This Is Guernsey

BASKETBALL players were smiling, but other Guernsey teams were not so happy after being handed a tough draw in the Rhodes Island Games. With just over a month to go before the glitzy opening ceremony in the Mediterranean island, the groups have been drawn for men’s and women’s basketball, women’s football and table tennis.

The men’s basketball team was pulled out of the hat with 2003 silver medallists Cayman Island and fellow heavyweights Bermuda.

The Jeff Stuart-coached team also face unknown Spanish side Menorca on their Games debut, Gibraltar and the old foe, Jersey, whom they will play in their opening match.

‘Very happy with the draw and looking forward to an inter-insular rematch as we face Jersey in our first game,’ said Stuart.

‘We are going to Rhodes to play against the best and test ourselves as a team and drawing in the same pool as Bermuda and the Caymans will definitely allow us to play some of the premier teams in the tournament.

‘However, we are certainly not there to make up the numbers and I’m confident we can push these teams all the way.

‘I’m putting together a schedule for our off-court preparation and as a team we are all putting in the extra hours to make sure we are mentally and physically ready to compete from the first pool game to the final. To be honest, if we had got an easy draw in the pools, I would have felt short-changed.

‘There are limited opportunities to play against teams of that calibre and it’s the reason we are playing - to take on some of the best and beat them.’

The women’s team have a tough challenge on its hands as well.

The defending champions have been drawn to play Cayman Islands first, then Bermuda followed by the Isle of Man.

Rhodes, Gibraltar, Prince Edward Island and Menorca make up the other group.

‘I’m reasonably happy as the one team I wanted to avoid in the group stages was Rhodes and we have done,’ said coach Pat Ogier.

‘I think on their home court they are going to be very, very tough. The one thing is, we don’t know what Bermuda are like.

‘Cayman Islands will be strong. We’ll have a tough time qualifying but if we play to the best of our ability, we’ll be up there.’

Bermuda also feature in Guernsey’s women’s football group. The Western Islands are the third team in the pool.

‘I don’t know too much about them, but I think they are pretty good sides,’ said coach Steve Ogier.

‘Bermuda are strong and the Western Isles may be similar to us. The conditions are going to be more favourable for Bermuda and there won’t be too much between the Western Isles and us.

‘But whoever we drew, it’s going to be difficult games for us.’

The table tennis draw sees reigning champions Guernsey take on Faroe Islands, Greenland, Jersey, Rhodes, Gibraltar and Saaremaa.

‘It’s an interesting draw and looks a tough one,’ said team captain Phil Hunkin.

‘It’s always difficult to predict and there don’t appear to be any easy games.’

The groups have also been decided for the men’s and women’s volleyball, but according to men’s coach John Marley, the draws have contravened the sport’s bylaws.

As there are more than seven teams in each event, Marley said that the competitions should have had only two qualifying groups each.

At present the men have three pools with 11 teams while the women have four groups with 14 sides. ‘Emails are going to Rhodes because the draws are incorrect,’ said Marley.

‘I expect them to change in the next week. The bylaws say if there are more than seven teams, you have two groups.

‘There’s nothing about three or four groups, otherwise you spend all that money to get to Rhodes for just three games. You would have thought after all this time they would have got it right.’

Article posted on 25th May, 2007 - 12.00am