Latest update April 23rd, 2024 12:59 AM
Jan 01, 2011 Sports
By Edison Jefford
The Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) brushed off some hiccups in the first year of the new administration to place basketball in the City on a relatively smooth path toward the development of the sport, despite remnants of challenges.
In January, the GABA) hosted a meeting with the affiliate Georgetown clubs ahead of the launch of their Division I and III Leagues, which was planned the previous year, but owed to lack of the necessary sponsorship failed to bounce off as was expected.
The budgeted cost to run the Leagues was an estimated $4M and Secretary of the GABA, Bobby Cadogan was adamant that the programme must move on “with or without sponsorship” since an association cannot allow funding to stymie its advancement.
The Georgetown sub-association went ahead with the Leagues with a pulsating and intense duel between Courts Pacesetters and Ravens for bragging rights in a revenge game as the New Season in the City was officially launched late in January last year.
There simply could not have been a better way to open the 2010 epoch than to bring the best two teams in the City together to settle a long existing score. Pacesetters were beaten, and the sport in Georgetown officially gathered the momentum it needed.
In February, the GABA unveiled a comprehensive document, which addressed a broad range of developmental issues. The Basketball Advancement Programme (BAP) became the blueprint for the advancement of basketball and related matters in the City.
The GABA and key stakeholders had drafted the Advancement Programme, which was officially launched early in March. Since the unveiling of a BAP, Burnham Court has had an initial facelift until one of the backboards was relocated to the Sports Hall.
During the Inter-Guiana Games, one of the foreign players broke the southern backboard at the Sports Hall and having no spare, the National Sports Commission took the northern board off the Burnham Basketball Court to the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
The Burnham Court Rehabilitation Plan included new bleachers, resurfacing the court, facilities to make players more comfortable, lights etc. The Rehabilitation Plan commenced with the lone bleacher being painted, resurfacing and lights being erected.
The Georgetown sub-association and Pepsi Sonics Basketball Club reached a stalemate that was as a result of a complaint from the club against FIBA accredited referee, Aubrey Younge. It was in March that this infraction threatened the stability of the sport.
Pepsi Sonics had boycotted its opening game of the League and two others on the basis of the GABA failure to respond to a documented complaint against Younge. The club also noted the improper manner of their League Invitation as a further source of their decision to not compete in the Leagues.
The Georgetown sub-association had fined the club for withdrawing ad hoc from the tournament, citing that it cost the association rental fees for the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on the night of the club’s withdrawal without timely and proper notice.
The outcome was that Pepsi Sonics were not allowed back in the Leagues after the players made it clear that they wanted to play basketball. The GABA reported that it will not reschedule any of the fixed games to allow one club back after it withdrew.
The effect was that the GABA lost the support of Pepsi Sonics that followed its grievances with a spate of letters in the newspaper, lamenting what they called the “selfish nature” of the GABA and its Executives, who are only interested in financial gain.
The row between the Georgetown sub-association and Pepsi Sonics was toned down when in the following month, April; the GABA launched a huge National Super-Eight Inter-Ward Basketball Championships, which briefly placed the Leagues on pause.
The Albouystown/Charlestown team won the Mackeson Super Ward Basketball Championships and the $500,000 first place purse. They also defeated the Celebrities when guard, Kevin Joseph nailed a buzzer-beater from half court to end the contest unbeaten.
Following the Mackeson Super Ward event, the GABA went back to the drawing boards for the commencement of the Division I and III Leagues and it was clear that the lull for Entertainment Basketball, which was the Super Ward, proved very effective.
The smoke settled between the association and Pepsi Sonics and the Leagues continued without quarrel in August. Scorpions returned with a bang to win the Division III and Ravens claimed the Division I competition in the GABA gruelling basketball Leagues.
The best four teams in the League advanced to a Pepsi Street Series Basketball Challenge, which was held on the Burnham Basketball Court just as the Leagues. Ravens claimed both titles in the Street Series to become the most successful team last year.
President of the GABA, Trevor Rose and his administration definitely performed last year, but it is clear that Rose and his ideas for the development of basketball in Georgetown needs support if the sport is to move in a direction that will yield holistic progress.
LISTEN HOW JAGDEO WILL MAKE ALL GUYANESE RICH!!!
Apr 23, 2024
Kaieteur Sports – Over the weekend, the prestigious Lusignan Golf Club played host to the highly anticipated AMCHAM Golf Tournament, drawing golf enthusiasts and professionals alike from across...Kaieteur News – Just recently, the PPC determined that it does not have the authority to vitiate a contract which was... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]