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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
 UPDATED: Due to Hurricane Matthew, the annual Junkanoo Jam, always held in Grand Bahama Island will relocate to the island of Bimini. Teams usually stayed at the Grand Lucayan resort in Freeport, but this year the tournament will be held at Gateway Christian Academy on North Bimini Island. All teams and supporters that purchased tournament packages through Junkanoo Jam and Basketball Travelers, will be automatically assigned rooms at the brand new Hilton at Resorts World Bimini.
"Tournament staff made the decision to move the tournament following damage to The Grand Lucayan Resort caused by Hurricane Matthew. After an on-site inspection and communications with local staff, it was determined that the resort, where teams and supporters stay, would not be repaired in time to accommodate fans and teams," said the ramblinwreck.com
“Obviously we are disappointed that the tournament had to be moved from Grand Bahama Island, but we are grateful to our friends in the Bahamas, who have been extremely helpful in relocating the tournament,” Neal Holden, tournament director and BTI president, said.
"With no other four-star hotels available on Grand Bahama Island that can accommodate the number of travelers, the decision was made by tournament staff to move the event to Bimini. Basketball Travelers staff worked closely with the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism to relocate the tournament, while maintaining the quality and comfort the Junkanoo Jam has established on Grand Bahama Island."
“Our first priority is always to the safety and well-being of our teams, fans, and stakeholders,” Holden said. “We are keeping the Bahamian people in our prayers as they recover from this natural disaster and hope we can still provide travelers with an unforgettable experience, while showing off the beauty of the Bahamas.”
Participating teams North Carolina Tar Heels, University of South Florida Bulls, Georgia
Bulldogs and Minnesota Golden Gophers will be featured in the Lucaya Division; and the University of Dayton Flyers, Missouri Tigers, Georgia Tech Yellow
Jackets and Georgia Bulldogs will complete in the
Freeport Division.
Starting in 2002, the
Junkanoo Jam provides an exciting
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division One tournament with visiting women’s
teams. The event is widely supported by local Bahamian sport and basketball enthusiasts. All games are open to the public.
This year, Destinee Walker, a Bahamian guard with the North Carolina will return home and compete in the Lucaya Division.
In 2014, the event was extra exciting for local fans as Jonquel Jones returned home to compete in the tournament with the George Washington Colonials, taking the Freeport Division title that year.
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