D/Force make winning North b-ball start

CHAMPIONS Defence Force made a winning start in the First Division of this year’s Supligen North Zone Basketball League when they outplayed NP Caledonia Clippers 89-74. National small forward Stephen “Lighter” Lewis led the scoring for the Army-Coast Guard men in Friday night’s match at the Jean Pierre Sports Complex with 29 points. Wilt Vincent added 15 points and Cassius Humphrey 11 to the Defence Force who led all the way. Defence Force were ahead 27-21 at the end of the opening quarter and extended that six-point lead to 17 at the half at which they were in front 53-36.

It was still a 17-point lead at the end of the third period 69-52 before the Army-Coast Guard men cruised to victory in the final stanza. Clippers got 16 points from Simeon Moreno, while Edward Francis scored 14. Earlier in the night, Cosmic Raptors whipped T&T Elite 71-56 in a Second Division match. Travis McIntosh led the Raptors and all scorers with 44 points while Rodney Greaves had 15 and Julius Sprott 12. The Raptors led 21-10; 36-27; 56-39 at the quarter stages.

Dillon Howell scored 20 points and Mark Jobe 13 for T&T Elite. Meanwhile, action in the Eastern Community Basketball League tips off on June 5 at the Maloney Indoor Sports Complex. President Dominic Rodriguez can be contacted at 627-0940 or 743-4232 or vice-president Christopher Jackson Charles 778-3778 for further registration.