SPORTS SECTION E
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2025
NBA Mock, Page 6
Junior baseball nationals set for GB By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
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fter hosting a successful Andre Rodgers Senior National Baseball Championships, the Bahamas Baseball Association is eager to return to Grand Bahama for the Grand Bahama Port Authority -sponsored junior nationals this weekend. BBA secretary general Theodore “Teddy” Sweeting said the nationals, scheduled for the Emera Baseball Complex, will showcase competition in the Coach Pitch division of the 8-and-under, 10-under, 12-under and 14-under. Freedom Farm was awarded the championship titles in all four divisions after they were leading before the rain came and cancelled the rest of play.
“We are very grateful to have the Grand Bahama Port Authority come back and sponsor the championships as they have historically done in the past,” Sweeting said. “They are ensuring that we will have another successful tournament in the four divisions being contested. “Last year, we awarded the four titles to Freedom Farm because of the rain. They were leading in each division up to the showers of blessings.” Games will be played from Thursday and will be completed on Sunday when the champions are crowned. If it rains again, Sweeting said they will “pray” and look at the team standings to determine the winners. “It’s going to be very exciting,” Sweeting said. “This is going to be the largest nationals that we will have with the return
THEODORE SWEETING of Long Island, Andros and Abaco, which will feature the north and central, which is headed by Troy Feaste, whose team did extremely well in the 26U nationals. “It will be very interesting to watch the Family Island teams play against the big horses like Freedom Farm and JBLN, as well as the teams from Grand Bhama, including Grand Bahama Amateur Baseball Association, the Grand Bahama
Little League and Legacy Baseball League.” While the visiting teams will make their way to Grand Bahama on Thursday, games will start at 4pm and continue on Friday at 8am. The opening ceremonies are scheduled for 7pm on Friday. Games resume on Saturday at 9am as teams jockey for the playoffs that will be played on Sunday when the eventual champions will be decided. “This is going to be an exciting time for these young players,” Sweeting said. A total of eight teams will be participating in the 12U division, six in the 14U and five each in the 10U and 8U divisions. “Many of the young men who now play in the professional ranks have all played in the nationals,” Sweeting said. “So the nationals are extremely important to our development of the sport.
“So this gives our aspiring college and pro players the opportunity to play against each other and the success of the nationals is what we see unfolding right in front of our eyes with more players getting the opportunity to play college and pro baseball.” The best way for the players to develop their skills is for them to compete and so having the Family Island teams come in to play against the teams from New Providence and Grand Bahama will grow their level of competition. “So we are happy with where we are. We have a new vibrant young president in CJ McKenzie, who has come on board and has taken the bull by the horn to move baseball forward and make sure our kids have all of the opportunities in the world to play baseball,” Sweeting explained.
Jonquel returns, produces double double in 86-81 win over Dream BLTA CROWNS AID NATIONAL CHAMPIONS – PAGE 7
NEW YORK (AP) — Sabrina Ionescu had her second consecutive 34-point game, and the New York Liberty rallied from a 17-point deficit in the second half to edge the Atlanta Dream 86-81 last night. The Liberty trailed 62-47 midway through the third quarter before taking over behind Ionescu’s 15 points and Breanna Stewart’s 11. Stewart finished with 23 points. The game marked the end of the Commissioner’s Cup games.
Both teams entered with 3-1 records, tied with Indiana. Atlanta would have advanced to the final with a win but Indiana, which beat Connecticut 88-71, had the tiebreaker over the Liberty thanks to the Fever handing New York its first loss of the season on Saturday. Jonquel Jones, returning to the court last night after nursing an ankle injury, had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Liberty (10-1).
Rookie Te-Hina Paopao led the Dream (8-4) with 16 points, all in the first half. Allisha Gray added 14 points and Brionna Jones and Rhyne Howard both had 13. Paopao hit six of seven shots, with four 3s, to help the Dream take a 43-40 lead at the break. The Dream were hot to start the second half, hitting their first seven shots and racing to a 64-47 lead, the largest deficit of the season for New York. Then the Liberty closed on a
Minister Bowleg makes an appearance during the Basketball Smiles camp By Jonathan Burrows DAY two of the Basketball Smiles camp brought both energy and inspiration as campers were provided with intense skill development sessions, along with an appearance by the Minister of Youth, Sports, and Culture Mario Bowleg. The day kicked off yesterday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium where the female group engaged in high-tempo drills focused on ball movement and defensive footwork. Coaches emphasised communication and hustle, while players rotated through the indoor and outdoor courts, encountering drills that challenged both fundamentals and fitness. The mid-day intermission allowed campers from the morning session to take a break as their session came to a close while being provided with light refreshments. At this time, campers for the second session began to gather at the gym as they prepared themselves for the afternoon session. The highlight of the day came during the
13-4 run to get within eight after three quarters. The Liberty’s previous largest deficit was 16 on Saturday when they lost to Indiana. Natasha Cloud’s threepoint play with 3:56 to play tied the game at 76. The teams traded threes before Stewart made the go-ahead layup and added another on the next possession to make it 83-79. Both were set up by offensive rebounds. Liberty play Mercury on Thursday night.
SANDILANDS PUSH-A-THON SLATED FOR JULY 5: ‘THE WHEELS ARE IN MOTION’ By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net THE wheels are in motion for the continuation of the biggest push, run and walk event to be staged in The Bahamas by the Public Hospitals Authority on Saturday, July 5. Now into its 14th year under the initial leadership of Dr Indira Grimes, the Push-A-Thon has grown by leaps and bounds, according to Dr Kezia Rolle, the chairperson for this year’s event. “We are trying to secure medical supplies for the geriatric ward at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Center, so we’re asking for people to come out and support this worthy cause,” Rolle said. Under the theme: “Keep Pushing Forward,” this year’s Push-A-Thon will be under the patronage of Leslie Miller, a former Member of Parliament and an advocate for healthy lifestyles. The aim, according to Rolle, is to attract at least 500 persons from all sectors of life, including those who want to team up and form groups. The largest group registered will receive a special prize. Participants can register online at www. pushathon242.com and pay online via the Cash ‘n’ Go app or via any Cash ‘n’ Go location or at the accounts department at Sandilands Rehabilitation Center. Persons can also print off a registration form hard copy and drop off at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Center. The deadline for pre-registration online is July 3 and pre-registration in person is July 4 at a cost
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BAHAMAS TO HOST GROUNDBREAKING WRESTLING EVENT THE Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation has announced that The Bahamas will host a groundbreaking wrestling event this summer, with WWE Hall of Famer and “The World’s Strongest Man” Mark Henry and his organisation. All Caribbean Wrestling will bring the first-ever WWE ID match to the Caribbean. This landmark event is expected to attract
a new segment of tourists and bolster sports tourism in The Bahamas. The WWE ID programme is WWE’s global talent initiative designed to identify and recruit promising talent from around the world into future WWE superstars. If a non-WWE ID wrestler wins, they will automatically earn a WWE ID contract, opening the
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THE SPORTS June CALENDAR
MINISTER of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg interacts with the youngsters yesterday on day two of the Basketball Smiles camp at Kendal Isaacs Gym. Photo: Jonathan Burrows afternoon session with the male group, when Bowleg addressed the campers. Drawing from
his experience as a coach before becoming a minister, Bowleg spoke about keeping passion alive, how
the game of basketball can change lives, and how
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MARVIN HENFIELD BASKETBALL CAMP THE Marvin Henfield Basketball Summer Basketball Camp is scheduled to run from June 23 to July 11 for players aged 6-17 years old. The camp will be held in the gym in the back of the old CocaCola headquarters, now Love 97, on Thompson
Boulevard. There is limited space. To register, persons can visit www/ marvinjhenfield.com or contact Henfield at 828-2353. BASKETBALL BOWLES ELITE SKILLS CAMP THE International Basketball Association is set to hold the 12th annual Denykco Bowles Elite Skills Basketball
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