The East Will begin their title defense against the Bad Boys. Photo>Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

TORTOLA—The BVI Basketball Federation will open its 2008 league on Saturday afternoon at the Multipurpose Sports Complex in Road Town, featuring three games. Activities are slated to begin with a parade of teams from the Elmore Stoutt High School at 4:30 p.m., and teams are to line up by 4 p.m. for the parade to the Multipurpose Sports Complex for the 5 p.m. opening ceremonies. There will be speeches by Sports Minister  Andrew Fahie—who also coaches the Guns team. Acting Director of Youth Affairs and Sports Patrick Harrigan and Basketball Federation

St. Croix referee Kenneth Heyleger explains a signal during Saturday's clinic. Photo>Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

TORTOLA—Long Look Bull Dogs scorer Rene Farrington was among 22 who showed up to Saturday’s BVI Basketball Federation organized officials’ clinic that was conducted by FIBA certified instructor, St. Croix’s Kenneth Heyleger, at the Multipurpose Sports Complex in Road Town. Farrington said her purpose for attending was to be educated on how referees make their calls. “Sitting on the bench and the sideline, you’re wondering why a call is the way it is and you are saying he’s not fair or you don’t know why the call was made,” she noted. “So I came just to get a little knowledge. This has enlightened me.

Guns coach and Sports Minister Andrew Fahie. Photo>Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

TORTOLA—As the 2008 BVI Basketball Federation league prepares to open, more and more talk is being generated on who will win the championship this season, particularly in the senior division. The Guns in particular has generated the most interest because of the players they have picked up during the off season. “I see it helping us,” Fahie said. “But I still don’t have us at the team to beat. The team to beat is still the East. They are the champions and Young Legs are a former champion. What we have done is try to put a team together to get past the playoffs.”

LeSean Moses contributed to UVI's 1st victory. Photo>Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

TORTOLA—When LeSean Moses registered as a University of the Virgin Islands student in the spring of 2006, he went to look for coach Sean Georges and told him he wanted to play basketball for the Bucs. Georges told him everyone has to tryout which he did, but could not play, because freshmen aren’t allowed to according to league rules. While he has not had lots of playing time, he made the best of the time he had in whatever role he’s called on to play. In a Bucs game against Caribbean, with an 83-80 lead after several starters fouled out and four players on the court had foul trouble, Moses who was in the game earlier, was called up on to step to the line. He made a valuable contribution to the Bucs, as his free throws gave them their first victory of the season, 85-80 as time ran out on Caribbean.

Bad Boys' DAlvern Blyden, left, will renew his rivalry with Young Legs' Ronnie "Gola" Simmonds when the league starts. Photo>Dean "The Sportsman": Greenaway

TORTOLA—With the sweet taste that came with knocking off Young Legs to reach their first BVI Basketball Federation final then winning their first game, the Bad Boys had a full off season to endure the bitter end of defeat which came with the East’s reverse sweep to claim the crown. Like the Guns and Young Legs, Bad Boys have done some upgrade to their unit with hopes of getting that coveted ring.  “The Bad Boys are ready,” assured Dalvern Blyden. “We just had to do a little rebuilding and we’re coming again. “It was like your hand is above the cookie jar, but, you didn’t get to taste it."