To be fair, there is no such thing as the right time to let go of a good thing. And while too much of a good thing can turn sour, too little can cause heartbreak.
That’s the heart-pumping story of 18-year-old Martin Holdbrooke who passed away exactly two years in Cape Coast.
For many local fans of the sport, the news that Martin Holdbrooke would no longer play basketball for Cape Coast Technical Institute, or anyone else for that matter, was a hard-hitting pill to swallow.
The news of the death of the Small Forward for Cape Tech spread like wild fire and shook the basketball fraternity and for many who still remember his exploits, an All Star memorial match will be staged on Saturday March 17 to pay tribute to the promising startlet.
At a tender age of 18, the young Small Forward for Cape Coast Technical Institute exhibited amazing talents that got many to believe he was the star of the show at the senior high level in Ghana.
His contribution to the famous Sprite Basketball Championship must be seen in a ‘half-full vs. half-empty’ perspective
Not only was Holdbrooke a continuing source of inspiration both on and off the court, he was also the hero for most of the young basketball folks in Cape Coast.
He was hardworking and left countless unforgettable memories in the minds of his peers before the icy death laid his hands on the prodigy.
Holdbrooke will be missed, and not just because he was an emerging star, or because he had the ability to take over close games, or even because his stop-on-a-dime-pull-up-jump-shot looked too clean to be real.
He was more than just a player. He was more than just a favorite player. Martin Holdbrooke consistently made all of us, even the untailored observers, believe in the impossible.
Fans spoke and still speak of him as though he were a beloved relative, someone who may come bursting through the door at any second, ready to relax and rehash memories with those dearest to him.
Special people can bring along special moments, and Cape Tech fans knew that was who Martin Holdbrooke was, someone special.
He had a smile that was contagious and an optimism that was infectious. Those two traits incidentally were the hallmarks of his young career.
Basketball at the senior level in Cape Coast needed a Martin Holdbrooke to dream and there are many who are even more convinced of this now that he is no longer with us.
And all the more convinced that the only tribute to him is to carry forward the work he left unfulfilled.
Highlights of his exploits will be shown at the Hoops Care International court, Victoria Park, Cape Coast as friends and relative gather to keen his memory in their hearts.
So Long………
The Management and Staff of Rite Multimedia wishes to express their profound condolences to the bereaved family and friend. Martin Holdbrooke will forever remain in our hearts.
By: Patrick Kwame Akoto (Editor-in-chief, basketballghana.com)
