FIBA gives NISC near-perfect score ahead of FIBA qualifiers

Whereas Jamaica’s basketball team continues its quest for a first-ever FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 spot, facing Bahamas this evening in Group B Americas qualifying, the country has already made a historic mark, getting a “close to 100 per cent” thumbs up from representatives of the international body for organisation, especially retrofitting the National Indoor Sports Centre to its rigid standards.

Joint Group B leaders with Canada on four points, Jamaica face Bahamas (2) at 6:10 this evening, aiming at a win before what they hope will be a table-topping clash with the Canadians at 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Among those rooting for Jamaica to advance among 12 teams to the next round of qualifying is former national player Courtney Campbell, who, as senior project manager for one of the event’s sponsors, Main Event Entertainment Group, was tasked with transforming the Indoor Sports Centre to FIBA’s specifications.

“It’s the entire set-up of the venue that FIBA regulates, lights, sound, screens, down to the decor,” emphasised Campbell, who represented Jamaica from 1989-1992 before going on to play for Wayne State University in NCAA Division II.

Familiar with North America and its various basketball leagues, Campbell said Main Event’s preparation of the National Indoor Sports Centre to host FIBA qualifiers was a challenging undertaking.

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD

“The Indoor Sports Centre was not purpose-built for basketball. FIBA, however, requires the venue and everything associated with the qualifiers to be of international standard. At venues designed for basketball, everything would have been in place, awaiting players and the crowd,” Campbell explained.

“Each international league has its stipulations. FIBA is no different and its representatives have been here monitoring everything. A millimetre can make a big difference. Everything has to be right before approval is granted,” added Campbell, who has been working assiduously for more than a week, along with other Main Event Group team leaders such as Adrian Loague and Paul Henry, to meet FIBA requirements.

Pointing out that a Jumbotron screen was initially installed overhead, mid-court, Campbell said his team had to remove the massive, high-definition LED video display due to the height of the ceiling not meeting FIBA’s guidelines.

Instead, live feed for the games will be shown on 16’x9’ screens behind the goals, supplemented by 12’x7’ scoreboards at opposing corners, replacing the Indoor Sports Centre’s 4’x3’ scoring apparatus.

Other standard equipment, especially lighting, had to be significantly improved for Jamaica’s historic hosting of FIBA qualifiers.

“There are approximately 50 lights installed,” Loague pointed out, adding that the specifications required between 1700-2000 lumens per lamp, most suspended from cables, a task that had to be done before the court was relaid for training to commence.

A FIBA official overseeing training on Tuesday, as well as Main Event’s technical teams, spoke to the organisation’s expectations, adding that Jamaica was close to perfect.

“FIBA standard is the highest you can have. Jamaica, hosting a FIBA tournament for the first time, is doing very well. Close to 100 per cent,” said the official.

Jamaica and Canada are favourites to advance among three teams from Group B. Bahamas and Puerto Rico, who Jamaica had stunned 92-90 and 97-92 on the road last year, are on two points apiece.