DR Mark Broomfield, elected president of the Jamaica Basketball Association (JABA) during the annual general meeting at the Jamaica Olympic Association offices yesterday, emphasised the need for teamwork as he plots the way forward for the development of the sport in the island.

“I had great support from those around me in the basketball family and friends,” a relieved-looking Broomfield told reporters shortly after ballots were counted for the top post race.

“It’s over and we all have to work together now.”

The 42-year-old Broomfield captured seven of 18 votes at the elections to hold off the sterling challenge of Paulton Gordon, who had six votes. Gordon was an executive member of the previous administration.

Major Clifton Lumsden, the long-time president of the Business House Basketball Association, accounted for five. The fourth candidate Douglas Reid, who is a former president of the Western Basketball Association, had no votes.

Calvin Martin was elected first vice-president; Kino Johnson, second vice-president; Gordon, third vice-president; Marland Nattie, general secretary; Keisha Lindsay, assistant general secretary; Kevin Alexander, treasurer; and Michelle McClymont, assistant treasurer.

Noting the way the votes were spread for the president position, the new JABA boss continued: “Some of the members had someone else in mind, so now is the time we have to put the pieces together. That’s the approach to leadership so that all of us can achieve for the sport.”

Broomfield, a senior director in registrar at the Caribbean Maritime Institute, said he wants to work with the other candidates who ran for president to help bring the new administration forward.

While explaining the need for “restructuring the organisation” and exploring ways to improve the association’s “financial standing”, he noted that “basketball needs a philosophy”.

Pointing to “strategic planning”, Broomfield, a former player, said it is possible to realise his dream to have “a basketball home” for each conference, and to implement a properly-run youth programme.

The AGM was long overdue after being postponed on a number of occasions.

The post for president at JABA was made vacant after the then association head, Ajani Williams, declined to seek re-election at the end of his tenure in 2013.

An interim steering committee was formed, which ran the affairs of the association since the middle of last year.