P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy in partnership with the Jamaica Basketball Association (JaBA), and Ribbiz Ultra Lounge has launched the Elite 1 Caribbean Basketball Summer League (E1CBL), which it touts as the Caribbean’s biggest basketball entertainment event of the season.

The summer league will run from August 10 to 20 at the National Stadium in Kingston and will inaugurate the fall pro season which will run for six to eight weeks from October to December 2022.

The league consists of four teams headed by world class coaches with players from Jamaica, the United States, Canada, Africa and other Caribbean islands.

E1CBL’s mission is to create a competitive pro basketball league in the Caribbean to enhance the opportunity for consistent high-level competition, professional growth and paid opportunities.

In preparation for the summer league, a draft ID Camp will be held July 6 to July 7 for Jamaican players at the GC Foster College in Spanish Town, St Catherine at 6pm. The camp offers the opportunity to train and prepare to compete at the highest level. Top players will be selected to play in the E1CBL.

Additionally, there will be a draft party experience at the Ribbiz Ultra Lounge on Saturday, July 9, at 3pm.

CEO of P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy, Wayne Dawkins said the E1CBL is exactly the kind of investment Caribbean basketball needs to take it to the next level.

“The E1CBL will bring bigger investment and resources into the Caribbean for the development of the talent that’s here. The level of talent is not a secret, the issue has always been the lack of people who will invest in the development of that talent in order for it to grow so the Caribbean can have a more sustainable development model for basketball,” he said.

“The vision is to have a Caribbean wide professional league that could rival any of the top pro leagues around the world,” he added.

Meanwhile, JaBA President Paulton Gordon said an event of this magnitude will have a positive impact on basketball in the Caribbean.

“E1EBL is an important cog in the wheel of the basketball ecosystem in the Caribbean. A pro league provides a platform for aspiring players to ascend as they translation through the various stages of their development,” he said.

While reiterating JaBA’s support for the league, Gordon stated that it is a platform that local professional players can use to make their basketball dreams a reality.

“JaBA wants to provide various avenues for wholesome development and partnership with Elite 1 in this endeavor supports the vision of creating multiple channels for players to chase their dreams,” he said.

P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy was founded by Jamaican Canadian and former basketball player, Wayne Dawkins. For the past 25 years, P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy has been organising and hosting basketball leagues and tournaments in Canada, the US and Africa. These events have contributed substantially to the growth of the youth sports industry.