CBC squad  now down to 15 players
WITH the 21st Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championships just three weeks away, the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) has shorten its squad to 15 as they shift into high gear in preparation for the event. The selection committee headed by GABF Vice President Floyd Levi selected twelve locals and three overseas players after the team held their practice session yesterday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall
ahead of the July 23 – 29 games.

National standout point guard Steve Neils Jr along with youth basketball sensation Akeem ‘The Dream’ Kanhai heads the local list that also features tenacious power forward Dwayne ‘Brown Sugar’
Roberts, Stephon Gillis, Royston Siland, Shelroy Thomas, Ryan Gullen, Neil Marks, Rodwell Fortune, Ryan Stephaney, Randy Richards and Shane Webster.

Not finding favour with the selection panel from the shortlisted 19 players, were guard Kevin ‘2 Feet’ Joseph and Travis Burnett and forwards Jermaine Slater and Louis James.

Armstrong Atlantic State University (AASU) shooting guard Keron McKenzie along with Trinidad and Tobago based forward Andrew Ifill and Barbados based centre Kurt ‘Gypsy’ Ellias are the three overseas
players selected.

Contacted yesterday, Levi said that  Ellias is expected in Guyana tomorrow but was uncertain when Ifill and McKenzie would be available.

According to Levi, Ifill is wrapping up his league in Trinidad and Tobago while McKenzie is presently on the verge of seeking a contract with some clubs in Europe.

“I personally have been in contact with the players and they all are somewhat involved in basketball competitively where they live which will certainly be taken into consideration,” said Levi.

The former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Commander further added that “with the case of McKenzie, he is working out right now as he prepares for a stint in Europe.
He should be getting a contract with one of two teams in Europe so I’m not yet certain when he would join us before the CBC tournament starts. Ifill is about to play in the finals with his club, so like I said, they are all very much active.”

Initially, it was announced that the squad will be broken down next weekend, but Levi said that a decision was taken to bring it forward so that the coaches – Lugard Mohan, Mark Agard, Abdullah Hamid and Robert Cadogan – could have a chance to work with a core unit.

“I think it was a good call because now the coaches can go into planning their systems and so on and properly fine tune their preparation. See, look at how the time is moving and we have to step
things up a bit to get our guys properly prepared,” Levi said.

Guyana will join defending Champions Jamaica, Turks & Caicos, Antigua and Barbuda and the US Virgin Islands in group ‘A’ of the Championships that bounces off on July 23 in Nassau Bahamas.

The CBC Championship is the competition used to give regional teams a chance to qualify for the World Championships and the Olympic Games.