SPORTS
24, 2025
Swimmers bring home the CARIFTA Challenge Trophy
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
ORT-OF-SPAIN,
PTrinidad – Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis welcomed home the seventh-peat winning team from the 2025 CARIFTA Swimming Championships and noted that he will “wait” for the eighth straight next year.
Davis, along with acting minister of youth, sports and culture, Keith Bell, greeted the 36-member swim team and 12 open water swimmers on their return home last night at the Lynden Pindling Interntional Airport.
The team, managed by Celestial Darville and coached by Travano McPhee, Jasmine Gibson and Allan Murray, pulled off another victory with 979 points and a total of 74 medals, including 27 gold, 23 silver and 24 bronze
over the four days of competition.
Stating that the team made “us proud,” Davis said he’s privileged he is the Prime Minister of the country when the young people are showing the world how unique The Bahamas is.
“When you think about who we are as a people, we are about 400,000 people as a nation in a world where there are eight billion plus,” he said.
“That makes us unique. That makes us special. Out of all them other eight billion, look at how precious we are. We are special and you carry that specialty of the Bahamian spirit when you jump into that pool, when you stroke that water or kick that water.”
Using Olympian Murray as an example, as a former swimmer now coaching, Davis said when “you get something out of something, let’s give back to that something that made us who we are.”
As he reflected on the Bahamas Aquatics’ successive plan, Davis congratulated president Algernon Cargill and his executives, the coaches and the parents of the swimmers for getting them to their seventh peat as champions and looking forward to its eighth straight.
Bell, filling in for Minister Mario Bowleg who is attending a sports conference in Jamaica, said he’s delighted to welcome the team home as champions with a “truly historic achievement.
“We celebrate much more than medals. We celebrate discipline and sacrifice and national pride, embodied by every swimmer standing in front of me.”
Cargill, in his remarks, said while they have coined the phrase “eighth straight just wait,” said it wouldn’t have been “seven sweet,” if they didn’t have the team
of swimmers assembled in Trinidad & Tobago.
He recognised his executives, many of whom accompanied the team, the management and coaching staff and medical team, but he noted that the trip was not as easy as the swim team made it look.
“We walked into what I called a friendly, hostile environment.
“They were ready for The Bahamas, but nonetheless, the team got the job done,” he said.
Cargill revealed that although they were gracious to be jetted to their destination on the Bahamasair charter, he noted that it cost Bahamas Aquatics about $200,000 and they are encouraging corporate Bahamas to lend their support to complete the financial deficit that they are facing. For some of the swimmers, including the captains, this would be their last CARIFTA Swimming championships and Ayrton
Moncur said there’s no better way to go out than as champions.
Surrounded by the rest of the team captains, Moncur said he was very proud of the team keeping the “seventh peat” alive, along with the management and coaching staff and medical team.
“We got the results that we all wanted,” Moncur said.
He acknowledged fellow captains William Farrington, Caden Wells, Mia Patton, Ellie Gibson, Mia
Patton, Elle Theberge and Tia-Isabella Adderley.
Before he was done, Moncur presented Davis with a t-shirt they wore that displayed their seventh straight championship feat.
As they bid farewell to their CARIFTA journey, Moncur said he hopes the younger swimmers are inspired to keep the winning streak live as The Bahamas continues to dominate in swimming with the “eighth straight can’t wait” next year in Martinique.
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad – The focus at the 2025 CARIFTA Games in Trinidad & Tobago was on competitors from the 78-member team from The Bahamas competing in the sprints, hurdles and field events.
But one of the events that drew less attention was the
combined multiple events where Anliyah Evans came out with a bronze medal in the open girls’ heptathlon.
Combining a total of six events over the final two days of competition at the Hasely Crawford
Stadium on Sunday and Monday, Evans accumulated a total of 4,625 points. Trinidad & Tobago’s Tonique Vincent clinched the gold with 5,053 and Guadeloupe’s Clementine Crias won the bronze with 4,701 points. Evans was one of the four versatile all-round athletes to medal. The other was Kamron Henfield, who won the bronze in the under-17 boys’ octathlon with 4,572 points, followed by Krisoff TRACK YOUTH
PROUD TO BE BAHAMIAN: Swimming captains with the CARIFTA Aquatic
Sailors make splash at 69th National Family Island Regatta in Exuma
A NUMBER of sailors took to the water for the 69th National Family Island Regatta in George Town, Exuma, yesterday. On Wednesday, April 23, The Emeritus Cup race for Class C was won by ‘Sassie Sue.’ And the Ministry of Works’ Class E race was won by ‘Lady Annmarie.’
by Patrick Hanna/BIS
and MVP crystals will be given in each age group and divisional cups will be presented to the clubs.
BASKETBALL
BBF NATIONALS
THE Bahamas Basketball Federation’s Round Robin Tournament is scheduled to begin todayApril 24-26 - at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. It’s expected that teams will be in from Grand Bahama and the various Family Islands to play along with the champions from the New Providence Basketball Association in both the men’s division one and II. The entry fee is $5 for the preliminary games and $10 for the championship games.
RED-LINE YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS
THE fourth annual RedLine Athletics’ Youth Track Classic is all set for the weekend of Saturday, May 3 from 10am to 6pm and Sunday, May 4, from 1-6pm at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.
The categories include under-7 to under-15 in both the boys’ and girls’ divisions. Medals will be awarded to the top three finishers in every event
Interested persons can register at smnbutler@ yahoo.com or redlineathletics242@gmail.com
ROAD TO TOKYO
THE Silver Lightning Track Club is scheduled to hold its annual Track and Field Classic on Saturday, May 10, at the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium, starting at 9am. The event, dubbed the “Road to Tokyo,” will be used as a qualifier for athletes wishing to make Team Bahamas that will compete at the World Championships from September 13-21 in Tokyo, Japan. Interested athletes can contact coach Rupert Gardiner at 8212836 for more information.
SPRING
FLING
INVITATIONAL
THE Fast Track Athletics Club is scheduled to hold its 4th annual Spring Fling at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex May 16-17. The event is open to competitors from throughout The Bahamas. The action is slated to begin at 5pm on Friday, May 16 and at 10am on Saturday, May
16. It promises to provide fast competition, perfect prep for championship season and an unmatched island atmosphere in Grand Bahama. For more information on the meet, persons can email fasttrackmanagement00@ gmail.com
PEACE ON DA STREET FAMILY NIGHT
PLANS are underway for the staging of the Peace on Da Streets’ Basketball Classics’ Road to 30 years of existence. The event, being organised by the Hope Center under the theme “Shooting hoops instead of guns,” will be held from July 14-19 at the Michael ‘Scooter’ Reid Basketball Center. The highlight of the event will be the Family Night, scheduled for Sunday, July 20 at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium when the finals in all of the divisions will take place, starting at 3pm. There will also be the Mr Ship It Three-point shootout and the Joe’s Slam Dunk Contest. The night will conclude with the exciting Clergy versus Politicians match-up. Lots of prizes, including round trip tickets, will be up for grabs.
Photos
YES, Commonwealth Bank Giants clinch berth in the BBF’S National Round Robin Tournament
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor
OH how sweet it is for the Giants organisation. Their Commonwealth Bank division one team and the Your Essential Store have both clinched their berth in the Bahamas Basketball Federation’s National Round Robin Tournament this weekend.
After losing the title last year, Commonwealth Bank returned with vengeance and reclaimed their title over the Caribbean Moonshine Rockets, while the YES secured their fourth straight victory over the Sand Dollar High Flyers.
Both best-of-five series ended on Wednesday night at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, just in time for the start of the BBF’s National Robin that will get underway on Thursday night at the same venue.
However, while YES knocked off the Sand Dollar 100-86 in the opening game on Tuesday night, Commonwealth Bank was awarded a 52-41 decision over the Caribbean Moonshine after the referees called the game because of a couple of ejections with six minutes and one second left in the third quarter. Perry Thompson Sr, manager of both Giants’ teams, said it was a “sweet exciting moment” for their organisation, winning the two titles on the same night.
“Our Commonwealth Bank wanted this championship, more for our former captain Michael ‘Furly’ Bain, who got injured last year,” Thompson Sr said. “So this one was more special for us than anything else.” Commonwealth Bank was coached by Thompson Jr, whom Thompson Sr said is “doing a fantastic job, taking over from me.”
As for YES, coached by Mark Hanna, Thompson Sr said he knew that they were the cream of the crop and they proved it once again
by extending their championship winning streak to four.
“Mark did a wonderful job again preparing the guys and making sure that they stayed the course,” Thompson Sr said. “So we’re very grateful for his leadership.”
For the teams coming to New Providence from Grand Bahama and the Family Islands for the Nationals, Thompson Sr warned them that the Giants will be waiting.
“When we go into any tournament play, our
expectations are to win,” Thompson Sr stated. “That’s our competitive nature. To give it our best, to give it our all. At the end of it, we hope to come out as the champions.”
Joining Commonwealth Bank in the division one lineup are the Crusaders from Abaco and the Dudley Boyz Saints from Grand Bahama.
Along with YES, the other division II teams are the Harbour Island Panthers from Eleuthera, the Net Riders from Abaco, the North & Central Andros
Antic Saints and the South Andros Defenders.
Today 6pm - Defenders vs Nat Riders DII
YES Giants 9pm - Dudley Boyz vs Crusaders D1
Defenders DII
Friday 6pm - Net Riders vs Panthers DII.
Antic Saints DII
Saturday 9am - Net Riders vs Antic Saints DII
Defenders DII
Noon - CB Giants vs Crusaders D1.
Net Riders DII.
Antic Saints DII
YES Giants DII. 9pm - CB Giants vs Dudley Boyz D1
10pm - Division one championship game
YES Giants receiving their division II trophy.
2025 CARIFTA GAMES @ HASELY CRAWFORD STADIUM
Swimmers bring home the
Munroe in fourth place with 4,417. The other competitor was in the open boys’ decathlon where Nathaniel Smith ended up in sixth place with 5,630 points. Evans was ecstatic about the breakdown of her medal-winning performance.
“On the first, I was very proud of myself because I PRed (personal best performance) in the majority of my events, but on the second day, it wasn’t God’s plan,” Evans said.
“I was really disappointed in my long jump and for the javelin, it was very disappointing as well. And then in the 800, IU just ran as best as I could.”
Going into the final event, Evans said there was about 200 points that separated her from winning the gold and so she gave it her all down the last 200m. However, after falling across the finish line in total exhaustion, Evans fell short of getting the gold or the silver medal.
“I feel very happy that I would be coming back to the Bahamas with a medal,” she stressed. “It wasn’t what I expected, I expected the gold because last year I got the bronze, but I fell short. Last year is my last year for CARIFTA, so hopefully I can get the gold.”
The 17-year-old 12th grader at Bishop Michael Eldon High in Grand Bahama was inspired from the start to the finish to get back on the medal podium to add to the bronze she collected a year ago.
In her seven events spilt over two days, Evans ran the 100m hurdles in 14.35 seconds for 929 points. She cleared 5-feet, 5 3/4-inches or 1.67 metres in the high jump (771 pts); shot put with a heave of 32-10 1/2,
or 10.02m (531 pts) and ran the 200m in 26.38 (2,995 pts).
And on the final day on Monday, Evans soared 17-4 1/4, or 5.29m in the long jump (640 pts); threw the javelin 75-1, or 22.90m (343 pts) and completed the package in the 800m in 2:33.72 (647 pts).
Reflecting on her performance, Evans said because she has very weak muscles, she has to work on her throws as she demonstrated that she’s not a “weakling.”
Henfield, in producing his bronze, ran the 100m in 11.16 (825 pts), long jump with 6.06m, or 19-10 3/4 (600 pts), shot put with 9.21m (438) and 400m in 51.71 (737 pts) after Saturday’s first day. He came back on the final day on
Sunday and did the 110m hurdles in 15.62 (776 pts); high jump with 1.57m, or 5-1 3/4 (441 pts); javelin with 32.91m, or 107-11 (340 pts) and the 1,500m in 5:26.93 (415 pts).
Munroe, on the other hand, opened with 11.62 in the 100m (728 pts); 20-10, or 6.35m in long jump (664 pts); threw 29-1 3/4, or 8.88m in the shot put (419 pts); ran the 400m in 52.14 (719 pts); 110m hurdles in 16.66 (660 pts); cleared high jump with 1.72m (560 pts); threw the javelin with 76-5, or 23.30m (206 pts) and ran the 1,500m in 5:17.95(461 pts).
Smith, competing in the under-20 boys’ division, went through ten grueling events over two days of
competition on Saturday and Sunday. In its introduction to the games for the first time in in Trinidad & Tobago, Smith began day one running 11.80m in the 100m (691 pts); cleared 19-8 1/4, or 6.00m in the long jump (587 pts); threw 38-7 3/4 or 11.78m in the shot put (593 pts); leapt 5-4 1/2 or 1.64m in the high jump (496 pts) and ran 52.72 in the 400m (651 pts).
And on the final day on Sunday, he did 16.64 in (662 pts); threw 94-10, or 28.91m in the discus (443); cleared 11-7 3/4, or 3.55m in the pole vault (496 pts); threw 110-11, or 33.82m in the javelin (353 pts) and completed the event by running 4:42.10 in the 1,500m (667 pts).
Trinidad – Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis welcomed home the
Swimming Championships and noted that he will “wait” for the eighth straight next year.
Photos by Chappell Whyms Jr
CARIFTA Challenge Trophy set for next year in Martinique
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad – Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, along with acting minister of youth, sports and culture, Keith Bell, greeted the 36-member swim team and 12 open water swimmers on their return home last night at the Lynden Pindling Interntional Airport. The team, managed by Celestial Darville and coached by Travano McPhee, Jasmine Gibson and Allan Murray, pulled off another victory with 979 points and a total of 74 medals, including 27 gold, 23 silver and 24 bronze over the four days of competition.
Photos by Chappell Whyms Jr
2025 CARIFTA GAMES @ HASELY CRAWFORD STADIUM
Pole vaulters are making a name for themselves
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor
PORT-OF-SPAIN,
Trini-
dad – One of the fastest growing disciplines at the CARIFTA level is the pole vault and it was evident by the continued success of Team Bahamas in Port-ofSpain, Trinidad & Tobago, over the Easter holiday weekend.
A pair of the 16 gold medals came from the discipline with Kenny Moxey Jr and Jade Ferguson. Moxey Jr. kept The Bahamas’ winning streak going in the open boys’ pole vault with his leap of 4.30m, while Ferguson won the open girls’ event with a clearance of 3.10m for a new games’ record.
Moxey Jr, a versatile multi-competitor now in his freshman year at the University of Mary in North Dakota, said he could not have done it without the support of his college coach and his dad Kenny Moxey Sr. “Honestly, the competition was rough,” said Moxey Jr, who juggled his time on Sunday competing in the discus as well. “I didn’t have the best shake out.
“But I put all my faith in God and he pulled me through once again.”
After watching Brandon Vanderpool follow in the footsteps of his father, Brent Vanderpool,
as he emerged as a threetime champion and CARIFTA and national record breaker, Moxey Jr said he was glad to keep the tradition going.
“I just wanted to come here and show up and show out,” said Moxey Jr. Moxey Sr, a former pole vaulter and a multiple athlete in the decathlon, was a member of Team Bahamas’ coaching staff in Trinidad & Tobago. He said he was really impressed with the
performances of the pole vaulters and feels there’s a lot more room for improvement.
“These athletes just have to trust the process and believe their coaches to get them to where they need to be,” Moxey Sr said.
Having had more than 30 years competing in the sport, Moxey Sr said he’s glad to be able to give back to the future stars to continue to carry on the mantle in the sport. “I’m happy to be able to develop
these young ladies and young men as best as I can and allow them to experience some of the things that I would have seen and to help them to get off to college and to better themselves,” Moxey Sr said. With a pair of gold medals from the pole vaulters at the games, Moxey Sr said he’s confident that it will inspire more local athletes to venture into the sport instead of going for the more glamorous events like the sprints, hurdles and
throwing competition. “I have four girls in my club now and a lot more athletes have expressed an interest in joining because they see it as a way out,” Moxey Sr said. “I won’t say it’s easier, but a lot of people are finding it easier than the 100, 200 or 400 metres to help better themselves, make the national team and to go off to school.”
Just before the COVID19 pandemic struck, Moxey Sr had formed the Panthers Track Club with his
wife, Samantha Moxey, to help improve the performance of his son, Moxey Jr and their daughter Samiah Moxey, whom he considers to be a future star in the making. “It’s always good to see your son take up the mantle and carry it further than you took it,” Moxey Sr said. “He’s a lot better than I was at his age. I guess that could be contributed to me being his coach and trying to guide him in the right direction.
“I’m happy that he has chosen to be a multi-athlete and a pole vaulter because “I can live my life through him” and there’s no better way than to see the achievement he has made.”
For the second year in a row, Moxey Sr got to be a part of Moxey Jr’s accomplishment when he won his first medal in the under-20 boys’ division as a newcomer in the octathlon and now this year to watch as he soared to the top in the pole vault.
“It proves that with the multis and the pole vault, we are doing a lot of good things and we just have to continue to work hard to get these kids to where they need to be,” Moxey Sr summed up.
With God’s help, Moxey Sr said they have persevered this far and he’s looking forward to even bigger and better things in the future for the multi-athletes and pole vaulters.
KAWHI LEONARD AND THE CLIPPERS HOST NICOLA JOKIC AND NUGGETS IN 1ST PLAYOFF GAME AT NEW INTUIT DOME
INGLEWOOD, Calif.
(AP) — Steve Ballmer is about to realise his longheld dream of the Los Angeles Clippers hosting playoff games in their own arena.
Eleven years after buying the once laughingstock franchise, the 69-yearold billionaire is getting the last laugh. Led by a healthy Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers résumé their first-round series in Game 3 (tonight) Thursday at the new Intuit Dome against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. “I think it’s the best basketball you can watch,” Jokic said of the closely contested series that’s tied 1-1.
The arena will host next year’s All-Star weekend and be the basketball venue for the 2028 Olympics.
While the Clippers were opening the playoffs in Denver, their fans watched on a giant video board at the plaza outside Intuit Dome.
Fans attending tonight will find a towel and
JAYLEN BROWN SCORES 36 AS CELTICS BEAT MAGIC 109-100 WITHOUT JAYSON TATUM
By KYLE HIGHTOWER
AP Sports Writer
BOSTON (AP) — As it became evident that AllStar Jayson Tatum would have to sit out Game 2 of the Celtics’ first-round playoff series against the Orlando Magic, Jaylen Brown wanted Boston coach Joe Mazzulla to know something.
“He came in saying he was going to do everything it takes to win,” Mazzulla said. Brown came through on that promise. And his teammates followed his lead.
Brown had 36 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, Kristaps Porzingis returned to the game after getting a bloody gash to the forehead and finished with 20 points, and the Celtics beat the Magic 109-100 on Wednesday night.
Boston took a 2-0 series lead while playing without Tatum, who has a bone bruise in his right wrist and missed a playoff game for the first time in his career. Boston led by 15 points in the second half, then held off a late push by Orlando. The Celtics hit 12 3-pointers and went 25 of 33 from the free-throw line. Derrick White and Brown had 17 of Boston’s
28 points in the final period; White finished with 17. “He was leading us on both ends,” Porzingis said of Brown. “He was being JB.”
“You just trust that mindset, really the warrior mentality that he has,” Mazzulla said. “He can take it to another level mentally and physically.”
Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 32 points and nine rebounds. Franz Wagner scored 25 points. Game 3 is Friday night at Orlando.
Tatum had not missed a playoff game in his eight seasons with Boston. He injured his wrist in Game 1 after landing awkwardly following a flagrant foul by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Clad in street clothes, he joined his team prior to tipoff and sat at the end of the bench.
Mazzulla characterised Tatum’s status as day to day. Caldwell-Pope was booed nearly every time he touched the ball in the aftermath of his Game 1 foul on Tatum, which the Celtics’ Al Horford later characterised as excessive.
Tempers flared between Caldwell-Pope and Horford when their feet got tangled up and and sent both crashing to the floor
at the 4:42 mark of the second quarter. Brown then exchanged words with Caldwell-Pope. Referees reviewed the the play and determined it was a common tripping foul on Caldwell-Pope.
Then, late in the third quarter, Porzingis went to the locker room with a gash to his forehead but returned in time to shoot a pair of free throws after taking an elbow from Goga Bitadze. The play was reviewed and upgraded to a flagrant foul on Bitadze
During the review, Porzingis emerged to a loud ovation, with dried blood streaking down the back of his head and a bandage on the centre of his forehead. He re-entered the game and connected on one of his two free throws before exiting again. Porzingis returned to the bench area midway through the period and came back into the game with 7:15 left. He said he got five stitches to close the wound. “I love my WWE moments,” Porzingis said. “We’re not going to get let anybody punk us. We expect teams to do this kind of stuff. ... We’re not surprised. But we’re not going to take it. We’re going to hit them right back.”
noisemaker at their seats and those who arrive 30 minutes early will get a Leonard T-shirt.
“I expect it to be rockin’ in there,” Clippers All-Star James Harden said. So does Nuggets interim coach David Adelman.
“They have the crowd at the end towards our bench. It’s like a high school crowd, which is actually really cool,” he said, referring to The Wall, a 58-row section of Clippers superfans. “That building, it’s very loud whether the crowd is cheering or not, so we have to be prepared for that.”
New York Knicks at Detroit Pistons
When/where to watch: Game 3, 7 p.m. EDT (TNT)
Series: Tied 1-1
BetMGM says: Knicks by 1.5
What to know: The Pistons beat the Knicks on the road 100-94 in Game 2, evening the series and ending the NBA’s longest losing streak in the playoffs at 15 games. Little Caesars Arena, home of the Pistons since 2017, will host its first playoff game on Thursday night.
Detroit’s Cade Cunningham scored 33 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in Game 2 after he had 21 points on 8-of-21 shooting and 12 assists in his postseason debut. Jalen Brunson scored 37 points for the third-seeded Knicks and didn’t get much help from Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby as both were limited to 10 points after each scored 23 points in Game 1. The Pistons led the opener by eight points through three quarters before New York took control with a 21-0 run.
Detroit’s starting centre, Isaiah Stewart, is day-today with a knee injury after playing in Game 1 and missing Monday night’s game.
Oklahoma City Thunder at Memphis Grizzlies
When/where to watch: Game 3, 9:30 p.m. EDT (TNT)
Series: Thunder lead 2-0
BetMGM says: Thunder by 8.5
What to know: Shai
Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will look to move closer to sweeping the Grizzlies in Game 3. Memphis has been swept in the playoffs previously five times, most recently in 2016 by San Antonio. Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t shooting his best at 33% so far, but it’s hardly mattered. The Grizzlies were blown out in the first two games, but they did make it closer — albeit only by 19 points — in Game 2. Still, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault expects the Grizzlies to get a lift playing in front of their home crowd for the first time in the series.
Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Clippers
When/where to watch: Game 3, 10 p.m. EDT (NBA TV)
Series: Tied 1-1
BetMGM says: Clippers by 5.5
What to know: The Clippers tied the series with a four-point win in Game 2, led by Leonard’s 39 points on 15 of 19 shooting and Ivica Zubac’s 17th straight double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. Jokic had a triple-double for the Nuggets. Denver’s Michael Porter Jr. practiced Wednesday and Adelman is hopeful the forward’s sprained left shoulder will allow him to play in Game 3.
Several of the Nuggets players and staff were sickened by a stomach bug earlier in the week that appears to be abating. Little has separated the two teams in the first two games, with Denver taking the opener by two points in overtime. The Clippers’ defence against the Nuggets’ offensive prowess has made for an entertaining matchup.
KENNY Moxey Jr with his CARIFTA gold.
LOS Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives past Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (32) in the second half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series on Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
JADE Ferguson with her gold medal and coach Kenny Moxey Sr.
Queen’s College Comets’ track and field team off to Penn Relays
PENN RELAYS PRESTIGE: The Queen’s College Comets, still celebrating their Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools’ 2025 track and field championship team, left yesterday for the prestigious Penn Relays in Philadelphia. A total of 20 members, led by head coach Everette Fraser and senior students Zion Miller, Jamiah Nabbie, Taysha Stubbs and Annae Mackey, will be competing at the meet this weekend. Miller, Nabbie, Stubbs and Mackey all returned on Tuesday night as medal winners on the Bahamas’ 78-member team that performed exceptionally well at the CARIFTA Games in Trinidad and Tobago this past Easter holiday weekend.
Intriguing Colorado Duo
Ayear afer quarterbacks dominated the top dozen picks, Miami s Cam Ward is the only surefre high pick among premier passers this year Bringing the intrigue into the draf are Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders and two-way star Travis Hunter, who aims to play both cornerback and wide receiver in the NFL like he did in B oulder
Where will Shedeur Sanders land when teams gather in the land of Vince Lombardi to restock their rosters? Tat s the biggest stor yline of the NFL draf in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with mocks all over the map
Bypassing Colorado’s precision passer could lead to deep regrets among talent evaluators, suggested longtime ESPN draf analyst Mel Kiper Jr
Sanders overcame a substandard ground game and at times poor pass protection to throw for 37 touchdowns and more than 4,000 yards last season while completing more than 74% of his throws.
Bypassing on-the-feld workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine and the Big 12 pro day only added to the doubts that suddenly swirled around the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, who dr yly wondered how his son ’ s stock could have slipped when he hasn’t thrown an interception since the Alamo B owl At the conclusion of the year afer 4,000-some yards, all of a sudden his arm is weak, Deion Sanders cracked I don t know when his arm got weak. But he protects the ball He had the highest completion percentage in college football this past year He s the pillar of consistency
But you ve got to understand when that last name is on your back you ’ re going to be attacked and ridiculed But we ’ re built for that. He was raised for this moment ” Kiper concurred saying Shedeur Sanders is accurate, he s precise –everything ever ybody wants. Decisionmaking, accuracy, toughness, he has Now, he’s 6-foot-and-a-half, can’t change that, right? But six-foot-and-a-half is more than good enough now in this day and age ”
Although Cam Ward the consensus pick to go No 1 overall to the Tennessee Titans, arguably brings more electricity to the position, Sanders skillset merits no scofng
He s not creative like Cam He doesn t have the mobility of Cam He doesn’t have the rocket arm of Cam Ward ” Kiper said “But certainly Shedeur in the right ofense with the right personnel around him can be great ” Shedeur Sanders brings some of the same swag that his father, who coached him at Jackson State and Colorado, brought to the football feld in the 1980s and ‘90s when “Coach Prime” was known as “Neon Deion” or “Prime Time ”
Some of that, like his fashy watch pose afer touchdowns, may turn of opposing players and fans – and even some NFL scouts -but it shows a bravado that pro teams want and
need in their quarterback.
Te Cleveland Browns own the second overall pick followed by the New York Giants. Te Browns still need a franchise quarterback and the Giants could select their future signal-caller despite signing free agents Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston this ofseason.
Other wise LSU ofensive lineman Will Campbell and Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter are two blue-chippers worthy of high draf picks. Cleveland would be hard-pressed to pass on Sanders teammate Travis Hunter, the two-way star who not only won the Heisman Trophy but also the Chuck Bednarik award as the college defensive player of the year and the Fred Biletnikof award as the nation s most outstanding wide receiver Hunter aims to play both ofense and defense in the NFL, too, and when asked how he’d respond if the team that drafs him tries to restrict him to one side of the ball, Hunter told CBS Sports,
“It’s never playing football again because I ve been
doing it my whole life and I love being on the football feld I feel like I could dominate on each side of the ball so I really enjoy doing it
Hunter had 96catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns on ofense and 35 tackles, 11 pass breakups, eight forced incompletions and four interceptions on defense while allowing just one touchdown last season when the Bufaloes went 9-4. Hall of Famer Champ Bailey the last true two-way player to come out of college, said Hunter is so dynamic on both sides of the ball that he deser ves the opportunity to line up at both cornerback and wide receiver – if not full-time
“Of course it’s hard ” Bailey said “It’s rare to have corners with length and athleticism and ball skills all wrapped up into one He has that So, any defensive-minded coach is going to say, We want you over here
“But you can’t ignore that he had 1,300 yards this past year Tat’s a signifcant amount of yards to ignore in his production on ofense And the way he twerks his body and breaks tackles you can t ignore Bailey added So, if you are going to do both full-time, you re going to have to put in overtime Hunter swears he’s a workhorse who doesn’t mind heavy workloads, but he routinely sat out practices until midweek to recover at Colorado something he won’t be able to do in the pros. All he wants is a team willing to give him a shot – make that two Shedeur Sanders also trusts he ll fnd the right ft on draf night He insisted he doesn’t necessarily need the bright lights of Broadway or the B ellagio at the outset of his NFL journey I could bring cameras and eyes anywhere I go, he declared It don t matter where I go, I know the infuence I have on the society and the culture So wherever I go it’s defnitely going to be an improvement than what it was before I got there ” B oth Hunter and Sanders fgure to be big parts of rebuilds no matter where they land something Sanders said they re accustomed to afer leading the turnarounds of scufing programs at both Jackson State and Colorado
Shedeur Sanders
Travis Hunter