Ravens’ forward Ryan `Corn Meal’ Gullen gave an explosive 27-point performance giving his team a much-needed offensive boost in the process which enabled them to a 77-66 victory over the Nets on Wednesday evening at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall in the first game of the best of three Guyana Amateur Basketball Association/Next level Entertainment division one finals.
Coming off an impressive win over Pacesetters last Sunday, the Nets seemed to carry that same momentum into game one against the Ravens as they held progressively dominant leads throughout the first half.
The Nets even doubled their opponents’ total with 8:13 minutes in the second half remaining with the scoreboard reading 28-14, which was a direct result of excellent ball movement and superb perimeter shooting.
Ravens, on the other hand, just could not connect on their many attempts as most members of their star-studded cast including top scorer Gullen slacked up missing simple lay-ups.
Two minutes into the second quarter, however, Gullen decided to end his team’s trend of tossing up countless bricks and single handedly led the team for the majority of the second half scoring the first nine second half points and ending the quarter with 11 of his team’s 16 second-half points.
The Ravens went on a 6-2 run during the last minute of the first half and stole the Nets’ momentum.
They went into the dressing room trailing by just 10 points, down from the earlier 18-point deficit.
In the second half, the Ravens players emerged from the locker room with pep in their step as if they had just absorbed some superior knowledge from coach and former national player Lugard Mohan.
Whatever they were told seemed to translate into new-found energy on both sides of the court.
The Ravens most effective weapon was the defensive pressure they exerted on their opponents and they were successful in silencing the weapons of the Nets to some extent.
As soon as this was achieved, Ravens had no problem in attacking the now frustrated Nets with their deceptively quick transition game orchestrated by point-guard Darcelle Harris, who helped them to expand on the lead that they stole with 2:56s remaining in the third quarter, when he scored a coast-to-coast layup drawing a foul in the process.
Harris continued to lead the team in the final quarter.
He exemplified his position by not only scoring but also by dishing out a flurry of assists as the two sides traded baskets.
Towards the end while Ravens continued to score with ease, national player Triston Tulloch could free himself from the stifling defence and hoisted a series of bricks.
Marlon Rodrigues, earned his minutes for the Ravens as he finished with 12 points including three clutch free throws after he was fouled from beyond the arc.
Tulloch led the scoring for the Nets with 17 points followed by Mortimer Williams with 16 and Fabian Johnson with 14.
Meanwhile, Pepsi Sonics defeated the Ravens for third place in a division three match. Sonics were led by Courtney Hinds, who finished with a game-high 19 points while Drexel Aaron ended with 17 points.
Drexel and Hinds sealed the game with clutch three-point shooting in the final seconds to overthrow the Ravens.
Biniam Norton and Jermaine Slater top scored for the Ravens with 14 points a piece while Antwain Benjamin added 13 points.
The division three finals will be held this Saturday when Disciples and Pacesetter will meet in the one, game final.
That game will be followed by game two of the best-of-three division one finals.
