Latest update February 4th, 2025 9:06 AM
LABA/ Malta Supreme Christmas Basketball C/ship …Top seeds Kings face Jets in intriguing battle tonight, Raiders oppose Wismar
An intriguing battle is anticipated this evening when the two unbeaten clubs so far in the Linden Amateur Basketball Association’s Malta Supreme Christmas Basketball Championship clash in the feature game of a double header as the number one ranked Kings and second seeded Amelia’s Ward Jets collide at 9:00pm at the 
Mackenzie Sports Club Hard Court.
In the first game at 7:00pm retrieve Raiders and Wismar Pistons square off in what should be of interest for all in this championship.
The Kings who played last night against the Half Mile Bulls entered this tournament as the top seed after they barely kept the number one ranking after two tournaments in 2012, tallying 13 pointed, while the Jets came in a close second, one point behind in the newly established LABA rankings scoring system, on 12 points.
The Kings having won the Trophy Stall Regulation tournament and placing fourth in the BOSAI championship are out to settle a score with the Jets. The Jets actually defeated them in the last BOSAI Open challenge tournament when they met in the preliminary round and knowing that their top billing is being challenged Kings would want to come out on top.
Jets for their part have done well against Kings, evident by the fact that of recent have won both their clashes this year.
If this is anything to go by, it is for this reason Kings will be wary of their opponents and would want to make a statement on their head to head clashes.
It is believed that Jets will throw their big men at Kings tonight and this could pose serious problems for the top seeds. With national centre Shane Webster, his brother Allister and another Domain Webster all playing in the middle, Kings best hope rests with forward/centre Omally Sampson as the absence of former national centre Jason Alonzo would be sorely missed.
But if Kings will have to give up their inside game they can tilt the balance in their favour with their small men launching missiles from outside. These include national skipper Steve Neils (Jr.) who along with former National Under-19 guard Orin Rose and past national Marvin Hartman can match any back court in this tournament.
Kings will also have the dependable former national player Abdullah Hamid in their lineup to strengthen their chances of coming out on top.
However, if Kings feel they are superior in the back court, they will have to show this against a Jets side led by point guard Kevin ‘Two’ Feet Joseph, who along with the returning shooting guard Neil Simon, young Leonard Caleb and forward Javon Nelson could prove hard to get by.
This game will go down to the wire all things being equal and the team which executes best will emerge as winners.
This game will be preceded by the first at 7:00pm when Retrieve Raiders, who played unbeaten until they lost in the final against Bulls, face Wismar Pistons.
Raiders will be looking improve their status after this championship and currently lying at fourth in the rankings, they take on the Royals who are listed as the fourth seeded.
Raiders will have in their lineup a bunch of talented players who will surround national player Neil Marks among them. Raiders’ challenge in this tournament rests solely on how best they utilize the talent at hand which includes former junior national player Geoffrey LaRose, Sheldon Noel, Omar Sam, Dwight McKinnon along with Alexander Rose and Anson Durant.
The Royals will be hoping a speedy return by their top player Chris Williams to join forces with former junior national Marlon Pollydore, Stephen Counchman, Harold Adams, Alwyn Rodney, Christopher Pollydore and Theodore Tappin among others to bring them victory.
Tomorrow another double header will be played when the game affected by a power outage between Half Mile Bulls and Block 22 Flames at half time will resume at 33-23 for the Bulls and the other is between the Royals and the Pistons.
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