Nanton: “My team has a plan for female basketball”

The reviving of women’s basketball at both the development and competing stages are high on the agenda of former national player and current executive member of the Antigua and Barbuda Basketball Association (ABBA), Kebra Nanton.
Nanton, who will seek election as president when the association host its electoral Annual General Meeting (AGM) next month, said if successful, her new executive will first focus on building a pool of players through the staging of a development programme.
“I think we used to focus too much on the fact that we need to compete but the team and I have met and we have decided that the development of the female programme is a long-term programme and so we need to start getting young girls involved from age 10 and under and invest in and develop them and get it going so it’s not just competing,” she said.
Nanton, who will be challenged by former president, Jules Bowen, during the October 23 elections, said there will be a fierce focus on youth basketball in general.
“That is the plan, to definitely try and get the clubs to focus on getting the females involved just as we’re trying to get the clubs to bring a youth team because as I’ve been talking to the teams, I’ve been encouraging them to bring a youth team even if you have your [senior] team already, bring a youth team and try to get the youths from your community more involved,” she said.
Nanton recently publicised the make-up of her slate of candidates for the upcoming election. A venue is yet to be announced for the hosting of the basketball association’s AGM.