Eagles remain undefeated in female hoops
Good evening, I?m James Adderley with this week?s serving of Sports Monday. We take you immediately out to the City Centre where the WIN-Belize female basketball competition was in full effect Friday night as league-leading Maria Chance Eagles took on archrival, Sparks.
Enid Dakers finds herself at the right time at the right place to open the scoring for the Sparks. She would throw up nine points and pull nine boards in this confrontation.
At the other end, Anna Thurton sets get feet and launches this three; she would total twelve points and pull a game high thirteen rebounds.
Give Maria Chang Eagles a four-point lead when Stacey Webber coolly hits nothing but nylon cords.
Indeed, respect to Anna Thurton who comes up with the interception, runs the length of the court, and then gets rewarded with the easy bucket and would convert the extra point.
However, the Sparks come right back with Lacey Rosales who makes the lay-up conversion look too easy.
Of course, respect is due to Shirley Codd who displays big time basketball skills with these two points for Maria Chang. And if you think our opinion is overstated, then check Shirley Codd with this coast to coast display; she would strike for the game high twenty-two points.
At the half, we have a tied ballgame at twenty-three points apiece.
In second half, Codd comes out firing for three as the Eagles begin to pull away. Down court Lisa Sanchez replies for Sparks with the put-back off her own missed shot?she would grab a team high eleven points.
So Shirley Codd comes back with another big time three for Maria Chang. Rochelle Hemsley decides to answer back in kind for the Sparks to pull them within one.
But Maria Chang would not be denied tonight. Earlette Reynolds with the good feint goes high off the glass for two. Anna Thurton is simply unstoppable; she penetrates for two points right here. Lisa Rosales keeps the Sparks within reach with this NBA distance three.
However, tonight Shirley Codd and company are just two much for the Sprite team as Maria Chang wins 54-44 in regulation, taking is season record to five wins no losses.
In the other match-up Friday night, Maria Chang Second Edition went up against B.S.H. Lions and the first two points of the ballgame comes from Shelmadine Cacho, who makes good the put back.
On this trip down court Cacho fires just inside the three-point range. She would finish with fifteen points and a mind-boggling twenty-one rebounds.
Big respect to Tanisha Jones who fires this high riser that finds nothing but net; she would lead the Lions with eleven points.
At the other end, Angelica Ramos gives the Second Edition the lead with this throw up. The Maria Chang second team would go on to post the 40-32 victory.
Thus the standings coming out of the weekend looks like this: Maria Chang Eagles are undefeated at 5-0; WIN-Belize is 3-1, Sparks and Maria Chang Second Edition both show 2 wins, 2 losses apiece, Rookies have won 1 and lost 3, while B.S.H. Lions remain winless from four outings.
On Sunday?s ticket, which begins at six p.m. at the City Centre, Rookies go up against Sparks and Maria Chang Second Edition matches up with WIN-Belize.
Turning to the football scene, Sagitun closed out the Regents Cup regular season with a 1-zip win over Cayo Avengers, San Pedro Seahawks hurt Print Belize Griga 5-1, Juventus edged Kremandala Lake 1-zip, while Calcutta Bulls beat Kulture Yabra 2-nil.
The standings thus show Sagitun with 33 points, Juventus with 26, San Pedro 25, Cayo Avengers 22, and the Calcutta Bulls 20. Only the top three playoffs spots are set because the Bulls have a Thursday night match remaining with Print Belize Griga to complete regular season play. With twenty points, a win for the Bulls would give them 23 points and the number four spot and Cayo Avengers certainly won?t be happy about that. We?ll watch how this situation develops and keep you informed.
In the meantime, Kulture Yabra finishes with 12 points, Krem Lake with 11, and Print Belize Griga, who have not won a ballgame on the pitch all season long, shows three points from that forfeiture by Kulture Yabra. We are gonna keep you posted.
In cycling news, the Labour Day Cycle Classic did get off on Sunday. Before game time it was thought that it would not have happened. Nevertheless, we did catch a glimpse of the finish as Mateo Cruz puts on his championship look to slide past the finish line in triumph, Ernest Meighan follows for second, Marlon Castillo third, and Juan Gonzalez pulls up fourth for the Santino sweep. Gregory Lovell of B.T.L. then comes in to edge Giovanni ?Froggy? Leslie for fifth place in this eighty-five mile ride from Corozal to Belize.
In the meantime folks, the 2005 Female Cross Country ride is set for this Sunday May eighth, Mother?s Day. We wish the riders maximum success. And it?s hard to choose the best from among many, but when you cross the tape, that decision will be made.
In softball, the second Central American Female Juvenile Softball Championship was staged over the weekend at Roger?s Stadium featuring El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and the host team Belize.
After heartbreaking losses to El Salvador and Guatemala, Belize found itself in the bronze medal game against the Nicaragua team, which it easily won.
In the meantime, the gold medal game was won by El Salvador over Guatemala. El Salvador finishes at the head of the class with an impressive showing of 5 wins, 1 loss, Guatemala took second with 4 wins, 2 losses; Belize had to settle for bronze with 3 wins, 3 losses, while Nicaragua went winless in six outings. We hope for a better showing by Belize in next year?s tournament.
That?s it for now; we want to thank our cameramen for their great work over the weekend. Jah over all, I?m James Adderley.
