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The P.H.A.S.E 1 Academy JamRockers Basketball Classic, a competition for under-17 players, will tip off today at the Montego Bay Community College.
The competition, which is being held for the first time, will see six teams participating over three days (August 16-18) beginning at 8 a.m. and ending at 4 p.m. each day.
Wayne Dawkins, CEO of P.H.A.S.E 1 Academy, says the competition will be beneficial to both the local and international players who will be involved.
“This will boost tourism and it is a great opportunity for the players. We have been trying to get basketball tourism into Jamaica so we can get competition without having to spend and go overseas all the time. This will be huge for the players as it will raise the level of competition locally. Building an event here allows those athletes who can’t travel an opportunity to experience high-level competition,” Dawkins said.
“In order for Jamaica to be recognised as a place where athletes can be developed, the country has to be seen as a place where competition is happening. The more the athletes are exposed, the more people will see them and will look to Jamaica as a place where athletes are being developed,” Dawkins added.
The competition will have two international teams coming in from Canada and the United States. The four local teams are from Trelawny, Montego Bay, Kingston and a mixed team with both American and Canadian players.
According to Dawkins, this initiative will bring more investments to local basketball programmes.
“If we want people to invest in these athletes then we need to show that we are our par with our international peers. Apart from the tournament, we will also have a cultural exchange for the athletes so that should be good,” Dawkins said.
The three-day event will have clinics, by both the local and international coaches, for the athletes who will be on display. The clinics will be held at the end of each day.
SPONSOR
National Basketball Association (NBA) player Tari Eason, who is a member of the Houston Rockets, is a sponsor and will be a part of the three-day event.
Alton Morris, a coach from Hardwood Kings in Canada, said he expects his team to gain experience and wants to bring more teams next year.
“Even though we are the youngest team, we are going to be the feistiest. We have come here to win. We flew over the ocean not to just take part but to leave here with the trophy. We look forward to having fun right now and getting better for next year. There are older players (on other teams) so we want to just come and experience that level of competition. We came four days early to experience the Jamaican culture as well,” Morris said.
The major sponsors include Tourism Enhancement Fund, Children for Change, Eason Basketball and P.H.A.S.E 1 Global.
English (US) ·