James Adderley has first semi-pro game
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and welcome to this version of Sports Monday. The long awaited Semi-Pro Basketball League got off to a grand start Friday night at the City Centre and we join the opening ceremonies as Penta Lakers man the sidelines. The home team B.T.L. Nets makes its grand entrance on the refurbished City Centre court. But the rendition of the National Anthem by the McDougal sisters: Misha and Melisha stole the pre-game show. Meanwhile the opening speech was delivered by the secretary of the Belize Basketball Association Nellie Trench and then it was time for semi-pro basketball.
At the tip off it’s Claude “Too Tall” Jones against “AC” Augustine and while it looks like a mismatch B.T.L. Nets comes up with the possession. Immediately Darren Bovell makes his presence felt, coming up with this loose ball and taking it all the way to the glass for 2. The Lakers reply comes from their big man Kirk “Shabba” Smith who goes to the left hand successfully. If you thought “AC” Augustine had lost a step because of the long lay off, well think again as he comes up with the first slam of the semi-pro season.
Down by eight in the first half the Lakers end a 3 minute scoring drought when Jerome Williams uses his height advantage for 2. Nevertheless it’s more B.T.L. Nets when Darren Bovell spots up for three and hits nothing but cotton. In the final moments of the half the referees make a monumental mistake by calling an interception by Kirk Smith goal tending and maybe they need glasses to see that this one was dropping short. It’s good for three points and at the half it’s a 5 point B.T.L. lead.
In second half the Lakers look to rookie Clinton Fuller for much needed offense and he delivers. The other rook Roger Favela also tries to help by delivering a three. But B.T.L. wouldn’t relinquish the lead thanks to a long-range bomb from Floyd Leslie. Then “AC” Augustine gets in on the 3-point act when he gets one to drop as B.T.L. tries to pull away. However, it’s a shot from Kirk Smith that gives Penta Lakers a 2-point lead. That lead didn’t last too long when Leroy blows the lay up. “AC” Augustine gets the put back to fall. Darren Bovell abuses Aubrey Lopez with this spin move as B.T.L. surges ahead.
Okay it’s tied at 57 a piece with twenty-one seconds to go. Claude “Too Tall” allows Floyd Leslie baseline and he gets uncontested lay-up in money time which must give coach Hugh Staine grey hair. It turns out to be the winning shot as Claude “Too Tall’s” desperation prayer, as the buzzer expires, remains unanswered.
Q: “Your team did not execute picking up the win tonight, any comments?”
Kirk “Shabba” Smith, Penta Lakers
“From the first half our guys were getting some open shots but were not hitting them. At the second half we told them to throw the ball in spot; we told them to put these guys in more trouble but I don’t know what really happened. But I guess it’s because it’s the first game these guys are playing very tense. They just missed a lot of easy open shots.”
Q: “The last moments of the ballgame a major breakdown of defense that allowed Floyd Leslie to go to the gall. What happened?”
Kirk “Shabba” Smith
“Like I said defense; if you don’t have defense that’s what will happen.”
Darren Bovell, B.T.L. Nets
“I came back to show the Belizean public that Darren Bovell still has it. He’s been given the name MVP and he earned it. So I came back to show the people that I still have it. The first few minutes of the game we came out with a game plan and in the ending of the first half we kinda strayed away from our game plan a little bit. So we went back into our locker room and we sat and we went over the game plan all over again. So we came back out like how we first started and it brought out the “W” for us.”
In the other semi-pro match-up Saturday night, Crystal Pirates easily ran past Dangriga Bombers, but the game stats remain elusive.
In football news, Belize got bombed in National Cup play last week, losing 7-0 to Costa Rica and 5-1 to Honduras. Hey Belize, what you put in is what you get out.
That’s it; we invite you back same time, same place, next week. Jah over all. I’m James Adderley.
