Diaz leads Tranquil upset of Diego in schools b-ball

NGC/Express Secondary Schools Basketball Association semi-final action began in the Northern Conference at the St Paul Street Facility, Port-of-Spain, on Monday with a 66-53 victory for Excel Composite over St Mary’s College in an Under-15 clash of giants.

CIC’s Bevon Julien, who had a good season, was his team’s only hope, but his 18 points were not enough to take the squad to the finals, while Excel’s Curt Snagg top scored with 27 points. Excel’s Marcus Allert supported with 24 points, while Josimar Phillip contributed 15 to the winning total. CIC felt they got a raw deal from the officials and in the dying seconds refused to play as a protest. It was a day of do or die and the Under-17 teams of Fatima College and Malick Secondary played as such and at the half the score stood at 27-22 in Fatima’s favour. But Malick awoke in the late stages of the match to take a well earned 54-46 victory.

Akil Wharfe, with his creative game play and vision on the court, top-scored with 18 and along with Julius Sprott’s 14 and Dexter Holder’s 11 points, led Malick to victory. The efforts of Fatima’s Jason Sharpe and Akinola Simon who scored 13 and nine respectively were not enough to earn them a place in the finals but the match was well fought by both teams. The main event on the day was the Under-20 division clash between Tranquillity Secondary and Diego Martin Senior Secondary and the players did not disappoint their supporters. Diego Martin, the defending champions, may have been favoured to win the matchup and looked a winner at the end of the see-saw half as they led 30-29. But the aptly numbered No 23, Sherman Diaz took over the second half with constant probing dribbles, dunks and accurate shots, to top score with 25 points and lead Tranquil to a 73-60 win at the whistle.

Diego Martin’s Atiba La Roche challenged Diaz in attack with 22 points and the speedy Sadiqi Guerra hit 18. Tranquil captain Vondelle Applewhite also scored 18 and Johnathan Weekes contributed 11 to the winning tally. Eastern Conference “semis” begin today with a girls clash betwween Toco Composite and Barataria Senior Comprehensive and an Under-20 matchup between the undefeated debutants Johnson’s Finishing School and St Augustine Senior Comprehensive at the Tacarigua Indoor Sports Arena.