… coach still optimistic of a victory

GUYANA women’s national team are having a horrid time at the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championship in Tortola, losing their first two games by a total of 123 points. 
Lack-lustre doesn’t fully describe the Guyanese women’s performance as they lost their first game to 2006 and champions Jamaica 26-86 then were hammered by 2011 runners-up Trinidad and Tobago 33-96 yesterday.
Against the women from the Twin Island Republic, Guyana looked okay in the opening minutes until the Trinidadians began to force the ball after realising that the Guyanese were lacking, technically and tactically.
Point guard Rhonda John controlled the pace of the game at both ends of the floor, making her presence felt strongly on defence.
John was a nightmare in the backcourt for the Guyanese, since they (Guyana) could not have gotten the ball up the court. Most of the times the ball was stolen.
Guyana captain and Guyana Police Force rank Natasha Alder seemed to be the only one who turned up to play for her country and finished the game with 14 points, seven rebounds two steals and three blocked shots. However, the forward also had seven of Guyana’s 22 turnovers.
After helping Guyana claim victory at the last Inter-Guiana Games, 19-year-old centre Ginelle Ifill (six points) had a harsh welcome to international basketball at the senior level.
The lanky Guyanese was no match for her Trinidadian equal Samantha Wallace (9 points, 7 rebounds) who was also playing at the CBC for the first time.
At halftime, the Trinidadians led 35-19 but then for the entire second half Guyana could scored only 14 points while giving up 61 points.
Guyana’s Ann Gordon still believes that her girls can win the CBC tournament, stating that they are “not afraid” of the competition.
Gordon said that the spirit of the players remains very high and the Guyanese are “hyped up to win this tournament and despite what, even though we have some stumbling blocks in our way, we are not concerned about that. We know that by God’s grace we will make it.”
The coach, who was also a former national point guard noted, “With the kind of chemistry that we have I think that we can do it. United we stand, and united we are going forward and we will lift, by God’s grace, our country’s flag high and make them proud.”
Guyana will play St Vincent and Grenadines today from 14:00hrs and based on the fact that they have given up an overwhelming 182 points in just two matches played, one can only pray for a miracle to turn their fortunes around at the tournament.

(By Rawle Toney)