05112018 sports

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SPORTS SECTION E

SEE PAGE 7

FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2018

Darville pitches perfect game in return to NPSA By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

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shanti Darville made her return to the New Providence Softball Association a perfect one. Back from maternity leave, Darville got all the help she needed from her BTC Lady Warriors teammates as she shut down the first year Aliv Strykers 18-0 to record the first perfect game of the 2018 season. The ladies’ opener took place last night in the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. “It was a fresh beginning for

me,” said Darville, who missed the past two seasons but needed just 45 minutes to get back in the groove. “So it was a good introduction back to the league and to start the new season. It was a good one for me and my team.” Darville said once she can work on her stamina, she feels she can be in a better position to lead the Warriors, managed by Kelly Smith, as they rebounded from their season opening 12-5 loss to the Platinum Lady Sharks. While Darville, with the assistance of her defense, kept the Strykers off base, losing pitcher Twyla Turnquest surrendered 12 hits as the Warriors went wild,

scoring seven runs in the bottom of the first inning and exploded for 11 more in the second to secure the abbreviated victory. Second sacker Sheryl Evans made her presence felt in her debut in the league with a perfect 2-for-2 plate appearance on a pair of triples, driving in three runs and scoring twice to pace BTC. Darville’s battery mate, catcher Melinda Bastian was also perfect at 3-for-3, scoring two runs and first sacker Jeanette Hilton was also perfect at 2-for-2 with two runs batted in and scored three times. Left fielder Nadia Thompson helped out by going 2-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored and

shortstop Michelle Thompson was 1-for-3 with two runs scored. Despite getting shut out in their second straight game in their introduction to the league, Turnquest said this is a process that her Aliv team has to endure, but they are making the best of it. “We are playing good, but the other teams are just getting some runs on us,” she said. “For a team that is just starting, we’re getting the outs and our attitude is still positive. We just have to work on our batting.” The Strykers, made up of the majority of players from Long Island who reside here in New Providence, got shut out as well in their season opener as the

Hennessy Panthers won 20-0 last week. “Our communication is positive and our spirits is still high,” she stated. “We just have to work on our batting and making the plays.” Saturday 6pm - Royal Bahamas Defence Force vs Royal Bahamas Police Force in slow pitch All-Star game 7pm - Rescheduled opening ceremonies 7:30pm - Johnson’s Lady Truckers vs Sunshine Auto Wildcats (ladies’ championship rematch) 8:30pm - BTC Warriors vs C&S Hitmen (men’s championship rematch)

Franco commits to Rebels By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net FREEPORT, Grand Bahama The busy recruitment process for Franco Miller Jr came to an end when he committed to the University of Mississippi Rebels. Miller signed his national letter of intent to join the Rebels’ incoming 2018 class at a special ceremony hosted yesterday on the campus of his alma mater, Tabernacle Baptist Christian Academy. Miller, the 6’3” point guard, chose Ole Miss over his final list of schools – Oklahoma, Minnesota, Oregon and Towson. “As a freshman coming in you want to go somewhere that you can make an impact. Ole Miss, they’re in one of the toughest conferences in college basketball, the SEC, and I have a chance to come in as a freshman to start and have the ball in my hand so it impacted my decision,” he said. “I fit in well with the style of play coach Davis runs, when I was there on my visit he showed me a lot of things that I would run and it definitely fits my play style so it all factored into my decision-making.” The Rebels finished 12-20 last season and 5-13 in the SEC in the last year of former coach Andy Kennedy. Kermit Davis was introduced as the Rebels new head coach in March and has quickly recruited a top 50 class for 2018 including KJ Buffen, Blake Hinson and now Miller. “We definitely think it can be a quick turnaround, we have a lot of good pieces coming in along with the pieces they already have there so we should be pretty good next year. But everything is a process and if it doesn’t work out next year then, of course, we’ll get better and better the year after that,” Miller said. He became the second Grand Bahama native in as many months to become a member of Rebels basketball after Yolett McPheeMcCuin was introduced as the head coach of the Ole Miss women’s basketball programme in April. “She was a part of this too,” he said. “She made Ole Miss feel like home to me, I know that I got someone to look out for me and I’m not just there on my own. The coaching staff made me feel comfortable but even if she wasn’t there.” Last season, Miller travelled north to play at Crestwood

FRANCO MILLER JR, shown above with his family, yesterday committed to the University of Mississippi Rebels. He signed his national letter of intent to join the Rebels’ incoming 2018 class during a special ceremony at Tabernacle Baptist Christian Academy. Preparatory College in Toronto, Canada. While there, he averaged 25.8 points per game, 6.0 rebounds per game, 5.2 assists per game and 3.3 steals per game. He broke the 40-point threshold twice throughout the year, tallying a game-high 42 points versus Thetford Academy and scoring 40 points against the Toronto Basketball Club. While north of the border, Miller earned first-team All-Canada NPA honours, first team AllCISAA accolades and Universal Hoops First Team All-Canada recognition.

His play also earned him a spot in the prestigious Allen Iverson Roundball Classic as well as the Signature All-Canadian Showcase. “When I left here my game was pretty much developed. When I went there I didn’t really change much,” Miller said. “The only thing I had to get used to was the pace of the game and the adjustment to playing against high-level talent every time you step on the court.” “We welcome Franco and his wonderful family to Ole Miss,” Davis said.

“Franco is a multi-talented guard that is a high-level scorer from a great basketball pedigree. He is really mature and will already have an SEC body when he arrives on campus as a freshman. Franco had an outstanding year at Crestwood that helped him build on the success he achieved at Tabernacle Baptist Academy. He was very fortunate to have been coached at a really high level at both places throughout his entire playing career.” Miller previously received offers from Hofstra, Montana State, Wyoming, St Bonaventure and Illinois at Chicago but his meteoric rise in recruitment intensified after he was named to the roster of the Iverson Roundball Classic. “It was something that shocked me. I was at the point where I don’t know if I want to do this anymore if high majors aren’t calling my phone but there was one day where three high major coaches came to watch us scrimmage and after that the offers just came in – Oklahoma called, Oregon called, Minnesota called, Arizona State called and it was something that just exploded in a couple of days and it was pretty exciting.” Miller said. At the local level with the Tabernacle Baptist Falcons, Miller had a season filled with accolades highlighted when he was named as the Most Valuable Player of the 34th Annual Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic. His 27 points led the Falcons to a 58-52 win over the CI Gibson Rattlers. He also led the Falcons to a Grand Bahama Secondary Schools Sports Association (GBSSSA) senior boys’ title and finished as runners-up in the second annual Bahamas National High School Basketball Championships.

LENO BARRACUDA INVITATIONAL SWIM MEET STARTS TODAY THE LENO Barracuda Invitational swim meet is all set to begin today and continues Saturday, May 12 at the Betty Kelly-Kenning Aquatic Center. “LENO is thrilled to invest in swimming as we enter the sixth year of sponsorship to Barracuda Swim Club,” said Sean Longley, president of LENO. “Our company has been a huge supporter of the youth of our nation with sponsorship not only in swimming but basketball and various charitable organisations.” LENO is a Bahamian owned and operated company providing financial and investment services to individuals and institutions both locally and internationally. LENO, which means ‘go between’ in Latin, is the concept behind the motto, ‘bridging possibilities’ and it is with this mindset that LENO strives to be

the bridge between its clients and their financial needs. “This meet gives the swimmers an opportunity to showcase their abilities as well as achieve qualifying times for the upcoming Bahamas Aquatics Federation Swim Nationals in June where local swim clubs compete for the championship,” says Kenris Longley, president of the Barracuda Swim Club. “The Barracuda values the partnership with its sponsors for without them it would be challenging to host meets,” she said. The Barracuda Swim Club is a non-profit, parent-run organisation dedicated to building the youth of the nation through the sport of swimming. The swim meet begins at 6pm May 11 and 9am on Saturday, May 12. The public is invited to come out, support and experience the excitement.

SHOWN are Mrs Philice Albury (left), executive member-at-large, Barracuda Swim Club and Mrs Tricetta Small, portfolio manager, LENO.

CARTWRIGHT AND AMERICAN PARTNER IN DOUBLES FINAL By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net THEY both got knocked out in the first round in singles, but Kerrie Cartwright and her American doubles partner Kariann PierreLouis will have a chance to play for their second doubles title on the 2018 International Tennis Federation Women’s Circuit. The duo are in Trinidad & Tobago where they advanced to the final of the doubles in the $15,000 Tacarigua Women’s International Tennis Tournament. The number two ranked duo did it by winning their semi-final match yesterday 6-2, 6-0 over the No.4 ranked team of Yolanda Leacock from Trinidad & Tobago and Alexandra Riley of the United States. “We’re playing very well,” Cartwright told The Tribune. “We are into the final and so it would be amazing if we could win. That is our goal. That is what we are going for.” They will face the top ranked team of Emily Appleton of Great Britain and Portillo Ramirez of Mexico. They advanced to the final by eliminating the No.3 seeded team of Andrea Renee Villarreal of Mexico and Kristen-Andrea Weedon of Guatemala. Their scores were 4-6, 6-3, (10-8). Cartwright and PierreLouis are hoping to add to the first title they won together in Heraklion, Greece, in March. “This definitely makes up for us not advancing in singles,” Cartwright said. “We felt we could have advanced in singles, but I love playing doubles, especially with my partner Kariann, so we are looking forward to playing in the final tomorrow (today).” They both got to the second round in singles where Cartwright, the No.8 seed, got ousted by Csilla Fodor of Vietnam in a marathon three-setter 7-6 (4), 1-6, 7-5. Pierre-Louis, the No.7 seed, went down 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 to fellow American Gail Brodsky. “I think I’ve been playing really good overall, but my singles was really tough,” said Cartwright, who was featured in The Trinidad Express after her first round victory. “It was a long match. It was very mental. The girl didn’t miss, so I had to come to the net and attack more and not get into the rally ball that she played.” Once the tournament is done, Cartwright will be heading home on Saturday to start preparing to represent the Bahamas at the Fed Cup American Zone II Tie June 18-23 in Metepec, Mexico, where she will be reunited with Danielle Thompson, who has helped Morgan State to clinch a berth in the NCAA Tournament that starts next week.


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