One Guyana Basketball League Finals…

THIS evening, the Eagles Basketball Club, which is already in uncharted territory, will aim to go to deeper when they face-off against storied local side, Dynas Ravens, in the title decider of the One Guyana Basketball League.

The inaugural One Guyana Basketball League Playoff finals Game Three will tip off at 21:00 hours at the National Gymnasium’s hard courts tonight.

The win would cap off a special run for Eagles, led by skipper Travis Belgrave, who has produced some masterclass performances for his team.

Belgrave had scores of 28 and 18 in this Best-of-Three series, which is currently tied at one apiece.

However, it has not been a one-man show.

Eagles, who played unbeaten to the final where they lost their first game, has seen the likes of Denzel Ross showing his shooting skills with some game high points in the League.

However, the underestimated work of experienced campaigner Sherland Gillis and Michael Richards have been a revelation in defense for the offense-minded team.

Eagles’ only loss was in the first game of the finals, 78-76, when either player was absent or had a bad game.

The younger Eagles, coached by Adrian Hooper, should be a shoo-in for the deciding clash, but if the experienced Ravens side, under tutelage of player/coach Darcel Harris and coach Marlon Rodrigues, have shown anything, it is that they are not the sort to be counted out.

The team boasts ace 3-point shooter in former national player Ryan Stephney, who led them with 19 points in the first game.

Despite his longevity on the local scene, he continues to demonstrate formidable fighting spirit.

Ravens livewire Shamar Huntley, is equally a top talent, and, based on his performance in the league, which started last year, could be in the running for a place on the national side.

Dominic Vincente, Ravens’ captain, has also done well as a point guard, and showed his worth with some important minutes, albeit in Game Two, when Ravens lost 67-59.

Vincente will need to show mental strength under pressure if Ravens is to tip the surging Eagles.

He will also have the support of the likes of Jude Corlette, who has played well for his side.

The game will likely be decided in the first and fourth quarter. If Eagles gets a flier in the first period, it will be hard to clip their wings, but if Ravens manages to ground them early, they could use their experience and tactics to close it out.

The Ravens will have firm conviction of winning after giving Eagles their only loss in the league, especially given that the seasoned campaigners have the ‘know-how’ and experience in tournament finals.

The tournament tipped off in August last year, and sees $2M up for grabs, with a million for the winner, and half-a-million for second place in the League finals.

The league is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport, G-boat Guyana, and the National Sport Commission.