The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men's basketball team won its first two games on this week's combination pleasure and business trip to the Bahamas: 100-93 on Monday against Bahamas Select and 95-72 on Tuesday against the Commonwealth Bank Giants. Matt Ryan, UTC's graduate transfer from Vanderbilt, scored 20 points with five 3-point baskets, six rebounds, four steals and four assists in the first win, when Ramon Vila scored 19 and David Jean-Baptiste, Rod Johnson and Malachi Smith added 15, 14 and 10 points. Trey Doomes and Vila had 24 and 19 points and 10 and 13 rebounds Tuesday, and Jean-Baptiste and Ryan scored 14 and 13 points. Smith led the team's 56 rebounds with seven. "We're a special group," Doomes said in a UTC release. "We have a lot of different pieces, a lot of weapons, and we were able to come together when we needed. It came down to defensive stops and rebounds."
» The Lee University women's basketball team finished eighth in NCAA Division II in aggregate grade point average for the 2018-19 school year, according to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. The Lady Flames' team GPA was 3.672, and they won a Gulf South Conference championship for the first time and played in the D-II national tournament for the third year in a row. "We're so proud of this team's accomplishments on and off the floor," Lee coach Marty Rowe said in a school release. "Being recognized for their hard work and diligence in the classroom is a true testament to each of our players character."
Tennis/Pickleball
» Girls Preparatory School tennis coach Sue Bartlett, representing Great Britain, is 3-0 in the Alice Marble Cup women's 60-over competition at the International Tennis Federation 2019 Senior World Team Championships in Portugal. Bartlett won 6-0, 6-0 over a player from Turkey on Sunday and 6-1, 6-1 over a Finland player Monday and a South African on Tuesday.
» Katie Dyer of Ooltewah won gold medals in 5.0 mixed doubles and 5.0 women's doubles this past weekend in the Middle States Regional pickleball tournament in Minneapolis. Dyer's partners in the triumphs were Altaf Mervchant from Kentucky and Kasanda Gehrke from Wisconsin.
» The East Ridge Parks and Recreation department is hosting a tennis and pickleball court "grand re-opening" Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at East Ridge Hall School, and the public is invited. There will be free drinks and other refreshments, and equipment and instruction will be provided by the Chattanooga Tennis Association and East Ridge Senior Citizen Pickleball. Call 423-551-0538 for more information.