The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

CHAMPIONSHIP week was officially launched in Grand Bahama as the best high school basketball players in the island nation are set to showcase their skills at the third edition of the National High School Basketball Championships.

The Bahamas Basketball Federation along with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology will again host the event in Grand Bahama March 22-26 and will feature the top senior boys and girls and Family Island divisions.

“Everything is in place,” said Evon Wisdom of the Ministry of Education’s Sports Unit. “We wanted to report to the BBF and we are ready to welcome over 400 athletes to Freeport, Grand Bahama. It is a championship for the senior boys, senior girls and the Family Islands. It was something we know the BBF wanted for a number of years and we are proud that this dream has come true with a small school division.”

The Nationals will be presented by the IL Cares Foundation which made a donation of $10,000 to facilitate the hosting of the event.

“The IL Cares Foundation will present a special award to a courageous student athlete, in this case, Garith Kirkby. His story will be told this week and in the upcoming days as we present him with the courage award as a former student of the Bishop Michael Eldon School,” Wisdom said. “We hope the athletes have a wonderful stay and the general public will be pleased with this event. We are thankful to the people of Grand Bahama. Your hotels have been very good to us and we foresee this tournament being able to remain in Grand Bahama.”

This year’s tournament will also recognise several basketball icons - Vogel Williams, Wayne Smith, Gary “Rangoon” McIntosh, Jimmy Clarke and Rueben Mounts.

“We will be honouring four individuals that have really and truly given their life to the sport of basketball and to education. Those young men continue to work hard, we have been honoured to have their services over the years,” said BBF President Charles Robins. “This is the best senior national tournament because of the champions. Everybody is after Tabernacle, so anything can happen this weekend.”

Gia Walker, president of the Grand Bahama Principles and Vice Principles Association, welcomed the field to the nation’s second city.

“As the parent body for the School Athletic Association in Grand Bahama, it is certainly our pleasure to stand behind our Grand Bahama teams but we are so happy to have all of these teams travel here to compete,” she said. “We are looking forward to a competitive series but we are looking forward to the camaraderie that will take place during these games.” The association champions earn automatic bids into the 12-team field which includes seven teams from New Providence and five teams from Grand Bahama.

The St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine and Jordan Prince William Falcons will represent the BAISS while GSSSA representatives include the CC Sweeting Cobras, CI Gibson Rattlers, Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves and Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins. The Teleos Cherubims will be the lone school from the BSA.

Teams out of Grand Bahama will include the Eight Mile Rock BlueJays, Tabernacle Baptist Academy Falcons, Sunland Baptist Academy Stingers, St Georges Jaguars and Jack Hayward Wildcats.

The Family Island division features the top 11 senior boys teams from the Family Island and others with a limited population.

The field includes Agape Christian School and Patrick J Bethel High School out of Abaco, San Salvador Central High School, Cat Island High School, NGM Major High School from Long Island, South Andros High School, Central Eleuthera High, Gateway Academy and Louise McDonald High School out of Bimini and BSA schools out of the capital - Mt Carmel Preparatory Academy and Akhepran International Academy.

The senior girls will feature 10 teams from New Providence, Grand Bahama and Abaco.

New Providence schools will once again include SAC and Jordan Prince William from the BAISS, Teleos Christian from the BSA, Doris Johnson and CV Bethel from the GSSSA, Eight Mile Rock, Tabernacle, Bishop Michael Eldon and St Georges High School out of Grand Bahama and Abaco’s Agape Christian Academy.

In 2017, the St George’s Jaguars emerged as the story as they protected home court in their gymnasium by claiming the Division I title in a 61-53 win over the Tabernacle Baptist Falcons. The Jaguars’ Howard Hinzey was named the MVP.

In the Family Island division, the Gateway Eagles won the national title led by Bradley Lightbourne - he was named the MVP.

In the Senior Girls division, the Jordan Prince William Falcons won the national title but the Rattlers’ Latavia Brennen was heralded as the top individual performer.

Games will be played at the St George’s and Jack Hayward gymnasiums.