Latest update April 24th, 2024 12:59 AM
Feb 08, 2015 Sports
-Road to Mecca II begins next Sunday
With an impassioned plea for national support, Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation
(GABF) launched its National Basketball Championships called ‘Road to Mecca II’ yesterday at the New Palm Court on Main Street.
Following the success of Road to Mecca I last year, the GABF said that it is anticipating an even bigger tournament this year when the second edition of the country’s biggest competition bounce off next Sunday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
“We are looking forward to an exciting and exhilarating tournament this year,” Vice-President of the GABF, Michael Singh, who is in charge of Operations, said after calling on players and clubs to support the event across the country.
According to Singh, if each player and club rallies their fans, friends and families to support the National Championships, the competition will succeed again. He called on all supporters of the game to come out and back the local players and teams.
“We are asking players and clubs to bring out their families to support them. If a team is booted from the tournament it should not be the end of any particular support. If your team isn’t playing, it does not mean you cannot come out and support the game,” he said.
Singh is hoping for a re-energising of the base of the sport. “The sport is big enough and has lots of players and teams to full the Sports Hall each night,” he believes, adding that the federation is working very hard on behalf of players, who must do their part to help.
The National Club Championships will be held at the Mecca of local basketball, the Sports Hall on six nights with the preliminary rounds set for next Sunday and continuing on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 of February, featuring 16 of the country’s top clubs.
The Super Eight round will commence what is being called Guyana’s Basketball Championships Weekend on February 27 with the semi-final set for the following day on February 28 and Finals on March 1 all at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Teams will be competing for $1M in total cash and prizes. “We are positive that Mecca II will be a huge success and as Mike (Singh) said, we want teams to rally their friends and families to give them and by extension us, the support we need,” GABF President, Nigel Hinds indicated.
“Sometimes it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to see our best players on show and see some of the fantastic plays we had last year,” Hinds continued, adding that the bigger picture is Guyana’s hosting of Bermuda, March 10-14 as part of its preparation for the Caribbean Basketball Championships in Tortola, British Virgin Islands in June.
The best players from ‘The Road to Mecca II’ will represent Guyana at both of the international engagements, but according to National Coach, Darcel Harris a preliminary list will surface this week. Harris said that the National Championships will be a good test of players and their fitness levels before Bermuda arrives in Guyana next month.
Singh informed that the preliminary rounds will attract an entrance fee of $500 with $1000 being the entrance fee from the Super Eight round. Comedian, Chow Pow will be the nightly host with all the effects of entertainment, including sound system, DJs, and VIP Lounge in place. The VIP tickets will cost $3000 inclusive of food and drinks.
In addition, three couples will win dinners at exclusive diners in Georgetown while there will be lots of giveaways each night to get patrons involved. The federation said that all is geared toward ensuring that Guyana is ready to host Bermuda next month.
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