Brusches’ Basketball Classic begins this weekend

Aug 17, 2009 Sports

Second annual event launched yesterday

By Edison Jefford

The much-anticipated second annual Brusches’ Basketball Classic was launched yesterday at the Linden Economic Advancement Programme building and promises to be an all-star affair featuring top clubs in Linden and Georgetown.

ITS HERE AGAIN!!! Seated from lift are Clive Brusche, Abdullah Hamid and Junior Angel following yesterday’s press conference while Linden club representatives proudly display their jerseys in the background.

Defending champions, Courts Pacesetters and Ravens are the two clubs from the City that were invited to the super-eight knockout tournament. The championship officially gets on the way Friday night with a double-header.

Games will be played at both the Mackenzie Sports Club court in Linden and at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall in Georgetown. The teams from Linden include Bulls, Royals, Jets, Pistons, Kings and the re-emerging Eagles.

The event is definitely set to ignite the Georgetown/Linden rivalry with GT’s number one and two seeded clubs taking on six from the Mining Town. The winner gets $100,000 as second and third place pockets $60,000 and $40,000.

“This is not an LABA (Linden Amateur Basketball Association) tournament. It was given sanction by the LABA. This is not the past when a lot of things were done incorrectly,” Abdullah Hamid told clubs and the media yesterday.

The LABA President was responding to questions that surrounded the transparency of the event. Linden clubs wanted to assure that their awards and prize monies would be safe as the tournament proceeds over a week’s period.

“The Money will be lodged at the LABA on Thursday and clubs will be informed. When the money is lodged, we normally get a slip. I will bring that slip on game nights to show to all the clubs,” Hamid assuredly vowed.

He said he has no “friends” when in comes to the association’s business. Each club in the Mining Town received their jerseys yesterday while Georgetown clubs are to receive the outfit at a later date. Linden clubs were represented.

In addition to the t-shirts for clubs, each referee will be fully uniformed. This newspaper was told that new International Basketball Federation (FIBA) referees, Aubrey Younge and Lugard Mohan are to officiate at the event.

They will join Sherwin Henry as the leading referees while other officials will lend all the necessary support. Security will be provided for the safety of the referees, players and the spectators throughout the tournament.