Festival Schedule
Here is the schedule for the games this week! Be sure to come out to support Cayman as they take on Port Arthur Texas and Bermuda teams!
Cayman Re-Peat at Island Games
Cayman’s National Men’s team have repeated GOLD at the Natwest Island Games after defeating powerhouse Sareema in the Championship match.
This mean’s that the men’s program has medaled 6 out of the total ten appearances at the Islands games, racking up 4 silver and now 2 straight Gold Medals. What has been the difference? College Experience!
The Current Cayman national Men’s team comprise of 12 players: 11 of which have played either in College and/or high school in the United States and 1 player that has played professionally in Germany, as opposed to previous silver medal teams that had 3-5 players with such experience. This exposure has no doubt better equipped the team to compete at higher levels. Cayman’s focus this year was defensive domination; Cayman played all of their opponents a full-court man-to-man defense. Cayman’s defense was intense, aggressive and suffocating, resulting in them winning only one game of their 5 by less than 20 points.
Cayman was strong off the bench as well, young players like Arin Taylor, Juawon Ebanks, Joshua O’Garro and Kai Robinson all came in and also put on stellar performances. Overall it was a fantastic performance by the men’s team who will now focus their attention on the next Caribbean Championships tournament and an invitational tournament next Easter.
Head Coach Ed Pellot-Rosa and assistant Coach Duran Whittaker did a fantastic job preparing the team to defend their title.
The Cayman Team: Deandre Simpson, Kwei General, Shaad O’Garro, Arin Taylor, Samuel O’Garro, Jake Whittaker, Philip Webb, Davion Cotterell, Kai Robinson, Joshua O’Garro, Tikko Moore, Juawon Ebanks.
Cayman Defeats Guernsey 59-50
Cayman’s national women’s team defeated Guernsey in a grueling 5th place match. Both teams have similar styles of play with similar player compositions, which makes them more evenly matched. However, Cayman was able to overcome their opponents through heart and determination, sustaining runs and stifling defensive effort.
Cayman’s Men Dominating
The defending Island Games Champions are sending message loud and clear to their opponents, they mean business! Thus far, Cayman has steamrolled their competition, with their latest win over Aland being 154-13. But the champs will face much stiffer competition as they move into the semi-final round agains the like of teams like Menorca and Gibraltar.
Come what may, Cayman is ready!
Cayman 59, Jersey 25
The national Women’s team pulled off their first win of their 2019 Island Games run with a decisive victory over Jersey.
The Cayman team has a lot of potential and are improving with each passing game. It will be important for the team to stick together over the coming years to continue to build chemistry.
Photo take with Cayman’s Minister of Sports – the Honourable Julianna O’Connor-Connolly
Island Games Action July 7th
Today, Sunday July 7th, Action Starts for Cayman basketball when the Women take on their rivals, Gibraltar at 10:15 AM Cayman Time.
Then Cayman’s National Men’s team take on Isle of Wight at 12:30 pm Cayman Time. The National Men are expected to easily win this game as the IOW has never defeated the Cayman team in the tournament’s existence.
To watch the Games live please visit: https://www.facebook.com/GibraltarBasket/
Off to the Island Games
Cayman’s National Men and Women’s Teams are off to the Island Games! After months of preparation, Cayman’s best are ready to lay it all on the court as they compete for basketball prowess. To keep up with the teams click Here
Tickets Sales Live For Basketball Festival
There’s a lot of excitement around the upcoming Youth Basketball Festival featuring Cayman, Port Arthur Texas, Bermuda and Trinidad & Tobago.
Fans are looking forward to seeing the Cayman’s Top Basketballers take on their neighbours in some intense but exciting basketball action.
Fans can get their tickets now via Event Pro and save! Click HERE
The tournament will be from July 18-20 and showcase 11 total games between boys and girls teams.
Prices are as follows:
CI $15.00 at the gate each day or:
CI $10.00 Per day via Event Pro (Download the app from the apple or android play stores).
CI $25.00 For an All Tournament Pass via Event Pro (Save nearly 50% off the gate value and 20% off the day pass value).
Get your tickets today!
Proceeds go towards Cayman’s National Youth Development Program.
Sol Blazers Win Again!
The Sol Blazers have again been crowned as the CIBA National Division 1 Men’s Champions for the 4th consecutive year.
Defending Champions Sol Blazers, swept IRG Astros 83 points to 78 points, in an off your seat, nail biting and thrilling final in the second game of the best of 3 series, to become once again the National Men’s Basketball Champions for 2019.
This will be Blazers’ 7th title and 4 straight Championship.
Sol Blazers:
· Samuel O’Garro – 28 pts, 8 rebs, 4 as, 2 sts
· Kevin Maxwell – 15 pts, 16 rebs, 1 bl
· Ben Jacobson – 14 pts, 14 rebs, 4 as, 2 sts
· Shaad O’Garro – 12 pts, 12 rebounds, 8 as, 4 sts, 4 bls
IRG Astros:
· Jerome Narcisse – 28 pts, 6 rebs, 3 as, 3 sts
· Davion Cotterell – 16 pts, 10 rebs, 6 as, 2 sts, 2 bls
· Jake Whittaker – 10 pts, 9 rebs, 1 as, 2 bls
Collins Signs with Cal State University
Cayman Islands National U19 Basketball player Justin Collins has received and accepted a Basketball Scholarship to attend NCAA Division II Cal State LA University located in Los Angeles.
Collins, a 6-foot, 2-inch guard, was named the Heritage League Most Valuable Player of the year as a senior as well as numerous awards throughout his career in Santa Clarita Christian High School in California and he helped lead the team to a state championship as a junior.
Justin was coached by Head Coach James Mosley and started at the guard position for 4 years.
The Bodden Town native announced his decision to attend California State University on social media.
Cal State LA’s head coach is Jim Saia, formerly head coach at Cal State San Marcos and Fresno Pacific.
Saia has 14 years of coaching experience at the NCAA Division I level, including seven years as the top assistant coach at UCLA and one year at USC, where he served as the interim head coach for most of the season.
Saia has helped more than 17 players onto rosters of National Basketball Association teams, including Baron Davis, Dan Gadzuric, Earl Watson, Jason Kapono, Nick Young and Matt Barnes.
