“Mecca 6 a definite no in 2020” – Mike Singh

Sep 20, 2020 Sports

No basketball club C/ships since 2018

By Calvin Chapman

What many basketball fans and players have feared since the elongated lockdown period due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases in Guyana has finally been confirmed by head of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) Mike Singh.

Raiders’ Keon Cameron attempts a jump during Mecca 5.

Ravens’ Anthony Moe jumps through hapless Colts defenders before scoring a layup. (Calvin Chapman photo)

Speaking exclusively to Kaieteur Sport, the administrator with much regret indicated that the National Club Championship, which is usually dubbed Road to Mecca or Mecca, will not be contested this year, which will see the usual 12-team tournament being contested at least three years after the lucrative Mecca 5 that was run off in 2018.
He stated that, “It’s a definite no in terms of Mecca 6. We have some alternatives we would like to close the year out with but we have to take into consideration the safety of our athletes and officials. The fight against the deadly virus is still ongoing locally and we are urging everyone to follow the guidelines of local health officials.”
Singh contended that when Mecca 6 is finally hosted again, it will have the same energy or even surpass the fanfare of previous tournaments.
In Mecca 5, eleven teams (one club from Berbice, four from Linden and six from the capital city) were unsuccessful in dethroning the Georgetown based Bounty Colts as the national champions as

2017 and 2018 Mecca MVP Shain Webster of Colts.

they played undefeated to win a historic third consecutive National Club Basketball Championship. Even Ravens that lost in the final couldn’t stop the Stanton Rose lead team even after acquiring Semi-pro player Anthony Moe.
The 2018 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.
Singh shared with Kaieteur Sport that Guyana’s overseas based players inclusive of Moe, Rose and Kevon Wiggins have all indicated their willingness to contest in the Mecca 6 next year which will definitely raise the level of competition of the premier local basketball event.
Even more exciting, Singh disclosed that talks are being held with other CBC territories to host a ‘Champion of Champions’ basketball tournament, annually, which will allow the next winner of the Mecca to represent the ‘land of many waters’. Suriname and Guyana are the frontrunners of the initiative, while Turks & Caicos and some other small islands have show interest.

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