Point guard Anthony Furbert is hoping for a big weekend as he and his team-mates put the final touches on their preparations for the first ever Thanksgiving Basketball Classic to be held on local soil.

Eight teams – five from overseas and three from Bermuda – will contest the Classic with games to be played at both CedarBridge and Berkeley Institute, with opening night this coming Friday with a full slate of games at both venues.

The three Bermuda sides consist of players from all high schools on the Island.

For Furbert, who is currently attending Bermuda College, the Classic will be a chance to showcase his skills and impress scouts coming to the Island looking for talent.

"Right now, with the team we have, I feel we have a pretty good chance of winning the competition," said Furbert. "Obviously we don't know what the teams from away are like but we are on home soil and I am personally looking forward to playing.

"I hope there will be a few scouts out there looking at us and maybe a few of us will get lucky and grab some attention.

The 19-year-old also believes the tournament could prove to be great benefit to sport on the Island, with basketball down the order of major sports in Bermuda.

"Everyone wants to show that Bermuda is a basketball community as much as any other sport and our goal is to make this sport one of the top in the country, so there is a lot riding on the tournament, not just scholarships but for future tournaments and opportunities to follow this one.

"For me, I am looking to go away and play abroad, so I will do this year at Bermuda College and hopefully this weekend will be a big one for me."

Teams involved include Durango High and Chaparral High out of Las Vegas, Francis Parker High from San Diego, Metro Prep from Toronto, and Georgetown District High from Ontario.

The Bermuda teams will be a mix of all schools on the Island.

Each team will play four games, two games each day, with Friday's results determining who goes into the consolation bracket for fourth to eighth place and who goes into the championship bracket, with the top four battling for the title.

Furbert's coach, Steven Simons, echoed his player's remarks about the expectations and opportunities that are being presented to the youngsters.

"I have high expectations for all the boys taking part because I know the potential they all have and I know how much hard work has gone into our preparations," said Simons.

"Obviously we will be playing a higher level of competition but I feel that these boys are ready for it and will step up to the challenge. I expect our boys to compete well, show some pride and do their country proud.

"These are relatively young boys and for most of them this will be their first real taste of competition at this level.

"I would expect nerves and anxiety to play a part initially, but it's up to myself and the other coaches to ensure that they are ready for it and able to compose themselves quickly in order to focus in on our game plan and to play well.

"I couldn't agree with Anthony more, there will be coaches here from the US and Canada and the games will be streamed live over the Internet for other coaches, scouts, fans worldwide to enjoy.

"You can see how this sort of event has helped our boys in the past. Just recently Tejour Riley has been awarded a scholarship to Metro Prep and his game has benefited immensely from this type of exposure at such a young age."

Tickets for the Classic go on sale tomorrow at International Sports or organiser Chris Crumpler can be contacted at 332-7827 or e-mail Bermudabasketball@gmail.com.

Admission for the games is $10 for a day pass, $50 for patrons that will include admission to all games, free food and drinks, and $100 for everything included in the patrons package as well as VIP seating and a complimentary tee-shirt.