Latest update December 23rd, 2024 3:40 AM
“Mecca V was a huge success” – Nigel Hinds -Anthony Moe confirms participation for Guyana in FIBA Americas qualifiers
Anthony Moe (with ball) on the go during his game-leading performance of 27 points for Dynas Ravens in a losing cause against Bounty Colts in Mecca V final. He’s confirmed his participation for Guyana next month.
Eleven teams were unsuccessful in dethroning the Georgetown based Bounty Colts as the national champions; one club from Berbice, four from Linden and six from the capital city, as Colts played undefeated to win a historic third consecutive National Club Basketball Championship when Road to Mecca V concluded at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) last Saturday.
During an interview yesterday with Kaieteur Sport, head of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF), Nigel Hinds; whose administration was responsible for hosting the event, posited that in its fifth year, Mecca was a huge success being the tournament with the highest total prize money in the Caribbean.
The competition had 34 games, competed over 11 playing days, and capped off with the grand finale that included an entertaining pre-final performance by Guyana’s own recording artiste Timeka Marshall, who engaged and had the entire Sports Hall on their feet. In addition, performances by Tiffani Bonner and Euphoria Dance Group along with the GABF cheerleaders did a splendid job, which Hinds believes could be a stepping stone for sports-entertainment in Guyana; with Basketball the focus in this instance.
“We were pleased with the fan attendance throughout the tournament and especially in the final night which had a decent turnout that was significantly affected by the inclement weather which included thunderstorms and parts of the city being flooded. Despite that, on the final we saw a turnout more than triple the average amount during the round-robin phase,” Hinds noted.
The National Club Championships is usually held in the latter part of the year but due to Guyana’s upcoming participation in the FIBA Americas qualifying tournament in Suriname next month, the GABF’s executive decided to host the tournament early so that it can be a good platform for the players in the lead up to the event which will see both a male and female team on court for the GABF.
Hinds shared some good news for the male squad; Anthony Moe, who plays semi-professional b’ball in El Salvador, has already confirmed his availability to represent Guyana, only days after being the top performer in the Mecca V, Colts versus Ravens finals in which he was the top scorer in a losing effort for Ravens.
Head of the GABF, Nigel Hinds.
In addition, the basketball boss explained that NBA Pro-athlete, Darren Collision, who was a key player in the Indiana Pacers hard 4-3 loss to 2016 Champions Cleveland Cavaliers during the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, is an exciting potential target for the national men’s team. However, efforts to contact him are proving difficult but the GABF have vowed to keep trying. The national squad will be called into training from May 15th and will include overseas players Delroy and Gordon James.
The female team will comprise of mainly players that would’ve been discovered through the successful Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) school programme. Hinds noted that the team will be young and their participation will be a learning process with Lugard Mohan and Troy Greene being looked at as potential coach and manager for that unit. (Calvin Chapman)
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