Juventus takes lead in Football playoffs
James Adderley, Reporting
Good evening, I?m James Adderley and you?ve logged on to this fresh dish of Sports Monday. Sagitun of Independence and Juventus of Orange Walk clashed at the People?s Stadium yesterday in what can be viewed as a preview of the Championship series inside the Regent Cups Insurance Cup tournament.
It?s all smiles and cordiality when both teams walk on to the pitch; Sagitun with seven points-Juventus with six, but that would evaporate at the opening whistle. The boys from the South try to jump on the lead when Francis Cacass Arzu floats the pill into the danger zone, but a timely hand from Giovanni Rodriguez saves the North.
On the next move, Wilmer Garcia fins a goal, but again Rodriguez intervenes.
Juventus finally gets some offence going when Daniel Thomas gets this open look, but he embarrasses himself at this point.
For its part, Sagitun comes back with this nice individual effort from Cacass Arzu, but the scoreboard remains unmoved. But hold everything, Daniel Thomas catches up with this nice push and fires at Darren Hinds, who should have held on–charge the error to Hind, give the goal to Daniel Thomas; Juventus leads 1-zip.
And yes folks when Giovanni Rodriguez commits his error, he gets a full pardon from Francis Arzu.
Meanwhile we?re late into first half play when Oliver Hendricks centres to Daniel Thomas whose wicked header beat Hinds, to make it a 2-zip Juventus lead. Of course we must remind the referee that Marcus Souto?s bicycle kick is considered a dangerous play and Danny Tun is indeed lucky to be able to continue.
So we go to 2nd half and its Christopher Hendricks with the opportunity to make it a 3-nil balls game, but Juventus Dalton Eiley comes up with an incredible defensive play.
We must ask right here Roberto Da Silva, do you really want to hurt your parsein?-you?re both Brazilians you know.
Sagitun is still down 2-zip and they try to halve the deficit off this spot kick from Wilmer Garcia that inches over the crossbar.
We return to the War of Brazil Part Two and this time Marcos Souto exacts sweet revenge on Roberto and he would get a late yellow card for that particular effort. Sagitun gets a lifeline when Robert Burns takes down Souto and referee Jons rules penalty. Sagitun send for Wilmer Garcia; the shot looks good and creates excitement, but there?s no goal to show at the end of ninety minutes Juventus records the 2-zip big W.
In the other Regents Cup match-up Builders Hardware Bandits burnt the number one seed Griga United 1-zip and now the Dangriga team is certainly out of the championship round. Just after four weeks with two ballgames per team to go in the post season Juventus leads with nine points, Sagitun is stalled at seven, Belmopan has moved to four points while Griga has nothing to show in the point?s column. This is certainly an unexpected demise for a number one seed. This Sunday Griga will host Juventus and Sagitun will travel to Belmopan.
Turning to the Basketball scene, the semi-pro season moved to the People?s Stadium Friday where the Orange Walk Warriors hosted Kruzzaz of Belize City.
It?s a quick start for the Orange Walk Warriors as Quicky Bainton deals to Lester Cadle who knocks down the tre. Mark Bainton then shows off his drive to the hoop for two more Orange Walk points for a 7-0 lead.
Kruzzaz first points of the match up from Kevin Seroki who hits this three pointer from the top of the key. It?s more Kruzzaz when Keon Williams floats through traffic off the no-look pass from Seroki. At the end of the first quarter, the visitors are up by six points.
In second quarter things tighten up a bit. Lester Cadle wants three, Lester Cadle gets three. However, Andrew Robateau plays big tonight people and this slam emphasizes a monster move.
Robateau comes right back to control the paint and gets the put back to fall plus picks up foul at the end of 2-it?s still a seven point lead by the Kruzzaz.
In the third quarter, Bainton keeps his team close with this nice individual effort. Down court, Kirk Shabba Smith answers with this base line jumper, but it?s only a two-point lead for the Kruzzaz when the rains make its own statement.
And it?s this bucket from Lester Cadle that knots it to a fifty-eight at least with less than two minutes remaining in the quarter.
Meanwhile its 4:37 remaining in the ballgame because we have fast forwarded into the fourth quarter when the officials and management meet at the desk and with Kruzzaz showing seventy-two points and Orange Walk, sixty-nine; the decision is made to halt the proceedings. We tend to believe 4:37 seconds, could have been completed, but we got this word from Referee Clother.
Leroy Clother, Referee
?Well because of the danger of players and court is slippery so to protect the players, we had to call of the game due to the court is wet. In the future it will be up to league to decide whether the game played from where it is or the game play all over. But that decision is left to the league.?
In softball news, we say congratulations to B.E.L Rookies who won their ninth Male Softball Championship by winning game four of the 2004 series with Habet and Habet Dantos 12 ? 7 over the weekend. When you?re big, you?re large and nine wins in softball at any level is no easy street. We again say congratulations. That?s it; we certainly want to thank our cameramen for the great work over the weekend. Jah over all, I?m James Adderley.
