… Scores turn out to bid farewell to Kevin Lawrence
WAILING sounds filled the halls of the St. James-The-Less Anglican Church yesterday when local basketball star Kevin Lawrence was laid to rest. The 28 year-old Lawrence, son of former High Commissioner for Guyana in Canada Francis Toby Lawrence, succumbed in the high dependency unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital on March 29, after being troubled by post-surgery snags the previous day.
Since returning to Guyana from Suriname where he was involved in a car accident, Lawrence’s life hung in the balance and though medically it was said that his chances were slim to none, many of his friends and family strongly believed that the Ravens shooting guard would have pulled through because of his usual high spirit to life.
His passing sent shockwaves through the sport of basketball in Guyana because of his popularity and passion for the game. Many went into deep mourning, especially the players of the Ravens Basketball Club with whom he played most of his basketball.
Born Kevin Anthony Lawrence to Francis and Norma Lawrence in Canada on May 15, 1981, the former Ravens shooter was a marksman in his own right and his name would always pop up when ever a debate of who’s the best shooter in Guyana.
His grit, determination and extreme passion for the game would give him the edge above the others and he was always noted for selection for any national side once Guyana is involved.
He made his national debut representing Guyana at the Inter-Guiana Games, when it was resuscitated in the 1990s, as a teenager and was part of the victorious squad that was coach by Bernard ‘Rasta man’ Daniels when the games was hosted here in Guyana at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Some of his team mates at that time were Seriah Clark, Steve Neils Jr and Sherwin Roberts, just to name a few. Apart from playing against the visiting Washington DC Jammers in the customary goodwill tournament, Lawrence didn’t get a chance to play against his equals from around the Caribbean, but he did had a stint in Trinidad and Tobago playing in the big league in the Twin Island Republic.
At the funeral service yesterday, everyone spoke profoundly of Lawrence more as an individual than a basketball player since he was said to be a person of a clean heart and always had something positive to say.
His former Ravens teammates were all dressed in colours of their club (Orange and Black) and each had a long, depressing and sad look on his face as they all signed a basketball which they called his last shot.
The Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) will host its Inter-Ward Super Eight tournament from this weekend and a Kevin Lawrence Trophy would be unveiled for an upcoming tournament shortly.