Bahamian collegian Michael Carey goes up for two points during the FIBA Americas Centrobasket Tournament in Panama City, Panama, last month. Carey was one of the leaders for Team Bahamas, averaging 8.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and three assists through five games in the tournament. He helped The Bahamas finish seventh overall, and is looking to take what he's learned while playing with the pros and applying it at Wagner College next season. (Photo: FibaAmericas.com)
Wagner University star player Michael Carey capped off his breakout collegiate season on the international front, playing for Team Bahamas in last month's International Basketball Federation's (FIBA) Americas Centrobasket Tournament in Panama City, Panama.
The 6'4" wingman, who was named as a member of the All-Northeast Conference First Team, averaged 8.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and three assists in five games for The Bahamas in the tournament, helping them finish seventh overall.
Carey's best game was against the U.S. Virgin Islands, where he put up 12 points and eight rebounds to go along with five assists and a steal. He scored in double figures in two more games and was one of the key players for Team Bahamas on defense, coming up with timely stops and hustle plays.
"Playing for The Bahamas was a great experience," said Carey in an interview at Wagner on Wednesday. "It was a great experience for me to be competing with a lot of guys who have NBA (National Basketball Association) experience and are still playing every day. As for the country, Panama is beautiful. I've visited and played in a lot of places around the world because of basketball, but Panama was different.
"I also got to play alongside a lot of pros on my team as well as future ones, such as DeAndre Ayton, who is the No. one ranked player on the (2017) ESPN Top 100 list. The trip gave me an insight on how professional athletes think and act and throughout the nine days, I took in a lot of information and absorbed the experience."
Last season, Carey averaged 12.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game for Wagner College. He led the Wagner Seahawks to the Northeast Conference (NEC) title game and took them to the second round of the National Invitational Tournament (NIT). During the postseason run, Carey made a name for himself amongst NBA scouts and officials, putting up 13 points in both contests.
Carey looks to take what he's learned while playing with the pros and applying it at Wagner next season, as he and the Seahawks prepare for a run at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament.
Team Bahamas finished Centrobasket with a 2-3 win/loss record. They managed to qualify for the 2018 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, but by finishing out of the top five, they failed to qualify for Division A of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification process and for the 2017 FIBA Americup.
Randy Smith, Guardian Sports Reporter
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