Defence Force out to rebound in b-ball final

After the opening match of a three-game play-off, the Army/Coast-Guard combination found themselves trailing to the powerful Detour Shak Attack outfit in the Sportworld National Basketball League’s Big Four championship, while their female compatriots seem to be on the right footing in their encounter against the Horizon.

But it seems however that the Shak Attack could well hold the upper hand going into today’s encounter with two impressive victories over their opponents in the recent North Zone League competition.

The wins came courtesy a series of impressive performances from the talented Steven Lewis and veteran centre-man Ashley "Dr Dunk" Bynoe. Tonight, both men hold the key for a victory which will assure them the title which has eluded them for quite a while now.

Shak Attack, who won the round-robin tournament in the North Zone League earlier this year will also be attempting to break the winning trend left by the Army and National Flour Mills for the past years. The Army/Coast-Guard team will pin their hopes on a number of top players — especially Kirk Christian and Terrance Mayers.

They first have to win tonight’s encounter to level the series at one and then head for the victory in the final game.

But the Army however are no strangers to such a situation — having won beaten their counterparts on numerous occasions and winning the North Zone and national basketball championship on countless times.

Meanwhile, Courts Horizon women will also have their work cut out if they are to turn back the ravishing Defence Force Women in game two of the final play-off, also tonight.

After a season in which the Horizon had almost total domination over the military women, they find themselves on the wrong end of the play-off.

Like the Army men, they need a win to draw the series level and force a third and final game this week.

But first it would mean the talented Rachel Thompson-King and Chezelle Griffith will have to get an early start of the encounter.

Horizon were badly beaten in the opening match, by 26 points 86-60 on Tuesday last and face another defeat by a talented Army unit.

The Army also won the North Zone League competition last year and look to double up, come tonight.