The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

UCHENNA Ijeoma-Delva, urged on and encouraged by her arch-rivals Driskell Rolle and Joy Lockhart, is making the most of her debut in the Bahamas Bowling Federation’s 2017 BTC National Bowling Championships.

On Monday night at Mario’s Bowling and Family Entertainment Palace, Ijeoma-Delva surprised herself when she took the initial lead at the end of the first block of five games in the ladies’ division of the two-week championships.

She surged ahead a total of 960 pinfalls, nine ahead of Rolle, a former national champion who sits in second with 951. Lockhart, the defending champion, is in third with 907.

Meanwhile on the men’s side, as expected, the leaderboard is headed by defending champion David Slatter with 1,033 pins, followed by former champion Leonardo ‘Lee’ Davis with 1,026 and Derrick Burrows in third with 994.

Ijeoma-Delva, who has improved her average from 158 to 198 so far, said although Rolle and Lockhart are competing, they have been really supportive, encouraging her to continue to push hard during the competition.

“After my second game, I said I have to make up for it,” said Ijeoma-Delva, who got off to a disappointing start in the first two games, but made up for it in the final three games when they switched lanes.

“I feel pretty good. I’m glad that I’m where I’m at because you’ve been hearing the same old names and I expected to hear the same old names. But I’m glad that they can hear a fresh new name because nobody, not even myself, expected for me to be up there.”

On Thursday, the second block of games for the top bowlers will take place. Ijeoma-Delva said she’s hoping that she can be right in the pack with the rest of the bowlers so that she can get a shot at pushing herself to a spot in the live television roll off.

“A lot of people have been pushing me, telling me that I can do it,” she said. “People keep telling me that I bowl some good balls and I should try it.

“People have pushed me to try out for the national trials and the first time I did it, I made the national team. Now they are pushing me to try out for the nationals, so hopefully I can do well here too.”

Ijeoma-Delva has already secured her berth on the national team that will travel to Guatemala in June. She’s hoping that she can make her presence felt here at the nationals.

As the defending champion, Lockhart said she expects to be the hunted as she holds the title, but she’s not going to let the competition get to her.

“The first night is all about just getting on the lane and feeling it out, seeing what you have to do on the second lap around,” she said. “The conditions were pretty smooth in my opinion.

“So I just need to stay focused since I’ve found out how the lane is running. As I am the one being hunted, I know it will be very competitive. I know if anybody wants to go to the World Cup, they have to get past me, so I’m not going to make it easy for them.”

Rounding out the top six behind Lockhart are veteran Marina McClain with 889 pins, Camille Burnside with 879 and Janice Hoyte with 876.

As for the men, Slatter and Davis Burrows are followed by the next 12 bowlers out of the A, B and C classes combined:

Kevin Williams – 987; Tyrone Knowles - 985; Greg Taylor – 976; Raymond Adderley – 969; Ken Brathwaite – 968; Richard Pyfrom – 959; Stan Bethel – 954; Mario Brown – 953; Lavar Jordan – 950; McCharia McDonald – 940; Obinna Okpuno - 939  and Anthony Ingraham – 937.

When the nationals continue tonight, the men’s D and E classes will compete along with the ladies’ C and D. The top bowlers on Monday night are expected to be back in action on Thursday.