Shak Attack, Army lead Sportworld b-ball final

The Army Coast-Guard combination played catch-up for almost the entire match on Sunday night as Shak Attack showed their class.

The teams met in the final last year, a match that the military men won. But Shak Attack will be looking to avenge that defeat, and is only one win away in the best-of-three series.

They led after the first quarter 19-16 behind the brilliance of Bynoe, and were still ahead at the half 42-40.

Defence Force rallied strongly in the third quarter, but still trailed 60-65 despite 27 points by Steven "Lighter" Lewis.

The teams traded baskets in a tense battle which had the crowd off their seats.

Twice Defence Force knotted up the scores which read 78-78 midway through the final quarter, and again at 81-81 a few minutes later.

That was until big "Dr Dunk" Bynoe fired in two free throws and followed up with a lay-up with approximately nine seconds left to seal the victory.

In the first match of the double-header, Defence Force women avenged the defeat of their men counterparts when they silenced the Courts Horizon 86-60 in the first game of their three-match play-off to have one hand on the trophy.

Strangely it was the Army-Coast Guard women who fell behind in the first quarter 14-20, but when Horizon seemed to have been heading for a victory in the second period, the military women raised their game courtesy an impressive Alicia Liverpool who scored 28 points on the night.

The Army forged ahead in the second 35-28 and lead as the end of the third 56-45 through equally impressive performances from Rhonda John-Davis who had 20 points and Tricia Liverpool 14.

Meanwhile, Alpha Engineering Star Seekers secured third place in the women category when they edged Unit Trust Maloney Pacers 40-39 in their play-off at the same venue on Saturday.

Sherry Ann Patrick led the scoring for Star Seekers with 16 points and seven rebounds, while Hannah Hector contributed seven points to the six rebounds. Natoya Peters led the Pacers with nine points.

In men action, UTC Maloney Pacers edged Royal Extra Lions 85-83 for the third position.

Kenyatta Alfred got an impressive 24 points while Derrick Boxill added 20 and three rebounds.

Extra Lions got a game high 26 points from Kevin Greene and 16 from Jeremy Wint.