Bermuda’s Orlando magic

Bermuda claimed third in the Under-12 division at the Global Cup in Orlando, Florida.

It represents a major improvement on last year’s performance as youth basketball on the island continues to grow in stature.

The final round of games saw Bermuda’s teams pick up two more wins to take their tally to four for the tournament.

The Under-14 boys defeated Hong Kong in a thrilling match for fifth place, a game that saw the lead change hands several times.

Down the stretch, Bermuda were powered by the outstanding all-round play of Andy Perez.  Forward Stefan Wilson hit two crucial baskets to help Bermuda regain the lead, while team-mates Andy Perez and Tyler Dill handled the defensive
pressure from the Hong Kong back court, running down the clock and creating turnovers to build a five-point lead, securing the win.

Coach Peters said: “It was strong play in the clutch and the energy of the Bermuda fans that helped power the Under-14s to victory.” 

In the most one-sided win of the tournament for team Bermuda, the under 12-A team defeated their Hong Kong counterparts 51-12.

Bermuda’s Caelin Peters led all scorers in the game, netting an impressive 26 points. He was named MVP  for the game and was Bermuda’s Player of the Tournament along with Rye Ahronson. 

Coach Peters added: “This year we saw a much-improved team from the Philippines which beat us twice by a margin of about 10 points, and we were able to play against a team from New York that is ranked sixth in the United States, which was a great test for us as a programme.  

“We had stretches in our game against New York where you could see the potential of our young players.  Many of these boys and girls are on their way to bigger things both on and off the court. We had four players really stand out this year.  

“William Gray played big against the team from the US, Kumari Tannock rebounded well throughout, Rye Ahronson was quick and savvy with the dribble, and Caelin Peters was a scoring machine.”