The Tribune

By JONATHAN BURROWS

Tribune Sports Reporter

jburrows@tribunemedia.net

THE Jordan Prince William Junior Lady Falcons were expecting another morning of basketball drills and practice, but coach Terrance “Redeye” McSweeney had something much more special planned for his championship-winning team.

The young players were surprised with a celebration of their recent success in the junior girls’ division of the Kevin “KJ” Johnson Preseason Basketball Tournament, culminating in the inaugural JPW Junior Lady Falcons Fathers vs Daughters Scrimmage at Edmundo Moxey Park on Saturday, October 31.

After completing their training session, the girls were greeted by their fathers, who had secretly made arrangements to take the court against their daughters in a morning of friendly competition, family bonding and basketball. The surprise was part of McSweeney’s annual Fathers vs Daughters basketball event, which he brought to Jordan Prince William as a way of recognising the players’ tournament achievement while strengthening the relationship between fathers and their daughters through sport.

McSweeney said the celebration was deliberately kept under wraps, with the girls initially believing their parents had simply come to support the activities and bring food.

The reaction was exactly what he had hoped for.

“They were elated. They were so excited,” McSweeney said. “If you were here for the first game, you would see the smiles on their faces.”

The event also received special support from Bishop Dr Delton Fernander, who made a surprise visit to show his encouragement for the Junior Lady Falcons and the programme’s inaugural Fathers vs Daughters event.The fathers and daughters were divided into opposing teams for two preseason scrimmages, with the parents using the opportunity to compete against their  children while also offering guidance and encouragement throughout the games.

The fathers came away with victories in both contests, winning the first 20-12 before securing a closer 20-17 result in the second game.

Anthony Arthur Jr, father of player Ariana Arthur, welcomed the opportunity to share the court with his daughter and the other fathers, describing the experience as a chance to teach the girls while enjoying the game together.

“It felt really good because we’ve been talking about playing and improving the game, and getting out there with all the guys, all the fathers playing against the daughters,” Arthur said.

“We were pretty much coaching them during the game as well, because that’s what it’s all about. It’s a giving back, teaching type of thing. So it was good that we could all come together and do that.”

Arthur was particularly pleased with his daughter’s performance, revealing that Ariana managed to score against him while also displaying some impressive defensive work.

“I am very proud because she actually scored on me,” he said. “And she played very good defence. So that made me exceptionally proud that she did it on her dad.”

He also credited McSweeney’s work with the programme, noting the considerable improvement he has seen in his daughter’s game since she began playing basketball last year.

Arthur explained that Ariana initially concentrated more on defence and was still developing her ball-handling skills, but has since become more comfortable offensively, learning to execute plays, dribble combinations and make better decisions on the court.

“Last year was our first year playing basketball, so she didn’t really have a feel for handling. She was more a defensive player,” he said.

“Now she has an offensive mindset. She knows how to run plays, how to do dribbles like in-and-out crossovers, dribbling forward, pulling back, passing skills and awareness on the court. All of that is picking up at a high level.”

The celebration also provided an opportunity for the players to reflect on their development and the lessons they have taken from McSweeney’s coaching.

Fourteen-year-old Celine Kemp described the opportunity to play against the fathers as a positive experience, particularly because it allowed the girls to measure themselves against older and more experienced players.

She said one of the most important lessons from McSweeney has been recognising when to take advantage of scoring opportunities and making better decisions with the ball.

“He’s a good coach, hard-working,” Kemp said.

Looking ahead to the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) season, Kemp identified her shooting and confidence as two areas she wants to improve, particularly after seeing higher-scoring performances from other teams during the preseason competition.

She hopes to become more comfortable taking shots rather than hesitating when opportunities present themselves.

The father-daughter event was also a celebration of a significant achievement for the Junior Lady Falcons, who went unbeaten through all five of their games to capture the junior girls’ championship at the Kevin “KJ” Johnson Preseason Tournament.

McSweeney, however, believes the championship is only one part of the team’s development, as he continues working with a relatively young group that includes five Grade 7 players. The squad ranges in age from 11 to 14.

While pleased with the team’s energy, conditioning and shooting from the free-throw line and three-point range, he identified missed lay-ups and put-backs, along with the transition from offence to defence, as areas requiring attention.

Despite those shortcomings, he believes the tournament provided a valuable opportunity for the girls to gain experience and identify the areas they must improve before the school season gets underway.

McSweeney also wants the players to become more independent in recognising and correcting their mistakes rather than relying on instructions from the bench at every opportunity.

He explained that the current development period is intended to give the girls room to experiment, make mistakes and learn from them, understanding that improvement comes through recognising what went wrong and making better decisions the next time.

McSweeney’s commitment to junior girls basketball extends well beyond his current assignment at Jordan Prince William.

He began coaching at Temple Christian in 1995 before spending time at Queens College from 2005 to 2010. He later returned to Jordan Prince William, where he coached between 2013 and 2017, helping the school make history as the first private school to capture national championships in both senior boys and senior girls basketball.

He subsequently worked with the junior girls programme at St John’s College, where the school also achieved success at the national level.

Although he had retired from coaching, McSweeney was persuaded to return following discussions with Coach Hardy Moxey, who was instrumental in bringing him back to help restart the junior girls programme at Jordan Prince William.

He said the support of the school’s administration, including Bishop Dr Delton Fernander and Bishop William Thompson, has helped make the programme possible.

He described basketball as a ministry and credited his faith in God for keeping him committed to developing young players, particularly girls who benefit from having positive male role models and mentors in their lives.

His Diamond Basketball Development Programme has also been offered free of charge over the years, reflecting his commitment to providing young athletes with opportunities to develop without financial barriers.

The Junior Lady Falcons are now looking towards a busy period of development, with McSweeney outlining ambitions to take the team to Orlando, Florida, in 2027 to compete in the AAU basketball programme.

He also wants the girls to continue developing their athletic ability through basketball, track and field and volleyball, while using the offseason to improve their lateral movement, jumping ability and overall athleticism.

Saturday’s gathering provided a different kind of development opportunity, allowing the players to share the court with the people who support them away from the game.

After the two scrimmages, the fathers, players and coaching staff enjoyed food and cake together, bringing the surprise championship celebration to a close.