The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

After dominating the local scene for the past few years, the Temple Christian Suns took their primary boys and girls basketball teams to Florida where they participated in the third annual Jacksonville Magic AAU Tournament.

In their first trip to compete outside of the Bahamas over the weekend, the seven-member girls team managed to finish their segment of the six-team field as the runners-up, while the 12-member boys team didn't win a game in the eight-team field.

Coach Keno Demeritte said it was a learning experience for everybody. "For our first time at that level of competition, we basically got to see what it is we have to work on in terms of our level of play and our fundamentals," Demeritte said. "What I've noticed is that the players in the United States are much better fundamentally. They play a lot of system ball. Their passing and everything about their team was on point."

Demeritte, who has guided the girls to the title in just about every tournament that they have competed in here in the Bahamas, said they followed the instructions and that was the key to their success.

"Our girls were just as talented as all of the other teams, except for the team that we played in the championship," he said. "That team was overwhelming with their size and their ball-handling.

"Here in the girls, our girls have been the most dominant primary school team but they actually showed us the flaws that we have in our team. It was an eye opener to the team and to myself."

Demeritte credited the contingent of 50 plus, including parents and family members, for helping to keep the players geared up for the challenge they faced.

Dathye Stubbs, one of the top players on the girls team, said although it was a little different as far as the rules were concerned, they went out there and played very well.

"The girls were much bigger, they played harder and their skill level was better," said Stubbs of their opponents in the championship. "But we did very well to bring back home a trophy. Looking at our skill level and theirs, I think we did very well."

If there was anything that they needed to work out, Stubbs said it would be the way they passed the ball.

Najee Winder, one of the players on the boys team, said it was a good experience despite the fact that they didn't win any game. "We now know how to prepare for it next time because they really killed us," he said. "Even though we lost, it was still good. But we thought we were going to go over there and win because over here, we normally win every time we play."

Winder, however, said if they are going to be better in future trips, they will have to learn how to play "better defence and share the ball a little more."

And Ridge Greene, another male player, said their defence was really their downfall. "But it was a great experience to see how the other teams play," he said. "We would have liked to have won like the girls did but we still cheered them on, so we didn't feel that bad."

Charmaine Porter, the principal at Temple Christian Academy Primary School, said the teams gave a good account of themselves and they represented the Bahamas very well at the tournament.

"They're used to playing at home, but when we went to Jacksonville, that was on another level for us," she said. "It just lets the teams in the Bahamas know that if we can go abroad and earn the same type of status that we have here, Temple Christian is definitely a school to reckon with."

Porter, who was a part of the delegation that accompanied the team, said every morning during their devotions, she gave her instructions to the team and they went out there and made their presence felt.

"Continue to be the kind of ambassadors for your country and your school just as you did in Jacksonville at the tournament," she said. "We are very proud of you and your performances."