Fatima stop St Anthony’s at final whistle

After a brilliant yet delayed start to their NGC/Express School’s Basketball League North Zone encounter with Fatima College, the “Basketball Tigers” of St Anthony’s College were unable to retain their initial pace and fell 68-61 at the final whistle. The Tigers came on strong from the tip and ended the quarter 21-17 leaders and proceeded to finish the half in the driver’s seat leading 41-28 on merit of an effective hustle game which stifled the Fatima offence. After the half-time pep talks Fatima were the ones who began to choke the lane and they only allowed St Anthony’s two points for the duration of the third quarter, even to this point the Tigers held a slim 43-41 lead.

Midway into the final period Fatima’s Jason Sharpe took charge of proceedings and glided down the lane at a self-assured pace to make St Anthony’s the chasers, who flailed wildly at the lead causing three of their key players to be fouled out. Before being ejected however St Anthony’s Jabari Phillip recorded a team-high 26 points to keep hope alive, the hard part was encouraging the bench to step up and believe that the seven-point lead which Fatima kept steady could be broken down, the final result provided that answer. The second match between Diego Martin Secondary and International School of Port-of-Spain (ISPOS) had to be stopped due to unforseen circumstances, 12 minutes remained in the first half and ISPOS were leading 13-12 when the match was stopped. At the St Paul’s Street Indoor Sport Facility, Belmont Junior Secondary beat rivals Belmont Secondary 30-23 with Jamille King putting in 20 and Joel Romain contributing six.

Belmont’s lack of firepower showed as Shurland Quamie was topscorer for them on six points. Malick Secondary’s returning Under-20 team made victory sure when John Paul Goring, Dexter Holder and Malcolm London help post a giddy team total against Basilon Street Youth Facility who could only sit and watch as they received a free on-court lesson and their teachers walked off 92-26 winners. Goring and Holder, stay-ons from the 2003 season, scored a mat-high 24 and 21 respectively while London put 13 on the scorecard as they romped over the league debutantes whose only bright spot was Kevon Eustace with 12 points.