The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN student athletes have excelled this season at various levels of collegiate basketball, highlighted by recent performances at the NAIA and Junior College level.

Shackeel Butters is one of two Bahamians on the Williams Baptist Eagles roster, along with Franklyn Petion as the team is off to a 10-6 start on the season.

Butters, a 6’6” senior forward, finished with 19 points, nine rebounds and three assists in a 86-65 win over Harris-Stowe Tuesday night. Through 13 games this season, he is averaging 12.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

Butters has been a stalwart at the pivot spot for the Eagles after averaging double doubles in three consecutive seasons, and is one of two seniors on the roster.

Last season, he was twice named American Midwest Conference Player of the Week and averaged a double double - 14.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. His junior season got cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Butters played in all 14 games, averaging 12.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.

In his sophomore year, Butters received honourable mention All- American and made the second team All-AMC. He averaged 11.9 rebounds and 11.7 points per game and shot 60 percent from the field.

Petion, in his first year with the programme, was injured after six games. In those appearances he averaged eight points and 3.7 rebounds per game.

Blaize Darling is in his freshman season with Warner University and the team is off to a 10-8 start in the Sun Conference.

Darling is averaging 13.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. He finished with eight points in a season low 12 minutes of a 95-84 win over Ave Maria on January 15.

The 6’3 guard scored a season high 27 points in a November 20 win over St Thomas. He also scored 21 in wins over Florida Memorial and CIU respectively.

Edriel Martinborough is averaging 11.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game for the Evangel Valor.

Martinborough, a 5’11” senior guard, has one double double on the season, 10 points and 11 rebounds in an 89-62 win over Drury on November 27. He also scored a career high 30 points in a 76-72 loss to Mid America Nazarene and 26 points in a 108-89 win over Missouri Valley on January 12.

Evangel is 13-6 on the season in the Heart of America conference.

Several Bahamian players are also having standout seasons in their first year at the junior college level.

Christopher Johnson continues to be one of the few bright spots in what has been a difficult season for the Community College of Baltimore County Catonsville Cardinals.

Johnson had a career night for the Cardinals with 22 points and 13 rebounds in an 82-73 win over Lackawanna College. It was the fifth time he surpassed the 20-point scoring total and fourth double double of the year, but the team is just 4-13 on the season.

In his freshman season, Johnson leads the Cardinals in rebounding at 7.8 per game, including 2.3 on the offensive boards. He is also second on the team in scoring at 14 points per game.

Paul Greene has had an immediate impact with the Three Rivers Community College Raiders.

Greene finished with nine points and 10 rebounds in Wednesday night’s 61-57 win over Moberly Area Community College.

Greene has posted two double doubles and has averaged 6.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.

The Bahamian quartet for the Northeast Community College Hawks have been a major part of the team’s offensive gameplan but the team has just a 4-12 record this season.

Saheed Sanusi finished with 16 points, five rebounds, and three assists, Emmanuel Alexandre scored six, Jaden Strachan scored six with six rebounds and Collin Storr scored seven.

Alexandre has been the leading scorer among the group at 12.2 points per game in 12 contests and leads the team at 2.6 assists per game.

Sanusi has been the starting point guard through 16 games and has scored 11 points per game and is averaging 2.4 assists per game.

Strachan has averaged 8.3 points off the bench, Storr has averaged 11.3 points in just three appearances and Charles Joseph had just one appearance this season.

Richard Lowe finished with 16 points and nine rebounds in a January 17 loss to Connors State College, 82-65.

Lowe is third on the team in scoring at 12.9 points per game and also leads the team in rebounding at 7.1 per game.