Wins for President’s College, NATI and Plaisance on opening night

THE Ninth Annual Schools Basketball Festival bounced off last Sunday night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall and saw President’s College, New Amsterdam Technical Institute (NATI) and Plaisance Academy securing contrasting victories. In the opening game of the evening after the tournament was officially opened by Minister of Sport Dr Frank Anthony, President’s College came from behind to win a hard-fought clash with St Rose’s High School 47-44.
President’s College star player Shaquille Adonis had a sensational game, scoring 21 points, grabbing six rebounds and picking up three important steals.
Nathan Saul netted a game-high 25 points for St Rose’s but it was not enough to get his school a win over their East Coast Demerara counterparts.
It was a walk the park for NATI, who coasted to an easy 32-18 points win over Mackenzie High School.
Dunash Roopnarine had an entertaining 11 points for NATI and was supported by Edmar Simple with nine points. Only Daniel Anthony showed any fighting spirit for the players from Linden. He scored 12 points and had four rebounds all in a losing effort.
The final game of the evening was a one-sided affair with Plaisance Academy, led by Mallol Powdar’s game-high 15 points and making light work of JC Chandersignh 47-33.
Powdar also had four steals and five rebounds. His teammate Kelvin Yorrick scored 14 points and hauled in nine rebounds. For the losers, Michael King scored 13 points and Kobe Crawford netted ten.
Meanwhile, Minister Anthony, while addressing the gathering at the opening ceremony, said that the tournament will be used to select players to represent Guyana at the Inter-Guiana Games which will run from August 1 to 3 in Guyana.
Minister Anthony also lauded the organisers – Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) – for sustaining and enabling the development of basketball and pledged the Sport Ministry’s continued support to the initiative.
Director of Sport Neil Kumar, whose National Sports Commission (NSC) has been partnering with YBG to stage the event, made mention of the entity’s desire to ensure that basketball is kept afloat in Guyana and said that the longevity of the NSBF is testimony to the hard work and dedication of YBG.
The ‘Festival’, as it is known, is the culmination of six weeks of Regional Conference Tournaments, organised in six separate zones, after which the best Under 14, U-16, U-19 and Girls teams are invited to the highly anticipated eight-day competition to vie for national accolades.
The tournament is sponsored now for six consecutive years by Digicel, Edward B. Beharry and Company Ltd and Banks DIH Ltd.