James Adderley and the weekend of sporting activities
James Adderley
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.
Week 3 of the Belikin Cup saw San Ignacio United come to the MCC Grounds Sunday evening in a bid to pick up its 1st season win against an FC Belize who themselves were desperately seeking to grab all 3 points for the 1st time this season. The visitors go to the set piece to open the scoreboard early in the ballgame when Carlos Vasquez aims for the far corner from on top the 18 and indeed wasn’t far off. This wakes up Jarret Davis who mounts this individual effort, dancing through the San Ignacio defense only to be foiled by a great save from Ryan Saravia. Meanwhile, the launch from Eric Guzman should have been a routine save for Glenford Chimilio who loses focus momentarily but gets away with it.
Jarret Davis then gets this open look at goal and for a 2nd time, the striker can’t find the net. We must admit though that this corner kick from Davis is the closest we’ve come to a goal in this outing up to now. We’re in 2nd half and the Jarret Davis show continues when he unleashes this wicked left foot missile that crashes into the horizontal bar. However, Ryan Saravia who tried to make the save lands badly after the attempt and has to depart the ballgame prematurely. Tevin Gamboa gets the call replaces Saravia. Folks, this center off the right wing forces a collision between Davis and Gamboa and both would come out unscathed as play continues. People we’re in extra time when the only goal of this match arrives as Jason Young catches up with this floater into the box to hammer a left foot into the goal as FC Belize records the 1-zip big win for their 1st win this season. In other action around the league: Police and Verdes battled to a 1-1stalemate and Paradise Freedom Fighters of Toledo continue to roll as they bombed Belmopan Bandits in a 2-zip affair. Looking to week 4, it’s all Saturday matches at 7:30 p.m. Verdes will host Paradise Freedom Fighters at Benque, the B.D.F. will be at home in Dangriga against FC Belize and Belmopan Bandits will get a visit from Police. Checking the Belize City Mayor’s Cup results from over the weekend shows that Tulish beat Ebony 2-1, Old Road Arsenal outlasted Kulture Yabra 5-3, West Lake doubled Kaphawn Pawn Shop, Fort George got over Admirald by that same score, Hattieville settled for a 1-1 draw with Third World and Caye Caulker shook up Ladyville United in a 7-3 blast. In the Smart Under Tournament, it was Rising Stars over Belize Elementary 1-nil, Ladyville Jaguars and City Boys rallied to a nil-nil draw, Young Stars beat Collet Strikers 1-nil, Brown Bombers blanked 3rd world 2-zip and Hattieville burned Survivors 1-nil.
Turning to the basketball scene, the BDBA Firms Tournament kicked off its semi-final round on Friday and we caught up with the showdown between Port/Airport and the Belize City Council. It’s a promising start for the Council who have no numbers on their backs when they open the scoreboard off the tip-off. It’s 4 unanswered points when Ian Ferrera sneaks into the lane for 2 points. At the start, the City Council is in control as Ferrera deals to Leon Williams who would strike for 6 points, 6 rebounds. Kenroy Usher then raises up for 3 and gets 3 and at the end of the 1st quarter City Council leads 11-5. In the 2nd, Port/Airport comes alive—they swing the ball out to Leroy Forbes and he lands the triple and would finish with 7 points. Cecil Price finds the shot to find Earl Johnson who delivers the bucket for 2 of his 10 game points as Port/Airport take a 17-14 lead into half time.
In the 3rd, Vince Estrada gets hot so Leroy Forbes finds him and he raises up for the triple. On this press, Johnson deals to Estrada and he lands another 3—this time from the opposite side. Johnson again finds the Postman Estrada off the inbound and again it’s the triple as Estrada would lead all players with the game high 21 pts after hitting 64% from the field and 60% from the free throw line and 4 of 7 from the 3 point area as Port/Airport wins this one going away in 54-32 rout. In the other semi-final match, Customs stopped Atlantic Bank 78-75 on a monster 2 doubles of 38 points and 15 rebounds from the one named Winston Pratt.
In other basketball news, the B.B.F. has launched a nationwide tournament in preparation for the elite league set to kick off in 2014. On Saturday, San Ignacio beat Orange Walk 96-91, Belmopan bashed Punta Gorda 89-53, San Pedro rolled over Corozal 85-74 and on Sunday, Stann Creek handled Cayo 81-54, Belmopan beat Cayo 78-60 and Stann Creek also won over San Pedro 69-63.
Turning to the cycling scene, this 5 man unit featuring Byron Pope, Brandon Cattouse, Giovanni Lovell, Manuel Balam and Erwin Middleton dominated the 6 laps By-pass criterium presented by the BCA and Vega Imports yesterday and would never be caught. At the finish line it’s reduced to a 2 man sprint and Byron Pope of Benny’s Megabytes blows kisses as he takes top honors and forces Giovanni Lovell of Telemedia into 2nd. Manuel Balam of Depredadores then rolls in uncontested for 3rd place. in the master’s class 3 laps ride, Raymond Hyde of Team Santinos took the event while Wilbert Jones of Telemedia 4G took 2nd and Barney Brown of Scotia Bank 3rd. Tarique Flowers of benny’s Megabytes won the Junior 4 laps with Philip Mencias of Capital Jewel 2nd and Zahir Figueroa of BECOL 3rd while Oscar Quiroz and Delawn Abraham rounds out the top 5 in that order. In the masters class 6 lap race, it was Luigi Urbina of C-Ray taking top honors with Jose Choto of Belikin Spirit 2nd and Julio Cesar Dzul of Depredadores 3rd. meanwhile folks, the annual UWI open campus day of races is set for November 23rd and this year it will be bigger and better as UWI and the BCA have launched a drive to involve all the schools that are interested. So stay tuned because Marine Parade will come alive.
