Eight aspiring basketballers chosen for Elite Camp

The Trinidad and Tobago youngsters, whose ages ranged from 14-16, will be up against other Caribbean teams vying for the 13 spots (eight boys and five girls) available to participate in the Digicel NBA Jumpstart New York experience in December.

The selected contingent for the Elite Camp in BVI are - Remy Brewer, Joshua Sheppard, Nickolai Mills, Kalique Robertson-Forrester and Adam Tang Nian (boys); Tamika Campbell, Shania Emmanuel and Jerryn Donald (girls).

Special awards for best sportsmanship at the clinic were given to Jedidiah Celestine and Mercedes Alexander.

Speaking after being selected, Miils said, “it was a good experience being part of the Clinic and I am really looking forward to next week because I would love to see what other the Caribbean players have to offer. My dream is to make it to the NBA so this opportunity can give me an indication of what it takes to get there.” Robertson- Forrester shared the same sentiments by saying, “the Clinic was a starter for me because I have dreams to making it to the NBA one day and I cannot wait for the next phase of the camp.” At the event’s closing ceremony, Christopher Edmond (Strategic Partnership Manager of Digicel) was thankful for all those who made the Clinic possible, from the NBA to the participants. He highlighted the importance of the National Basketball Federation of Trinidad and Tobago (NBFTT)’s involvement in making the overall experience a success. The NBFTT was charged with the responsibilities of providing coaches and officials to aid in the Clinic’s daily functions.

Feature guests, Troy Justice (Senior Director Basketball Operations International-NBA) and Coach Lloyd Pierce (NBA Assistant Coach-Philadelphia 76ers) shared their knowledge with the local coaches. Pierce displayed some fundamental drills that he incorporates in his training sessions abroad.

Commenting on his experience at the clinic was UTT’s basketball coach Stefan Dillon. “It is always an honour to be around coaches of different backgrounds who share the same passion for the sport.

“From a technical standpoint I learned variations of similar drills I have implemented in my programme and key words to use to better engage my athletes during drill execution. Overall, it is good to see platforms like this for youth participation.” Last year, four TT players were selected to Digicel NBA Jumpstart New York and, apart from the Clinic, they enjoyed tours of the Barclays Center as well as seats to watch the Brooklyn Nets take on Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors.