The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

BEFORE he leaves for his first professional contract as a basketball player, men's national team member Deyton Albury hosted his Ballhead Basketball Camp and Showdown over the weekend.

The showdown, held at the Edmund Moxey Community Center, was the culmination of the two-day camp from July 30-31, and attracted a number of local players, who were instructed by Albury, his brother, Michael Albury Jr, three international scouts, Cliff Davis, Gabriel Vergas and Jr Coleman, and a few local coaches.

"The two-day camp was good. Had a great turnout, got a lot of skill work in, a lot of shooting drills and motion offence in," Albury said. "But in all, I just wanted to give the kids the experience I didn't get as a kid.

"I wanted to teach them the different side of basketball, the more professional and advanced side of basketball so that when they get the opportunity, they won't be too late on the knowledge."

The camp ended with the showdown in a series of games played where those players who were not invited to the camp could get the opportunity to display their skills against those who did.

"They came out here and competed in front of the scouts that came down," Albury said. "I think it was a good way for them to experience what it's like to play at the next level."

Romiah Tullach, the only female participating in the camp, said she's entering the 12th grade at Queen's College and she wants to make sure that she gets all of the exposure to continue in the sport.

"I made a last-minute decision to play basketball and I want to learn as much as I can to get better," she insisted. "I believe Deyton is doing a great thing for us as young people coming up in the sport. "He's not getting the notoriety and visibility of being in Nassau, but I think it's a really great thing he is doing and I want to commend him for helping us out with the development of our game."

Eric Rolle is one of the youngest players in the camp at age 13 and the eighth grader at Jordan Prince Williams said he decided to attend the camp to get better.

"I've learned about teamwork and how to play both offensively and defensively," Rolle said. "I think Deyton has done a good job because he's trying to help us get better."

Tyreek Smith, a 17-year-old entering grade 12 at Antotal Rodgers, said over the summer he wanted to work on his skills and the camp was a good opportunity for him to gauge himself.

"I expect to use the skills I learned over the summer to showcase it when I play on the team," he said about playing under coach Denycko Bowles with the Timberwolves’ senior boys basketball team.

Smith noted that Albury has certainly brought out the best in him because he got to play against some of the top high school players and he was able to hold his own.

Michael Albury Sr, in watching his son put on the camp, said he couldn't be more pleased, considering that it's the second year he's hosted it and it just continues to get better and better.

"We look forward to the third annual Ballhead Camp coming soon," he said. "Next year, we hope to make it bigger and better."

And with his son going to Switzerland to play professionally, Albury Sr and he and his wife Geniece can't wait to make the trip to watch him play just like they did throughout his high school and collegiate career.

Albury, a graduate of the University of New Mexico, is now heading to Fribourg, Switzerland, where he will be playing in the Swiss Basketball League with the Fribourg Olympic Basket.

"I expect to have a good first season," said Albury, who will leave town on Monday for Switzerland. "It's a lot of adjustments, but I've been dealing with that a lot. I just have to get through it and play to the best of my ability."

Albury got a chance to play on the men's national basketball team in their two games against Jamaica and Puerto Rico in the FIBA World Cup Qualifier last month at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. 

He said it was an experience he hopes he can build on going into Switzerland.

"It was a great opportunity playing in front of my home base and with some of our NBA superstars," he stated. "It showed me how I have to adjust my game to fit the style of a team."

Albury, a 6-foot, 3-inch guard, told the campers about his experience playing basketball at Temple Christian Academy before he left to complete his high school tenure at Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas.

The 24-year-old then played at Believe Prep in South Carolina where he was the most valuable player and the Big Shots Prep champion. That enabled him to secure a scholarship at Chipola in 2021.

After a two-year stint, Albury transferred to Queen's where he emerged as one of the top players in the Atlantic Sun Conference before he transferred to Utah State and then ended up at New Mexico.