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NATIONAL 3x3 basketballer Moriba De Freitas said Trinidad and Tobago's historic Pan Am Games bronze medal is even more impressive, considering there has not been a domestic basketball league locally since covid19 hit in 2020.
De Freitas, 33, Chike Augustine, Ahkeem and his brother Ahkeel Boyd put their names on the map by stunning Venezuela on Monday in the men's 3x3 basketball third-place match, at the Estadio Espanol in Santiago, Chile.
Trailing the Venezuelans 20-19 with time winding down in the exciting contest, Ahkeel Boyd used a screen from his teammate to create room at the top of the arc before unleashing a 3-pointer which was heavily contested by two Venezuelans, but still ripped the net for an epic 22-21 victory.
It was TT's first ever basketball medal in the history of the games and the magnitude of the feat was evident as the players hugged each other, removed their jerseys and sprawled on the court.
Still, De Freitas said the team's "main objective" wasn't achieved as they had the lofty gold medal in their sights in the fast-paced event. In the end, the gold went to USA, who got a 21-15 win over hosts Chile in the final.
USA, boasting college star and ex-NBA player Jimmer Fredette, had earlier defeated TT 21-9 in the semifinal. TT stunned 35th-ranked Brazil 21-20 in the quarterfinals.
In the group stage, TT defeated Dominican Republic 22-15 and lost to Puerto Rico 21-6.
[caption id="attachment_1041994" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Trinidad and Tobago's Moriba De Freitas, rightm hugs Ahkeem Boyd after beating Venezuela to win the bronze medal in the Pan Am Games 3x3 basketball in Santiago, Chile. -[/caption]
The journey has not been easy for the TT men who have had to overcome several challenges.
In the last year alone, TT missed out on competing in the 2023 FIBA 3x3 World Cup qualifiers in May, after the National Basketball Federation of TT (NBFTT) failed to register the team in time for the competition.
They also weren't registered in time for the 2023 FIBA AmeriCup, which tips off in Puerto Rico next month.
TT earned an impressive fourth-place finish at the 2022 edition of the AmeriCup, which earned them a spot in the 2023 World Cup qualifiers. The NBFTT, headed by president Jason Hills, blamed an inability to access the federation's accounts after his new administration came into power on January 14, 2023.
Although they missed out on these global events, the TT quartet, coached by Christopher Charles, persevered against all odds.
Speaking to Newsday after returning home around 2am on Wednesday, De Freitas said everyone is curious about the next step for TT. He said, "After placing third at this tournament a lot of foreign basketball ambassadors were asking us questions like where are we currently playing and about our local leagues. We all had the same answer: 'We are currently playing nowhere.'
"They were surprised to find out that we don't have a high-level basketball league in TT.
"Little did they know that the guys and myself just trained extremely hard individually and as a group so we could compete. All of this was accomplished with no active basketball league organised by the NBFTT since the covid19 pandemic."
De Freitas says it was a "surreal experience" to see Ahkeel nailing the long-range shot to secure the bronze medal. He said their performance won over man fans in Santiago.
"After seeing the ball go through the net, it was a moment of pure joy. The hours that were logged in as a team in the build-up to this tourney was all worth it in the end. Witnessing the support we received from the Chilean fans was something I will never forget as long as I have life in my body.
"The entire stand was chanting: 'TTO, TTO, TTO!' It was something that you just had to be there to witness. I am glad I was able to experience it with this group of guys."
He and the quartet now want the opportunity to further inspire an upcoming generation.
"We just want to be able to continue representing the country on a world stage, where we could continue to inspire, motivate and put a spotlight on TT basketball, so the future basketball lovers could have a fair opportunity to be great.
"We just want to continue to pave the way for the basketball players in TT by taking a stand and fighting for the rights of players. Everything I am currently doing was never about me as a player but for everyone in TT that has hopes of playing basketball. I'm just trying to give them a platform for them to showcase their talents."
 
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