Two new collegiate tournaments come on stream

Two new collegiate tournaments come on stream

Two more top tier collegiate basketball tournaments are on the way to The Bahamas in the coming months.

On Wednesday, Basketball Travelers Inc., in partnership with Resorts World Bimini, announced the creation of two new men’s basketball tournaments: the Junkanoo Jam and the Bimini Jam.

The inaugural men’s tournaments will tip off Wednesday, November 14, and run through Tuesday, November 20, at Gateway Christian Academy in Bimini.

The men’s Junkanoo Jam will feature Central Michigan, California State University (CSU) Bakersfield, San Jose State, and Weber State. The inaugural Bimini Jam will feature Air Force, High Point, South Dakota, and University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Both tournaments are round robin format, with champions determined by overall records.

“We’re thrilled to announce the addition of the men’s tournaments for this year,” tournament director Jason Sarkies said.

“We think these tournaments will provide a great opportunity for mid-major teams that get squeezed out of other early-season tournaments but can still bring an elite level of play and excitement.”

The Junkanoo Jam, which has been held the past several years in The Bahamas as a women’s tournament, tips off at 6:00 p.m. on November 15.

CSU Bakersfield will take on Central Michigan in the first game, followed by San Jose State and Weber State at 8:30 p.m. Winners from the opening round will play at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, November 16. Losers from the opening round games will have a one-day respite before tipping off at 6:00 p.m. the following day.

All four teams will return to action Sunday, November 18, to conclude the tournament.

The Bimini Jam kicks off with a game between Air Force and UMBC at 3:30 p.m., followed by High Point and South Dakota at 6:00 p.m.

Losers will face off the following day at 3:30 p.m. All four teams will conclude the inaugural tournament with games scheduled for 6:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Monday, November 19.

About Randy Smith

Randy Smith is the producer of the widely-watched local television show “Beyond The Headlines” and the web content manager of Eyewitness News. He joined Eyewitness News as a sportscaster in 2018, a role he still performs, and has previously covered a slew of international sporting events, including the 2015 Pan American Games, the Nike EYBL Showcase, several IAAF World Relays, the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, the Commonwealth Youth Games, the Bahamas Bowl and multiple CARIFTA Swimming and Track & Field Championships. Randy has been recognized by the Bahamas Press Club with awards for “Best Sports Broadcast” as a sportscaster and “Best TV Talk Show” as a producer.