Basseterre, St. Kitts - They can do it in just one more game and if they play anyway near the way they played on Saturday night at the Grell Hull-Stevens Netball Complex, The Rams Energizer Hitters will soon be celebrating their 19th hold of the SKABA Premier Division Basketball title in the Federation.
It was game three and the match was being played at the Grell Hull- Stevens Netball Complex on the evening of Saturday 23rd October. The Nevis crowd had turned out in their masses to support home team CG Rebels. Director of Sports, Lincoln Barry and his crew had worked tirelessly to transform the established Netball city into the Federation’s newest Basketball headquarters for the one night.
Interestingly, The Ram’s Hitters did not intend to be outdone off the court either. According to an early report from Commentator Ras Dabu, “the boat came over ‘ram packed’ “. As a matter of fact, according to him, so full was the boat that one young lady disembarked to rejoin her stranded boyfriend on the Basseterre pier. “Hopefully the boat will make another trip”, said Ras Dabu.
There was electricity in the atmosphere, as from both ends of the Federation; the crowd was truly pumped up. The DJ played the music that may have helped to soothe the nerves. A group of Cotton Ground residents parked up close to the fence, sporting their Valentine colours—the red and white were dominant.
Show time! The teams received a royal welcome as they were introduced to the court, NBA style. Then CG Rebels was off and running with a two. Was this sending a message? In the previous two games the team that scored first had won the game. Hitters responded quickly and thereafter the exchanges were fast and furious. CG Rebels however, started to show some evidence of nerves in front of the home crowd, allowing a few needless turnovers and missing a number of shots. However, much to the relief of the home fans, they ended the first quarter with a slender lead: 12 to 10 in their favour.
The Hitters returned to the court in the second quarter with obvious renewed energy. It was as if they had been bitten by ants. The combination of ‘Jah Love’ driving down the middle with his long locks flying in the breeze; the experienced Trevor ‘Marty’ Huggins waiting unmarked outside the circle, waiting to sink another three pointer and the excitable and energetic ‘Fluffy’, the youngest player on the court, was too much for the Rebels. They had no answer to the onslaught. The second quarter ended with Hitters leading 33 to 24 and the CG Rebels looked deflated.
The third quarter was much the same. There were glimpses of hope as the CG players made a few dynamic plays of their own, including a three pointer from Everson Webbe which really brought the crowd to its feet—but they were not consistent. Too many missed shots and this was hurting them in a big way. The third quarter ended with Hitters maintaining a 13 point lead and the CG Rebels fans still thinking that there was hope yet.
The body language as the teams entered the court for the 4th quarter virtually said it all. The Hitters were bubbling as they came on for the final onslaught but the CG Rebels looked beaten and out of it. That’s exactly the way the teams played. It was the ‘show off’ quarter for the Hitters. They totally dominated this one. They ran rings around the CG players, much to the dismay of the valentine crew.
As the minutes ticked away, it was obvious that the CG Rebels had given up the Ghost.
Final score line: Hitters 77 CG Rebels 54. A whopping 23 point lead!
A cool, nonchalant Hitter’s Coach, James ‘Barman’ Hanley said after the game in an interview with ZIZ’s ‘Scottie’ that he intended to finish it on Tuesday night coming, in St.Kitts. When ‘Scottie’ persisted in asking about the possibility of a game five being played in Nevis, ‘Barman’ retorted: “I am not saying that there will be a game five in Nevis. If that situation arises, I will discuss with the organizing committee and we will sees where it goes—but I like what I see here”, he said making reference to the huge turn out and upbeat atmosphere.
What ‘Barman’ did not say out loud, his body language was clear: Hitters has no intention of playing a game five. CG Rebels on the other hand according to Coach Gene Amory will have to ‘go back to the drawing boards, revisit their game plan and make sure that the tie the deal on Tuesday night’.
The Hitters team leads the series 2 to 1 but Amory is promising that it is not yet all over. The proverbial fat lady has not even shown up as yet.
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