Bermuda’s junior basketball teams impressed at the Portugal Basketball Festival in Lisbon over the weekend, where the under-19 side won bronze medals.

Coached by Damiso Husband and Jorel Smith, the under-19 team won three of their four matches to finish third of 12 teams. The under-17 side, under the mentorship of Ralph Scott and Joshua Nesbitt, settled for fourteenth of 24 teams.

“Bermuda should be proud of these wonderful young men who stayed focused and resilient throughout the tournament,” Husband told The Royal Gazette.

“It was an honour to have the opportunity to coach the players to a well-deserved bronze medal. They played for each other and stayed unfazed by the competition.

“What I appreciated the most was that each player was able to shine when they needed to.

“There was no one player that stood out, the team played at a level that I haven't seen from Bermuda Basketball in a long time. I am looking forward to going back next year and challenge for the gold.”

On Saturday, Bermuda defeated Odivelas 50-28 and triumphed 40-32 over Bath Basketball to top group D.

In the semi-finals on Sunday, Husband’s side were beaten 39-23 by Elton Academy before they made amends in the third-place play-off, which they won 52-32 over Portuguese side CAB Madeira.

“Great week of basketball in Portugal,” Husband said.

“Both teams were able to compete and showcase the best of Bermuda. This was a great experience for the young athletes who were able to play against a diversity of talent while building a strong national programme.”

Playing out of group E, Bermuda under-17 started off with a 46-6 loss to Van City Academy. They finished their pool campaign strong by posting a 44-19 victory against MVP Academy.

In the ninth to sixteenth position play-off, the Bermuda youngsters suffered a close 39-34 defeat to Odivelas BC. They bounced back to overcome AD Caceres 34-28 in the thirteenth to sixteenth play-off before they were bested 52-38 by Sawusa, from the United States.

Scott, the grandfather of University of Tennessee recruit Ralph Scott, was pleased with how his team played at the festival.

“In total, the team competed in seven games, winning four and losing three,” Scott said.

“Two games were preparatory games against local clubs in the same age group. Those games were to give the team some sort of idea as to the style of play that they would encounter, also to familiarise them with FIBA basketball rules and the rules of the tournament.

“Those games were competitive. The players exhibited themselves well and came away with two good victories. Once they got to the Portugal Basketball Festival, we played five games over two days.

“The first day we played three games, we won one and we lost two. The second day we played two games, we won one game and lost the second game.

“We ended the event with a tournament record of two wins and three losses. But for us, results have come out that we did achieve our objectives, having a winning record of four games versus three total losses.”

Scott thought the youngsters picked up a lot of valuable lessons in the few days they spent in Portugal.

“The players really played well, learnt a lot, learnt how to play and overcome adversity and build on their skills,” he said.

“They also learnt that team basketball is not as easy as it is in Bermuda, because the competitive nature of the teams out here and the physicality that they are allowed to play with is not the same as it is back home.

“So the players should be commended for adjusting to their style of play, for playing through the fatigue over the two days or the total of four days.

“They played seven games and again, they should be commended. They are to be commended for their effort.”