Wilton Russell is one of the leading sports entrepreneurs in the country. The founder of Street Legends has made, in recent years, a significant contribution to the growth of community basketball. The founder of Street Legends, Russell, is driven to combat the social ills in the country, particularly New Providence. His Street Legends program engages young Bahamians and gives them good lifestyle alternatives. Now, the community basketball maestro is reaching out into the wider region. He has applied for and was successful in getting the Bahamas Basketball Federation (BBF) to endorse the first Caribbean High School Championship Tournament, which is slated for April 18-20. BBF Secretary General Clifford Rahming sees the event as an entity that will enhance basketball in general in the nation."The federation is proud to share with the illustrious organization (Street Legends) the opportunity to escalate the game of basketball at the high school level," said Rahming. Further, he informed that BBF President Charlie 'Softly' Robins and colleagues are "waiting with great anticipation the realization" of the event. About 30 countries are expected to participate and it is understood that Street Legends has already received confirmation for 10. The innovative effort by Russell comes at an interesting period. Presently, the BBF is rebranding and lifting its profile by crafting programs to boost the sport's image in the country and the region. The Street Legends has become an important aspect of Bahamian basketball. It adds tremendously to the competitive side of basketball. There are similar social situations in other nations of the Caribbean, whereby the youthful element is under siege. Criminality has a big presence in The Bahamas and its sister nations of the Caribbean. The tournament will be that major forum which will take the message across the Caribbean and better equip young citizens to cope with the huge social challenges faced. Russell has a prime sports-tourism product and being able to ensure a partnership of sorts with the BBF bodes well for Street Legends. In essence, although not initially planned, the Caribbean High School Championship will be a rather nice prelude to the major celebrations planned, for later in the year, by the BBF to project the sport. The tournament will also cause countries of the Caribbean to raise the level of high school basketball play. The Caribbean High School Basketball Tournament has potential. It could evolve to an event similar to the CARIFTA Games of track and field. Austin Sealy of Barbados got that one started and today the CARIFTA Games competition stands as the strongest pillar of junior development for track and field in the Caribbean. The Caribbean High School Basketball Tournament has that kind of probability. Russell could duplicate in basketball what Sealy did for track and field. There surely is a very good chance that the event could become one of the signature sporting affairs that is looked forward to on an annual basis by the entire Caribbean basketball fraternity. Without a doubt, the relationship forged with the BBF will enable Street Legends to be accepted seriously by parent basketball organizations throughout the Caribbean.

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