Pacesetters break two-year jinx against Ravens

Mar 02, 2015 Sports

– Played Colts for National Basketball title

By Edison Jefford
Trinity Grid Holdings (TGH) Pacesetters broke a nearly two-year old jinx Saturday night at Cliff Anderson’s Sports Hall when they beat reigning National Champions, Dyna’s Ravens to advance to last night’s final of the National Basketball Championships.
Ravens has been the most dominant team in Georgetown over the last two years, but fell 65-69 to Pacesetters in a gruelling, action-packed encounter to end their reign and annul any chance of the title defence they had anticipated before the

Colts’ guard, Shelroy Thomas (#15) goes up in heavy traffic for a floater off the glass Saturday night in the Semi-Finals.

tournament.
Point guard Travis Burnette was devastating in the paint with 18 points, complimented with four steals that continued his reputation as one of the best defensive point guards in Guyana. Stephon Gillis scored 12 points while Travis Williams had 11 points.
Ravens’ shooting guard, Ryan Stephney gave the team a hot start, netting their first 10 points in the period through two three pointers, a mid-range jumper and a layup. Stephney continued with great offence for his team with 27 points. Dominic Vincente had 10 points while Jermaine Slater finished with eight points and 18 rebounds.
Trailing 53-55 heading into the final period, Pacesetters’ through the work of its defensive guard, Burnett unleashed a fourth quarter defensive clinic which reduced the always threatening Ravens offense to merely 10 points.
Pacesetters’ defensive work in the last period was further underscored when they kept Stephney to a solitary point via a free-throw in the entire quarter. With the game tied 57-57 and 7:50 left on the clock, Pacesetters ‘balled’ to a six-point lead.
Pacesetters never relinquished the lead in the dying minutes of the quarter, despite some pressure defence. However, Pacesetters showed excellent composure in the circumstances forcing Akeem Kanhai and Stephney to take ill-advised shots.
Ravens hauled within four points (67-63) with 2:22 remaining with Vicente scoring a mid-range jumper while Stephney and Slater completed foul shots. Pacesetters then re-established a six point’s lead with 1:10 remaining as Burnette scored again.
Pacesetters showed great maturity when they used their two-possession advantage to secure what is perhaps their biggest win in two years. Pacesetters played Colts United last night after Colts beat last year’s finalist, Retrieve Raiders.
Point guard, Shelroy Thomas led Colts with 18 points, six steals and five rebounds in the 79-70 win while Haslyn Hooper scored nine points, grabbed 16 rebounds and completed five steals in an excellent defensive effort for his team as well. Rayon Cummings and Nicko Fraser had 12 and 10 points respectively.
Sheldon Noel scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Raiders as the national prospect, forward, Neil Marks added 10 points, six assists and five steals; Geoffrey LaRose also pitched in with 10 points. The National Championships concluded last night.

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