The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas Basketball Federation's "Summer of Thunder" is set to begin this week and will once again highlight a busy summer for local basketball at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

The series of exhibitions between local teams and visiting NCAA programmes begins August 4 and continues through August 21.

Visiting programmes this summer will include the Nicholls State Colonels, Penn State Nittany Lions, Southern University Jaguars, Colorado State Rams, Rhode Island College Anchormen, Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles, Chicago State Cougars and Boston College Eagles.

The showcase is designed to expose local talent to an international style of basketball, as well as give those players an opportunity to compete against some of the top collegiate basketball players the NCAA has to offer.

The event also allows young Bahamian athletes to familiarise themselves with potential tertiary level institutions which they could possibly attend.

Local teams include the Bahamas All-Stars, New Providence Basketball Association All-Stars, IBA Elite, CTG Knights and the Providence Storm.

The Bahamas All-Stars and will play Nicholls State in the first game of the series August 4 at 7pm. August 6 will include a trio of games on the schedule with the NPBA All-Stars against Penn State at 2pm, IBA Elite against Nicholls State at 4pm and CTG Knights against Southern at 6pm.

The list of participating schools last summer included the Buffalo Bulls, Eastern Michigan Eagles, Missouri State Bears, Florida Gulf Coast Eagles, Wyoming Cowboys, Central Michigan Chippewas, Akron Zips, Toronto Varsity Blues, Florida Atlantic Owls, Wake Forest Demon Deacons, UNLV Running Rebels and the Tarleton State Riders.

In 2015 there were 14 Division I programmes that participated in the event including: The North Florida, Ball State, Eastern Illinois, Georgia Tech, Saint Louis, Southern Utah, Youngstown State, Central Florida, North Dakota, Middle Tennessee St, North Carolina-Wilmington, Bethune-Cookman, West Virginia and the Texas-Arlington.

Prior to that event, BBF first vice president and event organiser Mario Bowleg said that the event is growing in recognition and is making a name for itself on the international scene.

"The tournament is only getting bigger and expanding and even though we always have a good number of teams here, there are always more that wanted to participate," he said.

Local teams notched four wins against visiting teams in the last series and another six games were decided by a single possession, three points or less.

"Bahamian teams have been able to hold their own. Many of the final scores have been close," Bowleg said.

"We feel as though the competition is stiff, the foreign teams and the coaches have been pleased that they have been able to face this competition as they prepare for their seasons."