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Ravens, Pacesetters to finally settle score
Royston Siland
Damian Liverpool
By Edison Jefford
Courts Pacesetters and Dyna’s Ravens will finally settle the question of who is the best first division club in Georgetown tonight when they meet in a long–awaited grudge game compliments of Accomplished Entertainment.
The last two occasions that brought the teams together ended unfortunately; one because of over aggression and the other because of a time lapse. This is the third meeting of the two top teams in Georgetown this year.
The ‘Evening of Champions’, as the promotion company dubbed, is expected to jump off with a preceding game between Nets and Pepsi Sonics at 7pm at the country’s premier indoor venue: the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
A victory for either team in the feature Pacesetters and Ravens game will be based on the individual performance of certain key players. Kaieteur Sport presents a head–to–head comparison of those players.
Courts Pacesetters and Ravens
Head–to–Head
The Guards
Courts Pacesetters and national shooting guard, Stephon Gillis is a mature player outside the three–point perimeter but overshoots the ball on bad nights; he can change games once he discovers momentum.
Dyna’s Ravens and national point guard, Ryan Stephney impressed all who saw him last year when the D.C Jammers toured Guyana with his individual skill. He is quicker than Gillis but blunders with over–dribbling.
Courts Pacesetters and national point guard, Aubrey Smith is one of the workaholics of the team and has added defence to his inventory. His skill is acute and has the advantage to find players when least expected.
Dyna’s Ravens and national point guard, Darcel Harris is perhaps the most experienced guard around and continues to rate high among upcoming guards. He is quick and has both inside and perimeter skill.
Courts Pacesetters and national junior guard, Travis Burnett dribbles the ball very low, which makes it difficult for taller defenders to reach. He easily runs past big defenders and favours the inside plays.
Dyna’s Ravens back–up guard, Yusif Edghill enjoys both ends of the court when Ravens are having a good night. He has some experience that keeps him focused but is still to make an indelible mark on the local scene.
The Forwards
Courts Pacesetters and national forward, Royston Siland topples the best at the bottom on the offensive and defensive ‘boards’ but often struggle to convert his obvious outstanding leap into major offensive scoring opportunities.
Dyna’s Ravens and national forward, Damian Liverpool is aggressive and versatile on the inside. He takes on individual players to his detriment at times but has skill; he needs to consider his senior role in the team more.
Ryan Stephney
Stephon Gillis
Courts Pacesetters and national forward, Naylon Loncke brings a wealth of experience to the fore with a decent knowledge of the game. He is a strong individual player when his team is under pressure but gets frustrated easily.
Dyna’s Ravens and national forward, Ryan Gullen is a major presence at the bottom with his strong offensive and defensive approaches. Gullen is a student of the game but lacks much needed patience sometimes.
Courts Pacesetters’, Clement Brusche is tough at the lower key but lacks the extra finesse needed to get him on the offensive sheets. He is a big ‘rebounder’ but needs to get more involved on the offensive end of the court.
Dyna’s Ravens and national forward, Seraiah Clarke came through the ranks as a junior now senior player. Though he is not as dominant as he used to be, Clarke’s brain is as good as any in the game locally.
Analysis
On paper, Courts Pacesetters and Ravens are equally matched but individually Ravens has more skill. Structurally, Pacesetters can be seen as more sound with national coach Robert Cadogan at the helm of the plays.
However, the emergence of Ravens’ coach, former Caribbean All Star, Lugard Mohan as a premier coach threatens to overshadow Cadogan. The battle is expected to go beyond what happens on the basketball court.
Apart from the players identified in this comparison, both teams have a very deep roster of both experience and inexperience players. Definitely the adjustment will be made to give either an advantage tonight.
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