B.T.L. takes semi-pro opener
James Adderley, Reporting
Good evening, I?m James Adderley and you?re plugged into this production of Sports Monday. The quest for the one CONCACAF berth available saw the two-game series between the B.P.F.L.?s Kulture Yabra and the F.F.B.?s Boca Jr.?s conclude inside the Norman Broaster Stadium at Cayo yesterday at San Ignacio.
Yabra comes in with a one-game lead so Boca Jr.?s tries to strike first; and let?s all agree they should have opened the scoring right here.
Another foray by the home team into the danger zone finds Albert ?Talla? Vasquez with the opportunity from point-blank range, but he misses the target.
So Yabra gets busy. Deon Frazier gets set up for the run through and he delivers with the right foot punch for the 1-zip lead some twenty minutes in.
And who says Jaro has no punch people. Well this shot screams off the crossbar as the west dodges a bullet. At the other end, Vasquez finds Neal, but his finish leaves the score untied.
And yes folks, Jaro should have done much better with this chance at goal okay.
Meanwhile, this is as nice a set as you can want on the field of play at this level when Emory heels to Norman Nunez, but the shot inches outside the sticks on a touch from goalkeeper John Brooks.
It?s Vasquez again pushing the offence for the home team, but again he can?t finish.
Make it three strikes for Vasquez when he butchers this open look from point-blank range; at the half Yabra holds on to the 1?zip lead.
In second half Deon Frazier goes to the left foot for a second goal at a match, but it doesn?t happen.
Next to get a crack at goal is Norman Nunez, but the inches works against the shooter. So, on his next possession Nunez makes up for it by pushing the score to a 2-zip.
Right here keep your eyes on Oliver Wiltshire, who makes this tackle on Neal. Referee Williams says it is a penalty. Neal steps up only to misfire and kill his team?s momentum.
The end for Boca Jr.?s comes when ?Tilliman? finds Deon Frazier with this corner and the vicious header crashes into the net to make it 3-zip lead. So, the Boca Jr.?s flag boy calls it a day and so does referee Williams. Yabra will get to represent Belize in CONCACAF play thanks to the 3-zip W. The draw is set for sixth or seventh July and the tournament gets underway in September.
Turning to the Regent?s Cup playoffs, Sagitun made it three wins in three weeks by crushing Builder?s Hardware Bandits 3-zip Saturday night, while Juventus rebounded to hammer Griga United 2?nil. Thus Sagitun has seven points, Juventus six, Belmopan one, and Griga zip.
In week four, Juventus will host Sagitun and Griga takes on Bandits at Dangriga.
Turning to the basketball scene, the semi-pro season opened Friday at the City Centre. And meet Leilah Pandy, Miss Belize, throwing up the ceremonial basket as B.T.L. Nets take on the Kruzazz in the opener.
It?s Kirk Smith against Kurt Burgess and the show begins. The first field goal of the contest comes some four minutes in when Marlon Gillette of Kruzazz goes to the bank.
A.C. Augustine comes back for B.T.L. with this dial from long distance that?s good for three. On the next possession the Nets get another three point boost; this time from Darren Bovell.
At the other end, Kirk ?Shabba? Smith picks up the rebound and executes the put-back for two of his twelve game points.
Kruzazz continues the run as Lindberg Graham attacks the basket and gets two of his team high seventeen points. Keith Acosta answers for the Nets with this long deuce and the he comes back with this slam dunk. He would finish with thirteen points. In the second quarter B.T.L. are up by three points.
And we say hello to the big time footballers and people attending tonight?s action.
But back to the game–Darren Bovell hits the second of his three point shots and at the half the Nets boast a 39-28 lead.
During intermission the last semi-pro basketball champion, Raiders, received their rings and we say congratulations.
But back to the game, and we say clear out as Kirk ?Shabba? Smith smashes home two of his twelve points.
Now let?s fast forward to the fourth quarter. The Kruzazz are down by ten points, Kirk ?Shabba? Smith needs to be restrained from questioning the referee?s call. Charlie Thompson then racks up this three for the Nets; he would finish with twelve points.
With 3:41 to go, the phone company is up sixteen points people. So, Kruzazz decides to go on an all out press, which gives Kevin Siroki the opportunity to knock down this very important three pointer
Lindberg Graham then raises for three to make it a twelve point deficit. Kevin Siroki then comes back and strikes for three more. The tension increases when Stan Williams steals off the throw-in to convert the two, cutting the deficit to five with 9.2 second remaining.
Can you believe the Kruzazz come up with this Ty Bradley miss and then Marlon Gillett converts, but this long pass forces the Kruzazz on to the loss column in the season opener 80-78. But certainly we can see where the Kruzazz, had they played the entire game the way they played in the final two minutes, hey they probably could have had the big W.
So now we turn to Softball news and people we want you to meet the players selected to the National Under-19 Team that heads to El Salvador in August. This was done yesterday at Esperanza by the Belize Softball Federation. They are:
Manager: Raymond Garbutt; coach: Delcie Franklin Lizama and Leslie Rogers.
Pitchers: Lanisha Jones, Cayo; Tamira Martinez, Cayo; Leandra Guy, Cayo; Stephanie Pandy, Belize Rural.
Catchers: Patricia Smith, Cayo; Lyn Perez, Cayo; Dianne Rhaburn, Belize Rural.
First Base: Nikita Young, Stann Creek; and Marciana Zetina, Belize City.
Second Base: Kathleen Rhaburn, Belize Rural; and Nikita Perez, Cayo.
Short Stop: Shareth Vernon, Belize Rural; Clarencia Jones, Belize City; and Denese Glenn, Stann Creek.
Third Base: Ismay Flowers, Belize Rural; and Shadalee Ho, Cayo.
Outfielders: Kaina Martinez, Stann Creek; Sharra Robinson, Belize Rural; Rochelle Smith, Belize City; and Lisha Sutherland, Belize Rural.
And we take this opportunity to wish our team maximum success as they participate in the Under-19 Central American Championships at El Slavador in August.
In closing folks, meet Lincoln Jones Jr. a young man whose passion for football was nurtured at the annual Berger Football Summer Camp at the St. Martin de Porres football fields. He is fortunate to have been selected to attend a football camp at Anderson, Texas from the ninth of July to the fourteenth of August.
Lincoln Jones Jr.
?Well actually a church group came to our church and they saw I had the passion to play soccer. So, they decided to send for me at Anderson, Texas to go to the university to play soccer.?
James Adderley
?Where did you get your passion for soccer??
Lincoln Jones Jr.
?Berger Camp of course with Mr. Gill. Yeah that?s where I got it from.?
James Addereley
?And so what you intend to achieve??
Lincoln Jones Jr.
?Well, I intend to achieve many things, more skills in football…One of the main goals I would want to go back to Belize and say to the kids what I?ve learned and different things like that.?
By the way folks, orientation for this year?s Berger Summer Camp is this week and all interested youths can register at this time.
You know it?s an annual tradition so make that move if you have the time to do that.
We want to thank you for being with us this particular programme this evening. We invite you back same time, same place next week. Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
