The CEPS basketball team is working their way through a rigorous training camp as they prepare to participate in the 2013 Africa Seniors Basketball championship in Liberia next month.
Having the full use of the Lebanon court, coach Brimah Lawah indicated that the team looks promising and will have the opportunity to blossom.
“It is a good team with few additions. We also have some youngsters in the team and it’s all about encouraging them to do their best,” Lawah said
“We’re trying to give some of the players the exposure. This is their time to shine and I’m very confident about our prospect in Liberia.
The experienced trainer, who has guided CEPS to many successes, is known for his systematic and philosophical approach to games and spoke about the new CEPS team.
“I think last year’s team ended a cycle. A new team does not necessarily mean new players. We have the core of our players who have shown cohesion and consistency over the years.
“A new cycle is obviously going to start now and get a feel of the competition and to get the exposure.
“They are going to be competitive never the less.
Lawah believes the unit has the talent to do well despite the presence of many African heavyweights in Monrovia.
“For now everything has gone as planned. We need just a little time for the players to adjust to the new system of play.
“We have the talents but it will take them time to get to the point where we want them to be.
The CEPS team has come up short in continental competitions and has drawn their share of critics and comparison that Lawah believes are misguided and unfair.
“Many of the people that criticize are not following basketball and they are blind to some of the other challenges basketball face on a larger scale.
“They also try to compare this generation of players to the past generation of players to the past generation of players which is totally unfair because basketball structure was stronger and more competitive and that sort of encourage a higher level of basketball eight years ago, we are rebuilding and teaching fundamentals so it is a tough task,” Lawah noted.
