Kevin Worrel Memorial Basketball Championship

Oct 20, 2008 Sports

Nets trap CPS ‘A’ to take inaugural titleBy Edison Jefford
Nets’ overlooked All–star candidate, Triston Tulloch took Saturday night’s final against Courts Pacesetters’ (CPS) Basketball Club ‘A’ team personal during the Kevin Worrell Memorial Knockout five–a–side competition.

Tulloch took on All–star shooting guard, Stephon Gillis to the extent that he was heard shouting: ‘you cannot mark me Gillis’; the result was an emphatic 34–16 win for Nets that ensured the team of the inaugural title.

Notwithstanding the lack of enough rest for the CPS team that went from a semi–final game right into the final, Nets was deserving of the win since CPS could not find an answer for Joel Griffith at the bottom.

Griffith scored 14 points which earned him the ‘Most Rebounds’ and ‘Best Defensive Player’ awards while his team–mate, Pelham Doris, was adjudged Most Valuable Player of a tournament that had more than 16 entries.

A tired and injured All–star selectee, Naylon Loncke top scored with 10 points for CPS in a game that rain briefly interrupted. CPS could not overcome Nets despite boasting three senior All–star players ahead of this weekend.

The Courts–sponsored team took an early 5–0 lead in the final from a Loncke lay–up and Gillis ‘And One’ finish had to overcome immense pressure from underdog entry, Full Force in their semi–final game.

The fact that CPS struggled against Full Force in a game that went into double overtime raised doubts in the minds of fans ahead of the final. In the end, the suspicion of those patrons became an inexplicable reality.

A Tulloch lay–up gave Nets a 10–7 lead and the next four points from the same player advanced the momentum to 14–7 with 3:03 left in the first half. The first period ended 21–10 dangerously in favour of Nets.

The Meadowbrook and Lodge–based Nets went on to score 13 points in the second half while CPS merely managed six points. The tournament was held in honour of the CPS player that collapsed and died on the court.

“I felt good about this. He would have enjoyed this so much but it is as if he was here. He used to always tell me that he doesn’t want to be late for basketball,” Kevin Worrell’s mother, Rhonda Johnson said after the event.

Nets got to the final with a perfect record, beating Bounty Colts’ ‘A’ team 25–20 in the first semi–final game while CPS ‘A’ defeated Full Force 29–27 in double overtime in the second semi on Burnham Basketball Court.

The Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) informed the media and patrons that the memorial trophy will be a Lien Trophy with the winner after three consecutive years being allowed to keep the prize.

In addition, the association disclosed that the event will be an annual competition and a Kevin Worrell Memorial Third Division League will jump start the new basketball season in the City on November 1.