Titanes de Barranquilla is the largest club in this discipline throughout the history of this sport in the city.
This is how basketball is played in different areas of the city of Barranquilla.
In the streets of Barranquilla, a sport emerged with strength and passion in the 1950s; basketball. What began as a local hobby soon became an integral part of the sporting identity of this vibrant city.
It was in the emblematic Barrio Abajo where the first steps of Barranquilla basketball were taken. Enthusiastic young people, with dreams of greatness, gathered on makeshift courts to play and hone their skills. The passion and overflowing talent became evident, and thus the germ of what would become a power in Colombian basketball was born.
In the 1960s, Barranquilla saw its love for this sport flourish with the creation of the first representative teams. Clubs such as the Sharks and the Caimanes emerged, quickly gaining national recognition. Their talented and charismatic players captivated fans, filling the stadiums with enthusiasm and energy.
Barranquilla basketball reached its highest point in the 1980s, when the local team managed to win multiple national championships.
Caimanes was a great and glorious team. He filled and made the Elías Chegwin Coliseum vibrate. The quintet that represented Barranquilla in the professional basketball tournament at that time was one of the largest teams and its fans filled the stands every game they played.
Lindo, Mathews, Vargas, Fuentes, Joubert and Sinclair, members of the 1996 Caimanes team.
Before the emotions of this sport died down in the city, for different reasons (mainly economic), the reptiles lifted three trophies in 1995, 1997 and 1998.
“Yes, I played two finals with Caimanes. In 1995 we won, that was the greatest memory for me. I played with Antoine Joubert who was spectacular, I even gave my son that name. For me, he has been the best player I have ever played with and that was the best team I put together,” commented Alberto Sinclair, former player and basketball figure in our country.
In addition to achievements in local competitions, Barranquilla has also hosted important international sporting events. In 2018, the city was the epicenter of the Central American and Caribbean Games, where basketball was one of the featured sports. This event not only cemented Barranquilla’s position as the region’s sports capital, but also provided a platform for local talent to shine and project themselves onto the world stage.
“Reviving basketball was a hard task that cost many years of investment and struggle, it was not easy at all because the pause that this sport had in the city was due to lack of budget, but we showed that there is talent here and everyone can trust in that” said Tomás Díaz, basketball coach in Barranquilla.
On the other hand, the idea of a team that revived local basketball began to emerge. In view of the economic difficulties and lack of support in their region, the Cóndores de Cundinamarca team decided to lend its token to the basketball team of the city of Barranquilla. This decision allowed basketball to return to the city after 15 years of absence, since the last team that represented Barranquilla was Caimanes de Barranquilla.
To lead the team, Tomás Díaz was chosen as coach. Díaz is recognized for his silver medal with the Colombian Basketball team at the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games. Initially, it was considered giving the team the name of his predecessor, “Caimanes de Barranquilla”, but due to commercial issues and the similarity with the name of the Colombian Professional Baseball League team, it was decided to discard this option.
The Colombian Basketball Team at the Elias Chegwin Coliseum in Barranquilla.
In their first participation in the Colombian Basketball League, the Titanes had the participation of three foreign players: Michael Sneed, Xavier Roberson and Troy Jones, all from the United States. In addition, two Barranquilla players joined, Jerson Quintana and Moises Parra, as well as the Colombian-Venezuelans Eduardo Torres, José Medina, Héctor Díaz and Jesús Medina.
Currently, the team has seven national titles under its belt and is the most important team in recent times in Colombian basketball.
Today, basketball continues to be a passion rooted in the heart of Barranquilla. The city has modern sports facilities, youth development programs and a vibrant local league that continues to nurture and develop future basketball stars.
The history of basketball in Barranquilla is a testament to the competitive spirit and determination of its players, coaches and fans. It is a legacy that has been transmitted from generation to generation, leaving an indelible mark on the sports history of this great Caribbean city.
This was one of the titles of the Titanes de Barranquilla team.
2023-09-23 14:16:58
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