SPORTS SECTION E
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017
NFL
Picks - Pages 2, 3
Spartans to assist Bahamas’ hurricane relief efforts By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
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he Michigan State University men’s basketball programme has gravitated toward the leadership of Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn during his tenure in East Lansing and now, with their senior point guard in mind, the Spartans look to assist in the Bahamas’ hurricane relief efforts. The Spartans will get an early start to elite non-conference competition when they face the Georgia Bulldogs in a charity exhibition game 2pm Sunday, October 29, at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The charity exhibition game will help to raise awareness and financial support for hurricane relief efforts, specifically those in
Georgia and in the After leading Bahamas. and facilitating for According to the other players for Spartans, ticket the last three years, sales opened yesNairn said he now terday and will has a new perspecbenefit American tive as a senior in Red Cross – Interhis final campaign. national Services “My whole deal and American Red since I’ve been Cross – Georgia here because it was Region. instilled in me as a “It means a lot,” freshman, that you Nairn said to the send your seniors LOURAWLS NAIRN Detroit Free Press. out the right way. “Being a kid from the Baha- It’s emotional for me, being on mas, we have a lot of hurricanes the end of the spectrum now,” every year. he said. “It’s Tum’s senior year “We have something called hur- but I’ve always been playing for ricane season. Just to be able to my teammates, playing for the play in a game like that, to give guys that have been putting in the back — especially being a kid work for the programme, even from the Bahamas — it’s some- playing for the guys that I never thing special to be a part of.” even played with. Nairn averaged 3.7 points, 2.5 Both schools received a waiver rebounds, and 3.7 assists as a from the NCAA to hold the junior last season. exhibition due to its nature as a
charity event. NCAA rules mandate that Division I programmes schedule Division II, III or NAIA programmes during the exhibition period. The Spartans are ranked No.2 in the USA Today/Coaches poll. “This is a great opportunity for our programmes to help make an impact with the relief and rebuilding efforts in areas that were affected by this summer’s hurricanes,” Spartans coach Tom Izzo said. “We look forward to playing back in Grand Rapids where we have a strong fan base. They’ll see us play a very good Georgia team that is very well coached and features a great player in Yante Maten, who’s returning to his home state. Combining a competitive basketball game with a worthy cause makes for an outstanding event.” Hurricane Irma effected both the Bahamas and Georgia in
Sports tourism gaining momentum SPORTS tourism continues to gain momentum in The Islands of The Bahamas with several major sporting events on the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation’s calendar. The impressive list of events showcases the ability and diversity of the multi-island destination to host a wide variety of sporting events. They include: • Run for Pompey – October 7. Exuma, Bahamas. • Abaco Open Water Swim – October 8. Marsh Harbour, Abaco. • 31st Annual Conchman Triathlon – November 4. Freeport, Grand Bahama. • Bahamas Half Marathon & 10K – November 19. Nassau, Bahamas. • Battle 4 Atlantis – November 22 – 24. Nassau, Bahamas. • NCAA Women’s Junkanoo Jam – November 23 – 26. Bimini, Bahamas. • Hero World Challenge (PGA Golf) – November 30 – December 3. Nassau, Bahamas. • Atlantis Crown Gymnastics International – December 14 – 17. Nassau, Bahamas. • Bahamas Bowl – December 22. Nassau, Bahamas. • Bahamas Great Exuma Classic – January 10 - 16 2018. Exuma, Bahamas • Sunshine Insurance Marathon Bahamas Weekend – January 13-14 2018. Nassau, Bahamas. • Bahamas Great Abaco Golf Classic – January 18 -24 2018. Abaco, Bahamas. • Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic – January 22 - 28 2018. Nassau, Bahamas Virginia Kelly, director of sports tourism marketing, said these events result in significant publicity for The Islands of The Bahamas and a boost to the local economy. “These events help us meet our core mandates of heads in beds and creating foreign exchange and jobs/opportunities for local stakeholders. Also, there is also a social component where our young people are given an opportunity to not only receive
early September. In the Bahamas, Mayaguana, Inagua, Acklins and Ragged Islands were the hardest hit areas. As the storm travelled north, it produced tornadic activity in Grand Bahama and Bimini. Once the storm reached the mainland United States, Georgia was one of three states on its path. In its aftermath, three people were dead and more than a million Georgians remained without power. “We had schools contact us about it, but adding a road game in short notice seemed more difficult than needed,” Georgia coach Mark Fox said in a release. “But this is an opportunity to help the people of the state of Georgia. Hurricane Irma had a significant impact on the DawgNation. I want to thank coach Izzo and the administration of MSU for helping to put this together so quickly.”
SIR DURWARD KNOWLES 100 REGATTA SET FOR MONTAGU By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
instruction from people who are the best at what they do, but they can showcase their skills and talents to these international coaches with an opportunity for college scholarships. In the past three years, Bahamas Bowl has provided as many as 16 annual scholarships,” Kelly said. The Bahamas Bowl, formerly known as Popeyes Bahamas Bowl, has injected $15.1 million into the local economy over the past three years. The college football game has attracted 6,795 visitors during that period. Competing schools and bowl organisers have donated more than $75,000 to the Ranfurly Home for Children’s youth development. The Mid-American Conference (MAC) has also provided $50,000 in hurricane relief for Hurricane Matthew which was matched by Atlantis for a grand total of $100,000. The bowl also contributes over $75,000 to the thriving cultural community including Junkanoo
THE Popeyes Bahamas Bowl (top) and Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge (PGA Golf) are two of the many upcoming major sporting events - set for November 30 to December 3 and December 22 respectively - in the Bahamas. groups and the Bahamas AllStar band. Last year, the Hero World Challenge held at Albany was seen in more than one billion households in 227 countries and territories. More than 100 international journalists visited the shores of The Bahamas to cover the golf challenge and everyone, including television
commentators, provided colourful commentary on the beauty of Albany and The Bahamas. Similarly, the largest gymnastics competition in The Bahamas, Atlantis Crown Gymnastics, drew more than 3,000 athletes, coaches and supporters from the United States, Panama and Canada for the three-day competition.
THE Montagu foreshore will be transformed into a sporting and entertainment spectacle this weekend with 100 boats in competition to honour one of the country’s greatest sporting icons. A joint effort by the National Family Island Regatta, the Bahamas Sailing Association and the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources with responsibility for regattas, will host the Sir Durward Knowles 100 Regatta, October 26-27 at Montagu Bay. Racing begins 8am Saturday in the sloop sailing segment with Class C and Class E, followed by Class B at noon and Class A at 3:30pm. Following the races on Saturday, there will be an awards presentation at 4pm. Sunday’s race schedule will begin at 9am, with a two-hour window between the start times of the following division. There will also be sailing featuring international Olympic-style boats in the regatta with participation from all of the clubs across the country. This field will feature Optimist sailing for children aged 8-15, Sunfish, Laser, International 420s and Snipes. Following each day of sailing there will be a concert series featuring an all-Bahamian lineup. Saturday will feature VISAGE, Geno D, Veronica Bishop, Scorch Conch and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force Marching Band. Sunday’s lineup will feature the Spank Band, Lady E, Nat Bailey, Qpid, Lassie Doh Boys and the Royal Bahamas Police Force Marching Band.
SEE PAGE 4
Bahamas’ top volleyball players go head-to-head in Greece By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net THE country’s top volleyball players went head-to-head in the professional ranks as their teams squared off in international competition. Byron Ferguson and Shonari Hepburn are both on the rosters of Greek clubs this season and their respective teams faced off in the opening round of the Greek Volleyball League Cup. Ferguson’s Iraklis Thessaloniki took the win in straight sets (2523, 25-18, 25-21), over Hepburn’s AOP Kifissias. Iraklis improved to 1-1 while Kifissias remained winless. Of the 12-club field, both aforementioned teams are in Group B with Olympiakos, the perennial champions who have won the cup four
out of five years and three consecutively. AEK broke the streak in 2013. Neither Bahamian player fared better against Olympiakos. Kifissias went on to face Olympiakos but again lost in three sets 25-20, 25-20, 28-26. The defending champions also squared off against Iraklis earlier in the round and won in three sets - 25-21, 25-19, 25-20. The Greek Volleyball League Cup is one of three local tournaments and began in the 2011–12 season and is now named in honour of the late iconic Greek volleyball player Nikos Samaras. Iraklis is regarded as one of the best teams in Greece and Europe as they have won the Greek League five times (2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2012) and reached the final of the CEV Champions League three times (2005, 2006, 2009).
BYRON FERGUSON
SHONARI HEPBURN
Kifissias ranked 6th in the 200708 season, while in 2013-2014 it ended up in the third place of the league, the best result in its history. They also took second place in the Balkan Championships and were a Greek Cup finalist in 2014 and 2016. It is the second season for both players in the A1 Greek Volleyball League. Ferguson played the 2015-16 season with Foinikas Syrou and helped the team reach the league finals where they lost the best-ofseven series to Poak 4-1. Hepburn followed one season later and joined Kyzikos for his first professional season. The club finished in ninth place out of a field of 12 teams with a 10-20 winloss record as they participated in the top league in Greece for the first time.