Basketball: Premium Cobras’ international tournament-All set and ready |18 November 2004

The organising committee has said that the tournament will be of a very high level with the participation of six teams and other individual competitions to give spectators their money’s worth.

Other than hosts Premium Cobras, PLS Hawks, Baya and Angels are the other three local sides to be involved in the competition.

Sixth-placed finishers in this year’s Men division 1A championship Angels were invited to participate only this week after they gave a good impression against Baya last Sunday in the Top-of-the-table final which they won 73-71.

“We’ve invited them (Angels) and they’ve responded positively to our call. We hope to bring top class basketball to the Palais des Sports next week,” said a spokesperson for the organising committee.

The two foreign sides who have confirmed their participation for the November 22-28 event are Real (Mauritius) and Sea Rovers (Nigeria).

Representatives of the two teams are expected here as from today (Thursday), in different contingents.

Vautour (Mayotte), Falcons (Uganda), KPR (Rwanda) and Co-operative Banks (Kenya) have decided not to participate.

Dunking and 3-point shooting competitions will also feature during the week-long tournament with the winners and runners-up receiving interesting prizes. A Most Valuable Player (MVP) and a Top Scorer will be chosen at the end of the tournament.

The top three teams will receive cups and medals.

The six teams will be divided into two pools of three and they will meet each other once in a round-robin league. The top two in each pool will qualify for the cross knock-out semifinals on Friday November 27, while the final and third place play-off match will be played the next day (Saturday November 28).

The draw will be made later this week in the presence of representatives of all six teams.

Individual performances by well-known singers like Joseph ‘Pa Tous Tous’ Sinon, Jahrimba, and majorettes will lighten the hearts of spectators during intervals.

The newly formed X-Trim Dance group is to perform during the opening ceremony on Monday November 22 at 4.30 p.m., during match intervals and before the final on Saturday November 28.

The organisers believe that all these performances and individual competitions will help bring American National Basketball Association (NBA) entertainment style to local basketball.

Tickets for matches will cost R25 (adults) and R15 (children under 12 years old). Security inside and outside the Roche Caïman venue is a matter of concern for the organisers and they have said the Seychelles Police has drawn up a plan to avoid any kind of disturbance during and after matches.

On sale will be copies of an A2-size calendar in colour, a brochure with a special prize of a return ticket to either Mauritius or Kenya, key rings, T-Shirts and other memorabilia.

G. G.