Horizon bounce into b-ball final

LANKY centre Chezelle Griffith powered Courts Horizon into the women final of the revived National Basketball Federation of Trinidad and Tobago Na-tional Basketball Champ-ionships.

Griffith led all scorers with 21 points and hauled in 11 rebounds as Horizon beat Police 69-66 in a thrilling Game 3 at the St Paul Street Multi-Purpose Complex on Sunday afternoon to clinch the best-of-three series 2-1. Horizon led all the way, but in the final quarter they had to hold off a determined rally by the Policewomen to complete their victory. Now they will play Unit Trust Maloney Pacers in the best-of-three match final, starting on Wednesday at the St Paul Street venue from 6 pm.

The Horizon women held a slender 15-14 lead at the end of the opening stanza, but went back to their locker-rooms for the half-time interval leading 41-36.  And they held their five-point advantage at the end of the third period 56-51. But the Policewomen made one last surge, and a raging battle ensued but they fell three-points shy.

Philomena George slotted in 20 points including three from beyond the arc, and dished off two assists for the winners, while Sasha James got 12 points and pulled down four carooms. Police were led by Monica Maule with 16 points, three rebounds and two assists, with Adina Cummings adding 15 points and six rebounds, while Peggy Ann Brown contributed 11 points, two assists and two boards. But it was turnovers which really decided the Police-women fate, as they committed 22 to Horizon 15.

When the Maloney women and Horizon met in Group A preliminary round action, the Unit Trust Corporation-sponsored women were triumphant and will take the court confident of victory. Maloney will also contest the men’s final against Royal Extra North zone champions National Flour Mills, also starting Wednesday from 8 pm. “Flour” are unbeaten in both preliminary and Big Four semi-final action to date.