Basketball: Premium Cobras international tournament-Agrippine comes to Cobras’ rescue |25 November 2004

Tuesday’s victory was hosts’ Premium Cobras second in the tournament after they blew out Angels 96-56 in the tournament’s opening match on Monday.

With Real, who were playing their first match in the tournament after having watched the other four teams in action on Monday night, rushing to a 23-16 lead at the end of the first quarter and extending it to 12 points – 41-29 – at the half, Premium Cobras needed someone to rise to the occasion and pick them up from their deathbed.

That player was Agrippine, scoring 13 of his game-high 27 points in the third quarter as Premium Cobras outscored Real 34-11 to start the fourth and final quarter with an 11-point advantage (63-52).

Premium Cobras’ third quarter comeback should be attributed to their long range shooting as they drained five 3-pointers -  three by Agrippine and two by captain James Beier – in 10 minutes of action.

In addition to Agrippine’s 13 points, Beier and centre Lenny ‘Bad’ Aglaé added eight (8) apiece and Nigerian playmaker Benjamin Adayehi five (5).

Real had another 10 minutes to try and come back, but every time they came to within two points of equalising, Premium Cobras distanced themselves to finally win the fourth quarter 23-21 and the game 87-73.

Premium Cobras’ coach Steve Hoareau had four players in double digits – Agrippine (27), Aglaé (17), Adayehi (13) and Beier (11) - in Tuesday’s game which saw a total of 19 3-pointers scored, 10 by the local team.

Agrippine and Real skipper Ghislain Fanny, who finished with 25 points, each buried five treys on the night.

Real, whose bench was outscored 12-14, had another two players – Malagasy small forward Denis Saotra (15) before fouling out and Andy Tanner (14) - scoring in double figures.

Coach Steve Hoareau, whose team were out to put an end to Baya’s two-game unbeaten run last night, said that “now that teams have played consecutive matches, the ones whose players are strong mentally and whose legs are fresher will survive the challenge.”

As for Real’s coach Rakesh Chundunsing, he said that his team “will play better in the coming matches.”

G. G.