…BVI lose to Antigua and Barbuda

THE Barbados squad looked like a well oiled machine on day 3 of the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Male U-16 Championships. The team came up against a Dominica side that had already suffered a blowout loss on Monday. The Barbados side started the game with a clear indication of what they had planned to do all tournament: slow the tempo of the game down and execute their plays.
The first quarter brought with it Barbados executing from the half court set scoring 15 of their 21 points through set plays.
Dominica scored their 10 points on second-chance opportunities after missed shots. The score read 21-10.
In the second quarter Dominica’s turnover woes began and Barbados had a chance to score quick points in transition. Through Chemar Steele, the offence ran and the Bajan poured it in with his jump-shooting. The quarter ended 40-21 in favour of Barbados.
Going into the third quarter Barbados had a string of turnovers leading to a drop in their production in the quarter. However, through Steele and overall team play they stayed the course finishing the quarter up 67-32.
The fourth quarter saw more scrappy play with more turnovers from both teams. With the many stoppages in play both teams struggled to find offence. Dominica had a few bright moments from Kiefer Francis who scored 4 threes in the quarter. This quarter was also the worst session for Barbados with them tallying only 11 points.
However, the game ended 78-45 with Barbados winning and remaining unbeaten in the tournament.
Meanwhile, the British Virgin Islands suffered a tough loss at the hands of Antigua and Barbuda. With 6 seconds left in the game captain Elain O’Neal missed two shots that would have tied the game.
In the first quarter, both teams traded buckets, with Antigua’s Anthony Greer and BVI’s Kiandre Clarke going at it. The quarter finished 17-16 with Antigua up.
The second quarter saw BVI come alive, Nixon Hamilton and O’Neal were instrumental in putting in 21 points for BVI while limiting the duo of Greer and Lincoln Weeks from scoring.
The quarter ended 37-29 with BVI in front.
In the third quarter Antigua had a 19-point explosion that cut the lead to 6. Greer once again came alive hitting an array of shots, from floaters to midrange.
Renrick Masaac kept BVI in the lead with his constant hounding of the offensive glass for second-chance points. The quarter ended 54-48 with BVI leading.
In the fourth quarter, the game completely changed, Antigua seemed to be the team that really wanted it. The BVI team began turning over the ball. However, Jomoi Levons put his team on his back to keep them in the game with his defensive effort.
All the drama played out within the last minute of the game – Eric Joseph hitting a clutch three for Antigua to give them a 5-point lead with 37.9 on the clock. Antigua had equalised then they took the lead earlier, courtesy of captain Greer.
Levons once again had an answer, this time getting a steal and taking it up the court to draw the foul and score. Fouling him was Greer who had just committed his final foul to foul out the game.
Levons hit the free throw and BVI were down two. He again came up with a big steal with 9 seconds to go and fired a pass down the court.
O’Neal caught the pass and had two attempts at the ring but missed both. He collapsed in a heap as the buzzer sounded ending the game.
BVI have now lost all their games, while Antigua have won 2 of 3.