LTI regain National Schools’ Basketball Championship

Jul 11, 2011 Sports

– Bobby’s ASP Girls, Kwakwani, NA also win titles

By Edison Jefford
There was no doubt at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall last night that the National Schools’ Basketball Division I Final between Kwakwani Secondary School and Linden’s Technical Institute (LTI) would have been a classic rematch.
The two teams have now met six times in the final of the tournament and LTI, last night, balanced the win/loss record among them 3-3 with a 75-66 victory in overtime after the scores were levelled at 62 points in regular time.

Coach Bobby Cadogan pose with his successful female basketball team at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall last night.

Marlon Pollydore scored 27 points while Joel Webster supported with a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, to help LTI, who had lost to Kwakwani in the final last year, regain the Division I title.
Dominic Douglas scored 22 points while Elvis Thompson had 17 points for Kwakwani that was off to a steaming start in the game. Kwakwani scored the first seven points with Clevon Doujon and Clairmont Sauers the early offensive leaders.
However, Pollydore took over proceedings for LTI after his team-mates struggled to convert the earlier attempts. The point-guard helped his team square the scores at 13 apiece before leading them to a 28-20 lead with five minutes left in the first half.
Kwakwani intensified their defense when they shifted from the zone to scratch defense, which forced a few turnovers and allowed Thompson space to drill jump shots. Ted Rogers’ three-point jumper hauled Kwakwani to within two (31-33) points.
The teams exchanged points before Pollyodre scored five straight points in the last minute before halftime to help LTI close the period leading 40-35. The points exchange continued in the second half with Kwakwani taking their first lead, 53-52, of the period, when Douglas drove baseline to complete an up-and-under layup.
The move ignited the large following the team attracted from Kwakwani and also swung some momentum back in their favour. Pollydore showed his leadership instincts again when he completed an ‘And-One’ move to return the lead to his school.
However, the guard missed two critical free-throws with the scores levelled at 60 and 34.4 seconds left in regulation time. He was not the only player to err in that regard, Webster followed him when he squandered another two to create more drama.
Kwakwani went up 62-60 with 24 seconds left on the clock, but Pollydore used his possession to ensure that he keep the game alive with a coast-to-coast finish. The rest is now history, Pollydore was too good for Kwakwani in overtime where the game ended.
LTI went on to secure the overall Championship when they thrashed Division II winners, New Amsterdam (NA) Multilateral 73-35 in the Champions-of-Champions game of the 2011 National Schools’ Baskebtall Festival (NSBF). Pollydore had 12 points for LTI.
Ryan Caesar scored 15 points and Mickhail Durant had 10 points for NA that had earlier beaten Trust College 45-43 to get the Division II title. Tyronne Dey had scored 16 points, Shawn D’Aguir 11 points and Caesar 10 points in that win. For Trust College, Dominic Vincente had 24 points.
Kwakwani restored some pride in their basketball when they won the Under-16 title 55-48 against Plaisance Secondary School. Eon Meredith had 16 points for Kwakwani. Nduka Horatio and Wesley Forde were the leading scorers for Plaisance with 19 and 16 points respectively.
Bobby’s After School Programme (ASP) Girls won the female competition with a walkover Marian Academy. They had played unbeaten throughput the tournament. The main sponsors of the nation-wide NSBF were Digicel, Banks DIH, Beharry’s and Sterling Products.