More than just a game for Ravens – Coach
TONIGHT basketball fans and players will all converge on the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall for the Kevin Lawrence Memorial extravaganza, where Ravens will take on a Georgetown All-Stars and the Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) Elite squad will face the Ravens Junior squad.
The inaugural event is hosted by the Ravens club in honour of Lawrence who pasted away last March 27. The players will be vying for a chance to cash in on the lucrative incentive and an array of trophies.
A display of quality basketball is promised by the club but their coach is making it clear that for Ravens “it will be more than just a game”.
Darcel Harris, known for his razor-sharp cross-over and gunner-like aim from down-town, has over the past year been instrumental in his team’s recent surge to the top of local basketball.
Yesterday, Harris said that while players are coming out to have fun and put on a good show for the spectators, his team will be coming to win, since it would be in keeping of the nature of the late Lawrence.
“We want to play our normal basketball game, nothing special, but also we want to win and play hard because we know that was his (Kevin) attitude to every game. He always likes to win and plays hard to win as well, so my players all knowing this will be coming out to win the game and nothing else,” said Harris.
Ravens’ only loss in 2010 was in game one of the best-of-three final against Courts Pacesetters and it is the view of captain Syria’h Clarke that their team play superior basketball which makes them hard to be defeated hence their competitors will certainly have to walk with their ‘A’ game.
“I believe the track record of our club speaks for itself. We only lost once last year and our players are always together training and so on, so even though for the entire year we haven’t had a game, we are always ready for action. Come tonight, I’m sure It will be nothing but exciting,” Clarke added.
Apart from Clarke, Ravens will turn to their star guards Rodwell ‘Kobe’ Fortune, Stephan ‘Penny’ Henry and Ryan Stephney, forward Ryan ‘Kobrone’ Gullen and centre Dwayne ‘Brown Sugar’ Roberts as their main arsenal.
Centre Rudy James, Marlon Rodrigues, Yusuf Edghill, Jermaine Slater and recent addition Travis ‘Cook-up’ Foster are the other players to feature in the ‘Orange Men’ line-up.
Their team will come from some of the best players the city has to offer and under the guidance of coach Vijay Panday from the Scorpions Basketball Club, Akeem ‘The Dream’ Kanhai, Royston Siland, Stefon Gillis and Kurt ‘Gipsy’ Elias are some players to be on show.
Bounty Colts’ Niko Fraser, Nets guards Pillum Dorris and Mortimer Williams and Pepsi Sonic forward Richard Braithwaite will be featuring for the Georgetown All-Stars.
But while the clash between Ravens and the Georgetown All-Stars will take centre stage the clash between the YBG Elite squad and Ravens junior squad also has what it takes to excite patrons.
It’s not certain if Kanhai will play both games, given the fact that he’s the captain of the YBG Elite. But apart from the former National junior captain, Marlon Pollydore, Jeffrey La Rose, Yannick Dundas and centre Prince Giddings, who have all represented Guyana at the Under-19 level, will be more than good enough challenge for the young Ravens.
“We want to showcase younger talent so that is why when we were planning this event, we made sure that this game is played.
Our club always wants to stay on top and as such, having a good core of young players is very important, so this game will be just as important as the senior ones because I know both teams are preparing hard for the game and will put on a good show,” said Clarke.
Clarke, a former national youth standout, said that tonight’s event will be two-fold since it will also be the launching of the Kevin Lawrence Foundation.
“The foundation will be there to help highlight the damage caused by dangerous driving and driving under the influence of alcohol and to promote basketball and sports through education,” Clarke highlighted.
Jump-ball time is 19:30 h. Admission fee is $500, with proceeds going to charity and the Ravens Basketball Club.