KINGSTON, Jamaica, (CMC) – Head coach of Jamaica’s men’s basketball team, Rick Turner believes the sport is set to reap substantial benefits from hosting the FIBA Basketball World Cup Americas Qualifiers next year.
The JamRockerz, as they are affectionately called, will compete in the World Cup Qualifiers for the first time in the nation’s history and are drawn in Pool B, alongside Canada, Puerto Rico and The Bahamas
While they will kick-start their campaign with back-to-back away games against Puerto Rico in San Juan on November 28 and December 1, they will then play two home games at the National Arena, the first against Bahamas on February 26, before the final home game against Canada on March 1.
Turner believes that hosting such a major tournament is a significant milestone for the country.
“Jamaica deserves this. I think that part of the motivation, at least for me personally, of wanting to bring basketball to prominence in the country is exactly for this opportunity to play meaningful games in front of Jamaican fans, who deserve to see high-level basketball played on their soil.
“I think it’s an opportunity to be very, very exciting. I think it will be something that acts as a jump-start to basketball in the country,” Turner said.
“We’re able to have some skin in the game and to see these players live and to see the talent level and skill level that they bring.”
Turner said these games could also lead to Jamaica becoming a mainstay among the top teams in the region, as the Jamaica Basketball Association (JBA) continues its work to build a sustainable and competitive national programme.
“The team was essentially dormant since 2013, so it’s been a long time. We have a lot of ground to make up, and we think it can be something that’s sustainable. So, in no way can we become complacent.
“…We’re trying to build something that would be lasting and something that, you know, 20, 30, or 40 years from now, people can look back on and not only be proud of what we’ve done, but know that this was the beginning of the renaissance for Jamaica basketball,” Turner said.