CBC Championships 2020... While finances present a challenge, Hercules optimistic of successful title defence

CBC Championships 2020… While finances present a challenge, Hercules optimistic of successful title defence

Dec 16, 2019 Sports

By Calvin Chapman
Preparations are being heightened by Guyana senior mens basketball team for the defence of the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championship, which they clinched for a historic first time on July 1st 2018 at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo, Suriname.
The head coach, Junior Hercules, who is also involved in local basketball administration, shared with Kaieteur Sport that he is happy with what he sees with the squad so far and he is confident that Guyana can successfully defend their title after winning it only once since the inaugural CBC mens championship in 1981 that was hosted here at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).
However, Hercules is adamant that like other sports, funding is very important to the teams success and in 2020, he wants to be focused primarily on getting his side together to compete rather than finances.
In 2018, the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) that was headed by Nigel Hinds at that time, struggled financially to make it to the regional championships, which was pioneered by Guyanese John Yates, but the team overcame the odds being the second lowest ranked and came out successful after their somewhat tardy request of US$50,000 funding from the state was not granted.
Although, the CBC may be a bit late in detailing the exact dates and host country of the premier Basketball tournament in the region, the GABF have begun to get their self in order in terms of securing monies for the mens team title defence campaign with a budget of GYD$15million prepared to be submitted to the National Sports Commission (NSC) before the end of this month.
According to Hercules, the twin island republic of Trinidad & Tobago (T&T) will be the front runners for 2020 Championships in June-July and this will be confirmed when the CBC hosts its congress in the first quarter of 2020.
In terms of personnel, the coach is pleased with the local core of players that over just a week ago, swept a visiting Grenada national mens basketball team 3-0 in a goodwill series at the CASH. The team was without the likes of their skipper and standout player Stanton Rose and Co-captain Anthony Moe (both of whom featured in the 2018 CBC mens Championship dream team) along with Kevon Wiggins who are all U.S. based.
Rose, Moe and the local core of players may finally see the return of the talismanic Delroy James, who was a key figure in Greek side AEK Athens winning the 2019 FIBA Intercontinental Cup in Brazil, to Guyanas national side; an addition that will significantly boost an already ominous looking side.

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