Latest update January 22nd, 2025 3:14 AM
Latest News
- Gazans’ joy at ceasefire dims as they visit ruined homes, dig for the dead
- Teen remanded for stealing cattle and horse
- Miner shot during shoot-out at Lethem, one arrested
- Vendor charged with firearm possession tells court he was disarming robber
- Ex-cop in court for allegedly defrauding persons by pretending to have Housing Ministry connections
Something went horribly wrong in Tortola
By Edison Jefford
Forensic analysis has become common parlance for most Guyanese in this post-election era that necessitated righting the many perceived wrongs. It will not be ad hoc if a forensic study is done to ascertain information as to where Guyana’s male basketball team went wrong in the Caribbean Championships in Tortola.
Guyana’s National Basketball Team along with management poses for their official CBC photo in Tortola, BVI last week. (www.caribbeanbasketball.com photo)
This team left these shores with the hope of at least a Final Four place after it finished fifth last year. Instead, Guyana finished tenth overall this year, albeit costing Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) in excess of $5 million.
The GABF procured the funding from Government, and with a shrewd finance expert at the helm of the federation, it is almost certain that there will be an investigation into Guyana’s substandard performance at the just-concluded Caribbean Championships.
Nigel Hinds, who knows all about accountability, being the head of Hinds and Associates, which is an Accounting Firm, will not let this pitiable showing slip, since he was the one who projected at minimum a Final Four place for Guyana.
The team must be held accountable since it is obvious that something went horribly wrong in the British Virgin Islands. Five million plus dollars was expended on the national team, as such, it is reasonable to expect respectable performances in return.
To allow the team to escape without analysis and/or penalties would be to deflate the Caribbean Championships as an outing or mere tour where creditable performances was never the aim. The GABF cannot set such a dangerous and comical precedent.
From fifth in 2014 to last in 2015 cannot be ignored. The financial investment in the team, which raised its profile, cannot be ignored. The nights of housing and feeding out-of-town players and a hydration process that included regular fruits for players cannot be ignored.
Psychologically, how many players approached the flagship regional basketball competition with the seriousness of knowing a significant investment was made, or knowing that what is required is nothing less than an improvement from fifth place last year?
Or did the beaches and other tourist attractions impacted the mind of players so much that they forgot the reason they were sent to Tortola? The point is the federation, as a representative of the nation, has to demand answers for Guyana’s freefall.
It is no secret that Guyana is undersized and even perhaps unskilled in certain fundamentals and in certain positions, but at least the federation created the mock situations where they played two of the teams in their group at the Caribbean Championships.
Before winging out to Tortola, Guyana had beaten Bermuda 3-0 in a series in March and lost 1-2 to Suriname in Suriname. Both Bermuda and Suriname were in Group B along with Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas and Guyana that finished without a win in the group.
Bahamas lost to Virgin Islands in the Championship game while Antigua finished third overall in the Caribbean Championships. The GABF had fancied Guyana’s chances after beating two of the four opponents in its group leading up to the competition.
But while in Tortola, the Guyanese suffered monotonous meltdowns to the point that Surinamese blew them out 81-48 in their game. They also lost heavily to The Bahamas (69-89), Antigua (60-80), and Cayman Islands (89-60); Guyana’s closest game came against Bermuda, losing 65-74 in the latter stages.
After Guyana’s campaign against an impressive Bermuda team in Guyana it was widely believed that the local players are capable of accounting for themselves against quality opponents. Guyana went to Suriname and reinforced that popular perception.
Hence, the federation fed the team with its needs from its international roster: a proper ‘big man’ in the form of US-based, Gordon James and shooting guard, Keron McKenzie. The remainder of the 12-man team came from the locally-based players.
From assessing the FIBA stats during the competition, Guyana’s overall efficiency was poor and their psychological strength and fitness in the fourth quarter were also detrimental factors. Coach Darcel Harris and Manager, Andrew Hercules should produce reports; these documents will give further insight into what really went wrong in Tortola.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Gimme de ting wah the doctor order me!
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- The government’s decision to go ahead with the universal healthcare voucher scheme is... more
OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus
Antiguan Barbudan Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The upcoming election... more
Weekend Cartoon
