Linden gears for Mackeson Smooth Moves basketball opening

Sep 29, 2011 Sports

– quest for NBA All-Star trip or $1M begins at MSC Sunday

With a trip to the NBA All-Star Finals in Orlando Florida or an alternative of $1M up for grabs, the Mackeson Smooth Moves 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament bounces off on Sunday at 4pm on the refurbished Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) Court in Linden.
The countrywide tournament, which will see some of Linden’s best players forming an alliance to begin their march toward the impressive first prize, is the first of its kind in the format, and the largest prize money in any format of the sport locally.
The trip to Orlando next year is still an option for the winning team, but the $1M alternative has been more on the front-burner for the organisers since the NBA League is battling to save what has been called a “lockout”. Some players have already gone overseas.
Ansa McAl’s Beer and Beverage Brand Coordinator, Nigel Worrell said that “the general talk is that most players would go for the cash and then the NBA lockout is there as well, so we’ll push the $1M first prize, but if the season restarts and there is an All-Star event, and the players chose to go, well, we will still have that open for them as planned.”
Meanwhile, registration has poured in from every corner of Guyana and as a means of generating further interest in the tournament, Ansa McAl will be hosting a Smooth Moves road show, which will be held on Thursday and Friday in Georgetown, and Friday in Berbice and Linden from 4pm each day.
The Road Show, according to the organisers, is designed to be another means for players who are still seeking information about the tournament and the 3-on-3 format of the game. FIBA has now globally recognised the 3-on-3 format as a decentralisation method.
Ansa McAl and the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) are hoping that their efforts to bring a global flair to this inaugural event are well received among the communities that result in major crows support. Lindeners are urged to support the tournament.
A mega opening is planned for MSC where Ansa McAl will officially hand over the newly built dressing room area, which they had sponsored fully. This newspaper understands that those who have made contributions to basketball in Linden will also be recognised.
Following the opening in Linden, the schedule bounces to Georgetown with Burnham Basketball Court and Albouystown hosting games; Buxton, New Amsterdam, Bartica, and Ana Regina have also been allotted games in the nationwide tournament.
With six Mackeson caps and the registration form being the entry criteria, teams comprising four players will have a chance to cash in on the prizes. The competition rules states that games will be played for 15 minutes–7½ minutes per half–with a 30 second time out in each half.
A team must consist of four players, with none being under 18 years. The organisers warned that the rules will be reinforced and if teams are found to have breached any of the rules that team has to deal with the penalties that will follow as a result. Each basket beyond the arc (three-point line) will count as two points, and buckets inside will be counting as one. The first team that reaches 21 points before the 15 minutes of play expires will be declared the winner.
To start the game, the two team captains will flip a coin and after every basket, the defensive team will have possession. A four foul limit per-player rule will be effect with substitutions being made when the ball is dead. Unlike the usual game, one referee will be in charge along with one person responsible for keeping time and scoring.

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