Latest update April 4th, 2025 6:13 AM
Ravens, Raiders renew Georgetown vs. Linden rivalry
– National Basketball title on the line tonight
By Edison Jefford
Last weekend, I pinned the success of Linden’s Retrieve Raiders in their semi-final game against Amelia’s Ward Jets squarely on the shoulders of Dwayne ‘Sugar’ Roberts. But destiny unfolded when Roberts did not play, owed to work commitments, yet Raiders grounded Jets for a place in the National Basketball Division I Club Championships Final.
Dwayne Roberts
I did say in my analysis, though, that two other players, Roberts’ national teammate, Neil Marks and Louis James will have to step up big to support him, and they did; the result was an addition to a Cinderella story for the fourth seeded Linden team.
Roberts’ appearance has been confirmed for the final sojourn on the ‘Road to Mecca’, which is the official name of the national competition, that continues tonight at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall from 6pm with an interesting and entertaining menu.
The night gets underway with a match-up between Diplomatic Corps and Media United before a third place showdown between Colts and Jets precede the grand finale. Local songstress Candace Fields will sing the National Anthem before tonight’s final.
With Roberts being back, Neil Marks going for 20 points, seven rebounds in the semis and Louis James throwing up a double-double, Raiders have its ‘big-three’ firing before a final that they will need to be at their best to have any chance at winning.
Add guard, Keon Cameron to the line-up for Raiders, you have a reasonably formidable team to combat the Ravens. But four players cannot do it alone. Raiders’ bench will have an important role to play in this ultra-big game at the Mecca of local basketball.
The two teams have one thing in common: Raiders are ranked number four in Linden and Dyna’s Ravens are ranked number four in Georgetown. It is ironic that the number four seeds in the two biggest basketball-playing blocks are playing for the national title.
Ravens’ biggest challenge seems to be behind them when they ousted the Georgetown top seed, Pacesetters in a three-point win. Ravens then beat Colts in another humdinger in what was easily the most difficult road to the finals of the two groups.
Akeem Kanhai
There was clear consistency coming from junior guard, Dominic Vincente, who has landed big shots for Ravens throughout the tournament after being handed an increased role. Ryan Stephney has also been very consistent in the backcourt for his team.
Ravens’ advantage tonight is in the guard to small forward positions where players like Akeem Kanhai, Ryan Gullen and Rodwell Fortune are definite threats. They may seem overwhelming to Raiders’ Cameron alone, which again brings into focus Raiders’ bench.
But the balance in tonight’s final is simple: what Raiders lose in the backcourt with insufficient ball-handlers, they make up in the frontcourt with Roberts, Marks and James. It is vice versa for Ravens with the strongest backcourt and weaker frontcourt, not taking anything away from Rudy James and Jermaine Slater, this battle will be nothing short of classic.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
The reciprocal tariffs
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has once again proven his talent for making the indefensible... more
The U.S. “Joining” the Commonwealth: an unreasonable expectation
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- Recent media stories have suggested that King Charles III could “invite” the United... more
Weekend Cartoon
