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Dyna’s Ravens are National Basketball Champion
By Edison Jefford
Dyna’s Ravens Basketball Club scored an unbelievable 62 points in the last two quarters Sunday night with Akeem Kanhai feral on an offensive run that included three massive dunks that helped his club seize the inevitable National Division I Title.
The 85-57 win for Georgetown’s Ravens against Linden’s Retrieve Raiders will for another year earn Ravens the right to be labelled the best club in Guyana. At least, Ravens ensured the packed Cliff Anderson Sports Hall
Ravens guard/forward, Akeem ‘The Dream’ Kanhai flies through the lane for a one-handed dunk Sunday night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
was left with that patent impression.
Even before the National Final started; before local songstress Candace Fields wowed the packed venue with her soulful rendition of the National Anthem, Ravens had their swag in-tact with their blinding, high coloured and trendy sneakers during the warm-ups.
It was no surprise that the emphatic victory, which was delayed for some time, meant so much to them. Kanhai dropped 20 points, grabbed eight rebounds and had four block shots while Rodwell Fortune scored 18 points; Jermaine Slater had a double-double with 17 points and 16 rebounds as Dominic Vincente, who was adjudged MVP of the Finals for his crunch-time shooting, scored 16 points for Ravens.
Raiders’ former national pair, Neil Marks and Dwayne ‘Sugar’ Roberts, scored 14 points apiece with Marks grabbing 15 and Roberts 14 rebounds. Dwight McKinnon scored 12 points while the other offensive threat, Louis James was held under double figures.
The massive atmosphere in what was one of the biggest turnouts for the sport in recent years was a deterrent for a hot offensive start for both teams. The early jitters were obvious in a low scoring first half that Raiders actually controlled in a defensive contest.
Marks hit back-to-back jumpers that allowed Raiders an 11-8 lead early in the first quarter which ended 13-9 in favour of the Linden side. As Ravens struggled to get their offensive combinations right in the first half, Roberts and Marks were controlling the ‘boards’.
It allowed Raiders tons of second chances as when Roberts drilled a fade-away jumper off of one leg for a 24-16 lead heading into halftime; the teams battled for minutes without much scoring as Raiders went into the break leading 26-23, ending the first half of the game.
The two teams continued to tough it out before Ravens’ Ryan Stephney landed free-throws to put the game on par, levelled 32-32, with four minutes to play in the third quarter. In three minutes, a lethal Dyna’s Ravens offence was unleashed against Retrieve Raiders.
Fortune entertained with some brutal crossovers that left defenders on the ground, Kanhai And-1 and Vincente baseline three-point jumper combined for an 18-3 run for Ravens inside the closing minutes of the third quarter for a 50-35 lead for Ravens at the end.
The run continued in the final period of regulation before Showtime began,
GABF President, Nigel Hinds (right) and VP Michael Singh (left) join Dyna’s Ravens Basketball Club for a photo opportunity after their resounding win against Retrieve Raiders, Sunday night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
effectively signalling a blowout for Raiders. Kanhai put patrons in the venue on their feet when he leaped off a dribble on the baseline for a tomahawk dunk that had fans exulting.
The move put Ravens up 57-42 as Roberts’ energy faded against a crowded defence that put him under severe pressure to convert. Raiders Keon Cameron landed a three-pointer that quieted those rooting for Ravens, but Vincente answered right back from down-town.
Kanhai then packed salt in the Raiders’ wound with another three-point jumper before he pierced the lane for a two-handed slam-dunk that turned a first half, competitive contest into an offensive party for Ravens. Vincente continued to drill his way into a possible place on the national team’s shortlist with his shooting; his 16 points included five three-point jumpers. The game was over from the time the Ravens run started, Raiders had given up.
In the third place game, Colts defeated Linden’s Amelia’s Ward Jets 71-48, giving Georgetown two places among the top three clubs in Guyana.
Guard’s Shelroy Thomas scored 20 points and had six steals while Nikkoloi Smith had 15 points and Dave Causway 11 points for Colts. Alistair Webster scored 10 points and grabbed 14 boards for Jets, while Joel Webster also had 10 points. Shane Webster finished with eight points and was again in double figures on the boards with 11 rebounds.
Before the official programme, Media United played the Diplomatic Corps in the first game with Diplomats winning 78-59. Sherwin Young scored 19 points, Marvin Durant and Devon Cameron had 16 and 14 points, while Oswald Critchlow finished with nine points. Yannick December had 29 points for Media while Yannick Charles had 13 points.
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