SPORTS SECTION E
NFL
Week 7, Page 5
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2017
Wildcats are new NPSA champions By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
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he Sunshine Auto Wildcats proved that you should never underestimate the heart of an “old” champion. Down 2-0 in the New Providence Softball Association’s 2017 Godfrey ‘Gully’ Burnside best-of-7 championship series against the defending champions Johnson’s Lady Truckers, the Lady Wildcats rallied to force a seventh and deciding game last night in the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. And with the game tied at 4-4 going into the top of the sixth inning, Sunshine Auto took advantage of two costly errors by the Lady Truckers to take control as mainstay Mary ‘Cruise’ Sweeting held her opponents at bay the rest of the way. She ended the game with a strike out after giving up a run on a lead-off triple.
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WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: The Sunshine Auto Lady Wildcats celebrate with their trophy last night after beating the defending champions Johnson’s Lady Truckers in the New Providence Softball Association’s Godfrey ‘Gully’ Burnside best-of-seven championship series. The Wildcats rallied to force a seventh and deciding game in the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. Photo: Derron Donaldson
Lakeisha wins master women’s physique By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net LAKEISHA Miller became the ninth Bahamian overall out of the Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation and the second in three months to earn her professional bodybuilding card. Over the weekend at the Ben Weider Legacy Cup in Toronto, Canada, Miller led a 10-member team by winning the master women’s physique overall to pick up a total of three of the Bahamas’ seven medals. Miller, leading the way for the Bahamas, won the master women’s physique 35-44 years by dominating the field of three others. She also out-classed six others in the women’s
physique over 163cm and she won over two others in the master women’s physique overall. “It feels great,” Miller told The Tribune. “It’s a long time coming.” Miller, who has been in the sport for over 10 years, but had a break before coming back in 2014, follows in the footsteps of Jameil Hamilton, who earned his pro card by winning the men’s bodybuilding overall and the men’s bodybuilding over 100kg at the Ben Weider Legacy Cup in Aruba August 4-6. Miller and Hamilton adds to the elite list of Bahamians that have pro cards, including Charles Kemp, who became the first recipient in 1998 in El Salvador, Natasha ‘Downtown’ Brown in 2002 in
BODYBUILDER Lakeisha Miller has earned her pro card.
Venezuela, Joel Stubbs in 2003 here at home, Gena Mackey in 2007 in Bermuda, James ‘Jay’ Darling in 2011 in El Salvador and Dominique Wilkinson in 2013 in the Dominican Republic and Dawn Charlton in 2015 also at home. In Toronto, Miller and the rest of the Bahamians participated in the Ben Weider Legacy Cup after the Central American and Caribbean Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships was cancelled in Mexico because of the damage left behind by Hurricane Irma. The Bahamas along with Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Bermuda, Curacao, Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago and the US Virgin Islands all took advantage of the invitation to compete in the International Federation of
Bodybuilding and Fitness sanctioned event with the United States and Canada. Gemo Smith won over three competitors in the master men’s physique 40-44 years open, while Paul Wilson was the lone competitor entered in the men’s bodybuilding up to 70kg and Sidney ‘Butts’ Outten was the lone ranger in the master men’s bodybuilding over 60 years open. Wilson, however, was seventh in a field of nine competitors in the men’s bodybuilding overall with Outten coming in ninth. Grand Bahamian Bernard Davis got 11th out of a field of 12 competitors in the men’s bodybuilding over 100 kg.
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UB Mingoes to host Florida College Falcons in double header By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net COACH Bacchus Rolle will get a good opportunity to showcase the development of his University of the Bahamas Mingoes men’s basketball team when they play host to a double header against
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the visiting Florida College Falcons. The Mingoes and the Falcons will clash at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium on Friday at 8pm and again on Saturday at 7pm in a rematch of a showdown between the two teams in Florida last year. “We’re excited. We will see how well our guys have developed,” said Rolle, who is coming back to coach after undergoing surgery in September for what was diagnosed as a cardiac arrest. “We are going to try and play to the best of our ability on those days. But we know it’s going to be a big test because this team we are facing can really play.” Rolle, whose assistant coach Lavar Johnson ran the practice sessions during is time off to recuperate, said the Mingoes are a little more offensive minded than they were last year when they faced the Falcons. “We have about five or six players who can shoot the ball, but we’re not as strong defensively
as we were. We have about five freshmen like Christoff McKenzie, Tamaris McIntosh, a big back-up point guard from Grand Bahama, William Brown and Deangelo Cornish. “We want to see how well they adapt, but we are excited to see what they can give us. I think they are definitely a good base for us to work with for the future. But we just want to get them ready to play in their first big time basketball against a quality basketball team.” Last year, the Falcons defeated the Mingoes and they have added a couple players to their big lineup with the average size of about 6-feet-10, which should pose a threat for Rolle and his squad. “We look to counter attack that with our speed and an uptempo game,” Rolle explained. “We know that they can shoot the ball very well, so our guards will have to be able to defend them from the perimeter. “I know it’s going to be exciting, but we are up to
the challenge. They bring a style of play that is very systematic and they have some very disciplined players. We have a pretty good point guard, so it’s going to be very interesting to see how well our players respond to the challenge.” Ramon Dames is the Mingoes’ point guard, but Rolle said he’s confident in the return of their shooting guard Justin Smith and their swingman Kimsey Sylvester. “They have a huge task, a mammoth task because we have some injuries with Ramon Dames spraining his thumb and William Brown, post player injured his ACL in workout, so it’s doubtful if they will be able to play at full strength,” Rolle pointed out. As this is their home game, Rolle said the University of the Bahamas is hoping to put together a good brand of basketball for the public as they also prepare for their participation in the upcoming New Providence Basketball Association.
Last year, the Mingoes finished the regular season at 12-5 but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Mail Boat Cybots, who went on to win the title. The Cybots, coached then by Wayde Watson, are not expected to be back to defend their title. Instead, it’s understood that the majority of the players have joined the other teams, including the Rockets and the Pros. “This NPBA season is going to be totally different as far as the talent is concerned,” Rolle projected. “But we are hoping to use these games this weekend to see exactly where we are going into the season.” All UB students will be allowed to enter the gym free of charge with their identification. Admission for adults is $5 and children under 12 will be charged $3. Music will be provided by DJ A.I. and the Emanji Circus will provide the halftime show.