East Side wins Inter-Office All Star game
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and we’re certainly glad you could join us for this rush of Sports Monday.
The Belize Defence Force marched into the Peoples’ Stadium yesterday in the role of journeymen against a surging Suga Boys Juventus as the mad rush to make the B.P.F.L. post-season moves into high gear. Just five minutes into the ballgame, the Military makes its intentions clear when Dario Westby erroneously frees up the streaking Jeromy James who lifts the ball over Charlie Slusher’s head to give the B.D.F. a quick 1-zip lead. On this offensive press James follows up with this long range missile off the right wing that screams over the crossbar. At the other end Clifton West tries to ground this ball past the B.D.F. keeper but Woodrow West gets two tries to control the situation. The home team now looks for the equalizer off this set piece as greedy Tun picks out Clifton West, whose header forces the opposing West into another crucial save. It’s West again looking to make things up with this outside bomb that is handled by the B.D.F. keeper. In the meantime, Oliver Hendricks picks out the near corner on this spot kick on top of the eighteen but the splice curves right to the waiting hands of the keeper. At the other end, Evan Mariano launches this dangerous center looking for Jeromy James and only the timely intervention by the Orange Walk keeper Charlie Slusher prevents the army from doubling its lead.
In early second half action, Harold Nunez mounts this individual effort only to see his attempt to score foiled by Slusher. Dennis Serano then gets his turn to move the scoreboard but takes much too long to get off the shot. It’s getting late so Christopher Hendricks tries to raise this ball pass West’s hands with no success. Christopher then gets set by Teodoro Chan as his right foot blast is rejected by Woodrow West to provide the military with insurance goal but his splice veers outside the target. Evan Mariano gets this chance to put the nail in the Suga Boys coffin, however, Charlie Slusher isn’t about to give up another goal right now. Christopher Hendricks could come up with the equalizer right here only to see the ball crash into the side netting. The B.D.F. goes on to record the 1-zip victory, holding on to second place in the standings.
In other action around the league, Nizhee Corozal held the San Pedro Bullsharks to a 1-1 tie and F.C. Belize drowned the San Pedro Dolphins all of 7-1 while down south George Town Ibayani doubled Scorpions 2-1, Tafari outlasted Wagiya 5-3 and Hankook Verdes burned Llagulei 2-1. Round ten’s schedule in the B.P.F.L. looks like this. In the North Zone, on Sunday F.C. Belize sails to the San Pedro Dolphins, the San Pedro Bullsharks will visit Suga Boys Juventus at O.W. and the B.D.F. will be at the M.C.C. Grounds against Nizhee Corozal. Down South Tafari, will battle Scorpions at Independence on Saturday and on Sunday Georgetown Ibayani takes on Hankook Verdes out west while Dangriga will witness the internecine struggle between Wagiya and Llagulei. In the meantime, here are the standings going into week ten. F.C. Belize leads the north zone with nineteen points, the B.D.F. is next with sixteen, Nizhee Corozal shows twelve at this point, San Pedro Bullsharks is at eleven, Juventus ten, San Pedro Dolphins find themselves in the cellar of this zone with a mere four points. The standings in the south, George Town Ibayani is the leader with twenty-four point, Hankook Verdes now shows twenty-one, Scorpions twelve, Wagiya nine, Llagulei seven, Tafari ten.
Turning to the basketball scene, the Inter-Office Basketball League staged its All Star show Friday night inside the City Center. It was this performance by Edward Thug Baptist of Central Bank Jabiru’s completed in twenty-four point nine seconds which includes the run, a lay up, a free throw and a three pointer that gives him the award and we say nuff respect. Gregg Mahler of General Post Office sunk eight of ten free throws in the final round to win the Cellular World Free Throw contest. Dale Turner of Kolbe Foundation stepped up to sink seven of ten three pointers when it in money time counted to grab the Smart Three Point contest…
…Which brings us to the main event as the All Star players in the league clashed in an East-West configuration. Dave Apolonia gets the east going with this opening three. At the other end it’s Jerome ‘Penny’ Ellis with the responding bucket for the West. Elsworth Itza grabs the unbound pass for the left hook off the glass. when Kevin Flowers hits this baseline jumper it allows the East to show a 22-11 lead at the end of the first quarter. One of the hot hands for the East tonight is Ludrick Beeks of Customs, who would total eleven points. Hershel Armstrong then slices through the West’s defenses to hit the left hand lay. Even with a shoe missing Andrew Staine does not miss a beat with this finish for two. This time in heavy traffic, Ludrick Beeks is asked to deliver and he does and would complete the three point play the old fashion way. In the third quarter, this move by Densmore ‘Wabble’ Edwards gives the West its first lead of the night. So Lupito Acosta comes right back with this penetration for two points. Andrew Staine then comes up with this put back off the Virgil Miller miss and he comes right back to pick the pocket of Myron Flowers to give his team a one point lead. On this offensive set, Staine finds Armstrong, who strikes for three and at the end of three, the East is up by three. In the fourth quarter, Kevin Flowers wants three, he gets three. And the deal is sealed when Apolonio finds Clifton Gentle unattended down low. Gentle gets the easy bucket. The East goes on to post the 68-57 big W. Ludrick Beeks is the All Star MVP. We say heartfelt congratulations.
In the meantime folks, here are the eight teams in the playoffs. On Wednesday, seven p.m. at the City Center, number two seed Port of Belize takes on number seven seed, Home Protector Insurance and the number one seed undefeated Alamilla Furniture/FirstCaribbean will battle number eight, Tuff e Nuff. On Friday, number four Atlantic Bank takes on number five Guardian/Housing Department and number three seed Belize Water Services will go up against the Belize City Council. Now here are individual leaders from regular season inside the I.B.L., Dale Turner of Kolbe Foundation is scoring leader with a total of 158 points for a 22.57 average. Ishmarly Clarke had the most three pointers with fifteen scored, Marvin ‘Bay’ Castillo pulled seventy rebounds in seven games to win that category. Bernard Felix of Guardian/Housing dished out twenty-four assists to lead the league. Jason Hyde of Home Protector had the most blocks with fifteen while Densmore ‘Wabble’ Edwards of Tuff e Nuff had thirty-five steals to lead the league.
Hey folks, there’s more to come so stay tuned. That’s it for now though. We invite you back same time, same place, next week. Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
