SPORTS SECTION E
‘TUM TUM’
NCAA, Page 4
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017
Tiger’s on par for a Hero comeback
2018 BATTLE 4 ATLANTIS WILL NOT FEATURE A LOCAL PLAYER By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
season in Single A baseball with the Kane County Cougars in the Midwestern League’s Western Division. He played in just 29 games - hit .248 with, three stolen bases, slugging .358, an on-base percentage of .325, an OPS of .683, 12 RBI and one home run. His scouting report reads: “Chisholm makes hard contact consistently from the left side of the plate and has some loft in his swing. That can be dangerous, as the organisation does not want him to focus on power, believing it will come naturally as he develops. He does need to refine his pitch recognition and strike zone discipline, which will make him an even more effective hitter. He has all the tools to stick at shortstop longterm, with great hands and
THE 2018 Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis will not feature a local player on the floor for the first time in several years, but one of the eight schools in the field still has a Bahamian connection in the administration. The Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders, led by President Dr Sidney McPhee, will make another trip to the Bahamas for one of its sporting programmes. It will be the third time McPhee’s Blue Raiders have competed in the Bahamas following a pair of trips in 2015 for the Bahamas Basketball Federation’s Summer of Thunder and the Bahamas Bowl. The remainder of the 2018 field will also include the Wisconsin Badgers (Big 10), Florida Gators (SEC), Virginia Cavaliers (ACC), Butler Bulldogs (Big East), Dayton Flyers (Atlantic 10), Stanford Cardinal (Pac 12) and Oklahoma Sooners (Big 12). Six of those teams were in last season’s NCAA Tournament, and five B4A participants in previous editions. Stanford appeared in 2012 and ultimately finished in fifth place with a 1-2 record. Butler, Oklahoma, Florida and Wisconsin all competed in the 2014 event. Wisconsin was the eventual champion when they defeated Buddy Hield and the Sooners in the title game. Butler finished in third place while Florida ended up sixth. McPhee was born in Mayaguana before he moved to Nassau and graduated from the former Highbury High School, now the RM Bailey Secondary School. As the president of the largest university in the state of Tennessee for nearly two decades, McPhee served on the NCAA Board of Directors and the NCAA Executive Committee. His list of accolades in the post includes growth at both the academic and athletic level for the institution. According to the MTSU website, “McPhee’s presidency, which began in 2001, also coincided with more than $700m in improvements in academic, athletic and campus facilities - either proposed, under construction or completed.
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BIG RETURN: Tiger Woods says he will be playing in his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas this week. (AP) By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
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he third edition of the Hero World Challenge is set to tee off at the Albany resort in just a few days, once again featuring some of the top ranked golfers on the PGA Tour competing in the Bahamas. Pawan Munjal, chairman, managing director and CEO of Hero Motocorp, officially opened the week-long list of activities surrounding the event alongside host, Tiger Woods.
“Always a pleasure to be out here in these pristine conditions out there. I had a chance to play a little bit of golf yesterday, loved it. I wish I had played with [with Tiger] yesterday and I would be in a better position to tell you all how he’s playing,” Munjal said. “Hero is very happy to be associated with the Tiger Woods Foundation. Now it’s been four years. It sounds like such a long time. Since the time we came to the Bahamas, we’ve all had a great time here. It’s great to have Tiger make his comeback once again at the Hero World Challenge. When I talk about having Tiger back at
the event, when I look at the field, it’s a tremendous field. Only 18 pros play, but what a great mix of international pros. “The top-8 of the top-10 of the PGA Tour, and then we have five Europeans, we have a Japanese. Makes a great television show. Great for Hero, great for the event, great for golf.” The invitation-only event will feature an elite field of top-ranked golfers competing for a $3.5 million prize purse. The Hero World Challenge allows Woods - the 41-year-old golf icon who has been hampered by a fluctuating injury status - an
opportunity to return at his own event among a select field. “I’m just looking forward to getting through these four rounds and having an understanding, a better understanding of where I’m at. I don’t know where I’m at. What I mean by that is I don’t know how hard I can hit it, what shots can I play. It’s supposed to blow this weekend and if it blows 30 miles an hour, I’m going to have to hit some shots. I’m going to have to lean on a few and take something off of it, hit some shots, some creative ones. I may have to blast a
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MLB teams add Bahamian rookie prospects By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net MAJOR League Baseball Clubs added players to their 40-man rosters to protect them from next month’s Rule 5 Draft and with that came an updated list of rookie prospects in each team’s pipeline. Kristian Robinson and Trent Deveaux were featured among the top prospects for their respective teams for the first time since they were signed during July’s International Signing period while Jazz Chisholm and Lucius Fox continue to progress further up the ranks. According to MLB scouting, to be eligible for the lists, a player must have rookie eligibility. To qualify for rookie status, a player must not have exceeded 130 at-bats or
50 innings pitched in the Major Leagues, or accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a Major League club or clubs during the 25-player limit period, excluding time on the disabled list. The MLB Players grades on a 20-80 scale for future tools - 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average. Robinson is listed as the No.20 rookie prospect for the Arizona Diamondbacks with an overall grade of 45. His scouting grades include Hit:50, Power:55, Run:60, Arm:45 and Field:50. His scouting report suggests the 6’3” 190 pound 16-year-old projects as a premier outfielder with his progression through the minor leagues. “Robinson is a physical specimen
ROBINSON
DEVEAUX
with tools and upside. A terrific athlete, Robinson has plus speed and has shown an ability to get good reads and take good routes on defence. His arm is currently playable in centre, with some feeling he might eventually fit the profile of an athletic right fielder. That will certainly be true if he can tap into his raw power consistently as he develops. He needs to work on recognising
breaking and offspeed stuff in order to get there. Scouts love his makeup, giving him a good chance to be a breakout star from this international class.” Jazz Chisholm is ranked No.7 in the Diamonbacks pipeline, also with an overall grade of 45. His breakdown includes Hit: 50, Power: 40, Run: 50, Arm: 50, Field: 55. A torn meniscus cut short Chisholm’s debut
Ahoy! PM Thunderbird is eligible to sail, minister rules By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net FOLLOWING
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meeting of boat owners ahead of the 2nd Annual Best of The Best regatta, which kicks off in Montagu Bay on Thursday, December 7, the “PM Thunderbird” has been ruled eligible and will be sailing in its A-Class races. The ruling was handed down by Minister of Agriculture & Marine Resources Renward Wells during a special meeting held November 23 to settle the matter that has been ongoing for almost a year. Boat owners had concerns about the design eligibility of the “PM Thunderbird”, however, owner Rev Philip McPhee made a number of structural changes. The ruling by Minister Wells, however, only allows the boat to race in the Best of the Best regatta, and advised all owners that other regatta committees would have to make their own rulings provided the boat was in
THE “PM Thunderbird” has been ruled eligible and is expected to set sail in the A-Class races of the 2nd Annual Best of The Best Regatta in Montagu Bay on December 7. compliance with their rules. The minister’s ruling is final. Addressing the boat owners, Minister Wells reaffirmed his commitment as minister responsible
for regattas in The Bahamas to have the sport elevated to becoming the official national sport. However, he strongly encouraged the owners to focus less on
personalities and more on their mutual goals for the sport and its place in the Bahamian cultural and sporting identity. The minister pledged his commitment to settling a number of outstanding concerns presented by the sailors for the good of the sport and stated that he expects full participation from the boat owners in the upcoming clash. More than 54 boats from around The Bahamas are expected to compete in the A, B and C class races. The weekend will also be the backdrop for the Star Sailors League’s season finale with sailors in that style of sailing arriving from around the globe to the capital this week. At least 50 world class sailors will be here for that event which will also feature a number of Olympic gold medallists in action.