Gian Ochaeta conquers 2008 Father’s Day Cycling Classic
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.
The Father’s Day Cycle Classic finally got staged by the Belize Cycling Association yesterday featuring the Elite and the junior classes. Here are the thirty-two elite riders blasting off for the eighty mile run from the Benque Viejo border station en route to the finish line at Leslie’s Imports just outside Belize City. Very quickly this six man group that includes Jeffrey Zelaya, Larry Vasquez, Elston Coleman, Giovanni Choto, Leslie Sanchez and Rafael Choto grabs the lead. However, around mile twenty we have a new world order with Mateo Cruz, Larry Vasquez, Jeffrey Zelaya, Brandon Cattouse and Ray Cattouse now comprising the lead pack. Ten miles later this lead group is now joined by at least seven other riders as the heat begins to build going down the stretch. Around mile five on the Western Highway it’s the solitary figure of Gian Ochaeta in command of this race. Will he be caught you ask? Well, the short answer is no. Young Gian Ochaeta of C-Ray in his first season as an elite rider claims the 2008 Father’s Day cycle Classic in three hours, forty-four minutes and ten seconds and we say monster show young man.
Now guard your loins for the second place sprint. It’s Ben O’Brien on the outside but young Brandon Cattouse pulls the trigger inside and gets rewarded with the runner up spot. Byron Pope of Benny’s Megabytes takes third, Mateo Cruz of Sugar City Boys settles for fourth while his teammate Joevanni Leslie rounds out the top five.
Turning to the basketball scene, we head to the Civic Center where on Saturday Open Door Saints needed to win game two against M&M Promise Keepers of the Christian Basketball League Championships to keep its title hopes alive. It’s a dream start for the Saints when Brian Young’s jumper pushes them to an eight-zip lead very early. Young would strike for sixteen points in this confrontation. In fact, Jason Lamb who would finish with twenty-two points is the one finally gets the M&M Team on to the scoreboard but the Saints wins the first quarter 17-13. In second quarter action the Keepers get cracking. Herman Blease raises up for two. Elvin Orosco goes through the heart of the Saints’ defense for two of his seventeen game points. Jason Lamb goes to the left hand for two right here. He would tally twenty-two points in this outing. Of course, the saints don’t let things get too much out of hand as Jerome Ellis strikes for two of his team high twenty points. In the meantime, Andrew Robateau comes alive for M&M. Robateau would finish with the game high of twenty-three points. At the half M&M Promise Keepers are up 41-32. In the third quarter Elvin Orosco stays with this play to get two more points. While at the other end Jacob Leslie, who had been missing in action for three weeks, comes alive. Leslie would contribute fourteen points to the cause. And here’s the only dunk of the ballgame when Andrew Robateau recovers his missed free throw to mash it home with authority. Both teams however, scored fourteen points in the third quarter which leaves M&M with a nine point lead still. it’s now desperation time for the Saints in the fourth quarter, so Penny Ellis came out firing the long jumper which is good. Darwin Elijio then raises up inside the paint for two of his fourteen points as he cuts into a ten point lead. Can you believe it folks? Jacob Leslie is now victimized by severe cramping and has to leave. He better be ready next time. However, Penny Ellis picks up the slack and the Saints are now up two points. Jason Lamb came right back with the answer and we’ve got a close one people. Darwin Elijio of the Saints breaks the tie with this jumper. Down by three, Elvin Orosco cuts the deficit to a solitary point for the defending champions. The Saints try to run out the clock until Elijio is fouled in money time. the Saints do go on to post the 71-69 big W and force a final game three set for Saturday at the Civic Center; that’s July fifth on your calendar.
In the battle for third place in this league Horizon finally avenged last year’s third place loss to Sandhill by burning the Spirit 61-59. Jason Vellos was the big man with a big two doubles of seventeen points, sixteen rebounds. He got help from Hubert Sterling who hit fourteen points for Sandhill Spirit. Marvin McCoy hit fifteen points and Shane Rosales twelve. We say congratulation to Horizon for its third place finish.
Checking in on the Interoffice Basketball League, over the weekend Belize Telemedia used up B.E.L. Megawatts 61-52. Tuff e Nuff Rebels routed G.P.O./Grace Kennedy 108-52, hey that’s a fifty-six point victory. That’s too much guys. K.H.M.H. handled Belize Healthcare Partners in a 79-52 score. The Belize City Council held the Police to thirty-two points in a 69-32 shellacking. The Port of Belize prevailed over the Bar Association 52-47, Telemedia made it two wins over the weekend by scorching Atlantic Bank 63-62. B.E.L. couldn’t take it anymore and defaulted to Milo Fortifiers while Central Bank Jabirus continued to roll with a 48-45 win against Home Protector. Tonight’s schedule finds C.S.B. Crushers in action against the Police, Belize Healthcare Partners take on G.P.O./Grace Kennedy and Aero dispatch battles Atlantic Bank.
On the football scene, here are the weekend results from the Belize Female Football League, Millennium of Belize City beat Sugar city Girls 3-1, Pomona Hidden Treasures jolted Dangriga Pumas 3-2 and Gentle Touch of Cayo blanked Belmopan Cruz Azul 4-zip.
Hey folks, that’s our show for today. We invite you back same time, same place, next week. Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
