Boyd leads local National Basketball Federation nominees at Olympic awards

PAN AM Games 3x3 basketball bronze medallist Akheel “Small” Boyd leads the charge of National Basketball Federation of TT (NBFTT) nominees at Friday’s TT Olympic Committee awards at Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain.

Boyd, 24, was part of the Trinidad and Tobago team, alongside players Chike Augustine, captain Moriba De Freitas and sibling Ahkeem Boyd, and staff Christopher Jackson Charles (coach) and Wayne Samuel (manager), who snared a historic bronze medal at the Games in October.

Additionally, the team was also prepared by Trinidad and Tobago's two-time WNBA player and former national assistant coach Pietra Gay, who is FIBA (International Basketball Federation) qualified and Atiba DeLeon.

Boyd will contest the senior category at the awards. He has been a standout player over the past year. An NBFTT statement said on Wednesday that he “has been developing his skills from age 11 with several teams Maloney Pacers, Stories Of Success and Detour Shak Attack.”

Boyd represented TT in Saint Lucia, Jamaica, Colombia, USA and Chile. The point guard was the outstanding player for TT at the Pan Ame Games in Chile in October.

He was TT’s highest scorer with 12, 13, four, five, and 11 points in the five matches contested. He also helped Maloney Pacers win the national 3x3 tournament in June after they defeated Valencia Heat 22-14 in the finals in which he scored 8 points.

Also vying for the senior accolade is Carissa Ramdial, 17. Considered one of basketball’s rising stars, the national U16 standout is a key member of the Central Gwinnett High School in Georgia, USA.

Ramdial played seven games since signing with the school in July/August and had outstanding performances with points scored, assists, steals and rebounds. The starting PG on Central Gwinnett High School which has a record of 7-1 on the year, has 19 assists, and 26 steals.

Meanwhile, NBFTT’s junior award nominees are Chris Jaydond, 17, and Maya Raymond, 15. Roberts is a student at Bishops High School, Tobago who excelled during the 2023 Secondary Schools Basketball League season.

The six-foot, one-inch-tall point-guard won the Most Valuable Player honours at the U19 level at the Tobago Zone Basketball competition and represented TT at the 2023 Junior NBA camp in 2023 and was honored for his sportsmanship.

Raymond attends Carapichaima West Secondary School and led her Chaguanas-based club – Club Enterprise to win the FEMBA U15 title and the Milo Vipers to the Female Fiesta League title.

She also won several individual titles – MVPs, three-point shooting, most points, best U15 player awards.