Acosta keeps scoring lead in amateur basketball
Good evening I’m James Adderley and you’re in tuned to this version of Sports Monday. Things certainly are heating up at big Bird’s Isle as Belize District Basketball continues to pick up steam heading into the playoffs. We now take you to the Friday night opener between Medina’s House of Jewelry and M&M’s Christian Ambassadors.
Medina’s extends to a four point lead here as Bart Sanchez looks for 3 but steps on the line to make it a long 2. The reply from the Ambassadors came immediately as Keith Genity strikes for three.
From the same corner Joseph Thompson raises with a hand in his face and knocks down the three as Ambassadors take a 7-point lead.
But here comes Medina’s Englebert Cherrington who misses his lay up attempt, but Bart Sanchez gets two of his 16 game points with this putback.
The inbound pass finds Chaka Lightburn who raises in traffic with the one hander for 2.
Jason Jones gets the feed, splits the defence, gets the bucket, gets fouled but would not complete the 3-point play. And at the half we’re all knotted at 25 points apiece.
In second half Medina’s goes to Cherrington and he knocks down the bucket this time. However, Greg Williams spots his big man downcourt and Andrew Robateau slams it home over Cherrington. He would finish with 12 points.
Robateau does it again when he travels baseline to make it a 2-point deficit. However, down the stretch Medina’s begin to pull away. Chaka Lightburn surrounded by blue shirts raises for 2.
How Lightburn gets this throw up to fall is anybody’s guess-Lightburn would strike for the game high 31 points as Medina’s House of Jewelry picks up the 73-57 big W, their second of the season.
So we go to the nightcap, between undefeated Brodies Travellers and Appliance World, and it’s Keith Acosta jumping against Albert Alvarez at the tip off.
The first point of the ballgame comes when Palo Musa finds Junior Westby who banks down the 2.
Cassian “The Russian” Flowers comes up with this loose ball to provide an instant answer for Appliance World.
Downcourt Keith Acosta finds himself unattended so he sinks this long duce. And at the other end “The Postman” Vince Estrada goes to the left hand and we’ve got a close ballgame in the early going.
Meanwhile, this is as pretty a 3 as you’d like to see when Gadsen Ferguson launches and hit nothing but cotton.
Keith Acosta then gets busy with this long lay up extending the lead. At the other end it’s “The Postman” finding Albert Alvarez, who goes to the reverse for 2. He would finish with 18 points, but at the half it’s an 11 point Travellers lead.
After intermission things got worse for Appliance World. Ferguson to Junior Westby and it’s good for 2. Darren Bovell in traffic gets 2 with the scoop.
Now watch as Keith Acosta follows this miss by Darren Bovell to smash it home for 2 points. Keith Acosta, the league’s scoring leader finishes with 24 points, 12 rebounds as Brodies Travellers post the biggest blowout of the season in a 92-56 final score.
On Sunday’s schedule, Belize Bank Wildcats mauled Maskall Rookies 63-28 in Under-20 play. Griga Express doused Sparks 38-31 in female action to pick up their first season win. And in the Division I nightcap Mirab jolted Appliance World 84-79. Obviously it was a bad weekend for Appliance World, who lost two in a row.
Turning to football news, the BFL regular season football schedule concluded over the weekend as Kulture Yabra edged Builder’s Hardware Bandits 1-zip to finish atop the standings. Metro Stars and Sagitun struggles to a 1-1 stalemate. Real Verdes dumped Jube Santa Elena 3-2. Juventus hurt Lazio Jumex in a 1-zip scorcher. Caye Caulker Turquoise stopped Acros 3-1, while Texaco Dolphins defaulted to Griga Express.
Thus the playoff picture is complete and the six teams to make it are Kulture Yabra of Belize City, Sagitun the defending champion, Builders Bandits of Belmopan, Juventus of Orange Walk, Real Verdes of Cayo and Metro Stars of Corozal in that order.
Of course looking ahead, the Easter weekend finds Easter Monday bringing up big horse racing at Sylvestre Stadium in Burrell Boom. At stake will be the Rudy Gillett Memorial Cup, the Obsession Cup, and the big event, the Travellers One-Barrel Mile for A-Class horse is an event you won’t want to miss.
But the biggest thing coming up this weekend is the Holy Saturday Cross-Country Classic. This is the 73rd edition coming up. Going in Gustavo Carillo of Guatemala is the defending champion. We’re certainly hoping out local boys, Quinton Hamilton, Ernest Meighan, Fred Usher, maybe they could bring home the bacon this time. We’re tired of seeing our cross-country going abroad…We’ll just have to wait and see.
