The Team Suffolk Basketball Program was looking last summer for dedicated young players to form its 9-and-under team. It found what it was looking for, and the result has been remarkable.

The 9U team currently has a record of 24-4, and it has qualified to participate in the third grade Amateur Athletic Union National Championship in Orlando, Fla. this July. But the team is seeking donations, whether corporate or individual, to help finance the trip.

To qualify for the tournament in Florida, the Boo Williams Summer League Team Suffolk 9U squad needed to place among the top four in a regional tournament. The team has done this in each of the three regional tournaments it has competed in.

“We have always been the runner-up,” Team Suffolk 9U coach Kevin Davis said, but his is a team that seems on the verge of a breakthrough.

It has grown and gained motivation through the few losses it has suffered.

Davis cited one of the team’s biggest highlights as coming after a tournament championship loss.

During a tourney in Greensboro, N.C., the 9U squad played a team called North Carolina Elite that had been together since the first grade and was ranked nationally. The Suffolk team lost by about 17 points but won its next two games in the event to reach the championship game for a rematch.

N.C. Elite prevailed again but needed a miracle basket to do so — one of its players made a shot from half court to win the game.

Davis said his players were crying afterward.

“That’s when you saw the passion,” he said. “The very next week, they played in a championship game against a team that was just beating everybody by 30 points.”

Team Suffolk lost to that team by only four points.

“You give them a few more months, they’ll be able to beat anybody,” Davis said.

Before being selected to the team in October, the boys took part in a developmental league last summer, which serves as a pool from which Team Suffolk chooses its players.

“We take the 10 that’s most dedicated,” Davis said, noting those players “are consistent, and they’re always there.”

All 10 boys selected have contributed to the 9U team’s success.

Chaevon Torrance averages eight to nine points and 10 to 12 rebounds per game, and Jaylun Boone and Adarius Boston also have scoring averages of about eight or nine points per game.

Saleem Williams grabs approximately 10 rebounds per game, while Elijah Walker, who Davis described as a tempo-setter for the team, averages about five to six assists per game.

Kenneth Pigeon Jr. is particularly strong on defense. Khalil Caple, Travell Almond and Avion Dillard have also made significant defensive contributions.

Howard Casterlow has shown himself to be a prodigy on the court.

“He’s the only second-grader on our team,” Davis said. “He’s playing up an age because he’s just that good.”

In preparation for nationals, the boys are currently practicing four to five times a week, and they continue to participate in tournaments.

The financial assistance that the team is seeking would help with things such as travel expenses, lodging and tournament participation fees.

Team Suffolk is hoping to develop relationships with businesses and individuals interested in providing support, and in return, the basketball program is willing to recognize sponsors on its webpage and also by distributing promotional materials during the season.

To contribute, donations can be sent to BWSL Team Suffolk at P.O. Box 697, Suffolk, VA 23434. Checks should be made payable to BWSL Team Suffolk.

For more information, contact Kevin Davis, director of Team Suffolk, at 582-4090.