By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net    

Team Bahamas clinched its third consecutive victory and now has  advanced to the playoff round of the American Zone IV Davis Cup tie at the National Racquet Sports Centre in Tacarigua, Trinidad & Tobago.

In their pool B match yesterday against Suriname, The Bahamas pulled off a 3-0 sweep, including their pair of singles ending in two straight sets, while the doubles went the full three sets.

Donte Armbrister, in his second straight opening singles in the number two spot, easily secured a 6-0, 6-4 win over Joshio Loor and national champion Denali Nottage, playing in the No.1 spot, held off Yigal Bergen 7-5, 6-1.

With the tie clinched, Armbrister came back and paired up for the third time with Kofi Bowe as they won their second consecutive match with a 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 decision over Bergen and Loor.

Veteran team captain John Antonas said Team Bahamas had a tough match, but the guys fought very hard and pulled them out. 

“Donte played outdoors and then it rained  and Denali played his match indoors as well as the doubles,” Antonas said. “Denali had to adjust seeing the ball in the first set and after being down 5-2, he came back to win it 7-5. 

“Donte and Kofi lost the 1st set 3-6, and then started returning and volleying extremely well. They won the second 6-0 and the third 6-4. It was a very exciting match to watch.”

Wntons, who previously played on the team and then went on to become the captain before he l=took a long hiatus, said this group of players are extremely tough.

“The main thing is the team is extremly united,” he said. “We still have. lot more to go and it’s not over yet, but so fr, so good.”

Nottage, the leader of the pack for Team Bahamas, said they have had a phenomenal Davis Cup tie so far this week.

“I had a tough one today, but I pulled it off,” said Nottage about his match after he watched Armbrister play a “phenomenal” opening match.

“Representing the Bahamas in singles is phenomenal. We’re bonding. Everything is going great. Everything is just phenomenal right now..”

The Grand Bahama native said they have been “joking on and off the court” and having fun as one at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

But he said “everybody knows we are here to handle business and the results are coming.”

Armbrister, back at No.2 again for the second day, said the goal was just to win his match and give Nottage the assurance that he needed to secure the tie.

“The tournament so far has been good. We’re number two overall in terms of the countries here,” Armbrister said. “We are just focused here on one goal and that is to get promoted.

“We’ve been working for what seemed like the past six months training with each other, bonding, practising the past two months.we’re just here on a mission. We’re enjoying ourselves, but we know that we are here for one job and that is to get promoted back into zone three.”

While they have gotten the job done in singles, Armbrister said he and Bowe have been holding their own in doubles and he commended Antons, who has been there supporting them every step of the way.

“It’s been an honor and just to appreciate how other people recognize him as a legend,” Armbrister said. “At the opening ceremony, the host recognized him. So it’s good to see how hev was recognized.”

Bowe said this trip has reminded him of his days of playing with the guys as juniors, only this time, there is more at stake and they’re getting the job done.

“It’s been good to kind of bond with them again and it brings back a lot of memories,” the Grand Bahamian native said. “After the guys got th two singles to seal the tie, the goal is to go out and win the doubles and hopefully we can continue to do that.”

The fourth member of the team is Michael Major Jr, who has not played since day one. But he’s in good spirits and is suporting all of the players in every match they played.

Today, the Bahamas will play Panama in their final pool play. The Bahamas defeated Cuba 2-1 on the opening day of the week-long tie on Monday and blanked Antigua & Barbuda 3-0 in their second match on Tuesday.

After a day off on Friday, the Bahamas will be one of the two teams out of their pool to compete in the weekend’s promotion playoffs when the crossover takes place.

The two winners will go on to play the two winners coming out of Pool A, which consist of Guatemala, Haiti, St Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago and the US Virgin Islands.

The top two teams from the playoffs will be promoted to Zone III next year, while the remaining teams will battle for positions from third to eight place.