THE Guyana basketball fraternity at home and abroad are saddened by the passing of basketball legend, former national player and coach, Hewley Henry, who has passed away at the age of 83. The Ravens Basketball Club’s former coach, mentor and father-figure, transitioned on Wednesday, August 7, in Texas in the United States where he migrated with his family. Henry passed quietly surrounded by his immediate family members.
The trusted Hewley Henry had quite a reputation and warm demeanour and many young players admired him for this.

Canada-based former outstanding National guard, Aubrey Chalmers, who played with the Ravens Club and who grew up playing under Henry’s tutelage as a student at Christ Church Secondary School where Henry was a teacher said: “Hewley was instrumental in moulding me into what I have become in my adult life. He was a coach that was way ahead of his time and as I look at the NBA and other leagues of international basketball, I can visualise many of the systems that Hewley taught us since the early seventies.”
Another United States-based former Ravens standout, sharpshooter and national player George Sharples was vociferous in his praise of Hewley. “As a player many of Ravens successful plays were developed and engineered by Hewley who can be described as our setter in our offensive rotations.
I can remember one particular game under lights on Burnham court when Eagles sprinted ahead with a thirty points’ lead. The crowds were leaving the court but at half time Hewley called us together and urged us to settle down and play ‘our brand’ of basketball. He had and displayed the confidence that we could have won. And yes, we erased that deficit and won.”

Former National Captain, Lugard Mohan, who was one of the country’s elite players and who donned the colours for Ravens Basketball Club, now resident in the United States when contacted remarked: “My sincere condolences to the family, relatives, friends and teammates of fallen Ravens Legend Hewley Henry. I was fortunate to have met him and given him his flowers. He paved the way for us, set the standards and left the blueprint for us not only on the court as a basketball player, but off the court as well-being kind and humble. RIP Legend”
United States-based former journalist Naisan Chapman aka Al McDonald offered: “A disciplinarian, a teacher, a beloved Guyanese basketball coach crossed the river of life onto the great beyond a few days ago in Houston Texas after moulding scores of young men and women from St Ambrose, Christ Church schools, RAVENS BASKETBALL CLUB, and Burnham Court enthusiasts into exceptional and noteworthy individuals, some of whom represented the Land of many waters (Guyana) at the national level. His name was and is HEWLEY HENRY and certainly will be remembered in the annals of time in the historical volumes of the Dear Land of Guyana, El Dorado”.

Ron Pickering another United States-based former national player gave his thoughts on Henry’s passing by saying “It is great respect and reverence that I present a tribute on behalf of my brothers and sisters of the Guyana Basketball Sport Discipline. Hewley or Yul or Goldfarb (dependent in which social circle of his life you navigated) wore numerous hats in his area of expertise and he excelled in all categories. Many can attest to his benevolence and selfless contribution to their personal professional development. He was popular and wore his popularity as a distinguished Paladin.
From a personal perspective Yul was my mentor, a personal friend, my coach and an elder brother. We shared both the local and International Basketball scenery of British Guiana and Guyana National Teams. The accolades we received are too numerous to mention. Yul was considered a skillful ambidextrous tenacious player coach.”

Former National Player and FIBA Referee Cecil Chin had this to say about Henry: “Hewley was an outstanding basketball personality, dedicated father and husband and the man who played, coached and the man who was instrumental in the lives of many young men and women, causing them to become National Players and also well-beloved citizens who have made significant contributions to Nation Building.
Encountering Coach Henry was unavoidable as he was always on the lookout for those who showed potential.

Having established himself in the early 19 sixties as a player and coach with one of the first clubs, ‘The Ravens’, and is still one of the existing Basketball Clubs in Guyana, he became a household name in all aspects of the game and beyond.
As a youngster, watching him playing with his teammates was enough to inspire me for wanting to play the game and of course, ‘catch his eye’.

He was the first ambidextrous player, switching from right to left hand as he skillfully shot the ball and scored consistently with unwavering accuracy. His knowledge and leadership qualities earned him the right to lead Guyana’s teams both locally and internationally.”
Former National captain Eon ‘Watusi’ Andrews remembers: “Hewley Henry (Old Forbes) and Ravens Coach, took me out of a small East Ruimveldt 3rd Division team (Magicians) and developed me into one of the best (they say) Guyana Basketball Centre. It was also during his tenure as National Coach that I was elevated to the esteemed position of National Captain. Sleep on ‘Old Forbes’.” (Joe Chapman)