The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

MOORE’S Island, known for their senior boys track team that was introduced a few years ago to the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations by coach Anthony Williamson, made their debut in the 30th Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic at the AF Adderley Gym on Wednesday.

While the eight-member Panthers, coached by Sherrel Johnson and Y McBride, were routed 47-10 by Sunland Lutheran Stingers out of Grand Bahama, just the idea of making it to Nassau to play in the week-long double elimination tournament was a major accomplishment.

“This is our first time in New Providence. It’s been a real struggle to get here,” Johnson said. “We want to thank the community of Moore’s Island, who helped us out with our fund-raising so we can make the trip.”

Johnson noted that it has been an expensive venture for them, having to pay about $1,400 for their chartered round-trip. When they factor in what it costs for their hotel and food, in addition to the uniforms that they have not received as yet to play in the tournament, she said it has been quite an experience.

“We came in from Monday thinking that we were going to be playing then because they only told us that the tournament would start then,” she said. “If we knew that we were not playing until Wednesday, we could have stayed home a little longer and cut down on our expenses.

“We did nothing from Monday until we played our first game on Wednesday. So we went into the game without any type of experience or exposure. It was a learning process for us. Hopefully when we play our next game (on Friday), we will be able to play much better than we did (Wednesday).”

During their off days, Johnson said they were going to try and arrange a few scrimmage games, something that they couldn’t get before they came here.

“The first game was frustrating because I know my guys are capable of playing much better than we did,” said Johnson after watching her Panthers fall behind 17-2 after the first quarter, 28-5 at the half and 37-10 at the end of the third period before they failed to score in the fourth.

“Most of the guys are used to playing 21 so whenever they get a rebound, instead of getting the rebound and going right back up, they would bring the ball back out at the top of the key,” she said. “So that’s one of things that we have to work out and try to correct in our next game.”

Like coach Williamson did when he first introduced Moore’s Island’s track team to the BAAA, Johnson said her Panthers basketball team will have to go through their growing pains if they want to be a position to get some more positive recognition for their island with a population of about 700-1,000 people.

As with the case of the track team, which lacks a proper track to train on, Johnson said her basketball team has a standard court, but it’s still not up to par to compete on. But she said they are making the best of it, just as they are doing in their initial trip to compete in the tournament.