ONE thing is certain in this season’s Yorkshire Guernsey Division One Championship - there will be a different name on the trophy come the end of it. That is because Le Mont Saint, who had a clean sweep of all domestic trophies last year, have split into two creating teams named Fiat and Subaru.
But nothing else is certain in a league that contains five sides for the first time in seven years and looks too tight to predict with any certainty.
However, an early indication to how the season might go was given when Subaru won the recent inaugural preseason tournament.
‘The new season is looking very promising and it is great to see five teams playing in Division One,’ said Guernsey Basketball Association president and Subaru’s captain Pete Beasire.
‘I am really pleased with how our preseason training is going: we are beginning to gel as a team. By winning the preseason tournament last week, it has helped us get to know each other and learn each person’s style of play.’
Jan Renouf and Beausire bring the speed to the team to help implement the fast-break style of basketball that they like to play.
It is a big year for young players Adam Grogan and Chris Bourgaize and Subaru will also be looking to former London Towers star Mark Barnett and Rachid Frihmat to lead the attacks and to create space for the big men, such as Mike Beausire, to get the points.
The side is also boosted by the additions of Pierre Jehan, who has come back to the sport after a number of years away, and the newly arrived Dave Hubbleday.
‘It is fantastic to see Pierre playing again - his experience and passion are starting to show,’ said Pete Beausire.
‘Dave Hubbleday coming to the island has really added height and strength to the team. He is building a great partnership in the post with Michael Beausire.’
Fiat, on the other hand, are looking somewhat like the poor relative on paper as they do not have as many island players.
Their only member to turn out in the green of Guernsey last year was captain James Tracey.
Le Mont Saint regulars Nick Leale, Nick Lawlor and James Robert will be heavily relied on and they are joined by a number of players stepping up from the second division such as the Davey brothers, Neil and Richard, Tim Roberts and Paul Battle.
But they could cause some upsets.
‘We are welcoming some new players into the top flight of Guernsey basketball to join a number of seasoned campaigners,’ said Tracey.
‘Fiat should prove to be a tough team when playing well, but it will depend on key players and the ability of the newer players to find roles on court.
‘Our focus of the season is to win by exploiting mismatches on offence and bringing on the newer players to fill key roles and make significant contributions.’
While Subaru may not be threatening for the top spot, Team Collins Stewart will certainly be looking to challenge for honours.
‘If we all play to our potential, we’ll turn all the other teams over,’ said coach Jeff Stuart.
‘It’s an even league this year and it will come down to who turns out their best team on the day. We’re looking really strong and we’ve got some good juniors coming through.’
Stuart’s team is the classic example of youth and experience.
Youth comes in the form of promising big man Scott Rowe, Aaron Walden, Matt Sawbridge and Ricard Fletcher, who has been a prolific three-point shooter during his junior days.
Stuart, Aussie Paul Wilkes and island captain Nigel Govett supply the experience, although it is not known how much Govett will feature this year due to continual knee problems.
Add last year’s Division Two most valuable player Joel de Woolfson, who steps up from Manzur, and island guard Andy Stephens among others into the mix and Team CS look quite a handful.
‘I think we’re strong and our strength is our versatility,’ said Stuart.
However, the other Collins Stewart side in Division One, Inferno, are looking like the outfit that possibly will be challenging with Subaru for the crown.
Coached by Adam Farish, they boast such luminaries as Paul van Beek, Jason Hooper and Lee Ogier, who all featured in the Rhodes Island Games for the Guernsey team.
Former island guard Antoine Safari returns to the top flight for Inferno as does Kev Holland.
‘I think all the other four teams are in the same position - it’s about how quickly we come together, but we’ve got all the ingredients in the squad,’ said Farish.
‘Match-ups this term should be one of the biggest problems Inferno present teams, with versatile swing men such as Ogier and Safari able to post up and do the dirty work inside as well as stepping out and posing a real threat from the perimeter.’
Farish is also in charge of the remaining team in the league - the Island Under-21s.
With the likes of Hooper, Rowe, Fletcher, Sawbridge, Dan Marriott, Max Hamon, Chris Simon and Ian Froome, they are more than capable of taking points off the other teams.
The league gets under way in earnest at Beau Sejour on Saturday when Team CS take on Fiat and Inferno meet Subaru in what promises to be a real ding-dong of a battle.
‘It’s a big clash at the weekend,’ said Farish.
‘I think it will be us two battling it out at the end of the season.’
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