THE ‘Road to Mecca’, the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) National Club Championship will officially bounce off tonight at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall with an invasion from the ‘Mining Town’ of Linden.In the opening game at 16:30 hrs, Pepsi Sonics will face off with Half Mile Bulls while the second game brings together a showdown between the GT Masters and the Kashif and Shanghai Kings.

Game three sees Amelia’s Ward Jets coming up against Plaisance Guardians and the final game pits Wismar Pistons versus TGH Pacesetters.

The GT Masters/Kings contest is highlighted to be one of the more interesting matchups for tonight since it will see former National Point Guard Lugard Mohan playing against his former

understudy Steve Neils Jr.

Amelia’s Ward Jets, one of the top teams in Linden are known for falling down on the big stage but the Kevin Joseph coached side seems to be evenly matched against the Plaisance unit.

It will be one of the East Coast of Demerara team’s toughest assignments to date and with $400,000 at stake and a chance to impress the National selectors, anything can happen.

Stephan Gillis, Royston Siland and Travis Burnet are expected to inspire their Pacesetters team to a win over Wismar Pistons, but, knowing the teams from Linden, they really don’t go down without a fight.

Though the Christianburg base team is in a rebuilding stage, its hard to count them out even though playing against a more superior team in Pacesetters.

Second through fourth places will pocket $200 000, $150 000 and $75 000 respectively, along with the bragging rights to be called ‘National Champions’.

With Guyana hosting Bermuda next month, the Road to Mecca tournament will once again be used as a yardstick to select the national team which will now be coached by Ravens head coach, Darcel Harris.

Harris said that the tournament which runs from February 14 to March 1, will give him a perfect opportunity to see some of the players whom he, along with his staff, has already drafted and to also add some players to the roster.

The last time Guyana played Bermuda was at the 2011 CBC Championships in the Bahamas where Guyana lost 68-58. Bermuda placed 5th at the championships while Guyana placed 7th.

However, under Hinds, Guyana were able to send one of their best Men’s team to the Championship earlier this year and were able to place a creditable 5th at the Games in the British Virgin Island of Tortola.

(By Rawle Toney)