Bulls, Cavs still unbeaten
Published on: 3/27/07.
Solar Dynamics Clapham Bulls and Station Hill Cavaliers remained the only undefeated teams in the BABA/BOA Premier League after victories Sunday night at the Barbados Community College.
Defending league champions Bulls used a fourth-quarter rally to secure an 83-63 triumph over Sagicor Tridents, while Cavaliers defeated Pinelands 87-77.
In the night's feature game, national centre Kelvin "Mr Business" Patterson scored six of his game-high 26 points within the last two minutes of the match to keep Pinelands winless.
After a slow first quarter which saw the Cavs take a 17-10 advantage, Pinelands picked it up offensively in the second period, with the duo of Kirk Patrick and Decarlo Skeete combining for 16 points in the quarter to give the underdogs a 39-38 lead late in the period.
But Station Hill would find a way to get their big man involved before the half, as Patterson scored seven straight points just before intermission to give the Cavs a six-point cushion at the interval.
Station Hill's momentum carried over to the third quarter, as point guard Corey Williams feasted on poor Pinelands transition defence while Junior Moore, who ended with 15 rebounds to add to his 17 points, crashed the offensive boards for easy put-backs.
The Cavaliers opened up a double-digit lead at the end of the quarter, 66-55, and appeared to be cruising in the fourth until poor decision making accounted for numerous turnovers which allowed Pinelands to score easy transition baskets.
Once again Skeete and Patrick heated up and they brought Pinelands within two points, 77-75, with 2:20 remaining. But Patterson ensured they would get no closer, scoring six points in a 10-2 Station Hill game-closing run.
Bulls 83, Tridents 63
Tridents had fought valiantly to come within two points, 56-58, at the end of the third quarter, but Bull's 25-7 run in the final period ensured they remain undefeated.
Clapham stormed out to a 24-12 lead at the end of the first quarter as their suffocating defence forced Tridents turnovers and last season's MVP Jeremy Gill pumped in nine points in the period.
Bulls, particularly Gill, cooled off in the second and Tridents crept back in the game through the play of centre Akeem Marsh and shooting guard Keefe Birkett.
Marsh, who ended with 21 points and 12 rebounds, went for 11 points in the second quarter from the low blocks while Birkett's outside shooting helped to stretch the defence, leading the Tridents to level the game at 37 at half-time.
Gill would find much-needed help in the third from backcourt mate Nicholas Jones, who erupted for 11 points in the quarter, nine of which came from behind the arc. But Tridents refused to fold under this onslaught, putting together a great team effort on offence to stay within two, 58-56, at the end of the third.
That was as close as they got, as Jones continued to knock down three-pointers while forward Gary Miller proved to be too much to handle in the paint.
Miller and Jones sparked a 12-2 run at the start of the quarter which eventually led to the Bulls opening up a 20-point advantage from which the Tridents never recovered .
Senators win
In the women's games earlier in the evening, last season's league finalists Columbian Emeralds International Senators defeated St John's Sonics 84-60, while Eagles were 52-35 winners over Hoopsters.
Senators used a balanced team effort to overcome Sonics who were led by a game-high 28 points from Tammy Hope, while Sharece Shepherd's 21 points paced the Eagles to victory. (KC)
Bulls 83 (37) (Jeremy Gill 21, Nicholas Jones 21) Tridents 63 (37) (Akeem Marsh 21, Keefe Birkett 13)
Cavaliers 87(45) (Kelvin Patterson 26, Junior Moore 17, Kevin Sealy 14) Pinelands 77 (39) (DeCarlo Skeete 23, Kirk Patrick 15, Ryan Maynard 12, Chris Holder 11)
Eagles 52 (Sharece Shepherd 21, Prudence Rowe 13, Tamiesha Marshall 12) Hoopsters 35 (Nadi Rose Hinds 10)
Senators 84 (Wanda Small 23, Jackie Walcott 15, Mia Ward 12) Sonics 60 (Tammy Hope 28, D. Brathwaite 12)
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