There are now calls for another basketball contest similar to the HOS Events Two-Day Basketball Extravaganza held at the Southern Regional Indoor Sports Arena in Pleasantville, San Fernando on the weekend.
Eight teams including Defence Force, Petro Stars, Petro Jazz, Detour Shak Attack, BTU Ballers, Quarters and the University of T&T (UTT) which had two teams, took part in the tournament for a whopping $25,000 first prize that the Petro Stars won eventually. But the prize was just part of the excitement in a shortened version of the sport. Organiser Musa Rahaman said he got the concept from the now popular Twenty20 (T20) cricket game.
“I have seen a number of T20 matches at the Oval and I decided to implement it in the sport of basketball which I enjoy playing, and it was exciting,” Rahaman said. At the tournament, matches were played in 16 minutes (8 minutes per half) and there were a number of additional events such as a slam dunk contest, three-point shoot out and a slam dunk contest for children under the age of 10.
Rahaman said he would satisfy the desire of the teams and the basketball fraternity by hosting a March Madness basketball extravaganza and he was hoping to get either 12 or 16 teams. He said the winning team would walk away with a whopping $100,000 cash award once sponsorships are forthcoming.
He is calling on corporate T&T and government to come on board and showcase the best basketballers in the country in true NBA style.
He wants the competition to be a fixture on the NBFTT calendar in the future. At this weekend’s tourney there was instant replays and NBA style racks.
Petro Stars defeated Detour Shak Attack 85-59 in the final, which was a full 40-minute game, for the $25,000 winners’ cheque courtesy Hideout Construction Services. Shak Attack received $5,000. Meanwhile Keon Joseph of Defence Force claimed the Slam Dunk contest and $5,000 from Flavorite. Orlando Mapp of Shak Attack walked away with Venture Credit Union’s $5,000 for the Three-Point shoot out.
There were also $200 vouchers given out by Keith Khan Book Sellers to youngsters under the age of 10 for a slam dunk competition as well as entertainment from international slam dunk expert Guy Dupuy of France and Porter Mayberry—the world shortest dunker.
According to Rahaman, the tournament was made possible from a number of businessmen who, like him, would come out and take a basketball “sweat” in the evening after work. He pointed out that their only problem to date, was receiving sanction from the National Basketball Federation of T&T (NBFTT) since they only have a few days before the actual start.
He noted that for the March Madness contest his organisation has already submitted a request for sanctioning and they are still awaiting a response. Anyone wishing to contribute or take part in the event can contact Rahaman at 657-8000.
WALTER ALIBEY
