Grenada basketballers arrive for 3-night friendly against Guyana

Dec 06, 2019 Sports

Tournament starts tonight at CASH

Number sixth ranked at the 2018 Caribbean Basketball Championship Grenada arrived here yesterday to battle defending CBC Champions Guyana in a three-match Goodwill tournament from tonight at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The Grenada team standing, while sitting (from left) Guyana Coach Junior Hercules, GOA head K Juman Yassin, GABF President Mike Singh, Grenada Coach Joseph and Grenada Manager Ronald Johnson.

The action in the friendly series, organised to provide exposure and competition for the Ball weavers, is scheduled to commence at 20:00hrs and admission is $300.
At the head table yesterday were Guyana’s Head Coach Junior Hercules, President of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) Michael Singh, President of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) the long serving K. Juman Yassin and Grenada’s Head Coach ‘Naka’ Joseph.
Yesterday’s launching of the series was held at Palm Court Club on Main Street Georgetown and Singh told the gathering, which included the team from the Spice Isle, that more tournaments like this are needed.
“More basketball tournaments are needed in Guyana, not to only provide exposure and competition for the local players but to encourage teams to come here and help to build sporting Tourism,” the GABF Head declared.
The Grenadians will face a Guyana team without most of the players who participated in the CBC and are being used as preparation for the 2020 CBC.
Singh informed that there are no more competitions for the side but the Federation is planning two tournaments before the CBC and said Grenada is likely to hold a reciprocal tournament next year.
Yassin spoke of many benefits for Guyana hosting sporting Events like this and told the visiting team that three days is too little time for them to sample what Guyana has to see since the real beauty of this Country is outside of the City.
“I must commend the Grenada Olympic Association for helping to fund this team getting here,” Yassin added.
Hercules said this tournament was in the making a long time ago and revealed that it became a reality through many conversations between himself and Joseph.
“Through our several conversations we realised how much shared similar limitations in organising Basketball tournaments and getting funding. We are planning to give some young players a chance in this tournament,” informed Hercules.
Joseph said he was delighted to be here and reiterated what Coach Hercules said about this venture coming to fruition.
“Although the Guyanese are not playing most of the players who played in the 2018 CBC we are expecting competitive Basketball since we are aware of the strength of Guyana’s basketball and I know it an exciting and entertaining three days. I hope the fans come out in large numbers and show their support to what promises to be high standard Basketball,” concluded the visiting Coach. (Sean Devers)