BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (November 19, 2015) -- Preliminary rounds in the Harris Basketball League have come to an end in a most dramatic way. One team threw in the towel, not once but twice and gave easy wins to its opponents. Line up for the semi-final playoffs is even more intriguing.
Defending champions Strivers who lost one game in the preliminary rounds tied for the first place with the new kids on the block, Redemption Squad who also lost one game. Joining them in the semi-final playoffs that will be held on Saturday November 21 at the Molineux hard court are Inner City Ballers, and Fair Share who each lost two games.
Strivers lost their only game to Fair Share. The draw has been unkind to them because in the first game of the playoffs which will be played from 7:00 p.m., they are carded to face Fair Share. Will Fair Share repeat the killer game that rattled the defending champions earlier?
Only those who will turn up on Saturday November 21 at the Molineux hard court will get to know first-hand. It is a game not to be missed.
The night’s second game will be between the youthful Redemption Squad and Inner City Ballers, which also promises to be an exciting game. The youthful players have a psychological advantage over their opponents, having the trounced them on Thursday November 5.
Will the Redemption Squad repeat the feat when they meet Inner City Ballers? Only those who will turn up on Saturday November 21 at the Molineux hard court will get to know first-hand. Those are two games not to be missed.
It will be an explosive night which no deserving basketball fan ought to miss. Bring your family, bring your friends. Entry is free at the Molineux hard court. There will be enough popcorn on sale, Ital food and a well-stocked bar.
Defending champions Strivers scrapped through in their final game played on Saturday November 14 against former champions Free Up by the skin of their teeth - the game had to go into extra time having tied 82-82 at the end of the last quarter.
Jarvid Percival of Strivers was in no compromising mood as he put through 30 points followed by teammate Clayton Powell who was credited for scoring 24 points in this game that was refereed by Ian Liburd and Nigel ‘Jades’ Burroughs.
Strivers led 20-13 at the end of the first quarter, then slipped and trailed by a point 36-37 at half time, and the gap widened at the end of the third quarter as they trailed 50-57. They however employed the strength only champions can summon and tied the game at 82-82. Extra time saw then scrape through by a mere two points, 95-93 - a win nonetheless.
Quincy Taylor of Free Up was a thorn in the flesh of the defending champions as he managed to slot in 28 points, and rallying behind him were Tamboura Caines with 26 points and Bertrum Richards with 20 points.
Redemption Squad got to where they are in a less competitive fashion. On Saturday November 14 they overcame a hapless Mantab who they soundly crushed 75-49 in a game that was watched by a large crowd that heavily supported them, they being the home boys.
Darius Bedford went on a scoring spree that saw him net a massive 32 points, while his brother Shackeil slotted in 17 points, Livan Lee 12 points, Denzil Stapleton 10 points, and Javal Hodge 4 points.
The losing side, Mantab, had Clovis Liburd scoring 18 points, Ervin Wattley 10 points, Val Williams 13 points, and Kerone Roache 8 points.
However, for their last game in the preliminary rounds on Sunday November 15, Redemption Squad did not have to sweat for it. Their opponents Ballaholics threw in the towel.
It was not the only game Ballaholics gave away. The following day they were supposed to play Inner City Ballers, and they gave it away as well, finishing preliminary rounds at the bottom of the table, having lost six games and won only one.
In a game played on Saturday November 14, which was a continuation of a previously played game that had been interrupted by rain, Ottleys Ballers beat Ballaholics 57-44. That could have been the genesis of Ballaholics’ running cold feet on Sunday and Monday.
Joshio Morton was in his elements scoring 27 points for Ottleys, which included a number of dunks. Towards the game’s dying moments he scored a dunk that was ruled out for ‘travelling’ by referee Rawlston ‘Speed’ Richardson. However, in less than 15 seconds he was back and slammed in another dunk that pushed their aggregate points to 57.
Other top scorers from Ottleys were Domain Rawlins (18 points), and Leandro Mills (8 points. Troy Wattley saved face for Mantab by scoring 22 points, with Chavez Balboa scoring nine points, and Lesroy Benjamin six points.
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