U.B. blows out B.T.L. in B.B.A. action

Good evening. I?m James Adderley this is Sports Monday. Week nine of the RFG Trophy Tournament found Placencia Pirates at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium against Belmopan United as the mad dash to make the playoffs continues.

So the host team Belmopan tries to jump on this spotkick to grab the early lead, but the launch from Derys Benavides is corralled by the goalkeeper Stephen Lopez.

It?s Belmopan on the offensive again when Ralph Spain centres dangerously across the goal mouth when again Lopez leaps to successfully intervene.

At the other end, the Pirates finally try to pounce when Wilmer Garcia fires this left foot that rebounds off the keeper, Elias Pelayo, who obviously didn?t know a whole lot about what?s going down.

The Pirates almost come up with the goal when Gilmore Palacio tries to take advantage of Pelayo?s straying from his position, but the ball bounces harmlessly off the pitch.

Belmopan then gets this nice look at goal with this right-away punch from Ralph Spain which fails to move to scoreboard and at intermission we?ve got a scoreless ballgame.

In second half, Derys Benavides eludes the Pirates defence to fire this right foot that just inches outside the sticks.

Downfield, Ashley Torres centres dangerously in front of Pelayo?s goal, but good defence from Belmopan saves the day.

It?s more from the visitors when they try to strike off this corner kick, but Pelayo stands firm and after ninety minutes of football we?ve got a nil-nil score.

In other results from around the league, Kremandala Penta and Alpha of Orange Walk struggled to a goalless tie at the M.C.C. Grounds yesterday, and F.C. Belize stunned Wagiya two-zip at the Carl Ramos Stadium, while on Saturday night the New Site Erei team of Dangriga used the Norman Broaster Stadium to crush the Cayo Avengers in a record sixteen-zip final score. I guess now the Cayo Avengers do have something to avenge, right?

In the meantime to the standings this New Site leads Group A with twenty points, Placencia Pirates show eighteen, Wagiya fifteen, Benque Viejo United eleven, and Cayo Avengers two points. This after nine games played.

Our in Group B, F.C. Belize moves atop the standings with twelve points, Kremandala has eleven and Belmopan ten, Hankook Verdes nine, and Alpha shows six at this junction.

This week?s schedule finds Benque Viejo United hosting Cayo Avengers at the Marshalleck Stadium, Wednesday seven-thirty p.m., while Kremandala Penta will be facing Hankook Verdes at that very same time. On Saturday, the Placencia Pirates will be at the Michael Ashcroft Stadium against Wagiya of Dangriga. On Sunday, Hankook Verdes visits Alpha at Orange Walk. F.C. Belize will host Belmopan at the M.C.C. Grounds, and Benque Viejo heads to the Carl Ramos Stadium to face New Site Erie.

In cycling news, Viper Tours and Bizzy Bee Productions are presenting a sixty-five mile Mountain Bike Cycle Classic this Sunday May seventh, for Barber Shop Riders and Base Boys. Our colleague Kwame Scott spoke to two of the organisers of this big event.

Gerald Garbutt, Organiser
?What we are doing now at this stage, we are organising all our station prize for print out, getting all the riders registered and everything, and it will be a very professional race run. we have all our officials in place and everything and we have a technical meeting on Thursday, seven o?clock from the Belize City Centre conference room where all the mountain bikers concerned?we have some new mountain bikers will start, I understand from the Mennonite community will have four riders too so we are watching fifty plus riders coming into this race.?

Jarret Myvett, Viper Tours
?We will have this race basically it?s for the Base Boys and Barber Shop Crew. We are trying to get the young kids and young people involve off the streets. The race will be held on Sunday the seventh of May from Esperanza Village and finish at the Marion Jones Stadium; a lot of station prizes. At the stadium we will be having all day fun for kids, races for kids, the family can bring out their children?

In the meantime, all mountain bike cyclist are being invited to an important meeting this Thursday May fourth, at the National Sports Council Conference Room at seven p.m. If you are going to participate in this race you will have to attend this meeting.

In other cycling news, the Belize Cycling Association Labour Day sixty-eight mile Cycle Classic staged yesterday saw Geovanni Leslie of Santino?s take top honours in two hours forty minutes, Byron Pope pulled up second, and Mateo Cruz third in a three-man sprint. Fourth place then went to Ian Smith, while Juan Gonzalez rounds out the top five.

On the female side, Shalini Zabaneh took the big W in unchallenged fashion, she forced Gina Lovell into second, while Shantee Morrison rounds out the top three.

Turning to the semi-pro basketball scene, Friday found B.T.L. Nets hosting U.B. Black Jaguars inside the City Centre. And meet league leading scorer, Jeff Clifton as he raises to give U.B. three points.

U.B. continues to roll as Kirk ?Shabba? Smith goes glass for two. He would finish with twelve points, twelve rebounds, while hitting six of seven from the field.

When Claude Too Tall Jones misses this shot, Kirk Smith gets the put back to fall as U.B. takes a 13-nil lead in the opening quarter.

And on this play Darren Bovell might look unorthodox people, but he?s certainly effective. He would finish with twelve points, five rebounds.

It?s all U.B. tonight, but Paul Swasey remains a bright spot for B.T.L. He would finish with fourteen points. In fact, U.B. dominates at both ends of the court, exemplified by this rejection on A.C. Augustine by Claude ?Too Tall? Jones.

Another bright spot for B.T.L. tonight is definitely Kirk Burgess who gets two of his team high fifteen points right here. At the half it?s a 37-24 lead for University of Belize.

After intermission things take a turn for the worse for phone company, except maybe this perfect pass from Edward Baptist to Kirk Burgess who strikes for a three.

But then Jeff Clifton, he wants three and he gets three. He would lead all scorers with eighteen points while pulling ten points to go along with three blocked shots.

U.B. goes on to post the 70-49 blow over B.T.L. which has certainly sent shockwaves throughout the semi-pro basketball league.

In the other match-up over the weekend, San Pedro Tiger Sharks stopped Northern Uprising 70-66.

In closing folks we?ve got to remind you its big time tonight inside the City Centre as the national basketball team of Belize faces the national basketball team for Mexico in a four-game series. Two of these games will be played within side the City Centre. Tonight and tomorrow night come support your very own Belizeans.

That?s it for now. Jah! Overall, I am James Adderley.