AFTER convincing wins in their semifinals, Kashif and  Shanghai Kings are down to face Victory Valley Royals in the  championship game of the Linden Amateur Basketball  Association’s Under-21 championship this evening at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court. To reach the final Kings beat Glands Trucking Service (GTS) Bulls 50-41 while the Royals stopped Retrieve Raiders 75-42.
The team to win this evening will definitely be the one to play better defensively. The Kings have in their back court Orrin Rose (Jr) and Sheldon Noel, two players who can score, with Rose, a national junior player having the ability to knock down jumpers as a streak shooter.
Noel is a smooth player who can hit the short range jumper and this is the hinge on which the Kings title bid rests.
The Royals, on the other hand, have a player who can make big shots and can drive the lane with efficiency in Chris Williams.
Williams, however, will depend heavily on his supporting cast for help especially on defence in guarding Rose, Noel and company, if they are to walk away with this championship.
There are guards Marvin Russell and Theodore Tappin who are from the brigade of new emerging school players and they will have to step up and render the kind of support necessary to stop this Kings team.
As has been seen recently, Rose has developed into a potent shooter and can take the opposition apart with his long range shooting.
The players’ attitude towards defence will be very important, as will be their knowing the situation in the game at all times to take away their opponents’ strength.
The transition play and the outlet pass, which were very effective when the Royals took care of the Raiders, will not be as easy against this Kings team.
At the same time Kings will do well to note that good individual offence would not guarantee them this championship as there will be constant pressure from their opponents.
In the third place playoff game the Raiders are down to play GTS Bulls which should be of interest as prizes will be given only to the winner of this game.
Jump ball in the first game is 19:00 h and the second is at 21:00 h.