Basketball court renovated in memory of player

News imageFamily handout A man called Guillaume Hoareau smiles while walking along a beach. He is wearing a black sleeveless basketball top and sunglasses.Family handout
Guillaume Hoareau died after collapsing mid-game while playing for Jersey against Guernsey

A basketball court dedicated to a player who died during a match has opened following a renovation project.

The Guillaume Memorial Court, also known as The G Court, has been redeveloped at Millennium Park in St Helier through a partnership between the Government of Jersey and the Jersey Basketball Association.

The government said the court would provide a "high quality community facility" for the island while also serving as a lasting tribute to Guillaume Hoareau.

In May 2024, the 40-year-old died after collapsing mid-game while playing for Jersey against Guernsey at Fort Regent.

News imageJersey Basketball Association/Government of Jersey An artist's impression of a basketball court which is being redeveloped. The floor of the court is brightly coloured with sections of red, yellow and blue. People playing basketball are scattered around the court.Jersey Basketball Association/Government of Jersey
The court's colour scheme has been set up to match the flag of Guillaume Hoareau's home island of Réunion

An inquest later found the Jersey player had a heart condition called left dominant arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, which can lead to sudden cardiac death.

Along with playing, Hoareau was also a basketball coach who worked with Jersey's youth teams.

The court's design features a colour scheme matching the flag of Réunion, a French island in the Indian Ocean where Hoareau came from.

Paul Milbank, Jersey Basketball Association president, said: "The G Court is a lasting tribute to Guillaume and everything he gave to basketball and to Jersey."

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