Sparks and Eagles tied in women?s hoops final
Good evening, I?m James Adderley with yet another dish of Sports Monday. The WIN-Belize Female Basketball Championship series is currently taking centre stage at the City Centre. Yesterday Maria Chang Eagles went into game two of this three game series against perennial rivals Sparks with the opportunity to close out the show and grab the 2005 title.
Anna Thurton jumps against Enid Dakers. The tip reaches Stacy Walker who deals to Earlette Reynolds for the opening bucket in favour of Maria Chang. The Sparks answer immediately as Lacey Rosales finds Enid Dakers and she strikes for two.
Off this missed free throw from Lisa Sanchez, Enid Dakers comes up with a wicked put-back for two points.
In the meantime, we must salute Lacey Rosales who gets two big points off the crossover against Anna Thurton. When Enid Dakers knocks down this lay-up, the Sparks jump to an eight-point lead. So the reply comes from the big centre Anna Thurton, who displays good skills for two points in the paint. Anna would finish with team high of fifteen points, nine rebounds.
Stacy Webber, who would finish with nine points, then dials the bank from long distance for three big time points. But Enid Dakers is having a good day using her quick feet to get two more points. Nevertheless, at the half it?s Maria Chang up by a point.
In second half, Maria Chang extends the lead with this quick bucket from Ursula Johnson. On this trip down court for the Sparks, given Enid Dakers the assist.
Folks, this bucket from Lisa Sanchez–who would record eight points, fifteen rebounds, and six blocks–gives the Sparks its first lead in second half.
We keep the spotlight on Lisa who picks up this rebound for two more points. However, Anna Thurton gets back the lead for Maria Chang with this monster three.
Meanwhile, this pass from Lacey Rosales is simply fantastic, so Enid Dakers sprints down court for the easy two.
With seven minutes to the long whistle, Enid Dakers attacks baseline to return the lead to the Sparks.
Folks we?ve just got to tell you, Enid Dakers is the MVP of this ballgame as she does everything to get another assist from Lacey Rosales.
In meantime Shirley Codd finds Ursula Johnson who ties the ballgame at thirty-nine apiece with two minutes and twenty-five seconds to go.
Maria Chang Eagles would not score another point, but Enid Dakers would keep on rolling, posting a game high twenty-three points, pulling eight boards to lead Sparks to a 49-39 big W in game two. The decisive game three for the 2005 title is set for Wednesday night, nine p.m. inside the City Centre.
Turning to the cricket scene, the four teams to make the post season in the Harrison Parks National Cricket Competition have already emerged, so the playoffs got underway on Saturday in Belize Rural.
At Lord?s Bank Brilliant of Crooked Tree was matched up against Surprise of Lemonal to kick off their three-game semi-final series. And what a match-up it turned out to be. Orvin Wade shone for Brilliant with thirty-one runs scored, while Lyle Tillett struck for five wickets to grab game one against Surprise 121-96. Winston Anthony put up twenty-seven runs and Clarence Anthony took five wickets in that loss.
In the other semi-final match-up at Bermudian Landing, Excellence of Double Head Cabbage took a one-game lead over Berlan of Landing 199-113, thanks to 64 runs apiece from Silbert Martinez and Sidney Martinez. This Saturday finds game two of both series at the very same locations.
In football news, the two teams headed to the three-game championship series emerged over the weekend. At Calcutta, the defending champion Sagitun disposed of the Bulls in a 4-1 rout, while out at the island, Juventus of O.W. edged past the San Pedro Seahawks on penalty kicks. Regulation ended in a 1-1 showing, overtime concluded 2-2, and then Juventus prevailed 3-1 on penalty kicks. Thus the title series gets off this Sunday at the People?s Stadium where Juventus of Orange Walk will host Sagitun of Independence in a repeat of 2004 championship series.
In cycling news, this Sunday June nineteenth brings up the third Father?s Day Cycle Classic which runs from Benque Viejo to Belize City. Ernest Meighan goes in as defending champion. Meanwhile, the Santino National Road Championship comes up on Sunday June twenty-sixth, so stay tuned.
Finally folks, we congratulate the Belize Pickwick Club, who beat the Belmopan Tennis Club in the Inter-Club Tennis Tournament over the weekend for the Billy Musa Shield. Congratulations.
Hey folks, that?s it for now, we invite you back same time, same place next week. Jah over all, I?m James Adderley.
