Left, a St Peter Port basketball side of 1971: back row, from left – Tim Le Cheminant, Grant Williamson, Tony Masterton and Martin Petit; front – Tim Martel, Brian Queru and Peter Falla. (0590729)

FROM the day St Peter Port Secondary opened its doors the fast-moving basketball production line moved into top gear.

In 40 years it has never ground to a halt and the Guernsey Basketball Association is indebted to a school that has produced dozens of top players to grace their leagues.

John Mountford, former teacher at the school and also president of the GBA, knows as well as anyone the legacy of St Peter Port.

‘The GBA has benefited hugely from the school,’ said Mountford, who was one of several teachers at Les Ozouets which enthusiastically coaxed the best out of boys and girls who loved the game. But, said Mountford, nobody should take more credit than Robbie Burns, who was there at the start.

‘They’d come into play basketball before school started. Robbie would have them in the gym at lunchtime and they’d be there after school. ‘They preferred basketball to football.’