SPORTS SECTION E
TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2025
CARIFTA team named
JUDOKA XAVION JOHNSON SECURES BRONZE By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
GO TEAM BAHAMAS! - The 78-member CARIFTA Games team, shown above, was announced yesterday in the foyer of the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium. By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
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ith 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
Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium. 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.”
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Boxers win two gold medals By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
‘BUDDY’ SCORES 20 IN LOSS TO ROCKETS – SEE PAGE E5
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
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 with the goal to gold, but he noted that he was not
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TEAM Bahamas relaxing at Sugar Bert Golden Gloves Boxing Tournament in Atlanta, Georgia. 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
families to get their passports and visas to make the trip,” Knowles said. “From the time they got here, I felt they were all
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NCAA, Page 4
FREDRICK KING EXPECTED TO PLAY MORE PIVOTAL ROLE WITH MURRAY STATE RACERS By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net AFTER playing sparingly 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
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
THE SPORTS April CALENDAR 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. The registration is $20 for adults and $10
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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, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks, proving his ability to dominate the paint and protect the rim.
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