The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE Stanford Cardinal men’s basketball programme participated in a community outreach effort by hosting a one-day clinic at St Cecilia’s Catholic Primary School.

The Cardinal, one of eight Division I programmes in the country to participate in the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis, visited the school following their final practice session before the tournament gets underway.

Cardinal head coach Jerod Haase said it gave his team an opportunity to give back to a new community.

“It’s a great opportunity for the guys to get out and interact with the kids and hopefully they get something out of it as well, have some fun as well and learn a little bit about basketball. The biggest thing was to get everyone organised, after that we worked on some dribbling and some shooting, and a little fun dancing as well,” Haase said. “It’s very important for our guys to give back to the community. We’re very lucky at Stanford to have a lot of great things, have opportunities like this.”

Players and staff facilitated a number of drills and basic fundamental skill development on the afternoon.

Attention for the Cardinal now shifts to the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis hosted this week November 21-23 at the Atlantis resort’s Imperial Arena.

The 12-game, three-day tournament is regarded as one of the most challenging early-season tournaments. For more information, visit www.Battle4Atlantis.com.

The remainder of the 2018 field will also include the Wisconsin Badgers (Big 10), Florida Gators (SEC), Virginia Cavaliers (ACC), Butler Bulldogs (Big East), Dayton Flyers (Atlantic 10), Stanford Cardinal (Pac 12), Middle Tennesee State Blue Raiders (C-USA )and Oklahoma Sooners (Big 12).

Six of those teams were in last season’s NCAA Tournament, and five B4A participants in previous editions. Stanford appeared in 2012 and ultimately finished in fifth place with a 1-2 record.

Butler, Oklahoma, Florida and Wisconsin all competed in the 2014 event. Wisconsin was the eventual champion when they defeated Buddy Hield and the Sooners in the title game. Butler finished in third place while Florida ended up sixth.

Haase has previously travelled to the Bahamas as a member of the coaching staff for the Kansas Jayhawks, North Carolina Tar Heels and most recently as the head coach of the UAB Blazers.

“It does become a business trip. We’re focused on the court and trying to play great, but I’m a big believer in balance and trying to have balance and take the basketball part very seriously, but also to make sure we are doing some other things as well,” Haase said. “This is a heck of a challenge, it’s a great tournament. At this point we are trying to get out and enjoy the experience, but once we tip the ball for that first game we will be very serious with our work on the court.”

This year’s may not feature a local player on the floor for the first time in several years, but one of the eight schools in the field still has a Bahamian connection in the administration.

The Blue Raiders, led by President Dr Sidney McPhee, will make another trip to the Bahamas for one of its sporting programmes. It will be the third time McPhee’s Blue Raiders have competed in the Bahamas following a pair of trips in 2015 for the Bahamas Basketball Federation’s Summer of Thunder and the Bahamas Bowl.