“It was very successful”: GABA President Slater deems U23 tournament a success

The inaugural Guyana Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) Under-23 Championship, which concluded on Saturday last after two months of action at the National Gymnasium, has been deemed a success by Association President Jermaine Slater.
The Bounty Colts clinched the title over a dominant Kwakwani Untouchables in the proverbial mother of all basketball tournaments to be played in Guyana with the scoreline reading 76-75.
While speaking to media operatives, GABA President Jermaine Slater divulged that the tournament’s goal was achieved.
“This is what we envisioned, this ending here with the two best teams of the tournament clashing in a final that almost went to overtime is exactly what we envisioned and I couldn’t ask for a better finish for the tournament; it was very successful,” Slater divulged.

He went on to expound on the plans for more inclusivity, with regard to regions, translating to bigger tournaments.
Slater explained, “Well, the plan is this, try to get as many teams playing in big tournaments like this, as you mention we involve some other team like Kwakwani joined the association two years ago, they played both first division and now they are in the final for this U23 and they are a very good basketball club. Bartica joined the fold, Berbice players are playing with Sonics, Linden players playing with some of the other teams, so it is a mixture of talent around Guyana playing in this league and that is what we are trying to do throughout basketball in Guyana: to get big tournaments and get everybody involved, so going forward I am going to try as much as possible to involve multiple regions, towns.”
The GABA President went on to disclose that this league would have an impact on the One Guyana Basketball League.
Slater said, “You can expect many more games; we have changed the format a bit and most teams will now be able to play extra games going forward and what we say here with the youths again as I mentioned, we will have some of these same talents playing in the One Guyana League, because they got what it takes to be on the main stage going forward from what we saw here.
“The players will have to drop and these same young players you see playing today will have to elevate themselves to a tougher division, because they are very capable, skilled, so this tournament so sets the foundation for us to now to get younger players in the senior tournament which will add more excitement and flair to it.”
The GABA U-23 Championship saw the participation of 10 teams which included Cummingsburg Bounty Colts, North Ruimveldt Ravens, Meadowbank Nets, Stabroek Eagles, Lamaha Springs Pepsi Sonics, Leonora D-up Boys, Kwakwani Untouchables, Wortmanville Pacesetters, Prospect Kobras, Festival City Black Caimans, Bartica Wranglers, and Cummings Lodge UG Trojans.