Latest update May 13th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jun 09, 2014 Sports
Funding for National team still a worry
By Sean Devers
The Persaud brothers (Tyler and Damian) are already here. The siblings arrived in Guyana from Canada yesterday with their parents and paid a short visit to the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) where the local players practiced yesterday morning. The Persauds will practice with the team tomorrow.
The early arrival of the overseas players for training with the National Male Basketball team set to compete in the Caribbean Basketball Confederation 2014 Championships scheduled for Tortola, BVI running from July 1-5, is good for the Chemistry of the team says Head Coach Mark Agard.
“All the players should be here by June 24 and the overseas guys should provide good chemistry for the team, while at the same time the public will get a chance to see how the locals match up to them,” Agard said.
Agard explained that by coming in almost three weeks before the Guyanese depart for the BVI on June 29, it will also mean both the overseas and the locals will be on the same page unlike in their last tournament in the Bahamas when some of the overseas players only joined the rest of the Guyana team when they were already in the Bahamas.
The Head Coach feels the availability of overseas players who play a higher level of Basketball in their various Colleges increase in the chances of the South American’s winning by 80%.
The first Guyanese born NBA player, 32-year-old Rawle Marshall, who currently plays professional basketball in Europe, will arrive next Monday, the same day 26-year-old Ray Victor is expected to arrive from the BVI. Keron McKenzie, Andre De Florimonte and Steffon Farley are some of the other overseas players expected to vie for selection.
Former National player Lugard Mohan, regarded by many as one of the better Coaches in Guyana agreed with Agard. “I believe that the local players are close to the standard of their Regional counterparts but lack game experience at that level. The other teams have all of their overseas stars available and that makes a big difference,” Mohan opined.
Agard also feels there is not much difference in the standard of play between the Guyana players and those from the rest of the Caribbean, however, Agard says, the biggest problem faced by the Guyanese is their lack of exposure to international matches due to a lack of funding.
“We need to get a look at the overseas guys before the final touring squad is selected but we have some outstanding local guys like Akeem Kanhai, Dwayne Roberts and Jermaine Slater, but sad to say a lack of funding prevents our talented guys from getting more exposure. We are building towards a fund raising drive to get more overseas trips for our teams and have a five-year plan to take Guyana to the top of Caribbean Basketball but we need financial support,” Agard, a former National player, informed.
While 82 games are played in the NBA alone, Guyana only play about three matches at International level in a year and sometimes none at all. However, Talent Scouts will be in Tortola which should inspire the Guyanese to work for College contracts which could then lead to an NBA draft.
“If we buy 19 tickets we get one free from the airline so we are looking to go with a 20-man squad of players and officials which should give a few more players a chance to make the tour. Not only should the overseas players increase Guyana’s chances of winning but it should also force the local guys to improve their game,” Agard said.
The Guyana Head Coach informed that all of the overseas players have paid their own passage to come here and there is no guarantee that they will be selected. Once they get to Georgetown the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) will take care of them.
The Head Coach concluded by thanking everyone who contributed especially the Government and the business Community but lamented that a lot more funding is still required.
GABF President Nigel Hinds informed that all players must attend practice sessions during the last week of training so as the ‘gel’ as a team.
Hinds, a former National player, also informed that three female players will be coming to ‘beef up’ the National female side that begins their campaign in the BVI on July 8.
The GBBF top man disclosed that team uniforms will be collected in Tortola and bemoaned the fact that Basketball needs a lot of funding for its developmental programmes, adding that unlike Cricket and Football who receive funding from their parent bodies (WICB and FIFA respectively) Basketball depends on local funding and Hinds feels the Government should contribute more.
“While the lack of exposure is a problem another big problem has been migration, which has badly hurt Guyana’s basketball,” Hinds said.
Hinds opined that the training and commitment of the players is not what it should be. “Players don’t remain after practice to do extra work like the players of the past did. I hope the work ethic of the overseas players motivate the others.” He has high hopes in Ravens’ Akeem Kanhai, who he described as the face of Guyana’s basketball.
“Basketball is the fastest growing sport in Guyana but the absence of Coaches at school and club level affects the skill level of the local players. Guyana have place among the first two teams in this year’s CBC to qualify for the next level and we feel we have a great chance of winning,” Hinds said.
Hinds also lamented the lack of funding for the team which will be flying the Golden Arrow Head in the BVI next month and urged the business sector and the Government to do more to support the National Basketball team.
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