High school basketball players around the country will have yet another opportunity to showcase their skills with the hopes of garnering recruitment opportunities this month, at the Darrell Sears Showcase.
The 16th edition of the annual event will take place April 27-29 at the St. George’s Gymnasium in Freeport, Grand Bahama. Sponsors of this year’s event include the Freeport Council, Nesbitt Rentals Car Service and the Ministry of Tourism.
Event founder Darrell Sears said the landscape of local grassroots basketball has evolved significantly since the showcase was first introduced, and that players are more prepared than ever to make the leap to the collegiate basketball ranks.
Over the course of the event, players are engaged in individual skill development, as well as scrimmages.
“The thing that coaches have spoken to me about is the guys’ athleticism,” Sears said.
“What they are excited about, especially for the ones that have been coming for the last two, three years … is that the skill set and IQ of the game has improved.
“We know we have guys that can attack but in years past, one of the knocks has been guys wouldn’t know when to pull up or, when they got to the rim, they wouldn’t know the appropriate move. Now they get to the rim and they recognize defenses better and their games have improved.”
Five participants were awarded scholarships after last year’s event. Approximately 60 players participated in the showcase which featured scouts, coaches, and representatives from 25 high schools and colleges in the United States.
Programs that were represented include Southern Mississippi University (SMU), Arkansas State University (ASU), Stetson University (SU), Arkansas-Little Rock University (ALRU), University of Louisiana-Monroe (UL), Stephen F Austin State University (SFASU), Texas A and M Corpus Christi University (TA&MCCU), St Petersburg Junior College (SPJC), Miami Dade Junior College (MDJC), Paris Junior College (PJC) and Edward Waters University (EWU).
Since its inception, the showcase has facilitated over $2 million in scholarships to over 100 student athletes, to attend various levels of colleges and high schools in the United States.
In addition to the players receiving offers, an additional 10 drew strong interest and are on the fast track for future opportunities.
