SPORTS SECTION E
Monday, April 13, 2026
‘VJ’ EDGECOMBE - E6
Top athletes shine By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
THE weekend was loaded with a number of outstanding performances from Bahamian elite and collegiate athletes at various meets around the United States. Olympic and world 100m hurdler Charisma Taylor showed her versatility as she moved up to the women's 400 metre hurdles where she won the race at the Tennessee Invitational in a time of 57.89 seconds. Her nearest rival was Zanri Black who did 59.73 for second place. Also at the meet at the Tom Black Track at the LaPorte Stadium in Volunteer Boulevard in Knoxville, Tennessee, Jonathan Harris of Middle Tennessee State was 18th overall in the 100m in 10.57. The freshman was also 39th in the 200m in 21.70.
AMARI PRATT
JONATHAN HARRIS
CHARISMA TAYLOR
SAMALIE FARRINGTON
LACARTHEA COOPER
JEHIEL SMIKLE
BRANDON HUTCHINSON
CALEA JACKSON
CARLOS BROWN
QUINTON ELLIS
ANDREW STYLES
DEMETRIUS ROLLE
Styles and Pratt triumphant Grand Bahamian Andrew Styles and Amari Pratt chalked up victories
for the University of Akron at the Northeast Ohio Open at the Lee R. Jackson Track and Field Complex. Styles, a junior, captured the
men's 100m title in 10.64 with his team-mate, Rennie Gittens Jr, another junior, coming in second in 10.81. Pratt, also a junior, clocked
a lifetime best of 12.16 for her win in the women's century. Her sophomore team-mate Marilyn Moore was second in 12.27.
Rolle won as well At the South Florida Invitational in Tampa,
ATHLETES - SEE Page E4
King’s Baton Relay on its journey By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net IN preparation for its journey to Glasgow, Scotland, for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, the Bahamas Olympic Committee and the British High Commission teamed up to stage the King’s Baton Relay. Held in observance of the games staged every four years, the baton relay served as the official lead up to Glasgow where this year's games will be staged from July 23 to August 2. It was originally scheduled for Australia but after they opted out, Glasgow took it on and will be having 10 disciplines. The Bahamas will be entered in four of them, including athletics, aquatics, judo and boxing. Roy Colebrook, another vice president of
the BOC, will be the chef de mission. On Friday, the baton relay left Bonefish National Park and with 10 different exchanges, including a stop at St Ambrose Church for a special blessing from Reverend Scott Braynen before it ended up in Rawson Square. On its arrival after an 8-mile traverse through the streets, a brief ceremony was held where D'Arcy Rahming, one of the vice presidents of the BOC, highlighted the success of The Bahamas at the games. "I am happy to say that The Bahamas has done well in our sporting accomplishments,” he said. "We have won 10 gold (medals) in the Commonwealth Games and 11 in the Commonwealth Youth Games." He mentioned Karra Hanna, who won The Bahamas' first gold medal
BRITISH High Commissioner Mrs Smita Rossetti passes on the King’s Baton. in judo at the Commonwealth Youth Games and will be one of two Bahamians competing in Scotland with Xavion Johnson, along with coach Willard Rahming. Rahming, the president of the Bahamas Judo Federation, said while The Bahamas enjoys being first, they don't want to be first in adult obesity in the Americas.
"It is estimated that 45 per cent of Bahamian adults are obese. It is also estimated that one out of every seven Bahamians is living with diabetes," he said. "We do not want to be leaders in these things, and in many instances, they are avoidable." To help get the message across to the nation, the BOC engaged the services
‘Buddy’ closes regular season with game-high 31 points By JONATHAN BURROWS Tribune Sports Reporter jburrows@ tribunemedia.net CHAVANO “Buddy” Hield closed the regular season with his most productive performance of the year, delivering a game-high 31 points in the Atlanta Hawks’ 143-117 loss to the Miami Heat yesterday. Hield came off the bench and produced 31 points in just 21 minutes, shooting 66 per cent from the field and 63 per cent from the threepoint line, an extremely high-efficiency scoring output that stood out even in a lopsided loss. His scoring came primarily from perimeter shooting, where he knocked down seven three-pointers from well beyond the arc, along with finishing plays inside and in transition. He also added three rebounds and three assists. Despite playing limited minutes due to Atlanta resting key players ahead of the postseason, Hield maintained a high usage rate whenever he was on the floor. He consistently created spacing, worked off
ball screens and capitalised on defensive breakdowns. This performance marked a strong finish to a season that was defined by transition and role adjustment. Hield began the 202526 season with the Golden State Warriors, where he appeared in 44 games and averaged 8.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists. His role there fluctuated within a deep rotation, often coming off the bench as a perimeter shooting specialist. Early in that stint, he showed flashes of scoring ability, including multiple high-scoring games built around his three-point shooting, but consistency and minutes varied. During that period, Hield emphasised staying focused within a changing role, noting: “This is a good stepping stone… but you can only celebrate so long,” reflecting his approach to adapting within a competitive roster. The shift ultimately came midseason when he was moved to the Atlanta Hawks, a change that provided a different structure and opportunity. In Atlanta, Hield’s role remained primarily off
HAWKS Hawks head coach Quin Snyder, right, talks to guard Buddy Hield after having a technical foul call on him against the Magic on April 1, in Orlando, Florida. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski) the bench, but he was utilised as a situational scorer and spacing option within the third string unit. His production was more dependent on game flow and lineup combinations, but his value still remained tied to perimeter efficiency and shot-making. Across the full season, Hield’s numbers reflected that adjustment. His scoring output dipped compared to earlier years of his career. Prior to this performance, Hield only produced five total points in six games played for Atlanta. Atlanta finished the regular season with a 46-35 record, securing a postseason position in the Eastern Conference. The
team approached the final stretch with a clear focus on health, with head coach Quin Snyder stating: “The focus for us is to get into the postseason healthy,” a decision that directly influenced rotations in the finale. Heading into the postseason, Atlanta will rely on depth and shooting as key components of its rotation. Hield’s role is expected to remain as a third string scoring option off the bench, capable of changing the pace of a game with his perimeter shooting. If his final performance is any indication, he remains a capable offensive weapon who can deliver in short bursts.
of IFBB Figure Pro and certified personal trainer, Dekel Quant, who took the participants on hand through a few workout sessions. "It was a lot of fun. The idea and concept behind it was to encourage people to keep moving and stay active, even if you're not an Olympic level athlete or you're going to represent the country, it's still important to stay physically fit," Quant said. "So I'm always happy to be a part of anything that's encouraging people how to do it. We didn't use my equipment today, but we were able to get our heart rate elevated and had some fun doing it." In 24 weeks, Quant is expected to represent The Bahamas as the first female competitor to compete in the Ms Olympia from
September 24-27 where she will be one of 16 competitors entered in the figure competition. Among those on hand were the British High Commissioner Mrs Smita Rossetti who not only participated in the Baton Relay run during the rowing segment as a coxswain, but also did the exercise routines by Quant. "We're here today to welcome the Bahamas' King's baton, which is making its way over 70 countries and territories of the Commonwealth that will come together this summer in Glasgow, Scotland," she said. "We have some representation of The Bahamas team for judo, who will be representing your beautiful country and who I believe will be coming back with
RELAY - SEE Page E4
Giants take 2-1 lead By JONATHAN BURROWS Tribune Sports Reporter jburrows@ tribunemedia.net THE Commonwealth Bank Giants moved one step closer to the NPBA Division I championship with a 101-84 win over the Caribbean Moonshine Rockets in game three of the best-of-five series at the AF Adderley Gymnasium. The victory gives the Giants a 2-1 lead in the series heading into game four, set for today at the AF Adderley Gymnasium, where they will have the opportunity to close out the title. Eugene Bain led the Giants with 18 points, shooting 5-of-14 from the field (35.7 per cent), including 4-of-9 from three-point range (44.4 per cent), and 4-of-5 from the free throw line (80 per cent). He added six rebounds and three assists in a steady two-way performance. Jeffrey Henfield followed with 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting (50 per cent), including 1-of-2 from beyond the arc, and 1-of-2 from the free throw line. He also contributed three rebounds, four assists and three steals as the Giants shot 48.2 per cent from the field (35-of-81) and
converted 8-of-25 from three-point range. For the Rockets, Devon Ferguson delivered a dominant performance with a game-high 34 points. He shot 13-of-18 from the field (72.2 per cent), 3-of-4 from three-point range (75 per cent), and 8-of-9 from the free throw line (88.9 per cent), adding four rebounds and three assists. Leon Bain provided the second scoring option with 16 points on 5-of-15 shooting (33.3 per cent), including 3-of-6 from three-point range (50 per cent), and 3-of-4 from the free throw line (75 per cent). He also controlled the glass with a game-high 13 rebounds. Abel Joseph added 14 points, but the Rockets struggled to find consistent offensive support outside of their top contributors. The Giants outscored the Rockets 32-15 in points off turnovers and 21-5 in fast break points. The Giants also dominated bench production 40-4 and matched the Rockets 44-44 in points in the paint. The Giants built the largest lead of 19 points and used a 10-0 run during the second half to take firm control of the game. Despite Ferguson’s efficiency, the
NPBA - SEE Page E4