here in Bermuda.

In fact the sport, according to Bermuda Basketball Association (BAA) president Freddie Evans, is opening up avenues for higher learning for locals players.

Evans said yesterday he plans to send two youth teams abroad early next year to participate in separate international tournaments.

A second foray is set for the Small Fry International tournament in Tampa, Florida (under 13), while a group known as the Little Dribblers (under 14) will take off for a competition in Levelland, Texas.

"I would say that under 18 basketball is probably the fastest growing sport and one of the most participated sports,'' said Evans, born in the United States and a close friend of former National Basketball Association star Craig Hodges, now a college coach himself. "It's a very easy game to learn, you can pick it up and start to shoot. As soon as you touch the ball you're starting to grasp concepts and the more that they see the game on TV and have exposure to instruction and players the little bit more they play.

"We (Bermuda) might be a long way away, but that's not our main point of emphasis. They (children) are improving so fast, the more basketball they play, the better they get.

"If I look at the under 18 age groups, the kids that I started with eight years ago, they are good ball players. The kids that are small frys from last year are on the verge of being extremely good players. That's because they started playing at a younger age and have a better understanding of fundamentals. They've had more exposure, more time to play, more outlets to play and in return they've become better ball players.'' The reason for the booming growth is said to be the increased coverage on local television, with screens filled with sights of the now retired Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, Patrick Ewing, Larry Johnson and the like, as well as matches almost every night during the season.

NBA paraphernalia also adorns the windows of several Hamilton stores -- with teens and adults buying t-shirts and caps.

"First and foremost we're being inundated by NBA marketing,'' added Evans, who has held the BBA presidency for the past year-and-a-half. "Once it's on TV it's in everybody's household. Six years ago it wasn't, but now it is.

"NBA marketing is the best in the world and that helps promote the game. On top of that you have the expansion and development of the NCAA tournament and with that on TV, plus college games, that plants the seed to try to play.

"Then in our local development there are more outdoor venues for kids to go outside and shoot, to go outside and play. And we've offered programmes, too, which have allowed kids to learn the game and play under conditions with officials. That also helps to build better players, and all of those factors have tended to make the game explode.'' Still, Evans, as an educator -- he works as an English teacher at Whitney Institute -- sees the sport as a way to instill discipline and other values in local youths as well.

It was also noted how one player, Ijumo Hayward, was now on a basketball scholarship at Wilberforce University and more scholarships are possible.

"Basketball is like 70 percent fundamentals -- the understanding of the game -- but basketball is a team sport and to be good at it you have to understand how to work together, there has to be some kind of unity.

"There's five players on the court, which means if we're going to be successful we need to have people who are thinking alike and have the same vision,'' he said. "When we can instruct on developing that vision we show how to grow. And through all of that we can bridge barriers, we can bridge stereotypes, we can do a lot of teaching through that.

"And we're instilling discipline and, if nothing else, we're offering athletic activity that gives them another outlet instead of doing nothing or doing something destructive.''