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Beepat Scorpions All-Star Analysis: Linden has impetus with balance

Nov 05, 2009 Sports

By Edison Jefford
The Linden Amateur Basketball Association went straight to their best players when they were asked to select a 10-man All-Star Senior team for the All-Star Weekend and that, as it proved afterward, may provide their momentum.
There was no naming of a squad or any shifting and moving players around; there was no level of uncertainty whatsoever because Linden knew who their All-Stars were and that is what they required on their list from the first instance.
Except for Louis James, who was probably selected because of his improvement this year in divisional tournaments, the other nine players on the Linden Senior All-Star side are as close as one would get to a Championship team.
Kings’ Jason Alonzo is a senior national centre, towering over 6’5” and he may not finish his games with a dozen points, but the lanky Lindener understands his role which is often to intimidate in the paint with block shots and rebounds.
Alonzo finishes most of his local games with over 10 blocks and over 15 rebounds and he is quite happy with that role. The All-Star player knows that his defensive presence is one of the major factors on any team he represents.
Then there is one of the best forwards in Guyana, Dwayne ‘Sugar’ Roberts, who made an indelible mark on local basketball when he went to Australia as a junior in sure detection of his skill, basketball brain and definite athleticism.
Roberts has a shrewd inside and outside game that often separates him from many players in the same position. He has that 15-foot jumper that he executes to perfection if there are no inside spaces for him to get to the board. ‘Sugar’ is about 6’4” and Neil Marks, playing in the same position, has approximately the same height. The only difference is that Marks has a lethal sharp shooting game that often surprise defences because of his inside prospects.
Marks is a big guy that drives and shoots as opposed to that rigid post-up, paint game that so many enthusiasts expect him to play. Marvin Hartman, the team’s 6’3” shooting guard, will lethally and generally cooperate with Marks.
Linden therefore has four of their Senior All-Star players towering over 6’3” and it is not the height alone that matters for those players but they are fundamentally capable of what their coach will ask them to execute Sunday night.
Coming down the ranks Linden has once again called on the services of the best ‘garbage player’ in the country, Quincy ‘Prag-Z’ Jones, who will clean up the rebounds and points off the loose balls. Jones is a huge sneaky player.
He was one of the factors that help lead North Ruimveldt to their Inter-Ward Georgetown Championship earlier this year after making a guess appearance, and he was also a major presence when Pistons won the National Championship.
Trevor Profitt will be Linden’s x-factor. He is also from Wismar Pistons and has held the leadership role on his team for quite sometime. Profitt is a forward that can shoot and will lend support to Hartman and Marks off the bench.
To further emphasise the balance of the All-Star Senior team, Kevin ‘Two-Feet’ Joseph is up for analysis. The pint-sized Jets guard will be the eyes and ears for the ‘big men’ at the top of the key with his nippy crossovers and passes.
Joseph returned to the local scene at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall earlier this year when he led Jets to the semi-final of the Next Level Entertainment Nation-wide tournament and a placing among the top three teams in Linden.
His match-ups will be interesting because Joseph enjoys taking on defenders, adding flare and ‘Showtime’ to his plays. Once Joseph brings his ‘A’ game to the All-Star Weekend, a riveting display of skill can be expected from the guard.
These are the players that Linden will depend on to give them their second straight title at this weekend. The other players on the All-Star senior team are Nevin Grenville who will play point and Neil Simon, also at point guard.

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