Teesside University student AJ Harris has spoken of his pride after representing Bermuda at the FIBA AmeriCup 2029 Caribbean Pre-Qualifiers, gaining invaluable experience against some of the Caribbean's top basketball nations while continuing his academic and sporting journey in the North East of England.

The tournament, held in Georgetown, Guyana, brought together ten Caribbean nations competing for just two places in the next stage of qualification for the FIBA AmeriCup 2029. 

Teams from across the region battled over five days in a highly competitive event, with Barbados and Antigua & Barbuda ultimately securing progression to the second qualifying round.

Although Bermuda were unable to advance, following tough games against Antigua & Barbuda, Turks & Caicos, Guyana and Dominica, the tournament represented another important step in the continued development of the national programme. In one of the games of the tournament; Bermuda pushed Guyana all the way in a narrow 59-56 defeat and gained valuable international experience against some of the Caribbean's strongest emerging teams.

For Harris, the opportunity to wear his country's colours was one he will never forget.
"Representing Bermuda at the FIBA AmeriCup Pre-Qualifiers was an incredible experience for me. Competing against high-level international talent pushed me to grow as a player and gave me valuable experience at the highest level.

"I'm proud to represent Bermuda and excited to keep developing my game and building on that experience.”

Away from international basketball, Harris is studying Animation at Teesside University, one of the UK's leading institutions for animation, visual effects and digital arts. The University's internationally recognised reputation, combined with its high-performance basketball programme in partnership with Teesside Lions, made Teesside the ideal choice.

"Animation is a passion of mine, and I was instantly attracted to Teesside because of the basketball opportunity, and the reputation for animation.

"The facilities are incredible. I have access to professional-level equipment and studios.

"The opportunity to train and compete with high-level team-mates and coaches on the basketball programme is a dream scenario. I am getting access to basketball almost every day of the week, and playing nearly sixty games a season.
"I can highly recommend Teesside for anyone interested in studying and playing basketball.”

As part of the University's performance basketball programme, Harris also represents Teesside Lions, competing in the National Basketball League while training daily alongside fellow student-athletes. The partnership between Teesside University and Teesside Lions provides an elite dual-career pathway, allowing talented players to combine higher education with high-level basketball in a professional environment.

Harris has already enjoyed several standout performances since arriving in Teesside, including a spectacular 37-point display against Leeds Trinity, during which he connected on 10 three-pointers to underline his scoring ability.

His international experience with Bermuda is expected to further accelerate his development as he prepares for another season representing both Teesside University and Teesside Lions.

Teesside Lions Director and University Head Coach James Thomson believes Harris' achievements demonstrate the strength of the University's partnership with the club.

"We are incredibly proud of AJ's achievement in representing Bermuda on the international stage. Opportunities like the FIBA AmeriCup qualifiers expose players to a different level of basketball and help accelerate their development.

"AJ was a significant reason for our unbeaten championship winning season, and is a fantastic advert of what our partnership with Teesside University can offer. Students are able to study for degrees at a globally recognised university while competing and training in a high-performance basketball environment. His progress both on and off the court has been outstanding, and we look forward to seeing him continue to develop throughout the coming season.”

Harris' journey is another example of how Teesside University continues to attract ambitious student-athletes from around the world, offering the opportunity to achieve academic success while competing at the highest levels of university, national league and international basketball.

Visit Tees.ac.uk and TeessideLions.com for information on how you can make Teesside your next destination as a student athlete.