SEVERAL members of the basketball fraternity are mourning the loss of former Guyana national captain, player and coach, Hewley Henry.
He died at age 83, last Wednesday in Texas where he resided.

Among those expressing their condolences are past and present administrators who have saluted the contributions to basketball made by the former Ravens’ basketball club stalwart.
From his home in the island of Barbados, one of Guyana’s basketball pioneers and founders, Ken Corsbie, was full in praise for what Hewley Henry did for the game locally.
The former Secretary of the British Guiana Basketball Association (BGBA) Corsbie said, “Yes, Hewley Henry was one of the founders of basketball in Guyana and he was a talented basketball player on the Ravens team, but he will be remembered most for his kindness and gentleness.”
St. Lucia-based former Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) President, Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira, in remembering the contributions of Henry said, “He developed himself and a Ravens team to a very high standard and they played a systematic game. They had the players who can shoot outside of the zone and players who can get inside and he had really masterminded. He was the brains behind what was now a new look Ravens club. Ravens under Henry became a very organised, systematic drilled side. There was a turning point for Guyana basketball under Hewley Henry, with Ken Corsbie as coach, where we beat Suriname for the first time in the 1960s.”

The former Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Sports Officer, who worked as Advisor to then Guyana Minister of Sports Ms. Shirley Field-Ridley in the 1970s, also noted, “Towards the end of the 1960s we began closing the gap on Suriname, and we had a three-way tournament where we beat both Suriname and Martinique at the Burnham Court.”

In fact, ‘Reds’ Perreira recalled it was a historic landmark series where British Guiana (Guyana) defeated Dutch Guiana (Suriname) for the first time.
On April 11, 1962, British Guiana (Guyana) won over Dutch Guiana (Suriname) at the Chinese Court, Cosmos, taking the first game of the three-match series, with a comfortable, 64-42, victory led by its captain, Hewley Henry, who played well for his 14 game high points.
The second game ended in victory for Dutch Guiana (Suriname), a 66-52, where Hewley with eight points, supported the efforts of Brian Dummett who top scored with 11.
In the deciding third game British Guiana defeated Dutch Guiana in a ding-dong show stopper, 61-60, with Henry again top scoring with 17 points.
The laconic Hewley Henry was Player/ Coach for Guyana at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Caracas, Venezuela in 1971 when Guyana playing at a level never experienced before, only won against their Caribbean counterparts Trinidad & Tobago.
Guyana returned to the Central American Championship in 1973 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. At that 1973 CAC championships Hewley scored 10 points in the game where Mexico humbled Guyana, 130-64. Against Panama who defeated Guyana, 124-56, Hewley netted 11 points while scoring six points for Guyana in their loss to hosts Puerto Rico, 129-62 and when Venezuela downed Guyana, 75-67, Hewley hit in eight points for Guyana.

Hewley Henry called play as Coach and Mike Brusche was captain when Guyana lost to a Chinese team 2-1 to open the National Sports Hall in November 1975.
The visiting Chinese representative team won first game 73-62, Guyana squared the series by taking the second game, 80-71, but in the final game the Chinese team prevailed 92-76.
Henry was the Head Coach when Guyana participated in the Barbados held CARICOM Basketball Championships in 1985.
Current President of the Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) Michael Singh and General Secretary, Patrick Haynes, in a joint statement wrote: “It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Hewley Henry, a cherished member of our basketball community and a true legend of the sport. Hewley Henry was not only a former national basketball player and coach who represented our Guyana with unparalleled passion and dedication, but also a beloved friend, mentor, and inspiration to many.
United States-based former GABF President, John Yates, when contacted offered: “The first interaction that I had with Hewley was that he came and coached Eagles. We were still playing B League because there were Ravens and Panthers, the big teams and there was a night that Burnham had a political meeting opposite the gardens and Eagles was playing the knockout league and we were playing Ravens. The Parade Ground was full and we ended up beating Ravens and the boys started rowing with Hewley that he coached us to bring us to that level, and, that is one of the things I would always remember about him. He never made a fuss about things.”

Canada -based former GABF President, Colonel Carl Morgan, had this to say about Henry: “My memories of Hewley Henry go back to when I was a young man following all the basketball teams of the day including Panthers, Ravens, Clowns, Eagles, Freres and others. Hewley was a young player in Ravens. He was serious, quiet and skilled. I was very busy in the GDF and was not around for most of the time.
Immediate past president of the GABF, Nigel Hinds, once said of Henry “I recall, as if it happened yesterday, when we were informed by our National Coach, Mr. Hewley Henry, at St. Stanislaus Basketball Court, that President Forbes Burnham had died; the date was August 6, 1985. The coach asked that we stop the training session and have a minute’s silence in a show of respect on the passing of our President. Hewley Henry was a staunch WPA supporter at the time, but his show of cohesion and solidarity, which involved all the players in the silent prayer, still motivates.”
“A legend in his own lifetime’” said another past president, David Patterson.

The former head of the GABF Patters said: “The entire basketball fraternity moans the loss of the legendary player and coach – Hewley Henry. My condolences are extended to his family and members of Ravens Basketball Club.
Hewley Henry came from an era of great basketball players, and through his love for the sport, laid the foundation for the future success of not only Ravens Basketball club, but the entire game of basketball – his beloved club produced several national players, all of whom can attribute their success to the discipline and systems that Hewley instilled in his club.”