Herbert Morrison still dominant

Despite not sweeping the male basketball western titles for the first time in some five years, coach of Herbert Morrison Technical High School, Dave Black, said that he is pleased with their performance this past season.

Herbert Morrison was the only school to win two titles. They defended their Under-16 and 19 titles, however, Cornwall College took the Under-14 title. The girls title went to Mt Alvernia High School, but Kerry-Kay Stephenson of Herbert Morrison was named MVP for the girls section.

“This just shows that Herbert Morrison still has a strong programme and next year we will be coming even bigger and better. I’m pleased with what we have done this season despite the Under-16 got into their groove late and I guess it just wasn’t to be for the Under-14 title,” Black said. “It all comes down to passion. If you have kids that love the sport they train every day to get better and better. They would have seen their fellow schoolmates taken up scholarships overseas and they want the same.”

IMPRESSED

Black, who will be travelling to China for the second consecutive year as one of the coaches with Jamaica’s female developing team, was most impressed by the talent in the female competition.

“Female basketball is developing again in the region after falling off a few years ago. We are trying to get more scholarships and national call-up opportunities for the girls. There are more leagues now for female basketball so there is more room for them to develop platform for them to showcase their skills,” Black said.

Though none of his girls made the team for the China group, he believed they would be playing in the Women’s National Basketball League in August to develop their skills.

“I think we have quite a few girls that will have the opportunity to make the team and also the national (team) next year. They just need more time to develop because the ‘town’ girls have been more involved in basketball because their programme hasn’t dropped off,” he said.