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Major Jr and Nottage face off in men’s final
It will be youth versus experience and Grand Bahama vs New Providence when rising teenager Denali Nottage faces former champion Kevin Major Jr in the men’s final of the 2022 Giorgio Baldacci Open Nationals. The tournament, hosted by the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association, will come to a close today at the National Tennis Centre when the women’s champions will be decided as well in a rematch of last year’s finals between champion Sydney Clarke and runners-up Elana Mackey.
BLTA Nationals: Major, Rolle advance
After knocking off collegian Donte Armbrister in a three-set thriller, high school sensation Michael Major Jr didn’t have anything left in the tank as he went down in two straight sets to number one seed Kevin Major Jr. With a couple players opting out of competition, Major Jr was the only player to have to play a pair of matches yesterday as the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association kicked off the 2022 Giorgio Baldacci Open Nationals at the National Tennis Centre.
Hoopfest Tournament a blast with top high school teams from US
WITH a little more time to work with their teams, coaches for both the New Providence and Grand Bahama All-Stars feel as if they could have had better showings against the Miami Northwestern High School in the Hoopfest High School Tournament at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium over the weekend. On Friday, the New Providence All-Stars got off to a slow start and ended up getting routed 71-36 by Miami. On Saturday, the Grand Bahama All-Stars got off to a good start, but couldn’t maintain their composure, losing 66-47 to Miami.
Eagan Neely crowned Athlete of the Year
ALL of the sacrifices and hard work paid off for Eagan Neely as he was crowned the Red-Line Athletics Club’s 20022 Athlete of the Year. The honour was bestowed upon the 14-year-old sprinter during the club’s Christmas party and awards ceremony that was held at the National Training Agency on Sunday.
Cousins making their presence felt at Nationals
WHEN they are not playing each other or teaming up together in doubles, close cousins Saphire and Breann Ferguson are on the sidelines cheering for one another. The daughters of two brothers - Barron and Bjorn Ferguson - recalled how they got introduced to the sport of tennis by their grandfather Roscoe Ferguson, whom they call “pappa.”
Elana Mackey upsets Clarke for ladies’ title
WITH her college roommate as her lucky charm on the sideline cheering her on, Elana Mackey stunned defending champion Sydney Clarke to capture her first Giorgio Baldacci Open Nationals women’s title. In the rematch of last year’s final of the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s week-long tournament at the National Tennis Centre, Mackey prevailed with an impressive 6-2, 7-5 triumph over Clarke on Thursday.
BLTA Nationals: Sydney Clarke, Elena Mackey lead the charge
COLLEGIANS Sydney Clarke and Elana Mackey, the top seeded players, led the charge for the ladies during day one of the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s Giorgio Baldacci Open Nationals at the National Tennis Centre yesterday. Top seed Clarke, a senior at the University of Arlington at Birmingham, pulled of a hard fought 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 win over Simone Pratt, while Mackey, the No.2 seed, easily secured a 6-0, 6-0 triumph over Saphirre Ferguson.
Basketball standout Rhema Collins prepares for Ole Miss
AS she continues her transition to college, University of Mississippi bound Rhema Collins came home to take advantage of some training from professional player Ryan Moss and veteran women’s coach Anthony Swaby. Moss and Swaby took Collins through a series of workouts yesterday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium as the 6-foot, 2-inch forward took the break from her final season with the Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee.
Hoopfest in Paradise: ‘We’re looking forward to an even bigger draw’ in 2023
ORGANISER Glenn Smith was so impressed with the initial staging of the Hoopfest in Paradise High School Basketball Tournament over the weekend that they are already looking at returning for the second edition in 2023. Smith, who serves as president of Hoopfest in Paradise Basketball Incorporated, said they were able to display some top-notch basketball competition with some of the top stars coming in from the United States.
Don’t Blink Home Run Derby continues to grow
WHEN they got the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby started in 2018, neither Todd Isaacs Jr nor Lucius Fox envisioned that the event would become such a spectacular for the world to see in the Bahamas. The duo not only assemble the best talent available in the professional baseball ranks in the Major League affiliations and now there’s a wide range of celebrities coming on board to participate in the week-long festivities.
Sparks Rowing Camp set for December 27-30
DURING the Christmas holiday, instead of taking time off to relax and enjoy the festivities, the Nassau Rowing Club will be busy entertaining the Sparks Rowing Camp for the second consecutive year. The camp, scheduled for December 27-30, will be staged at the NRC’s headquarters at Oaks Hills Road, according to Kyle Chea, the president of the association.
Bahamas Bowl: Blazers take title to UAB
THE University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers, the athletic programme that features Bahamian star Sydney Clarke on their women’s tennis team, came back to town on Friday and took home the 2022 HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl football title. The Blazers, with the go-ahead touchdown from Jermaine Brown Jr on 4th-and-1 with one minute and 33 seconds left, held on as Rennard Ellis tackled Jalen Walker at the 1-yard line on the final play of the game that was sealed with kicker Matt Quinn booting in the extra point for a 24-20 win over Miami (Ohio) RedHawks at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.
BLTA Nationals: Denali Nottage takes home men’s crown
One day after enduring his longest match ever to book his ticket to the finals, a well-rested Denali Nottage got his shortest time on the court to hoist the 2022 Giorgio Baldacci Open National Championships. In what he anticipated to be an early present for his 19th birthday on Saturday, Nottage, fully regrouped from his three-set thriller over fellow Grand Bahamian Rodney Carey Jr on Wednesday, only played one game against Kevin Major Jr before he was crowned the new champion.
BJ Murray III wins Home Run Derby
POWER hitting third baseman Bertram Murray III, coming off an impressive year in the Chicago Cubs minor league baseball organisation, capped off the first All-Bahamian final to become the first home grown player to capture the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby title. In a dramatic showdown as the fifth edition of the event returned from Paradise Island to the Montagu shores, Murray, better known as ‘Deeja,’ out-slugged Trent ‘T-Money’ Deveaux 9-8 in the final of the country’s biggest event that highlighted the majority of the players playing in the minor leagues or in college.
