The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

IN addition to some of the top prep basketball recruits in the United States, Canada and Finland, the first Caribbean Tip-Off Classic also gave local standouts an opportunity to showcase their skills at home.

Three teams finished undefeated and the tournament featured several Bahamian players on rosters of visiting teams.

Locals also comprised select teams which included players from New Providence and the Family Islands.

The international basketball showcase once again featured teams from Brewster Academy out of Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, USA, defending champions Putnam Science Academy out of Putnam, Connecticut, USA, Rise Academy from Margate, Florida, Ridley College from St Catharines, Ontario, Canada, and Helsinki Basketball Academy from Helsinki, Finland, NBA (National Basketball Association) Academy Latin America based in Mexico City, Mexico, Northfield Mount Herman out of Gill, Massachusetts, USA, Hargrave Military Academy from Chatham, Virginia, USA, International Sports Academy from Willoughby, Ohio, USA, Orangeville Prep School out of Orangeville, Ontario, Canada, and the aforementioned local high school all-star teams.

The BC Christian Academy Lions out of Port Coquitlam, British Columbia featured four Bahamians – Deante Dean, Kendrick Russell, Joshua Dames and Bradley Lightbourne. The team finished the tournament winless after an 80-66 loss to the NBA Academy Latin America, an 83-58 loss to Hargrave Military Academy and concluded with a 81-77 loss last night to Putnam Science Academy.

The Nassau Select team finished the tournament at 2-1. They scored a 96-63 win over Freeport Select, lost 121-43 to Helsinki and concluded with a 93-60 loss to Ridley. Freeport Select concluded the tournament winless with losses to TRC Academy.

Putnam Science Academy won the 2018 National Prep Championships and was one of three teams to finish the tournament undefeated. Orangeville and Hargrave also finished the event with 3-0 records.

“The Tip-Off Classic is an event that allows the federation to bring a lot of exposure to the local student-athletes here in the Bahamas. Having teams from the USA, Canada, Finland and The Bahamas gives our kids the opportunity to obtain a scholarship to get to the next level to play basketball through the game of basketball,” said Mario Bowleg, president of the BBF.

With the rich talent pool of future professional prospects on the floor, scouts and coaches from both the amateur and professional were in attendance.

Prior to the event, said tournament organiser David Maron: “The idea of the event is to give exposure to the Bahamian teams. We set up matchups that would be conducive to getting guys exposure and being seen by Division I programmes. When we put this event together we thought of how we can bring in teams and top coaches and we want a combination of not just high Division 1 but low and mid-Division 1 teams to come down and recruit some of the Bahamian guys, if they choose to go play in the USA or prep school in Canada and then go on to play college ball or if they are ready to play college ball now,” he said.

“Last year, we found out that a lot of the Canadian teams were very interested in bringing some of the Bahamian kids up to Canada to play. Basketball has gotten so big in Canada. I compare basketball in Toronto to Philly, New York and Boston as far as talent level. You saw that in the draft for the past few years with Andrew Wiggins and with Anthony Bennett being the number one pick.”

Chris Demarco, newly-appointed head coach for the national senior men’s basketball team, said that it is great that the local young players have the opportunity to play against the best high school players.

“I think it is great exposure for the kids. To be the best you have to play against the best. It is just a tremendous opportunity for these guys to play the best high school players in the world, really. It is not just the NCAA Division 1 coaches and NBA scouts, it is Division II coaches being able to see them as well. Some of these guys can go on and play at a scholarship school that is not Division I and still have an education to better themselves for the future,” he said when the event officially launched.

“For anyone that is playing, it will be an opportunity for coaches, scouts and whoever to see them and maybe they would not have had that chance. I am excited about that. It helps us develop guys for the future of the national team, to grow these guys and for them to play against really good competition.”