… Game clock handed over to Berbice Basketball Association

PRESIDENT of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) Nigel Hinds has expressed disappointment that the concluding games for the Inter-Association basketball championships could not be played due to heavy rains in the mining town last Saturday evening.

However, Hinds used the occasion to distribute a new game and shot clock to the Berbice Amateur Basketball Association  (BABA), with former national player Mark Agard making the presentation to Robert Esseboom, the Association’s vice-president.

The BABA, as well as the Linden and Georgetown associations, was also presented with basketballs and shoes. These presentations were done at the Mackenzie Sports Club.

After the games were washed out, Hinds declared that Linden are the regional champions and noted the effort of the GABF in spending approximately $150 000 to have the historic games, involving Berbice and Georgetown teams against their Linden counterparts, in Linden.

“It’s  is a disappointment but I still feel happy we had the faith to come up here knowing that I was warned by the president of the Linden association that we are having bad weather in Linden.

“For this historic occasion we thought that we really wanted to have Berbice in Linden and we managed to do so.

“Even though we didn’t get to play games we hope that this is just the beginning and that we would get an enclosed facility, so that will allow play to occur regardless if rain falls or otherwise.” The GABF president said.

Hinds stated that some equipment from the Brooklyn New York area was sent to the federation that included basketball shoes which were also donated by Zoley Hunte and a quantity of size six balls which are specially to be used by women and size seven balls by men.

The Linden and Berbice Under-19 boys were to play in the first game, followed by the Georgetown versus Linden female game which was the second between the two, with Linden having won the first encounter 59-44.

The last game was to see Linden (who split their games with Georgetown 1-1 but had a superior point differential after winning at Linden 58-50 and losing 71-70) take on Berbice..
(By Joe Chapman)