James Adderley with the latest in sporting news

Good evening I’m James Adderley and here’s a fresh delivery of Sports Monday. Week three of the Belize Bank Super League left no doubt that things have surly tightened up inside the four team playoffs. So we take you to the Michael Ashcroft Stadium where Saturday night Placencia Assassin, who are yet to pick up a playoff win, played host to a City Boys United ball club that have proven themselves to be real contenders for the 2010 title. Immediately the home team goes for the early goal when Shawn Thurton allows Arnold Torres to fire this right foot that travels outside the far post. It’s another close shave for Charlie Slusher when Lyndon Brooks gets off this left foot shot that just misses the target. Today Charlie Slusher really has to work and he does just that to deny Rollin Burgess this attempt at goal. City Boys finally gets some offense going when Raymond Gentle centers this free kick into the danger zone but tough Placencia defense squashes this half chance. Dalton Cayetano then gets this look at goal but doesn’t get enough of the ball to get it past goalkeeper Stephen Lopez. In the meantime, we must say that Jack Dawson should have done better with this golden opportunity that he certainly squanders. At the other end goleador Ashley Torres didn’t quite live up to expectations with this left foot offering. At the half, we have a scoreless ballgame and maybe we’ll just blame it on the rain, which left the pitch a soggy mess.

Coming out of intermission, Ashley Torres sets table for Arnold Torres whose push rises over the crossbar. A few minutes later, Mervin Leslie provides Arnold Torres with a shot at redemption but the header inches outside the far upright. For certain this grass head burner launched by Jason Young off the set piece looks good but Stephen Lopez handles the situation. It’s getting late so Placencia Assassin goes to Marvin Leslie for the goal. His launch is not good enough to beat the veteran Charlie Slusher; at the long whistle, we have a scoreless stalemate.

In the other Super League matchup at the M.C.C. Grounds yesterday, Hattieville F.C. and Nizhee Corozal battled to a 1-1 stalemate. Thus at the halfway mark of the double round robin playoffs both Nizhee Corozal and City Boys United show five points apiece, Hattieville has four and Placencia Assassin has one. Week four comes up this Sunday as City Boys United host Placencia Assassin in a must win situation for both clubs while up north at the Ricalde Stadium the battle will rage between Hattieville F.C. and Nizhee Corozal.

In other football news, the Soca Warriors of Trinidad and Tobago, a legitimate CONCACAF team that has been to the World Cup, comes to Belize for a matchup against the national football team inside the FFB Stadium at Belmopan on the eight of September. Keep that date in mind.

Meanwhile, female football play, game two of the two game championship series for the 2010 title between Millennium and Gentle Touch is set for this Saturday, three-thirty p.m. at the M.C.C. Grounds. Gentle Touch goes in with a one game lead after beating Millennium 2-1 at Esperanza.

Turning to the basketball scene, we head to the City Center where the Interoffice Basketball League staged its All Star Game on Friday night. Jamal Kelly deals to Shamir Martinez who gets division B rolling with the first bucket of the ballgame and would finish with eight points. Ashton Edwards then lands this three pointer as the B team looks good in the early going. Big man Eugene Jex goes glass with the put back for two of his seven points. However, Joshua Jones heats up Team A, sinking this three pointer. And at the end of the first quarter the A Team has a 14-12 lead. In the second quarter, Jamir Enriquez takes on the entire A Team to land this bucket for two of his eight points. At the other end, the baseline jumper drops for Joshua Jones. He would lead all scorers tonight with fifteen points. Jamal Kelly really works his magic for these two points to give the B Team a three point lead. However, this three point delivery from Leroy Forbes returns the lead to the A Team. At the half they’re up 29-25.

In the third quarter, B Team is down by seven when Trevor Bonzo Meighan hits this three pointer. At the other end Norman Humes spots up for three and gets it. Humes would put up ten points tonight and at the end of the third, the lead is 49-41 for the A Team. Still, the B Team comes back to take the lead in the fourth quarter when Shamir turns and sinks this mid range jumper. Make it a four point lead when Ashton Edwards beats everybody down court for this uncontested layup. But here comes the A Team; Kennard Clarke begins the comeback with this jumper. Joshua Jones from the corner lands this big three point shot and then Norman Humes lands the dagger with this three points from the same spot. Team A goes on to post the 59-55 big W and we say congrats. We also say kudos to Keemar King of Customs who won the skills challenge and Jamaal Kelly of B.T.L. who took the three point shooting competitions.

Hey folks, that’s our show for today. Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.