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.