SAINT-CLAUDE, Guadeloupe — The Special Olympics Jamaica (SOJ) basketball team was exposed to a hard day of divisioning on Friday, but Head Coach Elfema Williams says players gained invaluable experience heading into Saturday’s culmination.

The Jamaicans are among teams competing in the region’s first-ever Special Olympics 3×3 unified basketball tournament. The two-day competition in Guadeloupe is scheduled to end this afternoon.

On Friday, Special Olympics Caribbean delegations from Jamaica, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Maarten and Trinidad & Tobago and two teams from Guadeloupe participated in divisional play.

Divisioning in Special Olympics helps organisers to pit teams of similar strength against each other to avoid extreme cases of mismatch when the official competition begins.

Williams said there were weaknesses in Jamaica’s play, but expressed satisfaction with the overall display.

“The day went well considering that for most of the athletes it was their first international competition — only two members had experience at this level. I think at first they were a bit timid but as the games progressed they got the knack of what was expected of them and did their best,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

“I remain hopeful they will be on the podium; I just won’t predict what colour,” Williams, a veteran SOJ coach, beamed.

“Because these players are still finding their feet at this level they will make some mistakes. They could have been better in the divisioning but I expect better on Saturday since they’ll be more in the groove of competition and they are fighting for a medal. They are inexperienced but they just have to keep focused and they will do really well,” she reiterated.

While competition is being staged at Daniel Cassin gymnasium, the tournament was officially opened with a ceremonial event at the Stade de Rivière-des-Pères on Friday evening.

The Special Olympics programme provides year-round sports training and competition in a variety of disciplines for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

Unified competition aims to promote social inclusion by combining people with and without intellectual disabilities in sporting activities, building awareness and fostering behavioural change.

The unified basketball tournament has the backing of Special Olympics Caribbean and Special Olympics International as well as partners, including Lions Club International Foundation, Aruna Oswal Trust, and the French-speaking territory’s government.

Jamaica team — Tasanna Campbell, Aaliyah Brown, Maurice Hinds, Javaughanie Taylor, Rhyeem Martell