City stars top district players in “future” game

Good evening I’m James Adderley and you’re in tuned with Sports Monday. The “Glimpse of the Future” basketball game Friday night at the City Centre was supposed to bring together our top twenty-five high school players in the country, international scouts and the Belizeans fans in a love triangle. But it didn’t quite happen that way.

As we go to the pictures, you can see the top twenty-five players gathered, but the fans and the international scouts seem to be missing as we go to the tip off.

The Belize City side shows good ball movement to free up Lindsberg Graham, who drains the long jumper for the opening bucket. It’s a game of four ten minute quarters and the city side gets two more from Graham to open the first.

The district side answer with this shot from Shannon Guzman as they get rolling. In second quarter, the District cuts into a six point deficit with his baby jumper from number seven. Shannon Guzman, on the run, makes it a two point ball game for the district.

On this trip down court, the district gets this outside shot from Eden Serano. But the city side stands firm as Andre Almendarez finishes off a nice pres with a wee bit of emphasis.

At the half it’s a twenty-eight, eighteen lead for the metropolis.

In the third quarter Stephen Williams goes to the reverse for two more city points. Bernard Felix gets to show his wheels with his run down court that’s good for two.

Things begin to take a turn for the worse for the visitors, when Michael Middleton steals and drives all the way for two points and at the end of the third quarter, the lead is back up to ten.

In the fourth, the district team mounts a serious come back and this bucket for Shannon Guzman cuts the deficit to five. It’s a one point ball game when Ronald rises for three.

But at the other end Dale Turner replies with a three of his own.

It’s getting late and we’re tied at forty-five points apiece when Lindsberg Graham strikes for two more city points. Michael Middleton comes up with a big bucket here as the Belize City side goes on to post a 62-57 big W.

Incidentally, Lindsberg Graham emerged with the M.V.P. honours for which he gets the Joshua D. Usher Trophy and a two year scholarship to any Junior College in Belize. We must say despite the disappointing packaging of this particular event, this basketball programme is certainly a good idea.

Lindsberg Graham, M.V.P.

“It mi kinda rough because we have to wake up 5:30 in the morning; that’s the only thing I nevah used to. But other than that, food, friends, the camp itself, the training was all good, everything mi all right. I learn some new stuff. Mr. Pulu, Mr. Jones and Mr. Bovell really teach me some new stuff. Overall the camp mi alright, I get fi meet some new friends.”

Turning to the football scene, Kulture Yabra hosted San Pedro Turquoise at the M.C.C. Grounds yesterday in a preview to the playoffs, since both are headed to the post-season.

Yabra goes to work early, attacking off this corner kick with a vicious header from Daniel Jones that misses the target. Hey Landi Pinelo; are you admiring the pass or what, as he squanders this golden opportunity. A word to you too Daniel Thomas–this is scoring time okay.

Nevertheless, the defending champion Yabra strikes first blood when Esteban Perez receives his own rebound to unleash a wicked slice that beats the San Pedro keeper.

Perchance people might we reasonably conclude that it’s not Daniel Thomas’s day today. Then we’ll just have to say he’s having a bad day.

Okay, Edon Rawley operates inside the eighteen. He is taken down viciously and the referee rules penalty. Vallan Symms steps up for his seventh goal and sixth penalty conversion as Yabra takes a two-zip lead to the locker-room.

Folks, we’re a few minutes into second half when this corner kick is headed back into the danger zone and Christopher Hendricks turns with it to put San Pedro on the scoreboard. San Pedro almost ties the ball game on this press, but the ground shot misses the target.

In the closing moments of he ball game, Edon “Yellowman” Rawley put things out of reach with this left foot push that gives Yabra the 3-1 W to conclude regular season play.

In other results from over the weekend, Juventus shelled Corozal 5-1, while Builder’s Bandits and Sagitun struggled to a scoreless stalemate. The ball game between Verdes and Griga United were called off since both teams agreed that there was no need to stage this match.

Thus the official regular season standings looks like this: Yabra finishes with thirty points, Sagitun twenty-four, Belmopan twenty-two, San Pedro twenty. Those are the teams making it into the playoffs. Juventus ended up with eighteen, Corozal sixteen, Verdes fourteen and Griga six.

The playoffs get underway on the fourth of January with Sagitun hosting the Bandits, and on Sunday January fifth San Pedro returns to the M.C.C. Grounds to face off with Kulture Yabra, the defending champion.

In closing folks, we take you to the podium at Pound Yard Bridge, for the top five finishers in the one week four stage tour of the Belize District, presented by the Kevin Hall administration. Wilbert Banks takes the overall prize with one hundred and thirty-eight points, Marlon Castillo finished with one hundred thirty-four, Giovanni Leslie one hundred and thirty-three, Keith Enwrigth one hundred and three and the veteran Santi Castillo rounds out the top five with ninety-one points.

That’s our show for today; we certainly want to wish you a happy and safe Christmas. Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.