Basketball Team returns from D.R. defeated and disheartened
The homecoming was nowhere close to the grand welcome they got last August following the COCABA games in Cancun. When the Belize National Basketball Team landed at the P.G.I.A. from the Dominican Republic, this morning, there was no fanfare and they were also minus the coach. Last week, Belize trounced Trinidad and Tobago and made history when it crushed Cuba. But the Belize team was badly beaten by Mexico and lost to the number nine rated team in the world, Puerto Rico, by eight points, which means that the dream to qualify for the Tournament of the Americas and the 2012 Olympics has faded away. So what went wrong? Members of the team gave their perspective to News Five’s Delahnie Bain.
Delahnie Bain, Reporting
The National Basketball Team returned from the CentroBasket Tournament today. Their run in the competition ended with an eight point lost Puerto Rico with a score of 96-88, our boys didn’t qualify to move on to the Tournament of the Americas. The players were disheartened by the loss when News Five spoke to them; some after the game, and others we met at the airport today.
Keenan Jourdan, Belize National Basketball Team
Keenan Jourdan
“I mean what can I say. We wanted to win and we just couldn’t pull it out. They had too much power and they were a good team. We did our best.”
Darwin “Puppy” Leslie, Belize National Basketball Team
“It’s bittersweet you know. We mi expect fi do far better and everything but it’s always good to be back home.”
Richard Troyer, Belize National Basketball Team
“It’s hard to accept that we didn’t qualify cause that was definitely one of my main goals; just to qualify for the next tournament. But I guess that’s how sports goes, you win some; you lose some and I we lost one too many.”
alex carcamo
Alex Carcamo, Belize National Basketball Team
“It’s disappointing. I’m so used to the crowd out here and the motorcade parade. It’s a different feeling. But you know we just gotta keep our heads held high cause we went out there and played our best.”
Charlie Burgess, Belize National Basketball Team
“I feel good to come back but I’m also hurt because of the results of the tournament and things like that.”
While they lost to Puerto Rico, the players are mostly disappointed about their defeat to team Mexico.
Darwin “Puppy” Leslie
“It’s the Mexico game because if we won that game then it didn’t really matter what happened against Puerto Rico. So it was that Mexican game that was really critically cause if we won those three first games den we done advance already.”
Richard Troyer
Richard Troyer
“I look back at the Mexico game as like the key loss because Puerto Rico is a really good team and that was a steep hill to climb. But I don’t know why we came out the way we did against Puerto Rico. Every player on the team—it wasn’t like one person was flat, like everybody had an off day and that happens… rarely, but it happens.”
Off days; the absence of top shooter, Marlon Garnett; being undersized… those are just a few of the team’s setbacks. But as we found out today, the team also took issue with coach Marques Johnson.
Charlie Burgess
“Last year Kevin Siroki took us to Cancun and we almost won that tournament in Mexico. We lost at the end, it was a crucial situation but the next year they bring in a new coach and the results were terrible. We didn’t even almost qualify. So was it worth it? whatever money they paid him, was it worth it for them to treat Kevin Siroki the way they did?”
Alex Carcamo
“From the get go we wanted Kev Siroki as our coach and we just went along with it not to cause any commotion. Me being a professional, I had to lead the team and I couldn’t really say how I felt at the time. But now that it’s over, you guys understand why we needed Kev as our coach. Our coach just left yesterday; didn’t say a word, didn’t say anything to us, just out and left. That’s kinda hurtful because being a leader, you know you win as a team or lose as a team.”
Charlie Burgess
Charlie Burgess
“The coach leaves the Dominican Republic without saying anything to none of the players. He just picked up and left. So another thing I wanna know is where is it at in that you’re supposed to be a man, a grown man. This is a team, we’re always down there fighting together and there’s a hold. Then you just pick up and leave? So I’m assuming that he just got his money and he felt satisfied with what he did and then he left. I’m hurt.”
With the CentroBasket behind them and the aspirations of going to the next Olympic qualifier slashed, what’s next for the players of Team Belize?
Keenan Jourdan
“Most likely, this will probably be my last tournament. I don’t know if I’m gonna go back and play anywhere else. I just wanna go home and see my family and just rest and try to get this out of my system because it hurts. It hurts a lot cause I wanted us to get to the next level.”
Darwin “Puppy” Leslie
Darwin "Puppy" Leslie
“What’s next is just to keep preparing and keep working out and keep on top of my game so when opportunity knocks again I’m prepared.”
Richard Troyer
“I’m gonna go hang out in Cayo for a little bit with the family and then I’ll probably go back to the states and see if any contracts come up, see what happens there.”
Alex Carcamo
“I’m coming out here to go to the cayes and relax a little bit and then I just gotta get back into my grind. I don’t know what’s gonna happen. I got a couple of offers on the table and it’s just a matter of seeing what I want to do. But from here I go back to Israel with my fiancé.”
The team did not succeed in moving to the next level of competition, but they did have a momentous victory against powerhouse Cuba, which took Belize the closest to the Olympics it has ever gone. Delahnie Bain for News Five.
Are we surprised??? We need a team that PLAYS TOGETHER AND STAYS TOGETHER.
I just want Team Belize to know that I am proud of them. It was great to watch them play and they still accomplished a lot. In my opinion, tyhe motorcade should have been there to receive them. We cannot only greet and applaud our team when they win, we must appreciate them even when they lose, especially after they’ve given it their best shot like they did in the Dominican Republic.
Imported losers….mein what a waste of taxpayer dollars
It’s somewhat disappointing that our Guys lost that game to Puerto Rico which prevents them from qualifing for the next tournament. But as we always console ourselves by saying: you win some…… and you lose some.
Now to management. Why the heck they decided to Diss Seroki after his sterling performance at the helm as head coach anyhow?? Who’s idea it was to bring Marques Johnson in, after Kevin took the team to Mexico, slapped the snart outta the Paisanos so much so that they had to ‘ thief ‘ fu win?
See, this is a part of what is wrong with Belize. Marques lost the big game they had to win , then just packed his bags and left without even the courtesy of an explanation, chuckling all the way to the bank. Had we continued with Kevin, first of all he knows each individual player’s skills and abilities. And second and just as important, all that money [ whatever it was] that they paid Marques, would have stayed and circulated right there in the country. But….. dis dah Belize and dah so we do it!! … foremost !!
Finally, good job fellas you made us proud!!! As individuals, use the tournament’s experience to better yourselves and since you will win some and lose some, try to ensure that you win more than you lose. All the best to all of you…
The team did well and must be congratulated….Alex, Milt and Roger must be recognized for their contributions to the national teams over the pass years. These guys are great and should be looked at as positive models for our young males….When the new stadium is buit consider the name “Milt”….:)
The job to coach Belize National team was just something to put on his resume on his quest to get a gig with the NBA, or on the college level.To Johnson it was just buisness.
I am proud of our players , and I wish them the best in their career.
The Government of Belize needs to invest more in sports.Then maybe our Basketball team can do better in the future.Mr Barrow you need to get some of our Belizean brothers ready for the next world Cup.Just give them the halfa millian outa the three millian so they can train.
Now do we see the problems which dual nationality can cause. Its only when you are true Belizean you can lead this country because when you don’t succeed you need to be able to come back and face the people. We would not have been angry if you gave it your best and still managed to be unsuccessful. But this ridiculous. Importing Belizeans to lead our country when they have nothing to lose if they are unsuccessful only spells defeat for the country of Belize. Good Work Team Belize… We stand behind you and know that you tried your utmost best. Better luck next time. Maybe now they will give us the facility they promised on the steps of Civic last year.
Congratulations to the players for doing their best and putting their heart into it….but in my opinion they were cheated from the start with changes in coaching …….as far as Coach Marques why did the BBF hire this ill mannered, opportunistic man, who ran off with out a word. But the BBF seem to be full of the same type and their house needs to be cleaned up as well. Let the record show that COACH SIROKI was doing well for the last nine years, 2001-gold, 2006-silver, 2008-gold and 2009 silver in Cancun. Why fix something that wasn’t broken and was he paid to put his heart into a game and country that he loves. In conclusion, my heart goes out to the players who put their all into their game to represent a country of their heritage, whether Belizean born or of Belizean parentage, cause the blood runs deep and all we can hope for is the the BBF start making decisions that is beneficial for the country and not for their own egos.
Belize has so many economic problems such as hospitals that dont have the equipment to treat its belizean people for government to be wasting money on basketball that cannot even qualify to reach the championships. I know that Belize is trying to make a name for itself in things like these but before you go importing people that haven’t even seen half of the country and know the names of its streets,make sure that the country has what it needs before u go wasting money that doesn’t even stay in Belize.
SO…… Where did the $100,000.00+ GO??????????????
If I am not mistaken we got that coach Johnson when the new minister of sports was appointed. Politics got into the game and we lost. The new Minister of sports wanted to try and show that with him in the decesion making it can happen. But it didn’t work out this time Zaldivar. You brought in that Johnson and he desrespected our players in so many ways. Siroki was the man that was supposed to coach those guys. Politics again.
Until the Government of Belize take sports serious they will never go very far. An Olympic entry is almost impossible. How can players train well, play well when they have to train part time because they still have to work to pay their bills and feed their families. Other countries no matter how poor they are take very good care of their athletes that is why they excel. Belize is just selfish from Government on down……… does roll downhill remember!!!!!!!!!!
We need to support sports on all level , and not just the National team during international tournaments. Coach Johnson was not the problem. The problem is we do not take sports serious.If we do we would have better athletes.There is nothing to motivate athletes to excel.I know that in Belize we have a tendency to blame goverment for everything .How many of us attend games in Belize,or donate their time and money to devolpe our kids.Where is semi pro basketball , or football for that matter.Where is boxing , cricket.We as a nation trade all that in for drugs, alcohol, guns , and sex.There is no glory in sports today in BelizeWe can’t even win our own cross country bicycle race at home , how the hell we will win on the international stage..
No offencse national team, but the same amount of money they used to send you guys they could have used to invest in the born belizean talent. belizean that live in belize and could tell the story of it, not the ones that have to hear it from their parents. we have a lot of local talent that just need the facilities and investment for someone to teach them the fundamentals of the sport. look at the stadium that they are building, by the time that fence is finish so will the money. we need to invest in our youths. its not all about winning, it knowing that you start from the botton and improve tell we reach to the top. this lost is just to show that we can’t win anything with only practicing for couple of days. all this league do is build the local dreams up tell them they can make the team, have them working out for weeks and only choose 3 born belizean. how disappointing!!! and you expect them to go try out again. PLEASE
It is a shame all the things that went on in the background. I wish they had stayed with Kevin. I even noticed that Johnson did not wear his Belize coach shirt at the last 2 games; don’t know the reason… but I thought that it was odd.
To the guys, I know you played with all your hearts and the Belizean blood that burns inside you. I wish things were better in order to facilitate what you guys and other athletes need in Belize.
I was expecting a motorcade! I wanted to see your heads held high and smiling with pride in your accomplishments on “di big truck”. I am very proud of you all. (medal or not)
Why do we always try to put these foreigners over our Belizean brothers and sister.We’ve got qualified people in Belize too.
Better to have gotten real born in BElize Belizeans to have played instead of those imported morons, what a waste of money on these so called basketball players. Fire them all then fire Dean Barrow.
Bring back BOXING!!!
That is why Belizean never make it any way it is peolpe like the above cometter’s that gives us Belizean no hope of being succesful.If you could have done betta then u mi wa de pan the team, but i neva see yo. Positive thinking. Mek we respect we boys 4 de hard game they played. iF DE MI WIN a bet uno neva me wa de tak trash.
U all Belizean da pure stress. aLL A UNO. reading de comment mek a grin. anyways big up and respect boys next time i wa live fe see we reach far as can be
When they won silver medal in Mexico it was ok to be foreign born and represent Belize.They even had a motorcade.Now they come back empty they get no love.
Belize is the only country in the whole world where sports is not a business. we would never make it to the Olympic Games nor to a FIFA world cup. never ever!!! when it boils down in the end sports is all about business. Perfect example Marlon Garnett, i dont blame him for not playing he is the best player on the team and you cant even give our MVP an offer!! remember he was our top scorer in the COCABA tournament that took place in Cancun last August. Come on people we need to realize that sports isnt for fun , Tony Dungy says ” You Play to Win the Game” we need to get rid of all those so call sports coordinators we have and bring in professionals who knows about the game! to be the best you have to learn from the best!!
Professional sports demand good players, professionals players play ball for a living and belize is not at that point, perhaps never.
but regardless of that point being made here, the people that are incapable of not playing sport (basketball) for whatever reason need to lend their support to people who are actually doing something with their time, instead of ………. about the team and the money lost on something worthwhile.
for one.. don’t wait until 2 to 3 weeks to practice for some game as this one, wow…..
The PRIVATE SECTOR (businesses) NEEDS TO PICK UP THE BALL AND RUN WITH IT. Sports is entertainment (show-business— complete with self made stars), and a great societal diversion. It would be nice to have for starters, a REAL FOOTBALL STADIUM. Businesses should conglomorate and build one keeping a long term view, meaning affordable ticket prices and of course — luxury boxes up top.. It’s a shame that MCC Grounds has not been developed, maybe IF IT WERE TOURISM RELATED…. They would pour money into it.
I am not really sorry for none of the sport teams that Belize sends abroad to compete. I was an excellent athlete at one point and I watched other players got selected over me because of favoritism and also big preference for players and athletes in Belize City. I was never given the opportunity. Until our sports coordinators and managers here in Belize starts seeing and training real Belizean sporting talents countrywide, then I can sympathize with our loosing teams. They have even gone further and picking up American Belizeans to play? LOL. What about the 100% Belizean here that plays the sport and would have love the opportunity? They would have still lost, but atleast it would have been pure talents of Belize and great exposure for them for the future.
i sit here and read all this bs you guys wrote just like belizean to not kno what the !@#$ your talking about every country brings there best players when your competing in big tournments ,but i would love to see you bring forth the (belizeans) and see how far you get ,its a disgrace how uno go on but i think you guys are foolishh to think you will ever be able to compete with just your locals ,dont even waste your time all you will do is embarrass yourselves glad im done and retired ,but even now today there you could put your team together and we would smack the $#!% out of any team you put together with just our belizean americans ,your @$$!@#$ make me sick ungrateful !@#$%^&*()_