All-Star Weekend continues to provide excitement

Nov 10, 2009 Sports

‘GT’ smother Linden, reclaim senior title

WE DID IT!!! Linden's junior All-Stars along with officials pose for a photo opportunity after winning their second consecutive title against Georgetown Sunday night.

By Edison Jefford
Bobby Cadogan said that he would beat Linden from the bench with defence and that was a frightening reality for the defending champs Sunday night when Georgetown smothered them to reclaim the coveted title, ending a two-year wait.
The venue was the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall; the event was the 2009 All-Star Weekend; the game was the unending rancour between the senior All-Star basketball players located in Guyana’s two powerhouses, Georgetown and Linden.
There is no question that when the playing field is levelled and both teams are stripped of international guest players, a true All-Star game is the end result, which manifested at the arena in a convincing manner for the ‘GT’ All-Stars.
Georgetown’s defence smothered Linden to produce an easy 72-62 points’ win that could have been worse save for a late surge that brought some respectability to the Linden side, which looked really ordinary in the game’s first half.
Naylon Loncke, who was adjudged Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the end of the senior All-Star game, scored with 19 points while Stephon Gillis had 18 points; Ryan Gullen 12 points, six rebounds and Royston Siland 10 points.
Dwayne ‘Sugar’ Roberts scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Linden while Quincy Jones finished with 13 points and took seven rebounds in an initial and critically poor offensive effort for the defending champs.
Georgetown came out firing from the first whistle, shifting their defensive technique with an occasional full-court press and two-three zone that paid dividends with turnovers from Linden-those were quickly rushed up-court for points.
The running offensive game and tight defence definitely surprised Linden, who slipped to 7-4 deficit early in the game before equalising. Their hiccups continued with further slips as Georgetown took a 16-12 command of the period.
Gillis and Loncke landed some three-point daggers in the second quarter after Linden had intensified their internal defence. Georgetown captain, Darcel Harris worked the ball with superiority at the top and bottom of the parameter.
Soon Georgetown had a 10-point lead (25-15) within the first three minutes of the quarter that was savagely extended with back-to-back three-point jumpers from Gillis. There was no offensive reverse for the ‘GT’ team from that turn.
They went on to out-score Linden 24-11 in the period before halftime and ended with the commanding 41-23 lead at the break. The offensive attack quieted a usually vocal Linden posse and applied the taste of sweet revenge for Georgetown.
However, Linden administered the same medicine of aggressive defence in the second-to-last period and Georgetown were forced to play a mid-court game that made them enact a some untimely attempts that were good for nothing.
Linden clawed their way back into the game with Roberts leading on the offensive end of the court with consecutive inside lay-ups. The Mining Town went on a 17-9 in the middle of the period that was sustained until the end.
The offensive run helped Linden close the deficit 53-40 with Georgetown still in the lead. It was a low scoring period for Linden as they added only 12 points compared to 17 from Linden after the closing three minutes produced nil.
There was not much to savour in the final period as Georgetown just concentrated on the established advantage and allowed the ball to do the work. They understood that they had a lead and played from the front throughout the time.
Harris capped things off for Georgetown when he attacked the basket and passed the ball behind his back to Gullen, who was cutting on the baseline for a lay-up that brought some life into the ‘Showtime’ aspect of the All-Star Weekend.
Before the game, Tyrone Hamid, as he had done the night before, eliminated the thoughts challenge from his rivals when he defended the junior Dunk-Out title. Hamid also placed first in the Senior Dunk-Out Competition the night before.
Devon Gittens also shone when he out-gunned and dethroned fellow Lindener, Orin Rose in the Junior Three-Point Contest. He followed the footsteps of Gillis, who defended the Senior Three-Point title on the opening Saturday night.
Linden had reason to celebrate on the first night when they won the Junior All-Star game against Georgetown 92-86 with eventual MVP, Akeem Kanhai putting up the impressive figures of 25 points, 13 rebounds and eight steals.
Kanhai received support from Rose, who scored 33 points in an effort that was laced with six three point jumpers. Jermaine Slater scored 15 points for the City with Travis Burnett adding 21 points. Linden’s juniors had also won last year.