The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net FOR the first time in the history of the league, the New Providence Women's Basketball Association will present championship rings to its winners. Over the weekend, association president Simone Beneby displayed the rings that will be presented to the Bommer Gee Lady Angels, the champions from the 2010 season and the reigning champions, Four J's Lady Cheetahs. The championship rings will be presented to the two winners on Saturday, January 21, at 7:30pm. That will be followed by the rematch between the Lady Cheetahs and the Lady Angels. "Since we have split from the men's division, this is the first time that we are presenting the rings," Beneby said. "We are very excited that we have them in and the players can look forward to receiving them." Beneby, who is in the final year of her three-year term, said from the time she took office, the sponsors and the coaches were advocating for the rings. But she noted that they were unable to deliver on the request until now because of their financial constraints. "After our first term, we had sufficient money and so we were going to get championship watches," she explained. "But we found a place that could match the price for the rings, so we opted to go for the rings." With the rings shipped into the Bahamas from the United States, Beneby said she's delighted to show them off, but would be even more elated when she can present them. "I'm impressed with the work done for the rings," said Beneby, who noted that they spent just around $4,000 for the rings. "But I think they are very comfortable. "These same rings of the same caliber, we were initially looking at spending some $8-10,000. They were quite costly. We couldn't afford it. But we managed to get a more feasible price." The Lady Cheetahs will receive platinum diamond encrusted rings, while the Lady Angels will get sterling silver with their own design. Beneby assured the players participating in the league this year that the champions will earn championship rings as well as an all-expense paid trip to the Bahamas Basketball Federation's National Round Robin Tournament. "We want to make it a standardised practice," Beneby said. The former assistant coach of the SuperValue Lady Cybots said she's delighted with the progress that the league has made during her tenure in office. "We are making great strides and I must give props to my hard working executive team and the coaches," she said. "They have all chipped in and made me look good as the president. "Everybody is working very well in making sure that we succeed as a league." With the second half underway this past weekend after the Christmas break on a refurbished floor at the DW Davis Gymnasium, Beneby said the teams are now battling down for a shot at the playoffs. She noted that the second half will include the All-Star Classic on February 4. The playoffs will begin after they come from the break for the prestigious Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic for senior boys in February.