Weekend Sports Update with James Adderley
Good evening I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.
Week 3 in the National Elite Basketball League brought a monster to the Sacred Heart College Gym in San Ignacio as Cayo Western Ballaz hosted the one and only Dangriga Culture Warriors Saturday night. In the opening ceremony Lea Cambranes gave a wonderful rendition of the National Anthem and we just had to marvel at the crowd attendance for the occasion and we must say it’s the best packaged game of the young season so far. Kurt Burges of Ballaz jumped at the big tip off against Shai Peters of Warriors and we’re underway. When Burgess corrals this rebound off the miss attempt by Elroy Willis, the league’s leading rebounder gives Cayo a 2 point lead. At the end of the first quarter the Cayo team has established an 18 to 12 lead.
In the 2nd quarter Dangriga begins to show signs of life. Richard Troyer goes to the hoop but is rejected by Macario Augustine who would be a bright spot for the Warriors. At the other end Augustine picks up this loose ball top strike for 2 points – he would finish with the game high 14 rebounds, 6 points and 3 block shots. Gary Francisco who would turn out to be the true leader of the Warriors down the stretch works his way down low for 2 of his team high 13 points to go along with his 3 assist. At the other end Richard Troyer takes on the entire Griga defense and goes all the way for 2 of his 12 game points and would pull 9 rebounds. It’s a 7 point lead at the half for Cayo Ballaz. Folks how organized was the Cayo Ballaz team for Saturday night’s game 0 well the half time show treated fans to this display by the dance girls and a long distance shoot-out for dollars.
Meanwhile in the opening minutes of the 3rd quarter Farron Lauriano soars above the Warriors defense for a vicious 2 handed slam that gets a rise from the crowd and pushed the Cayo lead to 9. Lauriano would be the best baller tonight with 17 points and 13 rebounds. The lead is then extended to 13 when Ivan Flowers lands the left off the glass for 2 of his 13 game points. And then comes right back to sink the triple as Dangriga cuts the lead to 5. However, the Cayo team would run off right unanswered points capped by this effort from Richard Troyer who would get 3 points the hard way. At the end of the 3rd the Culture Warriors are down 48 to 34.
In the 4th Griga looks to take a run as Gary Francisco lands the triple. Francisco does it again with this 3-pointer and Dangriga is back in it. Up by 6 Richard Troyer sinks this three point shot to extend the lead. The Cayo Western Ballaz post the 63 – 52 big W to go to 3 and 0 as Dangriga Culture Warriors fall to 1 and 1 after missing 16 of 23 free throws and recording 29 turnovers. In other results from week 3 Belize City No Limit kept OW Running Rebels in an 83 – 59 Rout, Belmopan Bandits got back to the win column by stopping the Toledo Diplomats 76 to 64, while out at San Pedro the Tigersharks chewed up the Corozal Heats 79 to 54. Looking to week 4, on Friday Corozal Heats will host Belmopan Bandits, Orange Walk Running Rebels will get a visit from the Dangriga Culture Warriors, while on Saturday San Pedro Tigersharks plays host to Cayo Western Ballaz in a night match-up and Belize City No Limit head to PG for a date with the Toledo Diplomats.
Meanwhile folks as the countdown to the 2014 La Ruta Maya continue and we gear up with Saturday’s preparation race from Hudson Bank in Boom to the Tavern Club here in Belize City. 26 canoes started but at tape time we have 5 vessels in the sprint for top honors. NICH on the outside and Belize Bank have some entanglement issues from which NICH comes out with the better position and they grab a canoe length lead. However watch this amazing recovery by Belize Bank; it’s as if they climbed to a higher gear as they overtake NICH just before the finish to take the win in 2 hours 39 minutes 25 seconds, NICH a second later has to settle for 2nd, Westrac who mounted a gallant chase effort pulled up 3rd a second behind NICH. B.T.L. finishes in 4th place in 2 hours 40minutes 1 second. While whatever with its time of 2 hours 40 minutes 40 seconds rounds out the top 5. To the Coastguard Vessel that overturned we say better luck next time.
Turning to the cycling scene the Cycling Federation of Belize took its first race in preparation for the Cross Country to the hills with 40 riders leaving the Belmopan roundabout and heading to Cave Branch Bridge for 3 and a half laps. We fast forward to the finish and we find a dual between Joel Borland of B.T.L. cycling to the right of your screen who prevails after the grueling ride while Ron Vasquez of Western Spirit settles for 2nd. Peter Choto of C-Ray Road Club rolls in uncontested for 3rd place. Giovanni Lovell of the B.T.L. Cycling pulls up 4th while Byron Pope in 5th and Marlon Castillo rounds out the top 6. On the female side Shalini Zabaneh of Sagitun took top honors and Alicia Thompson of Belize Bank 2nd. Delon Gentle of BECOL Uprising won the Jr. Class with Zamir Guerra of Cayo High Road 2nd and Tarique Flowers of Benny’s Megabytes 3rd. While at the youth level Devin Azueta of Cayo High Road took the W while Michael Gonzalez 2nd and Dennis Arnold 3rd.
Meanwhile here is Geon Hanson, the rider who was knocked down by a bus on the George Price Highway, and we’re thankful he has recovered.
Geon Hanson, Accident Victim
“Since the accident most of my external wounds have healed. Mostly right now it’s about building back my strength and getting back my muscle mass and right now I’m involved in my therapy. It’s three times a week so that’s where I’m at right now. At this moment, we have barely any contact from them at all since the accident. As most people know, the guy is saying that he wasn’t responsible for the accident and we haven’t heard anything from him. They already did their investigation and so has transport and so they issued the investigation and based on the investigation he stated that it’s his fault so it’s left up to the courts to decide on that matter.”
Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
