Tigers inspired by young Bahamians
NASSAU, Bahamas — The court isn’t exactly level. The backboards aren’t exactly uniform.
The hoops are quite crooked. In fact, one of the three basketball goals at the Bozine Town Community Park (established in 2014) doesn’t even have a net. The light blue, bench-style bleachers set up on cinder blocks line both sides of the blue and green asphalt that is the playing surface. Palm trees and assorted foliage provide some shade along the edges of the court, but the tropical heat from the early morning Bahamas sun creates a simmering swelter.
But brother and sister Raynor and Raynia Russell — he in his red T-shirt and mesh shorts, and she in her pink Nikes and green “Kevin Johnson Basketball Camp” jersey — aren’t interested in regulation equipment or fancy facilities at 8 a.m. this particular Friday. Rather, they are among 28 local children who have migrated to the park.
The group was joined by the Memphis basketball team’s players and coaching staff for approximately an hour. Campers were divided into groups and rotated from station to station learning from — some competing against — the Tigers, who are halfway through a four-game exhibition tour of the Bahamas.
Alex Lomax and Damion Baugh served as dribbling instructors. Lester Quinones and Jayden Hardaway manned the layup station. Isaiah Maurice and D.J. Jeffries guided the passing portion. James Wiseman and Malcolm Dandridge taught defense.
All the while, Patty Johnson looked on from her perch atop the bleachers under the shade. Johnson, who teaches physical education at
H.O. Nash Junior High in Nassau, has a number of students on the court. But she has a special connection to Raynor and Raynia, who have dealt with more than their fair share of hardship.
“When he first started with me, he was a little edgy,” said Johnson, who also serves as the school’s basketball coach. “But he’s beginning to settle down. He realizes now we’re in his corner and we want the best for him. We don’t want him to follow in (his older brothers) footsteps. I don’t think his mother could take it again, so she asked me to deal with him and Raynia. “They’ve made tremendous strides.” The Russell children, whose mother works in local government and father is part of the public service industry, numbered five all together before the night in 2017 when the oldest child was murdered.
“He got shoot,” Raynor said.
“Nine days before his 16th birthday,” said Raynia.
The next-oldest Russell child is in prison for a murder Raynor says he was framed for.
“He’s starting to understand what’s going on,” Johnson said of Raynor. “People don’t know how much you care unless you show them how much you care. We’re trying hard to make our mark. You look at these children and you can see the difference. They have something in there, just gotta shake it up.
“I’m good at shaking it up. I get it. I get it.”
Raynor bolts toward the action, showing off dribbling skills that impressed many Tigers, including Wiseman. Memphis’ 7-foot-1 freshman has not seen any exhibition action on this trip because he’s nursing an injured shoulder that is still awaiting medical clearance from team doctors. He said Friday’s trip was giving him flashbacks.
“I used to be on the blacktop all the time, playing basketball with my sister,” he said. “The rims were just like this, kinda bent, kinda broken. But I still got some shots up because I just wanted to be a big-time player. So I’m just trying to inspire the younger generation.”
Wiseman admits, though, the children are as much an inspiration to him as he might be to them, especially given that few (if any) even know who he is.
“It’s very inspiring,” he said after it was pointed out that 9-year-old Shanwar Stewart was taking part in the camp barefoot. “That just means he loves the game. Even though he has no shoes, but still coming out here and playing. That’s happiness. And it doesn’t take much at all (to be happy). Just doing what you love to do.”
The inspiration for 16-year-old Kylah Marshall came a little earlier this week. She and her mother, Katrinka (one of the few on hand Friday who knew who Penny Hardaway is), served as scorekeepers for the Tigers’ first exhibition game, a win over Commonwealth Bank Giants. Kylah, a basketball player at St. John’s College (a local high school), is a certified international scorer. She is interested in studying physical therapy in the United States. Kylah has not yet started applying to schools, but began making plans to shortly after seeing the Tigers in action.
“It was an interesting experience,” she said while clutching a gray Memphis basketball T-shirt. “I know for sure after the game, I surely did search up the college. It seemed to have a lot of programs I’m very interested in. Hopefully, when I get back to school at the end of this month, I will apply. I look for colleges that have healthy environments and Memphis seemed to have one for me. “That would be awesome.”
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.