By Joe Chapman

Tributes are flowing in following the passing of former national shooting guard Wayne Andries who was known as ‘Fat Wayne” and Bouncer to the basketball community.

Andries died on Saturday after a brief fight with cancer in the United States where he migrated with his family in 1996.

Since his passing, several former national players and coaches have paid tributes to this outstanding player who first played for the Wismar Pistons basketball club of Linden before donning national colours.

Robert Byass, the former national centre who formed the Wismar Pistons with Andries and Lloyd Ross in 1989, said he was saddened when he visited his friend last week in hospital. He said he had known Wayne as a very serious player who looked out for his players and would do anything to represent their cause.

Former national player and coach, Abdulla Hamid, who was one of the four Linden players who played their first Caricom Championship with Andries at the Jamaica-held 1991 CBC championships, extended his deepest condolences to the family of one of the best players ever to come out of the mining town.

Hamid said ‘Fat Wayne’ was a player who would push you to the limit of your abilities. Hamid noted: “The things we marvel at with Steph Curry now is what we had seen executed by ‘Fat Wayne’ back then in the early 1990s, as he would know shots down from just inside the half of his opponents.

Andries was known as ‘Bouncer’ for his aggression and former national coach and player during Andries heydays, Robert Cadogan, remembers his opponent and playmate at the senior national level as “an aggressive, serious, vociferous player with ‘belly’ who gave it his all”.

Cadogan, who is based in the United states said “I remember when he was representing Wismar Pistons and then as he progressed, we used to know who was the starting five for Linden and I was assigned to mark him in Linden/ Georgetown encounters, as he would called Mr. Shot Put,’
But one of Cadogan’s fondest memories, he recalled, was when playing in the National Club Basketball championship in the 1990s, Andries dropped a record 57 points game against the Pacesetters, but the lone consolation was that Pacesetters came away with a double overtime victory.

Former national women’s coach, Linden ‘Sancho’ Alphonso said “I visited him in the hospital on Thursday and had a reality check. Kinda put life in perspective.”

Looking back, he said of Andries: ”Actually…I have never seen a player close to Wayne before or after his time. I have to mention those signature shots from way downtown, rainbow threes that characterized him. He was probably the roughest player I have ever seen locally (the only other player in that conversation is Alwyn Wilson) that under achieved due to his nonchalant approach to the game. Yet he was good enough to leave his mark. Back-to-back 50 plus points at the sportshall in a national club championship,  never done before or after.”

Alphonso also recalled that Andries was in his opinion “the best local player on show against the German semi pro team. Subject to correction, I think he had scores of 18 and 19 when almost everybody else, Dayne Kendall was the other exception, seemed intimidated by the 7-footers. Andries led a dominant Wismar Pistons team in the 90s up to when he migrated.

Former FIBA referee and national player, Cecil Chin, was moved by Andries passing, noting:“Wayne was one of a string of players (guard) who possessed the skills and attitude of an intelligent basketball player. He played at every level with a passion that gave selectors no choice but to be elevated to wear the national uniform which, I must say, with a quality degree of pride.”

Chin continued “Watching him deliver for his team in Linden tournaments were usually challenging, but when it came to the big clash–Linden vs Georgetown– here is where his passion for winning became obvious.

He continued, “Playing alongside his teammates, including Auric Tappin many times, he outshone all on the floor for both teams. I conclude by saying he was not on the ‘national’ for very long, but during the time he made his presence felt. He, in my opinion, is worthy of being mentioned alongside the outstanding guards of his time, the likes of Mark Agard, Auric Tappin, Lugard Mohan, Cecil Melville; just to name a few.”

“My condolences to his family, and the fraternity of Linden thank you for the opportunity of being able to make a contribution to a stalwart of the game we all love. It is a pity that we only mention these hallmark achievements of our players when they pass on,” Chin concluded.