year, turned in another credible performance to help the Florida International University Panthers win their quarterfinal game in the 2026 Air National Guard CUSA Women's Basketball Championships.

CUSa Player of the year turns in another credible performance to help FIU Panthers win

Collins, the talented Bahamian guard who transferred from the Ole Miss University Rebels last season, made her contribution as the No.2 ranked Panthers knocked off the No.7 Jacksonville State Gamecocks 76-66 on Wednesday in Huntsville, Alabama, to advance to their first CUSA semifinals since the 2013-2014 season. In her first game since winning the CUSA on March 9, Collins made her contribution with nine points.  In a pre-tournament interview, Collins, who plays alongside fellow Bahamian point guard Denika

Lightbourne, said all of her achievements came as a result of her hard work.

“I definitely couldn’t do it by myself though my teammates and coaches were also a huge part of this," she said. "My focus this season wasn’t on necessarily accolades. I just know I had a lot I wanted to prove."

In her first season with the Panthers, Collins was

awarded the CUSA Newcomer of the Year and was placed on the All-Conference USA First Team and CUSA All-Defensive Team. She also earned three Player of the Week honours. The 21-year-old daughter of Angela and Steve Collins noted that while her accolades were nice, her focus wasn't on getting the

individual accolades, but to do whatever was necessary for the Panthers to win.

"Our regular season was historic for FIU, setting a programme record for most wins in conference and finishing the two seed which is FIU’s highest since joining C-USA," Collins added.

"Going into this tournament I’m just looking forward to going into the last stretches of the season with my teammates to win the championship."

The Panthers are now 0-10 overall and 12-6 in CUSA. The team will be back in action tonight when they play either the No.3 seed Middle Tennessee or No.6 Missouri State at 9pm.

Luke Grimes and Chemari Pratt emerge as overall champions of national high school golf

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Queen’s College Comets captured just one of three divisional titles at the National High School Golf Championships, but

they celebrated the dual male and female overall championship feats.

While Luke Grimes emerged as the boys’ champion with his scores of 28-29-57, Chemari Pratt clinched the girls’ crown with her score of

30-26-56 during the end of last week's championships at the Bahamas Golf Federation's Nine-Hole Driving Range at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.  It was the first time that one school clinched the two titles since the inception

of the tournament by the BGF's Junior Division and the Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy in 2012.

Grimes, a 17-year-old 12th grader, said it was good to mount the top of the podium in his final year of eligibility after falling

short as the runner-up for the past two years.

"I felt like the difference this year was the extra work I put in to get over the hump and win after so long," said Grimes, who has been playing golf for the past five years, four of which at the nationals.

"I am proud of my performance and my focus this year. I am also very proud of the team. Everyone worked very hard and helped to make my last high school nationals special."

Pratt, also a 12th grader, has been playing golf for the past 10 years and, after winning the junior girls’ title in 2021, she wanted to make sure that she left Queen's College with a bang.

"I felt that my performance this year was surreal. I sunk every putt that I needed for par and the putt that I made for birdie that put me under par for that round," she stated.

"Luke and I had a plan to win for our last year because that would just

be amazing to win in our last year and we did it. The support from my team and coaches really made it easier for me to perform as well as I did."

Not only was she thrilled by the feats from herself and Grimes, the 16-yearold Pratt said she was even more thrilled by the efforts of her Comets' team-mates.

"I am really proud of my team and the work that they put in surely paid off," Pratt stressed.

Despite their performance, Queen's College had to settle for second place in both the senior boys’ and girls’ team standings behind Windsor School, who also won the junior boys’ title.

Queen's College won the junior girls’ title to ruin Windsor School's bid to repeat their dominance of last year's tournament, winning all four divisions. Sandre Hobbs, the athletic director at Queen's

Minister Moxey opens Northern Bahamas Regional High School Track and Field Championships

MINISTER for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey etched a piece of Grand Bahamian history into the books when she became the first Grand Bahama minister to officially open the first Regional High School Track and Field Championships at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex. The High School Regionals, which

Luke and Chemari emerge as national high school golf overall champions

College, said Grimes and Pratt showed a lot of determination in winning their divisional crowns.

“Both Chemari and Luke had fallen short in previous years of winning titles,” she said. “Finishing on the podium just shy of first. They encouraged and rooted for each other and were great leaders for the entire QC golf team.”

Hobbs said Grimes’ father Valentino Grimes Jr served as a coach of the team and he was extremely proud of his son’s performance as well as Pratt, the daughter of pro golfer and coach Marcus Pratt.

“I am elated and extremely proud of Luke Grimes and Chemari Pratt for their outstanding accomplishments at the National High School Golf Championships,” he said.

“Winning individual titles at the tournament speaks volumes about their skill, focus and dedication. These two young players demonstrated consistency under pressure, strategic thinking on the course, and mental toughness.”

Grimes said it was a commendable feat for Queen’s College to have both the top male and female individual winners.

“It sets a high standard for future competitions and I am sure that Luke and Chemari’s accomplishments will inspire our younger players,” he said.  “Watching them excel at this level fills me with joy and excitement for all that lies ahead. Congratulations Luke and Chemari.”

While Queen’s College won the junior girls’ division, they placed fifth in the junior boys. They also participated in the primary division where their lower primary girls were third and the lower primary boys and both the upper primary girls and boys were all fourth.

Grimes and Pratt will be back this weekend as they join the list of high school golfers as they compete in the BGF’s Junior Nationals on Saturday and Sunday at the Ocean Club on Paradise Island.

For Pratt, who had the lowest score in the tournament, she is hoping that she can duplicate the feat at the Nationals as she looks forward to having another great performance.

“After that, in August, I will be going off to school to play golf,” said Pratt, who opted not to disclose where she intends to enrol for college. “However the best is yet to come.”

LUKE Grimes, right, and Chemari Pratt, of QC, celebrate wih their medals. The Queen’s College Comets captured just one of three divisional titles at the National High School Golf Championships, but they celebrated the dual male and female overall championship feats. While Grimes emerged as the boys’ champion, Pratt clinched the girls’ crown during the end of last week’s championships at the Bahamas Golf Federation’s Nine-Hole Driving Range at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. It was the first time that one school clinched the two titles since the inception of the tournament by the BGF’s Junior Division and the Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy in 2012.

was developed by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, featured high schools from throughout the Northern Bahamas, inclusive of Grand Bahama, Bimini and Abaco, competing in a wide range of disciplines, including track, long jump, high jump and discus.

In opening the event, Minister Moxey noted that the high school regionals was an opportunity for high school athletes to showcase not only athletic excellence, but also discipline, teamwork and school pride.

“We know that it is a vital platform for youth development and provides an opportunity for our young athletes to demonstrate their talents and dedication on a competitive stage,” said Mrs Moxey.

“Grand Bahama is home of events and entertainment.  And it is also a home where we have been encouraging an increase in national and international sporting events, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.

“I want to encourage you student athletes to reach for the gold, continue your pursuits with excellence, and to let each of you know that win, lose or draw, you are all winners.

“And now, it is my honour to declare the Northern Bahamas High School Regional Track and Field Championships officially opened.”

MARINE FORECAST

‘Bring the Energy Day’

THE Island Youth Basketball League (IYBL), presented by Oak Tree Medical Center, continued its exciting early season during Week 5 of play at the Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium, with participation continuing to climb.

The league now features over 95 boys and girls rostered across five divisions ranging from K4 through grade 9, creating a positive environment where young athletes can learn the game, develop confidence and enjoy structured basketball.

Week 5 also featured “Bring A Girl to IYBL Day” in celebration of International Women’s Day. Girls from across the community were invited to join

Island Youth Basketball League builds momentum as participation grows to over 95

the sessions free of charge, many stepping onto the basketball court for the first time.

The initiative was a strong success, adding new energy to the gym throughout the day.

“I love seeing the gym full of kids learning the game and having fun,” said Jurelle Mullings, IYBL founder and director. “Basketball gave many of us great opportunities growing up, and we want to make sure the next generation has that same chance. Every week

we’re learning, refining the programme, and making it better. And we’re looking forward to eventually bringing this opportunity to the Family Islands.”

League play continues this Saturday with Week 6 action on March 14, which will feature “Bring the Energy Day.”

IYBL players are encouraged to invite a special guest to participate in their division session and experience the programme.

The league will observe a bye week on March 21,

before returning for the IYBL Winter League Playoffs and Championships on March 28.

Families and community members are encouraged to come out to the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium and enjoy a safe, family-friendly atmosphere where kids can play, grow and thrive.

Registration for the IYBL Spring League, which runs April 18 through June 6, opens March 18 and remains open until divisions are filled.

Come one, come all!

Powerade provides products at 42nd Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic

CARIBBEAN Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of CocaCola and Dasani products, sponsored and provided hydration during the annual Hugh Campbell Basketball Tournament.

Presenting sponsor, Powerade, kept athletes and spectators refreshed throughout the highly anticipated competition. With a variety of flavours such as Lemon Lime, Mountain Berry, Fruit Punch and Grape, consumers had their pickings to choose from.

Jazmin Darling, assistant marketing manager for Caribbean Bottling Company, shared the company’s motive for supporting on a larger scale this year.

“The Hugh Campbell Basketball Tournament has been a staple in the community for years. While we have always supported, we wanted to increase our sponsorship this year. Giving back to the youth and community is a key

pillar in our mission statement and we wanted to ensure that our impact was felt,” she said.

In addition to providing products, CBC also offered attendees exclusive Powerade promotional items to mark the tournament.

Resistance bands, tee shirts, pens and branded wristlets, to name a few, were fan favourites during the competition.

Powerade brand representatives distributed the various promotional items while also providing insightful details on Powerade’s health benefits. With the successful completion of this year’s competition, CBC looks forward to continuing its relationship with the Hugh Campbell Basketball Tournament.

For more information on Caribbean Bottling Company’s philanthropic work, new products and exciting giveaways, visit www.cbcbahamas.com today.

Fuelling Performance: How athletes should calculate their carbohydrate needs

By DR KENT L BAZARD Sports Medicine Physician

ONE of the most common questions athletes ask is surprisingly simple: How much should I be eating? More specifically, many athletes want to know how much carbohydrate they need to properly fuel training and recovery. Unfortunately, the answer is not as simple as a single number. The amount of carbohydrate an athlete requires depends on body weight, training volume, and the intensity of the sport.

Carbohydrates remain the primary fuel source for most athletic activity, particularly sports that involve repeated bursts of speed, power, and sustained effort.

When athletes consume carbohydrates, the body converts them into glucose, which is then stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen. Glycogen serves as the body’s readily available energy reserve during exercise.

When these stores are depleted, fatigue quickly follows. Anyone who has experienced the feeling of

“hitting the wall” during training has likely run into the limits of glycogen availability. For this reason, sports nutrition specialists often calculate carbohydrate intake based on an athlete’s body weight rather than relying strictly on percentages of total calories. This approach allows nutrition plans to scale more accurately with the physical demands placed on the athlete.

Under normal training conditions, an athlete typically requires between three and five grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight each day. This range generally applies to lighter training days, recovery sessions, or athletes participating in sports with lower energy demands. As training volume increases, so too does the need for carbohydrate intake. Moderate training loads often require approximately five to seven grams per kilogram of body weight, while athletes undergoing intense daily training sessions may require six to ten grams per kilogram.

Endurance athletes preparing for particularly demanding training blocks can require even higher amounts.

Consider a practical example. A seventy-kilogram athlete engaged in moderate daily training may require roughly six grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight. That calculation results in approximately 420 grams of carbohydrates per day. While that number may appear high to some readers, it reflects the significant

energy demands placed on athletes during regular training.

Timing also plays an important role in carbohydrate intake. Athletes should begin fuelling before training begins. Consuming carbohydrates one to three hours before exercise helps ensure that glycogen stores are adequately topped off.

During longer training sessions, particularly those exceeding 60 to 90 minutes, additional carbohydrate intake may be necessary to maintainblood glucose levels and sustain performance. Sports drinks, fruit, and other easily digested sources of carbohydrate are commonly used during these periods.

Recovery nutrition is equally important. Following exercise, the body enters a period in which it is particularly efficient at replenishing glycogen stores and repairing muscle tissue.

During this recovery window, athletes are generally advised to consume approximately one to 1.2 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight, often alongside a moderate

amount of protein to assist with muscle repair. This combination helps accelerate recovery and prepares the body for the next training session. In sports medicine and performance training, we often refer to the recovery process using what I call the “Four F’s”: refuel, repair, rehydrate, and revitalise. Refuelling restores depleted glycogen stores. Repair provides the building blocks necessary for muscle adaptation. Rehydration replaces fluids and electrolytes lost through sweat. Revitalisation supports the immune and hormonal systems that allow the athlete to continue training consistently. Athletes who consistently under-fuel place themselves at risk for fatigue, decreased performance, and increased injury rates. In recent years, sports medicine research has highlighted the risks associated with chronic low energy availability, a condition that can impair recovery, disrupt hormone function, and ultimately reduce athletic performance. For young athletes

in particular, proper nutrition is not simply about performance but also about healthy growth and development. Adolescents who are simultaneously growing, attending school, and training multiple days per week place tremendous demands on their bodies. Adequate nutrition becomes essential for maintaining both health and performance.

The takeaway is straightforward: training hard requires fuelling intelligently. Athletes who learn to match their nutrition to their workload gain a significant advantage over those who neglect this aspect of preparation. In many cases, the difference between plateauing and improving is not found in training harder, but in recovering smarter.

Understanding how to properly calculate carbohydrate needs is one of the most practical steps an athlete can take toward improving performance. When training is supported by proper nutrition, the body can adapt, recover, and perform at its highest potential.

NFL free agency: Panthers, Patriots, 49ers, Jets and Rams are early winners

By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer

WINNING free agency doesn’t guarantee success.

It’s still a good start.

NFL teams have committed billions of dollars in free agency, hoping the players they’ve added can help them win a Super Bowl. Some of the more aggressive teams — the Raiders and Titans — would be happy if new players just make them more competitive after futile seasons. There have been several surprises, including a voided blockbuster trade that sent star edge rusher Maxx Crosby back to the Raiders. Here’s some early winners and losers:

WINNERS: Carolina

Panthers

The NFC South champion Panthers added edge rusher Jaelan Phillips ($120 million) and linebacker Devin Lloyd ($45 million), two of the best players available at their positions. Phillips and Lloyd join interior lineman Derrick Brown and cornerback Jaycee Horn to give Carolina top players at each level on defence.

The Panthers lost defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson, running back Rico Dowdle and center Cade Mays.

WINNERS: San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers snagged sixtime Pro Bowl receiver Mike Evans from Tampa Bay on a three-year deal that could be worth $60.4 million but only includes $16.3 million guaranteed over one year, according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the details weren't public. San Francisco also acquired defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa from Dallas for a third-round pick; added swing tackle Vederian Lowe and centre Brett Toth; and re-signed tight end Jake

Tonges and kicker Eddy Piniero. The 32-year-old Evans can still be an elite player in coach Kyle Shanahan’s system, giving Brock Purdy a top target. The Niners lost wideout Kendrick Bourne.

WINNERS: New England Patriots An excellent offseason last year helped the Patriots win 10 more games and reach the Super Bowl. They’ve followed up with another strong spending spree, adding wideout Romeo Doubs ($70 million), guard Alijah Vera-Tucker ($42 million), Pro Bowl safety Kevin Byard ($9 million), edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones ($39.5 million), fullback Reggie Gilliam, tight end Julian Hill, safety Mike

Brown and linebacker K.J. Britt.

They traded centre Garrett Bradbury and lost defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga, tight end Austin Hooper and safety Jaylinn Hawkins.

WINNERS: New York Jets Geno Smith is back in New York and the Jets strengthened their defence by acquiring veteran safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and defensive lineman T’Vondre Sweat in other trades and signing twotime Pro Bowl linebacker Demario Davis and edge rusher Joseph Ossai ($34.5 million). They also signed defensive tackle David Onyemata, edge Kingsley Enagbare, safety Dane Belton and cornerback

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Nashon Wright, giving Aaron Glenn several new players to bolster the defence. Left guard Dylan Parham fills a vacancy on the offensive line and backup tackle Max Mitchell returns.

The Jets lost linebacker Quincy Williams, guards Vera-Tucker and John Simpson and kicker Nick Folk.

WINNERS: Los Angeles Rams

After trading for cornerback Trent McDuffie, the Rams signed cornerback Jaylen Watson and re-signed safety Kam Curl to further boost the secondary. Tight end Tyler Higbee returns to provide depth and long snapper Joe Cardona arrives to help on special teams.

LOSERS: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

They lost Evans not over money but because he wanted a new challenge and views the 49ers as closer to winning.

The defence lost a pair of starters in cornerback Jamel Dean and defensive lineman Logan Hall.

The Buccaneers signed Robinson to improve the defensive line, linebacker Alex Anzalone, running back Kenneth Gainwell and backup quarterback Jake Browning.

LOSERS: Philadelphia Eagles

The two-time defending NFC East champions make this list because they lost three starters on defence: Phillips, linebacker Nakobe Dean, safety Reed Blankenship.

The Eagles signed cornerback Riq Woolen and tight end Johnny Mundt

and re-signed tight end Grant Calcaterra.

They gave defensive tackle Jordan Davis a contract extension and have to extend several young stars on a defence that dominated Kansas City in the Super Bowl two years ago. Philadelphia can’t pay everyone. And general manager Howie Roseman always finds a way to compensate for losing talented players.

LOSERS: Jacksonville Jaguars

The AFC South champions lost Lloyd, running back Travis Etienne and cornerback Greg Newsome. They’ve signed backup running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. And they retained cornerback Montaric Brown and linebacker Dennis Gardeck.