Watson takes over head coaching reigns

Watson takes over head coaching reigns
Members of The Bahamas women's national basketball team. Wayde Watson will take over as interim head coach of the women's national basketball team for the upcoming Caribbean Confederation Cup (CBC) in June in Suriname.

The Bahamas women’s national basketball team will have a new leader walking it into battle this summer at the annual Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Cup, set for June 17-21 in Paramaribo, Suriname.

Former assistant coach Wayde Watson will assume the role of interim head coach and he will be assisted by Varel Clarke-Davis. Yolett McPhee McCuin, who served as the women’s head coach for the past several years, won’t be available to the team this summer because of her transition from Jacksonville University to the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss).

Team Bahamas will compete out of Group A along with Cuba and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Bahamas plays its first game on June 17 and the Virgin Islands on June 18.

The first and second teams from Group A and B will advance to the semi-finals, with the final set to take place June 20-21.

“I feel this will be a good opportunity to lead the team on an international level,” Watson said.

“I don’t follow women’s basketball at the regional level, but having coached women’s basketball for 11 years at the senior level, except last year, I feel good about it.

“I’m hoping that I can get the players to advance to the next level. I’m definitely going to put my best foot forward and I hope that the ladies will give me their all and believe in the philosophy I bring.”

Along with Yolett McPhee-McCuin, The Bahamas will also be without star player Walteia Rolle and Jonquel Jones.

According to Watson, he’s hoping that he can get a good mix of local and collegiate players to come out and represent the country at the regional championships.

“Once the players come in, I plan to get them in the best shape,” Watson said.

“I have a philosophy for my teams. So I will see what players mesh with that system and go from there.”

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.