Compliments of former West Indies and Guyana player, Steven Jacobs, each member of the winning team at this weekend’s Rawle Toney 3×3 Classic at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, will receive a championship gold ring.

Three years ago, the former Guyana Amazon Warriors player launched his Jacobs Jewellery and Pawn Shop business in Georgetown and has since blossomed to be one of the country’s leading jewellery establishments.

Apart from crafting some of the finest pieces of jewellery, Jacobs, through his establishment, has been supporting Guyana’s top athletes and sporting events.

“This is amazing!” Toney exclaimed in excitement at adding a first-of-its-kind incentive for basketball’s shortest format in Guyana.

“The first tournament that saw the winning team receiving rings was held almost two decades ago in Linden. Thanks to Steven (Jacobs), I think this will add to the legacy of my 3X3 tournament and give the players something they can have for the rest of their lives,” Toney said.

The sports journalist, who first held the tournament in 2019, added that “the incentives offered in the tournament is to set it apart from others, not just in Guyana, but across the Caribbean. So when folks hear about the Rawle Toney 3X3 Classic, they’ll want to come to Guyana and play. I’m extremely grateful to Steven and his establishment for coming on board.”

Meanwhile, in giving an update on the two-day basketball extravaganza, Toney revealed that COVID-19 played a major role in affecting some of the overseas teams’ participation.

“There were several teams from overseas that were booked to arrive as early as Thursday, but so far two of them pulled out because some of their players tested positive for COVID-19. Nonetheless, I’m happy that Martinique, Suriname and two teams from New York are still in and will be competing,” Toney said.

Apart from Mackeson, the Guyana Lottery Company and Hennessy, FireSide Grill, Bush Cook, Stuff, MVP Sports, FK Sports, Shi Oil, Brother’s Security, The Muse Bar, Pressy’s Gift Shop and 94.1FM are some of the other sponsors.

Jump ball time is 6:00 pm nightly. Toney stated that while admission is free, as per COVID-19 regulations by the National Task Force, there’s a limited number of patrons that will be allowed at the country’s premier indoor facility.