… Tournament to bounce off on Saturday in Linden

SEVERAL of Guyana’s top ‘ballers’ will join forces and represent their respective associations – Linden, Georgetown and Berbice – not to claim which area is the best in the sport, but for a spot on the country’s National Team for the July 1-12 Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) in the British Virgin Island (BVI). 

One of the oldest, most interesting rivalries in the sport will set the perfect platform for the tournament when it bounces off on Saturday at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground with Linden, the home side, taking on Georgetown.
The core players of the country’s national set-up hail from the two areas, and why not? History shows that every tournament that features countrywide participation at all levels is won by teams from either area.
History also shows that most of the players that have left a lasting impression on the game come from either Linden or Georgetown. Sorry, no disrespect intended, Berbice.
With Tortola in sight, president of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) Nigel Hinds made it clear that “the performance of the players in the feature games will be one of the factors used for selection to the GABF Male and Female National Squad for training during the month of June”
Hinds pointed out that his Federation has already started reaching out to the government and corporate stakeholders to fund the $12M budgeted and needed for Guyana’s Men and Women teams to be represented at CBC Seniors Championship.
“The greatest pride athletes feel is to successfully represent their country and the GABF will make every effort to ensure that Guyanese basketball players are represented at the CBC games and given the opportunity to bring glory to their country by competing and winning,” Hinds said.
Meanwhile, action in the tournament continues on Sunday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall when Georgetown face Berbice, following a second division supporting game between Ravens and Pacesetters and Republic Nets versus The President’s Basketball U-19 team.
The series will conclude in the mining town of Linden on Saturday, May 31 where after two decades Linden will host Berbice in the final feature game with the penultimate game being played between the senior female players from Georgetown and Linden.
Asked about how optimistic is the GABF of a successful tournament, Hinds stated that after the conclusion of the National Club Championship which was seen as the rebirth of basketball at the National level, fans have been enquiring about another tournament which proves that the basketball-loving public are starved for more action.
“The responses we’ve gotten from people suggest that the players will enjoy great support. We’ve been marketing this tournament heavily and using all means necessary to get the support from the public we need,” said Hinds.

(By Rawle Toney)