By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

HOMECOMINGS are usually quite memorable, but for Valdez ‘VJ’ Edgecombe Jr, his return home to the Bahamas as one of the top ranked high school boys’ basketball players in the United States was extra special.

Before a large crowd of supporters from Bimini, led by his mother Bendra Rolle, Edgecombe Jr rocked the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium in leading the Long Island Lutheran Middle and High School Crusaders out of Brookville, New York, to a pair of victories at the second Hoopfest in Paradise Tournament.

On Friday night, the 18-year-old Edgecombe Jr exploded for 30 points as LUHI pulled off a 81-68 win over Mater Del out of California. The 6-foot, 4-inch guard came back on Saturday night, he put on a shooting clinic, connecting on seven three-pointers for 25 points in their 83-50 rout over Riviera Prep out of Florida.

It was indeed a memorable trip home for Edgecombe Jr, whose Crusaders team featured Kiyan Anthony, the son of former NBA star Carmelo Anthony, who, along with his ex-wife La La Anthony, the former MTV Veejay, were present in the stands watching the games this weekend.

Edgecombe Jr admitted that he hopes to create many more as he looks ahead to one day representing the Bahamas on the men’s national basketball team like his father Valdez Sr once did.

“I’m excited because I recognise that the Bahamas has supported me and so I just want to show my support in turn,” said Edgecombe Jr, who added that he’s been getting a lot of guidance from Grand Bahama sharp shooter Chavano “Buddy” Hield, who is playing in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers. While he’s looking to eventually make it to the NBA, Edgecombe Jr said it’s a process he has to go through and he’s taking it step by step as he prepares for the collegiate ranks, although he’s not sat down with his family to discuss the many athletic scholarship offers available to him.

For now, he just wants to bask in the success of his trip home. “I feel good. For me to be able to play in the Bahamas for the first time in years is a great feeling,” he pointed out. “Coming home was very special for me because I knew my family and friends would be here watching. I didn’t want to let them down.”

For his mother, Bendra, it was like an early Christmas present.

“He’s an awesome player. Every time he plays, he shocks me,” said Rolle, who also played basketball, but only in high school. “Watching him out here was like getting that Christmas present early.”

She added that she couldn’t ask for a better son. “He’s a very humble, focused and determined young man,” said Rolle of Edgecombe Jr, who has three sisters and four brothers. “He’s willing to do whatever he can to make his team and his family proud. We are very proud of him.”

As the Crusaders completed the tournament with a perfect 2-0 record, Edgecombe Jr said he simply didn’t want to ruin the trip.

“Winning was very important for me,” he said. “I had my family and friends here watching, so I had to put on a show. Having people here to support me was very special. It’s so important when you can get this type of support from home.”

It was the first time that he had such a crowd of spectators in the stands, but Edgecombe Jr felt that his team also gave him the support he needed to be able to perform the way he did.

“This is great. We have the size to match up against any line-up,” he pointed out.

His coach John Buck, making his first appearance here in his 15-year career with the Crusaders, said except for the rain, they had a really good time competing against some good teams out of the United States.

He noted that they rode the back of Edgecombe Jr, whom he summed up as a “special player.”

“I coached a lot of real special players, but he’s been the best of them,” Buck said. “His versatility, his competitiveness and athleticism, mixed with his skills is amazing,” Buck said.

Buck was even more thrilled as he watched Edgecombe Jr shoot consecutive three-pointers in the second half with a string of back-to-back three-pointers in the third quarter and three straight in the fourth on Saturday. Edgecombe Jr added his 15 points to the eight he got on a pair of three-pointers in the first quarter and two points in the second to end the first half with 10.

On Friday, Edgecombe Jr took the ball inside more, duplicating six points in both the first and second quarters for 12 points.

In the second half, he came up with 10 in the third and eight in the fourth, connecting on two consecutive three-pointers in the fourth.

“He’s just special,” was how Buck summed up Edgecombe Jr’s performance for LUHI.