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Melanie meltdown gives hosts opening win
– Phillip George II bounces off at CASH
By Edison Jefford
Melanie Patriots’ unfortunate offensive meltdown allowed hosts, Colts, an opening win Saturday night in the Division I contest of the Phillip George Legacy II Competition at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH), which will host the 2013 episode.
Colts’ guard, Shelroy Thomas (left) sinks the free-throws that sealed Melanie’s fate Saturday night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Melanie completely outplayed Colts for 35 of the 40-minute game, to come up short 79-85 in the end. It was a heartrending process for them to watch as much as a 19-point lead in the last half of the game completely vanish, turning certain win into defeat.
Guard, Shelroy Thomas was again the architect of victory for a shorthanded Colts with 27 points while fellow guards, Dave Causway and Sheldon Thomas scored 14 points apiece. Lloyd Burnett also pitched in with 10 points for the completely ‘small’ Colts, who were without their ‘big men’ Dane Kendall, Marvis Hilliman in the game. Onicko Fraser, another forward for the team, played only the third and fourth quarters, which helped them solidify the paint.
Melanie had a great all-round effort with forward, Sherlon Legal leading the way with 17 points; Kurtley English had 14 points, while Ashton Adams contributed 12 points; N. Bacchus and Floyd Arthur had 11 points each with Ewart Smith adding 10 points.
Melanie jumped out to an early 14-4 lead after they pounded the ball inside, continually to Legal, who towered over the Colts’ guards in the absence of their ‘big men’; but Nikkoloi Smith landed back-to-back three-point jumpers to cut the Patriots’ lead.
Colts prolonged their offensive run for a 15-14 lead after the first quarter expired. It was the first time Melanie’s offense froze; the second would prove much more fatal. Legal scored free-throws to put Melanie up again in the second quarter of the game.
Melanie went back to what gave them initial success when they pounded the ball inside to Legal, who finished for a 25-16 lead. They extended that run to 14-1 after Legal dropped a rare jumper from beyond the three-point arc; Melanie was steaming; they rolled to a 39-22 points’ advantage at the halftime break with victory in plain sight.
However, Colts guards, Causway, Thomas and Smith went to work in the third quarter, which in effect launched a classic comeback for the team; down 26-45, Colts guards ran through Patriots’s defence in the paint for crisp finishes that left them unresponsive.
Melanie witnessed a 19-point lead fizzle to a 10-point advantage (67-57) with three minutes left to play in the penultimate quarter; then came the stifling full-court press defence that snuffed the life out of Melanie in the finale quarter.
The defensive strategy, coupled with quick outlet passes that led to fast-breaks, forced 13 points for Colts, which went unanswered on the other end. The deficit was 71-75 with five minutes left in the game. Melanie lost their grip and the game was over.
In the other Division I game of the night, Ravens thrashed Plaisance Guardians 64-44; Dominic Vincente scored 13 points and Darrion Lewis added 12 points for Ravens. Ron Campbell was a solo act for Guardians with a game-high 22 points.
Meanwhile, Guardians’ Division III team had set some standard for their senior unit when they defeated Buxton 58-43 in that version of the tournament. Colwyn Nurse scored 18 points while Nduko Horatio added 14 points for Guardians. Devon Roberts had 16 points and Quasie Newton 10 points for Buxton.
The University of Guyana Trojans had secured a walkover from the number one ranked Division III club in Georgetown, Trinity Grid Holdings Pacesetters in the first game. The event continued at the same venue yesterday with some eight games.
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