GPL disconnect Barama

May 28, 2009 Sports

– win Inter-Organisation b/ball title

BASKETBALL CHAMPS OF THE CORPORATE COMMUNITY!!! The Guyana Power and Light players pose with their replicas and championship trophy. At left is Beepat

Every decade has at least a guard that a generation remembers, but history wants to forget but simply cannot, because that guard shows up when it matters. Lugard Mohan has to be that player in this epoch of local basketball.

The former national captain and Caribbean Confederation All-star led Guyana Power and Light (GPL) to a 22-19 victory against Barama Company Limited in the Beepat’s Scorpions Inter-Organisation final. Mohan might be past his prime, but he proved that his game is not past when he scored 10 points in a clinical performance at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall Tuesday night. Marvis Hilliman supported Mohan with six.
Kenneth Charles scored eight for Barama, while Shane Lewis had five points in the team’s second consecutive loss in the gold medal round. They suffered a similar defeat to Ainlim in Scorpions’ inaugural inter-organisation competition last year.
“I would not call this a defeat; I did not like the way the game ended but we played well,” Barama’s national and all-star forward, Trevor Profitt told Kaieteur Sport after the game that shifted momentum at various intervals.

The first five minutes of the game was defensive and only two points were surrendered to both teams, but with 3:51 left in the first half of the 20-minute encounter and Vivian Alder in foul trouble for Barama, GPL took a 5-2 lead. Mohan went on an exhibition with two consecutive assists to Hilliman, helping his team to a 9-2 advantage with a little over a minute to play in the first half. The teams played out the remaining time without adding to the scores.
The impetus shifted to Barama in the first five minutes of the second half when Alder had a put-back and Charles landed consecutive three-point jumpers to haul Barama to within one (10-11) and making the game very interesting.

Lugard Mohan (right) collects the MVP Award from Beepat’s Scorpions’ Executive, Warren Williams.

Charles continued his offensive surge when he finished a steal to give Barama their first lead at 14-13. The teams played to a 16-all deadlock before Mohan completed his sneaky steal to break the bind with 3:11 to play in regular time.
However, Lewis landed an important three-point jumper to give Barama the lead at 19-18 with under two minutes left on the clock, but Aubrey Younge nailed a 15-foot jump shot in the lane to reclaim the Power Company’s lead.
Mohan was brought into action again on the free-throw line, when Barama were hit with a team technical for challenging the referees’ decision. The experience guard finished both shots and extended the lead to 22-19 for the win.

Barama were disconnected from the championship, but promised that they would return stronger next year. Profitt indicated that he was disappointed with some of the referees’ calls in the closing minutes.
Mohan was awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. Earlier in the night, Bounty Farm had easily claimed third place ahead of the Guyana Defence Force with a walkover following the latter’s departure from the arena. One of the organisers of the event, Scorpions’ head coach, Vijay Panday informed that a two-day event could possibly be on the cards next year since it was obvious that one day cannot suffice anymore for the corporate event.

The competition attracted GDF ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams, as well as teams from Republic Bank, Scotia Bank, Digicel, GT&T among many other corporate magnates.
Over 30 teams were registered to compete in the championship.
Panday expressed gratitude to sponsors Ricks and Sari, Cellink, White Castle Fish Shop, Medicare Pharmacy, Giftland OfficeMax, Shell Service Station, Banks, KP Thomas and Pro Graphics for their support during the event.
(Edison Jefford)

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