Mackeson National Super Ward Basketball Championship …
ON a cold and windy Sunday evening, basketball lovers who turned up at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall were entertained with quality basketball by Central Mackenzie who stopped the heart beat of North Ruimveldt 56-46, to advance to the final of the GABA Mackeson National Super Ward Championship.
Famed American writer, the late Napoleon Hill once said that “opportunity often comes disguised in the form of misfortune, or temporary defeat” and the author of one of the world’s all-time best seller books ‘Think and Grow Rich’ could not have said it any better since they lost their previous game to Charlestown/Albouystown 66-52 last Saturday.
A prediction was hard to make when you matched the two sides but what was certain was it wouldn’t have been a one-sided affair nor would it have been a blow out.
North Ruimveldt started well in the initial stages of the game which saw them end the first quarter leading by six points (11-5).
Throughout the tournament, Steve Neils Jr was the danger man while his side-kick Marvin Hartman was silent. It was probably a bad idea for North to come out and attempt to shut-out Neils as it opened several avenues for Hartman to feel his way in the game.
Hartman ended the night with a game-high 19 points which was decorated with four bombs from beyond the arc and when they decided to put a close hand on him, the former junior National captain and National senior player used his swift and text-book style crossovers and shakes to make his way to the basket.
However, the major factor and difference-maker in the game was Odley Allen, as the player who resides in the US was ‘the’ key factor to Central Mackenzie’s win on opening night over Wortmanville/Werk-en-Rust.
Allen was a menace on the floor for the Linden unit, being literally all over and being involved in all the plays and his enthusiasm along with Hartman’s heroics helped Central Mackenzie to hold a 23-21 points advantage at the close of the first half.
Anyone could have seen the troubled look on the faces of the North Ruimveldt players as well as their many supporters after seeing how hungry the players from Central Mackenzie were.
The Georgetown-based side were playing their usual organised basketball and it was hard for one to say that they were bullied since points shifted gears like a car in a drag race; fast and on a regular basis.
Things began to look shady for Central Mackenzie when their towering centre and the tournament’s leading candidate for the best defensive player award, Jason Alonso, had to be taken to the hospital by the tournament officials, after he had his vision impaired when he was poked in the eyes during a tussle for a rebound.
The game was halted for a few minutes and his replacement Lawrence De Costa was brought into the game. The sturdy 6’ 1” player played like a beast in the paint even though he wasn’t able to get among the top scores, his efforts on the glass stood out.
The scoreboard, though it was barely ticking, had a see-saw effect because of the flow of the game which finally stopped after the third quarter, which ended with Allen hitting a buzzer-beater from the three-point range.
It was certainly a mood killing shot, especially after North were trying to make a comeback and as such, the city team trailed once again 39-34 heading into the fourth quarter.
In the final period Mackenzie were patient, as they took their team and worked out the 24 seconds shot clock down the last second on almost all of their positions.
North team captain Darcel Harris stepped on the pedal and tried to take the game into his hands but it was too late.
Harris’ usual supporting cast; Ryan Stephney, Rudy James, Seriah Clarke, Stephon Henry and Damien Liverpool seemed to have played their best basketball in the early parts of the game and ran out of steam when their side needed them the most.
However, the supporters, though disappointed that their side had lost, were all highly appreciative to the Central Mackenzie team and applauded them for a game well played, showing an unusual unbiased side and enjoyment for good basketball.
Neils ended the game with 17 points while Allen had 12. Somehow, the stats sheet did not reflect the outstanding defensive side of Allen who had over 15 rounds and on their sheet, it showed that he had only three.
Harris scored 14 points and was the only player to touch double digits for the North Ruimveldt side that had Stephney scoring seven and Gullen and Henry both scoring six points.
North will now have to settle for playing a third/fourth place game, while Central Mackenzie take one step closer to winning the tournament’s $500 000 first prize but will have to wait on the winner between the Christianburg/Albouystown clash on Thursday.