– Guardians 77 – 76 win over Colts
– Nets take game 1 of ‘best of three’ finals

By Rawle Toney
PLAISANCE Guardians and Republic Bank Nets drew first blood in their respective divisions, as the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) division one and two ‘Best of Three’ finals got under way on Friday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

In the division-1 title chase, Plaisance Guardians clinched a 77 – 76 win over Colts, while Republic Bank Nets got the better of their arch-rivals Pepsi Sonics 64 – 58 to take a 1 – 0 lead in the three-game series of the division-2 championship.

Of the two games played at Guyana’s premier indoor facility, it was the division-1 championship finale which kept the handful of fans on the edge of their seats through the four periods.

Nikkoloi Smith, who enjoyed a fruitful season with the Guardians, turned in one of the best performances so far, scoring a game-high 23 points, including some clutch baskets to help lead his team to the important win.

Smith’s back-court partner Enoch Mathews, was also instrumental in the East Coast Demerara-based team’s win, pouring in 21 points of his own.

The game between the Colts and the Guardians went down to the wire, since it took the closing seconds of regulation time to decide a winner.

Forward Trenton Woolford’s block shot on Colts point guard Dave Causeway with five seconds remaining saved the day for the Guardians.

Colts’ Kurt English was fouled and sent to the line to shoot two shots. With his team trailing by one point (76 – 77), English had a chance to either tie the game or send it to over-time; neither happened.

English would miss both of his attempts and when Causeway grabbed the rebound with a good look at the rim, Woolford, the lanky Guardians forward, used his long limbs to pull off a game-winning block shot.

Causway was his usual self from the floor; an efficient point guard, virtually unstoppable at times, but his team-high 22 points wasn’t enough to inspire Colts to a win.

Colts’ “big man” Shane Webster was good at both ends of the paint and scored 21 points in the loss. English (16 points) was the only other Colts player in double digits.

The two teams ended the first quarter tied on 17 points apiece, but in the second quarter, the Guardians outscored the Colts 23 – 12 to hold an 11-point lead (40 – 29) at the halfway mark.

However, behind Causway and Webster, Colts scored 29 third-quarter points, as compared to 12 scored by the Guardians to lead 58 – 52 heading in the final stanza.

But Colts, with Smith leading their attack, rallied to a 25 – 18 points blitz and closed the game 77 – 76.

Meanwhile, an all-round team performance by the Republic Bank Nets saw them taking the one-game advantage over the Pepsi sponsored Sonics basketball club.

The usually dependable Jason Squires had a miserable night on the floor. He scored a game-high 18 points from 36 attempts. Teammate Earl O’Neil had 14 and Kerwin Jackson netted 12. No other Sonics player reached double digits on the score sheets.

For the Nets who shared the ball well, Mortimer Williamson scored a team-high 16 points and Dorian Lewis had 12.

Nets led at the end of every interval, first leading 15 – 14 at the end of the first period, 32 – 30 at half time and heading into the fourth quarter, the Republic Bank-sponsored team led 49 – 45.

The tournament continues tonight at the same venue with a triple-header. Game one from 18:00 hrs, will see game two of the U-23 finals with Eagles looking to close out Pacesetters after winning game one.

Nets will also aim to close their division-2 series against the Sonics and so will Plaisance Guardians against Colts in the division-1 Finals.