Verano lleno de actividades en Antigua y Barbuda

SAINT JOHN'S (Antigua and Barbuda) – Seeking effective ways to involve the youth in sports and to find development opportunities, the Antigua and Barbuda Basketball Association (ABBA) has dedicated its summer to fostering opportunities for its athletes to grow and showcase their talents.

Among the main activities that took place as ABBA's plan were the U18 Recruitment Camp and the first 3x3 Youth Summer League.

The recruiting process for children under 18 was overseen by coach Donald Francois, an assistant coach at Archbishop Molloy High School in New York, and founder of the Caribbean Hoops Fest. Since 2015 this project offers workshops and tournaments for young people in the Caribbean.

ABBA President Kebran Nanton stated that the camp that took place on August 23 and 24 was part of a plan set forth by the organization to promote its young members. Around 40 boys and girls participated and gave it all to show their abilities in the court, with the hope of being chosen to be a part of a program in the United States.

“The Recruitment Camp was one of the initiatives we planned for the summer in our Youth Development Program,” said Nanton to FIBA.basketball. “We had three camps this summer. Two scouts came to Antigua and Barbuda to find young talented players.”

Nanton pointed out the importance of giving continuity to these projects starting from the youngest sector and up. According to the President, the initial purpose of the camp was “setting in motion our youth initiatives.” Nonetheless, she also stated that “now we must ensure that it's continuous, particularly in the development stages, U8, U10, and U12.”

Furthermore, the innovative 3x3 modality was welcomed in the JSC Sports Complex, the perfect venue to host the first Youth Summer League of the discipline. The competition was a joint effort between the association and a third party, which allowed to increase the level of the event's production and ensure its success. Eight teams disputed the championship held in August and also featured a slam-dunk competition.

“The Summer 3x3 League was the first in our annual 3x3 events. We worked alongside a third party and it was a greater success. We want to bolster the 3x3 so that people can see how exciting it is and also let them know of the opportunities available through the 3x3, particularly now that it's an Olympic event. The idea is to host more 3x3 events during the year,” Nanton said.

Two players win scholarships in the USA

The Association also announced that two of their players received scholarships to study and play in the United States. Adonis Humphreys and Selassie Brathwaite, who were part of the national Antigua and Barbuda team in the FIBA AmeriCup 2021 Qualifiers, now will be playing for the South Western Illinois College – where they’ll also receive their college education.

FIBA