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Last Updated: Dec 29, 2011 - 2:18:31 AM |
Front Row L - R Kyra Monroe, Stephanie Martin, Alexandria Hudson, Kaelie Huddle. Back Row L - R Stephanie Hughes, Gwen Zehner, Jennifer DesJean(Coach), Kayla Stout, Lauren Nieves. Photo TriCitiesSports.com
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Freeport, Bahamas -
(TriCitiesSports.com) A total of 12 teams, with a total of over 200 people from the United
States arrived in Grand Bahama on Friday, July 30 to play in the Bahama
Tropical Shootout. The U.S. based teams were made up of select invite
only high school players from throughout the United States.
The
two-day prestigious international 2010 Bahamas Basketball Tropical
Shoot-out event was dubbed a "huge success" by Bahamian organizer Karon
Pinder-Johnson, YMCA executive director.
"We had two days of
intense basketball games which was great for our kids have a chance to
play at this level, the Team USA players were great players and offered
great competition" also "The coaches of these teams were top-notch
coaches of Division two and three schools and a former NBA coach".
Pinder-Johnson noted that in the men's division Team Bahamas was "simply unstoppable."
Unfortunately,
Pinder-Johnson added, in the ladies division Team Bahamas came up short
at the very end. "But the girls had a real good showing in terms of
their talent and knowledge of the game."
Winning Team USA Coach
Jenifer DesJean commented "From our first day of team practice...our
team just clicked." "During our first team practice, we gave each other
nicknames and we still call each other by our nicknames."
"Our
team "Team Dizzle", came together on the first day of play and had one
goal, the goal to win the championship which we did."
"Each
player brought something different to each game to help Team Dizzle win!
With 8 players, 2 post and 6 guards/wings...our rotation went like
this. Our team was the only team with 2 post players, so our post
players played the whole game and our guards/wings had a partner and
substituted every 5 minutes with fresh legs. Each game our goals were to
keep them out of the lane and play hard. We played two USA teams and
both Bahamas teams."
Kaelie Huddle a.k.a T-Money, came up big
during our first tourney game with 3 of 3 from behind the 3-point line,
while Alexandria Hudson a.k.a A-Hud was 2 of 2 from behind the line as
well in the championship game. Kayla Stout a.k.a Stout, was the
tourney's MVP. Both Steph Martin a.k.a C-ville and Gwen Zehner a.k.a
G-Dub came up big from the foul line in the championship game. Zehner
also was a powerful force on the inside along with Stout. Steph Hughes
a.k.a Nae-Nae, was big for her defense and ball control under pressure
during the opponents press. Kyra Monre a.k.a KC, was a strong point
guard handling the pressure of the press. Monroe along with Martin,
Huddle and Hughes came up big when we needed to step up on defense.
Lauren Nieves a.k.a Yummy, came up big with powerful rebounding and
defending the ball on the wing.
Only having known each other
for 3 days, our team came together for one goal and one direction, to
make it to the championship game and win! During the championship game,
we were down 4 or 5 points with only 2:50 min left and our Team Dizzle
stepped it up and finish strong with the victory over Bahamas.
"I enjoyed coaching my team and making those memories that will last for a long time!!" added DesJean.
Article SOURCE
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