by Terence Oosterwolde
PARAMARIBO — It is very likely that defending champion De Arend will secure a place in the women’s main division final of the Surinamese Basketball Association (SBA) without playing. Opponent Social Cultural Association Uitvlugt (SCVU) lost the first match according to regulations on Sunday. Rumors are circulating that the team will withdraw from the battle.
Asked for the official reason why the first match was canceled, SBA director Harold Meinzak told reporters on Sunday afternoon the True Time: “SCVU only showed up with four ladies. And the coach (Luciën Nijman, … ed.) has indicated that he does not expect more ladies to come.”
“Nijman has said that it will end for him. And I understand him quite well. It is difficult”
SCVU chairman Gilbert Soesman
When asked about the status of game 2, which is to be played on June 28, Meinzak answers: “If I can believe the coach of SCVU … he also said that SCVU will not come next week. But for now it is still verbal. So we are waiting for an official letter from SCVU indicating that they cannot appear next week either. In that case, De Arend will be the first finalist.”
The defending champions were already warming up on Sunday when it became clear that the match would not be played. At SCVU, Rahina Sint Maarten and the sisters Susanna and Christina Eendragt were on the field, while captain Jolaine Nijman was in the locker room. At one point, coach Luciën Nijman came to the three SCVU players on the field, after which they went back to the locker room.
Shortly afterwards – after coach Mitchell Zeefuik of De Arend had been informed – head referee Romero Sabajo blew the whistle for the match. Not long afterwards, SCVU player Jeneska Ligeon came to the Ismay van Wilgen Sports Hall, but that did not make any difference, because the match had already formally ended.
‘Interests’
SCVU has used junior basketball players in addition to senior players during the entire regular season of the women’s main division. However, because the U16 players are also in the play-off, their coach Gertrude ‘Truus’ Soesman did not give them permission to play for the main class team.
SCVU chairman Gilber Soesman asked for a response, says no the True Time to be aware of the ‘problem’. “Let me say it carefully: Truus initially gave the girls permission to play in the main class. They were allowed to play and eventually they became an important part in the process of maintaining the main class. But – let me also say this carefully – Truus wants to become champion or go for the championship in the lower class. And she actually forgets the bigger goal a bit.”
On the other hand, the chairman also points out that if the girls were to participate in the senior play-off on Sunday, they would have to play their U16 play-off match on Monday. In the U16 semi-final, the series score between SCVU and De Arend is 1-1. The team that wins on Monday (tomorrow) will qualify for the final against six-time defending champion Ballers Club Wanica.
Soesman: “It is difficult for kids aged 14 or 15 to play a doubles match. But I already told Truus: ‘we often complain that the children don’t play much in general’… but yes, they are also small children… “
He comes to the conclusion that the objectives of Truus and Nijman do not match. “They did not communicate it well, taking into account the busy period. Because in the beginning it was possible, but with the play-off, which is planned like this, I think there has been a conflict of interest with the main class, which actually has no girls… They don’t even have a right to exist, because those girls don’t train, those main class girls.” He emphasizes: “It went well in the beginning, but Truus wants to spare the children to play a better match. She wants to become champion or at least do well in that class.”
As chairman, Soesman faces a real dilemma. “You’re trying to patch things up, but a no e go“, he sounds almost despondent. “I told Truus to put myself in Nijman’s shoes. You always lent him those girls. She has also been telling him all this time that those children are getting tired. But now it is Nijman who is left with the problem, because those top class girls are not coming.”
When asked about the prospects for game 2, Soesman sounds gloomy. “I have to look, because Nijman has said that it will end for him. And I understand him quite well. It is difficult. I don’t know how to solve it as chairman. Mi no sabi san mi musu du. What I tell them is: ‘keep talking to each other and see how you solve it’.”
