The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE 2021-22 NCAA Division I season got underway Tuesday night and several Bahamian players were in action for their respective programmes.

Florida Gulf Coast Eagles redshirt junior guard Franco Miller Jr was the top performer among the group.

Miller finished with 10 points, five rebounds and four assists in his team’s dominant 94-57 win over the Florida National Conquistadors.

Of the 13 players who dressed, 11 scored at least a single field goal on the night.

“I was encouraged tonight just by being back in the building - seeing the student section and seeing our fans,” said Eagles head coach Michael Fly.

“Last year was so difficult for so many across the world, so just being back in the normalcy of a basketball game being fun was uplifting.”

The Eagles will next head to Chicago on November 12 for a match-up with Loyola-Chicago.

Last season, Miller played in 15 games with six starts and averaged 5.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game before he missed postseason play due to injury.

Garvin Clarke and his Akron Zips nearly pulled off an opening night upset, but fell just short in a 67-66 loss to the No.17 Ohio State Buckeyes at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

Akron will host Point Park for its 2021-22 home opener at James A. Rhodes Arena on November 12.

In his true freshman season, Clarke played in 22 games and totalled 52 points, 18 rebounds, 12 assists with six steals.

Sammy Hunter scored five points in 11 minutes off the bench in his Ole Miss Rebels’ 82-60 win over New Orleans.

All 14 Rebels saw playing time on Tuesday night.

“I think we’ve got really good depth on our team. I really do,” Rebels head coach Kermit Davis said. “We’re trying to figure it all out like a lot of teams. I think we’ve got 11 guys or so that we can put in a game and they’re fighting for possessions. Depth is a huge thing with foul trouble down the stretch, so I like where we are with that. We just gotta keep working.”

Ole Miss will host Charleston Southern on November 11.

Last year Hunter appeared in 25 contests off the bench, averaging 2.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in eight minutes per game. He shot 48 percent from the field and 33 percent from three-point range.