The quartet of Mickel Besson, Varendra Basdeo, Rashaun Wright and Clinton Williams have been selected to their first men's senior T&T volleyball team ahead of the 14th Pan American Volleyball Cup in Colima, Mexico.
The local team, under the supervision of its technical director Gideon Dickson, left here yesterday via Panama City for Mexico, where they will compete in the 12-team tournament from June 16-22.
T&T, which last competed in the event in 2013 and bottom of the seven teams, will come up against Peru, Mexico and Puerto Rico in pool B.
In Pool A, Canada, Argentina, Cuba and Suriname will do battle while Guatemala, USA, Chile and the Dominican Republic are in Pool C.
At the end of the round-robin phase, the two best first placed teams will advance to the semifinals, while the third best first-placed team will be certain of a quarterfinal spot, along with the three second-placed teams to contest for the top three positions.
The two lowest ranked fourth-placed teams will compete for 11th while the best fourth-placed team and the three third-placed pool finishers will compete for positions seventh to tenth.
Commenting on the team’s preparations, coach Gideon Dickson said they only had three weeks to get ready as they were not originally carded to compete in the competition.
“We missed out on qualifying automatically when we ended in the third spot at the last Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) Championship which was won by Suriname. However, Brazil opted out of the tournament and due to our Continental ranking, which is the highest among non-qualified teams for the competition, we were invited to fill the vacant spot," Dickson told Guardian Media.
“So for us, we will be hoping to make amends for 2016 when we did qualify as reigning CAZOVA champions, but due to some technical issues involving NORCECA we were not allowed to compete and our spot was taken by Costa Rica. It left a sour taste among us, as the Costa Ricans defeated Honduras at the event and earned a spot to the prestigious FIVB World League 2017. "
Dickson added, “So now its a big chance for us at redemption and make amends for not competing two years ago.”
Dickson said he expects newcomers to the team, Glamorgan duo Besson and Basdeo and Big South East Port-of-Spain pair Wright and Williams, to step up their game for the event.
“They have all been involved with national youth teams in the past and have been competing at a very high level in the local league in recent years, so their national selection is just reward for their performances,” he said.
The team will be led by former Finland-based player Akim Bushe and also includes fellow senior regulars in former captain Ryan Stewart, Marlon Phillip, Kameron Donald and Joel Theodore, as well as beach volleyball stand-out Daynte Stewart and Nicholas Prescott.
Notable absentees from the team, which finished third in CAZOVA in 2018, are Portugal-based Marc-Anthony Honore, who is coming off a hectic season where he helped SL Benfica to a sweep of their domestic competition, Daneil Williams, Mikheil Hoyte, Joshua Mohammed and Kwesi Daniel.
T&T team: Akim Bushe, Kameron Donald, Joel Theodore, Ryan Stewart, Nicholas Prescott, Marlon Phillip, Daynte Stewart, Mickel Besson, Varendra Basdeo, Rashaun Wright, Brandon Legall, Clinton Williams.
Technical staff: Gideon Dickson (technical director/coach), Lyndon Simmons (assistant coach/manager), Nolan Tash (referee delegate).