Shout Out Paix-Bouche Basketball

Part III of the article completed the presentation on the teams from Paix-Bouche which participated in the national basketball league; Paix-Bouche's first "Off-Season" League; Paix-Bouche teams participating in external community leagues; and Paix-Bouche's basketball Trophy & Accolades cabinet. The article concludes below.

Paix-Bouche In 3x3: Paix-Bouche's Snipers was one of 12 teams that competed in DABA's 3x3 Grand Finals Tournament in 2021. They played in the North Zone together with BJ Ballers, Lynx/WesMar and Priceless Ambition, emerging in 2nd place overall in the Tournament. A young son of Paix-Bouche's soil, Shamar Felicite, emerged Dunking Champion during the opening of the Grand Finals.

It must be noted also that Shamar was selected on Dominica's 3x3 Under-23 Team which was scheduled to participate in the 2021 Junior PanAmerican Games in Columbia. Unfortunately, on account of flight issues the team never made it to Columbia.

However, the year before, Shamar had been a member of Dominica's 3x3 Team which competed in the FIBA Antilles IBF (International Basketball Foundation) 2020 3x3 Under-18 Hoops Tournament in Guadeloupe.

Friendly Engagements: One of the most memorable friendly matches played by a Paix-Bouche team was when Cobras, playing with home court advantage, defeated Blazers of Massacre 86-82 in 1998. Garvin Paul chalked up a hefty 41 points, with Kareem Ferrol chipping in 22 and Julian Francis 14 in that encounter.

A few years earlier, around 1992, DBS Dream Team was hosted by Paix-Bouche in an exciting friendly where several elderly villagers who were fans of some of DBS Radio's announcers came out to support, and to put 'faces to the names' of their favourite radio personalities.

Primary School's Basketball Team: Not to be left out, the Paix-Bouche Primary School represents their village in basketball and in 2017 they captured the championship in the Sports Division-organized Primary Schools Mini-Basketball Festival. They defeated Bellevue Chopin 12-10 in the finals of that tournament.

Paix-Bouche 'Ballers Representing DA: To date besides Shamar, four other basketballers from Paix-Bouche have worn Dominica's colours in basketball. Kareem Ferrol, Derrison Anthony and Andel George were members of the senior National Basketball Team, whilst Dave Alexis was a member of Team Dominica for the basketball segment of one of the editions of the Windward Islands Schools Games.

Teams' Sponsors: To date one individual and three entities have assisted Paix-Bouche basketball teams by way of sponsorship.

The first sponsor of a team from the community was Rosie Douglas (now deceased) who sponsored Paix-Bouche Cobras (Rosie Douglas Paix-Bouche Cobras) in DABA's 1991 National League.

The second benefactor was a financial institution, viz. the Vieille Case Cooperative Credit Union, and they assisted Cobras (VCCCU Cobras) in 1998.

Next in line was Silver Lining Car Rental who sponsored Paix-Bouche's Eagles (Silver Lining Eagles). That sponsorship arrangement extended for at least the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

Raffouls was Snipers' sponsor in 2010.

Developing Basketball Facilities: Originally, basketball in Paix-Bouche was played on a court located within the compounds of the Paix-Bouche Primary School. However, in 2003 the Dominica National Lottery Commission donated $60,000 to the Paix-Bouche Village Council for the establishment of a multi-purpose hard court for the playing of netball, tennis, volleyball and, of course, basketball (The Chronicle, 18th July 2003).

More recently (2018), some $50,000 was made available by the Government of Dominica to the Council for the resurfacing, painting and fencing of the court. As noted by Parliamentary Representative for the Paix-Bouche Constituency, Hon. Roslyn Paul, "Basketball is an 'in' thing for Paix-Bouche. We have held championships and we always have young men in national basketball competitions and we always do well. That's a project very dear to the hearts of the young people of Paix-Bouche." (Government Information Service).

Remarks: The community of Paix-Bouche, like all of the other 'basketball centres' on the island continue to make their contribution to the development and preservation of the sport of basketball on the island, thanks to the various teams – though not many, and of course the Ferrols, the Anthonys, the Pauls, the Holsboroughs and all the other players who represented Paix-Bouche in basketball in the national and other leagues.

With the current Parliamentary Representative for the Constituency also serving as Minister for Sports, it would be really nice if a Paix-Bouche team would bring home another piece of championship silverware when the national basketball league returns.

Jump Ball acknowledges Mickael Ferrol and Raymer Francis-Lynch for their contributions. Statistical and other information sourced from archived copies of The Chronicle newspaper, Dominica News Online, DA SportsVault and Government Information Service.

APOLOGY

In Part I of the article Ms Robellin "Bodo" Walter was erroneously referred to as 'deceased'. Jump Ball sincerely apologizes to Ms Walter and her family for this gross error, and wishes her continued long life and good health.