Her Majesty’s Prison was pleased to host its seventh consecutive annual Basketball Tournament from June 26th – 28th 2019, at HM Prison, between the in-house team HMP All-Stars and a team representing the Anguilla Amateur Basketball Association (AABA). This is a venture that started between the Department of Sport and the Sentence Planning Team at HM Prison in 2013, and it continues to grow from strength to strength.
On 26th June, an official opening ceremony preceded the tournament. It consisted of a welcome from Head of Custody, Mr Carl Walker, followed by brief remarks from His Excellency The Governor Mr. Tim Foy; Director of Sports, Mr. Andre Collin and Ms. Avon Carty, Director of Youth and Culture. Mr Colin Hicks, the Governor’s Chief of Staff, threw the opening ball after which the tournament was declared open.
The tournament consisted of three games which were keenly contested, followed by a three-point shootout competition. The AABA Team won the two first games, thus making them, the AABA, the 2019 Champions for the third consecutive year. The third game was a friendly game, which the AABA also won. Despite a disappointing defeat for the HMP All-Stars team – by the opposing team – it wasn’t without a great fight as they showed considerable skill and determination trying to obtain the coveted trophy.
Special awards went to Romain Walters of the HMP All-Star Team who won a trophy for the Most Rebounds and also the Most Blocks, Daury Herbert of the AABA Team for the Most Steals and Andre Burg of the AAABA Team for the Most Assists. Andre was also awarded this year’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy. Alexis Connor of the HMP All-Stars won the three-point shootout competition for the second consecutive year.
Each year the tournament gets more competitive and sparks great interest for people in society knowing that these inmates are given the chance to showcase their talents as well as an opportunity to compete alongside the players from outside – in the local community. Also, every year, a number of local sponsors show how much they care about the rehabilitation of these young men by contributing to this highly anticipated event. While this is a tournament of basketball, the real essence of why we continue, and see the need for, this tournament is the fact that sports can always be used as a vehicle to transform lives. Each time these men play against, or with, each other, it encourages and fosters great relationships.
Mr Delano Mussington, from the Department of Sports, observed that “through sports,
we get a chance to engage in meaningful discussions – perhaps discussions that if it wasn’t through sports, we might not have an opportunity to do so. We have some great talented young men who are loaded with great ideas that we need on the outside, so I will keep encouraging them that this is not the end and there is a lot that they can still offer down the road.”
Ms Shariffa Wallace, Rehabilitation & Development Coordinator at HM Prison said:
“The management, staff and inmates of HM Prison always look forward to the Basketball Tournament and 2019 was no exception. I am particularly pleased this year to see the high level of teamwork, collaboration and unity amongst the HMP players, which speaks volumes with regard to how involvement in this sporting activity has surpassed any ill will and allowed young men from all over the island to play three highly energized matches which we all enjoyed. The good spirit which was shown by everyone throughout is highly commendable. I would like to congratulate the AABA on their win, and hope to see them return to HMP next year to keep the competition going.”
HM Prison would like to take this opportunity to extend its sincere thanks, once again, to all of the sponsors of the HMP 2019 Basketball Tournament, namely, the Department of Youth and Culture, the Department of Sports especially Delano Mussington, Ms Denecia Niles–Can Engineering, Tackle Box, Prestige, Mr. Kenn Banks, Banx Professional Services Ltd, Hi-Tek, Epic Food- Jervayne Daniel, Paper’s Bar-B-Q & T-shirt Printing, Pham A’Alma Sea Food Company, Ashley & Sons Supermarket, Church of God of Holiness, Mr. Lloyd Charles and Prison Officer Cynthia Christmas.
Special thanks also go to the Anguilla Red Cross, namely Lydia Dasent, Frank Cannon, Jiva Niles and Hyacinth Crawford who were on hand to provide any First Aid assistance, Ian “Tucker” Connor and Jaiden Lawrence, the referees who presided over all three games, Mr. John Millington, for his sports commentary, and also guest DJ Chu Chu Benz. We also appreciate the numerous colleagues who played significant roles especially Prison Officer Jennifer Cordice, who spearheads the event annually, Officers Devon George, Tyrell Thomas, Winston Davis and Heather James, Prison Chaplain Elmead Allen and Teacher Ingrid Fullington, as their contributions all played a part in making the tournament an overall success.
– Press Release
