BERMUDA'S basketballers will be going all out for victory when they head off to compete in the Small Island Games next year.

Coaches Roderick Spencer and Tim Trott are making the most of their preparation time as they work on bringing Bermuda's game up to the standard of champions Rhodes.

Last year's national coach Roderick Spencer said Bermuda did well at its first attempt in Guernsey last year. "We did better than most people expected. We didn't know what we were getting into obviously. It was our first time. We came back with the bronze medal. All of the players played up to or above their potential. In every game someone different stood out. Consistently we had John Lee, Greg Todd and Dale Jackson. We have a good as chance as anyone. We have already finished in the top three."

He said with a different format Bermuda could have come away with a silver medal.

"We only lost one game in the tournament and the silver medallists, the Caymans, only lost one game. The Caymans beat us in our worst game of the tournament. We just didn't play well that day."

Last year's squad will form the nucleus of the 12-man squad next summer said Spencer. We have players in our domestic league who have played semi-professional ball in Europe. The calibre of our better players is quite high.

"Players coming into the Island and players who weren't selected last time will have to unseat someone who has already participated. You don't want to undo everything you have done."

Trott says seven foot policeman Scott Devine could also be in the running for a spot. I think he will agree his main problem is fitness. Because of his height he has an advantage. He has good hands and a nice outside shot but I haven't seen him play a whole game. I will have to see what his fitness is like for that."

Spencer adds: "We want to bring in players to compliment the style of play we have. They will have to adapt to how we play."

He characterises that as very aggressive, full-court and defensive orientated. "We don't let people play."

Rhodes will still be the team to beat having won it every year.

"They are made up of mostly of Greek professional players. They are a very, very tough and very seasoned team but not anything we can't compete with if we play to our potential and prepare properly for the game.

"The European style is very controlled. They are all very good shooters, very disciplined and working for a good shot. Rhodes are very calculated. They execute very well. Any team that just walks out and has a soft defence and lets them play will be picked to pieces. You have to try to force them to make mistakes. They are not used to seeing that style of play which is more of an American style of play."

Premiership teams will be allowed to submit two names each for national tryouts to add to the existing pool.

Around 30 names will be whittled down to 15 by next March while the decision on the final 12 will be made in April or May for the tournament which will be held in Gibraltar along with the triathlon and tennis because hosts the Shetland Islands do not have the facilities.

Although the domestic game is reasonably healthy, the Bermuda national team do not have much resources.

Ironically the coaches noted at last year's games the Caymans were sponsored by the Bank of Butterfield and Guernsey was sponsored by the Bank of Bermuda. TBI and Tewkesbury Management sponsorship have chipped in with financial help for the Bermuda team.

"It's difficult to prepare," says Spencer. "You would like to travel to a tournament before that. Or bring a team down here to play once or twice. It helps with you preparation. All the teams out there were totally sponsored. All the players have to do is show up and play.

"The Island Games is the first time we have gone off the Island to play anyone at the men's senior level. Teams have come here on vacations and in transit to other places and requested a game and we have thrown together players to play them."

Bermuda prepared the best it could for last year's games noted Spencer.

"We had trials for invited players, we cut that down then unfortunately we had a few players who dropped off the team relatively late so we had to fill them in. We played the top three teams in the league and asked them to add anyone to their roster they wanted and we played against them on a regular basis.

"We also entered our team in the league although they weren't officially part of it. We practised twice a week. The guys put in a lot of work and it showed when we got out there."

Tim Trott, who has been president of the Bermuda Basketball Association for the last six years, says the domestic game has had growing interest.

There's a premier division of seven teams and a ten-team adult recreation division for older players who want the exercise. Games are mostly played at Saltus as well as a few at BHS and Bermuda College.

"Both divisions are very competitive," says Trott. The adult recreation league has expanded recently with exempt companies showing interest but a shortage of referees has caused problems.

"You normally use two referees but sometimes we have to referee with one. That has its drawbacks because with two officials you can cover more ground."

There is no junior programme because of lack of resources.

"We don't have the volunteer backing," says Trott. "The way I am if I am not able to produce a product exactly how I want it I am not going to put it one just because some wants to do out."

However the BBA has an annual high school tournament. Berkeley senior boys recently beat Saltus, Warwick Academy beat Berkeley in the senior girls tournament while Whitney Institute middle school boys beat Mount Saint Agnes.

If you want to play or referee call 291 3760 or e-mail bda_basketballhotmail.com