The Bahamas’ junior girls national basketball team bounced back from its loss in the opening game of the 2017 FIBA Under-17 Girls Centrobasket Championships yesterday in Aguada, Puerto Rico.
After suffering a 53-39 loss at the hands of Curacao on Tuesday, team Bahamas put on a dominant display against Suriname, cruising to an easy 86-69 win.
“I told them coming into the game that they had nothing to lose, just go out and do their best,” said Bahamas head coach Verell Davis-Clark. “I told them not to worry about the mistakes they may make out on the court. For most of them, this is their first time playing in this type of tournament, so I try to encourage them to be patient.
“I thought they played a little timid in their first game. But today they came out and gave a great effort. Their passing really turned things around for us today. They moved the ball around and really communicated well out there today, much better than the first game.
Valicia Demeritte led the way for team Bahamas with 20 points and eight rebounds. Alana Marie-Pinder added 17 points, six assists, five rebounds and five steals in the win, while Tanea Bowleg also poured in 17 points and dished out six assists.