Women excel in national b-ball

Women ruled the National Basketball Championships last weekend with two superb displays at the Central Indoor Sport Complex, Chaguanas on Sunday.

Police defeated Courts Hillbouncers of Tobago 53-47 in their Group “B” match and in Group “A” Unit Trust Maloney Pacers beat Alpha Engineering Star Seekers 48-42. Monica Maule, who was adjudged “Player of the Game,” led the Police women to their big win with a team high 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists. She was supported by ten points each from Adina Cummings who had nine rebounds; and Peggy-Ann Brown with seven rebounds and five assists. Police were only threatened by their opponents at the end of the third quarter when they stood tied at 37 having kept them at bay 17-12 and 29-22 in the first and second periods. For Hillbouncers Alicia Roberts had a game-high 22 points, with six rebounds and two assists. Kathy-Ann Taylor put in a further ten points and held a highly defensive ten rebounds but the pair was not afforded the support of the rest of their team.

In the other women’s match-up Unit Trust Maloney Pacers kept their focus and retained the lead throughout their encounter with second placed Alpha Engineering Star Seekers to emerge eventual six-point winners. Pacers standout Melissa Guerero let fly with a game-high 18 points four rebounds and two assists to take the “Player of the Game” accolade.  She was well-supported by Mahalia Simpson’s 14 points which helped carry the team home. The “Seekers” duo of Sherry-Ann Patrick and Carolyn Solomon contributed nine points each. Solomon held nine rebounds while Karen Vincent scored a team-high 12 points with a solitary rebound and assist. The Pacers’ lead reached as much as eight at the half-time whistle with the score at 26-18 having been 13-9 in the previous period and 37-30 going into the final chapter.

Bottom of the Men’s Division Group “B” table, Seattle put up a good resistance against Edinburgh 500 Hawks who are second in the group but Hawks Marvin Celestine let in 22 points and held three rebounds and lead their team to a 66-57 win. Hawks were met with stout opposition from Seattle who tied the match 32-32 at the half depleting their four point lead established in the first half. But Dereck Hughue had ten points and seven rebounds to keep them in check. Seattle’s gladiator on the night was Dextray Manswell who put in a game — high 23 points and 21 rebounds. His Manswell’s effort, which was well aided by Oral Belfon’s 15 points and 14 rebounds, mirrored his team’s determination to come out of the cellar position. But on the court Hawks would not be denied on the night. Women’s matches continue tomorrow at the Maloney Indoor Sport Complex with Police taking on Defence Force at 5 pm and Unit Trust Maloney Pacers playing host to the Brian Chase Academy at 7 pm.