By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THERE are many players in the pipeline who are hoping to make their presence felt on the international scene in basketball and one of them is Whitfield Ching Jr. 

Over the past year, the 18-year-old, 6-foot, 7-inch centre has been honing his skills at Veritas Academy in California, but his ultimate goal is to become the next Bahamian to excel at the professional level.  

“Over the last few weeks, I’ve been doing a lot trying to become better and much stronger during the offseason,” Ching Jr said. “I’m trying to do what I can to build my craft.

“I have my senior year in high school coming up, so this is going to be a big year for me. I’ve just been working hard to try and get better every time out.”

In California, Ching Jr said he’s a part of the top high school level of competition in the United States and even possibly in the world and he’s making the most of it.

“It was a great experience, a really intense physical game,” Ching Jr said. “It was a great experience playing against some of the best players in high school basketball. I couldn’t ask for a better experience.”

Coming out of Noble Preparatory Academy, Ching Jr said he was groomed well under coach Geno Bullard to prepare himself for the road he is on right now.

But Ching Jr said it’s always good when he can return home. 

He said he’s enjoying the time spent with his family and friends, especially his former team-mates at Noble Preparatory Academy where he can give thanks to Bullard for his assistance in his development over the years.

“It’s always great to be home. It’s always good to be home, especially after a long season and travelling,” he said. “It’s nothing like home, especially to see the level of competition that is being staged here.

“I know working with coach (Bullard). It was an honour to be on the flyer for the tournament for his high school. 

“To know that I’ve inspired kids back home. I love to know that I am helping others. That was a great experience. I really enjoyed what I saw during the tournament.”

Bullard hosted his seventh Noble Preparatory Academy High School Tournament over the weekend at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium where he welcomed Ching Jr home.

Since he was eight years old, Bullard said he met Ching Jr through his brother, Christian Ching, who attended and graduated from Noble Preparatory Academy in 2015, Bullard said.

“Whitfield has been a part of the programme, even when he wasn’t a part of the programme. When we had practice for his big brother, he would always be around. He would always be included in our drills in spots where we needed an extra hand or an extra man, so he had always been around our programme.

“From a little young guy, he got to witness basketball at a high level. He got to go off to college through NPA. He’s always been a part of what we do, from having a great role model in his big brother Christian Ching, who was an NPA head boy. He followed the blueprint that his brother left behind.

“I started to coach more hands in 2021 just coming out of the ninth grade, going on to the tenth grade,” Bullard said. “At that time, he was already fully engaged in our programme. But I always knew there was something in Whitfield. I told his parents that although Christian was a good basketball player, this was going to be the Ching to make all of them proud. He’s going to be the one to go all the way.”

From day one, Bullard said he knew that Ching Jr after 10 years of grooming him from 8-18 years, with the eight people around him, he would become a better player.

“We were happy to help him develop all of those traits, which will help him to succeed. So we want to properly help our athletes to help them to prepare to be the student-athlete that they can be.”

After he finishes his trip home, Ching Jr said he will focus on returning to school to complete his senior year because he knows all eyes are on him to take his game to the next level.

“Obviously, once I dominate my high school senior year, I’m looking forward to getting into college and making my presence felt. I just want to be in a better position to get to that next level.

“I’m excited about the upcoming season to show what I’ve been working on this summer. I will take the summer just to get even better.”

Bullard said Ching Jr’s future is a bright one and they are delighted at NPA to be able to assist with his growth and development as a basketball player on and off the court.