WITH their high school basketball league over and done with, local high school players are now showing their skills in the annual International Basketball Academy Bahamas Developmental League that is currently underway.
IBA Bahamas, headed by Denycko Bowles, play every Friday and Sunday at the Anatol Rodgers Gymnasium. Bowles said they are excited to be hosting their second annual tournament and they are pleased to see the growth and development of the young players in the league.
“The league has been extremely competitive. We have a lot of players who are really hungry and eager to play, especially after coming off their high school season,” said Bowles of the league that got started on March 17.
“They just want to continue to be active and it has been very competitive to this point. We expect it to be more competitive as we move into our playoffs and championships in June.”
Boys and girls players between the ages of 4-20 years old playing on four junior teams and five senior teams. They were selected to participate on their respective teams through a draft system implemented before the start of the league. “The competition has been very, very good, especially in the junior category. We have those kids who are playing extremely well,” Bowles said. “Each and every day, those players come out and they play. They are eager to play.
“The senior division is just as competitive. We have players who played on their respective school teams coming out and being a part of the league. They feel they have a point to prove and they have been coming out to prove those points.”
While Bowles also coaches in the league, he is joined by Alphonso Brown, the junior boys’ coach at Anatol Rodgers. There are also a number of parents who come out and assist the league by coaching some of the teams.
• Here’s a look at the games played on Sunday:
Wildcats 39, Eagles 29: Jhaythn Jones led two players in double figures for the winners with a game high 16 points with nine rebounds and three steals. Demarion Ellis added 10 points with a pair of steals. Marvin Pratt chipped in with seven points, four rebounds and as many steals.
Avery Gomez and Ken Cooper both scored eight points with two rebounds each, while Gomez also had three steals and two assists in a losing effort.
Tarheels 37, Bulls 18: Emmitt Smith and Davaughn Rolle provided a 1-2 punch with 15 points to pace the winners in their junior boys’ matchup.
Smith also had six rebounds, while Rolle added five rebounds with a pair of steals.
Malachi Cadeau led the losers with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Both Owen Saunders and DeQuan Hepburn contributed three points. Wildcats 75, Mustangs 54: Stephano Farrington paced a balanced scoring attack with a game high 25 points and 11 rebounds in their win for their senior boys team. Carlan Cleare had 20 points, four steals, three rebounds and two assists and Jefferson Lightbourne helped out with 13 points and two rebounds.
Parish Simmons had 15 points with three assists for the losers. Jordan McKenzie had `12 points and Omar Lewis ended up with 11 points.
Bulls 69, Eagles 61: Lavardo Saunders poured in a game high 27 points with e3ight assists, seven rebounds and two steals, while Oben Dalestin had 14 points, five rebounds and two assists and Shanton Hamilton had 13 points to assist.
In a losing effort, Derrick Edgecombe had 24 points with two rebounds and as many assists; Lyron Elliott had 18 points, seven rebounds and a pair of blocks and Elton Pickstock added 11 points with nine rebounds, two assist and two steals.
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