The Princess Royal Basketball Court in Arima is set to host the third annual GENESIS 3X3 Under-18 Men’s Basketball Series commencing December 20, featuring over 30 young athletes competing in the dynamic format of 3×3 basketball. Organized by the New Chapter Global Sport Academy (NCA), the tournament represents a strategic initiative to develop Trinidad and Tobago’s future basketball talent.
Following the established format of previous editions, the competition features eight teams internally drafted from NCA’s Under-18 talent pool during a selection process held on December 18. The teams, including The Ark Builders, The Chosen Few, and The Gideon Warriors among others, underwent intensive 3×3 match preparation on December 19 ahead of the competitive tip-off.
This initiative serves as a cornerstone of NCA’s long-term strategy to bolster Trinidad and Tobago’s presence on the international 3×3 basketball stage. The academy’s media release emphasized that sustained, age-specific competition is crucial for improving the nation’s future qualification prospects for premier global tournaments. This focus comes in the wake of Trinidad and Tobago’s single qualification for the FIBA 3X3 Under-18 World Cup in Debrecen, Hungary, back in 2022.
The NCA has reaffirmed its commitment to mounting a significant push for qualification for the marquee youth tournament starting with the 2026 edition. The GENESIS series forms part of the academy’s expanding 3×3 program portfolio, specifically designed to provide young athletes with meaningful competitive exposure, repetitive high-level experience, and a clear developmental pathway toward international competition.
The complete team rosters for the 2024 GENESIS tournament are: The Ark Builders (Marek Bengochea, Lance Crouch, Zion Roberts, Shemuel Welsh), The Chosen Few (Samuel Edwards, Jervais Edwards-Caracciolo, Matthias Phillips, Kai Sunich), The Gideon Warriors (Raiden Charles, Dillon Harrington, Iseyah Jobe, James Saul), The Lions of Judah (Alexie Alexis, Josiah Drayton, Jayden Forbes, Nhyim Pierre), The Mighty Men (Taalib Daniel, Tishad Gamero, Micah Pemberton, Jaden Russell), The Sent Ones (Josiah John-Andrew, Gabriel Goden, Xavier Jack, Jacob Knutt), The Sons of Isaac (Elijah Bruce, Jurell Charles, Zayden Charles, Nikholai Cunin), and The Watchmen (Kymani Herbert, Ranaan Howard, Edgar Torcatty, Antonio Vasquez).