Basketball’s changing of the guard

Sep 01, 2015 Sports

By Edison Jefford

The timing of this weekend’s Colts vs Half Mile Bulls Basketball Final for the Forbes Burnham Memorial title could not have been more appropriate for a sport that is in desperate need for the emergence of not only new talents, but other competitive and successful teams.
The Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) brought together the top eight clubs from across Guyana in a knockout competition over the past two weeks at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
One of Guyana’s foremost clubs for some time, Dyna’s Ravens was the first major causality on the opening weekend, losing to Linden’s Victory Valley Royals. Colts won on that weekend to also advance to the semi-final stage of the tournament.
Ravens were National Champions last year and represented about 50 percent of the players called to the National Team that went to the Caribbean Championships in the British Virgin Islands this year. National Coach, Darcel Harris is also Ravens’ Coach. That was to add perspective to the dominance of Ravens and how importantly it was positioned in the national basketball framework. Ravens being booted in the first round of the major tournament represent the beginning of a changing of the guard in local basketball.
This phenomenon was further confirmed last weekend when underdogs Half Mile Bulls trampled current National Champions, Pacesetters in a semi-final game. Colts defeated Royals in the other semi-final to also advance.
In what can be called an unprecedented development, there will be no Ravens, Pacesetters, Jets or Royals winning a major basketball title in Guyana. Two emerging teams in Linden and Georgetown will play for honours Saturday night at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) Hard Court.
Pacesetters and Royals will play for third place; the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) affiliated Colts and Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA) allied Bulls Finale reflects a shift in dynamics for the self-proclaimed dynasties.
For one, the movement of players like Michael Turner from Pacesetters to his origin, Bulls should be applauded and encouraged at the level of the federation, even in policy. It serves as a lesson to educate the GABF on its player-trade policy, if one exists.
Too many players weaken their foundation or home teams through ad hoc trade processes that have a negative effect on the overall development of the club, and by extension, the sport. There should be amendments to the Constitution of the federation, which ensures that the best players from weaker clubs play there for a particular time to develop the team. The bouncing around of top players from club to club has an adverse effect on emerging teams. Turner’s return to Bulls reflected on the stats sheet. He, along with obviously the team’s leader, Terron Welch, is a major reason why they are in the final.
Welch, a national junior guard/forward, who made his senior debut this year, dropped 35 points on Pacesetters to put his team in contention. Welch gave the federation the fodder in needed to move on from the customarily old faces it relied on in the last decade.
Whether or not Colts will get their leader, point guard, Dave Causway in the Mining Town this weekend, the GABF inaugural Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham Memorial title will be purely contested with a non-traditional team emerging Champions.

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Basketball’s changing of the guard

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