Cuba, the only Olympic medalist to play at the National Sports Hall, May 1977

Sep 18, 2016 Sports

Statistician Charwayne Walker recollects today that the only time an Olympic medal winning country graced the floors of the National Sports Hall was May 1977 when the 1972 Olympic Bronze Medalist Cuba National

The members of the Guyana basketball team that faced Cuba’s bronze medalist back in 1977 during their tour here.

Team trounced Guyana three nil.

The Cuban star players were Luis Calderon, Angel Padron, Alfred Fenti Spencer and Florian Ferrer. The Guyanese hero of the series was Raven’s Aubrey Chalmers, who finished the three match series with an aggregate of 55 points averaging 18.3 points per game. His 31 points in Game Two was the highest score of the series. Chalmers received admirable support from skipper Mike Brusche, Orin Cumberbatch, Compton Hinds and the Fitzalbert brothers Melroy and Merton. Eon ‘Watusti’ Andrews was in his debut series.

Game one

Venue: National Sports Hall

Result: Cuba won 72 to 43. Olympic star Luis Calderon top scored with a game high 22 pts, Angel Padron 14 pts, Alfredo Fenti Spencer 10 pts. Aubrey Chalmers top scored for Guyana with 14 pts, Orin Cumberbatch 13 pts.

Game Two

Venue: National Sports Hall

Result: Cuba won thriller 74 to 72. Luis Calderon 21 pts, Angel Padron 18 pts, Alfredo Spencer 14 pts. Aubrey Chalmers had a game high and career high 31 pts, skipper Mike Brusche 18 pts, Orin Cumberbatch 15 pts.

Cuba vs Guyana B Team

Venue: National Sports Hall

Result: Cuba won 88 to 43. Luis Calderon 26 pts, Angel Padron 23 pts. For Guyana B Team: George Sharples 11 pts, Melroy Fitzalbert 10 pts, James Devonish 9 pts, Eon Andrew 9 pts and 7 rebounds.

Game Three: Cuba vs Guyana A Team

Venue: National Sports Hall

Result: Cuba won 58 to 54. Florian Ferrar 9 pts, Alfredo Spencer 9 pts, Luis Calderon 8 pts. Skipper Mike Brusche, Merton Fitzalbert top scored for Guyana with 12 pts each, while Aubrey Chalmers supported the duo with 10 pts.

Please note that Guyana featured an A Team and B Team for that historic series. The series was dubbed the friendship tour and the Cubans also walked with their Olympic Volley Ball Team which played unbeaten against the Guyana National Volley Ball Team.

The Guyana A Team vs Cuba:

Mike Brusche –Captain

Orin Cumberbatch

Aubrey Chalmers

Phillip Daniels

Brian Gonsalves

Neil Williamson

Merton Fitzalbert

Compton Hinds

Keith Hinds

Hewley Harry

Keith Alexander

Guyana B Team vs Cuba 1977

Melroy Fitzalbert –Captain

Duke

Eldrich Watson

Leon Somerset

Eon Andrews

Brentnol Carmichael

George Sharples

Trevor Paul

James Devonish

Pelham Vigilance

Michael Lgte

Shannon Patterson

Hewley Henry- Coach

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