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Turks and Caicos Islands’ Teenage Basketball Star Dylan Morris Awarded Scholarship to Attend North Florida Educational Institute
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – March 2, 2023 – Dylan Morris, a 15-year-old basketball player from the Turks and Caicos Islands, has been awarded a scholarship to attend North Florida Educational Institute, a private high school in Jacksonville, Florida. The scholarship will cover his tuition, accommodation, books, and
Morris is currently a student-athlete at the Louise Garland Thomas High School in Providenciales. He is a 6’4” Combo Forward capable of playing both the Small Forward and Power Forward positions. Recently on the Under-15 Turks and Caicos Islands National Basketball Team that travelled to Puerto Rico in June 2022 to compete in the FIBA Centrobasket U-15 Championship, Morris ranked third in scoring amongst all players in the tournament with an average of 18.3 points per game.
Acknowledging the Principal of Louise Garland Thomas High School, Mrs. Kordell Campbell-Forbes, and his basketball coach, Mr. Gedeon Walkin, Morris credited them for molding him as an academic and an athlete, respectively, while also encouraging him to be a disciplined individual. He also expressed gratitude to his parents, Hon. Otis Morris and Mayelin Suardi, for their support.
Morris’ scholarship was facilitated by Mervin Forbes, a founder of the Rising Stars Basketball Club, a non-profit organization committed to making a difference in the lives of the youth of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Morris’
In addition to his scholarship, Morris was also recently selected as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the inaugural Royal Cup High School All-Star Basketball Game, hosted by the TCI Sports Commission to commemorate the visit of Their Royal Highnesses, The Earl and Countess of Wessex. Teams East & West were pooled using the top 24 players from around the Turks and Caicos Islands who competed in the Turks and Caicos Islands Secondary School’s 2022-23 Inter-High School Basketball Season. Morris’ performance in the game was outstanding, and he emerged as the MVP.
“We are thrilled to see Dylan Morris awarded this scholarship, which will provide him with an opportunity to pursue his academic and athletic goals,” said Trevor Cooke, Secretary-General for the Turks and Caicos Islands Basketball Federation. “Dylan is an exceptional basketball player, and we are proud that he will represent the Turks and Caicos Islands internationally. We have no doubt that he will continue to excel both on and off the court” added Cooke.