The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

LAMAR Watkins will have the opportunity to further his athletic career with one of the top prep basketball programmes in America.

Watkins will join the incoming class of the Putnam Science Academy Mustangs in Putnam, Connecticut, this fall.

The former St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine guard will become the first Bahamian student athlete at the nationally renowned programme which has captured a share of two Prep National Championships in the last three years.

The coronavirus pandemic brought a premature end to the 2020 Prep National Championship tournament this season but the Mustangs won their semi-final and would eventually earn a share of the title with Brewster Academy.

Watkins led the Big Red Machine to a runners-up finish in the BAISS Championship series.

The Mustangs’ connection to the Bahamas has included consecutive appearances at the Caribbean Tip-Off Classic.

In the most recent edition, they finished 3-0 with wins over BC Christian Academy, Ridley Prep, NBA Basketball Academy of Latin America.

Putnam has placed more than 100 players into men’s college programmes since 2010, including more than 50 into Division I programmes.

With regards to its varsity and postgrad programme - “It presents the perfect vehicle for student-athletes to keep playing and get the exposure they are missing this recruiting season in order to take the next step to the college level.”

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Hamidou Diallo (Kentucky) has been the latest Mustangs alumni to advance to the NBA.