Aug. 23, 2010

ST. THOMAS - Former Hawk basketball standout Jareem Dowling has added to his coaching resume again this year. The Slippery Rock University assistant coach was selected to lead the U.S. Virgin Islands 3-on-3 youth basketball team in the 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) held in Singapore.

Dowling, the assistant coach of the men's team in the C.A.C. games oversaw a team of four athletes, ages 14-18, which played in the event. This adrenaline-packed game was played on a half court, with one basketball hoop. It includes three intensive periods of five minutes each. The first team to score 33 points or is leading the game after the regular game time is the winner.

The Virgin Islands was placed in Group D with Philippines, Spain, South Africa and Croatia. They went 2-5 overall, picking up a pair of opening wins over South Africa and the Philippines.

The group started training together in July and their normal strategy had to be tweaked to accommodate the new style of play.

"Just a lot of pick-and-roll, handoffs and a lot of quick stuff because there is a 10-second shot clock and there's no time to stall," said Dowling, who also coached several of the players at the FIBA Americas Championship in San Antonio, Texas, in June.

The unconventional way to play the game -- with only three players on the court -- hasn't hindered the USVI's progression.

"I know people are saying, `Oh, but it's only a 3-on-3 tournament' but we've been saying that we don't care if it's 3-on-3, 1-on-1 or 100-on-100 -- it doesn't matter," Dowling said. "As long as the V.I. is involved and we have the opportunity to represent the territory, we want to be a part of it."

To see the results of the team log on to www.singapore2010.sg The YOG will was held from 14th to 26th August. The event brought together 3,600 athletes aged 14 to 18 and from all 205 National Olympic Committees to compete in the 26 sports on the London 2012 Olympic Games program.