Last night we brought you the SOS call made by Matthew Smiling to the KREM Wake Up Belize talk show, yesterday morning. Smiling, the Coach of the Under 15 male Basketball team, presently in Guatemala for the COCABA under 15 Tournament, made the call to complain that the spartan accommodations provided the team was unacceptable. And, that the cement court the tournament was being played on did not meet the strict standards of FIBA, The International Basketball Federation. Jim McFadzean spoke with Smiling today by telephone to get an update on whether there's been any change in the team's situation.
Voice of Matthew Smiling, Coach
"There were a lot of mattresses taking up spaces in there. But since we complain, they remove most of the mattresses and have open the room itself and make it bigger, but we are still sharing the same room with 4 other countries. There is no privacy; it's just a big open room."
Jim McFadzean
"And have the conditions affected the moral of the team?"
Voice of Matthew Smiling, Coach
"I don't think that will. We are doing our best here to keep them mentally ready."
Jim McFadzean
"You threaten though that if conditions have not improve you had threaten to pull out."
Voice of Matthew Smiling, Coach
"Well Salvador beat us to the punch at the technical briefing. They were the first team to threaten the directors that if the condition didn't improve they were thinking about going back home. Salvador is consider one of the top teams. So I guess when Salvador spoke they listen."
Jim McFadzean
"You won your first schedule game by default. Why did Mexico not show up?"
Voice of Matthew Smiling, Coach
"Well I don't know. But I wasn't expecting them anyway because they are hosting the next tournament. So there is no need for them to qualify here. Because the host country definitely have to qualify."
Jim McFadzean
"What's the final word on Belize official representation from the Belize Basketball Federation?"
Voice of Matthew Smiling, Coach
"Well I spoke to Mr. Thompson yesterday and haven't spoken to him since he call, I think he is travelling today and should be arriving in Belize and coming up here tomorrow."
Belize is scheduled to play Costa Rica today, and will meet host team, Guatemala on the court on Thursday. The tournament ends this Saturday.
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