Jamaica national team

[CKR13]

Roy Hibbert admits that it is no longer possible to suit up for Team USA.

http://blogs.pacers.com/2014/01/31/hibbert-door-closed-on-team-usa/

[Walken]

Jamaican basketball team to play two warm up games against Canada

Jamaica’s senior men’s basketball team will leave the island today for a two-game practice series against Canada in Toronto.

The team dubbed the JamRockerZ, will be without the services of a trio of top players, Ryan Hollins, Patrick Ewing Jnr and Jerome Jordan but still includes former Muschett high star Samardo Samuels who recently signed with Italian outfit Armani Milano to play in the Euroleague.

The 11-member squad also includes Weyinmi Rose, Adrian Uter, Akeem Scott, Durand Scott, Garfield Blair, Dyland Ennis and is further completed by four local based players Christopher Walker, Michael Rogers, Lynford Brown and Adrian Forbes.

The games against their Canadian counterparts will take place on Thursday and Saturday at the American Airlines Centre.

The team is scheduled to return on Sunday and will continue camp in Montego Bay before leaving for Venezuela where they participate in the FIBA Americas Championship.

The Jamaican team qualified for the Americas tournament after finishing third at last year’s Centro-Basket tournament in Puerto Rico.

They have been drawn in Group A alongside Uruguay, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Brazil.

The top four teams at the Americas tournament will advance to the 2014 FIBA World Basketball Championships in France

http://www.iriefm.net/news/sports/jamaican-basketball-team-play-two-warm-games-against-canada

[JGX]

http://www.iriefm.net/news/sports/four-local-based-playes-included-jamaica-squad-warm-games

Among the local based players are Linford Brown and Adrian Forbes of Spanish Town Spartans, Michael Rogers of St. Georges Slayers and Christopher Walker of Pembroke Hall.

Meanwhile Samardo Samuels and Jerome Jordan headline the overseas based players in the squad.

They are joined by Patrick Ewing junior, Akeem Scott from New York, Dillon Ennis of Villanova University, Durand Scott of Miami University along with European based players Garfield Blair, Weyinmi Rose and Adrian Uter.

[PRSURF]

Next week they will be in Toronto to scrimmage with Canada. I think they have three games in total lined up against Canada.

But where is the squad?

[CKR13]

Next week they will be in Toronto to scrimmage with Canada. I think they have three games in total lined up against Canada.

[PRSURF]

No news about Jamaica NtlTeam?

[Mojado]

Hollins commits to Jamaica:

http://www.cvmtv.com/story.php?id=1526&type=sportsnews

[CKR13]

Roy Hibbert won't suit up for the national team in the Americas this year.

[Mojado]

A lot of name dropping lately, lets see who will be suiting up in the end and who is eligible to play under FIBA rules. http://www.basket4us.com/blog/2013/0...caa-88989.html

Count out Dylan (School) and Tyler Ennis (Canada NT) and Kyle Anderson (School). Ryan Hollins played for the U-18 US, Thompson for the U-19 Canada, Drummond U-17 US, Gordon U-18 US, Bennett U-17 Canada. Durand Scott and Toney Douglas could be added, but probably only as naturalized players.

http://zagsblog.com/articles/jamaica-dreaming-of-olympic-run-with-nba-college-players/

[Mojado]

Only one of the trio is eligible to play for Jamaica under FIBA regulations. I would try to get Hibbert back, if he dont want to, maybe Drummond, although they need to get the waiver from the US Basketball Federation first. Ben Gordon is not really a help...

[CKR13]

JaBA Shooting For NBA Stars

Ajani Williams, president of the Jamaica Basketball Association (JaBA), said his administration will begin talks with a number National Basketball Association (NBA) players who have expressed interest in representing Jamaica at this year's FIBA World Championship final-round qualifiers at the end of the month.

Williams said his organisation will be holding talks with point guard Ben Gordon of Charlotte Bobcats, Indiana Pacers centre Roy Hibbert and André Drummond of Detroit Pistons.

"We are going to make our best effort to get these players and then we will see how well things pan out," said Williams.

"I think one of the good things is that all of these players will be surrounded by NBA and local staff. We will have a NBA team trainer and a former NBA coach and an international doctor," Williams said.

"It will almost be like a mini NBA team. I think these are the most important things for us to have if we are going to pull it off," he said.

The JaBA boss added that the acquisition of these players would be a major boost for the national team, which is set to face the likes of Spain, Argentina and Brazil in the FIBA World Championships qualifiers, which will be played in the final week of August.

"Andre Drummond is a fantastic player and we will be going out to get him. We have watched tapes of him talking about Jamaica, and his mother is a Jamaican. I know that he loves his rice and peas," Williams said.

"However, I think we have a better chance of getting Roy because he has played for us before. He was registered with us. He has limited options of playing for the USA so I hope we can get him to play for us this year," Williams said.

"Ben Gordon is an excellent point guard and we definitely need a point guard of his calibre going into this tournament in August," he stated.

Jamaica, coached by former Boston Celtics head coach, Sam Vincent, are due to play against Ukraine, Israel and Canada in a four-team warm-up tournament in Canada from August 9-12.

-Jamaica Gleaner

I wonder if Hibbert is still interested in suiting up for Jamaica. Last summer, Hibbert called out JaBA to be released so he can try out for Team USA. While Ben Gordon is an interesting case: England's lost could be Jamaica's gain if Gordon sorts out priorities during the summer.

[c_d]

JAM - Jamaica hopes to have Roy Hibbert for Centrobasket:
6/28/2010

SANTO DOMINGO (2010 Centrobasket Championship) - Jamaica hopes to have Indiana Pacers center, Roy Hibbert, for the 2010 Centrobasket Championship to be played from July 5-11 in the Dominican Republic.

Hibbert is a 7-2 center who averaged 11.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.6 blocks in 81 games this year for the Pacers.

They will also have Samardo Samuels who played for Louisville University.

The team also features Akeem Scott, Andre Smith, Damion Staple, Garfield Blair, Garfield Johns, Justin Leith, Ronald Yates, Terrell Christie, Weyinmi Efejuku and Kimani Ffriend.

Jamaica is in Group A along with the British Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic, Panama and US Virgin Islands. Group B has Belize, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Trinidad & Tobago.

http://www.fibaamericas.com/noticiasread_us.asp?r=EGXVCIOMUM

Potentially a very strong and athletic front court.

Roy Hibbert
Jerome Jordan
Kimani FFriend
Samardo Samuels
Patrick Ewing Jr.

About the point guard position, jamaïcan federation should contact former Olimpija Ljubljana and Red Star Belgrade player, Maurice Bailey (185, 1981). He is from jamaïcan descent.

[enomakos]

If Jamaica can find a decent point guard, with a frontcourt of Samuels, Ewing, Jr. and Hibbert, their team would be formidable and have a promising future. As alermac suggested, there are plenty of players of Jamaican descent playing in the US and Canada on the high school and college level, so the talent is out there; it just has to be found.

I've always wondered why Jamaica lagged behind other Caribbean countries (Puerto Rico, Virgin Is., Cuba, and the Dominican Rep.) when they probably have more upside athletically than any other country in the region. My own personal belief is that a number of reasons have prevented the island country from becoming a major power...

1) Being a relatively poor country, indoor sports facilities on the tiny island are at a premium (I'm not talking about gyms, but professional-grade indoor arenas), so opportunities to participate in basketball in a structured, professional level are limited. For the same reason, other indoor sports such as volleyball and handball also haven't taken ahold.

2) Because Jamaica's former status as a British colony, much of its team sports culture was imported from Britain, thus the popularity of cricket and soccer over more popular North American team sports like basketball. With some exceptions like Australia, New Zealand and Canada, countries of Britain's former/current commonwealth territories tend to lean towards British invented sports.

3) Climate, yes climate. Because of the tropic nature of Jamaica's weather (temps during the summer can easily reach +100 F/+37 C) outdoor activities and recreation are probably more valued than indoor activities. Certainly, basketball can be played both outside or indoors, but by necessity, on a professional, organized level, it has to played in a sterile environment with no interference from weather elements like heat, wind, dust etc. It makes it difficult to properly organize the sport if weather conditions make it preferable to play outdoors in the absense of professional indoor facilities.

4) Basketball, like soccer in the US, has a reputation among some as being a girl's sport, mainly because of the popularity of the off-shoot sport netball among Jamaican school girls. Though attitudes are changing, because of basketball's stigma as an demasculine sport (netball with a backboard), it's development on the island has been slow.

thanks ,that what nice of you to share this

[Federoy]

If Jamaica can find a decent point guard, with a frontcourt of Samuels, Ewing, Jr. and Hibbert, their team would be formidable and have a promising future. As alermac suggested, there are plenty of players of Jamaican descent playing in the US and Canada on the high school and college level, so the talent is out there; it just has to be found.

I've always wondered why Jamaica lagged behind other Caribbean countries (Puerto Rico, Virgin Is., Cuba, and the Dominican Rep.) when they probably have more upside athletically than any other country in the region. My own personal belief is that a number of reasons have prevented the island country from becoming a major power...

1) Being a relatively poor country, indoor sports facilities on the tiny island are at a premium (I'm not talking about gyms, but professional-grade indoor arenas), so opportunities to participate in basketball in a structured, professional environment are limited. For the same reason, other indoor sports such as volleyball and handball also haven't taken ahold.

2) Because Jamaica's former status as a British colony, much of its team sports culture was imported from Britain, thus the popularity of cricket and soccer over more popular North American team sports like basketball. With some exceptions like Australia, New Zealand and Canada, countries of Britain's former/current commonwealth territories tend to lean towards British invented sports.

3) Climate, yes climate. Because of the tropic nature of Jamaica's weather (temps during the summer can easily reach +100 F/+37 C) outdoor activities and recreation are probably more valued than indoor activities. Certainly, basketball can be played both outside or indoors, but by necessity, on a professional, organized level, it has to played in a sterile environment with no interference from weather elements like heat, wind, dust etc. It makes it difficult to properly organize the sport if weather conditions make it preferable to play outdoors in the absence of professional indoor facilities.

4) Basketball, like soccer in the US, has a reputation among some as being a girl's sport, mainly because of the popularity of the off-shoot sport netball among Jamaican school girls. Though attitudes are changing, because of basketball's stigma as an demasculine sport (netball with a backboard), it's development on the island has been slow.