The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIANS have tipped off in preseason tournaments on the European basketball circuit and have had immediate impacts with their respective clubs.

Waltiea Rolle in the Turkish Women’s Basketball League and Juraun “Kino” Burrows in the French Basketball’s Pro B Division both posted standout performances.

Just days after she signed with her new club, Rolle was named the game’s MVP on day two of the TKBL Federation Cup.She finished with 25 points, 15 rebounds and two blocked shots to lead Edremit Gure Belediyespor to a 69-65 win over Bayrakli Belediyespor.

The TKBL is the top women’s basketball league in Turkey and will play its 37th season this year.

The 6’6” centre and University of North Carolina product last played with Haskovo 2012 in the Bulgaria’s NBL league where she averaged 13.9 points and 12.3 rebounds per game in the 2016 season.

In her previous season, she played with Nymburk, of the Czech Republic’s ZBL League in 2015, where she averaged 16.3 points and 10.4 rebounds in 31 games.

In her first stint with Haskovo 2012 in 2014, she led the club in several statistical categories. Through 20 games and 27.3 minutes per game on the court, she shot .504 from the field and .783 from the three throw line for an average of 14.1 points per game. Rolle also averaged 9.2 rebounds and 1.95 blocks.

Burrows helped FOS Provence Basket to an opening day win in the French Basketball’s Pro B Division’s Leaders Cup.

He finished with 15 points and eight rebounds in a first-round win over Saint-Charmond.

In the first phase of the Leaders Cup format, all 18 Pro B teams are divided into groups of three teams. After that teams play in a knock-out system with double legs in the quarter- and semi-finals.

Following a late-season stint and playoff run with FOS Provence Basket, Burrows agreed to a contract extension to return to the club this season.

In 12 games last season, Burrows averaged 10.7 points, four rebounds and three assists in just over 25 minutes per game en route to the league’s semi-finals.

Provence finished the regular season ranked No.2 in the league with a record of 22-12.