Basketballers off to Windward Islands Championships

It has been eleven years since the Windward Islands Senior Male Basketball Championships were staged, and this country has put together an experienced squad to defend the title, last won in 1999.{{more}}

The Vincentian squad was set to leave here yesterday, Thursday, for Grenada, where they will meet St. Lucia, Dominica, and host Grenada in the championships, which end on Sunday.

Included in the St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ team are four survivors of the 1999 squad.

They include Lezlo Mc Kenzie, Glen Smith, Ishama Mc Ree, Orlando Fergusson, Oral Roberts and Assistant Coach and Captain, Randolph Williams.

Also in are five overseas based players in Alexus Foyle, Kishon Bishop, Ajani Edwards, Damien Ottley and Ricardo Coombs.

The team is completed by Kendal Cumberbatch and Steveon Taylor.

Junior Sutton is the team’s Coach, with Karel Bramble, the Manager.

Also in the touring party are Denis Byam – Physiotherapist, Cleophas Glynn – President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Basketball Federation (SVGBF) and the General Secretary of the SVGBF, Darron John.

The team was presented last Wednesday at a Press Conference held at the Music Centre Conference Room.

And, Coach Sutton did not hide his hopes in his charges.

An upbeat Sutton said, “I am confident that we will do well and bring back the trophy.”

Sutton who was elevated to Head Coach, and who is on his first outing with a national outfit said that with the amount of experience in the team, his job has been made easier.

Sutton singled out the inputs of Williams and Roberts as being very helpful.

Bramble, who kept the squad together in the early stages of preparations, spoke of the challenges, especially that of the adverse weather conditions, that hampered their training at times.

Glynn said that through the efforts of the National Sports Council through the National Lotteries Authority and the contribution of a private individual, the trip to Grenada was made a reality, as the Federation did not have the financial means to do so.

The Vincentians are expected back home on Monday, hopefully with the championship trophy in hand.