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Diamond oust North to reach Final Four

Jun 18, 2012 Sports

By Edison Jefford
The success story of the Diamond/McDoom team in the 2012 National Community Basketball League (NCBL) has to be the vast improvement of its undersized centre, Jermaine Slater, who brought his A-game to the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall Saturday night.
Whether it was his sheer dominance on the boards, his fearsome block shots, his fundamental inside moves or his enhanced 15-foot jumpers when he is unable to get inside, Slater’s presence helped Diamond to an impressive 69-63 win against North Ruimveldt.
The win meant that Diamond/McDoom will appear in unfamiliar territory among the Final Four best basketball-playing communities in Guyana. While Slater’s stats were not provided, guard, Travis Burnett led the scoring with 17 points while Ryan Stephney scored 15 points and Rodwell Fortune 13 points for Diamond.
Jason Squires had 14 points and Yusuf Edghill 11 points for North Ruimveldt, whose sojourn in the competition ended with the defeat. The game was set up as a last-minute decider from jump-ball given the balance of the two teams in the quarter-final game.
North’s early defence on the inside was outstanding. They forced Diamond to shoot the ball at a high percentage, which Stephney and Fortune did successfully early on in the first quarter to give Diamond a 15-8 lead. Fortune’s known quickness in transition and on fast-break plays continued its remarkable impact.
Fortune continuously broke down North’s defence, helping Diamond to a 19-10 lead at the end of the first quarter. Diamond intensified their individual defence to start the second period with Burnett proving why he is regarded as an ultimate finisher.
Burnett took Hodayah Stewart off a lethal crossover at the top of the key, drove ball inside and finished a left-handed lay-up to extend Diamond’s lead. However, former national guard, Darcel Harris quickly responded for North with consecutive jump shots, including a three-point missile from ‘miles’ beyond the arc.
Diamond looked in command with a 27-19 lead, but the ‘Energy God’, Stephon ‘Penny’ Henry drilled a big three-point jump shot from the top of the key that ignited an 11-point run for North Ruimveldt. The excellent inside defensive work and rebounding of Rudy James came to fore as Devon Bacchus dished an assist to Damian Liverpool for two points in transition.
Sereiah Clarke completed a lay-up and Edghill made a floater to complete an unanswered period of offense for North, who took a 31-30 lead with 15 seconds left until halftime. However, Slater slipped in a jumper off the glass to ensure Diamond a one-point lead at the break.
Kurt Sunich three-point jumper early in the third quarter opened a period of quality offensive and defensive plays for both teams. The teams exchanged points with Burnett and Fortune combining to wear down the excellent defence of North Ruimveldt.
However, North’s resilience led to a 53-50 advantage at the end of the period. Both teams battled to a 59-59 stalemate after four minutes had elapsed in the final period. Two scoreless minutes got underway with an intense defensive battle in the must-win game.
Burnett finished a put back and Fortune scored a jumper to break the deadlock, but North came right back at them when Liverpool finished a tough inside lay-up off a steal from Stephney that had the potential to change the outcome of the game for Diamond.
However, Stephney handed Hodges an over-head pass for an easy finish to give Diamond a 65-63 points lead with 29 seconds left in regulation. North turned-over the ball on their possession and Diamond rightly decided to use the clock, forcing them to play the foul-game.
Free-throws from Stephney and Fortune ended the game in favour of Diamond/McDoom, who became the second team to advance to the Final Four, following Wismar’s win Thursday night. Plaisance/Vryheid’s Lust took on Werk-En-Rust/Wortmanville in another quarterfinal last night.

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