Belizean Heritage slaughters Guatemala in COCABA games
Today our basketball stars took to the floor for a second time in the COCABA Games in Cancun. Our opponents were from Guatemala and the victory we earned was even more impressive than Monday’s – winning by a convincing margin of thirty-seven points, with Belize scoring one hundred and Guatemala sixty-three points. James Adderley has a full run down of the events.
James Adderley, Reporting
The Benito Juarez Multifunction Center inside Cancun Mexico provided the venue for the long awaited clash between Belize and Guatemala at the Central American Basketball Championships today. However, even as the tip off is executed, Belize’s status inside the COCABA tournament is still up in the air as the tournament officials at Cancun have in effect put Belize out in the cold, claiming registration irregularities by the national team. Okay, we might be playing without being officially recognised by FIBA but team Belize continues to trod on with business as usual. Even after beating Nicaragua 98-67 yesterday, we’ve got a lot to prove to Central America so Alex Carcamo gets going early with this bucket inside the pain for two of his ten game points. This nice move by Keenan Jordan leads to the bucket, the foul and the three point conversion as Belize goes on a 12-2 run in the opening minutes. As expected, Guatemala makes a 9-zip run on the back of Alfaro who plays the outside/inside game very well and at the end of the first quarter, Belize is up 27-21. In the second quarter, Belize begins to pull away. Richard Troyer spots up for three and he sinks the pill. If you think it’s a fluke, well Troyer does it again from almost the very same spot. Richard Troyer would finish with thirteen points today. Dakin Braddick comes off bunch to show his offensive prowess off the missed shot. And hit man Marlon Garnett then goes to the left hand to pick up two of his game high twenty-two points and Belize leads 52-35 at the half.
Folks, it’s in the third quarter that team Belize breaks this one wide open. Milton Palacio dishes to Marlon Garnett and the sharpshooter hits the triple. From the left side Alex Carcamo hits the tre and it’s raining threes now. Carcamo would contribute ten points in the outing. Down low Keenan Jordan gets busy as he gets two of his twenty game points for Belize. And then he follows up with the breakaway one handed jam. At the end of three, the National Basketball Team is up 78-44. In the fourth, Herbie Allen deals to Kyron Stokes who responds with a big three. Stokes would put up twelve points off the bench. Keith Acosta then finds Herbie Allen and he knocks down the triple. Belize goes on to route Guatemala by thirty-seven points, 100-63.
Tomorrow Belize faces its biggest test when we battle panama who beat Guatemala by thirty-two points yesterday in the tournament. You know it’s money time so join us here at Channel Five tomorrow for live coverage of this monumental confrontation between Belize and Panama. I’m a Belizean and I know you are too. I’m James Adderley, reporting for News Five.
