Plaisance point guard Hugh Arthur executes a lay-up during his side’s 84-61 win over East/West Ruimveldt (left) and Vivian Alder (#12) was late in his attempt to stop this Charlestown player from scoring in this composite photo. (Photos by Orlando Charles)

Charlestown/Albouystown and Plaisance advance

Charlestown/Albouystown brushed aside Supply/ Soesdyke 70-41 while Plaisance shook off East/West Ruimveldt 84-61, as action in the Hits and Jams Television (HJTV) tournament continued on Tuesday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The two winners were clear favourites going into their matches since over the years they have proven themselves to be strong contenders and often finish in the top bracket of their matches.

In the first game of the two-match fixture, an energized Charlestown led by guest player from Linden, Dwayne ‘Brown Sugar’ Roberts was able to hold off early glitches and a stiff challenge from its opponents to run away with the win. Charlestown by far the more rounded and experienced of the two teams led at the end of every quarter racking up a half time score 33-28.

But the Supply side did not give up without a fight. They fought continuously and gained some amount of success in the process, however their team lacked the artillery to combat the eventual winners though they managed to score 13 points in the other two periods of the game.

Brown Sugar played like a scavenger on the hunt; cleaning up almost everything and finishing the game with 19 points, two blocked shots and 11 rebounds. He was well supported by Alwyn Bellamy with 13 points, four steals and seven rebounds. The score sheet reflected an all-round team effort from the Charlestown side as Marvis Hilliman had 13 points and Rodwel Fortune and Collis Pluck each netted seven.

On the Supply side, the towering Vivian Alder and Desmond Chin who were the two most senior men on the side only managed to muster nine points each. However, Alder’s presence on the court was most felt on the defensive end as he used his size and height to block two shots.

In the second game the East/West team looked as though they were set to pull off an upset over favourites Plaisance but Stephon Gillis and Ryan Gullen had other plans.

Though they were a bit ‘out of shape’ the losers were able to hold their own though they trailed by three points at the end of the first match-up – 19-16 – and at half time by five (33-28).

The second half was a bit more entertaining as ‘the fat boys’ (East/West Ruimveldt) gave Plaisance a run for their money. However Gullen and Gillis soon stepped up to the plate and began a relentless attack.

While Gullen hit the mid-range jumpers, Gillis did the same from beyond the arc. The two continued this assault giving their team 38 points from its 84 total.

Gullen ended with a game high 21 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals while Gillis scored 17 points inclusive of five three-pointers. Former Junior National Point Guard Kester Gomes had a well-played 15 points while Warren Oudkerk and Marlon Rodrigues both netted 11 points.