Belize and Jamaica must clash again in CARICOM basketball
Perhaps not since the opening tip-off has the Belize National Male Basketball Team faced such a crucial moment in the week long tournament. The pressure to win has been pushed into maximum overdrive for the boys wearing the blue, red and white. And if they do the entire country will breathe a collective sigh of relief. But their rival the reggae boys of Jamaica know full well that despite their 0 and 3 record, they are in a unique position to rain on Belize’s parade. James Adderley has a preview of the big game in tonight’s Shell CARICOM Report.
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and welcome to the Shell CARICOM Report as we bring you all the action from Day 6 in the fourteenth CARICOM Basketball Championships at the City Centre.
With 4 and 0 Bahamas looks to remain undefeated in the opener today against Antigua whose only win was at the expense of the Belize Female Team. With 9:46 to go in the ball game Bahamas is up by 13 points. Shantel Rolle then hooks up with Kimberly Rolle as Bahamas continues to build the lead. In the open court game Keisha Richardson is as deadly as she demonstrates. Dalia Clarke who killed the Belize team with 3’s like this one, finished with twenty-five points to lead her team but it wasn’t enough. Natasha Miller helps to shut the door on Antigua will this lay up as Bahamas completes the first round in undefeated style with 64-46 finish to show five wins no losses, Antigua falls to 1 win 4 losses. They won’t make the playoffs.
In the nightcap Jamaica female team comes out sporting a 3 and 1 record hoping to keep pace against Bahamas, but tonight the focus is on Guyana. The Jamaicans get going on this long pass to Altin Osbourne who gives it up to Syrecta Brownfield for the easy 2. In fact it’s a 6-0 run for the Jamaicans when Brownfield completes this hook-up. And the long pass produces maximum results for Jamaica as Osbourne utilizes for 2. So down court Guyana goes to this money player Deana Butters who gets them going. And then Shauntese Charles raises from the charity strike for a jumper and Guyana finds itself only down by 4. Still at the half Jamaica is up by 13 points.
In second half Guyana comes out smoking. Sharon Jerome penetrates and hits but not enough to bother the Jamaicans who upped the pressure. Shainette Gredly takes it through the heart of the Guyanese defense for 2. So Marsha Harris says, I can do that too and she does. Syrecta Brownfield, who would lead Jamaica, streaks in for 2. She would finish with a game high 15 points. The Guyana team goes to this lead scorer Deana Butters and she gets 2 here and would lead them with 11 points but it wasn’t enough. Jamaica goes on to win 69-46 and finishes at the number 2 seat going into the playoffs which begins today at the City Centre.
In female play Bahamas faces Barbados and Jamaica is matched up going with Guyana. On the male side, the playoff format shows total disrespect to the Belize team’s unblemished 3 and 0 record, undeservingly pairing them with 0 and 3 Jamaica.
Julian Dunkly, Forward, Jamaica
(23 June, ’98) “If we step it up and get a little bit of protection out of some of our other key players in terms of the jump shots and layouts we will definitely come out on top.
I have ultimate confidence in all my teammates; I feel that they will definitely step up for this time. It’s time to step up when it comes to this tournament. With players like Rumeal, I know he is going to give his all on defense and we just have to play a lot of bunch of young kids. Kimani is a great talent, a great young center and he is our force inside. Game by game I see improvements and the team should look up in this tournament.”
Q: “Do we have what it takes to win this thing? If Jamaica, having lost 0 and 3, will still be a factor in the playoffs, it will be against Belize. Do we have what it takes to go all the way?”
Fred Garcia, Forward, Belize
(23 June, ’98) “Oh yeah, you’re looking at 9 guys on this team that are all heart. I mean, we might have 3 guys that simply because of not enough playing time, that are questionable but when it comes to heart we’re gonna go out there and we’re gonna bite and scratch and come out with the extra ball and that’s what it’s all about.”
Q: “How can a 0 and 3 team face a 3 and 0 team and…”
Milton Palacio, Guard, Belize
(23 June, ’98) “… make it to the championships? Well that’s how it goes; it a four-team tournament. Thursday is a very important game for us and we have to go out there and… We can’t look at that; we just have to win our next game. I think that’s our motto right now: just win our next game.”
Q: “Well you’re the team leader and we expect you to get the pill where it should go. Are you confident that you shall lead us to the promise land – and Milton shall lead them?”
Milton Palacio
“I can’t say I will lead them personally myself but as the point guard I can do the job or the duties that I have to do to get the guys and the ball to run the offense and set up the offense. And the coach has a lot of courage in me and all the guys have a lot of courage in me so, it not only me; it’s everybody.”
The other semi-final game on the male side finds Bahamas in action against Barbados. Both come in with 2 wins, 1 loss showing on their record. Certainly Belize will have to get pass Jamaica tonight to get into the goal medal game. It’s getting into the goal medal game or nothing. If Jamaica wins, that’s it for Belize.
That’s it for the Shell CARICOM Report. I am James Adderley.
