By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net    

It was a big celebration day yesterday for Team Bahamas after they completed pool B of the Davis Cup American Zone IV tie with a perfect 4-0 win-loss record in Tacarigua, Trinidad & Tobago.

Now they await to see who their opponents will be in Saturday’s promotional playoffs to determine who will return to Group III next year and who will remain in Zone IV.

In their final match of the tie yesterday, The Bahamas whitewashed Panama 3-0 to head into Saturday’s crossover playoffs with the momentum of the team to beat.

Donte Armbrister once again, playing the number two spot, won his opening singles with a 6-1, 0-1 retired victory over Chad Valdes, while national champion Denali Nottage blanked Diego Rodriguez Tobar 6-0, 6-0 in their No.1 spot match.

With the tie already secured, the Grand Bahamian duo of Nottage and Kofi Bowe combined for an identical set score of 6-3, 6-3 for the doubles win over Rodriguez Tobar and Guillermo Davis Rodriguez Pinilla to put the icing on the cake.

With a day to rest and recuperate from the intense matches they played all week long, team captain John Antonas said they can now celebrate before they prepare for the promotion playoffs on Saturday. “Another solid day. Clinched our group,” said Antonas as the team gets a well-deserved rest today. “We cannot wait for Saturday to have the chance to move up. We won’t know who we play until tomorrow’s matches are finished. But just another great performance from Team Bahamas..” Bowe said although the tie was sealed in the dingles, he and Nottage wanted to put their stamp of approval on it in the doubles.

“It is good to get a day off before we go out there and play the promotional round on Saturday. That was the goal all along,” said Bowe, the rookie member of the tem.

“The grouping was nice, but the real goal is to get to Saturday and take care of business.”

Armbrister, playing at No.2 in th3 first match of the day for the third straight tie, said he stuck to the game plan and got the job done.

“Unfortunately, my opponent retired t 1-0 in the second set, but I’m just grateful for the win,” said Armbrister, who is making his third appearance on the team.

“We’re excited for the win, but we understand that the job is not finished yet,” rmbristr lamented. “But we’re locked in for Saturday for the promotion match. We’re excited for that and to bring the Bahamas back into zone three.”

As for Nottage, the team is still playing phenomenal.

“Today really confirmed that we will be in the promotional playoffs on Saturday, so we’re just getting prepared for that,” Nottage said. “We have tomorrow off, so we’re just going to stay focused, locked in and get prepared for Saturday.”

The other member of the team, Michael Major Jr, sat out for the third time after playing the first match of the tournament on Monday when Team Bahamas won 2-1 over Cuba.’’

“I think the teams did very well today, a dominating win, 3-0,” said Major Jr as he supported the players. “We just focused on Saturday and getting the job done tht we came here to do.

“We’re going to scout the two teams that we will possibly play on Saturday and come up with a game plan, strageiries and implementing what we’ve been doing as a team.”