SPORTS
SECTION E
WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 2025
Pro volleyball players Hepburn and Wilson looking to contribute
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
Back home after completing their past season on the professional circuit in Europe, Shonari Hepburn and Kyle Wilson are both eager to make their presence felt on the Bahamas men’s national team at the Caribbean Volleyball Championships.
Hepburn, 32, just wrapped up his season with Panionios in Greece as a middle blocker and Wilson, 25, completed his first season with the Daugavpils Universitate/ Ezereme as an outside hitter.
This past weekend, the duo played in the men’s scrimmage games at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium in preparation for the
Dynamic duo eager to make their presence felt at Caribbean Volleyball Championships
CVC tournament, scheduled for August 15-23, at the same venue against eight visiting men’s teams.
Seven teams are expected to join The Bahamas ladies’ team as well.
Hepburn, who has played on the pro circuit since 2016 after graduating from Niagara College where he played on the Knights team from 20132016, said he’s thrilled to get the opportunity to display his skills in front of the home crowd.
At 6-feet, 6-inches, Hepburn said this is going to be his first opportunity
to compete at home in a major international tournament.
“To be hosting CVC is like a dream come true,” Hepburn said. “Having played in the Bahamas Games, I saw the crowd and I felt the energy.
“I was just hoping that someday soon we would get to play at home in the CVC. So if we could win at home, it would be magical.”
Looking at the landscape of the team coach Glen Rolle is assembling, Hepburn said he likes what he’s seeing and is
confident that Team Bahamas can perform very well.
“When I came home, I was a bit sceptical, but after a few practices and seeing how the young guys are playing, I’m really looking forward to it,” Hepburn said.
“I feel it’s our tournament to lose. Everybody can play and everybody is physical, but there are a few guys who haven’t played at that level.
“So they just have to understand what to expect playing for Team
Powerlifter Turner-Bain delivers
PAGE 2
By Jonathan Burrows
BAHAMIAN ath-
lete Aliczia Turner-Bain delivered a powerful performance this past weekend at the 2025 USA Powerlifting Raw Nationals, earning a 10th-place finish in the fiercely competitive 90kg weight class.
Representing the JKS Fitness Powerlifting Team, Turner-Bain competed for the first time on Sunday, June 29, in College Park, Georgia, at the Georgia International Convention Center in hopes of qualifying for the coveted USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Pro Card.
Turner-Bain, 32, began her journey into the sport
EARNS 10TH PLACE AT 2025 USA POWERLIFTING RAW NATIONALS
in 2022, driven by personal interest, inspired by a desire to challenge herself physically.
By 2023, she started formal training, and just three years later, she is making waves on the national stage.
Although initially drawn to the sport on her own, it was her current coach, Je’Vaughn Saunders, who encouraged her to pursue it competitively.
Turner-Bain, reflecting on her recent performance, said she was pleased with her top 10 feat. “I think I did really great considering
RF Bank & Trust proudly returns as title sponsor of BGF Amateur Golf Championships
RF Bank & Trust proudly returned as the title sponsor of the Bahamas Golf Federation (BGF) Amateur Golf Championships held this past weekend, reaffirming its longstanding commitment to advancing the sport of golf and supporting the federation’s year-round development initiatives.
This renewed sponsorship forms part of RF’s broader partnership with the BGF for 2025, aimed at fuelling grassroots programmes, national competitions and coaching development throughout the calendar year.
“At RF, we believe in supporting initiatives that not only develop talent, but also reinforce character, discipline and mental strength — all of which are values deeply embedded in the game of golf,” said Michael Anderson, president at RF Bank & Trust.
“Golf rewards patience, strategy and consistency, which aligns perfectly with how we think about investing and long-term financial growth.” More than just a sport, golf is a powerful educational tool, teaching respect, self-governance, and resilience. RF’s sponsorship of the Amateur Championships and continued support of the BGF reflects a shared belief in
young talent and creating opportunities for Bahamians to learn through sport. The annual tournament remains a key fixture in the BGF’s calendar, helping to identify rising stars and offering a platform for amateur golfers across the islands to test their skills at a national level.
THE Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (BMOTIA) is proud to announce a partnership with the iconic New York Yankees for the 2025 baseball season, solidifying The Bahamas as a proud partner of one of the most celebrated sports franchises in the world. As part of this strategic collaboration, The Bahamas will engage with Yankees fans throughout the season via in-stadium branding, digital activations and hospitality events.
it was my first time at a national meet, and when you consider everybody from the United States and I finished top 10, I feel like it was a great performance,” Turner-Bain said. Under the guidance of Saunders and handler Indera Gibson, Turner-Bain showcased her strength and determination across three lifts - squat, bench press and deadlift. She set new meet personal records with a 175 kg (385 pounds) squat, 95 kg (209 pounds) bench press,
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Leveraging the global power of sports, the initiative aligns with The Bahamas’ broader tourism strategy to inspire travel and deepen emotional connections with visitors.
“The New York Yankees represent a global standard of excellence, and we are proud to partner with such an iconic organisation, said I. Chester Cooper, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments & Aviation. “This
THE SPORTS CALENDAR
SUMMER FEST
SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
“We want to make sure that young
RF’s support of golf is part of its wider commitment to youth development and community engagement, one of the four giving pillars under the RF Charitable Donations Committee, which includes health, the environment and education.
CAMP THE Southern University is all set to host a free basketball camp at the Agape Grace Gym from July 7-8. The camp is designed for boys from grades 7-12. All participating players must bring their own food and drinks. Interested campers are urged to contact coach Stephen Johnson at 1-242-577-1035.
TOURNEY THE Crusaders/ Warhawks Volleyball Club, in conjunction with the Bahamas Volleyball Federation, is scheduled to host its inaugural Summer Fest Beach Volleyball Tournament from July 10-13 in Rolleville, Exuma.
The tournament, sponsored by Fidelity and
SEE PAGE E3 July
REPRESENTATIVES along with BGF president and vice president, shown from left to right, are Quentin Gibson, Danielle Campbell, Anthony Hinsey.
KYLE Wilson and Shonari Hepburn (right).
ALICZIA Turner-Bain in action.
THE Bahamas Youth Flag Football League participated in the 2nd annual Elite Super Blitz Flag Football Tournament in Grand Bahama this past weekend.
Six youth flag football teams from Freeport and 2 teams from Nassau competed in this 1 day tournament. At the end of the day, the 2 teams from. Bahamas Youth Flag Football League’s from Nassau battled in the championship game.
The BYFL’s 16U team were crowned the champions to take the championship trophy back to Nassau.
Here are some photos from the event.
Photos by Vandyke Bethel
FREEPORT tournament champions Bahamas Youth Flag Football League’s 16U team.
Bahamas Golf Federation sending junior national team to Caribbean Amateur Jr Golf Championships
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas Golf Federation will send its junior national team off to compete in the Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships at the Grand Reserve Golf Club in Puerto Rico from July 27 to August 1.
The team, managed by Richard Gibson Sr with Lia Gorospe as the assistant manager and Keathen Stuart as coach, will comprise of the following players:
Boys 18U - Aidan Gorospe, Camdyn Forbes and Kerrington Rolle.
Boys 15U - Cardron Nixon (Freeport), Rashawn Hanna and Maximilian Landry.
Boys 13U - William West and Na’Kai Wilson (Freeport).
Girls 18U - Anissa Robinson and Chemari Pratt.
Girls 15U - Madison Carroll and Haley Hall.
Girls 13U - Kayleigh Rolle and Londyn Strachan.
Coming off their secondplace finish last year in Jamaica, the team is hoping to either regain its position or excel all the way to the top as the champions.
Camdyn Forbes, making his fourth trip and second time as the team captain, said he’s really proud of the progress that the golfers have made.
“The team has made some big changes this year. We have a lot of younger
players,” Forbes said. “I haven’t seen much of their performances outside of The Bahamas, but from what I’ve seen, they are ready to compete.”
The players got an opportunity to compete in the BGF’s 2025 National Amateur Golf Championships that concluded on Sunday at the Lyford Cay Golf Club.
“Forbes, who ended up tied for second in the men’s category with Richard Gibson Jr, said he saw a lot of the players perform very well with some low rounds of 70s.
“So if they can carry over what they did in the tournament, we have a shot of winning it over there in Puerto Rico,” said the 17-year-old Forbes, who attends the University of Exeter in England.
During the nationals, Forbes shot 74-76-74 for 224, compared to Gibson Jr’s 77-72-75.
BGF president Lynford Miller captured his first title with 76-73-68 for 217.
Kayleigh Rolle, a 13-year-old student of King’s College, said she too believes that if they can shoot in the 70s, Team Bahamas stands a chance of being the champions.
“For me, I just want to go and have some fun and not get stressed out too much about the scores,” she pointed out. “It’s going to be a privilege to perform for The Bahamas.”
With regard to her performance in the nationals,
shooting 85-84-90 for 259 for fifth, Rolle said she had to contend with some players who are “much older” than she is, but she was still able to “hold her own.”
She noted that she would have to do the same in Puerto Rico to give Team Bahamas a chance to succeed this year.
Chamari Pratt, who left to play on the Caribbean Amateur Golf
Championship team this week, said when she returns home, she will be heading with this team for her fourth trip, having only missed the event in 2023.
“I’m grateful. It feels amazing to represent my country.
“I always wanted to do that,” said Pratt.
“I’m excited. I expect great scores, great teamwork, great companionship
BRIANA HOULGRAVE, centre, with her first doubles victory trophies at the International Tennis Federation J30
PEACE ON DA STREET FAMILY NIGHT
Rubis, will feature a men’s 2-on-2 and women’s 3-on-3 format. Cash prizes of $1,000 will be awarded for the winners and $500 for the runners-up in both divisions. Interested teams are urged to call 422-4550 or 801-3131 for more details.
MILLER’S FUNERAL
THE funeral service for the late Harry Wenzel Miller, a former outstanding softball player, is all set to take place at 11am Saturday, July 5 at St Michael’s Methodist Church on Churchill Avenue.
His interment will follow at the Western Cemetery. Miller, married to Moria Sweeting-Miller, is the father of Theresa MillerTynes, a former outstanding female softball player.
His other children are Pamela Miller, Patrice Miller-King, Monique Sweeting-Miller, Jennifer Ferguson-Miller, Ashley Miller-King and Roberto Miller.
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,” is slated to 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. VOLLEYBALL BBSF TOURNAMENT
THE Bahamas Baptist Sports Federation is slated to hold a meeting 5pm Saturday at its office at the Bahamas Baptist College for all churches interested in participating in its co-ed
volleyball tournament. The tournament will take place from July 18-19 at the CI Gibson Gymnasium.
The registration fee is $200 per team for a roster of 12 players, which includes a mixture of men and women.
GOLF CHALLENGE
THE Strikers’ Three Club Challenge is slated to be held from July 11-13 at the Bahamas Golf Federation Driving Range at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex with a shotgun start at noon each day. The 18-holes event will be played in three different divisions with $2,500 in cash prizes for first, second and third-place finishes as well as the closest to the pin finisher. Registration is required. For more information, persons can contact Swanno at 242-376-0811. The registration fee is $150 per person, which includes the green fees for two days, plus food and drinks.
BOXING
FUNDRAISER
THE Boxing Federation of the Bahamas is planning to host a souse out as a fundraiser on Saturday, August 2, at the National Boxing
Training Center, Blue Hill
Sports Complex.
The event is scheduled to take place from 9am to 3pm with chicken pig feet and sheep tongue with Johnnycake or rolls on the menu for a donation of $15.
Soft drinks, potato, coconut and zucchini breads will also be on sale. This is part of our effort to meet our goal of $60,000, according to federation president Vincent Strachan. “We are seeking your support by purchasing tickets and additional donations of food items, if possible,” Strachan said.
The 15 members are expected to participate in The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Championships in St Lucia from August 1-3.
The team is expected to depart July 31 and would remain there for a training camp with the St Lucia national boxing team. They would depart for Georgetown, Guyana from August 14-18 for the school boys and girls championship and seniors. They would remain in Guyana for another training camp until August 27. Then will
because of the rain, on the second day that we finally played, I showed true grit and I played the best golf that I ever played,” she pointed out. “So that was really good for me. But the other days, I didn’t play as well. My score increased. So that wasn’t good for me.”
With the exposure at the CVC before she heads off with the junior national team, Pratt said she would like to perform much better against her peers.
As for Team Bahamas, she said it’s a “great example of the talent that we have in The Bahamas,” she stated.
“So I’m really looking forward to us performing very well there.” Kerrington Rolle, making his fourth appearance on the boys’ team, said once they can “gel and gel together,” Team Bahamas will have a chance to win.
“I’m pretty confident with this team,” said Rolle, a 16-year-old going into the 12th grade at Windsor High.
“We’re much stronger than last year’s team and the team before.”
and just great scores and good golf.”
Like everybody else, Pratt used the nationals to prepare for the international tournament.
“My performance in the nationals was mediocre,” said Pratt, who was third overall in the ladies’ category with 247 after she shot rounds of 76, 82 and 89.
“But after we didn’t get to play on the first day
At the nationals, Rolle was 14th with scores of 76-86-76 for a total of 238, but he’s convinced that he will perform much better in Puerto Rico.
“My performances were okay. It could have been better,” Rolle said.
“I just have to get ready for the trip and be better prepared to perform in Puerto Rico.”
BLTA CONGRATULATES BRIANA HOULGRAVE ON HER FIRST DOUBLES VICTORY AT JUNIOR ITF J30 IN HONDURAS
THE Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association congratulates Briana Houlgrave on her first doubles victory at the junior International Tennis Federation (ITF) J30 in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. In doubles, Houlgrave teamed up with Adriana Khomyakova and the duo was seeded third. Houlgrave and Khomyakova won in the quarterfinals over American Dalal and Hondurian Rivera 7-5, 6-1. In the semifinals they were victorious over the No.1 seed Asia and Sofia
head to St Maarten, for The Battle Of The Islands Championships.
SPECIAL OLYMPICS
SPECIAL Olympics Bahamas is scheduled to hold their annual raffle grill fun day fundraiser on Saturday, August 16 from 11:30am to 6pm at the Stapledon School Grounds on
Sundas in an exciting threesetter 6-3, 2-6, 10-6. In the finals they won in straight sets over Guatemalans Fuentes and Monteroso 7-6(3), 6-1.
The BLTA congratulates Houlgrave on her doubles victory on the international junior circuit. Houlgrave, who is only 14 years old, reached the semifinals and finals in doubles competition at the J30 in Montego Bay, Jamaica and now follows with her first doubles ITF career win. Continue to shine Houlgrave!
Dolphin Drive. Dinners will include chicken, steak, fish, hot dogs, burgers, pastries and soft drinks. Domino’s, Connect 4 and basketball games will be played during the day. Interested persons are urged to call 426-0233, 477-0304 or 359-3558 for information on ticket purchases.
in Honduras.
GO TEAM BAHAMAS: Some members of the Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships team, Kerrington Rolle, Shamari Pratt, coach Keathen Stuart, Kayleigh Rolle and Camdyn Forbes.
Powerlifter Turner-Bain delivers top 10 finish at the 2025 USA Powerlifting Raw Nationals
FROM PAGE E1
PARTNERSHIP WITH NEW YORK YANKEES
FROM PAGE
partnership allows us to connect directly with Yankees fans and invite them to explore our beautiful islands, vibrant culture and unmatched experiences.
Whether you’re looking for relaxation, adventure, or authentic Bahamian hospitality, there’s a place for everyone in The Bahamas.”
Fans can expect to see The Bahamas featured in Yankee Stadium with branding displayed on concourse televisions, LED animations in the Great Hall and on field-facing LED displays throughout the season. The Bahamas will also host a sweepstakes providing bucket list travel opportunities for fans, which will be promoted via Yankees social media.
Latia Duncombe, director general of the BMOTIA added: “Partnering with the New York Yankees reinforces The Bahamas’ position as a world-class destination with global appeal. This collaboration provides direct access to one of our most important visitor markets and enables us to showcase the diverse, authentic experiences of our islands to millions of fans throughout the season. It marks a strategic step in our ongoing efforts to drive visitation and elevate The Bahamas on one of the world’s most influential platforms.”
and a massive 205kg (452 pounds) deadlift, resulting in a total Dots score of 428.41 - a measure that ranks athletes based on strength-to-weight performance. While short of the 475 Dots required for Pro Card qualification, her performance solidified her status among the top lifters in her class, finishing 10th overall.
qualifying, puts her within striking distance of the 2026 competition cycle.
To earn a Pro Card in the USAPL competition, athletes must either finish in the top 3 of their weight class or surpass the 475 Dots threshold in a single meet. Turner-Bain’s performance, though not yet
Looking ahead, she plans to return to the USA Powerlifting Nationals in 2026 with a determined pursuit to attain her pro card and improve her rankings.
“In the next cycle, I’m aiming to compete in three meets, depending on how
the year goes, and I want to compete in nationals again to improve my totals and move up in the ranks, but right now my main goal is being in pursuit of my pro card,” Turner-Bain said about her goals next cycle in 2026.
Turner-Bain’s participation is not just about personal achievement
- it reflects a growing movement in The Bahamas towards excellence in strength sports.
Her journey can inspire new generations of Bahamian female and male athletes alike to compete internationally and showcase the country’s potential in the world of powerlifting.
“We are excited to welcome The Bahamas as a partner this season,” said Michael J. Tusiani, New York Yankees’ senior vice president of partnerships.
“With in-stadium branding, engaging activations, and promotion on Yankees social media accounts, we expect that the multifaceted exposure to our fans will result in increased recognition of The Bahamas as a premier tourist destination.”
PRO VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS SHONARI HEPBURN AND KYLE WILSON LOOKING TO HELP MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM AT CARIBBEAN VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Bahamas, playing at home and playing against the teams when they come to the tournament.”
Wilson, who attended Queen’s College, said he too is thrilled to be home to participate in the CVC Tournament. “I’m ready to show the Bahamian people what high level volleyball is all about,” he said. “I want to be able to inspire more of the younger kids to play the game.”
As for the make up of Team Bahamas, Wilson said there’s a lot of potential on the horizon.
“I think we still have a lot to learn because a lot of these kids have not played at that level,” he said.
“So having the experienced players around will help to bring them up to the level for them to compete,”he added.
Looking back at his season, Hepburn said it was a good one as he helped to get his team promoted from
the second division to the first division.
“For me, it was making sure that I kept my level at a standard because division two is different from division one.
“It’s more competitive the higher you go,” said Hepburn, who excelled as the top middle blocker in the league.
When he returns to complete the second year of his two-year deal with Panionios, Hepburn said he wants to get better than he
was with his team the year before.
“Every year, the team I’ve played on has been in the top four, so I’m trying to do that again.”
After playing for the past decade, Hepburn said it has varied from year to year.
“Some seasons have been better than others, but it’s all a learning process,” Hepburn said.
“But it’s not all about me. It’s about making connections for the other players. Having been through it, I
was able to convince Kyle, who wasn’t sure about what he would do.
“I was able to put him in touch with the right people so that he had to bypass some of the things that I had to do to get there.”
After completing his initial season in Latvia with Daugavpils Universitate/ Ezereme, Wilson said he learned a lot.
“It wasn’t too difficult than playing high level college volleyball,” said Wilson, who finished his
four-year stint with the McKendree Bearcats in 2024.
“Everybody is pretty much bigger and stronger.
“But the speed of the game is the same.
“Everything else is pretty much the same, except that they hit harder and jump higher.”
As he waits to find out where he will play next, Wilson said he just has to be “patient” and “trust the process” and learn as much as I can.”
RF Bank & Trust proudly returns as the title sponsor of BGF Amateur Golf Championships
lessons, mentorship, and in some cases, even scholarships and professional pathways,” said Rachael Allahar, assistant vice president of marketing at RF.
RF Bank & Trust extends its congratulations to all participants and winners of the 2025 Amateur Golf Championships and looks forward to partnering with the BGF on upcoming programmes and tournaments throughout the year. FROM PAGE E1
ALICZIA Turner-Bain in action at the 2025 USA Powerlifting Raw Nationals.
Myles Turner will join Bucks, who waive Damian Lillard, AP source says, in a free agency surprise
By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer
MYLES Turner is about to become teammates with Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Damian Lillard now has the chance to pick his next spot.
And just like that, the first full day of NBA free agency brought big surprises yesterday.
Turner — the longtime stalwart for the Indiana Pacers — agreed to a four-year deal to join the Milwaukee Bucks, who waived the nine-time AllStar in Lillard to make the acquisition happen, a person with knowledge of the moves told The Associated Press.
Turner is agreeing to a deal that ends with a player option, after spending the entirety of his first 10 seasons with the Pacers, who went to the NBA Finals this past season. And the remaining $112.6 million owed to Lillard will be paid out over the next five seasons via the NBA’s stretch provision, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because neither move was announced by the clubs involved.
ESPN, which first reported the plan by the Pacers and Bucks, said Turner agreed to a contract worth $107 million.
In both cases, Achilles tendon injuries played a role in how things unfolded. Indiana expects to be without star guard Tyrese Haliburton for the entirety of the coming season because he ruptured his Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder while playing through what was diagnosed as a calf strain.
Earlier, Lillard ruptured his Achilles tendon while playing for Milwaukee in
Round 1 against Indiana.
Lillard is likely to miss most, if not all, of the coming season. He will be free to sign with anyone he chooses, and teams could simply sign him now, give him a chance to continue his recovery and do so with hope that the seven-time All-NBA selection is fully ready to go by the start of the 2026-27 season.
“This is an opportunity for Damian to stay home to continue his rehabilitation, take time to decide where he wants to play next, while still being paid his entire contract,” said Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin.
Turner has averaged 14.1 points and 6.8 rebounds in his 10 seasons with the Pacers, who had to make a decision this summer about whether to surpass the luxury tax threshold knowing that Haliburton likely cannot play this coming season.
Lillard, who turns 35 this month, has averaged 25.1 points and 6.7 assists in 900 regular-season games over 13 seasons — the first 11 with Portland, the last two with Milwaukee.
The Bucks lost Brook Lopez to the Los Angeles Clippers when free agency opened Monday.
SGA gets extension
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed on a record-setting 4-year, $285 million extension that would give him the highest single-season average salary in NBA history, a person with knowledge of the agreement said yesterday. He is coming off a year when he became the fourth player in NBA history to win MVP, Finals MVP and a scoring title and play for a champion in the same season. Kareem AbdulJabbar did it once, Michael Jordan then did it four
times and Shaquille O’Neal was the last entrant into that fraternity — until this past season, when GilgeousAlexander joined the club.
Heat trading Robinson to Pistons
Duncan Robinson, the leading 3-point shooter in Miami Heat history, is headed back to Michigan for the next step of his career.
A person with knowledge of the agreement said the Detroit Pistons will land Robinson on a three-year, $48 million contract and the Heat will receive wing Simone Fontecchio in what will be a sign-and-trade.
Robinson started his college career at Division III’s Williams in Massachusetts,
before finishing at Michigan. He was an undrafted success story with the Heat, part of the 2020 and 2023 teams that went to the NBA Finals.
Schröder to Kings Veteran point guard and German Olympic teamer Dennis Schröder has agreed to join the Sacramento Kings on a three-year deal, the third of which is not fully guaranteed, a person with knowledge of that agreement said yesterday. ESPN reported the total value of the deal is $45 million.
Schröder, who is entering his 13th NBA season, is joining his 10th club — and ninth in the last seven years. He spent the first
five seasons of his career with Atlanta, then was with Oklahoma City, the Los Angeles Lakers (twice), Boston, Houston, Toronto, Brooklyn, Golden State and Detroit at various times over the past seven seasons. He has averaged 13.9 points and 4.9 assists in 849 regular-season games. Tim Hardaway Jr. joining Nuggets Sharpshooting wing Tim Hardaway Jr. will be signing a one-year contract with the Denver Nuggets, a person familiar with the player’s plans said yesterday.
Hardaway spent last season with Detroit — he averaged 11 points in 77 games as a starter for the Pistons — and Denver
becomes his fifth club. He also has been with Dallas, New York and Atlanta. Poeltl remains with Raptors Centre Jakob Poeltl gets a raise and some job security in a contract extension that keeps him with the Toronto Raptors, a person familiar with that agreement confirmed yesterday.
Poeltl will be finalising a four-year deal worth about $26 million per year, or about $7 million more on average than what he was in line to make this coming season.
Poeltl — a career 63% shooter — is coming off a season in which he averaged career bests of 14.5 points and 9.6 rebounds.
INDIANA Pacers center Myles Turner dunks against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half of Game 6 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Thursday, June 19, 2025, in Indianapolis.
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
MILWAUKEE Bucks’ Damian Lillard shoots a free throw during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Orlando Magic, March 8, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Al Hilal stuns Man City 4-3 in Club World Cup on Marcos Leonardo’s extra-time goal
By JACKSON CASTELLANO Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla.
(AP) — Marcos Leonardo scored his second goal on a rebound in the 112th minute, and Al Hilal stunned Manchester City 4-3 on Monday night, eliminating the Premier League power from the Club World Cup in the round of 16.
In a back-and-forth thriller at Camping World Stadium, the Saudi Arabian club took the lead three times, including twice in extra time.
Kalidou Koulibaly put Al Hilal ahead 3-2 in the 94th minute, but Phil Foden — who entered as a substitute four minutes earlier — equalised in the 104th. Leonardo finally put Man City away. Goalkeeper Ederson saved a header by Sergej Milinkovic-Savic from inside the penalty box and the ball deflected to Leonardo, who redirected it with his right foot as he fell to the pitch near the left post.
Al Hilal moves on to face Brazilian club Fluminense, which took down Inter Milan earlier Monday. Leonardo also scored in the 46th minute to even the match at 1-1.
Bernardo Silva opened the scoring in the ninth minute for Man City.
Malcom put Al Hilal ahead in the 52nd, and Erling Haaland found the net in the 55th to make it 2-2. The match drew 42,311 to Camping World Stadium, which has a capacity of 60,219.
Key moment Manchester City nearly won it regulation in the final seconds of added time on a counterattack that was
thwarted by a hard challenge. Referees did not call a penalty, and Man City coach Pep Guardiola ran onto the field to argue the decision after the whistle.
Takeaways Al Hilal is scheduled to face Fluminense on July 4 at the Camping World Stadium for a spot in the semifinals.
What they said “We defeated a very, very strong team. That looked impossible yesterday.” — Simone Inzaghi, Al Hilal coach. “It’s a pity. Nothing to say. We’ll have to continue. I still have the feeling this team is doing well. We’ll go home and have time to rest.” - Pep Guardiola, Manchester City coach
AL Hilal players celebrate following the Club World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Manchester City and Al Hilal in Orlando, Florida, on Monday. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
BGF PREPARES TO HOST CARIBBEAN VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
IN preparation for the hosting of the Caribbean Volleyball Championships 2025, the Bahamas Volleyball Federation hosted a Volleyball Station seminar over the weekend at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. The practical and theory sessions were conducted by instructor Manuel Calderon from Mexico. The sessions also included friendly matches for players trying out for both the men and women national teams. Also in attendance was Mushtaque Mohammed, the president of CAZOVA, who came for a site inspection before the start of the tournament from August 15-23 with nine men and eight women teams participating.
Photos by Chappell Whyms Jr
BLUE JAYS BEAT ‘JAZZ’ AND YANKEES 12-5 TO PULL WITHIN ONE GAME OF AL EAST LEAD
By IAN HARRISON Associated Press
TORONTO (AP) —
George Springer had a career-high seven RBIs, including his ninth grand slam, and the Toronto Blue Jays celebrated Canada Day by beating the Yankees 12-5 yesterday and closing within one game of AL East-leading New York.
Andrés Giménez had a go-ahead, three-run
homer for the Blue Jays, who overcame a 2-0 deficit against Max Fried. After the Yankees tied the score 4-4 in the seventh, Toronto broke open the game in the bottom half against a reeling Yankees bullpen. Springer went 3 for 4, starting the comeback with a solo homer in the fourth against Fried and boosting the lead to 9-5 with the slam off Luke Weaver after Ernie Clement’s go-ahead single
off shortstop Anthony Volpe’s glove. Springer has 13 homers this season and his second of the day was his 100th for the Blue Jays. Toronto won the first two games of the four-game series and closed within one game of the Yankees for the first time since before play on April 20. New York went 2 for 17 with runners in scoring position, dropping to 3
for 24 in the series, while the Blue Jays were 5 for 7. After going 13-14 in June, the Yankees fell to 10-14 against AL East rivals.
Aaron Judge had two singles and three walks, including his 21st intentional free pass this year, and Jasson Domínguez drove in three runs.
Mark Leiter Jr. (4-6) lost for the second straight day while Braydon Fisher (2-0) got two outs for the Blue
Jays, who have won nine of 14. Giménez put Toronto ahead 4-2 by homering in a four-run fourth off Fried, who had been 8-1 with a 0.93 ERA in 10 starts following Yankees losses. New York was hurt by a catcher’s interference call against rookie J.C. Escarra for the second straight day, which was followed by Clement’s go-ahead hit. A wide throw by third baseman Jasrado “Jazz”
Chisholm Jr. on a two-out grounder was followed by Giménez’s homer. Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham, who hurt a hamstring Monday, didn’t play but took part in pregame work.
Key moment Springer has 26 multihomer games.
Key stat Fried allowed multiple homers for the second time after giving up a pair to Shohei Ohtani on May 30.
PLAY ACTION: New York Yankees second baseman Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr. (13) throws to first base but Toronto Blue Jays’ Davis Schneider, not pictured, is safe during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Toronto yesterday.
(Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)