… Squad to start training by June 8

IT seems as though the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation’s (GABF) cries for help certainly didn’t fall on deaf ears, as its president Nigel Hinds has disclosed that an number of overseas players are expected to converge on Guyana in an attempt to be selected on the National team. 

Guyana are set to play in the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) championship which will be held in the British province of Tortola from July 1 to 12 and Hinds made it clear that GABF would not be sending a team to just participate.
Among the teams are former Dallas Mavericks and Indiana Pacers forward Rawle Marshall who, Hinds said, has personally reached out to the GABF about wanting to play, along with Gordon Klaiber who donned the colours of the Golden Arrowhead for the first time in 2007 when the event was held in Puerto Rico.
Also expected to be on the Guyanese roster is 6’7” guard/forward Tyler Persaud, former National Andrew Ifill and sharpshooter Keron McKenzie.
“We’re very excited about having a few of these players on the team, looking at the level of which they compete professionally. It would be a good make-up of youth, skill and experience on our team.
Rawle Marshall is a player who had wanted to play for Guyana since he was with the Pacers, I believe, and it didn’t happen so now having him would certainly be a boost,” Hinds said.
The 32-year-old Marshall was born in Guyana and was a standout at Oakland University. He went undrafted and was picked up by the Dallas Mavericks and was then traded to the Pacers.
Marshall then made the journey from the NBA to Europe where he has played in some of Europe’s most competitive Leagues including Spain, Greece and now Romania.
McKenzie played for Guyana at the CBC tournament in the Bahamas and created history. His 38 points against St Vincent and the Grenadines saw him surpass Klaiber and the late Stanislaus Hadmon who both had 34 points, to become the player to score highest number of points at the Championship.
Hadmon scored 34 points against Barbados at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall at the first-ever CBC (then CARICOM Championships) tournament August 1981 while Klaiber’s 34 points was against Antigua & Barbuda 2007 in Puerto Rico.
McKenzie, according to basketball statistic guru Charwayne Walker, is also the second Guyanese player to aggregate over 100 points (103 points) in his debut CBC tournament, again joining Hadmon who aggregate 122 points in the 1981 tournament.
McKenzie, Hadmon and Klaiber are the only Guyanese to average over 20 points per game in their debut championship; Hadmon averaged 22 points per game in 1981, Klaiber 25 points per game in 2007 and McKenzie 20.6 points per in 2011.
“We’re in contact with the guys from DC Jammers who are also helping us in the process of just not only bringing down overseas players but those who actually are playing at a high level and those can make the team,” Hinds noted.
Asked how the GABF will balance the mixture of both local and overseas players, Hinds said “that would be up to the coaches.
“They are the ones who will have a look at the players because we expect them all to be here, and they (the coaches) will make the final judgment on that. The idea is to put forward the best possible team to represent us in Tortola.”
The National side will begin training from June 8 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, according to Hinds, and are expected to depart Guyana by June 29 for the prestigious Championship.

(By Rawle Toney)