Terrell McCoy commits
By BRENT STUBBS
ersatile Ter-
Vrell McCoy has decided to take her basketball skills to the University of Georgia where she hopes to make an impact on the Bulldogs women’s basketball programme.
As she gets ready to complete her high school tenure at Bolles School, the 17-year-old McCoy has made the commitment to take the next step to play at the collegiate level and eventually prepare for the professional ranks.
“I wouldn’t say that I selected Georgia, but
Georgia selected me,” McCoy told The Tribune. “But in all honesty, I selected Georgia because it is in the SEC (Southeastern Conference), one of the top conferences in women’s basketball. It doesn’t get better than that.
“But it wasn’t a hard choice. I always wanted to play somewhere big and Georgia just blew my mind when I got the offer.”
At Georgia, McCoy said they expect her to “rebound and use her feet to move around the rim.
“They expect me to turn that up 10 times and play the whole and shoot the ball from the outside. “So I hope to bring to the team a
MAKING MOVES: Terrell McCoy cuts the nets off the rim for Bolles after a victory.
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor
THE Bahamas Baseball Association’s national team didn’t get off to the start they wanted at the PONY Baseball Caribbean and Latin American 16U Zone Championships. The team, composed of a mixture of players from New Providence, Grand Bahama and Abaco, opened play yesterday in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and they suffered a 3-0 shutout at the hands of Puerto Rico B team.
It was the first of four games for Team Bahamas to play in order to earn the rights to be one of the two teams to move onto the semifinals.
But only the winner of the tournament will advance to the World Series in the Marion Stadium in Marion, Illinois, Indianapolis, August 1-5.
ASTWOOD PLEASED TO GIVE BACK AS COACH WITH BLUE CHIP ATHLETICS THROWERS CLUB
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
HAVING passed through the programme as a former discus and hammer thrower, Acacia Astwood said she’s pleased to be able to give back as a coach with the Blue Chip Athletics Throwers Club. Astwood, now back home after completing her college education on an athletic scholarship, said Blue Chip Athletics, headed by coach Corrington Maycock, is
eager to find the next diamonds in the rough. The club will be holding a one day Open House clinic for discus, shot put, javelin and hammer throwers on Saturday, May 31 from 9am to 11:30am at their home base at Queen’s College. “We are looking for persons who have the experience in the four throwing disciplines, but want to better their craft, we’re looking for persons with good work ethic, disciplined, have good character and are coachable,” Astwood said.
“There’s no fee to participate. It’s free of charge. We’re just asking for the participants to show up at least 15 minutes ahead of time in workout/athletic attire and bring some water for the day.”
The club is coming off another successful year with some of their members leading the way in the success of Team Bahamas at the CARIFTA Games in Trinidad & Tobago over the Easter holiday weekend. “We had a very good season this year with some really good performances
BLTA president Perry Newton elected director of
THE General Assembly of COTECC has elected BLTA president Perry Newton as director of the COTECC Board of Directors for the years 2025-2027.
This is an historic selection for The Bahamas as this is the first time a Bahamian is being selected by the General Assembly as a director of this key regional body.
Newton also made history in 2021 being selected as president of Subregion 3, which he held for four years (re-elected in 2023).
During his tenure he was also named to the regional junior development committee.
The Confederation of Tennis of Central America and the Caribbean (COTECC) is the dependency of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in the region.
COTECC’s objective is to implement policies that develop tennis in Central America and the Caribbean. The organisation is made up of 34 member nations. Other selections at the
at CARIFTA, so we’re trying to see how we can improve and get our throwers even better for next year,” said Astwood, a former CARIFTA standout. “We know that there are more athletes out there, so we are inviting those persons, especially the male athletes, who have an interest in throwing the four events, to come out and participate in the camp.”
As one of the instructors, along with LaQuell Harris,
SEE PAGE E4
Playing out of Group A with Puerto Rico B team, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic B team and Ecuador championship team, Team Bahamas’ head coach Donavan Cox from Grand Bahama said they have their work cut out for them.
“We came out a bit shaky,” said Cox, who is being assisted by coach Albert Cartwright. “We made a few errors early and we were not able to bounce back.”
Puerto Rico jumped out on Team Bahamas with a 3-0 lead in the first inning and they held on for the shutout. “Our bats were cold,” Cox admitted. “We didn’t have the ball.”
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas Sailing Association is preparing to send off a number of competitors to compete in a series of international competitions, including the Team Racing World Championships and the Central American and Caribbean Games’ qualifier. And, according to president Lori Lowe, the sailors
have all been preparing themselves and are looking forward to participating in the various events. Next week, the first contingent will be heading to the Team Racing World Championships in Rhodes Island. The competition starts on Thursday and runs through Sunday. Teams from Italy, Argentina, New Zealand, Bermuda, Greece, Sweden,
NATIONAL AQUATHLON/ TRIATHLON
THE Bahamas Triathlon Association has announced that its 6th Aquathlon/Triathlon National Championships is scheduled for from May 24-25 in Jaws Beach. The event is open to all athletic levels. For more information, interested persons can visit bahamastriathlon.org.
TRACK OPEN HOUSE THE Blue Chip Athletics is slated to hold its Open House Invitation on Saturday, May 31 from 9-11:30am at the Queen’s College campus. The competitors will get a chance to show off their skills in discus, shot put, javelin and the hammer throws. Interested persons are urged
BLTA president Perry Newton elected director of COTECC Board of Directors
FROM PAGE E1
(Guatemala) and Director - Perry
The following presidents were also selected to head the subregions and to round out the board: SR1 Juan Hernandez (Mexico); SR2 President Ivanhoe Calix and SR4 President Hayden Mitchell (Trinidad and Tobago).
The BLTA and The Bahamas at large congratulate Newton on this new elevation and this distinguished post on the Board of COTECC.
“You have represented us well on the local and world stage and you continue to leave a positive and impressive legacy of commitment, development, growth, community awareness and progress,” the BLTA wrote.
Newton noted: “It was an honour to be elected as a Director at the 2025 COTECC AGM.
“I am sincerely grateful to the General Assembly and to the member nations for their trust and confidence. This achievement is not just a personal one.
“It is a proud and significant moment for The Bahamas. It affirms our country’s growing presence and leadership in regional tennis and reflects the tireless work of many who have contributed to our progress.
“Serving as Sub-Region 3 president has been an invaluable foundation for this new role. It allowed me to engage directly with federations across the Caribbean and Central America. These experiences have reinforced my commitment to inclusive, sustainable tennis development principles I will continue to champion as a COTECC Director.”
Newton thanked God who is his source and my strength. “I would like to extend heartfelt thanks to
my wife and family for their unwavering support, to the BLTA Board for their shared vision and trust, and to the wider Bahamian tennis community for believing in the mission we’ve been building together,” he said.
“I’m also deeply grateful to the colleagues, partners, and friends across the region who supported my candidacy and shared in this vision for a stronger, more united tennis community.
“This election also represents an important opportunity for The Bahamas. It places us at the decision-making table, where we can advocate for more regional inclusion, and it allows us to shape policies that reflect the realities of small-island nations while raising the bar for excellence.
“Above all, I remain focused on the next generation of youths.
“We must continue to invest in young players, empower our coaches, and build infrastructure that ensures tennis remains a pathway to opportunity and excellence throughout the region.
“I look forward to working alongside my fellow directors to serve with integrity, strengthen partnerships, and deliver meaningful results for all COTECC member nations.”
The BLTA joins with Newton in giving thanks to God for we know that promotion comes from above.
“We are thankful God has entrusted you with this ability and provided you with a wider platform to impact tennis,” the BLTA said.
“Your gifts will make room for you and we pray God will continue to guide you and protect you.”
meeting held in Panama
City, Panama this weekend are as follows: President - Persio Maldonado (The
Dominican Republic); 1st
Vice President - Carlos Bravo (Costa Rica); 2nd
Vice President- Carlos Gonzalez (Mexico); Director - Tulio Davila
Newton (The Bahamas).
Allen Mortimer stages triple jump clinic in Harbour Island
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
HARBOUR Island benefitted tremendously from a triple jump clinic that was conducted over the weekend by former national team competitor Allen Mortimer.
Mortimer, a former CARIFTA, World Junior Championships, NACAC and CAC competitor, was hosted to the one-day event on Saturday by coach Sydney Curtis of the Harbour Island All-Age School in Eleuthera.
About 20-plus students between the ages of 7-16 years participated in what Mortimer is hoping will spread to the entire island of Eleuthera in the future.
“This was my first clinic. This was something that I always wanted to do. I am so appreciative of Mr Sydney Curtis for inviting me to come and participate in the clinic,” Mortimer said.
“There’s a lot of untapped talent here on the Family Islands, so I want to share my whole life experience with these youngsters so that I can get them to compete in an event that I love so much.”
Surprisingly for Mortimer, a lot of the participants already had some knowledge about competing in the triple jump, so he said it was only a matter of reinforcing his skills to them. “We did some short
SPORTS CALENDAR
FROM PAGE E1
to contact coach Corrington Maycock at 395-6381, coach Quell Harris at 818-2095 and or coach Acaci at 445-3915 for more information.
WOMEN’S
GOLF DAY
THE Flamingo Women’s Golf Association is scheduled to hold its second annual Women’s Golf Invitational Tournament at the Bahamas Golf Federation’s Nine-Hole Golf Range at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. The event is scheduled for May 30-31. Interested golfers can call 422-3744 or email flamingowomensgolfclub@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
approach jumps and some exercises that targeted some specific muscles for the triple jump,” Mortimer said. “I was really impressed with the students and their knowledge of the event.”
Mortimer, a former triple jumper who stopped competing in 1999 and has since gone into coaching where he had a sting at Noble Preparatory Academy and now at Akhepran International Academy, said he’s looking forward to sharing his expertise to the rest of Eleuthera.
Curtis, the physical education teacher at the Harbour Island
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.
CYCLING NATIONALS
THE Bahamas Cycling Federation has announced that its 51st national road championships is all set to take place from June 6-7 in Mount Thompson, Exuma. The registration closes at 12am on June 2, 2025.
BASKETBALL 12th BOWLES CAMP
The International Basketball Association Bahamas will host its 12th annual Denykco Bowles Elite Skills Basketball Camp at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. Under the theme “Developing Champions on all levels,” the co-ed camp for boys and girls will run from June 23 to July 19. For more info, interested persons can contact 466-0049 or email ibabahamaspamthers@gmail. com or log into info info. ibsbsshamas.
YOUTH TRACK CLASSIC
ST Barnabas Anglican Church is scheduled to hold its third annual Youth Track and Field Classic on Saturday at the Thomas A.
All-Age School, said he was delighted to be able to host Mortimer to a much-needed clinic. “He did a tremendous, spectacular job with the students from grade three right up to grade 11,” Curtis said. “This was just the first phase because we want to bring him back to share his knowledge with all of Eleuthera. “I personally know that he has a lot of skills, a lot that The Bahamas has not had the ability to dig into. That was why I wanted to get him here to Harbour Island to tip into his wealth of experience.”
Brandi Albury, a physical education teacher in
Robinson Track and Field Stadium.
The meet is expected to get underway at 10am with competition in the under17, U15, U13, U11, U9 and U7 for boys and girls.
BASEBALL
NPBL OPENING
THE New Providence Baseball League is slated to begin its senior baseball league on Sunday at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium. The league plans to start at 2pm with the official opening ceremonies, followed by the first game of the season.
Association president Jeff ‘Sangy’ Francis revealed that they are expecting to feature at least five teams in the league
BASEBALL
ANDRE RODGERS
SENIOR NATIONALS
THE Bahamas Baseball
Association is set to hold its Andre Rodgers Senior National Baseball Championships June 6-9 at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium.
During the championship, the BBA will honour Feed ‘Papa’ Smith for his contribution to the sport as a player/coach and administrator over a number of years.
SOFTBALL THOMPSON/ WILLIAMS
MEMORIAL
SLOW PITCH
TOURNAMENT
THE Friends for Life Committee will host a joint
Eleuthera, said when she heard about the clinic, she had to go over to Harbour Island.
“The knowledge gained was tremendous,” she said. “We got the practice
Paul ‘Dingus’ Thompson and Cornelius ‘Money’ Williams Men and co-ed slow pitch invitational tournament over the Labour Day and Whit Monday holiday weekend, June 5-9.
experience as well, so it was top notch.”
Albury said she was impressed with the way Mortimer went through the mechanics of the event, which only helped to make
The event will be staged at the Grand Bahama Sporting Complex softball field in Freeport, Grand Bahama and is expected to feature teams from Eleuthera, New
the competitors understand the science of jumping.
Albury said she can’t wait for the clinic to return to the island because the discipline for the sport is something that is needed.
Providence, Grand Bahama and the United States of America.
For more details, interested persons can email friendsforlife242@gmail. com
ALLEN MORTIMER, above and bottom right, going through some drills with the youngsters.
ALLEN MORTIMER, top, presenting a gift to one of the Harbour Island participants.
PARTICIPANTS in attendance on Harbour Island.
COACH Sydney Curtis presents a Harbour Island All-Age shirt to Allen Mortimer.
PONY BASEBALL: BAHAMAS SUFFERS 3-0 SHUTOUT TO PUERTO RICO B TEAM
As they regroup from this loss,
Cox said once the players come
with a “better mindset” and a “better approach to the game,”
Team Bahamas should be able to get on the right track. “I think this team is capable of playing
much better than they did today,” he insisted.
“We just have to re-adjust and get our minds right for tomorrow.”
Cox said the team didn’t “look,” nor did they “perform” as anticipated. Team Bahamas will be back in action today at 10am against
Costa Rica. Their third game will be against Ecuador at 3pm Friday and the final round robin game 10am Saturday against Dominican Republic B team.
Terrell McCoy commits to the Bulldogs
FROM PAGE E1
level
I can help them even more with their exposure and make a dent in women’s basketball.”
McCoy, who hopes to study pre-medicine, follows in the footsteps of her older sister Danielle, 18, who is 5-10 and attending Roanoke Virginia where she is playing volleyball and basketball and preparing to throw the hammer.
Although her high school career is not quite over yet,
McCoy said she wants to go out with a bang.
“High school for me has been a learning experience, getting to know who is for you and who is not for you,” she pointed out.
“But I haven’t had the problem of trying to fit in and even if it was, I have no problem fitting in. “High school is a great place to make the connections and I’m just so grateful to be here.”
Proud mother Clementra said it’s a huge accomplishment and a testament to her hard work and potential of Terrell. She noted that there’s a whole mix
of valid emotions she is experiencing.
Pride was the first one.
“She earned a spot (and a scholarship!) at a major university in a competitive conference - the SEC is no joke,” Clementra said.
“This means her academic and athletic performance stood out on a national level.
Excitement was next.
“UGA has a strong reputation, rich traditions, and amazing opportunities in academics, athletics and student life,” Clementra said.
“It’s a launching pad for her future - whether that’s
graduate school, a career, leadership development or pro basketball.”
Nostalgia or bittersweet feelings is another for Clementra.
“I remember the days of up and down to camps, practice and games that seemed endless,” she said. “How did we get here so fast? Is my question.
Gratitude was the last.
“Scholarships relieve a financial burden and validate that others see the same brilliance in our daughter that they do,” Clementra added. “Ultimately, we are excited for her new chapters.”
Clementra and her husband, Harcourt McCoy, also have another daughter, Hardassah, an 11-year-old 6th grader at TC Primary school. She was awarded the most outstanding athlete award in her age group at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s recently held Frank ‘Pancho’ Rahming National Primary Schools Track and Field Championships. So while they are basking in the success of Danielle and Terrell, they are eagerly awaiting the progress that Hardassah will make in following in their footsteps.
ASTWOOD PLEASED TO GIVE BACK AS BLUE CHIP ATHLETICS THROWERS CLUB COACH
another former CARIFTA medallist, Astwood said she spent two years training under coach Maycock - her mentor - which changed her life forever.
“I was able to go off to school on a scholarship and now I have not only completed my bachelor’s
degree, but I also got my masters as well,” said Astwood, who earned her bachelor’s in kinesiology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and her masters in business administration at the University of Texas, San Antonio.
The St Anne’s High School graduate won a bronze in the under-18 girls’
discus at the 2017 CARIFTA Games in Curacao before she ended up fourth in 2018. And the start of her collegiate career ended in 2023 with her switching her focus on the hammer throw.
Now that she’s done, when Astwood is not coaching with Blue Chip Athletics, she’s working on
trying to complete her doctorate degree as a physical therapist.
But for now, the concentration is on the club’s open house next Saturday where Astwood said they hope to discover more outstanding athletes that rose to the occasion at CARIFTA.
“I think we had some very good performances at CARIFTA and I was especially proud of Annae Mackey, who broke two junior national records,” said Astwood, whose junior
national record was broken by Mackey.
“We have Taysha Stubbs and Dior-Rae Scott, who are both heading off to school on athletic scholarships.
“So we’re looking forward to seeing what they can do when they come back next year with some of their athletes we hope will make the team.”
As for Mackey’s recordbreaking feat, Astwood said she knew sooner or later she would accomplish
it. She’s just happy that she was able to assist in her developmental process.
Once they can find some more athletes to work with, Astwood said she doesn’t see why other national records can’t fall with more and more athletes attaining CARIFTA successes and obtaining athletic scholarships to colleges and universities abroad, especially in the United States. Next Saturday’s open house is a step in the right direction.
Great Britain and the United States of America participated.
“We’re all excited. It’s our first four-man team competition,” she said. “These boats have a lot more experience than we do, but we are looking forward to competing against them.”
There will be two boats, one captained by Spencer Cartwright and the other by Paul de Souza, both of whom have represented The Bahamas in the CAC Games.
Other members include Lowe, Helena Wassitsch, Jacqueline Frode, Matteo Alliata, Blake Roberts and Jaxon Parker.
During the competition, the 12 teams will compete in a round robin and knockout format. There will be two boats per team, but the team whose boat finishes last will lose the race. There will be three to five persons per boat.
Lowe said there are a number of opportunities for The Bahamas to participate over the summer.
The first one will be in Long Beach, California, June 12-15.
“In the laser, men and women sail the four and six and only the men sail the seven, Lowe revealed. “As you get bigger and older and stronger, you move up through the boats.
“A four is people who are 140 pounds or less, six is or those who are 140170 pounds and a seven is 170-220 pounds. So for the youth boy, they won’t sail a seven until they are about 19. Norman is close to getting to compete at the seven.”
Heading to the Long Beach Olympic Classes in Long Beach, California, July 12-20 for the qualifier for CAC Games, will be Paul de Souza in the ILCA 7. Named to the ILCA6 Youth World’s Under-19
Championships in Cabrillo Beach, Los Angeles, July 28 to August 4, are the following: Eliza Denning, Sienna Jones, Mary Jac Nash, Norman Cartwright, Eric Jensen and Johannes Maritz. Going to the Junior Pan Am Games in Ascuncion, Paraguay, from August 9-23 where the age limitation maximum is 23, are the following: ILCA 7 - probably Joshua Higgins, otherwise Norman Cartwright.
This weekend, in a funfilled competition on Lake Cunningham, therre will be an International OneMetre Model Boat National Championships, organised by Stan Wallace. The competition will start at 11am on Saturday and wrap up on Sunday, starting at 10am.
Lowe said the interesting thing about the competition is the fact that anyone can sail the boats, which are remotely controlled.
TERRELL McCoy proudly holds the Bahamian flag.
Intriguing Colorado Duo
Ayear a er quarterbacks dominated the top dozen picks, Miami s Cam Ward is the only sure re high pick among premier passers this year Bringing the intrigue into the dra 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
Pacers tie it on Halburton’s jumper at buzzer, then beat Knicks 138-135 in overtime
Where will Shedeur Sanders land when teams gather in the land of Vince Lombardi to restock their rosters? at’s the biggest stor yline of the NFL dra in Green Bay Wisconsin, with mocks all ove
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 sco ng “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 o ense, 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
need, in their quarterback. e Cleveland Browns own the second overall pick followed by the New York Giants. e 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 o season. Other wise, LSU o ensive lineman Will Campbell and Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter are two blue-chippers worthy of high dra picks. Cleveland would be hard-pressed to pass
doing it my whole life, and I
By BRIAN MAHONEY AP Basketball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) —
Bypassing Colorado s precis could lead to deep regrets amo evaluators, suggested longtime analyst Mel Kiper Jr Sanders overcame a substan game and at times poor pass pr throw for 37 touchdowns and m 4,000 yards last season while co more than 74% of his throws.
Tyrese Haliburton tied the game with a long jumper that bounced high off the back of the rim and in as time expired in regulation, then the Indiana Pacers went on to finish off their stunning rally by beating the New York Knicks 138135 last night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.
The Knicks led by 14 points with under 3 minutes remaining in regulation, but Aaron Nesmith brought the Pacers back with a flurry of late 3-pointers.
Haliburton then hoped he had won it with another. With the Pacers down two and time running down, he started to lose control of his dribble, regained it and dribbled back out toward the 3-point line.
Bypassing on-the- eld work the NFL Scouting Combine an Big 12 pro day only added to th that suddenly swirled around t Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, w wondered how his son s stock c slipped when he hasn t thrown interception since the Alamo B At the conclusion of the yea a er 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 a ridiculed But we re built for th raised for this moment
He fired up his jumper and when it finally fell in, he raced toward the sideline and made a choke signal to the crowd, like Pacers Hall of Famer Reggie Miller did to Spike Lee while leading a Pacers comeback in a playoff game in 1994.
Replay confirmed that Haliburton’s toe was on the line and it was a 2-pointer that tied it at 125.
Kiper concurred, saying Shed Sanders is “accurate he’s precise everything ever ybody wants. De making 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
Andrew Nembhard eventually made the go-ahead basket with 26 seconds remaining in OT.
Haliburton had 31 points and 11 assists. Nesmith finished with 30 points, going 8 for 9 from 3-point range. It was a thrilling start to the ninth playoff matchup between these fierce rivals
from the 1990s — but a deflating finish for the Knicks in their first Eastern Conference finals game since 2000.
Jalen Brunson scored 43 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 35 points and 12 rebounds. But the Knicks couldn’t protect the big
lead they built while Brunson was on the bench in foul trouble in the fourth quarter and had a collapse unlike any other in the postseason.
Teams leading by at least 14 points in the final 2:45 of the fourth quarter had been 994-0 since detailed
play-by-play began being kept in 1997-98. The Pacers beat the Knicks in Game 7 of the East semifinals at Madison Square Garden last year, routing a team that had been decimated by injuries. This was an entirely different way to win, with the
Pacers looking all but out of the game after the Knicks’ 14-0 run with Brunson on the bench pushed New York’s two-point lead to 108-92. Even after Nesmith started to get hot, the Knicks seemed safe when Brunson’s 3-pointer made it
(AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
119-105 with 2:51 to go.
But Nesmith would later hit consecutive 3s and both free throws when the Knicks fouled him intentionally so he couldn’t try to tie it with another, giving Indiana the chance to tie on Haliburton’s shot. Game 2 is Friday night.
MVP, CONTINUING RUN
By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer
THE case for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was simple. He’s the best player on an Oklahoma City Thunder team that had the best record this season and set a league mark for margin of victory. If that wasn’t enough, he also won the scoring title.
That’s an MVP year.
Gilgeous-Alexander was announced yesterday as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, his first time winning the award. It’s now seven straight years that a player born outside the U.S. won MVP, extending the longest such streak in league history.
“You try so hard throughout the season to like not think about it and just worry about playing basketball and getting better and trying to win games,” Gilgeous-Alexander said on TNT, when the results were unveiled. “But as a competitor and as a kid dreaming about the game, it’s always in the back of your mind.”
It ultimately was a two-person race. GilgeousAlexander got 71 first-place votes and 29 second-place votes; Denver’s Nikola Jokic got the other 29 firstplace votes and the other 71 second-place votes.
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo was third, getting 88 of the 100 possible third-place votes.
Gilgeous-Alexander
— the No. 11 pick in the 2018 draft — averaged 32.7 points, 6.4 assists and five rebounds per game this season, leading the
PLAYERS WINNING THE AWARD
Thunder to a 68-14 record. The Thunder outscored teams by 12.9 points per game, the biggest margin in league history. He becomes the second Canadian to win MVP; Steve Nash won it twice. “His value is his confidence,” Oklahoma City’s Kenrich Williams said of Gilgeous-Alexander, his Thunder teammate for the last five seasons. “His confidence that he has in himself and the confidence that he instils in every one of his teammates, including the coaches.”
Jokic — a winner of three of the last four MVP awards — was second, despite a season for the ages. He averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game, the first center to average a triple-double
and the first player since all those stats were tracked to finish in the NBA’s top three in all three of those categories. It was the sixth instance of a player finishing a season averaging a tripledouble — at least 10 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds per game. Russell Westbrook did it four times and Oscar Robertson once, but only one of those tripledouble seasons led to an MVP win. “He’s a special player,” Jokic said of Gilgeous-Alexander earlier this week when the Thunder eliminated the Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals. “His shot selection, his shot capability ... he’s always there. He’s a special player.” Antetokounmpo, who averaged 30.4 points, 11.9
rebounds and 6.5 assists per game, was third. He started this run of international players winning MVP; Antetokounmpo, of Greek and Nigerian descent, won in 2019 and 2020.
Jokic, a Serbian, won in 2021, 2022 and 2024. And Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon but since became a U.S. citizen, won the award in 2023.
Now, it’s Gilgeous-Alexander — a son of Ontario, where hockey reigns — carrying the MVP flag. He was fifth in the voting two years ago, second behind Jokic last year, and used being so close to the award as fuel this season.
“There are voters every year. That will never change,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.
“And last year, all it meant was that more people thought I shouldn’t have won than should have won. This year I wanted to change the narrative and have it flipped. I think I did a good job of that.”
Boston’s Jayson Tatum was fourth, Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell was fifth and the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James was sixth — the 20th time in his 22-year career that he got some MVP votes.
Detroit’s Cade Cunningham and Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards tied for seventh, Golden State’s Stephen Curry was ninth and three players — New York’s Jalen Brunson, the Los Angeles Clippers’ James Harden and Cleveland’s Evan Mobley — tied for 10th.
The MVP award, like most other NBA honours, was voted on by a global panel of 100 writers and broadcasters who cover the league and cast ballots shortly before the start of the playoffs. The other awards that were part of that voting process and have already been unveiled: Cleveland’s Kenny Atkinson winning coach of the year, Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels winning most improved player, San Antonio’s Stephon Castle winning rookie of the year, Cleveland’s Evan Mobley winning defensive player of the year, New York’s Jalen Brunson winning clutch player of the year and Boston’s Payton Pritchard winning sixth man of the year. Other awards announced by the league since the end of the regular season: Golden State’s Stephen Curry won the TwymanStokes teammate of the year award, Warriors teammate Draymond Green won the hustle award, Oklahoma City’s Sam Presti won executive of the year and Boston’s Jrue Holiday won the sportsmanship award for the second time in his career as well as the league’s social justice award.
6TH SAMUEL P HAVEN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER NATIONALS THIS WEEK
By Miguel Fernander
THE sixth edition of the Samuel P Haven Junior High School Soccer Nationals officially kicks off this week at the Roscow AL Davies, uniting top high school football teams from across The Bahamas for a 10-day tournament of elite youth competition and community pride.
First held in 2016, the tournament has become a staple on the national calendar. The inaugural year saw the Queen’s College Comets claim the senior boys’ championship title, while the St. Augustine’s College Big Red Machine lifted the trophy in the senior girls’ division. Today, the nationals continue to grow in scope and significance
featuring both senior and junior divisions for boys and girls, bringing together schools from Nassau, Grand Bahama and the Family Islands.
20225 Tournament Highlights New Division: First ever New Providence Junior Championship for rising stars in grade 7-9. Elite Competition: 14 Senior high teams
compete across two divisions sponsored by Dunkin’ Donuts and JS Johnson Insurance Agency.
Fan Favourite Return: Food trucks, music, giveaways and affordable ticketing keep the event accessible and fun for families. For updates, fixtures and tickets visit www.bahamasfa.net and follow @BahamasFootball on all platforms.
TOTTENHAM DEFEATS MANCHESTER UNITED 1-0 FOR EUROPA LEAGUE TITLE, ENDS LONG TROPHY DROUGHT
By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer
BILBAO, Spain (AP) — Tottenham’s title drought is finally over.
Spurs beat Manchester United 1-0 to win the Europa League final and lift its first European trophy in more than four decades yesterday.
It is the first major title for Tottenham since it won the English League Cup in 2008, and first European triumph since it won its second UEFA Cup — the equivalent of the Europa League now — in 1984.
Brennan Johnson squeezed in the winner at the end of the first half to help Spurs salvage a dismal season in which it will finish near the bottom of the Premier League standings.
“This is what it’s all about,” Johnson said.
“This club hasn’t won a trophy for 17 years. This is what it means, it means so much. Ever since I came here it’s been, ‘Tottenham are a good team but can never get it done.’ We got it done.”
The title guarantees Spurs a spot in next season’s Champions League, and brings some much-needed relief for manager Ange Postecoglou after he struggled to keep his team on track all year.
The victory in Europe’s second-tier competition comes six years after Tottenham fell short against Liverpool in the Champions League final.
Tottenham finished its Europa League campaign with 10 wins, three draws and two losses.
No team has won more games in the UEFA CupEuropa League than
Tottenham, according to UEFA. Its 98th victory in the competition on Wednesday moves it clear of the joint record of 97 it previously held with Roma.
The defeat adds pressure on United coach Ruben Amorim, whose team sits in 16th place — just ahead of Tottenham — in the Premier League.
The club won’t play in any European competition next season.
“I am not going to talk about the future, tonight we need to deal with the pain of losing this match,” Amorim said. “We were the better team and the guys tried everything to win the game.”
United came close to equalising the match on Wednesday when a header by Rasmus Hojlund was acrobatically cleared at the goal line by Tottenham’s
Micky van de Ven in the 68th. Deep into stoppage time, a header by Luke Shaw prompted a difficult save by Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
“I still can’t believe what we’ve done tonight, it’s unbelievable,” Vicario said.
“We have written history, in the real sense of the term. This group of players has written history in 2025. There was also one Micky van de Ven save, on the line. We knew before the game that we needed the effort from everyone and we did it, we delivered. Now we must celebrate.”
It had been an even match, with neither team creating many significant scoring opportunities, until Tottenham got on the board in the 42nd minute after a cross by Pape Sarr into the area. The ball ricocheted off Shaw and fell in front of
Johnson, who seemed to get just enough of it to poke it across the goal line.
“I knew I touched it, and then I looked up because I didn’t catch it cleanly,” Johnson said. “Then the ball was trickling in the goal. I can’t describe the feeling.”
United pressed forward after conceding but was not able to get the equaliser in front of a mostly split crowd of nearly 50,000 at Athletic Bilbao’s San Mames Stadium.
There were some confrontations between the clubs’ supporters overnight as more than 50,000 English fans converged in Bilbao and other nearby Basque Country cities. But it was all mostly peaceful throughout the day of the final on Wednesday. United had last won a trophy in the 2024 FA
Cup, and its last European triumph was at the 2017 Europa League under manager Jose Mourinho. United had also lost the Europa League final to Villarreal in 2021. The Red Devils lost all four matches against Tottenham this season and is winless against its rival in seven straight games, with the last six under Postecoglou.
United and Tottenham had met in just one previous final — the 2009 League Cup when Alex Ferguson’s United won 4-1 on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
Tottenham striker Son Heung-min, who came off the bench in the 67th, finally ended the title drought in his career. He was the one lifting the trophy in front of his teammates in the awards ceremony.
TOTTENHAM’s Son Heung-min
at San Mames Stadium in Bilbao,
(AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
York
looks out of the New York Yankees dugout during the sixth inning of a baseball game
on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in New York. The second baseman took grounders before the
and did some flip throws. He has been sidelined since straining his right oblique on April 29. “He is doing really well and seems to be tolerating everything well,” coach Boone said. “Even for having a high level of strain in there he was fairly asymptomatic really from jump.”
JASRADO “Jazz” Chisholm Jr.
against the New
Mets
game
(AP Photo/Noah K Murray)
