GABF senior team not ready for release

Aug 03, 2010 Sports

Floyd Levi

Robert Cadogan

Andrew Ifill

– Ifill expresses his availability

By Edison Jefford

The Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) has identified the names of possible players for its senior male national team for the upcoming International Series, but is not ready to release those names because of “fine-tuning” that has to be done.
“We are fine-tuning it (the team) it’s not ready for release. It’s in the process of being ready” the GABF Senior Vice-President, Floyd Levi confirmed yesterday. He said that there are issues with the out-of-town players that have to be sorted out before the release.
Appointed National Coach, Robert Cadogan had earlier told Kaieteur Sport that the Linden based players especially were “no-shows” at the practice sessions. Cadogan indicated that he will have to work with what he has. He said he has some committed players.
“I’m going to work with what I have at my disposal. As it is now, I don’t know what is the issues with those players (in Linden), but I have noted the commitment of some players and they are the players that I will work with,” Cadogan said when contacted.
Bobby, as he is commonly known locally, informed that he has communicated with Andrew Ifill, who is based in Trinidad and Tobago, and he has expressed his availability for the national team, which would only strengthen their chances in the looming series.
Levi said that he made some calls to the President of the Linden Amateur Basketball Federation, Abdulla Hamid, who is also the Technical Director at the Federation, but those proved futile. He said he was interested in getting a word on the status of those players.
The male teams that are confirmed are Guyana, Washington D.C Jammers, New York All-Stars and South Carolina All-Stars and the female teams are Guyana, South Carolina All-Stars and the Washington D.C Women that also have a few Canadian players. Antigua and Barbuda are also down to compete in the male tournament, but apparent difficulties with flight arrangement are proving a big major problem for them. The Godwin McPherson Lien Trophy will be at stake in the inaugural mega-tournament.
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Fred Collins survives close encounter to cart off Emancipation Scrabble tourney

Caribbean Scrabble Champion, Fred Collins endorsed his status when he defeated a group of the country’s top scrabble players to cart off the honours when the Guyana Association of Scrabble Players (GASP) staged the Emancipation Open Championships at the Malteenoes Sports Club Thomas Lands, yesterday afternoon. He registered 5 1/2 points and a positive spread of 499.
James Krakowsky, absent from the winners’ row for quite sometime, rebounded to take the second place after amassing 4 games and a positive spread of 227 while Julian Skeete chalked up 4 games and a positive spread of 144 to close off the podium positions. Ruby Cummings also won four games but was confined to the fourth place by dint of a lower positive spread of 83.
Collins started his journey to the top with a first game drubbing over Michael Benjamin (162) before defeating tournament favourite, Moen Gafoor (48) in the second set. Grace Hercules fared no better in the final game before lunch and surrendered by a spread of 44 and Collins closed off the morning sessions on 3 games and a positive spread of 254.
Krakowsky surrendered his inaugural game to RO Michael (5) but rebounded with wins over Kamta Ramnarine (25) and Maurice Munroe (15).
Rejuvenated after the lunch break, Collins defeated Orlando Michael (64) and then replicated the feat against Krakowsky (181). His final game against veteran player, Ulric Harris was a humdinger. The two players battled right down to the last play but neither was able to break the deadlock. With the game tightly locked Collins occupied the triple word slot with the word ‘equip.’ Undaunted, Harris countered with ‘thrills’ and when the bonus 50 points were added to the regular points, both players tallied 426 points. The tie failed to deny Collins of his glory since he had already laid a firm foundation in the preceding games.
The next event on GASP calendar of activities is the Junior Scrabble tournament for players between the ages of 11-18 slated for Saturday August 21 next.
The championship would be held in the pavilion of the Malteenoes Sports Club Ground, Thomas Lands and competitors would be vying for more than $50,000 in cash and prizes. The tournament will consist of 4 rounds with each round lasting approximately 1 hour with a half hour break after the completion of the first 2 rounds.
This tournament is an integral part of the GASP pilot project to introduce the sport into the schools while enlightening youths about the intricacies of the sport. Participants are asked to walk with their school badges as a part of the entrance criteria and only the first 30 registrants will be allowed to play in the tournament which gets underway at 09:30hrs. The registration process has already begun and interested persons may call telephone numbers 600-2870, 621-8176, or 623-9568 to be a part of the competition. Registration closes on August 18.