The Tribune

Bahamian junior national basketball team standout Malik Joseph is posting major numbers in his senior season and is garnering more attention on the recruiting circuit.

Joseph is currently with the Southside Christian Sabres in South Carolina and his programme is 8-1 thus far in the state’s 3A - private school class.

The Eleuthera native is averaging 22.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.5 steals per game thus far this season.

In their most recent win, Joseph finished with 23 points and 12 rebounds in a 73-38 win over Greenville Tech Charter School. Thus far, he has garnered interest from Anderson University and Newberry College.

At the national team level, Joseph was a member of the 2019 FIBA Centrobasket Under-17 Championship for Men. He credited the coaching staff and his experience at the tournament - consistently playing against the best in the region - for getting him prepared for his senior season.

“Playing with the junior national team was a great experience. Playing for such a great coaching staff led by Mr [Quentin] Hall with Mr [Denycko] Bowles and Mr [Mark] Hanna, they all wanted us to succeed and to reach our full potential and carry that with us way after the tournament. They wanted us to win and we wanted to win,” Joseph said. “Playing with that team helped me realise that coming into my senior season I needed to be more focused, I needed to be locked in and I needed to be more versatile on the court, I can’t be one dimensional. I have to be a threat on offence and defence.”

Joseph said his game has changed dramatically since his days at Central Eleuthera High and said he is ready to take another leap at the collegiate level.

“The level of competition is great. We have stronger and faster guys over here and the skill level is always advanced. The competition makes you better for sure but if you work toward your goal you will achieve it,” he said. “Im getting ready to head into college, I know there are bigger, stronger and faster guys there too but I’m ready for the challenge.”

Joseph’s Centrobasket team won bronze and qualified for the 2020 FIBA Tournament of the Americas alongside Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Canada and the United States this summer when the tournament tips off.

The top four teams at the Tournament of the Americas will advance to the subsequent U-19 Basketball World Cup.

The Bahamas sealed their place in the field in dramatic fashion with an 85-83 win over the Dominican Republic in the bronze medal game. Joseph finished with 12 points and nine rebounds in the finale. He averaged 10.4 points and seven rebounds over the course of the event.

The Bahamas opened the tournament with a 75-70 loss to host country, Puerto Rico. They followed with an 86-57 win over El Salvador where Joseph had a tournament high 20 points and nine rebounds. They also won 89-76 over the US Virgin Islands and advanced to the semi-finals where Joseph had 11 points and nine rebounds. They suffered a 64-48 loss to Mexico in the semi-finals and were placed in the bronze medal game.