National point guard announces retirement

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By Carlena Knight

“The last dance” is what national point guard, Lennox “Termite” McCoy had dubbed this upcoming Antigua and Barbuda Basketball Association (ABBA) season.

McCoy made the announcement on the Good Morning JoJo Sports show on Friday where he also confirmed rumours that he will be teaming up with other veterans Bryan “Hollywood” Matthew and Marlon “Buju” Charles at Ovals.

F and G Trading Cuties Ovals Ojays are the defending champions in both the league and playoffs and it was because of their chances of securing back to back titles, McCoy shared, that convinced him to make one of the most controversial moves to date on the local circuit to leave his home team, Baldwin Braves for the Ojays.

“The team is not as strong this year. A couple of guys from Braves’ Second Division team will be moving up to first and I wanted to stay in shape [but] this is my last year and it would be nice to win a championship. Ovals are the closest thing down west and I definitely wasn’t going to go on the east side and play again. Foster and I have a very good relationship; he supports my business and I figured why not? He’s been behind me [saying] ‘Termite I need you, my point guard is not here, you need to get in shape, it will be a good farewell for you, Buju and Hollywood’. Last dance is what I am going to slogan it as.

“I would love to coach still but at the same time I will like to stay in shape. I think if I can get in good shape then I can still play at a high level, especially down here,” McCoy said.

He said it was an easy transition for him to transfer into the Ojays camp and has silenced those who believe that these guys cannot play together.

“I think they are happier to have me. They welcomed me with open arms. Bryan, I have played with on the national team, Buju, I have played with the national team. Most of those guys have played on the national team so it was an easy transition for me. The practice was fun

[but]

it was still a little different and seemed kind of weird when I got the uniform last night, I was like, what? Really? It is what it is, I am excited about the opportunity and I am going to take full advantage of that and hopefully win and end my career on a championship note.”

McCoy also shared that after retiring he will be going into coaching full time as the Grays Green resident had his first go at the position last season with Braves.

He will retire as arguably one of the best point guards Antigua and Barbuda has produced following Carl “Bowlie” Knight.

He has represented his country at a number of regional and international tournaments and on the local realm has won a number of championships playing for Braves and Flyers Basketball.

 In fact, McCoy was a part of the silver medal Senior Men’s Basketball team, the Bulldogs, that competed at the FIBA Ameri-Cup Caribbean Qualifiers in Suriname in 2018 where he named to the all-star squad.

Following that triumph, the question of whether the now 42-year-old would ever play again came about as he was a victim of a freak accident in July which damaged his eye. Since that accident McCoy has slowly made his way back onto the court playing a number of minutes last season for his home team. He is quite confident that this injury will not slow him down in his quest for one final championship.

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