Guyana trash T&T 3-0 in first int’l basketball sweep in 1997

Dec 14, 2009 Sports

Dear Editor,

Playing under the captaincy of two times Caricom All Star Guard Ravens basketball club’s Lugard Mohan, Guyana National Basketball team triumphed three nil for the first time in a Goodwill International Series hosting Trinidad and Tobago at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall April of 1997.

Guyana took the ascendancy in game one with a commanding 75 to 66 points victory. Skipper Lugard Mohan led from the front with 19 points, Rawlwin Loncke 16 points, Remington Ram 14 points and Lancelot Loncke 11 points and 12 rebounds. For Trinidad and Tobago Ashley Bynoe scored 16 points, Dennison Charles 12 points and Veteran Deryck James 12 points.

In game two the Twin Island Republic fought to the end but the “Land of many Waters” still triumph 81 to 74. Rawlwin Loncke led all scorers with 21 points; he also had 10 rebounds. Lorenzo Withrite supported with 19 points and 9 rebounds. Captain Lugard Mohan 13 points and Lancelot Loncke 12 points and 13 rebounds, while for Trinidad and Tobago; Ashley Bynoe top scored with 12 points, Darien Baptiste 11 points and Dennison Charles 10 points.

In game three the brooms came out. Guyana completed its first international sweep with a devastating 76 to 67 points victory. Power centres Lorenzo Withrite and Lancelot Loncke created havoc with (double doubles). Withrite finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds while Loncke had 18 points and 12 rebounds. Rawlwin Loncke supported the deadly duo with 13 points, while for Trinidad and Tobago, Darien Baptiste and Raymond Joseph scored 14 points each.

The historical squad Guyana team was:

Lugard Mohan – Captain

Lorenzo Withrite

Lancelot Loncke

Rawlwin Loncke

Remington Ram

Dane Kendall

Floyd Manifold

Bruce Davis

Horace Hodges

Marvin Franklyn

Barney Prescott

Orin Mohan

Marcon Parris

Alwyn Wilson

Dwayne De Jesus

Tieran Caesar – Coach

Bernard Daniels – Assistant Coach

In June of 1998, the Guyana National team swept the Washington DC Jammers 4 nil at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall but that series was used to select Guyana’s Caricom team for the Belize championship.

Charwayne Walker