Fraser, Archibald to lead LTI and ‘Multi’ in today’s final
IT was the great Michael Jordan who said “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships” – a statement which is very applicable for today’s final of the eighth Victory Valley Royals Schools Basketball Championship, which will be contested between the Linden Technical Institute (LTI) and Christianburg Wismar Secondary (Multi) at the Mackenzie Sports Club Hard Court from 14:30 hrs.
Both sides are endowed with talented players but it would come down to how well they play as a team to determine who will walk away with not only the beautiful silverware and other prizes up for grabs but also the bragging rights for a year to be called the ‘best’ basketball-playing school in the mining town.
Led by a game-high 25 points from Junior National forward Linden Fraser, LTI hammered the Linden Technical Institute (LTI) 89-33 in the semi-finals and Emmanuel Archibald scored an entertaining 27 points when he led ‘Multi’ past last year’s winner Mackenzie High School to set up today’s showdown.
Both sides finished the preliminary round of the tournament losing one game but LTI held an advantage having been the team who defeated ‘Multi’. But that cannot be used to determine or predict the outcome of today’s game.
It’s no secret that Fraser is the backbone of his team, leading them on both the offensive and defensive sides and no team, including Multi, is yet to find a stop or at least a solution to slow him down.
Fraser scores most of his points in the paint and plays well to avoid being placed in foul trouble while leading the tournament in blocks. His supporting cast also includes centre Joel Webster and sharpshooter Stanley McIntosh.
For ‘Multi’ Archibald has been sensational throughout the tournament and his three-point shooting has been improving every game. He’s often taken for granted due to his size but the diminutive player can be a bother especially on defence which he plays with almost perfection.
Travis Dryden, more popularly known as Babylon, because of his hard playing, no-nonsense approach to the game, will be a perfect match for Fraser in the key. After having won the inaugural tournament, the championship trophy has been eluding them every year.
Meanwhile the third place game between Linden Foundation and Mackenzie High should spark some fireworks given the history the two sides share.
But MHS’ Parish Cadogan is the deciding factor in the game as the point guard. Unarguably the most athletic player in the tournament, has shown that he can be a one-man demolition force.
The tournament which is the brainchild of founder member of the Victory Valley Royals Basketball Club, Linden Alphonso, is heavily supported and sponsored by mostly overseas-based Guyanese, mostly those who hailed from Linden, along with the Haynes Foundation.