The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THEY combined their efforts to lead the CC Sweeting Cobras to victory in the prestigious Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium on Monday night. On Saturday night at the DW Davis Gymnasium, Wayde Watson and Mario Bowleg will be on the opposite sides of the court as the New Providence Women’s Basketball Association hosts its All-Star Classic.

Watson, the head coach of the Super Value Cybot Queens, will be assisted by Donnie Culmer of the Bommer G Lady Operators when the President team takes on the Vice President team that will be coached by Bowleg of the Career Builders Lady Cheetahs and his assistant, Penial Bain of the Johnson’s Lady Truckers.

“We are looking for a very competitive game,” said NPWBA president Mynez Cargill-Sherman.

“Most of the ladies involved would have been on the national teams in the past, so we are looking forward to them coming out and really putting on a great performance for the public.”

To add a little more excitement to the night when the activities get underway at 7pm, Cargill-Sherman said they intend to host a Skills Competition and a Three-Point Shootout, while the coaches will also combine to play against the officials before the All-Stars take to the court.

Watson’s squad will have a combination of players from his Cybot Queens, the Lady Operators and the Dee Saints, which from all indications will represent the youthfulness in the league. Bowleg’s squad, on the other hand, will feature the more seasoned players coming together from the Lady Cheetahs, the Lady Truckers and the Saints.

Both coaches are looking forward to competing against each other.

“It’s going to be interesting. We will also be teaming up in the coaches game where I normally play point and he is the shooting guard,” Watson said. “But Mario is an excellent coach and I am always good to go up against him as much as I can to try and win as much as I could.

“I think we have the better team in terms of players, so I think we could really do a good job against him in this All-Star.”

Bowleg added that it will be quite entertaining. “We are going to try and make it more fun than anything else,” Bowleg said. “At the end of the day, the last quarter of the game, we are going to try to make it as serious as it can be. But it’s going to be fun. I’m looking at how it will end up because win, lose or draw, we are going to enjoy it.”

Named to the President’s team are Melesha Perterson, Tracy Lewis, Vernisha Moss, Taniel Poitier and Deandra Cunningham. And to the Cybot Queens - Sherelle Cash, Antenique Young, Kecia Smith, Cassandra Rahming and Diasti Delancy from the Lady Operators and LaKeisha Rolle and Tanya Flowers from the Saints.

“I think it’s a good crop of players in veteran Sherelle Cash and players like Melesha and Tracy,” Watson said. “Once we can work together and they are prepared to listen, we should be okay. It’s all about having fun. We will play free for the first three quarters and then we will go hard for the final quarter to try and win it.”

Named to the Vice President team are Philicia Kelly, Alyse Dean, LaToya Thompson, Anastacia Sands-Moultrie and Linda Pierre from the Lady Cheetahs, Suzette McKenzie, Shantel Rolle, Latoya Rolle, Glenda Gilcud and Janice Rolle from the Lady Truckers and Keeva Barry and Nikira Rolle from the Lady Saints.

“I am combined with the Truckers, so knowing the personnel on the Cheetahs and the Truckers, I think we stand a great chance of winning,” Bowleg said. “The Angels and the Cybots are the younger crew and we will be more of the veteran crew, so I think the experience will prevail in the end.”

To counter Bowleg’s comments, Watson said all he has to do is go to the Bible and he will get his answer for him. “Experience is good, but in order to finish the job you need youth, the Bible says that,” Watson said. “The Bible says old man I call you because you are wise and you know the way, but I call the young men because they are strong. Let’s hope that the young prevail over the old.”

Watson encourages the public to come out and watch the best female players on the island go at it in the All-Star Classic.