ROATAN, Honduras, CMC – The Cayman Islands National Under-17 Boys Basketball Team announced its arrival on the international stage in emphatic fashion, battling through a field of eight regional rivals to secure a third-place finish at the Roatan International Invitational Tournament.
The tournament pitted the young Caymanians against teams from Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, and the host island of Roatan.
Despite facing unfamiliar conditions and opponents, the squad returned home with silverware, a result head coach Jonathan Powery called a “big deal” for the program’s future.
“There were conditions that they were not used to playing in, so it was quite a challenge for them,” Powery said. “However, they did very well with sticking together. There was harmony in the team. Everyone supported each other, and I think that reliance and support are what helped us get as far as we did.”
That harmony was personified by team captain Amari Latham, who credited the team’s success to a simple “being our brother’s keeper.”
“Everyone had each other’s back, and we played like a team,” Latham said.
Still, the bronze medal came with a bittersweet edge. The Cayman squad entered the tournament confident in its talent, and the captain did not hide his ambition.
“I think we played really well. We left everything on the court. Every possession, every hustle play; we played with heart,” Latham reflected. “Finishing third hurts because we wanted more, but I’m proud of this team. This isn’t the end for us; it’s fuel. We’ll be back stronger.”
As for lessons learned, Latham pointed to a critical area for growth: the team’s competitive edge.
“I think we need to work on not being so easily defeated,” he said. “Although we were no doubt the most talented team in the tournament, we were not as hungry as everyone else, and I think after this tournament, it’s something we will for sure improve on.”
For Coach Powery, the podium finish is more than a consolation. “To take a young squad into an international event and return with medals, he said, sets a new standard for Cayman basketball.
and then 