Basketball has given me tremendous satisfaction

- Young cager star Charane Anthony :

Angu RAJENDRAN

Charane Anthony has got ready laughter inside him. He is simply joyous to just live. And to live with basketball is the highpoint in young thirteen year old cager star Charane Anthony's life. Charane was adjudged the Most Valuable Player of the Under 13 All Island Schools North Zone basketball tournament.

Thirteen year old Charane is a grade nine student of St Joseph's College, Maradana. His dad Nandi Anthony captained the College team during his years in college, so it was automatic that Charane drifted towards the game as well. But Charane has no regrets.

'I had to give up cricket to concentrate on basketball when I was ten. But definitely there is more fun in basketball. The feeling while you play basketball can never come back. The adrenalin! The team spirit! It is simply unbelievable especially when you make the winning basket, the thrill is just too much,' says Charane. Of the finals against Gateway College in the North zone tournament, Charane says 'I was asleep for almost five minutes of the game. In the sense, I was playing so badly. No! No! I was not nervous. I was just not there. I gave two miss - passes. I felt so bad and then one of my friends hit me. He said 'Come on Charane, WAKE UP.' And then I started playing.

I could drive in and shoot. And I shot two continuous baskets and all my years of practice suddenly came into play. I felt we were going to win. And we won! In the last eighteen seconds I actually shot two winning baskets and I was laughing. It was such a thrilling feeling.'

The game was going neck and neck in the last quarter, our coach took a time-out when there was 18 seconds of the game left and we were ahead by one point - 28/27. My dad came out of the crowd and told me - 'Charane do anything you can. There's just eighteen seconds left.' Totally inspired Charane wanted to do anything to please his father at that moment. He intercepted Gateway's pass and went for a lay-up with no defense on him. 'It was so unbelievable. And it happened again,' says Charane quite happily.

Charane's older brother Yannick who is currently studying at CIS helps Charane with his game at home. Every single day of his life, young Charane puts in at least 500 baskets, in school or at home. 'I just love the game. I love three pointers. I love the speed, the immediate glory and the satisfaction of making baskets even when you are practicing alone. Basketball is just the game for me and at St Joseph's it is such fun.'

Coach Shane Romesh often scolds his Under 13 team calling them the 'worst' of the lot. 'He loves us but we are supposed to very mischievous,' says Charane laughing.

'But close to the tournament we really pulled up our socks and stopped having fun and started serious practice. Each of us shot at least a thousand baskets between our preliminary match with Gateway when we lost and the finals when we won. We knew there had to be a way. More than anything we are all close friends so we knew that we would always have each other's support. Winning and losing is not a big thing.' What are you going to do now that you are the champions?

Forget that we are champions and get on with our practice. This is only one step. We have to go a long way. If we think about this and wait then we won't go anywhere. We all love basketball and St Joseph's is our home.

As long as I am here I will play and practice and have a good time with my friends on the court and off court,' says Charane. I want to be a doctor, so I will have to start studying during my A level years but until then my life is devoted to basketball and all the fun that goes with it.' Charane Anthony has his head firmly screwed on his shoulders. While he works hard at his basketball he understands that winning and losing is not a matter of life and death. He has enough laughter in him to enjoy the game for what it is.