Minister of Sports Congratulates Belize Basketball U-18 Team

The AmeriCup Basketball Tournament taking place in Argentina has taken the Belize National Under-18 Basketball Team on a whirlwind of experiences on their first two days of play. In their first match, Belize beat Brazil but in their second game, they took a trouncing from the United States team. And today when we caught up with him, the Minister of Sports, Rodwell Ferguson put things into perspective on the Belize team’s representation. Ferguson said that whatever the outcome of the games, the Belize team will receive a warm welcome back home.

 

Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Sports

“We are like the David amongst the Goliaths. Argentina has a big population. I know Brazil population is 215 million and the U.S. is likewise, I think, over 230 million. So number one, Belize, I’ve never been there. But locally, we defeat a big country with 130 million Mexico to reach there. And so we won our first game against Brazil, which I have to go away. And that, by itself, if we don’t win another game, that, by itself, exalts Belize, and I’m happy. When we met the U.S. yesterday, I guess we were a bit intimidated, and we got very nervous, and we lost by almost 100 points. With that, I still give my guys all the kudos, all the hooray, because they put Belize on the map. Imagine a country with 397, 000 people, I guess not even in Brazil or Argentina, but Belize is full. But Belize is not on the map. So I will give them my full and a lot of support, and the guys have a lot to do in the end. We are going to meet them at the airport. I’m going to congratulate them for a wonderful job that they FIBA America.”