The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

ALREADY faced with the task of securing the funding to travel to the FIBA AmeriCup 2020 Qualifier in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas Basketball Federation now finds itself without the proper venue to train in.

Federation president Mario Bowleg said it’s disheartening that they can’t get the use of the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, the only legal size gymnasium on the island to prepare Team Bahamas for the February 19-20 match-up against the United States of America and host Puerto Rico.

The federation’s request to use the gym for their practices were denied by the Competent Authority for health safety measures as it relates to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We obviously need to get the team together earlier, which will only cost us more money, which we don’t have, if we have to get the team in Puerto Rico earlier before the games are played so we can practice and bring the team together in a cohesive unit,” Bowleg said.

“It doesn’t make any sense for us to bring the guys home to practice when we can’t get access to the only gym that is of the legal international specifications,” Bowleg said. “They want us to go and practice in AF Adderley Gym, but it is not adequate for international play.”

After travelling to Minnesota to play in the second round of the qualifier, the federation had hoped they could have secured the third and final round here, using the makeshift gym in either the Atlantis resort or Baha Mar, but the government turned down their request.

Puerto Rico jumped on the opportunity and will host the game, which will provide them with the home court advantage when they take on the Bahamas in what could be the deciding factor in which of the two countries will advance.

As for their financial woes, Bowleg said they have approached Baha Mar, the national team’s official sponsor who, along with a few other corporate sponsors, have not gotten any favourable responses as yet.

“At the last window, we got a grant from the Ministry of Sports for $20,000, which they indicated it was all they were willing to give us,” Bowleg said. “At the end of the day, if they were not willing to allow us to use the gym to train in, it doesn’t make sense going back to them for any more money.”

“When you think about it, nothing happened last year, so there should be money in the ministry’s kitty,” Bowleg said. “There was no junkanoo and there was no regatta and so they had money. And based on what we are trying to achieve, they should be able to assist us some more.”

The federation has a 24-member pool from which to select Team Bahamas that will play the USA on February 18 and Puerto Rico on February 20.

The list comprises of Elyjah Clark, Lynden Rose Jr, Dominic Bridgewater, D’Shon Taylor, Michael Carey Jr, Travis Munnings, Kentwan Smith, Mychal Thompson Jr, brothers Kadeem and Dwight Coleby, Willis Mackey, Nashad Mackey, Tavario Miller, David Nesbitt, Jaron Cornish, Godfrey Rolle III, Zane Knowles Shaquille ‘Shaq’ Cleare, Ahmad Pratt, Ronnie ‘JR’ Cadot, Corey Sands, Adam Johnson and Kemsey Sylvestre.

Grand Bahamian Norris Bain is expected to coach the team in the absence of head coach Chris DeMarco, who will not be available because of his commitment to the Golden State Warriors where he is an assistant coach.

The Bahamas would need a win over Puerto Rico or two losses from Mexico to have an opportunity to qualify. The Bahamas holds the tiebreaker over Mexico by the aggregate score of the first window last February.

From the three legs of competition, the top three teams from each group will qualify for the FIBA AmeriCup 2022. AmeriCup is the FIBA Americas championship.

The United States won the last edition of the event in 2017. At the last window in November, the Bahamas lost 99-59 to the USA and 91-85 to Puerto Rico.

The Bahamas dropped to 1-3 at the group stage of the qualifiers and moved into a tie with previously winless Puerto Rico. Team USA is currently 4-0 and guaranteed a top three spot and AmeriCup berth.