GBF shifts focus to women’s basketball as Guyana, Suriname clash looms

Following the conclusion of the One Guyana Premier Basketball League, Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) president, Michael Singh, announced that the local governing body will now turn its full attention to women’s basketball.

In a release from the GBF, Singh confirmed that all focus is now on the upcoming international women’s series, with Guyana set to host Suriname for back-to-back match-ups on August 10 and 11 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The One Guyana Premier Basketball wrapped up with the Victory Valley Royals sweeping defending champions Ravens in a best-of-three finals, bringing the curtain down on nearly eight months of competitive basketball involving 22 clubs from across the country.

“The One Guyana Premier League was indeed a success,” Singh stated.

“I want to thank Minister Charles Ramson Jr. and His Excellency, President Irfaan Ali, for their investment in the development of basketball.”

Singh described the Linden (Royals) vs Georgetown (Ravens) finals as a throwback to the historic rivalry between teams from the two basketball hotbeds.

“It’s always exciting when Georgetown and Linden teams meet on the big stage. But we also saw some exciting talent coming out of Berbice,” he noted.

“Now it’s back to the drawing board to identify areas for improvement and elevate the league further.”

While commending the progress of the men’s league, Singh emphasised that the Federation’s immediate priority is women’s basketball, pointing to the upcoming international series against Suriname.

“We’re now shifting focus to the women,” Singh said, while adding, “We have a women’s league in the pipeline, but this series will give our players valuable international exposure.”

He added, “It’s vital that we develop and showcase all areas of the sport. Alongside the Women’s Series, we’ll also be launching the Women’s League and Women’s 3×3 competition.”

Head Coach Willon Cameron has named his final roster for the Georgetown Women’s Basketball Classic against Suriname, which includes professional basketball player Joy Adams, along with the highly touted Ramlall sisters- Amisha, Ashna and Arshia.

Singh expressed delight at Adams’ availability, noting her professional commitments in Europe often limit her national team appearances.

“With a relatively young squad, having someone like Joy on board is invaluable. It’s important for our local girls to see firsthand the level of commitment and professionalism it takes to play overseas. Watching her preparation and approach will be an eye-opener for them.”

Coach Cameron, who also leads the Colts Basketball Club, has assembled a balanced roster featuring both experienced and emerging talents.

The other shortlisted players are: Kassidy Woolford, Jamaicy Ogle, Keisha Copperfield, Shanill James, Lanasha Mohammed (Kwakwani), Malia Samuels (Kwakwani), Sherese Leacock (Kwakwani), Natalya Clarke (Kwakwani), Akeelah Campbell (Linden), Junelly Paddy (Berbice), Ronaya Grant, Brean Ritchie, Kean Andrews and Rehaicia Romain (Linden).

Cameron will be supported by assistant coach Alisande Jaiserrisingh, who recently represented Guyana at the FIBA Americas Adelante Forum.

Warren Wilson, head coach of the University of Guyana Trojans, has been appointed team manager.