By Joe Chapman

DESPITE some challenges, the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA) is going ahead with its 2018 opening competition dubbed ‘Banks DIH Malta Supreme ‘March Madness’ Open tournament’ bounces off tonight featuring its top four clubs at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court.

In the opening matches at 18.30hrs, Retrieve Raiders face number one ranked Victory Valley Royals and at 20.00hrs, second seed Half Mile Bulls face third ranked Amelia’s Ward Falcons.

The two-group round-robin format initial round play will decide which four of the six participating clubs will advance to the semifinals to produce a final.
The six-club five-day championship will be played in a two-group round-robin format initially with the top four teams advancing to the semifinals.

The playing dates are March 2, 11, 16, 18 and 24 when the final is to be played and the contesting clubs are Victory Valley Royals, Half Mile Bulls, Amelia’s Ward Jets, Retrieve Raiders, Block 22 Flames and Bankers Trust Falcons.

President of the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA) Lawrence Simon, in his report when the LABA held its Annual General Meeting in January, said he was optimistic about this second half of his tenureship as three officers were elected as replacements for the existing officers who were elected at the start of last year for the stipulated two-year term.

Dr. Perreira was unanimously elected to serve as 2nd Vice president while Joel Webster is now the treasurer after being elected last year as assistant secretary. Dillette Marville is the new assistant secretary.

They join the existing executives who were elected at the AGM and Biennial Elections in 2017, when among those elected were President Lawrence Simon; Abdulla Hamid as 1st Vice President; Joseph Chapman as Secretary; Christopher Pollydore as Organising Secretary; Tracey Liverpool as Public Relations Officer. The committee members are Kevin Joseph , Eusi Francis and Hubert Wade.

The association also decided that female national players, Shanua Chester and Nichola Jacobs will alternate as female basketball representatives to the executive body where special emphasis will be made to formalise the playing of the sport among the females in the town. Kerwin Abrams will be the refereeing and table officials’ representative.

Simon, speaking at the AGM on January 10, at the Mackenzie Sports Club Lounge, said he was elated “to report that we are making some progress in some areas, but we still have a lot of work ahead of us.”