National team off to Cuba
The Belizean basketball team left today for the COPA Basketball Tournament in Cuba which begins on Tuesday. The members of the Belize National Team are: Milton Palacio, Dwight Myvett, Alex Carcamo, Leon Watson, Darwin Carter, Kirk “Shabba” Smith, Bart Sanchez, Evan “Duck” Garnett, Fred Garcia, Darren Bovell, Claude “Too Tall” Jones, Clinton Fuller and Lloyd Leslie. Despite this lineup of stars, you could say the team was thrown together at the last minute since several key players from abroad just arrived last week and the entire team has only had two practice sessions with head coach David Greenwood. He only learned he would be hired midweek. Although Greenwood says he has confidence in the abilities of the individual players he told News Five this morning at the P.G.I.A. that he cannot say how successful the team will be especially in light of the high caliber competition.
David Greenwood, Head Coach
“We have only had two practices and the last time we had two weeks to practice, so the fortunate part is that I do have a lot of the guys that played with me before so they do remember the system. The guys they have been playing so hopefully they are in good shape. We just have to give the best that we’ve got.
We are trying to finish in the top three so we can move on to the next level; that is our goal. It’s going to be difficult because the first game is against the Dominican Republic who won the gold medal from the last tournament. And we also have to play Cuba the next night so we have a difficult play but I have some very good ball players.”
Milton Palacio who was named the Most Valuable Player for the CARICOM Games says that while they had little time to practice he still believes that it’s a good national team.
Milton Palacio
“We have been practicing out here. We practiced a couple of times. Unfortunately our time was short and we couldn’t really get together as a team like we wanted to. I have been in Colorado and I have been working out getting ready for this and for other events that I have to get ready for also.
Hopefully we can get it done and make you proud. Hopefully they will stay behind us in the ups and downs and know that we are out there doing our all, night and day.”
Hyacinth Latchman for News Five.
Assistant coach is Clarence Morgan. He and Greenwood will be aided by Fred Gabourel. If Belize places in the top three they will go on to another competition to select teams for the Olympics in Sydney, Australia in 2000.
