The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE New Providence Women's Basketball Association will continue its recent tradition of hosting a preseason tournament for high school basketball players seeking for an opportunity to showcase their skills.

The NPWBA is scheduled to host its annual All-Girls High School Tournament October 25-27 at the DW Davis Gymnasium.

The event, which features six junior and senior girls teams, will honour local iconic women's basketball pioneer, Dr Linda Davis.

Among her many accolades, Dr Davis has the distinction of serving as the first Provost of University of The Bahamas. Dr Davis has served in various senior administrative positions throughout her extensive career in higher education. She is a former Dean of International Programmes and Partnerships at Wheelock College in Boston, Massachusetts, and a former Vice President of Academic Affairs and Vice President of Research, Graduate Programmes and International Relations at the College of The Bahamas.

On the basketball court, she was inducted into the College of St Benedict's Hall of Fame for her tenure from 1973-77. She served as a captain for both the basketball and volleyball teams during her junior and senior years. During her time in Minnesota, St Benedict competed widely throughout the state against larger colleges that are now NCAA Division I and II competitors.

Dr Davis served as a national team coach and at various posts within the Bahamas Basketball Federation and its various national team programmes. She also served as head coach of the College of the Bahamas' women's basketball team.

Bahamian women's basketball has risen to national prominence in recent years with a number of milestone achievements.

Yolett McPhee-McCuin became the first Bahamian head coach to lead a Division I college basketball programme at the University of Jacksonville and followed that post with the head coaching job for the Ole Miss Rebels last April.

She also led the Bahamas to its first Caribbean Basketball Confederation Championship.

Jonquel Jones continues to blossom into a star in the WNBA for the Connecticut Sun and in just two seasons has garnered All-Star, All-WNBA Second Team and Sixth Woman of the Year awards.

She followed Waltiea Rolle who became the first Bahamian to play in the WNBA when she was drafted by the Seattle Storm. Several collegiate basketball players, including, led by Lashann Higgs, Leashja Grant and incoming freshman with the Rebels, Valarie Nesbitt have garnered international acclaim for their contributions with Division I programmes.

Locally, Jurelle Nairn has spearheaded the creation of the Ballin' By Da Beach Girls Basketball Camp, which has been a mainstay on the summer sporting calendar over the past six years.