The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

FOLLOWING a stellar collegiate career, Bahamian basketball player D’Shon Taylor makes the transition to the professional ranks this fall.

Taylor recently signed with Al Mina of the Iraq Basketball League.

His signing followed a summer spent with the Bahamian men’s national team which finished seventh at the Centrobasket tournament in Panama.

The 6’5” guard had his best game of the tournament in the finale against Nicaragua when he finished with eight points and six rebounds.

Another national team member, David Nesbitt, spent two seasons with Al Mina where he led the team to the final and was named Asia-basket.com Iraqi League All-Imports Team and Second Team.

Nesbitt has since moved on to Goes Montevideo Club in Uruguay.

Taylor, the former Norfolk State University Spartan guard, also spent the summer participating in several summer showcases to improve his pro stock.

He was named first team All-Tournament selection at the 2016 Portsmouth Basketball Summit in Virginia.

Following Portsmouth, Taylor also participated in the Gotham Hoops Invitational, presented by Overtime.

The invitationals offer seniors a chance to showcase their talents in front of professional agents, coaches, executives and scouts.

A former R M Bailey Pacer, Taylor finished his two-year career for the Spartans as a junior college transfer.

In his senior season he appeared in 33 games and made 29 starts, averaging 13.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.2 steals.

He helped lead the Spartans to a 17-17 overall record this year and a 12-4 MEAC mark, good for a tie for second in the regular season standings.

In his junior season he averaged 13 points and five rebounds per game. He shot 45 per cent from the field and 25 per cent from three-point range in both seasons.

Taylor finished his career 15th overall at Norfolk State in three pointers made (94) as well as 16th in attempts (265). His percentage landed him 17th overall.

Following his high school career, in which he led the Pacers to a Government Secondary Schools Sports Association and Hugh Campbell title in 2011, Taylor spent his collegiate freshman season at John Brown University where he averaged 9.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

He was also an All-Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament selection. He spent the next two seasons on the move when he transferred to Garden City Community College as a sophomore.

He averaged 7.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in less than 18 minutes per outing. The following season he was a permanent fixture at Norfolk State.