Basketball: National League Updates |21 September 2022
Zerah Bonté and HotShots beat Mont Fleuri for their second league win (Photo: Roland Duval)
AB Boys relegate Cascade Bullets into fourth place
● Beau Vallon Heat glide past MBU Rockers to move on top
Title contenders Cascade Bullets missed the opportunity to lead the men’s division two standings following their 40-57 defeat against AB Boys on Monday, while Beau Vallon Heat are leading the men’s division one table after their 81-56 win over tail-enders MBU Rockers over the weekend.
Against Anse Boileau-based AB Boys, Bullets had the chance to go to the top the table on the head-to-head rule, after leaders Anse Etoile were beaten by Praslin Boys on Sunday, but the boys of coach Biko Biong failed to seize the opportunity, losing their third league match of the season.
A more agile and well-organised AB Boys won the first quarter 10-6, before narrowly outscoring Bullets 17-15 in the second to boast a slight 27-21 lead at half-time.
Realising that a defeat will cost them a shot at topping the table, Bullets tried to redeem themselves in the third quarter, but only managed to score 10 points, compared to 16 for AB Boys, earning the latter a 43-31 advantage at the end of the third period of the match.
At the end of the fourth and final quarter, AB Boys scored 14 more points, while Bullets added another 9 to their tally as AB Boys won the match 57-40.
Francesco Boniface had the hot hands for AB Boys with 22 points, while big man Eddy Servina led the scoring for Cascade with 25 points.
The win places AB Boys third overall on 24 points from 11 wins and two defeats after 13 matches played, while Bullets are now fourth on 23 points from 10 victories and three defeats out of 13 matches.
Praslin Boys surprise leaders Anse Etoile
After two consecutive wins over rivals AB Boys and Cascade Bullets, men’s league division two leaders Anse Etoile were stunned by Praslin Boys on Sunday, with the latter registering their second victory in two days after crushing St Louis Saints 89-58 the day before.
Against Anse Etoile, Praslin Boys were all out to consolidate their position among the leaders, matching their opponents on score – 12-12 – after the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Anse Etoile scored 15 points, while Praslin chipped in 13, giving the former a 27-25 advantage at half-time.
In the second half of the match, Praslin Boys stepped up their game, outscoring Anse Etoile 17-15 and 18-16 in the third and fourth quarters respectively, earning them a 60-58 win at the end.
Finidy Esther was Praslin Boys’ top scorer with 21 points, while with 19 points Nigel Cafrine led the scoring for Anse Etoile.
In their match against St Louis Saints, Praslin Boys had total dominance in the first half, winning the first and second quarters 27-13 and 33-7 respectively to comfortably lead 60-20 at half-time.
With a 40-point lead, coach Andy Niole did not stress his players in the third quarter of the match, and this allowed St Louis Saints to score 28 additional points, compared to 19 for Praslin Boys, concluding the third period of the match 79-48.
In the fourth and final quarter, Praslin Boys scored 11 more points, while St Louis Saints added another 10 to their tally, concluding the match 90-58 in favour of the former.
Praslin Boys arena occupying the runners-up spot after collecting 25 points from 11 wins and three defeats out of 14 matches played, similar to leaders Anse Etoile who boast a superior basket difference.
Mont Fleuri Ballerz beat Baba
In the other men’s league division played during the weekend, Mont Fleuri Ballerz registered their sixth league win, defeating the Bel Air Basketball Academy (Baba) 73-54.
After losing the first quarter 14-24, Ballerz came back stronger in the second, outscoring the young Baba team 23-10 to lead 34-37 at half-time.
With more experienced players in the calibre of Ron Estico, Tony Moustache and captain Mario Andre, Ballerz dominated the second half of the match, winning the third and fourth quarters 18-7 and 18-13 respectively, and the match 73-54.
Ballerz are now fifth overall on 20 points from six wins and eight losses in 14 matches played, while the defeat keeps Baba ninth on 14 points from two wins and 10 losses in 12 matches played.
Beau Vallon Heat take the lead with win over MBU Rockers
In the men’s league division one competition, Beau Vallon Heat are now the new leaders after their 81-56 win over bottom-placed MBU Rockers.
MBU Rockers of coach Alvin Alcindor started the match on the right tempo, surprising Heat with a 20-14 first quarter lead, before allowing the latter to close up the gap in the second quarter, winning 25-15 to lead 39-35 at half-time.
In the third quarter, the Heat dominated the match, winning 26-9, before outscoring Rockers 16-2 in the fourth and final quarter to win the match 81-56.
Captain Timmy Adam was Heat’s top scorer with 26 points, while skipper Nigel Sinon led the scoring for Rockers with 13 points.
Heat are now leading the standings on 16 points from seven victories and two defeats from nine matches played.
As for MBU Rockers, they remain at the bottom on 10 points from a single win and eight defeats out of nine matches played.
Baya sneak past Mont Fleuri Dawgz to go second
Bel Air-based Baya are presently second on the league table, following their narrow 47-46 win over Mont Fleuri Dawgz over the weekend.
After losing the first quarter 9-11, Baya came out stronger in the second period of the match to equal Dawgz on score – 11 points apiece –, concluding the first half 22-20 in favour of the latter.
In the third quarter, Dawgz maintained their grip on the match, outscoring Baya 12-10, to lead 34-30 at the end.
It was in the fourth and final quarter of the match that Baya of coach Gregoire Scholastique threw everything into the match to outscore Dawgz 17-12 for a narrow 47-46 victory at the end.
With 10 points, Okafor Ebuka led the scoring for Baya, while captain Tainio Ah-Kong was Dawgz’ top scorer with 14 points.
Second-placed Baya have now collected 16 points from six wins and four losses out of 10 matches played, while Dawgz are sixth on 11 points after two victories and seven defeats out of nine matches played.
Premium Cobras halt Drifters
Premium Cobras collected their fourth win of the season, bringing their points tally to 13 following their 72-65 win over Anse Boileau-based Drifters.
It was Drifters who had the upper hand after the first quarter of the match, slightly winning 16-15, before Cobras of coach Dominic Pillay reversed the scoring in the second quarter, winning on similar score to tie the match a 31 points apiece at half-time.
It was in the third quarter that Cobras shifted to a stronger gear, scoring 22 points, compared to 14 for Drifters, giving them a 53-45 lead.
In the intense fourth quarter, Drifters netted 20 points, while Cobras added another 19 for 72-65 victory.
John Zervoulakous was Cobras’ top scorer with 21 points, while Ervin Agathine scored 18 points to lead the scoring for Drifters.
Drifters are now third on 16 points from six wins and four defeats in 10 matches played, while Cobras are fifth on 13 points from four wins and five defeats in nine matches played.
HotShots beat Mont Fleuri to collect second league win
In the women’s league, HotShots collected their second league win of the season, defeating Mont Fleuri 57-47 to consolidate their third overall spot on the table.
It was Mont Fleuri who started the match stronger, winning the first quarter 13-4, before allowing HotShots to close the gap, after winning the second quarter 16-10, cutting the former’s lead to 23-20 at half-time.
HotShots came out stronger in the third quarter to outscore Mont Fleuri 18-11, taking a 38-34 lead at the end of the period.
It was in the fourth and final and quarter that Anse Boileau-based HotShots threw everything into the match, scoring 19 points, while Mont Fleuri chipped in another 13 to conclude the match 57-47 in favour of the former.
HotShots are now on eight points from two wins and four defeats out of six matches played, while Mont Fleuri remain at the bottom on seven points from a single victory and five losses in six matches.
Roland Duval
