Army n-ballers draw first blood

DEFENCE FORCE have one hand on that $10,000 winner’s cheque in the inaugural NASAMA Enterprises-sponsored Netball Super Cup Championships. They staked their claim after a 43-38 victory over Mucurapo Ex-Pupils in Game One of their best-of-three match finals. And Police routed Caribbean Facilities Corporation (CFC) 66-30 also on Saturday night at the Eastern Regional Indoor Sports Arena, and are ready to grab the $3,000 third place prize money. After trailing the Army-Coast Guard team 15-7 at the end of the opening quarter, Ex-Pupils stifled their opponents and outscored them 11-9 to be down 24-18 at the halfway stage.

Watched by an vociferous and enthusiastic crowd, the third quarter was nip and tuck as Ex-Pupils scrapped to get back into the match, but still trailed 35-29, holding Defence Force 11-11 in the period. It was match on in the final stanza, as both teams went for the jugular, and although again outscoring Defence Force 9-8, Ex-Pupils came up short. So the stage is set for another thriller when the teams face-off in Game Two at the Jean Pierre Complex, Mucurapo tonight, at 7.30 pm. Game Two between Police and CFC is scheduled to begin at 6 pm. National goal-shoot Anastascia Wilson scored 22 goals from 36 attempts and Stephen Lewis had 21 of 24 for Defence Force, while Under-21 goals-shoot Afeisha Noel had 32 goals from 43 attempts, Simone Morgan five of 13 and Tracy-Ann Douglas one from four.

Police took charge of their match from the outset, and by the time the half-time whistle came it was game over. They led 20-10, 34-16 and 48-24 at the quarter breaks. Floyd Lashley continued his accurate shooting scoring 39 goals from 45 attempts, Donna Elise Charles had 12 of 16 and Kevin Green got 15 of 18 for the Police team. Annmarie Evans netted 15 of 27 attempts, Raquel Russell sank nine of 22 and national skipper and goals-shoot Janelle Barker, who retreated to the goal-keeper position at the end of the first period, got  six of 10 for CFC.