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LABA/ Malta Supreme Christmas Basketball Championship…Jets halt Kings unblemished record, as Pistons remain in contention with win over Raiders
Battle for final four slots on tonight
The Amelia’s Ward Jets won an important Boxing Night game by beating previously unbeaten Kashif and Shanghai Kings 44-41, while Wismar Pistons kept their playoff chances alive with an exciting 59-52 win over retrieve raiders thus throwing the teams seeking playoff berths in the semifinals into uncertainty to be determined after the final set of double headers tonight at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court.
Allister Webster
On Boxing Night the Jets led by centre Allister Webster and small forward Ruel McKinnon with nine from beyond the arc piloted the Ward side past the Kings with 18 game high points inside the paint, after the Kings led 11-10 at the end of the first quarter and 21-18 at half time before the scores were knotted after the third quarter at 34. Then the final push for victory by the Jets saw them home by a 44-41 score line. Only power forward Omally Sampson with 17 points and Orin Rose with 12, were in top form for the Kings in that losing cause.
If the matches on Boxing Night were crucial, then tonight’s double header to complete the preliminary round play of the Linden Amateur Basketball Association organized Malta Supreme Magnificent Seven Christmas basketball championship are deciding encounters, as only one team is assured of a place so far and the three other slots are up for grabs based on results from tonight’s matches.
Such has been the competitive nature and unpredictability of this championship that the Kashif and Shanghai Kings by virtue of their one loss are certain to make the final four even with one game in hand against Wismar Pistons while Jets are in a position to grab the lead going into the semifinals should they win against Retrieve Raiders and the Kings lose to the Pistons.
In actual fact, the Kings may end up second among the teams advancing should the Jets win their game against the Raiders and the Kings lose an unlikely encounter against the Pistons.
Interesting is that three teams are on nine points, Half Mile Bulls, Victory Valley Royals and the Kings, but the Kings will move atop should they win and if they lose will finish on ten points and once the Jets win, being on eight points, they will complete this round on ten points also and hence go forward as the top seed for the semifinals.
The Kings have nine points from four wins and one defeat while the Jets are on eight points from three wins and two losses and with a loss will conclude also on nine points like the Royals and Bulls. If the Raiders win they will finish on nine points also like the Bulls and Royals who have completed their quota of matches with three wins and three losses. That would mean the Raiders have a similar record like them and the FIBA Classification of teams will take effect to arrive at the three other clubs to enter the semifinals.
It is because of this scenario that the games are very important for all concerned with the possible exception of Block 22 Flames in this seven team championship which completed their matches with four losses and two wins to be on eight points.
However it is left to tonight’s double header which answer the many questions that have been swirling around since this championship began as to which club will qualify for the semifinals set for Sunday at the same venue.
Omally Sampson
The winners will walk away with the top prize of $150,000 and the winners’ trophy and replicas among many other lucrative cash incentives for the teams reaching the final four of this championship through the kind sponsorship of Banks DIH Limited.
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