Cycling and Basketball featured in Sports
Good evening I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.
Week two I the NEBL saw the basketball league consolidate its place on the entertainment landscape here in the jewel with 4 powerful ballgames across the nation. At Sugar City Orange Walk we caught up with the monster clash between OW’S Running Rebels hosting Cayo Western Ballaz team from San Ignacio. The abrupt change of playing date from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon had an effect on the attendance, but when the word got out the Orange Walk Multi Purpose Complex began to fill up.
Tip off found Kurt Burgess of Ballaz and Ian Carcamo of OW facing off- Burgess taps to Mark O’brien and we’re underway. Leith Paulino powers the home team to a 12 – 8 lead with this good looking three point shot and he would finish with 11 points and 6 rebounds. However, Kurt Burgess who came in as the assist leader in the league with 8, banks this triple off the glass to pull his team to a 16 – 13 lead at the end of the 1st quarter.
In the 2nd quarter Farron Lauriano comes alive and shows good poise off this feed from Ivan Stanley Flowers to bank in 2 more points for the visitors. Elroy Willis then threads the needle to Ian Carcamo who reverses with the left hand for 2 – he would finish with 12 points. At the other end Ian Carcamo deals to the league’s leading scorer Randy Usher who rattles the three pointer in but at the half its an 8 point lead for the Cayo Western Ballaz.
We’re in the 3rd quarter play when Ivan Flowers sets up Farron Lauriano who crushes the rim for 2 of his team high 22 points. In this possession Richard Troyer finds Kurt Burgess down low and he banks t home with the left hand – is fouled and would come up with 3 points the hard way. Down by 7 Randy Usher puts his team on his shoulders and slices through the Ballaz defense for 2 of his game high 29 points. Nevertheless Travis Lennan comes right back to sink ht e long jumper and at the end of 3 the Ballaz lead is 6.
Folks we’re I the 4th when Randy Usher takes over the ballgame and he slices through the entire Ballaz defense to get this bucket. At the other end Kurt Burgess grabs this rebound off Travis Lennan miss and sticks in the put back. Burgess would record a monstrous 2 doubles of 14 points, 19 rebounds and becomes the only player in the ballgame with double digit rebounds. But keep your eyes on Randy Usher as he penetrates to go lefty for 2 more points. Folks, with 51 seconds remaining, John Diaz tries to find Randy Usher with this pass, Lauriano intercepts and goes all the way for another slam. Cayo Ballaz makes it 2 wins in a row with the 80 to 70 final score. Kurt Burgess has this to say after the win.
Meanwhile folks, things were tight all over the league. Up north Belize City No Limit survived against a tough Corozal Heats in a 78 – 76 final score. Dangriga Warriors burned Belmopan Bandits in a 57 – 56 squeaker while at Punta Gorda the San Pedro Tigersharks posted a controversial 89 – 87 big W over the Toledo Diplomats. Week 3 beings Friday night with Dangriga Culture Warriors travelling to Cayo Western Ballaz and at Birds Isle Belize City No Limit will host Orange Walk Running Rebels. ON Saturday February 22nd Belmopan Bandits plays host the Toledo Diplomats at the UB Gym while Corozal Heats head to San Pedro to face the Tigersharks.
Turning to the cycling, 93 starters lined up for yesterdays running of the 19th Annual Digicell Valentine Cycling Classic that ran from Leslie’s Import to Mile 47 and back. Around mile 27 the peloton remained relatively compact despite the numerous attacks by riders tested the pack to see who had serious intention and we give you view as the camera passes the race to give you an idea of who are working towards the big escape. Grand mile 37, we find that it’s Herman Requeña who has jumped to a successful solo flight. Requeña who made his move at mile 31 reaches the turnaround point unchallenged but as you can see he only enjoys something like a 3 seconds lead. Herman Requeña’s solo flight continues through St. Matthews Village, but remains a marked man. Around mile 33, Requeña has been caught by Jairo Campo to make it a 2 man breakaway. And outside of La Democracia the new wrinkle finds 9 man breakaway and at the tail of that breakaway is Herman Requeña who can barely hold on now. When we check in at the Police Sub-Station, Mark Staine, Giovanni Lovell, Patrick Bennett, Angel Tzib, and Ron Vasquez but no Herman Requeña. At tape time Angel Tzib who had burst out of the lead pack is on the pace and it quickly becomes apparent that nobody will catch the unattached rider who takes top honors. Big Respect to Tzib. Giovanni Lovell of B.T.L. Cycling has to settle for 2nd place, Darnell Barrow of Smart finishes 3rd, Byron Pope of Benny’s Megabytes takes 4th place and it’s Ron Vasquez of Western Spirit who rounds out the top 5. In other results, Brandon Morgan of Benny’s Megabytes won the U-23 category. Deezan Spence of Western Spirit took the Elite 4/5 Class. Raniel Sanchez grabbed the Masters Category, Stephen Bissett took the Masters 4/5 class, Kerah Eiley, the female class; Delon Gentle the junior class and Devin Azueta the youth class.
In cricket news, the 2014 Harrison Parks Cricket Tournament opened yesterday and Easy Does It of Lemonal jolted Excellence of Double Head 246 runs to 99 paced by Kenny Reynolds who batted in 59 runs and Hubert Banner who tallied 45 runs to go along with 4 wickets.
Checking in on the secondary schools national football tournament, we say congratulations to Delille Academy who defeated Orange Walk technical High 4 to 3 on penalty kicks in the championship match inside the Carl Ramos Stadium at Dangriga on Saturday. Shayana Caliz of the Academy emerged with MVP honors. On the male side, Escuela Secundaria Tecnica Mexico crushed Independence High 4 to 1 to take the national male title—Camilo Sanchez of the winning team took home the MVP trophy.
Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
