Unbeaten Raiders and Royals assured of semi-final spots

ALLEYENE’S Retrieve Raiders and Victory Valley Royals assured themselves of semifinal spots in this year’s Linden Amateur Basketball Association’s (LABA) Under-19 basketball championship after topping their respective groups following wins last weekend.

On Saturday Royals romped past previously Block 22 Flames with a 48-35 win after taking a 19-11 advantage at halftime.

They were led to their unbeaten run which also snapped Flames’ two-game winning streak, through the 30 points combined scores of Marlon Pollydore and Theodore  Tappin with 15 points each. This ensured the Royals finished ahead of their opponents in their group with an unblemished record after three wins.

Nevin Glenn was the best player for the losing Flames with 13 points.

In the other game Raiders held their nerves to edge past Amelia’s Ward Jets after sneaking past them at the break with a 26-26 score – a reflection of the closeness of the encounter.

Jeffrey LaRose led the charge by Raiders with 13 points with Duel Garner adding 12 and Devol Wilson supporting with 10.  Jets’ high-rising pair of Parish Cadogan with a game-high 20 points and Akeem Kanhai 19 failed to bring them victory as the Raiders prevailed by the slimmest of margins to top  their group with an unbeaten run in three matches.

On Sunday Glands Trucking Service Bulls gained their first win by beating the winless Wismar Pistons by 20 points, 56-36 following a 26-18 lead at halftime.

Travin Dryden had 20 points and Terron Welch 11 for the winners while no player for the Pistons had a double-figure score.

In the other game Kashif and Shanghai Kings stopped New Ballers 99-33 for the highest scores in the tournament behind four players having double-figure scores. Sheldon Noel led them with a superb tournament-high 30 points, Jermane Johnson 22, Kurt Alleyne 19 and Quincy Easton 15 for the Kings with no player from the Ballers getting into double- figures.

The competition’s round robin play will conclude on Friday when Kings face Jets and Flames meet Pistons to complete the  teams moving through to the last four.