IT WAS the pace and power of the Victory Valley Royals that put paid to the Kashif and Shanghai King’s hopes of reaching the final in the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA)-run Malta Supreme Christmas basketball championships, when the semifinals were played last Sunday night at the Mackenzie Sports Club Hard Court.

The number four seeded Royals scored a shocking upset win over the top-ranked Kings as the second-seeded Amelia’s Ward Jets overcame the challenge posed by the third-ranked Half Mile Bulls in a 61-51 win, as both teams earned the right to challenge for the top $150 000 prize.
Playing in the second game in the double-header feature the Kings looked to be holding sway for most of the game as they played within themselves and utilised the mis-match well with their main man Jason Alonzo inside, occupying space without much opposition and getting in high percentage shots.
This was evident as the Kings led through three quarters of the game at 18-15, 29-26 and 43-39 going into the final stanza of the contest.
In front of what was a large and very vocal crowd who showed their support for the west side Royals, the team responded and, knowing that time was of the essence if they were to get any chance of winning, stepped up the tempo.
At this stage, the Royals’ danger men went to work as former junior national guard Marlon Pollydore and forward Chris Williams in association with forward Orlando Glasgow combined to seize control from the Kings with their basic and crisp passing game
They were able to break open a close game and after going past their opponents extended their run to outscore the Kings in the final quarter and push home for a dramatic win in the end.
It was quick and the transition plays were too much for the experienced Kings side who featured several players with national experience including Alonzo, Steve Neils Jr, Abdulla Hamid and Marvin Hartman, who were unable to halt the running game of the youthful Royals lineup.
In the end the Kings virtually conceded victory to the Royals, being unable to match their pace, conceding defeat by a 59-50 score line.
The Royals can thank the energy and passing of their best players as Pollydore had a game-high 18 points, Adams contributed 16, Orlando Glasgow supported well for his 12 and Williams who had five of his seven points scored in the crucial final quarter of the game.
Alonzo had his way in the game for his 13 points as Hartman had 12 and Abdulla Hamid eight with Omally Sampson getting seven.
In the first game the Jets were led by national centre Shane Webster with a game-high 24 points that overpowered the Bulls, winners of the BOSAI Open Challenge tournament last November but could not get past this Jets side.
The Jets were piloted by their captain Kevin ‘Two Feet’ Joseph who contributed 13 points and off-guard Neil Simon who scored 19, while for the Bulls, Michael Turner showed his class with a team-high 17 points.
The losers will play for the third place while the winners will clash for the championship title on Saturday at the tournament venue, the Mackenzie Sports Club Hard Court.