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*** BARBADIAN MEN BASKETBALL MAIN PAGE ***
 | Patrick, Pinelands rout Patriots; take Intermediate title | |
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| |  | One season was all it took for Pinelands' 24-year legacy in Premier League to come to an end.
It took just another for the men from The Pine to get back there to build a new legacy.
Behind a game high 32 points from combo guard Kirk Patrick, Pinelands booked their return tickets to the Premier League on Saturday, capturing the Intermediate League crown by routing the Patriots 85-50 in Game 2 of the finals at the Wildey gym.
The storied club never had any intentions of making the Intermediate Division a long stay, serving notice to the rest of the league with a 22-point thrashing of perennial title contenders Jose y Jose Cougars in the very first game of the season.
And how fitting it was that they would make good on those intentions by thrashing another perennial title contender in the season's last game. Missing leading scorer and rebounder Gary Miller to a one-game suspension, Pinelands started the contest slowly, managing a mere six points in the first four-and-a-half minutes.
However, The Pine would make up for their offensive woes at the other end of the floor, restricting the Patriots to just five points by containing national forward George Haynes with a stifling brand of interior defence.
And it would only be a matter of time before Pinelands got going on the offensive side of the court.
Sparked by some timely baskets from veteran forward Trevor Small, they wrapped up the first on an 11-4 run, highlighted by Francois Badenock's buzzer-beating three-pointer at the end of the quarter that gave the side a 17-9 advantage.
But the Patriots would refuse to quit; with reserves Jehnard Brewster and Kevin Lashley igniting an ensuing 11-5 surge they reduced the deficit to just 22-20 early in the second quarter.
However, since the opposition had no intentions of quitting, Patrick was forced to use more coercive methods to get them to submit.
Through an array of drives to the basket, perimeter jumpers and even uncontested lay-ups in transition, Patrick would impose his will on the game's proceedings the rest of the way, dismantling whatever or whoever the Patriots sent his way.
Without any warning the explosive combo guard erupted for 17 second quarter points - after scoring just two in the previous period - to open up a 42-23 half-time advantage in a matter of minutes.
Clearly shell shocked by Patrick's sudden offensive outburst, Patriots coach Roger Walker switched to the role of player to start the third quarter in hopes of lifting his side.
The move would prove futile as Patrick continued his onslaught; this time with some added firepower.
National swingman Ramon Simmons would also run hot, pairing with Patrick out on the perimeter while Small provided the perfect foil on the inside to keep the Patriots defence honest.
The trio combined for 25 of the side's 27 third quarter points as Pinelands duly put away the game in the period, extended their lead to 30, 69-39, heading into the fourth.
Simmons ended with 20 points, Small added a further 12 while Haynes was the lone Patriots player in double digits with 13 points. |
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| Lakers sweep Cavs; capture second straight league title | |
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| | | It's hard to imagine that just two years ago the Lumber Company Lakers were on the wrong side of a finals sweep.
Two seasons and a couple of championships later, and it's the Lakers' time to use the broom.
Wasting no chance to close out the series, the Husbands-based squad successfully defended their league championship on Saturday at the Barbados Community College, nipping rivals Station Hill Cavaliers 84-77 in Game 3 to record a memorable 3-0 sweep of the Sprite/BOA Premier League Basketball Finals.
And there was no hiding how momentous an occasion it was for the once fruitless club, as players, fans and coaching staff alike stormed the floor after national shooting guard Zahir Motara dribbled out the final seconds of the historic victory.
It was not too long ago that the Lakers were regarded as the whipping boys of the Premier League - good enough to win in the regular season but too soft to ever overcome the gruelling, hard-nosed play of the play-offs.
Now they are back-to-back league champs. 'Last year was a relief, getting the monkey off my back, [but] this year is the one we're going to enjoy,' said jubilant coach Francis Williams.
Despite what the final series score might suggest, the Lakers were made to fight for the title, as the contest was decided in the last two minutes for the third successive game in the series.
But for the third successive game, the decision would not be in Station Hill's favour.
Almost identical to Game 1, the Lakers looked in control after breaking an early deadlock in the fourth quarter, as centre Andre Boadu dominated the low post to give the side a 73-68 lead late in the period.
However, the Cavs responded behind a pair of perimeter jumpers from Jason Smith, reducing the deficit to 78-77 with under two minutes left.
That was as close as they would get, though, as Station Hill, once again, failed to score in the game's final moments.
Motara hit a crucial three-pointer as the shot clock expired on the ensuing possession, while Boadu came up with the play of the finals just seconds later to secure the Lakers' championship.
Chasing down national point guard Corey Williams in the open court, Boadu jumped from behind the opposing guard to paste the lay-up attempt on the glass, igniting a huge uproar from the fans.
Station Hill would never recover, and when Adrian Stewart put down an uncontested two-handed dunk in transition with 16 seconds remaining, the contest was all but over.
Motara led six Lakers players in double digits with 18 points, while Stewart and Boadu added 15 points apiece. Reserve forward Dexter Gill chipped in with 13, and starters Derek Browne and Matthew Moore had 11 and ten points respectively.
Smith broke out of a series-long shooting slump to lead Station Hill with a game-high 22 points, Kenrick Haynes scored 11, while national forward Junior Moore had a double-double of ten points and 12 rebounds. |
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| Lakers take 2-0 finals lead | |
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| | | AN INSPIRATIONAL SECOND HALF APPEARANCE from Andrew Alleyne was almost good enough for the Station Hill Cavaliers to steal Game 2.
A strong finish to the game from Adrian Stewart was even better for the Lakers to seal it.
After Lakers squandered a 21 point lead, Stewart returned to score 12 fourth-quarter points as the Lumber Company Lakers survived anxious moments in the game's final period before coming away with a 90-78 victory in Game 2 of the Sprite/BOA Premier League Basketball Finals at the Wildey Gymnasium.
Leading by as many as 21 points and entering the fourth quarter up 69-52 on Thursday night, the defending champs appeared to weather the Cavs' anticipated run, especially after surviving a telling third-quarter onslaught from national point guard Corey Williams.
But the true Station Hill surge was yet to come.
After erupting for nine third-quarter points, Williams was at it again in the fourth, hitting a pair of long range bombs to ignite another run in the second half as the Cavs threatened to makea game of it.
However, unlike in the previous period, Station Hill floor leader would have help this time around.
Playing in his first game of the season, Alleyne provided the perfect foil for Williams, adding two treys of his own as the Cavs exploded for five three-pointers in the first six minutes of the fourth quarter.
This time the Lakers did not respond well to their opponents' rally, succumbing to the pressure of Station Hill's heavy three-point barrage and a resurgent defensive effort at the other end led by Alleyne's three blocked shots.
Going away from their set pieces while needlessly throwing away the ball, the top seeds saw their 17-point advantage vanish in the space of a couple of minutes as the Cavs reduced the deficit to 79-76 by the two-minute mark.
But as in their heartbreaking Game 1 loss, the Cavs would run out of steam when it mattered most.
And Stewart was there to take advantage.
After a three-point play from point guard Derek Browne provided a six-point cushion, Stewart led four consecutive scoring drives to put the contest out of reach - finishing with a pair of transition lay-ups while assisting on two others.
Behind sound ball movement and perfect execution of their half court offence, the Lakers stormed to an early 24-13 first quarter lead as national shooting guard Zahir Motara started Game 2 hot from behind the arc.
Continuing to execute proficiently at the offensive end of the floor, the top seeds extended that initial advantage with Station Hill struggling to find any offence outside of Williams and national teammate Junior Moore.
A 45-30 Lakers half-time lead quickly turned into a 59-37 rout despite Alleyne's entry, as the former overseas-based pro failed to end the Cavaliers' offensive woes.
Stewart finished with a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds, Motara scored 19 points, while Browne chipped in with 17 and Matthew Moore added a further 11 points.
For Station Hill, Williams led all scorers on the night with a series high 24 points, Moore ended with 12 points and 11 boards, while Alleyne scored all ten of his points in the fourth quarter. |
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| Lakers edge Cavs to take 1-0 finals lead | |
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| | | Playing undefeated in the Wildey Gym this season, the Lumber Company Lakers claim to have home court advantage for the finals.
With three of the five games scheduled for the Gym, the defending champs just have to win on their newly adopted home floor to capture their second successive league title.
Behind a game high 22 points from swingman Adrian Stewart, the defending champs managed to 'hold serve at home' in Game 1, outlasting the Station Hill Cavaliers 80-76 to take a 1-0 lead in the Sprite/BOA Premier League finals on Tuesday night.
Despite a strong start to the game Stewart, the Lakers struggled from the field to open the contest, led by national shooting guard Zahir Motara's early shooting woes.
And the Cavs duly took advantage, pushing the ball in transition off the ensuing rebounds to open up a 15-9 lead in the first seven minutes of the quarter.
But Motara would respond quickly, shaking off the early rust to score seven of his side's last nine points in the period as the Lakers closed the first quarter by scoring nine unanswered points.
Sticking to their game plan of taking opposing national players Corey Williams and Junior Moore out of the equation, the defending champs appeared ready to blow open the game after taking the lead and the momentum in the second quarter.
However, the Lakers did not figure that they would have to include Errol Pollard in that game plan as well.
With all the attention focused on his more highly profiled team-mates, the reserve point guard scored from just about anywhere on the floor, erupting for 17 second quarter points as the Lakers were made to pay for continually underestimating the Cavs sparkplug.
But Pollard's Herculean efforts would only give Station Hill a slight 41-40 half-time lead as the Cavs had no answer at the other end of the floor for the Lakers' inside-outside combo of Stewart and centre Andre Boadu.
After combining for 15 points in the second quarter, the Lakers duo were at it again in the third, but this time they would encounter a well balanced Station Hill attack as both sides traded baskets back and forth for the duration of the period.
Neither side would be able to distance themselves from the other, with the Lakers taking a slim two point lead, 60-58, into the fourth quarter which they managed to maintain midway through the quarter.
A brief 5-0 run had appeared to give the defending champs some breathing room as Stewart and reserve shooting guard Adrian Allman got a pair of lay-ups in transition to put the Lakers ahead 70-65.
The Cavs would rally quickly though, responding with a 9-4 run - led by a Pollard trey and some timely scoring from forward Rommel Cutting - to tie the scores at 74 with 1:30 left on the clock.
But Station Hill would have nothing left in the tank from there, turning over the ball on their next two possessions while Stewart and point guard Derek Browne each added a field goal down the stretch to seal the deal.
Boadu ended the night with a double-double of 15 points and 15 rebounds, Motara added a further 13 points while Matthew Moore and Allman finished with 12 and 11 points respectively.
For the Cavs, Pollard tied Stewart with a game high 22 points, Cutting scored 12 and Moore ended with 10 points. |
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| Jackson downs slumping Cavs for third straight win | |
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| | | Being stuck in a relegation battle all season, British American Insurance Jackson now surprisingly has the leagues longest current winning streak.
Now one more victory would give them a more valuable streak; two consecutive years in basketballs top flight.
Jackson extended its seasons best winning streak to three games after defeating the slumping Station Cavaliers 77-70 on Wednesday night as the Sprite/BOA Premier League continued at the Wildey Gymnasium.
Playing their favoured run-and-gun style of offence, Jackson (4-8) started the contest on an initial 11-5 tear behind the starting backcourt of Javid Beckles and Fabian Sealy.
The energetic duo took advantage of the Cavs lacklustre defensive effort in the first quarter, scoring 10 of their sides first 13 points by forcing the issue in transition for uncontested lay-ups and open looks from the perimeter.
Station Hill (7-5) quickly countered by slowing the pace of the game, locking the scores at 15 by effectively running their half court offence through national forward Junior Moore.
But Jackson too showed they could execute in the half court as forward Ricardo Boyce got going in the low blocks, scoring in the paint while creating acres of space for Sealy on the perimeter.
A 21-17 Jackson first quarter lead quickly turned into a 12 point Cavaliers deficit early in the second, as the pre-season favourites were held scoreless for the periods first four minutes.
National guard/forward Kevin Sealy would provide the Cavs with a brief spark off the bench at both ends but it would prove futile as Jackson unloaded its full offensive arsenal.
With Sealy continuing his exploits in the open court and Boyce still causing problems in the paint, star swingman Peter Alleyne joined in on the act, propelling the squad to a huge 39-25 lead late in the quarter.
However, Jackson would get sloppy while closing out the half, committing several unforced turnovers which led to a couple easy baskets Station Hill baskets, resulting in the Cavs reducing the deficit to 40-31 at intermission.
But whatever momentum the Cavaliers had entering the half-time break they quickly lost it with the resumption of play as Jackson reopened their substantial advantage.
A pair of treys from sharp shooting small forward Kirk Porte ignited an 11-5 Jackson run to start the third quarter as Station Hill opened the half flat at both ends of the floor.
Trailing 51-36 midway through the period, the Cavaliers would make a valiant attempt at getting back in the game, applying full court pressure on defence when Alleyne decided to sit out the rest of the third.
However, they encountered some stubborn resistance despite Alleyne watching from the side as Jackson managed to maintain a double digit lead, 58-48, entering the fourth.
But that persistent full court pressure would pay off at the top of the ensuing quarter as Jackson suffered an apparent meltdown at both ends of the court, resulting in the Cavs closing the gap to 60-56.
That is as close as Station Hill would get though as Alleyne and Beckles ended the brief insurgence, responding by scoring eight unanswered points to rebuild Jacksons advantage.
The Cavs would threaten once again in the games dying moments behind constant dribble penetration from national point guard Corey Williams, reducing the deficit to five points inside the last minute.
But they would not have enough left in the tank to make a serious run at the opposition while Beckles and Boyce did enough down the stretch to seal the win.
Beckles led the way with his first double-double of the season, 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Boyce scored 19 with Alleyne and Sealy adding 14 and 13 points respectively.
For the Cavs, Sealy led all scorers with 21 points, Williams finished with a further 15 while Moore scored 14 points and grabbed 14 boards. |
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| Cavs hold on for last second victory over Tridents | |
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| | | From several electrifying dunks, to numerous hard fouls and even three clutch three pointers down the stretch, Saturday nights marquee game between the league leading Station Hill Cavaliers and the upstart Sagicor Tridents had it all; including one wild finish.
After being called for an offensive foul on what should have been the Tridents last possession, Tridents forward Akeem Marsh returned to steal the ensuing inbounds pass near half court with 1.4 seconds left, giving him the unlikeliest of opportunities to snatch a last second victory.
But it was not to be as the national forward narrowly missed the subsequent thirty-foot heave by the smallest of margins, allowing the Cavs to hold on for a dramatic 88-87 win in the Sprite/BOA Premier League.
Playing at the Barbados Community College, the highly anticipated rematch of the knockout semi-final between the two clubs lived up to its billing, as the contest contained more memorable, eye-popping plays than the all of the seasons previous games combined.
From Tridents guard Damian McCleans three treys in the opening three minutes, to national forward Junior Moore three consecutive dunks early in the second quarter, to Tridents big man Andre Holder emphatic, two-handed facial on national player Corey Williams later in the same period, the riveting showdown was surely one for the ages.
However, those plays would pale in comparison to the high drama that followed in the fourth quarter.
After sitting out most of the third quarter in foul trouble and watching his side squander all of a double digit lead, Moore checked back in the game early in the fourth to steady a then weary Station Hill side.
Moore went to work immediately in the low blocks, breaking open a 69 all deadlock at the top of the period by sparking an 8-2 Cavs run, as the lanky forward picked back up from his 19 point first half effort.
Such a momentum shift would have signalled the end of the school boys last year; however, this season the Tridents side has shown a tough mental resolve that is usually associated with veteran squads.
Ignited by a difficult fall away three pointer from shooting guard Keefe Birkett and an ensuing Holder tip slam, the school boys responded swiftly with a run of their own, outscoring the league leaders 12-2 to grab an 83-79 advantage with 1:44 left to play.
But the game was far from over as Williams and reserve Cavs forward Ricardo Yearwood replied with treys of their own, hitting them one behind the other to restore a one point Station Hill lead inside the games final minute.
The lead would change hands twice seconds later, as McClean scored an uncontested lay-up on a perfectly executed inbounds play while Moore did the same as a result of an ensuing drive-and-dish from Williams.
Starting their final possession of the game trailing 88-87 with 14 seconds on the clock, the Tridents got the ball in Birketts hands but the sharp shooting guard missed the tough fade away while Moore had appeared to grab the defensive board as time expired.
However, Moore was called for pushing while establishing position for the rebound giving the school boys one last chance with 1.4 seconds remaining.
Then came the series of unlikeliest events, as Marsh was whistled for an offensive foul on the ensuing inbounds pass, then nearly atoning for his error by coming up with the subsequent steal but narrowly missing the long heave as the buzzer sounded.
Moore finished the heart-stopping contest with game highs of 28 points and 16 boards, while Williams added 18 points and Andre Jean-Pierre chipped in with 13 points.
For the Tridents, Holder ended with 18 points and three blocks, Birkett also scored 18 while Marsh added 13 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks with McClean scoring a further 13. |
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| Miller leads Pine to Intermediate KO title | |
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| | | With long-time Pinelands frontcourt mate Ryan Maynard injured, Gary Miller knew that the big stage would require an even bigger performance.
The indomitable forward/centre rose to the occasion, dominating the contest from start to finish on his way to a game high 33 points, leading the Pine to a title clinching 68-63 win over the second seeded Patriots in the final of the BOA Intermediate knockout competition at the Wildey Gymnasium on Tuesday night.
Invigorated by the boisterous pro-Pinelands crowd seated behind the team bench, Miller wasted no time in stamping his authority on the game's proceedings, pouring in five quick points as the Pine opened the contest by scoring eight unanswered points.
But the Patriots would soon get past their initial nerves and Pinelands' opening burst, responding with a rally of their own behind great team defence and the superb efforts of national forward George Haynes.
The 6'8' 'big man' created matchup nightmares for the smaller Pinelands frontcourt, easily scoring over his shorter low post defenders while keeping grabbing several defensive boards at the other end of the floor as the Patriots seized the momentum by locking the scores at 14 entering the second quarter.
It was there that they would encounter Miller at his dominant best.
Using his superior strength and vast experience, the Pinelands post player began the period on a personal 5-0 run, accounting for his side's first eight points in the quarter as the Pine gained the early advantage once again.
From free throw line jumpers, to back-to-the-basket moves and finishes amongst multiple defenders, Miller showed his entire offensive arsenal in scoring 12 points over a seven and a half minute span to push Pinelands' lead to 31-20.
With the help of guard Rawle Conway, Haynes attempted to lead yet another late quarter Patriots surge, combining with the resurgent shooting guard for seven points near the end of the period to spark a brief run.
But they failed to make significant inroads into the sizeable deficit as opposing swingman Ramon Simmons knocked down a timely trey to end the rally, while Steve Sealy and Corey Nurse scored some crucial free throws to put Pinelands ahead 37-29 at the half.
Behind great full court pressure on defence, the Pine was able to stretch its lead into double digits once again by outscoring the opposition 8-3 to start the third quarter.
However, they would fail to put away the Patriots after putting themselves in yet another strong position, committing numerous, unwanted mistakes which Haynes and company willingly took advantage of.
With Pinelands allowing his side to hang around in the contest, Haynes would be at it again, erupting for 10 third quarter points to bring the Patriots within five, 52-47, at the end of the period.
But Miller would prove to be the difference between the two sides as the prolific inside scorer overpowered the Patriots frontcourt in the low blocks for seven points in an 11-3 Pinelands run to start the fourth, extending the side's lead to 61-50.
Patriots threatened to make a game of it late in the fourth, with Conway running hot from the perimeter to reduce the lead to as little as four points, 67-63, with just a minute remaining.
However, the Husbands based side would have nothing left in the tank, failing to add the score sheet as Pinelands held on for a five point triumph.
Conway finished with a team high 20 points and Haynes added a further 18 while Miller was the lone Pinelands player in double digits. |
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| Cavs capture third Premier League KO crown in four years | |
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| | | After giving up 30 points in the first quarter, pre-season favourites Station Hill Cavaliers rallied to hold the defending champs Lumber Company Lakers to just a further 38 on their way to a convincing 78-68 championship performance in the final of the BOA Premier League Basketball knockout at the Barbados Community College on Sunday.
With that victory Station Hill has now copped their third knockout title in four years to justify their pre-season favourite status.
But, as they did in Saturday's semi-final against the Tridents, the Cavs looked anything like the favoured side in the first quarter.
The defending champs rattled off nine unanswered points to start proceedings as Station Hill opened their second successive game in as many nights lifelessly at both ends of the floor.
Needlessly throwing away the ball and struggling mightily from the field, the Cavs also failed to get back in transition to stop opposing point guard Derek Browne and swingman Adrian Stewart in the open court.
The Lakers also executed their half-court offence to perfection, as Browne found his way to the ring with utmost ease, while centre Andre Boadu dominated in the low blocks, extending the Husbands side's lead to 25-8.
Station Hill reserve guard Kenrick Haynes provided a much needed spark off the bench, leading a brief 7-0 Cavs run but Boadu and Browne closed the quarter scoring four consecutive points to keep the Cavaliers at bay.
But it wouldn't be for long as Station Hill rallied to start the ensuing period with Browne resting on the bench to open the second.
Suffocating their opponents behind a renewed intensity on the defensive end, the Cavs responded with a subsequent 14-4 surge to reduce the once massive deficit to just four points, 34-30, at the 3:40 mark of the quarter.
Inspired by backup point guard Errol Pollard's play off the bench, added to some timely outside shooting and strong inside play from national forward Junior Moore, Station Hill would get within three in the dying moments of the half until Stewart resurrected the Lakers offence.
Forcing the issue in transition and off dribble penetration, the burly small forward scored five points to ignite a period ending 7-2 Lakers run that pushed their advantage to 45-37 at the half.
However, that advantage would disappear with a blink of the eye.
Sparked by torrid perimeter shooting from starting guards Corey Williams and Jason Smith, Station Hill opened the third quarter scoring seven unanswered points to spark an ensuing 21-8 explosion as the Cavaliers began to stamp their authority on their overwhelmed opponents.
It didn't help the Lakers' cause any that their offence sputtered with Boadu being forced to the bench due to foul trouble, while national shooting guard Zahir Motara and Adrian Allman settled for countless, unsuccessful long range bombs.
In all, the defending champs scored just ten third- quarter points on a woeful three of 17 from the floor in the period.
Leading 65-55 to start the fourth, Station Hill's lead would be threatened midway through the quarter as Allman and Motara hooked up for four treys on consecutive possessions to get as close as three points, 71-68.
But the pair fell in the trap of living behind the three point arc, wasting subsequent possessions by hoisting unwarranted deep balls while the Cavs put away the game behind a solid rebounding effort led by reserve forward Jamai Puckerin.
The last of the four treys, Allman's third in the period, would turn out to be the Lakers' final field goal in the game as Station Hill stretched their advantage to double digits once again, duly putting an end to their opponents' rally.
Smith and Haynes scored 11 points each to lead five Cavs players in double digits while Pollard, Williams and Kevin Sealy added ten points apiece.
For the Lakers, Boadu had a game high 15 points, Browne netted 13, Allman finished with 11, while Stewart and Motara both ended with 10 points each. |
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| Cavs upend Tridents to reach KO final | |
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| | | Behind a great defensive effort which limited the league's top ranked offence to 28 second half points, the pre-season favourites Station Hill Cavaliers moved on to the BOA Premier League knockout final with a hard fought 79-70 victory over the Sagicor Tridents at the Barbados Community College on Saturday.
Ironically, the school boys were the ones who would start the contest playing well at the defensive end of the court, giving no daylight to guards Corey Williams and Jason Smith out on the perimeter while twin towers Akeem Marsh and Andre Holder grabbed every defensive rebound available.
And needless to say, all systems were go for their high powered offence at the other end of the floor.
With Marsh going to work early in the low blocks and versatile combo guard Stefan Yarde wreaking havoc against his perimeter defenders, the Tridents raced to a quick 19-6 advantage within the game's first six minutes as the Cavs were made to pay for playing a lacklustre zone defence.
Station Hill would be forced to stem the flow of points by switching to a subsequent man-to-man defence while also bringing in reserves Kevin Sealy and Ricardo Yearwood to provide some energy and hustle of the bench.
The move would pay off at both ends of the floor for the Cavaliers as the duo attacked the basket with reckless abandon while drawing cheap fouls on Holder and Marsh underneath the basket to reduce the deficit to seven points, 26-19, early in the second quarter.
Back to back baskets from guards Keefe Birkett and Damien McClean had appeared to end the Cavs brief rally until the school boys made the grave error of leaving Smith free from beyond the arc for a pair of long range bombs as Station Hill continued to keep the pressure on.
However, they would get no closer than seven for the remainder of the first half as reserve swingman Andre Freeman gave the Tridents a huge lift off the bench with a pair of jumpers of his own, leading the school boys' to a 42-34 half-time lead.
But the Cavs weren't done yet.
Led by an oppressive full court man-to-man defence and some timely baskets on the inside from national forward Junior Moore, Station Hill took their first lead of the game midway through the third period, 48-47, as the Tridents only managed five points in the first five and a half minutes of the quarter.
With the Cavaliers threatening to run away with the contest late in the third, Holder and Marsh played like men possessed, diving and hustling for every loose ball while combining for a Herculean six blocks in the dying moments of the period as the school boys regained the advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
The lead changed hands continuously in the period, with both sides trading baskets back and forth as Williams and Sealy attacked the hole via dribble penetration while Birkett made good on the open looks he was given from the perimeter.
But the prolific Tridents guard would give the opposition the break it was looking for in the dying moments of the game, missing a left-handed lay-up in transition then failing to get back on the play as Williams connected on a three to put the Cavs ahead 74-68 with one minute left on the clock.
The school boys' inexperience would be their eventual undoing as Marsh failed to hit a pair of crucial free throws down the stretch while Yarde turned over the ball twice which led to two baskets at the other end, allowing the opposition to walk away comfortably at the end.
Moore led the Cavs with 16 points, Williams had a further 15 while Sealy and Yearwood added 12 and 11 points respectively. For the Tridents, Birkett led all scorers with 18 points, Yarde finished with 15 and Holder netted 10 points and added six blocked shots.
Despite a game high 25 points from swingman Peter Alleyne, reigning champs Lumber Company Lakers reached their second successive knockout final when they defeated British American Insurance Jackson 80-68 in the night's first game.
Ormond Haynes led the way with 13 points while Adrian Stewart and Zahir Motara added 13 points apiece. |
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| Lakers beat Bulls despite Leacock's 30 | |
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| | | Not even one of the most memorable of performances from Ryan Leacock could exorcise Clapham's demons against the Lakers.
Despite a game-high 30 points from the veteran shooting guard and an unfortunate incident which sidelined Lakers star Zahir Motara, the reigning double-crown champs maintained their recent dominance of Clapham.
They ousted the Bulls from the Sprite BOA Premier League Knockout Competition with a 67-61 first-round victory at the Wildey Gym on Wednesday night.
Having committed the senseless foul on Motara which led to last week's gut-wrenching league loss, Leacock looked determined to atone for his grave error, turning back the clock in the third quarter with one of the best individual performances of recent history.
However, the Lakers have not lost to the Bulls since being swept in the 2006 league finals - winning the last four meetings between the two elite clubs - and they were keen to extend that streak.
After trailing 30-35 at the half, the defending champs opened the third quarter spiritedly, with forward Matthew Moore scoring four straight points. But they had no idea of what was to come from Leacock.
A foul on the Clapham veteran beyond the arc got the indomitable shooting guard on his way. He made all three free-throws and then scored back-to-back baskets for seven quick points to keep the Bulls ahead 42-39.
Then the Lakers suffered a bit of bad luck.
After hustling on the floor for a loose ball, Motara laid there for several minutes after receiving an inadvertent knee to the back of the skull that opened a huge gash in the national player's head.
There was a 15-minute delay as Motara received treatment on the floor before making his way to the bench. But he reigning champs failed to heed referee Andrew Mayers' calls to return to the court, resulting in the official giving the side a technical foul.
This infuriated the Lakers players and coaching staff, but neither their reaction nor the lengthy break seemed to have any effect on Leacock.
He calmly sunk both free throws before knocking down a pair of treys to close the period with all 17 of Clapham's third-quarter points to his name.
But, as they did in last season's knockout final, ironically against the same Bulls, the men in blue used Motara's early exit as extra motivation.
Led by a renewed effort at the defensive end of the floor, they took the lead within the first three minutes of the fourth period as reserve guard Adrian Allman connected on two long-range bombs.
Leacock's younger brother, Neil, finally broke his sibling's streak of consecutive points for Clapham with back-to-back baskets. But Neil only found himself trading hoops with Allman, as the diminutive Lakers reserve hit his third straight three to lock the scores at 61.
The Bulls failed to bother the scorers from there, as they fell apart after forward Alvin Padmore fouled out at the 1:34 mark.
The Lakers' defence forced crucial turnovers down the stretch to key a game-clinching 6-0 run, with Adrian Stewart leading the charge.
The Lakers swingman scored a team-high 14 points, with Allman and Moore adding a further 13 and ten points respectively.For Clapham, Padmore ended with 13 points and ten rebounds while Neil Leacock scored ten.
British American Insurance Jackson registered the competition's first upset when they knocked out second seeded Playfair Warriors 56-53 in the night's first game.
Shooting guard Javid Beckles and Ricardo Boyce led Jackson to the emphatic victory with 16 and 15 points respectively, while David Smith was the Warriors' top scorer with 12 points. |
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