Former national basketball captain and two-time Caribbean all star point guard Lugard Mohan and local referee Aubrey Young would be looking to add their names to the list of FIBA-certified officials when they embark on a certification today in Colorado, USA.
The duo departed Guyana earlier in the week for their stint which will conclude on June 22. It was made possible through the intervention of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) and the United States Basketball Association (USBA) and the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) .
Guyana at present has only one internationally-certified referee in Linden’s Sherwin Henry who picked up his certification in St Kitts when the course was held there during 2007. Henry was also recertified last year.
Mohan has enjoyed an illustrious career as player, representing Guyana with distinction at the CBC championships where he stood as captain for a number of years.
He last participated in 2002 when Guyana placed third in the championships in Barbados. He also did well playing for the Ravens Basketball Club, leading them to several championship honours.
Young on the other hand is known around the local basketball circuit for his on point shooting and knowledge of the game. Both former players said prior to their departure that giving back to the sport of basketball was always their motive after hanging up their sneakers. Mohan before picking up the whistle was the coach of the Ravens Club and he had Young as his assistant.
Contacted yesterday, Guyana’s lone FIBA referee Sherwin Henry said that he believes the two referees will be successful at the course, stressing that the most important criteria at the course apart from being fully knowledgeable about the rules is being fit.
Unlike Mohan, this would be Young’s second attempt at the license since financial constraints caused him to miss the course in St Kitts. However this time around, thanks to good corporate support, he was able to make the journey.
Not many referees from the Caribbean are certified by FIBA. At the last Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) meeting that was held in St Lucia, that was a major concern, especially with the CBC Championship just a few weeks away.
