Basseterre, St. Kitts - The Rams Energizers Hitters in game four of the best of five series in the SKABA Premier Division finals for 2010.
The CG Rebels players seemed totally focused on the task at hand as they boarded the MV Caribe Queen and received an early pep talk from Premier Parry himself, who had only returned to the island that same afternoon, but showed up to encourage the players.
“We need game five in Nevis” was his uncomplicated message.
Quite a large gathering showed up for the game. Among them was former Hitter’s player and Minister of Sports, The Hon. Glen ‘Ghost’ Phillip who even though he alluded to the possibility of a fifth game being played in Nevis, ‘for the sake of the game and the bond between the two islands’, it was clear that he did not at all mind the Hitters completing the course that same night.
The first quarter saw two very determined teams on the court with not much separating them in terms of skills and the score line. At the whistle it was a dicey 22 to 19, a mere three point lead for the Hitters.
Both teams came bubbling off the bench for the second quarter and the slight swagger in the steps of Trevor ‘Marty’ Huggins reminded of a Frazier/ Muhamed Ali match up.
The crowd was truly into it. The CG Rebels fans were well and truly outshouted but their players were giving it their all. However, as in previous games they missed several easy lay ups and allowed too many turnovers. At the whistle it was still anybody’s game with a score line of 39 to 34—a five point lead in favour of the Hitters.
The CG Rebels looked slightly deflated as they entered the third quarter and Hitters on the other hand was bubbling with boss man James ‘Barman’ Hanley wringing the changes. When it was not ‘Marty’, it was ‘Fluffy’ both waiting in the wings for the maximum three pointer. The crowd was loving it.
At the end of the third quarter, the Hitters’ lead had increased to a dangerous 9 points—54 to 45.
The eloquent commentator Ras Dabu on the night, wearing his CG Rebels shirt, kept insisting that there would be a game five in Nevis.
All to play for, as the players stepped onto the court for the final time.
The CG Rebels fought tooth and nail and at one point they were breathing down the backs of the Hitters who had a mere four point lead. James ‘Barman’ Hanley was forced to stand and he was yelling his instructions from the bench and slowly but surely the Hitters edged away. As the lead increased and the seconds ticked away, Ras Dabu in almost poetic fashion exclaimed: “The fat lady has not made her appearance but she is somewhere in the vicinity of Amory’s Bakery heading our way and for the Hitters’ fans, she is singing melodiously but for the CG Rebels, it’s a song of mourning”.
A time of mourning indeed for the CG Rebels as they had to settle for a historic second place. The final score line: 76 to 62.
The Hitters players and their fans went berserk.They threw coolers of water on each other and Coach ‘Barman’ Hanley was thoroughly drenched for his efforts.
Hitters now 19 times champions of Basketball within the Federation!
