Toronto prep school holds basketball evaluation camp in Halifax

Many of the top young basketball players in the Halifax area turned out on Wednesday night to strut their stuff in front of coaches from a prep school near Toronto.

TRC Academy in Brantford, Ont., is home to some of the best young players in Canada

Paul Palmeter CBC News Posted: Jul 28, 2016 5:30 AM EDT | Last Updated: July 28, 2016

Aaliyah Arab-Smith, 14, of Halifax has already committed to TRC Academy for next season. (Paul Palmeter/CBC)

Many of the top youngbasketball players in the Halifax area turned outWednesday night to strut their stuff in front of coaches from a prep school near Toronto.

The TRC Academy held a recruitment eventfor youth12-16 years of age at the Community YMCA gym on Gottingen Street.

"We get them into some game play, controlled scrimmaging to see how they handle the pressure," said Correece Downey, an assistant coach with the TRC Academy boys team. "That way I can assess them in game style."

High level performance

TRC Academy plays a very high level of basketball. (Paul Palmeter/CBC)

TRC plays a very high level of basketball.Their boys and girls teams regularly play in some of the toughest school tournaments in North America.

The rosters at the school have players from several provinces and more than 50 young players turned out to try and impress Downey and other coaches.

One player at the gym has already been recruited by TRC.

'Excited but nervous'

Aaliyah Arab-Smith just turned 14 but she'll be going to school, and playing basketball, in Ontario this year.

"I'm pretty excited but nervous at the same time," said Arab-Smith. "I have some family in Ontario as well and I will be staying with them some on the weekends so that will make me feel a little more comfortable."

She attended a combine eventin Ontario in April and that's when the TRC coaches knew she was a player they wanted on board with their program.

Hopes for scholarships

"Her game is just impeccable and for her age I haven't seen very many girls that are that well advanced, even boys for that matter," said Downey.

"You can tell she works hard every day and puts in her time in the gym and more importantly she puts time into her school work and is a straight A student," he said.

Being a good student is important when young teenagers like Arab-Smith are pulled from their family and normal lives and sent to live in another province to hone their basketball skills.

Part of the plan for Arab-Smith's family is for her to get an athletic scholarship a few years down the road for university.If she gets one, she'll get an education while playing highly competitive NationalCollegiate AthleticsAssociation (NCAA)basketball.

Father-daughter dedication

Her father played high school basketball in Cole Harbour but never had the opportunity to play college ball.

"Even times when I'm tired and I get home from work, she's like 'It's time to go, we have to get a work out in,'" said Paul Simmonds, Arab-Smith's father. "For me, I think I would be letting her down if I didn't let her pursue what she's trying to do."

Aaliyah just finished Grade 8at Fairview Junior High School.She scored 41 points in her last game with the team as she led them to the Metro regional junior high championship.

Toronto prep school looking for talent at basketball combine in Halifax. pic.twitter.com/Nbs2ouAGgK
—@PaulRPalmeter

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