By Joe Chapman

AS THE rematch of the Road to Mecca National Club championship final between Georgetown’s Colts and Linden’s Retrieve Raiders draws near, the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) has confirmed there will be two International Basketball Federation Association (FIBA)-certified referees calling the game.Barbadian referees Rene Batson and Ms Jennifer Joseph-Hackett will join Guyana’s lone FIBA-qualified referee Sherwin Joseph on Saturday, April 23 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
The two Bajan officials will arrive on the afternoon of the final and leave for home the next afternoon.
This move comes on the backdrop of the controversial refereeing which occurred in the first game.
The refereeing was the reason behind the dissolution of the first game. A few controversial calls by the game refs resulted in Raiders first leaving the playing area with the Colts following suit almost an hour after, bringing the game to an end.
Veteran retired United States-based referee Professor Jay Mandle visited Guyana and held discussions with the federation on what actually transpired and pointed out that officials failed to do their job in the first game resulting in its end.
At a meeting on April 2 the decision to replay the game was taken. The federation’s executive committee at a discussion with stakeholders agreed to have the game replayed.
Michael Singh, a vice-president of the federation and president of Colts said after the meeting “Based on the meeting with the GABF council members we deliberated in the interest of the games.”
He continued, “We are of the view the final should be replayed …steps are going to be put in place where we will have overseas-based referees so both of the teams will feel solid that they have strong officiating and it will be based on skill and tactics.”
GABF president Nigel Hinds who came under fire for his intervention in the first final game said “I am very happy we have decided to replay the final for the national club championship.” He also thanked Colts and their supporters for replaying the game and promoting basketball development in Guyana.
President of the Linden Amateur Basketball Association, Lawrence Simon, also praised the final decision to have the game replayed, saying that it was in the best interest of all parties involved.