NFM keep Royal b-ball title

CONTROVERSY reigned at the St Paul’s Street Multi-Purpose Facility in Port-of-Spain as National Flour Mills held on to the Royal Extra North Zone Premier Division knockout title. The Flour men edged arch-rivals Defence Force 82-80 in Wednesday night’s final watched by a very vociferous crowd. But the end came under strong protest from the Army-Coast Guard men who claimed a foul called against them came after the final buzzer and were adamant the match should go into over-time. Defence Force seemed to be cruising to victory leading 80-76 with just over a minute to play. But a three-point bomb by Andy Best pulled NFM to within one point of Defence Force. Shorn Edwards was then fouled with 54 seconds remaining but managed just one of two free throws to tie the scores 80-80. After a turnover by Steven “Pampee” Lewis, Edwards got the ball back as the final seconds ticked away, then was fouled. He stepped up to the line after calm was restored and buried both free-throws for the final score.

Defence Force led 22-21 at the end of one quarter, but the Flour men rallied to a 43-40 half-time lead. The Army-Coast Guard men put the clamps on NFM and outscored them 27-5 for a 52-48 third quarter  lead. Andy Best led NFM with 17 points, Edwards had 14, Kerry Westfield 13 and Albert Sprott 12, while for Defence Force Lewis led all scorers with 24 points, Wilt Vincent had 13 and Mervyn “Unks” Jackson 11. Earlier on Wednesday night, however, Defence Force women wrested away the knockout crown from holders Horizon 73-69, leading all the way —- 13-10; 37-28; 54-51. Crystal George had 23 points and 11 rebounds and Rhonda John 19 points for the Army-Coast Guard women. Horizon countered with Chezelle Griffith, 34 points, and 13 rebounds; Philomena George, 11 points six renounds; and Mandy Cooper, 10 points and six rebounds.