SPORTS SECTION E
WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016
Blue Marlin
Meet Results, Page 4
CBC U-16 girls win opener, 59-54 over Suriname By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas’ girls team picked up where the boys left off, winning their opening match in the 2016 Caribbean Basketball Confederation Under-16 Championships for Girls. Yesterday in Georgetown, Guyana, the Bahamas pulled off a 5954 victory against Suriname at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, the same venue where the boys team completed a 6-0 record to clinch
the title last week. Valencia Demeritte, who attends high school in the United States, pumped in a game high 27 points with 11 rebounds in the game as she mesmerised her opponents and the fans, establishing herself as a double-double threat and scoring machine so far in the tournament. Tanea Bowleg added 11 points for the Bahamians. The Bahamas, coached by Varel Davis, Charlene ‘Swish’ Smith and Anastacia Moultrie, was in control of the match from start to
finish. Suriname made a few runs to keep the score close, but the Bahamas was able to continue to apply the pressure to stay ahead of their Dutch counterparts. In the second half, it was a fast paced tempo that worked in favour of the Bahamas as they were able to withstand any attack that Suriname aimed at them. Anita Tolud was the top scorer for the Surinamese with 17 points while Mirelva Marica had 16 points in the loss. The Bahamas will have a day off
as they prepare to play Trinidad & Tobago, the other only team in Pool A. Trinidad & Tobago will open up against Suriname today. Four teams make up Pool A. They are Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, British Virgin Islands and Guyana. The top teams will advance to the playoffs that start on Friday with the championship set for Saturday. Like the boys’ tournament, the top teams will go on to qualify for the Under-17 CentroBasket Championships in 2017 where they will compete for spots in
the FIBA Americas U-18 Cup from which they can qualify for the FIBA U-19 World Cup or the Youth Olympics. The Bahamas clobbered Guyana 84-57 to win the gold on Saturday as they had a dominating performance. They were joined by Guyana and Jamaica in qualifying for the CentroBasket. Dominick Bridgewater was named the most valuable player after he pumped in a game high 34 points and eight steals in leading the Bahamas to victory in the championship game.
‘Golden Boys’ make Bahamas proud
BRINGING HOME GOLD: Based on the historic performance of the junior men’s national team at the recent Caribbean Basketball Confederation Under-16 Championships, the future looks bright for the country’s national team programme. The Bahamas capped off a dominant six-game run by claiming the gold medal with an 84-57 win over host country Guyana at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall in Georgetown, Guyana. Domnick Bridgewater saved his best performance for the tournament finale and earned MVP honours with 34 points and eight steals.
Davis Cup: Bahamas gets 2-1 victory over Costa Rica By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas men’s Davis Cup team had to dig down deep, but they managed to prevail with a 2-1 win over Costa Rica to remain undefeated at 2-0 in the American Zone III Tie in La Paz, Bolivia. And for the second consecutive day, it came down to the pivotal doubles as player/captain Marvin Rolle and Baker Newman got the job done, securing a come-from-behind 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win to seal the deal. “Today was an interesting day,” Rolle said. “Spencer went out and played the first match. He played a good first set, but the second set was a really tough one. “It was 5-5 and the guy served and pulled through. But he had the match point in the tie breaker, so it was unfortunate. Late in the third set, he just couldn’t
pull it through.” Rolle, however, said they didn’t panic because they were in a similar situation the day before against Honduras. “Baker came out and he played solid throughout the match and he pulled off the singles win for us. Then in the doubles, it was me and Baker again. We lost the first set, but we didn’t lose out confidence. We knew that we could have hung in there with those guys.” At 5-4, the Bahamas broke Costa Rica and went on to win the second set. In the third set, they got the early break and was able to pull it off.” In the opening singles, Spencer Newman had a marathon match, losing to Ignaci Roca 4-6, 7-6 (90, 6-4 in a match that lasted two hours and 44 minutes. “Today was an interesting day. I came back from 2-0 to win the first set 6-4, had a match point in the second, but he ended up
SHOWN (l-r) are Marvin Rolle, Kevin Major and Baker and Spencer Newman with the young flag carriers for the Bahamas in Bolivia. getting me 6-4 in the third,” Baker Newman said. “But I wasn’t too worried. I knew the capability of our team. “Baker came back and won in straight sets as he
was able to stay strong to play doubles with Marvin. They lost the first set, but they came back. It was a comeback day for us. I am so proud of this team. I’m
glad to be with these boys.” In his singles match, Spencer Newman needed just 1:28 to dispose of Pablo Nunez 6-3, 6-4 to equalise the score at 1-1.
“I just went to work,” Spencer Newman said. “I won the first set rather handily. I went down a break, but managed to come back for a break. It was 4-4 and I was down 15-40, but was able to tough it out.” Once he got off the court, Spencer Newman said he got the call from Rolle to get ready to go back out for the doubles. He was able to get himself in top gear and completed the day in their three setter in 1:52. “Today was pretty exciting, knowing that it could have gone either way,” said Kevin Major Jr, who was supporting his teammates from the sidelines. “If we had lost, it would have been tough coming out of the group in first place. “But it was good. I’m proud of all of them. Today was a huge victory in us moving forward to win the whole thing.” The Bahamas will be back in action today against Bermuda.
BAAA sending off junior, youth national teams this week By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net WHILE they wait for the Bahamas Olympic Committee to release the names of the athletes ratified for the 2016 Olympic Games next month in Rio de Janeiro, the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations is busy sending off its junior and youth national teams this week. “We expect for all of the teams travelling to perform very well,” said BAAA public relations officer Philip Gray. In fact, the Caribbean Union Teachers’ 40-member team, sponsored by the Bahamas Union of Teachers, will be leaving today for Tortola, British Virgin Islands. The team’s head coach is Stephen Murray, assisted by Luther
Rolle. On Sunday (Independence Day) the team worshipped at Holy Trinity Anglican Church before they departed for the championship. “We feel that the CUT team stand a good chance of winning,” Gray said. Also today, a 17-member team will be leaving for El Salvador to participate in the NACAC Under-23 Championships. Betty Christie will serve as the head coach and Patrick Adderley will travel as the head coach. The team members worshipped at Calvary Bible Church on Sunday. Included on the team are Tayla Carter, Carmiesha Cox, Pedrya Seymour, Tadisha Pinder, Ian Kerr, Anthony Adderley, Stephen Newbold, Ashley Riley, Jameko Cartwright, Maverick Newbold, Lathone Collie, Andre Cole-
JUNIOR athletes attended worship services at various church locations. brooke and Drexel Maycock. “We have some very confident and capable athletes and our relay teams should be very strong, so we expect a few medals there,” Gray said.
And on Friday, a 13-member team will travel to Poland for the World Juniors on Friday. Margo Major is the team manager. Ravanno Ferguson is head coach and Ednol Rolle is his assis-
tant. They worshipped on Sunday at Kemp Road Ministries. Among the list of competitors expected to make the trip are Jenae Ambrose, Shaquania Dorsett, Sasha Wells, Charisma Taylor, Devine Parker, Kendrick Thompson, Henry Delauze, Holland Martin, Tavonte Mott, Shakeem Smith, Branson Rolle, Kenard Rolle and Samson Colebrooke. “This is a very good team,” Gray said. “We are looking at Devine Parker and Tavonte Mott to be our best medal prospects, but we are also looking at getting some medals in the relays.” The three teams will set the tone for the big team that will follow when the selection is made for the Olympic team going to Rio in August. Some members of the NACAC team should be named to the Olympic team.