SPORTS SECTION E
Tuesday, July 14, 2026
WORLD CUP - PAGE 4
FIBA Women’s AmeriCup 2027 Centrobasket Qualifiers
Bahamas defeats Nicaragua 73-67 Ladies’ national basketball team IN another nail-bit- in win column at FIBA AmeriCup ing encounter, The Bahamas pulled off a 73-67 2027 Centrobasket Qualifiers win over Nicaragua last By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
night to push their win-loss record to 1-1 at the FIBA Women's AmeriCup 2027 Centrobasket Qualifiers. The Bahamas, coming off a 72-69 loss to the Dominican Republic in their opening game on Sunday, made sure that they didn't have another collapse in the fourth quarter at the Polideportivo Alexis Argüello in Managua, Nicaragua. Nicaragua made it a close game, outscoring The Bahamas 17-16 ih the final period. But their comeback was a little too late as
The Bahamas was able to seal the deal. Head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, assisted by Donillo “Donnie” Culmer, Jaraun 'Kino' Burrows and Diasti Delancy, said the team just needed to take care of the ball down the stretch and they did. “I think the team did a good job. They learned from the last game,” she said. “We felt like we liked that one game (against the Dominican Republic). It was our win. So they were
intentional in correcting the things that they didn’t do. We only had four days of training camp, so we can only grow as we go. What you saw tonight was just growth from our last game,” said McPhee-McCuin. Lashann Higgs came up big with a game high 25 points, four steals, three assists and a pair of rebounds. Valerie Nesbitt had 21 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists
SEE FIBA, Page 2
LET’S GO TO WORK: Head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin cheers on Team Bahamas last night as they beat Nicaragua 73-67 last night in the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup 2027 Centrobasket Qualifiers.
Wanya McCoy signs pro contract with Adidas By JONATHAN BURROWS Tribune Sports Reporter jburrows@ tribunemedia.net
All America honours, an NCAA team championship and an Olympic berth while steadily establishing himself among The Bahamas’ fastest sprinters. The announcement did not come as a surprise to those who have followed his journey. Just weeks earlier, McCoy reflected on his time in college in a social media post thanking Clemson and Florida for helping shape both his career and his life. “If you had told me five years ago that I would be a D1 track athlete I’d probably laugh in your face, but who knew that I would ever make it to this stage,” McCoy wrote. He also looked back on a career that included four ACC championships, ACC Freshman of the Year honours, ACC MVP recognition, an SEC title, four SEC runner up finishes, 14
WANYA McCoy has reached another milestone in his athletics career after announcing that he has signed a professional contract with Adidas Running, becoming the latest Bahamian sprinter to earn the backing of one of the sport’s biggest brands. McCoy revealed the signing on his Instagram page with the caption “Next Chapter /// Life,” bringing the curtain down on a collegiate career that saw him develop into one of the NCAA’s top sprinters while competing for Clemson University and the University of Florida. The signing comes after five years in which he collected conference titles,
WANYA MCCOY All-America honours and an NCAA team championship before adding, “College was a great experience and extremely rewarding. Now it’s time to get into some real fun.” For McCoy, the road to professional athletics started far from the bright lights of the NCAA. Originally from Bullock’s
Harbour in the Berry Islands, he spent much of his childhood playing basketball. After moving to New Providence, he attended Doris Johnson High School, where basketball remained his primary sport. His athletic ability eventually caught the attention of coaches, and after transferring to Queen’s College he began focusing on track under coach Everette Fraser and the Fast Forward Track Club. It proved to be a decision that changed the direction of his career. McCoy accepted a scholarship to Clemson University in 2021 and made an immediate impact. Representing The Bahamas that summer at the NACAC Under 23 Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, he swept the 200 metres, 400 metres and the 4 x 100 metre relay, giving The Bahamas three gold
medals and introducing himself as one of the Caribbean’s rising sprint talents. His development continued over the next three seasons with the Tigers. Competing in one of the nation’s strongest conferences, McCoy developed into a versatile sprinter capable of competing from the 100 metres through the 400 metres. He earned ACC Freshman of the Year honours, was named ACC Indoor Track MVP and helped Clemson win multiple conference relay championships. By the end of his Clemson career, he had won four ACC titles and established himself as one of the conference’s premier sprinters. After the 2023 season, McCoy entered the transfer portal looking for another challenge. He chose the University of Florida, joining
legendary coach Mike Holloway’s programme, one that has produced Olympic champions, world champions and numerous professional sprinters. While changing schools is never easy, McCoy later admitted he believed the move would help him reach another level. “It was a whole new environment, new coaches and you didn’t know how you would do,” McCoy said last year. “But I had the faith and confidence that I would be able to do it. I think I made the right choice. I made the choice of my life.” The decision paid off almost immediately. During the 2024 indoor season, McCoy captured the SEC 200 metre title in 20.29 seconds and finished second in the 60 metres in 6.63. He later earned First
SEE CAREER, Page 4
Miller to serve as a Jazae and Jahcario take the spotlight technical director at Central American & Caribbean Games
JAHCARIO Wilson became the fourth fastest U18 110m hurdler ever, while Jazae Johnson produced a pair of medals to highlight The Bahamas' performance at the North, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) U23 and U18 Championships. Held at the Una Nueva Historia track in Apizaco, Mexico, which is located 2,380 metres above sea level, was conducive to producing fast times and strong jumps, though excessive wind made many of the top performances ineligible for personal bests or championships records. Thankfully for Wilson, the wind settled to a perfect 2.0m/s during the time of the boys’ U18 110m hurdles final. He stormed from the blocks and cruised to victory in 12.94, two tenths of a second faster than his previous best. The time places him fourth on the World U18 all-time list and is just 0.07 shy of Sasha Zhoya’s World U18 best. Born on the last day of 2009, Wilson has succeeded in both sprint and long hurdles, winning silver in the 110m and finishing fourth in the
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
JAHCARIO Wilson and Jazae Johnson, top, with the medals they won at the 2026 North, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) U23 and U18 Championships. one-lap event at the CARIFTA Games in April. At only 15 years old, Bahamian prodigy Jazae Johnson cruised to an 11.42 victory in the girls’ 100m. A long and triple jump champion at this
year’s CARIFTA Games, she added the long jump silver in Apizaco with a PB of 6.13m, finishing behind Jamaica’s Zavien Bernard (6.21m). Bernard also won the U18 triple jump (12.73m).
The Bahamas finished third at the championships with 20 medals, including nine gold, nine silver and two bronze. Mexico and Jamaica took the top two spots.
WHILE there is a large contingent going to represent The Bahamas at the Central American and Caribbean Games, Wellington Miller will be in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, as a technical director. The former Bahamas Olympic Committee president Miller will be leaving on Wednesday for his special duties at the games that will take place from July 24 to August 8. "Even though we have done all of the walkthroughs making sure everything is in order, they want us there 10 days before the games to make sure that everything is set," Miller said. "We have to make sure that all of the facilities and the games village is in tiptop shape before the games start. It's a very important position. I'm glad that I was invited to come back and serve in that capacity." This is not Miller's first rodeo, having served in that
WELLINGTON MILLER capacity at the last games in El Salvador. He also served as a technical director for three Commonwealth Games. As the only Bahamian to fulfil the role in two of the four games that falls under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee, the other two being the Pan American and Olympic Games, Miller said he's pleased to work with five sporting disciplines during the games. "It's not a fun position. It's a working
SEE MILLER, Page 4