Only one can advance from ECVA juniors male Qualifiers

 

ST JOHNS, Antigua, August 28, 2019 - The arduous journey of trying to qualify for the World Junior championship begins here for four Eastern Caribbean Countries. Antigua Barbuda plays hosts to three other countries – St. Kitts Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia all with teams of boys currently under 19.

 

There will be ten games before a winner could be determined and that one will have the opportunity to move on to the second stage in 2020.

 

St. Lucia has thrown down the gauntlet stating categorically that they would be the one to move on.

 

“We have the talent, we have the will and the determination to repeat the same thing the girls did and move on, said Terry Verdant - the Coach of the St. Lucia team.

 

Olsen Joseph coach of Antigua/Barbuda was a bit more circumspect. “I prefer to let the action on the court speak for me when the whistle goes. Nevertheless we have a strong feeling that we will defend a championship that we won the last time around” he said.

 

St. Clair Hodge of St. Kitts/Nevis hinted more optimism than confidence. “This is a newly formed squad that is filled with talent and physical fitness my only concern is their mental strength of the guys as this will be their very first tournament. However if we can keep them focused in this tournament for long periods we will be a force to reckon win,” he noted.

 

Coach Vance Andrews of St. Vincent and the Grenadines wore a half smile in the interview as if he knew something that the others did not.

 

Our goal for coming here is to win this tournament. We were out of it for a while and now we have comeback not just to participate but to win. Whoever is the competition before us our aim is to give it our best and once this happens we will be the ones moving on in 2020”, He intimated.

 

The competition begins with a clash of the Windwards in St. Lucia versus St. Vincent and the Grenadines at 6 m while the curtains game will see St Kitts/Nevis taking on the hosts – Antigua/Barbuda at 8 pm both games on Thursday 29th.