SPORTS SECTION E
TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2025
‘Buddy’ excited over VJ’s chances in the NBA Draft By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
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ith the National Basketball Association’s 2025 Draft all set to take place tomorrow, Bahamian Chavano “Buddy” Hield said he’s excited to see what happens with fellow Bahamian Valdez “VJ” Edgecombe. Edgecombe, a 19-yearold native of Bimini who just completed his freshman year with the Baylor Bears, is expected to be one of the top five picks during the draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Hield, at 32, is one of three Bahamian born players currently in the NBA. But during his summer basketball camp at George Town Park in Exuma, Hield said Edgecombe is the next best prospect The Bahamas has to offer. “He’s come a long way, but I think he’s the best prospect that The Bahamas
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has had since Deandre Ayton,” Hield said. “He’s a wonderful talent, but he’s also a great kid. “I’m just happy for him, I’m just happy for his family, happy for The Bahamas. I think there’s only so many years I can play basketball, but he’s the next one who is going to help propel us to the next level.” Edgecombe, a guard, is currently pegged as the number four pick in the draft, but could go up as high as No.3. The top pick is expected to be Cooper Flagg, a forward from Duke, followed by guards Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, both from Rutgers. At No.5 is Tre Johnson, a guard from Texas. Going into the draft, Edgecombe is considered the most explosive player who complements his considerable upside as a playmaker defensively with an evolving perimeter skill level and feel for the game. But how he operates on and off the ball at Baylor with his ball-handling and ability to play with pace and make shots off the dribble, are listed as areas of concern. If he goes at No.3, he could land in Philadelphia where the 76ers could use his skills next to Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr in the backcourt. The fourth pick belongs to the Charlotte Hornets. The top two picks go to the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs. Ayton, 26, was the last Bahamian lottery pick, going as the first overall pick in the class of 2018 with the Phoenix Suns out of Arizona. The following year in 2019, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team and in 2021, he helped the Suns to get to their first NBA Finals
and 5th in the Regional Jumping Challenge, but saw some outstanding individual placings in both competitions, notably from Quinn O’Brien, riding Erika Adderley’s Vivawell, who took 1st place in the Mini Jumping Challenge Height Class B (0.60m) and was named the overall 2024-2025 CEA MJC High Score Rider. In the Dressage Challenges, 126 riders from different Caribbean countries rode tests at different levels according to their ability. All tests were judged by FEI Level 3 dressage judge Omar Zayrik of Mexico, who travelled to each
SERENA SALIS FIFTH OVERALL IN THE MASTERS’ DIVISION By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
BAYLOR guard VJ Edgecombe drives the ball to the basket in an NCAA college basketball game against TCU on Sunday, January 19, 2025, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Jerry Larson) appearance since 1993. They eventually lost to the Milwaukee Bucks. But on September 27, 2023, Ayton was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers alongside Jrue Holiday as part of a three-team trade that sent Damian Lillard to the Bucks and Grayson Allen, Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little and Keon Johnson to Phoenix. Ayton was only the second Bahamian to be drafted as the No.1 pick. The first was Mychal “Sweet Bells” Thompson, who broke the barrier as the first foreign born player to be selected No.1 by the Trail Blazers out of Minnesota. After eight seasons there, he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in 1987 and finally made his final home with the Los Angeles Lakers in a trade in 1987 where he went on to win two NBA titles back-toback in 1987 and 1988. Thompson, 70, now serves as a colour commentator for the Lakers. But he has been joined by
his son, American born Klay Thompson, who won three NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors, one of just five father-son duos to achieve that feat. Hield, now in his second season with the Warriors after playing for the New Orleans Pelicans (20162017), Sacramento Kings (2017-2022), Indiana Pacers (2022-2024) and the 76ers (2024), is playing in the NBA with Ayton and Kai Jones, who is with the Mavericks. Hield, a native of Grand Bahama who was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2017 and won the NBA three-point shooting contest during the 2020 NBA All-Star Classic, said the future looks bright for The Bahamas to develop more Bahamian players. “VJ is the next one and after that, there will be more after him,” Hield said. “So we’re just hoping he can inspire more to follow in his footsteps. “But I feel like he’s the one that is going to make it to the top.”
O’Brien, Souza take top placings in the Caribbean Equestrian Challenges BAHAMAS equestrians featured prominently in the final standings of the 2024-2025 Caribbean Equestrian Association (CEA) Jumping and Dressage Challenges, with two riders – Quinn O’Brien and Gabriela Souza – taking top honours in their respective categories. Eight of the 11 member countries of the CEA participated in the different Challenges, which are contested at different levels in the equestrian disciplines of show jumping and dressage. At the end of the season the results from each country are compared and individually ranked, with the top three riders from each category of competition named towards the country’s team. In the Show Jumping Challenges, a total of 170 riders competed over the same courses of obstacles (this year created by FEI course designer Tatiana Kholodniakova of Russia) at different height levels. The CEA Jumping Challenges were judged by FEI Level 1 jumper judge Heidi Mello. The Bahamas team placed 4th in the Mini Jumping Challenge
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GABRIELA SOUZA, at left, riding Erika Adderley’s Casino Royale achieved the highest score in the CEA Mini Dressage Challenge Introductory Test C. country to ensure a conIntroductory Test A sistency of judging in the (Kennedy Albury – 2nd competition. place; Kaitlyn Russell – 4th Despite this being only place; Emery Dunn – 5th the second year of compet- place; Poppy Denning ing in the CEA Dressage – 6th place; Meadow DinChallenges, The Bahamas nick – 10th place) put on a strong perforIntroductory Test B (Isla mance. The Children’s Whylly – 7th place) Mini Dressage Challenge Introductory Test C Team placed second over- (Gabriela Souza – 1st all, while Gabriela Souza place; Sennen Fitzmauriding Erika Adderley’s rice – 2nd place; Hannah Casino Royale was the Knowles – 5th place; overall winner of the Marlo Pinder – 6th place; Introductory Test C com- Ella Saidi – 10th place) petition, scoring 69.500%. Training Level 1 Test Several other Baha- (Sennen Fitzmaurice – 2nd mian riders posted place; Katerinal Coello – notable Dressage scores, 3rd place; Kelsey Pyfrom placing them in the top 10 – 9th place) of their respective categoTraining Level 3 Test ries across the region, as (Lorrinda Maura – 2nd follows: place)
In addition to Thompdon winning his two titles, The Bahamas also watched as Rick Fox clinched three titles with the “Showtime” Lakers from 2000-2002 after he was traded from the Boston Celtics in 1997. He was drafted by the Celtics with the 24th pick in the first round of the 1991 draft. Eleuthera native Dexter Cambridge also played in the NBA with the Mavericks in 1993 out of Texas and Ian Lockhart from Tennessee played with the Suns in 1990. Eric Gordon, who has played with The Bahamas men’s national basketball team, is the other in the NBA. He is listed as of Bahamian descent. Hield, who played with Gordon, Ayton and Edgecombe in The Bahamas’ bid to qualify for the Olympic Games last year, said he will be heading to New York on Wednesday to support Edgecombe in his latest venture to become the next Bahamian to play in the NBA.
SERENA Salis knew sooner or later she would win her first international medal as a bodybuilder, based on the vast improvement that she’s been making in the sport. After settling for a top 10 spot last year, Salis returned to the stage on Saturday at the NPC BodyBE1 Classic Pro/Am in Alabama where she emerged as the fifth place finisher in the masters’ division. In her first show for the year at the IFBB Pro Division, Salis said she was proud of the achievement she made training only for the past six months under her new coach, Jason “Jay Shred” Johnson. Salis, a customer service representative at the Lyford Cay Spa and a personal physical trainer, said she is grateful to Gatestone, an international company that has sponsored her for the year. “We started training in January. But I wasn’t sure that I would compete in the meet until I got the sponsor,” said the 41-year-old Salis, a native of Italy. “When the sponsorship came through, we worked on getting ready for the show. “This was my first time competing in the masters and so I was very happy to get fifth place. When you change coaches, sometimes it takes a while for you to see the progress. But I think ‘Jay Shred’ and I worked very well to get ready for the show.” When her name was called for the top five, Salis said she was shocked.
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FREEDOM FARM WINS THREE OF FOUR TITLES AT JUNIOR NATIONALS THE Bahamas Baseball Association concluded its 2025 Grand Bahama Port Authority Junior Nationals at the Emera field in Grand Bahama on Sunday. The tournament was dominated by Freedom Farm, who returned to New Providence with three of the four titles in the 8-andunder, 10-and-under and 12-and-under divisions. The only one to stay in Grand Bahama was the 14-and under, won by
the Grand Bahama Little League over the Junior Baseball League of Nassau. Freedom Farm ended up in third place. Freedom Farm carted off the 8-and under crown over the GBLL with Legacy out of Grand Bahama finishing third. Freedom Farm claimed the 10-and-under title over GBLL as well with Legacy placing third.
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THE SPORTS June CALENDAR NPSA ACTION THE New Providence Softball Association is scheduled to resume its regular season action this week in the Bankers Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex with the following games on tap: Tuesday 7pm - Cyber Tech Lady Marlins vs Reloaded Players 9pm - Gremlins vs Renegades
Thursday 7pm - Bowe vs Reloaded Players 9pm - Ballers vs Platinum Pool Sharks Saturday 7pm - Cyber Tech Lady Marlins vs Bowe 9pm - Renegades vs Titans NPBA ACTION THE New Providence Baseball Association is all set to resume its
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