By Joe Chapman

TOP ranked clubs in their respective associations, Georgetown’s Colts and Victory Valley Royals of Linden started their campaign ominously when the 6th Brushes Classic invitational championship began with the Colts recording a comfortable 71-56 win over Pepsi Sonics, while Victory Valley Royals dominated Retrieve Raiders with a 96-56 blowout, Saturday night at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court.
Among those to witness these opening matches were President of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation, Nigel Hinds, along with Monty ‘Tanner’ Profitt, the tournament’s major sponsor; former senior national standouts, James and Mike Brusche and Auric Tappin, all of whom now reside in the United States and are home specifically for this sixth biennial tournament which has at stake $300,000 for the winners, $200,000 for the losing finalists, and $100,000 for third place, along with several other trophies and prizes.
Nigel Hinds Financial Services are also on board as a sponsor of this year’s Brusches Classic. .
Colts and Royals disposed of their opponents to move smoothly into the semifinals which will be played on Friday at the tournament venue–the MSC hard court.
In their opening game it was the Sonics who took an early lead when the first quarter closed out with them ahead 17-14, but the response by Colts, the reigning National Club Champions was a 22-15 performance-run which pushed them into the lead at half time 36-32.
Pressing on their familiar run at opponents resulted with the third quarter looking familiar for the Colts who maintained control 55-42 before the final scores reflected some solid performances as the Colts won 71-52. This was behind a top score of 16 points from Dennis Niles, who also collected seven rebounds and two steals, Timothy Thompson contributed 14 points while Shelroy Thomas and Shane Webster added 13 and 12 points, respectively.
M. Richards and D. Lewis each had 13 points for the Sonics.
In the other game Royals showed early form to dispatch Retrieve Raiders by a 40-point gap, winning 96-56 after leading 17-13 when the first quarter ended and doubling their opponents’ second quarter showing 28-14 to take command at half time, 45-27.
By the end of the third period it was 68-37 and they accelerated to a final score, 96-56 in the end to breeze past their opponents.
Their captain Chris Williams showed them the way with 20 points, five rebounds and two steals, while the returning Alwyn Rodney netted 19 points, Harold Adams got 17 points, five steals, five assists and two blocks while Trevor Profitt added 13 points in the process.
Only a 16-point game from Omally Sampson, Alexander Rose with 14 and Duel Montrose with 13 points, four rebounds and three steals made an impression for the losers.