The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

CHAVANO 'Buddy' Hield, showing his appreciation to SuperClubs Breezes for hosting his 24 elite players, took the time out to recognise the Breezes High Flyers for their three-peat performance as the New Providence Basketball Association champions.

Still in the midst of his week-long Hope Elite 24 Buddy Hield Basketball Clinic at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, Hield congratulated coach Donnie Culmer and members of his High Flyers yesterday at SuperClubs Breezes.

He also took the opportunity to shoot the basketball and engage in some photo shooting with members of staff and guests at the hotel. Even some of the jet ski operators took advantage of the opportunity to mix and mingle with Hield.

"They (Breezes) have been there for the camp. They are always giving back to the community and looking out for the kids," he said. "So to have the elite 24 kids stay here was a blessing.

"I'm just happy to be able to be here and share this moment with them and the High Flyers. I know a lot of the guys who played on the team, so I was really happy when I heard they won the title for three years straight."

Heather Smith, SuperClubs Breezes sales manager, said when they heard that Hield was going to be here, they thought it would be a good thing to get him to hang out with their champion High Flyers. "We are excited," Smith said. "We are very excited to have him here and to be a part of the Buddy Hield Basketball Clinic. We are a sponsor, so we just wanted to show our appreciation."

On hand for the event was Muna Issa, the managing director at SuperClubs Breezes. She too took to the basketball court and tried to shoot a few jump shots with Hield and the High Flyers.

Culmer, expressing his gratitude to SuperClubs Breezes for the sponsorship of his High Flyers, said the majority of his players know Hield, whom he considers to be the best '24' player in the game right now because of the development of his three-point shooting. "It's a good thing," Culmer said.

"This year we are bringing two teams to play division one and division two, so we are going back to defend our division two title and to go in division one and try to give them Giants a run for their money."

Training camp, according to Culmer, will start in two weeks, so he hopes to get his teams together so that they will be ready to compete.

Rico Bethel, a member of the High Flyers and a staffer at SuperClubs Breezes, said it was a pleasure for them to see Hield giving back to the people on the island and in particular to their team.

"As long as he is here, I think we can get a better understanding of what it takes to get to his level," Bethel said. "For us winning the national title, we are just delighted that he could come and share this victory experience with us."

Since Monday, Hield and his coaching staff from the United States have been grooming 24 of the top under-17 basketball players in their quest to play at the next level, either college or professional.

"They have been doing a lot of stuff, some of which they were uncomfortable in doing," Hield said. "We have been trying to tell them that not just because they are doing this they are acting out, but this is something that they will have to do each and every day if they want to become better ball players.

"We want to let them know that if they want to become better in life, they have to put themselves in a position to be better. So they have to continue to work hard towards their goal."

The camp for the players will close out on Saturday between the hours of 1-6 pm when they participate in a Family Fun Day.

Also on Saturday, Hield and his staff will announce who will be the recipient of a scholarship to attend the University of the Bahamas.

On Sunday, Hield will head to Grand Bahama where he will conduct another camp from Wednesday to Friday in two daily sessions, the first from 9am to noon and the last from 2-6 pm.

"I'm looking forward to going back home where I was born and raised," he said. "I am just happy to get back there because they know my story and so it's going to be a blessing to go back there and keep the dream alive."