Height could play to Le Mont Saint's advantage

COLLINS STEWART look set to retain their league title despite losing a number of key players when the 2005-6 Division One starts this week. Gone are Jim Rowe and Anthony Safari, who are off travelling, along with Latvian Aigars Bruvellis who has moved to London and Richard Davey who is no longer available. The Sylvans goalkeeper has decided to concentrate on his football.

The Pat Ogier-coached outfit remains favourites due to their closest challengers, Rothschild, folding at the end of last year, but he believes Le Mont Saint Garage will push them.

'I'd like to think that we've got a good-enough team to retain it,' said Ogier.

'Le Mont Saint are going to be close to us with their new signings. We have had a few training sessions and the squad seems to be bonding really well.

'There is a good team spirit and they are keen to play their first game together.'

Ex-Rothschild players Lee Ogier and Kerry Smyth have signed for CS and will add strength in the forward positions. The guard spots are also strengthened by the return of ex-island stalwart Peter Buck and under-17 star Billy Page, who join last season's MVP Simon Le Blancq and island player Jamie Roussel.

Former national league player Jeff Stuart, who has just moved to these shores from Manchester, will add experience to the centre position where Andrew Maiden, Andy Yabsley and Adam Farish will no doubt join him on the inside.

The champions' rivals, Le Mont Saint, also benefited by the demise of Rothschild by picking up Mark Barnett. The former London Towers player will be joined by his former La Fraternelle teammate Jan Renouf, who, after lifting the Guernsey FA Cup with his St Martin's team last season, has decided to forego football to focus solely on basketball.

Both players add height to an already tall team, with centre Mike Beausire measuring in at around 6ft 8in. Coach James Tracey believes that their opponents will struggle with his team's height.

'We've definitely got the size over most teams,' he said.

'With plenty of big guys we should control the centre of the court. I think we're going to have more success than last year because we haven't lost anyone, we've just gained.'

Newly promoted Collins Stewart Two have also recruited new blood in the form of Ben Colley and island captain Nigel Govett, who leaves the La Fraternelle club after seven years.

Due to the new ruling by the Guernsey Basketball Association that no island players can play in the second division and be selected for the island side, Govett has been forced to leave his second division team, La Fraternelle All Stars. The Kent-born accountant will miss the start of the season as he is out for up to eight weeks with a knee injury.

The Adam Farish-coached team is primarily made up of under-17 and under-21 players and the other members to look out for are Naro Zimmerman, Chris Falla, Craig Platt and the big Pole, Mikolaj Zaczynski.

Govett believes the season will be a rough ride for the young team.

'It will be a difficult season but a learning season,' said the former Kansas State guard.

'It's been recognised that the team has the players who are able to compete in the first division and it is anticipated that by the end of the season, all the players will be better for it.'

Last but not least is the Andy Maiden-coached island under-21 team. Maiden can call upon a number of Division One players from other teams such as Beausire, Davey, Platt and Adam Grogan as he looks to build a squad capable of retaining the inter-insular crown come the end of the season.

In 2004-5 the team failed to win a match in the league.

'I think we will do better than we did last year,' said Maiden.

'I'm hoping we will win a couple of games as we've got a pretty much settled team. We've lost only one or two players and we've got a few come up from the under-17s.

'It looks alright and I'm hoping to retain the inter-insular that we won last year.'