Berbice team coming to demand respect
WHENEVER one speaks of basketball, much of their emphasis or memory of the game always comes from teams or players from the county of Demerara, Georgetown and Linden, but this time around, the Berbicians are saying it’s time that they have the respect they deserve.
New Amsterdam will play their first match in the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA)/Mackeson National Super Wards Basketball Championships at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall tonight against Christianburg of Linden in the second game of the planned triple-header.
In the opening game Kitty/Campbellville will come up against the East Coast of Demerara and in the final game of the evening Central Mackenzie will oppose Wortmanville/Werk-en-Rust.
“It’s about time we have the level of respect in the sport, so tomorrow (tonight) we’re coming to demand that respect,” said player/coach Kurt Fraser while speaking with Chronicle Sport yesterday.
Over the years, teams coming from Berbice always fizzle out after a heated start but according to Fraser, the team which he has compiled has what it takes to make it all the way.
“Well really we are aiming for nothing less than the semi-finals because we have some good players. We know Carlos Crandon, who has always been one of the top guards in this country then we have some big men like this guy Warren Butts, who lives overseas and Shem Scotland. Those guys will do the work inside for us, so this is no pushover,” Fraser boasted.
However, their opposition Christianburg are just as hungry to claim the half-a-million dollars first prize. Team captain Nevin Grenville said that his team is ready to go this evening and though not much senior competition is held in Linden, as a team they have been working out on a daily basis.
“I play for Pistons as you know and it’s a Christianburg team, so it’s like an entire Pistons team coming down tomorrow (tonight) to play. That’s the good thing about my team because we are used to playing together, guest players or not, we are used to playing as a team, so yea, we are ready and I can say we have what it takes,” Grenville said.
The point guard will have the garbage man Quincy ‘Progs-z’ Jones, smooth-dribbling point guard Trevor Profitt, Dwight Cooper, Stryon Obermuller and Mark Louis as part of his main contributors.
Meanwhile, the other Linden team, Central Mackenzie, are seemingly keeping their line-up in the dark for the big-money tournament.
Speculations are high as to who will comprise the squad, apart from their star players in National point and shooting guards Steve Neils Jr and Marvin Hartman along with centre Jason Alonzo and flashy swingman Louis James.
Central Mackenzie are expected to face a tough Wortmanville/Werk-en-Rust lineup with the likes of Naylon Loncke, Royston Siland and Clement Brusch.