Former N.B.A. player taking National Basketball team to Dominica

There will be a new man leading the mantle at the upcoming Centrobasket 2010 tournament in the Dominican Republic.  His name is former NBA player and former Coach of Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles, California, Marques Johnson.  Johnson landed at the PSW Goldson International Airport this afternoon onboard an American Airlines flight.  He’ll be here for the next few weeks preparing our local guys for the tournament, which runs from July fifth to the eleventh in the Dominican Republic. News Five’s Marion Ali was one of the reporters who spoke with Johnson inside the VIP Lounge after his arrival, and she filed this report.

Marion Ali, reporting

He played college basketball and went on to play in the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors from the late seventies up to 190, after which he coached Crenshaw High School Basketball Team.  And now he has set foot in Belize.  Marques Johnson is here to at the invite of the Belize Basketball Federation to be the head coach for the upcoming Centrobasket 2010 tournament in the Dominican Republic.  Johnson says he knows a few of the players on the local team personally and will be studying the others over the next few days to see how best he can help them  prepare for what lies ahead.

Marion Ali

“When you look at what we have to offer and you compare them with what’s out there, what are the prospects in your eyes?”

Marcus Johnson, Head Coach, National Centrobasket 2010 Tournament

marques johnson

“I think the prospects are good, it’s just again in the game of basketball, the most important thing is just to get everyone function as a cohesive team and this team was able to do that last season in Cancun. They finished second to Mexico in a nail-biting one hundred and six to one hundred and three game in some great offense. And so I think if we can keep Mexico or teams of that nature from scoring that many points, I think that enhances our chances to be even more successful.”

But while Johnson’s task will does be to help the players work together as a team, he has his own shortcomings as the head coach but has other strengths.

Marques Johnson

“That’s absolutely true, I do lack head coaching experience, that’s what makes it such a unique challenge for me coming into this. But I point to a guy like Doc Rivers who’s is having a lot of success. He didn’t have head coaching experience before he took over the Orlando magic several years ago. He like me was a broadcaster—he didn’t broadcast games as long as I did. For me, my benefits are numerous: number one; I’ve played for some of the greatest coaches and I’m gonna rely on these players and their experiences. Again, I’m not coming in here thinking that I know everything about international competition, it’s a different style of competition than what I am used to. So I am going to rely on the experience of these players and the coaching staff to assist me where needed.”

For many who were wondering why the B.B.F. did not go with Kevin Seroki, who lead Belize at the recent COCABA games in Cancun, at which we placed second only to Mexico, President of the B.B.F. says it was nothing personal.

Paul Thompson, Pres., Bz. Basketball Federation.

paul thompson

“We believed that for us to move on and advance to the other level, we believed we needed to strengthen our coaching staff among other things.  And so we looked around and we came up with Marcus Johnson and we decided that we will go with Marcus Johnson as the head coach for the men’s national team for the Centrobasket in the Dominican Republic.”

Marion Ali

“But having said that, Kevin Seroki has been with our guys at least the ones locally and he has worked with them over the years. So, one would think that he has the most knowledge in terms of their talent and their abilities. Do you think that Mister Johnson has the enough time and will be able to work with these fellows to make them the best that they can be?”

Paul Thompson

“Well, Mister Seroki has agreed to be on that coaching staff and he will be an integral part of that coaching staff. As you said he coached the COCABA games in Cancun and so he will be very helpful with Coach Johnson. And so we believe that what Coach Johnson brings goes beyond our national team. We are looking towards not only the national team but opportunities and doors that may be opened with him coming here. Such as: doors for our young players to go to colleges, he is well known in the basketball community and just by networking you know that many opportunities can arise from that.”

And while Johnson thinks Belize has a good chance of making it past the elimination stage, he can’t say yet whether or not he thinks we have a chance to medal at the tournament.

Marques Johnson

“I hope we do medal, but at the same time, I just landed, I haven’t seen one guy shoot a jump shot, one guy dribble a basketball, one guy run a suicide straight up and down to see what kind of condition we in right now. So let me hold off on predicting what’s going to happen before I get a chance to see the players. I am the coach and the coach’s responsibility is to put his players in their best positions to succeed.  And so once I get a chance to look at these players and talk to these players and be around these players for two or three days and get a feel of their attitude, I will be in better position to assess just kinda the direction this team is gonna take.”

Reporting for News Five, Marion Ali.

So who comes up with the roster?  Johnson says the final decision will be up to him but he will reach that decision with much help from the Belize Basketball Federation.