By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

Valdez “VJ” Edgecombe has been awarded the Tribune’s 2023 Junior Male Athlete of the Year. With athletics and aquatics garnering a number of the top stories throughout the year, Edgecombe provided a bright spot for basketball in the junior category.

Champion - Valdez Edgecombe

The verdict is out on the Bimini native potentially being the next household name in basketball for The Bahamas. He is currently ranked number five on the ESPN Class of 2024 national rankings and up to 25 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division one programmes are actively trying to recruit him to their respective schools.

Among the top NCAA D1 basketball programmes in the mix are the Duke University Blue Devils, Baylor University Bears and University of Kentucky Wildcats. The trio of teams are currently the top three potential landing spots for Edgecombe as he expects to make a decision soon.

The 6-foot-5 shooting guard was also offered an opportunity to play for the NBA G League Ignite. The 18-year-old, who currently plays for the Long Island Lutheran High School, was presented the 2022-23 Player of the Year Award for the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC).

During this stint, the team boasted a 10-2 win/loss record while VJ averaged a team-high 17.3 points per game, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.1 steals.

Additionally, he was selected as the Adidas Eurocamp Most Valuable Player (MVP) this summer.

The top 2024 prospect had a sweet homecoming earlier this month at the second Hoopfest in Paradise hosted at the Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium. He had a stellar performance in the top high school tourney, propelling the Crusaders to an unblemished 2-0 record to complete the trip.

He helped the team to knock off Mater Dei Catholic High School 81-68 behind his game-high 30 points. In the following game, the result was the same with the Crusaders defeating Riviera Preparatory School 83-50.

Edgecombe had 25 points in this game and averaged 27.5 points in the two games played.

Runner-Up - David Singh

The year was nothing short of successful for the aquatics sporting discipline and David Singh contributed greatly to that success in 2023.

He made a name for him-self at the 2023 CARIFTA Aquatics Championships and Bahamas National Swimming Championships to earn the runner-up position for Junior Male Athlete of the Year.

Singh, of the Barracuda Swim Club, hauled in eight medals at the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships in Willemstad, Curaçao. The junior rounded up wins in the 400m freestyle, 200m and 400m individual medley, 50m and 100m breaststroke, and 50m backstroke.

He earned an additional two silver medals in the 100m and 200m backstroke and a fourth place finish in the 50m fly.

In the 11-12 boys’ divi-sion, Singh ended the 50m breast with a personal best time of 34.63 seconds.

Additionally, in the 100m breast, he touched the wall in 1:16.03 for another personal best.

For the 200IM and 400IM events he clocked times of 2:29.75 and 5:24.80 which were both personal bests. He came first in the 50m back in 31.15 seconds and clocked 4:46.23 in the 400m freestyle. He claimed the 11-12 boys’ division high point award after amassing 73 points in the division.

At the Bahamas Aquatics National Swimming Championships, Singh received six first place finishes in the 100m and 200m backstroke, 100 and 200m breast, 200m and 400m IM to solidify himself as a top performer in aquatics.

Third Place Finisher - Adam Musgrove

Adam Musgrove wrapped up his final season as a junior in iconic fashion. Musgrove shined brightly at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) National Track and Field Championships in July.

He completed the event as a double national champion, winning the 100m and 200m U20 events. In the under 20 boys’ 100m finals, he ran a scorching 10.30 seconds which was a new personal best for him and a new junior national record.

At the 50th CARIFTA Games, the 19-year-old earned bronze in the under 20 boys’ 100m and 200m finals with times of 10.44 and 20.96 seconds respectively.

He helped his relay team to earn first and second place finishes in the 4x100m relays at the Pan American Under-20 Championships and NACAC U-23 Championships.

Musgrove concluded his final season as a junior on his own terms.