Excelsior triumphs in high school basketball
Good evening I’m James Adderley and you’re strapped in for this exciting ride on Sports Monday. The Central Division Male Basketball Champion emerged Friday night in the rubber match of the three game series between the pre-season favourite Anglican Cathedral College and the challenger Excelsior High at the City Centre.
This picture of the stands gives one a feeling how big this ball game is on the Belize City High School scene. In the opening moments it?s a close ballgame and this baseline jumper gives the favourite ACC two points. Excelsior answered when Goff finds Stephen Williams for the jumper that drops. It’s more Excelsior when Norman Humes slashes baseline-gets the buckets plus one.
At the other end its Ryne Richards taking the pill strong to the hoop to force a 16-16 tie and that’s the way things stood at the half.
In the second half action, Excelsior goes to the run and when Norman Humes knocks down this buckets, they taken an 8 point lead with twelve minutes to go in regulation.
ACC storms back, Kenroy Usher with the interception and the pass to Ryne Richards who knocks down the shot for a 3-point opportunity. With some two minutes to go, ACC is down by 7 – Keon Samuels lifts them with this big 3 – well they left him wide open.
Richards then streaks to the hoop, misses, but Jamil Mortis is there with the put back. Jamil Mortis then takes the pill strong to basket–he gets the bucket, but misses the extra point. At the other end Varis Caballero hits 1 of 2 and we have a 36-36 tie at the end of regulation play.
We go to overtime, but ACC simply collapses after a 41-41 tie. Keon Samuels offering is swathed away. Down court Caballero shows off his baseline move that hurts ACC. Samuel again comes up short–this time with the pass–Excelsior steals, Humes goes all the way for the easy 2.
Excelsior wins the 2000 Male Central Division title 49-42 in overtime, they join Wesley College Girls in representing the Belize District at the National Secondary School Basketball Tournament set for this weekend of the 15th and 16th in Corozal.
In football news, Kulture Yabra hosted Jube Santa Elena in week six of the BFL tournament and goals were scored in bunches.
Six minutes in, the Mexican striker Ortega, gave the Belize City team a quick 1-ip lead after maximizing this perfect pass from Mark Leslie. Eleven minutes later Norman Nunez is taken down inside the 18 and the penalty call is made.
Vallan Simms steps up and it?s a 2-nil Yabra lead just like that. When Norman “Tilliman” Nunez gets control of the pill here he beats his man and fires away for the 3-zip lead at intermission.
Early in second half, the fans got a glimpse of the star potential of Nunez who makes goal 4 for Yabra look real easy. Meanwhile, Stanley Robinson of Jube finds Charlie Slusher sleeping on the job and gets Jube on the scoreboard with this long punch.
Marcelino Tun then gets taken down inside the 18 for a second penalty call. This time Yabra sends for Charlie Slusher and he delivers the 5-1 lead.
On this press, it’s Vallan Simms turn to shine and he gets his second of the ballgame for the Yabra a 6-1 lead. The response from Jube this time though is immediate as Tate beats Slusher with this power punch from outside. Hey Charlie, wake up.
Late in the ballgame Mark Leslie decides he wants a goal and gets it, but only after two strikes. Yabra wins it 7-2 in a rout.
In other results from the Regent Insurance Cup Tournament, Builders Bandits beat Lazio Jumex 2-zip, Caye Caulker and Yabra Dolphins battled to a 1-1 draw, Acros crushed Metro Stars 4-1, Juventus beat Griga 1-zip and Sagitun scorched Verdes 1-nil.
Meanwhile folks, we got to tell you that we did try to get the official results of the ballgames played by the under-nineteen football team of Belize. The last time we left them, they had given up 10 goals and scored 1. We?re still waiting for that official word and as soon as we get it, we?ll pass it on.
In closing folks we want to give up nuff respect to Belizean Milton Palacio for making the Boston Celtics rooster just last Tuesday and we?re happy for him. We are very proud that the dream continues and we?re here to witness it.
