Football and Basketball Stats and More with James Adderley
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.
We take you out to the Michael Ashcroft Stadium at Independence where game one of the PLB Closing Season champion series got off with a bang on Saturday night. Folks we’re pleased to see the next generation of Belizean footballers incorporated into the opening ceremonies and it could well signal we’re coming of age. Immediately into the ballgame, the host team, Placencia Assassins give notice to the Belmopan Bandits that they’re in it to win it when Ashley Torres forces Shane Orio to provide a necessary touch on this long distance punch. The Bandits reply 7 minutes later when Ian Gaynair floats this ball into the mouth of the goal to find Jerome James who is denied by a spectacular intervention by Assassin’s keeper, Anthony Williams.
When Kareem Haylock floats this ball into the Bandits defense area, the Placencia team hollered for a penalty as Humberto Requena hand the ball, but a closer look shows that Delon Torres had hit the ball with his hand. It’s all good no call by the referee. This next sequence from the Assassins can only be described as a raid – Kareem Haylock grounds this ball to Delon Torres who fails to connect, giving Luis Torres a chance with the right foot push which beats Shane Orio who is rescued by Khalid Velasquez and the Placencia team comes up empty. At the other end, Kerwin Johnson gets the chance to put the Bandits up 1-nil only to be failed by Anthony Williams who comes off his line to get the ball out of danger. In 2nd half play, Brandon Cacho is on the move for the Bandits until Colin Westby intervenes. Fresh off the bench, Ashton Torres ventures into the 18to fire this at the Bandits goal, but he’s off target. Folks it’s a hard fought ballgame but this move by Khalid Velasquez on Delon Torres draws a 2nd yellow card and the ejection leaves him out of game two of this championship series.
Finally, we slow down this picture for you to determine if Jerome James’ hand or face was hit by the ball. The referee says it’s his face and his decision is the only one that counts as the whistle closes the show in a scoreless ballgame. Game II is set for this Saturday night at 7:30 inside the Isidoro Beaton Stadium. This time, however, someone’s got to win and someone’s got to lose, even if we have to go to the penalty spot.
In other football news, play in the Smart Mundialito on Saturday saw Reality Youth and Lacey of Belize battle to a scoreless draw. Collet Strikers blanked Ladyville Jaguars 2-zip; City Boys burned Rising Stars 1-zip; Heights FC and Carlston settled for a nil-nil score while Young Warriors and Hattieville Riverside finished with that same score. But in the Simeon Lopez Youth Football Tournament, yesterday saw YWAM Valencia and Spanish Lookout battle to a 2-2 stalemate. Central Site Bandits doubled San Martin Medina 2 to 1 and Salvapan beat Mountain View Revolution 1-zip.
Turning to NEBL basketball, the 2 finalists emerged over the weekend so we take you to the BES Gym here in Belize City where the #1 seed, Smart Belize Hurricanes hosted the #4 seed, Dangriga Warriors Friday night. Darwin Leslie got the Hurricanes going early with this triple from the right side and would put 13 tonight. However, Dangriga’s Daniel Nolberto was a man on a mission Friday as he banks in this bucket to keep his team in the fight. You think Mister Nolberto was playing, watch this spots up to sink this shot from beyond the arc. Daniel would lead Dangriga with a team high 26 pts and would obtain the 2nd highest efficiency rating of 30 in this ballgame. At the end of the first, we’re knotted at 20 apiece. Down by 8 in the 2nd quarter, Jamir Flores strikes for 3 to get the Warriors jiggy and put up 11 pts in this one. Hey folks, at the half, the Hurricanes lead is 3. In the 3rd quarter, Griga makes a run….Edgar Mitchell pulls up for 3 and would finish with 14 pts.
Jamir Flores who gives the Warriors the first lead of the night with this bucket; Jacob Leslie answers with 2 of his 18 pts. And then comes back with this triple. At the other end, the American James Erving is well positioned for the easy bucket but he would finish with an impressive 25 pts. And now he takes Farron Louriano to school to give Dangriga a 66 to 62 lead at the end of 3. Farrom Louriano gets revenge in the 4th as he slams one past Events. Louriano come back with this monster slam and would put up some impressive numbers like the game high 34 pts, the game high of 15 rebounds, shooting 100% from the free throw line and the highest efficiency rating of 44.
Clancy Lopez also got busy driving through the heart of the Griga defense to sink 2 of his game 14 pts. Yes it is all Hurricanes in the closing moments, but it ends on an ugly note. Daniel Nolberto is victimized by a flagrant foul from Darwin Leslie and there’s no excuse for this kind of play. Nolberto would take at least five minutes to recover his consciousness and could return. Puppy Leslie is my boy, but he’s just wrong and should have been ejected. Smart Belize Hurricanes goes on to win the game 93 to 82. Smart Belize completed the sweep on Saturday at Dangriga in a 79 to 72 final score and move to the championship round. We say congratulations. They’ll meet the 2-time defending champion, San Pedro Tigersharks who posted a 58-55 victory Thursday night at the capital city and then swept the Belmopan Bandits out at the Island, Saturday night 70 to 55. Game I of the 3-game championship begins Friday night with the Hurricanes hosting San Pedro Tigersharks and on Saturday, the Hurricanes face their opponent out on the island. Should a game three be necessary, it will be staged at the BES Gym here in Belize City.
Finally in Weekend Warriors Cycling News, Warren Cote of Santino’s took the Chief Pawpa, Palas Sunday race yesterday with Preston Martinez of Kulture Megabytes 2nd and Kirk Sutherland of Digicell 4G rounds out the top 3.
Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
