By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

VERSATILE Christopher Saunders, a noted journalist, lecturer and politician, has moved to the head of the class as the latest Bahamian to earn his Commissioner’s badge from the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

Saunders was one of two persons appointed by the Bahamas Basketball Federation last year. He, along with Terez Conliffe, passed the course and became official FIBA commissioners as of September 1.

While it’s the first time around for Saunders, it’s the second for Conliffe as they hold their positions around the basketball arena as observers for the next two years.

“It’s extraordinary to have two commissioners at the same time,” said Freddie Brown, a former commissioner who now serves as a technical delegate. “The number of commissioners for each country correlates with the amount of internationally certified referees that you have.

“So, if you have five referees, you will get about 50 percent in commissioners. Normally they would give one more. Now that we have three referees, they allowed us to have two commissioners. If we have seven referees, we could end up with at least three or four commissioners.”

Brown noted that both Saunders and Conliffe also sat the FIBA statistician course and they passed, making them eligible to serve as statisticians, having passed what he called a very “tedious” course on the first time around, joining a group of five other Bahamians who previously passed the course.

As commissioners, Conliffe and Saunders will now work directly with the secretary general for FIBA, but they will be assigned to FIBA Americas where they will be allowed to participate in any international event from youth-15 to the Olympic Games.

“They will be called upon to assist the game’s table of officials and provide any type of guidance to the referees, if they require it,” Brown stated. “They also work behind the scenes, ensuring that at the end of the day, the game ends happily and everybody is satisfied.”

As commissioner, Conliffe and Saunders would normally sit in the centre of the scorer’s table and provide the assistance to the timer and shot clock operator and the communication of the book and enforcing the technical aspect of the game.

While this is his first rodeo as a commissioner, Saunders said he got involved in refereeing in 1995 under the invitation of Reggie Forbes. He admitted that since he couldn’t “play the game at all,” he was delighted to have been afforded the opportunity to serve as an official.

“Being able to participate in the game that I love, being a referee allowed me to do that,” said Saunders, a former swimmer during his high school days at St Augustine’s College. “I enjoyed what I was doing.”

Although he never achieved his FIBA referee certification, Saunders said because he worked in so many other areas of the sport, when the opportunity presented itself for him to apply for his commissioner’s badge, he decided to go all out for it.

“In my capacity as a journalist, I was able to cover my country’s participation in a number of international events, but I’ve never been able to do it as a referee,” he said.

“So I know I can’t play basketball, but I was happy that I could give back to my country serving as a commissioner.

“The whole process for getting the FIBA Commissioner’s badge was tedious. We went through a very vigorous process assisting the referees, the scorers at the table, the medical personnel, the media persons, the persons cleaning the floor and even the set up of the gymnasium for the games.”

Compared to officiating as a referee, Saunders said it’s a totally different role the commissioners play because they are no longer acting as a referee, but they have to wear a cap that encompasses the whole makeup of the game management.

“I’m just waiting on the opportunity to get my first nomination to represent the country as a commissioner at an international event,” Saunders said. “The licence just kicked in on September 1, but there are a lot of things happening in 2024, so I’m hoping that I will get an invite to go somewhere soon.”

In the meantime, Saunders has been able to assist with a lot of training for the local referees.

He continues to officiate games with his counterpart as a referee and he also sits at the table helping out as a statistician.

“As a commissioner, you will be called upon to help out with media relations and at bigger events, you have to know how that process works in terms of the setup of the mix zone where the athletes are interviewed by the members of the media,” he said.

“So, I think my background, not only in logistics, but also in media allows me to take a step above what it is needed to get the job done. So, when I get the opportunity to showcase my skills, I will be better equipped because of the skill level that I bring to the table.”

As one of two Bahamians to serve as commissioners, Saunders said he’s thrilled. He said he remembers taking his test the same time that Wells sat her referee’s course and after they passed, they both contacted each other to congratulate one another.

“It’s an immense sense of pride for me to be able to accomplish that,” Saunders said. “I wanted to represent my country after I watched persons like Freddie Brown, Norman Humes and Randy Cunningham serve in that capacity in the past.

“I stand on the shoulders of some great people and I hope I can go one step further than Mr Brown, who continues to serve as a technical delegate.

“It’s a far way to go, but to know that I am a part of a great lineage of commissioners in the country puts me on a good stead and it gives me a great sense of national pride.”

Shortly after joining about a year ago, president Darrel Ranger said he’s seen a vast improvement in Saunders’ ability to get the job done and to work harmoniously in assisting the other referees.

“He’s a student of the game. He knows the rules inside and out,” Ranger said. “He’s one of those persons who could quote and tell you the article and where to find it in the rule book and he applies it when he’s on the court as a referee. So, he deserves it.”

Ranger said there are very few referees who can leave the floor and sit on the table to officiate as a statistician. He said the Bahamas could use some more individuals like Saunders in the sport, but it’s good to have him at the head of the class.