ONE of the members of the first Under-18 Guyana team to beat Suriname at the Inter-Guianas Games, basketballer Alvin David ‘Zul’ Coppin, aged 61, was laid to rest Tuesday afternoon after a funeral service at Wismar Baptist Church in Sunflower Street. The body was then taken to the Bamia Cemetery for burial on the Linden Highway.

‘Zul’ Coppin was a member of that team at Burnham Court back in 1975 when the series ended 2-1 for the Guyanese who had lost their previous encounters.

Coppin was a noted player from Linden who occupied the guard position and was a spot-up shooter. The former Mackenzie High School (MHS) player represented his school at the National Inter-Secondary School championships and was spotted as a national prospect.

Among the members of that Ian Harding- led side that won the coveted Jules Sedney Trophy for the first time were Linden players Ewart Padmore and James Brusche in the 1975 series. Padmore recalled that third game which Guyana won. He said Zul had a very good game.

According to the newspaper reports about the deciding game three of that series which was locked 1-1, Guyana’s Trevor Paul and ‘Zul’ Coppin brought off two of the finest jump shots of the match to seal the issue at 61-39.”

Two members of that successful team in 1975, Brusche and Padmore, were taken aback by the passing of their friend.

Among those in attendance were close friends Clyde Brusche, Ewart Padmore, former National player Gavin ‘Poppy’ Kendall, who spotted the talent of Coppin at an early age, and Secretary (ag.) of the Linden Amateur Basketball Association, Ms June Harris.

Some of the clubs Coppin played for were McCity Knicks, YMCA, Kings, Georgetown club Zenith Warriors, the semi-professional team Hot Shots and Linden.

‘Zul’ Coppin migrated to the United States in 1982 and returned to his hometown Linden, Guyana in 1992.

He is survived by his wife Nicole, children Ronel, Godfrey, Desmond, Rita, Jacqueline, Claudette and Desiree.