“We’re heading in the right direction” – Coach Adrian Hooper

…explains combination of players in national team

The Guyana National Basketball Team is gearing up to compete in the highly anticipated Nation’s Cup basketball tournament today in Suriname, and Head Coach Adrian Hooper is confident in the ability of his team to emerge victorious.
This tournament would see Guyanese ballers facing off against Suriname and Grenada at the Ismay Van Wilgen Sports Hall.
The team is led by Head Coach Adrian Hooper and Assistant Coach Marlon Rodrigues, and is captained by the exceptional point guard Stanton Rose Jr.
Before their departure on Thursday morning, they suited up for the first time together at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall as they participated in a practice match against the National Select ‘B’ Team, to whom they administered a 28–point defeat, the final score being 85-57.
After the team practice match, Head Coach Hooper expounded on his analysis of the match and divulged that, once plans are executed, the team would reign victorious.

Hooper said, “I think the guys did well tonight. We executed a couple of plans that we had effectively and offensively, and we came up with good results. As I said, most of the practice sessions focused on defense. Once we see through our plans, we will practice for a couple of weeks and do training. Like I said, we will become victorious.”
Quizzed on the team’s mixture of inexperience and experience, Hooper commented that the combination has had a positive impact over the years, and is heading in the right direction. He said, “It’s a good combination. In the past years, we were dealing a lot with just senior players, senior players, senior players. We were able to mix a lot of youth into the national team this time, and it’s working out well for us.
“We’re heading in the right direction. We had a good show tonight in the warm-up game; and, like I said, collectively, we’re going to do a good job tonight.”
Joining Rose are Domair Gladstone (Kwakwani Untouchables), Orlan Glasgow and Harold Adams (Royals), Travis Belgrave and Zian Gray (Eagles), Nikkoloi Smith (Ravens), Debutant Denzil Ross (Eagles), Shane Webster and Oquacey Shortt (Colts), Jermaine Slater (Kobras), and Debutant Kimol Grimmond (Kwakwani Untouchables).
(Omar McKenzie)