B.T.L., Bandits victorious in weekend sports
Good evening I’m James Adderley and welcome to this latest issue of Sports Monday. Week three of the B.P.F.L. football season took Kulture Yabra of Belize City into the unfriendly confines of the Isidoro Beaton Stadium for a showdown with the sub-champion, Builder’s Hardware Bandits of Belmopan.
We open with Norman “Tilliman” Nunez launching a left foot at Charlie Slusher in an unsuccessful effort to put his on the map. We must say folks that Deon Frazier now realises that you really can’t go back home, but both former teammates display some sportsmanship.
Now you tell me, how can Belmopan not score off this corner kick in which they got at least three opportunities, but c’est lavie.
Nevertheless, it’s off this spotkick that brought the first goal of the ballgame when a wicked left foot from number fifteen, Derys Benavides, slams off the far upright to give the Bandits a 1-zip lead. Nothing Shane Moody could have done about this one.
Naturally, Yabra mounts its comeback and on this play when blue pushes green, a penalty should have been blown and red given a yellow. I know you get my drift.
At the half we have a 1-nil Belmopan lead.
In second half the Bandits come out looking to extend the lead and should have on this breakaway, by Dennis Serrano, but the Yabra defence displays its ability to recover and recover quickly.
However, when Frazier misplays this pass inside the eighteen, he presents a gift to Daniel Thomas, who shakes the net despite Slusher’s attempt at intervention and we have a tied ballgame at 1-apiece.
Mr. Referee, we’re wondering if you’re just blind or afraid to make this call–please protect the players.
In the meantime, Denmark Casey, fresh off the bench, launches this long-range bomb at Shane Moody, who makes the stop.
Folks, it’s late in the ballgame when Al Thurton errs at the wrong time, giving Wayne Wiltshire a clear shot at goal. The striker makes the most of it coming up with the game winner as the Bandits grab the 2-1 big W to win three in a row, while Yabra is yet to post a win.
Changing gears, let’s head to the City Centre for Friday night’s monster match featuring B.T.L. Nets and the Raiders in semi-pro basketball.
In the opening moments, Charles Thompson drives down the heart of the Raider’s defence to lay two off the glass. On this trip down court, the Nets go to their big man Maurice Bullock and he gets around his man to deliver the two.
But in the early goings, it’s the Raiders with the momentum, with the big move as they saw in the jargon, as Kurt Burgess gets the bucket and the foul, which he would convert for three points. He would finish with eleven.
Of course the Raiders hitman is Darwin Carter and this conversion gives his team an eleven-point lead. Fuller finds Carter in the corner and he reimburses the tray as the Raiders go up by all of twenty points.
Just before the half the Nets try to decrease the deficit as Keith Acosta finds Darren Bovell, who strikes for two.
Thompson then finds Ernest Broaster, who sinks a difficult shot. Poor defence by the Raiders allows Paul Swasey to free up himself and he gets an easy two.
And at the half, the deficit for the phone company is reduced to ten.
After intermission the Raiders came out with the perfect passing game that gets Clinton Lamb Fuller two of his nine game points. At the other end Charlie Thompson wants three, he gets three and would finish with twelve points.
So the Raiders go to their long-range artist for a response and Darwin Carter does not disappoint. He would finish with ten game high of thirty-one points after hitting seventy percent from the field.
On this breakaway, Clinton Fuller comes up with a wicked two-handed slam, but gives it right back at the other end by hanging on the rim. Down by fourteen the Nets get busy. The defence gives Bullock the open look and he nails it down for two of his twenty-three points.
Charlie Thompson then zips through the Raider defence for two points. And when Keith Acosta hits this three point shot, the Nets take their first lead of the ballgame in a 66 to 65 score.
At this juncture of the ballgame Keith Acosta is fired up, so he displays his emotion in a big way. So you don’t believe he’s fired up? Then this abuse of Bart Sanchez should convince you as the Nets begin to pull away with five minutes to go.
And I guess this three point shot from Roscoe Rhys, who went one of five from the three-point line, might have been the nail in the Raider’s coffin.
The Nets go on to post the 96-83 victory.
In the other semi-pro match-up from over the weekend, Orange Walk Shell 1-Stop sunk Corozal Dolphins 99-85.
In softball news, Esperanza beat Hope Creek 15-5 yesterday to claim the Cayo male softball marathon. Regular season gets underway Sunday August seventeenth. Hope Creek plays Independence and Independence United goes up against Esperanza.
Turning to the cycling scene, Ernest Meighan swept the Cycling Classic at Ciudad del Carmen, Mexico over the weekend by winning both events. It’s the first time a Belize team has won both events. We must say to the golden one, when you’re big, you’re large. Congratulations are in order.
That’s it for now. We thank our cameraman for their great work over the weekend, Jah over all! I’m James Adderley.
