Grand Bahama Schools Enter the Fray at Hugh Campbell Tourney

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GRAND BAHAMA , THE BAHAMAS – The 42nd annual Hugh Campbell Basketball Tournament continues to deliver drama as the intensity picks up and coveted spots in the pool semifinals are up for grabs.

Wednesday always marks a major turning point, as several Grand Bahama programs enter pool play.

Perennial contenders are the St. Georges Jaguars, Tabernacle Falcons, and Sunland Stingers, will all take the floor tonight with championship aspirations.

This year’s field seems wide open, after the opening days have already produced some upsets in marquee matchups and narrow finishes.

In some earlier highlights, ISBET edged the Jordan Prince William Falcons 47-46 in a thriller that came down to the final possession; the seemingly always controversial Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves knocked off the BAISS champion, St. John’s College Giants at 36-29; and Westminster outlasted the GSSSA runner-up, the R.M. Bailey Pacers with 33-31 in another tight contest.

A recap of some recent winners, the trophy has gone back to Grand Bahama in two of the last three years.

The Sunland Stingers claimed the title in 2023, the C.I. Gibson Rattlers kept it in New Providence in 2024, and the Tabernacle Falcons enter this year’s field as the defending champions.

The road to Monday night’s championship game definitely gets tougher from here.

NCAA Basketball

Yolett Mcphee-Mccuin and No. 17 Ole Miss women’s basketball, picked up a much-needed win over a ranked team Tuesday night.

They defeated No.21 Tennessee volunteers 94-81 at the SJB pavilion in Mississippi to improve to 21-6 overall, 8-4 in sec play.

The win came after back-to-back losses against ranked opponents – February 5, a one-point heartbreaker, falling 64-63 to No. 5 Alabama then on February 15, they dropped a 74-57 decision to No. 18 Kentucky.

Tuesday night, Ole Miss responded with one of its most complete offensive performances of the season and are now 4-4 against ranked teams, but undefeated at home at 12-0.

There is little time to reset, another ranked team is on the way.

Ole Miss will host No. 6 LSU Tigers on February 19 at the SJB pavilion, broadcast live on ESPN at 9pm.

NBA

Deandre Ayton was briefly detained on Tuesday at Lynden Pindling International Airport after authorities investigated a report of a small amount of marijuana.

In a statement, Ayton’s attorney Devard Francis, said the substance was not found in Ayton’s bag and that he was released quickly following a short review.

Marijuana remains illegal in The Bahamas, though it is no longer a banned substance under the NBA’s current collective bargaining agreement.

Back to the business of basketball and retraining our focus on the return from the All-Star break – Ayton and his Los Angeles Lakers, return to the court Friday night against the Los Angeles Blippers.

In his first season in L.A – Ayton leads the Lakers with 46 starts and is averaging 13 points with 8.5 rebounds per game.