Biddy World Tournament rolls through Thibodaux

Byron Joshua pushed his body into the lane and rose through the air with the basketball in his right hand.

He finished not at the rim, but just below it with a strong right-handed layup to give his team the lead in its high-stakes tournament game.

Joshua wore the number 3, like NBA superstar Dwayne Wade.

His team had “Heat” across the front of its chests, just like Wade.

But Joshua’s version of the Heat wasn’t quite Miami-based. Rather it was from New Orleans as he got his shining moment among basketball ranks playing at the Biddy World Tournament, which rolled through the Thibodaux area last week.

“I can vividly remember two or three that were playing right here on this floor who ended up playing college ball,” Biddy National Director Firmin Simms said. “That’s what we try to get these youngsters to do n study hard, work hard and if you like basketball, then make that round ball here pay for you a college education.”

The tournament, which featured 16 of the most elite 8-year-old and under teams in the country, was hosted at the Thibodaux Civic Center for the 15th-straight season.

Simms said the city has become a staple of the event because of the hospitality it shows to those who participate in the event.

Local chiropractor and tournament director, Dr. Mickey Jennings, agreed and said the feedback he hears each year is always positive.

“The city of Thibodaux has been gracious enough over the years to help us with this beautiful facility,” he said. “We have this big basketball court that was bought for Biddy Basketball. … It’s just very convenient. The hotels are all close by. The restaurants are all close by. We go out of our way to make everybody welcome in the city and we put on a real show for the kids.”

Hospitality is one thing, but good, ole-fashioned Southern Louisiana food is quite another.

That doesn’t hurt the city’s cause, either, according to several coaches who support the event remaining in Thibodaux for the foreseeable future.

“The food,” Kenner coach Jason Riley said without hesitation. “There’s also great hospitality and everything, too. There’s just all-around good people here. We come here and we’re having a good time. The food is great. What more could you want?”

East St. James coach Dustin Mitchell agreed and said he couldn’t envision the event taking place anywhere else.

“The city’s been great,” Mitchell said. “It’s a nice experience meeting some nice people. We’re enjoying ourselves.”

The event featured mostly Louisiana-based teams, but also showcased teams from as far away as Dallas and Kansas City.

The Tri-parish area was represented with teams from Houma, Thibodaux, Lockport and Raceland.

Don’t let the small stature and age of the kids fool you, these boys can play.

Simms, 82, who has been associated with basketball in some capacity for the past 60 years, said in his lifetime, he’s seen a drastic change in the way the game is played by children in the 8-and-under age group.

“Years and years ago, when I was coaching in the ‘50s, this 8-and-a-half-foot basket that these 8-year-olds are playing on n that was the basket that the 12s played on,” Simms said. “And then when they’d jump and they’d put their hands on the backboard, we’d all look around and say, ‘Oh, look at that kid, he can really jump.’ In today’s world, the 12s would hit their heads on the rims, so they play on a 10-foot basket now. The 8s play like the 10s used to play. The 10s play like the 12s used to play. The game has grown so much. These kids learn so much from seeing the game on TV and they have just evolved so much.”

Mitchell agreed and said he wouldn’t have stood a chance playing against these kids when he was 8.

“Every team has at least two players that are really, really good and then with that, also a lot of role players,” he said. “When I played, you might have one player on each team and that’s it. These kids start so early today with AAU and they just are progressing faster. It’s much more competitive than when I used to play.”

Maybe Joshua might become a member of the Miami Heat someday after all.

Who knows?

Biddy has given several future NBA players their starts, most notably “Dr. J” Julius Erving, Larry Bird, Avery Johnson and DJ Augustin.

“These kids can all play the game at a high level,” Simms said. “There’s no question about it.”