Veteran basketball player “Too Tall” gives his predictions

The discussion over home grown and international players has almost fallen dormant in the face of the success of Team Belizean Heritage in Cancun. In yesterday’s newscast, we spoke with basketball officials about the need for better sporting facilities and also the re-establishment of a semi-pro league to showcase local talent. One name that came out of that league is Claude “Too Tall” Jones. Actually, his name has been in basketball circles for the past twenty years and today News Five managed to play catch up with him. Jones, now thirty six, shared his views on the performance of the national team, his gripe over not being selected to the team, and even gave his projections for the outcome of Belize’s toughest contender thus far, Mexico.

Claude “Too Tall” Jones, Veteran Basketball Player
“Yoh need experience guys, yoh need size, yoh need guys weh been there before and from dis thing start dah all about me and Mr. Smith and Fred Garcia. Yoh got wah couple guys—Bart Sanchez—yoh got some good guys eena Belize. So to me, I noh got no problem wid di team cause I proud ah weh di team di do right now but sizes, eena one tournament you could look pan it one way but when we talk bout Panama, dat dah noh di real Panama weh we meet out deh. Mexico, well dat dah wah different story dat but di team, when ih come down to di team talent wise from one to three, players wise like from one to three—number one spot, number two spot to number three, we solid. We need fi strengthen up pan di four and di five.”

Marion Ali
Okay, but are you saying that you feel slighted that you did not make the team considering your height of six-eleven, you should have been there?”

Claude “Too Tall” Jones
“Naturally, yes cause I wah play my role, I wah do weh I need fi do. Dat dah di main thing about it and dis dah weh di players dehn need. You need fi know yoh role and weh you gwein go do out deh, weh dah di plus weh you wah do fi di team. I proud ah di team and I proud ah di coaches and di manager weh dehn di do out deh, but I would seh well, yes I should ah mi deh pan di team or not but I should ah mi be fi he decision. Ih should ah mi give me at least wah shot or invite mi at least.”

Marion Ali
“Why you think you didn’t make it?”

Claude “Too Tall” Jones
“I think I slightly outta basketball wah lee bit because I got two sports weh I di play right now. I di get fi love cricket more dan basketball right now. I di look fi do a switch because we noh got wah professional level yah dah Belize weh we di play. Mexico dah wah real—I think dehn deh eena di same confidence wid we wid certain players weh dehn di seh dah no Mexican and weh dehn seh dah no Belizean. Dehn got at least bout five players weh yoh could complain pan dehn. But I think we wah win di game. I could count pan three man pan di team weh I know wah pull it off. I like the guy Garnett, I like how he di play right now. So to me I seh Belize wah win. Ih wah be much closer doh, ih wah be like wah lee five point win or something like dat. Ih noh wah be over ten.”