Basketball: Stars lose key players |11 March 2014

Defending women’s league champions Anse Etoile Stars will not look the same this season after losing what can only be described as some of the team’s pillars.

Stars have lost four players ahead of the new season, with the mother-daughter duo of Simone and Jana Malbrook proving to be their biggest losses. Both players, along with Diana Sanguiyon, Rakotomoundimby Miantratsory and Kettyna Figaro have switched to the newly formed Bel Air Ladies team. The team’s coach is former Stars trainer Michel Malbrook.

Jana Malbrook won the female player of the year title last season after leading her team to another league title, while Simone Malbrook has been the side’s best player over the years.

It promises to be an exciting basketball season for the female teams as Stars seek to cope with the loss of key players, while Mont Fleuri will look to capitalise on their rivals’ weaknesses and the newly formed Bel Air side aim to get their first season off to a flying start and the same can be said about the other newly created side – BV Sonics.

BV Sonics have also recruited a number of players including the Savy twin sisters Kerine and Kerina who used to play for Anse Etoile Stars, as well as Presheila Devasin (formerly with Anse Etoile Stars), Sheryl Pothin (formerly with Juniors), Christina Georges and Sarah Beaudoin (formerly with Mont Fleuri).

In the men’s league, this season will see the debut of new team Victoria Shooters who will be hoping to emulate the success of former Victoria-based side Victoria Suns who were title contenders during the 1990s.

The Shooters will have the services of players like Georges François, Nigel Jeannevol, Ricky Sicobo, Eddy Olivia as well as a former Victoria Suns player Benjamin Henriette.

Meanwhile, Anse Boileau-based Angels have disbanded and their players have joined Drifters, Beau Vallon Heat and Grand Anse Wolf.

The following are the other major transfers across the men’s basketball leagues:

Eddie Armand – from Angels to MBU Rockers

Bernard Cherry – from Baya to Anse Etoile

Charles Sauzier and Franky Esther – from Angels to Grand Anse Wolf

Daniel Dodin, Steve Antat and Dominique Françoise – from Angels to Beau Vallon Heat

Barry Dubignon and David Boniface – from Angels to Drifters

Sandy Julienne – from Cascade Bullets to Baya

Terrence Sirame – from RC Dynamics to Baya

Jason Benstrong – from Beau Vallon Heat to Baya

Stan Boniface and Alf Aglaé – from Beau Vallon Heat to Premium Cobras

Eddie Servina – from Cascade Bullets to Premium Cobras

Steve Allisop – from PLS Hawks to Mont Fleuri Dawgz

Steve Marie – from Beau Vallon Heat to MBU Rockers

S. N.