Nassau, Bahamas – A host of top college recruits will lace it up at the Caribbean Tip-Off Classic which will be held in Nassau. Bahamas from November 2-4. Four teams from the United States, five from the Bahamas, four from Canada and the Helsinki Basketball Academy from Finland will compete over the three days.
Brewster Academy of Wolfeboro, New Hampshire brings a host of high major recruits to the event highlighted by Bahamas own Kai Jones, a 6-10 center who recently committed to the University of Texas. Jones is a late-bloomer with NBA potential. Local fans will notice his improvement when they see him in action.
Alonzo Gaffney, a 6-8 forward who committed to Ohio State has a large amount of natural talent combined with a strong physical profile. Jalen Lecque, a 6-4 combo guard committed to North Carolina State. Lecque, from Brooklyn, NY, is a high level athlete who needs to improve his shooting. Anthony Walker, a 6-9 power forward recently committed to the Miami Hurricanes. Walker is long and athletic and has rapidly improved his skill set, Joel Brown, a 6-1 point guard committed early in October to the Cal Bears, Brown is speedy, can get by his man in either direction but just needs to improve his shooting. Jamal Mashburn Jr., son of the ex-NBA star, is in Top 100 in the 2020 class. The strong 6-2 point guard is fielding a host of high D1 offers and recently visited the University of Minnesota. Bahamian fans will also get a look at 6-6 sophomore Terrence Clarke, currently ranked No. 2 in the Class of 2021 by ESPN.
Putnam Science Academy of Connecticut features 6-9 Akok Akok, ranked No. 30 nationally in the 2019 class. Akok is long with good jumping ability, protects the rim and can stretch the floor, He’s considering UConn, Syracuse. Providence and Pittsburgh.
Akok Akok
Tyson Etienne, a 6-1 combo-guard is coming off a strong junior season at Long Island Lutheran. He’s being targeted by a host of eastern high majors including Seton Hall and Rutgers. Justin Winston, a 6-7 forward committed to St. Bonaventure. He’s long, strong and a solid defender. Mohamed Sylla, a 7-0 center from the Ivory Coast is in his second year in the US. He’s strong in both size and frame and is getting high major looks. In the junior class Putnam showcases 6-8 Kareem Reid, a very long lefty with a lot of talent who is getting interest from UConn and Rutgers and others as well as 6-9 Abou Ousmane who has a very soft shooting touch and can get off the floor quickly. He has an offer from Georgetown..
Connecticut’s St. Thomas More features 6-10 Joel Soriano (7-4 wingspan) who has committed to Fordham. He’s gotten stronger over the last year and had a solid summer. 6-1 Eddie Turner III is their point guard. He’s from Seattle, is lightning-quick and has interest from Cincinnati and other high majors. Junior Jair Currie, a 6-4 off-guard has solid perimeter skills with athleticism and will likely get some high major offers.
Redemption Christian Academy of Northfield, MA features 6-6 Tony Goodwin II who turns 20 in April and will be declaring for the 2019 NBA Draft. He’s an excellent defender who can guard four positions and played in the Drew League in Los Angeles over the summer.
Sammy Hunter
Of the Canadian teams, BC Christian Prep features three natives of Nassau, 6-9 senior Sammy Hunter, 6-6 senior Leroy Adderley and 6-5 freshman D’Ante Dean. Hunter, a powerful power forward with National Team experience committed recently to Ole Miss over offers from Oklahoma and Kansas State. Hunter’s recruitment intensified after an excellent performance at the Bahamas Basketball Federation’s Summer of Thunder. He finished with 19 points and eight rebounds against Notre Dame and 18 points and five rebounds against North Carolina. 6-10 junior Victor Radocaj is a high major recruit who can score from all three levels and has great passing ability for his size. He’s one to watch.
Elijah Fisher
Crestwood Prep features some top flight younger prospects. 6-5 Elijah Fisher is generally thought to be the best middle school basketball player in the world. He’s in the Class of 2023 and is developing point guard skills. Fisher has a 6-10 wingspan currently and may grow to be in the 6-8 to 6-9 range with a 7-0+ wingspan. He’s a prodigy in the mode of an Andrew Wiggins or RJ Barrett. 6-3 senior point guard Jahcobi Neath is rated the No. 5 Canadian player in his class by North Pole Hoops. Neath has been receiving attention from Vanderbilt. Wake Forest, South Florida and others.
Rise Prep features 6-3 senior Miguel Tomley, a scoring point guard who has committed to Santa Clara. 6-5 wing Rahmir Moore is a Philadelphia native, the brother of former Temple star Ramone Moore and brother-in-law of Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry. Moore is a scorer and excellent defender with quick hands. He’s getting multiple D1 offers as are 6-8 Thomas Chilton and 6-9 Asare Octhere. Some of Rise’s younger players to watch are juniors 6-0 Kole Scott and 6-8 Rory Stewart.
Jaden Bediako
6-11 senior center Jaden Bediako headlines Ridley Prep’s roster. Bediako, rated as the No. 1 Canadian player in the 2019 class by 247Sports.com is considering Oklahoma, Virginia Tech and USC in his final list of eight schools. 6-8 senior Malcolm Bailey is a skilled senior combo-forward with mid-major interest. 6-1 point guard Noah Wharton has Ivy League interest and 6-7 wing Anthony Daudu, a native of Nigeria is also well suited to the Ivy League with plus-athleticism and a 4.0 GPA.
The Helsinki Basketball Academy will be enjoying their time in paradise coming from the cold of Finland. HBA brings 6-9 senior Mikael Jantunen, a can-do-everything forward who has committed to Utah. Ville Tahvanainen, is a 6-4 shooting guard with solid three-point shooting range who recently committed to Bradley. Two juniors who have impressed us in the past are 6-5 wing Thomas Exaucia and 6-8 Mustapha Anzil. Both are mid-major and possibly higher recruits.
Mikael Jantunen
The event will take place at the Kendal Issacs Gym on Nassau. Admission is $10 for adults or $5 for students or children under 12.
Carl Berman is Managing Partner of NetScouts Basketball and the Director of North American Sales for InStat Basketball, a video analysis software company.
Will this be streamed live?
Ed
Sorry didn’t see your message but the event was not streamed.
Carl Berman