The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

DEYTON Albury and Romad Dean received the opportunity of a lifetime when they were selected to represent the Bahamas at the 10th Basketball Without Borders camp, hosted by the National Basketball Association (NBA), the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the Colombian Basketball Federation (FCB).

The four-day camp will be hosted in Medellin, Colombia, featuring 64 boys and girls from 18 countries at The Ivan de Bedout Coliseo in Medellin, Colombia, marking the first time that the global basketball development and community outreach programme will be held in Colombia.

Albury was a star guard for the Temple Christian Suns and was an All-Tournament selection at the National High School Basketball Championships in April.

Dean had a breakout season in the frontcourt for Tabernacle Baptist Academy Falcons in his transition to the senior level and was one of the team leaders in both scoring and rebounding. They will join the group of players that will learn directly from NBA and FIBA players and coaches, and to compete against the best young players from the region.

BWB Americas 2019 will also include NBA Cares and Jr NBA community outreach efforts with youth in Medellin in partnership with local community organisations. NIKE, a global partner of BWB since 2002, will outfit the campers and coaches with NIKE apparel and footwear.

The Bahamas hosted the 2017 Basketball Without Borders Americas Camp at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. The Bahamas was represented by Dominick Bridgewater (FOS Provence Byers BC - France), Kai Jones (Texas Longhorns) and Derryn Johnson among the top prospects in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The NBA and FIBA have staged 57 BWB camps in 36 cities in 28 countries on six continents. BWB has hosted more than 3,400 participants from 129 countries and territories. More than 290 current and former NBA and WNBA players have joined more than 230 NBA team personnel from all 30 NBA teams, with 60 former BWB campers drafted into the NBA or signed as free agents.

Among the 108 international players on opening night NBA rosters for the 2018-19 season were a record 27 former BWB campers, including the Bahamas’ own Deandre Ayton (Phoenix Suns; Bahamas; BWB Global 2016), Kelly Olynyk (Miami Heat; Canada; BWB Americas 2009), and Bruno Caboclo (Memphis Grizzlies; Brazil; BWB Americas 2013).

BWB Americas 2019 will bring together the top male and female players ages 17 and under from throughout Latin America and the Caribbean to learn directly from current and former NBA and FIBA players and coaches and to compete against the best young players from the region.

Current NBA players and former BWB campers Bruno Caboclo (Memphis Grizzlies; Brazil; BWB Americas 2013) and Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets; Canada; BWB Global 2015), former NBA player Carlos Arroyo (Puerto Rico), former WNBA player Ruth Riley (U.S.), Colombian player Juan Palacios (Élan Chalon) will be among the coaches leading the campers.

Current NBA assistant coaches Zach Guthrie (Utah Jazz), Royal Ivey (New York Knicks), Keith Bogans (Westchester Knicks; G League), Dutch Gaitley (Charlotte Hornets), Daniel Santiago (Puerto Rico) and Dawn Smyth (Canada Basketball) will also serve as BWB Americas coaches.

Patrick Hunt (President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches; Australia) and Gersson Rosas (President of Basketball Operations, Minnesota Timberwolves; Colombia) will serve as camp directors, and Ernest Eugene (Orlando Magic) will serve as the camp’s athletic trainer.

Players and coaches will lead the campers through a variety of activities, including movement efficiency, skill development stations, 5-on-5 games and daily life skills seminars focusing on health, leadership and communication. One boy and one girl will be named BWB Americas camp MVPs at the conclusion of the camp.