More Than an Assist Foundation Represents Canada at the Bring Ya Best Invitational

This July, More Than an Assist Foundation had the opportunity to represent Canada at the inaugural Bring Ya Best (BYB) Invitational Basketball Tournament in St. Maarten.

Hosted by the Reason for Hope Foundation, the tournament brought together some of the best teams from across the Caribbean and North America for a week of high-level basketball. More importantly, it was an event built around creating opportunities for athletes, promoting sports tourism, and bringing different cultures together through the game.

We were placed in a tough pool alongside Aruba, Tortola (British Virgin Islands), Haiti, and Dominica. Every game was competitive, and our players showed resilience from start to finish.

We opened the tournament with a 90-86 win over Aruba. Anthony Tsegakaleke led the way with 33 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. Jaheem Joseph and Naz Kalamba each added 17 points and 9 rebounds, while Jaheem also recorded 6 steals. Khalifa Koulamallah contributed an all-around performance with 14 points, 7 assists, 7 rebounds, and 6 steals.

Our second game came against Tortola, where we came up short 96-75. Naz Kalamba finished with 24 points and 7 rebounds, while Jaheem Joseph added 16 points and 7 rebounds. Khalifa Koulamallah scored 12 points, and Anthony Tsegakaleke finished with 13.

The third game was one of the most exciting of the tournament. We battled Haiti until the final possession but fell just short, 99-96. Khalifa Koulamallah and Naz Kalamba each scored 20 points, with Khalifa also adding 8 rebounds and 3 steals. Anthony Tsegakaleke recorded 19 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals, while Elton Muamba finished with 18 points and 4 assists. Both Naz and Elton knocked down four three-pointers, keeping us in the game until the very end. Jaheem Joseph also contributed 12 points and 6 rebounds.

We closed out the tournament with another hard-fought win, defeating Dominica 96-94. Lenz Dupont led the scoring with 24 points and 9 rebounds. Naz Kalamba added 23 points along with 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. Elton Muamba scored 18 points while connecting on six three-pointers. Anthony Tsegakaleke finished with another double-double, recording 16 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals, while Didier Atis added 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals.

Although we finished the tournament with a 2-2 record, we're incredibly proud of the way our team represented both Canada and the More Than an Assist Foundation. Beyond the results, our players competed with heart, represented our values, and gained valuable experience against talented teams from across the Caribbean.

We're also proud to celebrate Anthony Tsegakaleke, who was recognized as the tournament's Best Rebounder. His consistent effort on both ends of the floor and his ability to control the glass played a huge role in our team's success throughout the week.

A huge thank you to the Reason for Hope Foundation for organizing a first-class event and for welcoming us to St. Maarten. We look forward to seeing this tournament continue to grow and hope to be back in the future.

Thank you to everyone who supported us throughout the week. This is just another step in our mission of creating opportunities for athletes and using basketball to build connections beyond borders.