BTB takes inter-office basketball crown
Just when you thought that basketball was over–at least for the next six months or so–along comes News 5’s James Adderley to serve up another helping of hustle on the hardboards. What the subjects of his next story may lack in height and heft, they more than make up for in heart.
James Adderley, Reporting
You might not have seen or heard a lot about the Inter-office Basketball League–lately all eyes were riveted on Capital Life Basketball. But with that competition concluded, basketball fans turned to the league at big Bird’s Isle.
Last night found game two of the championship series in full effect. Of course its Belize Tourist Board Adventurers in the drivers seat having won game one and obviously if BTL Fibre Fusion fails to come up with a win tonight the 2002 title belongs to BTB.
At the tip off Ian Adolphus beats Robert Cadle to the ball and the big show get off. Minister of government or not, Mark Espat is a baller and this left hand off the glass is proof enough.
B.T.L. replies with a nice inside move from Sean Duncan in heavy traffic. Of course someone will have to put a body on BTB big man Ian Adolphus and since they don’t he makes them pay.
Lennox Cattouse then raises at the other end and licks down his open look. Say hello to Erasmus Usher, who finds himself open on the baseline to push the Fibre Fusion to a 5-point lead.
Make it a 14-point lead when Usher picks the minister’s pocket and finds Lennox Cattouse who gets 2. By the way folks, will someone please tell Usher that this is his own basket in which he scores– but you know, things like that happen when you play a lot of 3s. Nevertheless, at the half B.T.L. leads 36-31.
In second half the phone company comes out clicking. The tap goes the league’s top scorer Devon Lozano and he shows why he is number one in scoring.
For sure people, Erasmus Usher is a scorer, only this time it’s in the right basket. From the baseline Mark Usher launches this 3 and it sinks through for the B.T.L. player.
Down by 11, the Adventurers begin their championship run. Paul Flowers to Mark Espat combine for 2.
Cassian “The Russian” Flowers shows off his rainbow shot, which falls for him. You might know Stanley Reneau as a footballer, but this move is simply Jordanesque.
Ian Adolphus finds Anthony Mahler, who responds with a 3 as BTB goes up by 3. Erasmus Usher then lands this 3 pointer to help BTL in the hunt.
Stanley Reneau keeps the pressure on the phone company with this strong move, but at the end of regulation we’re tied at 67 apiece folks.
In overtime play it’s all BTB. Paul Thompson finds Cassian “The Russian” and the bank off the glass pays. The Adventurers begin to pull away and Mark Usher hollers at the referee.
Mark Usher
“Weh you di get tonight?”
For which he is marched out of the ballgame and gives away 4 free throws to the opposition. The Russian would sink 3 of the 4.
From then on B.T.L. Fibre Fusion was never again a cohesive unit. They fall 91-74 to BTB. Channel 5 takes this opportunity to congratulate BTB who picked up the 2002 inter-office basketball title in undefeated fashion.
Paul Thompson, BTB Adventurers
“This is very sweet because right now we don’t have the time to go out and practice the way we want to practice to go to another level. But now this is a sweet victory because you come together with your friends and the people you work with and it feels good to win something with the office and the team that you work with, so you can have something to talk about the next day.”
Bernard Wagner, President, B.N.B.A.
“It’s gratifying to see that the hard work that you put in eventually pays off and the fans come out, enjoy the game, it’s clean fun. It’s a time for the office people to come out and have fun outside of the office.”
James Adderley
“You brought two undefeated teams into the playoffs.”
Bernard Wagner
“Yes, that’s what we all hoped for in the finals. Hopefully I would have liked a third game, it didn’t work out that way, but that’s the way inter-office is, you never know from day to day what will happen.”
In the individual awards issued after the game by Minister Jorge Espat, Victor McKenzie received the award for most steals and most assists in the competition. Devon Lozano emerged the leading scorer and MVP of the league. Cassian “The Russian” Flowers walked away with the most rebounds inside the competition. Of course, we just want to end by saying we’ll do it again next year.
James Adderley, reporting for News 5.
Thank you James–and cameraman George Tillett–for making the extra effort to present that story.
