This Is Guernsey

By Aaron Scoones

Island basketballer Peter Beausire poses for the camera alongside a Dallas Cowboys star. (0617621)

A PAIR of Guernsey basketballers have taken on the Dallas Cowboys.
But luckily for Peter Beausire and Mark Barnett, who both play for Yorkshire Guernsey Division One outfit Le Mont Saint Subaru, it was on a basketball court and not on an American football field.
The duo recently travelled to the States where they played in a charity match against the NFL team’s defensive line in front of 7,500 fans at the Ritacco Stadium in New Jersey.
‘It was a great experience to play in front of a crowd like that,’ said Beausire, who has a sports-agent friend in America, which is how the opportunity came about.
‘There was much more pressure than playing in front of 20 people at Beau Sejour.
‘It was the biggest stadium I’ve ever played in. It was awesome.’
The Cowboys also proved that they know something about basketball as well as they ran out winners by 103-51.
‘A couple of the Cowboys, like Miles Austin, had to make a decision [when they were younger] whether to go to the NBA or the NFL and that really showed on the day,’ said Beausire.
‘Austin was amazing. He was reverse dunking and everything. He’s one of the best ever I’ve played against.
‘Some of these guys were huge as well.’
In the match Beausire picked up 16 points while former London Towers player Barnett hit 25 to earn himself the most-valuable-player award.
Barnett enjoyed himself in the US.
‘It was better than I thought it was going to be,’ said the island star. ‘It was fun. They were big, natural athletes and even though they play a different type of sport, it aided them more than it hindered them.
‘Most of them have played basketball in some form either at high school or socially. They could play and they were big.’

Article posted on 7th August, 2008 - 2.29pm