Jamaican 7-footer Jerome Jordan(notes) was drafted in the second round by the Milwaukee Bucks this year and then traded in July to the New York Knicks for cash considerations.

But the Knicks don’t seem to be very interested in signing Jordan. According to The Hoops Market, Jordan hasn’t received an offer from the Knicks and is planning to sign with Hemofarm in Serbia.

For the University of Tulsa, the 23-year-old averaged 15.4 points and 9.1 rebounds during his senior year.

Jordan, who only took up the game seriously at age 17, holds the Conference USA career blocks record with 322.

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JAMAICANS Jerome Jordan and Samardo Samuels made their best showing yet in the NBA Summer League by scoring double figures in contrasting results on Friday.

Jordan had 16 points, seven rebounds and one block in the New York Knicks’ 92-80 win over Detroits Pistons. The seven-foot Jordan, with 10 points from the field and other six from the free throw line, supported Bill Walker (19 points) and Landry Fields (15 points) as the Knicks go 2-2 with Pistons on 2-3.

While the teams knotted five times and the lead swapped four, Jordan ensured the Knicks had an eight-point lead in the second quarter.

The Knicks paid US$1m for Jordan’s draft rights, with the Jamaica College past student saying he was “really excited” and that New York had a “great organisation and I’m happy to be a part of it”.

Meanwhile, Samuels stepped up his game with a team-high 19 points (nine rebounds) for the Chicago Bulls, who lost 80-81 to unbeaten Cleveland Cavaliers, who were registering their third win.

John Lucas III contributed 15 points and Morris Almond 14 points for the Bulls, who shot 38.7 per cent from the field, compared to the Cavaliers, 45.2 per cent. Samuels, however, has proven that he can produce against NBA talent.

The Bulls Summer League fixture ends today at 5:00 pm (Jamaica time) against the Portland Trail Blazers.

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Jordan prepared to reach his goal | Tulsa World

Jerome Jordan will be watching Thursday’s NBA draft with family and friends in New York City.

Just miles away — at historic Madison Square Garden — the former Tulsa star is hopeful that he will be selected by an NBA team.

“That’s been the goal from day one, just to get drafted,” Jordan said Tuesday.
“To come from nobody to getting on a few people’s radar to hearing my name called, it would be a dream come true.”

Jordan has been projected from anywhere between a late first-round pick to a second-round selection.

ESPN analyst Jay Bilas, during a recent teleconference, was high on the 7-foot center.

“He is probably one of the two or three most skilled big guys in the draft,” Bilas said. “He has got great hands. He is smart … he is terrific.”

Bilas did, however, question Jordan’s motivation on the court during his senior season.

“He’s not as aggressive or assertive as he should be,” Bilas added. “He should have been more dominant. But, at the end of the first round, I would take him in a heartbeat because he could help you.”

Tulsa hasn’t had a first-round selection since Steve Harris was picked by Houston in 1985. The Golden Hurricane’s last selection came in the 1999 draft, when Chicago selected Michael Ruffin in the second round.

Jordan said he has been told he could be drafted anywhere from late in the first round to anywhere in the second round.

“It’s still a wide range, but all it takes is one team to like you,” Jordan said. “I think I’ve impressed enough teams that I have a good shot to go early.”

Would it be a disappointment if he wasn’t taken in the first round?

“Yes and no,” Jordan said. “Right now, I just want to get drafted and put in a position to play and show what I can do. I would be a little disappointed, but just hearing my name called would be a great accomplishment.”

Jordan began this week not aware of what direction his life was headed. On Friday morning, his future will be plotted.

“It’s tough (not knowing), but in the end all of the hard work will pay off and I’ll stick with it,” Jordan said. “I’m blessed to be in this position right now and I’m excited to see what happens.”

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Sixteen-year-old national netball starlet, Marvadene Anderson, who presently stands at six feet, 11 inches tall, has been declared the world’s tallest teenaged girl in a December 20 article published in the New York Post.

The former Edwin Allen High School student who hails from the quiet district of Prospect in Clarendon, earned herself a basketball scholarship to Rutgers Prep in Somerset where she has already grabbed the attention of Americans.

This file photo shows former Young Sunshine Girl Marvadene Anderson (right) getting ahug from Jamaica Netball Association president Marva Bernard.

Anderson’s towering figure, which stands well above the likes of Bolt (6′ 5″), Michael Jordan (6′ 6″), Peter Crouch (6′ 7″) and LeBron James (6′ 8″), has obviously caught the eyes of everyone, just like she did back in her homeland when playing for the young Sunshine Girls.

But while the lenses have zoomed in on this young “baby giant”, her exploits on the court at Rutgers are being well noted as she adapts to life as a basketball player.

The New York Post reports that Anderson, apart from her massive height advantage, was a standout during a recent practice session.

The young Jamaican, who plays centre, uses her 210lbs size to intimidate her opponents, block shots and make easy lay-ups, reports the NY Post.

In her debut game for the Rutgers Argonauts recently, Anderson scored six points and is already tipped by coach Mary Coyle-Klinger as a star in the making.

“Of course she is going to be a star,” Coyle-Klinger was quoted as saying. “She’s a natural. She’s only been playing

two months and it’s amazing how well she’s adapted.”

And although she is still learning the nuances of the game, Anderson sits atop the top 50 list of girls on the horizon for the 2009-2010 basketball season in New Jersey.

A report on high school sports for New Jersey noted that Anderson’s immediate impact is likely to be defensively, simply to due to her huge frame standing in the lane, which should be a major deterrent for opponents who like venturing inside.

She certainly made her presence felt defensively, despite making her debut in a losing (35-45) cause against Pennington, recording 11 rebounds and six block shots.

Writing for The Trentonian, George O’Gorman, who watched Anderson play her first game, said when she is polished, she could become the female version of Bolt.

Since Anderson’s arrival at Rutgers, her progress has improved 1000 per cent, according to reports, and will only get better under the tutelage of her coach Coyle-Klinger — who is regarded as one of the best in America — and her sister, Patty Coyle, a former coach of WNBA team New York Liberty.

Anderson’s progress will be closely followed as many high school scouts were in attendance to see her and made copious notes as stardom awaits yet

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This followed a day of play-off activity in which Cuba finished third when they stopped Trinidad and Tobago 91-77, The Bahamas ended in fifth position after prevailing over Barbados 94-87, and Antigua and Barbuda claimed seventh with a 73-45 victory over Bermuda.

Jamaica, the BVI, and Cuba have all qualified for the COCABA Tournament in August at a place to be determined. In the closing stages of the game, things got very close, and Oritseweyinmi Efejuku, Samardo Samuels, and Kimani Ffriend were key players in the offence to keep Jamaica in the lead.

Two free throws from Efejuku with six seconds left gave Jamaica a four-point lead to secure the win.

In the first quarter, Jamaica used their strength in the paint and took advantage of the bad start by the hosts to dominate 20-10.

The Jamaicans kept a double-digit lead for most of the second quarter, and at halftime, they had extended their lead, and were ahead 37-21.

The BVI started a huge comeback in the third period, and stayed in the game during the second half by winning the third quarter 19-12 to tighten things at 40-49.

But the Jamaicans had more options down the stretch, and were able to pull away from their opponents to take the championship.

Samuels led for the Jamaicans with 17 points, Efejuku scored 16, and Kimani Ffriend got 11 with 10 rebounds.

In a losing effort, Kennedy Bass led all scorers with 19 points and Halstead Charles Chiverton got 12.

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The 7-0 junior center averaged 22.5 points and 11.5 rebounds in games against first-place Memphis and Marshall last week. Jordan scored 20 points and added 13 rebounds against Memphis, and scored a career-high 25 points and had 10 rebounds against Marshall.

Memphis’ Tyreke Evans was named the league’s rookie of the week. He has won the league’s rookie award five times this year.

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Keith Clement was named the Best Coach in the women’s division, while Mervyn Jackson received the nod as the top coach in the men’s category.

This was Jackson’s first stint as head coach of the Army after taking over from Wesley ”Pepe” Gomes at the beginning of the 2008 season.

Before the presentations, the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, Gary Hunt, delivered the feature address to a decent turn out. The minister praised the Federation for their work over the years and their foresight in honouring the five surviving members of the first national basketball team to represent T&T abroad.

"As a society, it is important that we recognise and honour those persons who have laid the foundation for today’s successes," the minister said.

"It is sometimes easy for us to forget the difficulties and tribulations that our sporting pioneers endured through the years and for the scarifices they have made over the years.

So we must congratulate the Basketball Federation for recognising the contributions of these trailblazers. And I want to thank these pioneers themselves for the sterling contributions they have made to basketball in Trinidad and Tobago”, he stated.

President of the Federation, Earl John also spoke at Saturday night’s function. In his presentation, John highlighted the organisation’s achievements over the years. He also gave an overview of the NBFTT’s plans for the new season.

The president also praised his board, the basketball fraternity and the zones for the support they have given to the Federation in the good and bad times over the past two years.

Honour Roll

National Championships winners

Men

1st Defence Force
2nd Place Detour Shak Attack
3rd place Petro Jazz

Women

1st Place Courts Horizon
2nd Place- Defence Force
3rd place Brian Chase Academy
Indidiviual Awardees

Men

Best Guard- Kurt Christian -Detour Shak Attack
Best Forward -Steven Lewis Defence Force
Best Centre-Dex Manswell-Courts Hillbouncers of Tobago
MVP-Kievan Bacquain-Defence Force
Best Coach-Mervyn Jackson-Defence Force

Women

Best Guard Rhonda John Davis-Defence Force
Best Forward- Pietra Gay -Courts Horizon
Best Centre Charmion Selman -UTC Maloney Pacers.
MVP Pietra Gay-Courts Horizon
Best Coach Keith Clement-Courts Horizon

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This little known Caribbean phenom is lighting up the US collegiate circuit with his stunning talent and physical presence. Jerome Jordan is listed at 7’ 0”. That in itself is a feat but to be that statuesque and from the islands even more of an anomaly. This has not stopped Jerome from stamping his authority on the game, however, and with similar island greats as Tim Duncan and his fellow Jamaican Patrick Ewing, there is ample precedence for Jerome to take the success on to higher heights.

Jerome has been steadily making his presence felt in the college circuit in the US. Consistently showing up in highlight reel after highlight reel, receiving accolade after accolade. Championing his Tulsa University squad to a recent 67-58 win over Southern Miss. The win snapped a five game win streak for Southern Miss. and gave Jordan his fifth double-double of the season.

This must have the conference worried as Jordan has career averages of 7.6ppg and 5.8 rpg. He has, however, been showing exponential growth in the game and an unbelievable presence on the floor playing center. Already records are being challenged with Jordan setting the C-USA single season block shots statistics at 143 blocks and his career 160 blocked shots is third on Tulsa’s all time list. He was also named to the C-USA all tournament team in 2008 with a four game average of 17.5 points, 12.3 rebounds and 5.3 blocks. Already media houses are taking note and Windies Sports will continue to carry the latest news on this athlete.

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