Latest update December 23rd, 2024 3:40 AM
Inter-ward basketball set for intriguing return
By Edison Jefford
Basketball aficionados, players and communities in Georgetown get ready to welcome the return of one of the most competitive grassroots formats in the sport, The Trinity Grid Holdings (TGH) Pacesetters Inter-Ward Basketball Championships.
According to Chairman of the TGH Pacesetters Club, the effervescent Dennis Clarke, Inter-ward Basketball returns to the local calendar from next Saturday at the refurbished and ungraded Cliff Anderson Sports Hall that will host the 2013 edition.
Jump-ball is 8pm and McDoom/Diamond will have the honour of reviving the rivalries against Kitty/Campbellville; the last Inter-Ward Champions from 2010, Albouystown/Charlestown will then play Lodge/Meadowbrook in the feature game next Saturday night.
Dennis Clarke
“I had a meeting with all the captains and managers of the teams in the competition, and players especially, were eager to have the event back. As you know, the Inter-Ward has always been the Pacesetters own so we are bring it back,” Clarke said yesterday.
The Inter-Ward, which is a community-based tournament that usually attracts vehement support from respective communities, was last held in 2010; the following year, a programme called the National Community Basketball League (NCBL) emerged, but that was short-lived as it failed to garner the grassroots support of the more popularly known Inter-ward.
Clarke stated that the NCBL is history and the Inter-ward is back and hopefully here to stay this time. The competition was first held in 1988, interrupted for some years and then restarted 1998, where there was another lull until 2010 when it popped up again.
The Pacesetters Chairman said that the Club is looking to raise funds to have its team participate in an exchange programme in Suriname. As such, Clarke asked for the full support of respective communities to realise their primary goal in hosting the competition.
“We are looking to raise some funds to play our sister club in Suriname, Yellow Birds, who have always had a good relationship with us,” Clarke said, adding that part of the proceeds will also go toward upgrading the lighting facility at its practice venue, Burnham Court.
He said that the Suriname club had extended invitations before but for lack of funds, Pacesetters have never been able to take up the challenge. According to Clarke, systems are being finalised to host a successful Inter-Ward competition from next weekend.
What’s at stake? The winning ward will pocket $250,000 along with a trophy while second, third and fourth places get $125,000, $75,000 and $50,000 respectively. Each of the wards competing in the competition is allowed two guest players while the player with the Most Three-pointers in the tournament will be awarded the Eon ‘Wicko’ Leitch trophy; the Best Free-Throw shooter the late Stanislaus Hadman trophy; the Most Assist, the Mark Agard trophy. The Best Rebounder in the tournament will also get a trophy named after a former national player.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Chilling reminders that we are not safe
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- Georgetown was plunged into shock and terror last week after two heinous incidents laid... more
Breaking the Chains of Poverty: A need for political will
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The year 2024 has underscored a grim reality: poverty continues to be an unyielding... more
Weekend Cartoon
