Recognized more for its breathtaking, clear-watered beaches and scenic backdrop and wildly popular vacation destinations, the basketball culture is suddenly growing in the tropical and luxurious islands of Turks and Caicos.
Under founder and head coach Cieran O’Neill, the men’s U-20/U-17 HAB Sonics have had a significant hand in the sport’s evolution on the grass-roots level and beyond. The high caliber program operates jarringly similar to an elite AAU program, churning out a barrage of both known and undiscovered talent.
“One of the most unique parts about our program is that we have guys from the Bahamas and Guyana on the roster,” explained O’Neill, an Irishman who was born and bred on these very islands, as both of his parents made the move 35 years ago.
“We’re very spread out with guys from various backgrounds and cultures. These young men are all driven by the same vision and goal, which is to play the game professionally and at a high level at that. Their collective desire and passion is really through the roof. I would say one of the biggest aspects of what we do is our highlights. We take video of everything–traveling, training, trips around the island, training and conditioning. It really sets a new standard of them wanting to get better and reach their goals in life.”
At 6-foot-10 and a developing 205 pounds, 19-year-old Jessy Maximin has become the centerpiece of the program. With his high percentage scoring and knack for dunking virtually every lob pass his way and everything in sight for that matter, O’Neill often likens Maximin to the fictional character “Neon” (played by Shaquille O’Neal) in the 1994 film “Blue Chips.”
During a recent tournament in March, Maximin submitted a maximum effort on the glass and turned in an efficient account of himself. He wound up averaging 18 points, a tournament record 26 rebounds, four blocks, thre steals, and five assists. His multi-dimensional skill set and high ceiling were on display.
“He makes it look incredibly easy,” said O’Neill.
“Everytime he plays, I always tell myself that I will not be surprised if he breaks a backboard on a dunk. Jessy’s biggest thing now is he needs a more advanced conditioning program. We’re trying to find him a Pro Club attached with an academy or a U-20 team. Since he has a Cotonou passport, really we are trying to get him to France or Spain next. The best thing about him is he’s low maintenance and unassuming. He really doesn’t care where the first opportunity is, as long as he gets it he will make the best out of it.
Maximin has dealt with his fair share of adverse obstacles over the years. His father was killed in a drive by shooting and his mother recently passed. It is his battle-tested in life mentality, as O’Neill noted, that makes him not only want to succeed on the court but honor his parents’ memory and the legacies they left behind.
Now being represented by One Motive Sports, Maximin is in the process of weighing his professional stock. In the meantime, the Sonics have a number of other high-upside players who have ratcheted up the attention that is suddenly enveloping the program.
With his soaring athleticism and ability to pull off electrifying dunks, Carly Noel has shed the pigeonhole of “freakish athlete” and put a skill set behind his all around game.
“His defense and his freakish athleticism are really what sets him apart from the rest,” said O’Neill of Noel. “I’d said his game is very similar to Zach Levine. I’ve had college coaches say he’s the next Vince Carter. I’ve never witnessed a player here as athletic as him.”
While his work ethic has never been in question–he can be seen working on his game at all hours of the night and early morning, even working at his craft on Friday evenings–Noel has adapted to shooting it from mid-range and outside. He averaged 18 points, five assists, and four steals during the Grand Turk tournament. He’s added a 3-point shot to his arsenal, an attribute that has ramped up the expectation level for him entering an upcoming U-20 tournament.
“Carly wants to play basketball in America and get a scholarship somewhere,” O’Neill explained. “That’s his number one goal and dream which I plan on making happen. Thus far, he’s got a JUCO in Illinois wanting to make a 100 percent scholarship for him. I recently had an NAIA coach here from California who loved his game, as I anticipated he would. He had already made an offer to one of my other guys and went to see him, but you know Carly essentially stole the show (laughs).”
Beyond an extraterrestrial athlete who plays perpetually above the rim, Noel’s ability to adapt to new concepts and coach-ability make him an attractive target for college coaches. He’s able to instigate turnovers and convert them into transition dunks as well as anyone in the program.
Noel has a near clone of himself in the 6-foot-7 Jameel Damon, who also gets above the rim and finishes with relative ease. His ability to knife to the rim and finish through contact enabled him to increase his workload last summer, as he shouldered the go-to role en route to earning MVP of the Turks & Caicos Islands Basketball Federation Mallory McComish 20U tournament. With his manpower and relentlessness on the glass, the aforementioned Maximin was named MVP of the 2019 Grand Turk Basketball Showcase Championships.
O’Neill ran an inaugural camp in Providenciales and Grand Turk, recently. He grew an attendance of 56, a number that he sees as a portent of the interest in the sport growing in the area. Beyond advising his kids with recruiting and professional opportunities, O’Neill is instrumental in preaching life lessons to these young men. If one of his kids applies for a summer job, he makes sure to pen a thorough recommendation letter or a reference letter to the employer.
The Sonics recently earned a visit from NextUp Recruits. Both came away impressed with the potential and production rate of Noel and Maximin. Currently, O’Neill is in the process of trying to place explosive 5-foot-10 point guard Daniel Dubois. A cerebral dish-first facilitator with 3-point range and boundless defensive energy, Dubois has the opportunity to generate scholarship offers as a post-graduate offer.
In 2018, O’Neill’s team competed in the Copa Mitchell Cup, a FIBA event in the Dominican Republic. Damon was the youngest athlete plying his trade in the event, going up against players 3-4 years older than him. It was the program’s first event following Hurricane Irma. During his time at the helm with the Sonics, O’Neill has coached Division-I players such as CJ Foster (Arkansas State) and Alvardo Parker (TCU).
Exactly how did a paralegal from the local area become a hoops power broker for the British overseas area and gateway island?
“I always wanted to coach,” O’Neill explains. “But I really go beyond just coaching. Sometimes I videotape our own games. I edit video. I organize team gear. I get my boys to and from practices. I checkup on my boys daily.”
