The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), have thrown their support behind the senior men’s basketball team in its bid to qualify for the second round of the FIBA 2023 World Cup Americas Pre-qualifiers.
This was confirmed yesterday at a simple but significant press briefing held at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Homestretch Avenue.
Both entities donated undisclosed financial packages to the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) to aid in the team’s participation and preparation.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., said, “You have a heavy burden to carry because you are inspiring an entire generation of Guyanese people, so while you are playing and you want successful individual performances and while this is an opportunity for you, I want you to be mindful that your actions, your commitment, your dedication, have a very reverberating effect all across this country.”
The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Pre-Qualifiers will be staged in El Salvador. The team is scheduled to depart local shores tomorrow.
Stanton Rose, captain of the victorious (FIBA) AmeriCup 2021 Caribbean Pre-Qualifiers team, returns in the same capacity. He will lead a squad which also comprises siblings Delroy and Gordon James, Deylon Anthony, Anthony Moe, Travis Belgrave, Timothy Thompson, Harold Adams, Akeem Crandon, Terron Welsh, Israel Yaw and Nicholai Smith.
Crandon, a centre, replaces point guard Yonnick Tappin who tested positive for the Coronavirus.
“The Government of Guyana is happy to support your effort but one of the ways you can inspire people is by being successful,” said the minister.
“The development of a country is a team sport and development is not only building your company or a building but it is building people and building the talent coming from sport, is an important way we develop our human capita…on behalf of the Government of Guyana, it is our expectation that the Private Sector will join in sponsoring team sports”, he added.
GOA boss Kalam Juman-Yassin during brief remarks said, “There is a heavy responsibility on you because you are playing for the country and at the end of the day, once you do well and you are successful, each and everyone who is here will share in that happiness.”
GABF President, Michael Singh said, “The aim with this process was to give the members of the victorious 2018 Caribbean Basketball Championship team an opportunity to represent their country at a higher level and in my opinion and we have a fantastic basketball team.”
GABF Vice-President and team manager Alex Graham revealed that a budget of GYD$15 million is being utilized for the team’s participation, adding that it was a challenge to acquire the requisite amount due to the current economic climate.
According to Graham, the GABF requested different levels of sponsorship from varying entities, which are Platinum ($3 Million), Gold ($2 Million), Silver ($1 Million) and Bronze ($500,000).
He disclosed that some of the sponsors include W. Rambaran Services, Biddle Inc. S.A.C, Atlantic Marine Services under their Parker Brand, Fit It Electrical and Rambarran Contracting, E-Networks, JHI Associates and Western Union.
Guyana will commence their campaign on Thursday against Nicaragua from 21:00hrs. This will be followed by a meeting with recent entrant Jamaica on April 16th at 18:00hrs.
On Saturday the Guyanese will oppose El Salvador from 21:00hrs, with their final group match occurring against Costa Rica from 21:00hrs one day later. All matches will be hosted at the José Adolfo Pineda National Gymnasium.
The first round of qualifiers will be conducted utilising a group format, with the top three finishers progressing to the second round of qualifiers slated for July 2021.
The traveling contingent is scheduled to undergo a second round of PCR Tests for Covid-19 today prior to their expected departure.
