By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

AFTER a successful hosting of the inaugural Hoopfest in Paradise High School Basketball Tournament in 2022, the basketball extravaganza has returned for its second year, this time with more teams added to the fold.

Last year the marquee high school basketball tourney only featured six teams, which has now increased to 10, who will display their skills from December 15-16 at the Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium.

The visiting teams will include four top girls high school teams from the United States along with six top male teams.

Additionally, The Bahamas will field two teams both hailing from New Providence’s public and private schools.

Glenn Smith, the event organiser for Hoopfest in Paradise Basketball, has high expectations for the tournament’s second year in New Providence.

“We are expecting two days of high level basketball, a chance for not only the teams from America but the two teams from The Bahamas to be able to showcase their talents in front of college coaches as well as NBA scouts so I think this is going to be a really exciting time in The Bahamas,” Smith said.

The girls’ teams competing out of the United States of America are Lake Highland Preparatory School, Etiwanda High School, Long Island Lutheran Middle & High School and Desoto High School.

For the boys, the six teams expected to compete are the Long Island Lutheran Middle & High School, Mater Dei High School, Link Academy, Dynamic Preparatory, Faith Family Academy and Riviera Preparatory School.

Top Bahamian prospect VJ Edgecombe, who plays for Long Island Lutheran, will return home this weekend to compete in the tournament and Smith said he is ready to go.

“I was already bringing the Long Island Lutheran girls team then once I found out that he was from here and he found out that I was doing the event here, I had somebody reach out to him and he had somebody reach out to me. We talked and me and his coach figured it out.

“I am looking forward to seeing his facial expressions when he walks into Kendal GL Isaacs because everytime we talk on FaceTime, his face just lights up because he is coming back home and this is his first time back, especially playing, and it will be some people here to watch him, not just his family and friends but college coaches from Duke, Kentucky, Florida and Michigan as well as NBA scouts will be here to check him out as well,” Smith said.

As for the local teams, there will be a New Providence public school team coached by Kevin “KJ” Johnson and a New Providence private school team coached by Dario Burrows.

The 12 players on the public school team are Dwayne Finley, Tashon Bethel, Stevacko Jacques, Gerrad Rolle, Mario Rolle, McKell Alonzo, Dakulve Cumming, Emmanuel Adams, Sylvano Gibson, Daniel Bodie, Derrick Edgecombe and Condae Smith.

Coach Johnson was honoured to have the opportunity to lead the charge for the aforementioned team.

“It is an honour and privilege to coach this all-star team. I made my time available for this occasion, I am excited about it. I reached out to all the public schools so they could get their players to come out and this is what we have,” he said.

“I think this is a very good and talented team. We will compete and definitely by the grace of God give a good showing.

“We are excited about it. I know we have been working hard preparing as best as we can and will definitely come out and do our best and try to win some games,” he added.

On the New Providence private school team are Treymon Wright, Romail Strachan, Daquan Strachan, Ramone Woods, Nakero Brown, Ray Smith, Treyvon Clarke, Kayden Adderley, Michael Thompson, Dorien La- Roda, Jakayo Kemp and Joel Butler.

Coach Burrows was optimistic about the team’s ability ahead of this weekend’s basketball tourney.

“I will be leading 12 wonderful young men from private schools throughout New Providence. You are gonna see a group of young men representing a brand and I have to commend the coaches because I can say leading this group my job is easy. We are not trying to teach systems at this point, but we are teaching principles.

“We want to be competitive. We want to give a good showing and we want to be just a model to try and sensitise the world to Bahamian basketball at the high school level,” he said.

In addition to NBA scouts and college coaches, expected to be in attendance will be 10-time All Star Carmelo Anthony, Hall of Famer Kenny ‘The Jet’ Smith, head coach of Dynamic Prep Jermaine O’Neal and four-time NBA champion Andre Igoudala.

“We are excited to have them here, as well as the college coaches that will be in attendance and we are super excited for this year’s event. We are looking forward to it and hope everyone will come out and support their local teams as well as come out and check out some of the future stars of tomorrow,” Smith said.

The teams from the USA will start to arrive today in preparation for this weekend’s tournament.