The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH Mario Bowleg being ascended to the position of the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, first vice president Eugene Horton will be moved up to take over the role of president of the Bahamas Basketball Federation.

Horton, the first vice president, will replace Bowleg, the outcoming president who will vacate his seat after he was appointed by Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis to his Progressive Liberal Party’s 22-member cabinet this week in the Andros Room of the Baha Mar resort.

“It was well-deserved. It was what he wanted. He’s stepping away from the federation, but he’s heading into bigger and better things and to make more of an impact to work with the federation and other sporting bodies,” Horton said. “He can make some things happen.”

Horton, however, cautioned people who believe that Bowleg will only focus or put more of a priority on the sport.

“Although we expect more emphasis to be placed on sports and basketball in particular, we know that he also has youth and culture under his portfolio, so we have to respect that,” Horton said. “I know if I am requesting something for basketball, we will send in a letter as usual and follow the right protocol.

“We’re not expecting any preferential treatment. It could happen, but we don’t intend to put any pressure on him to get anything done for us. We will work with the system as we’ve done in the past and hope that we can get our share of the pie.”

On his elevation to president of the BBF, Horton said it should be a smooth transition because their entire executive board has been working together as a unit.

“One of the things I’ve been pushing to our members is that we will have to continue to work as a team,” Horton said. “To tell you the truth, anyone of us in administration should be able to step up and take over. So the team work will continue because we collaborate on everything we are doing to make things happen.”

Horton, in wishing Bowleg every success in his new role, also commended the other basketball politician elected. The list includes Myles Laroda (minister of state in the office of the Prime Minister), Bacchus Rolle (parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Works and Utilities), Wayde Watson (PS in the Ministry of Economic Affairs), Vaughn Miller (Minister of Environment and Natural Resources), Leonardo Lightbourne (PS in the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs), Leslia Miller-Brice, the Member of Parliament for Sea Breeze) and Shenandon Cartwright, the FNM MP for St Barnabas.

He also mentioned unsuccessful candidates Chris Saunders and Derek Smith, an independent in Exuma.

In the meantime, Horton said the federation will be working on securing the sanctioning fees from Atlantis for the return of the Battle 4 Atlantis when both men and women collegiate basketball games will be played here in November.

Additionally, he said the men’s national team will also be participating in the FIBA World Cup Qualifier in November and once they can get the go ahead from the Competent Authority or the new PLP Government on the lifting of the restrictions on hosting sporting activities in the country, they will begin to finalise the team.

He noted that Moses Johnson and Steve Barnes have been working on the potential list of players for the team.

He said with head coach Chris DeMarco not expected to be available because of his commitment as an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors as they would be smack into the National Basketball Association regular season, they will also be looking at a replacement to coach the team.

In the absence of any physical activities, Horton said international rules interpreter Freddie Brown was conducting clinics for table officials to help improve the level of officiating as they look forward to hosting some of the upcoming international events in the future.