Over 50 players shine at Island Prospects basketball youth showcase

The Maloney Indoor Sporting Arena was the venue for the Island Prospects College and University Basketball Showcase on Wednesday, with 52 young players getting the opportunity to hone their skills before scouts, coaches and basketball enthusiasts.

Held in collaboration with the Anthony Roy Student Athlete Scholarship Academy, Next Level Performance Trinidad and Tobago and Royal Basketball Academy, the showcase was deemed a resounding success by a media release issued by Next Level Performance on December 13.

“The showcase was a platform for these athletes to demonstrate their abilities and compete at a high level, all under the watchful eyes of coach Anthony Roy,” the release said.

The day’s activities were split into two sessions, with the under-16 male and female players grabbing the spotlight in the morning segment.

The afternoon segment was dedicated to under-21 male players and also included standout players from the under-16 category.

The release said Roy is renowned for his athletics scholarship programme and carries with him a wealth of experience in acquiring opportunities for Caribbean talent.

“Over the past year, (Roy’s) efforts have resulted in 17 scholarships for athletes across varying disciplines, including ten for TT’s young talents.

“Though relatively new to basketball scouting, coach Roy’s extensive collegiate network across North America and his partnership with Next Level Performance TT and Royal Basketball Academy, signal exciting opportunities for aspiring basketball players.”

Roy said he was confident these types of showcases will “help identify and develop the next generation of basketball stars.”

The release said the partnership with the varying parties underscores their commitment to fostering youth development and also highlights the rise of TT as the hub for basketball talent in the Caribbean.

Next Level Performance said its cutting-edge digital platform narrows the gap between Caribbean talent and the North American and world market by capturing data and video content which ensures scouts and coaches have access to promising athletes.