Defending champions North Ruimveldt along with Charlestown/Albouystown stepped closer the tournament’s $500,000 first prize after advancing to the semi-finals of the Hits and Jams television (HJTV), Georgetown Amateur Bask- etball association (GABA) and Lens Craft Inter-Ward Basketball tournament.
The two sides recorded emphatic wins when the tournament continued last Saturday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall with Plaisance falling prey to the defending champions 76-89 while Charlestown blew away Lodge/Meadowbrook 89-57.
The ‘Ghetto boys’ performance from the first burst of the Fox 40 whistle clearly indicated that the race for basketball’s biggest pay cheque will certainly be tight as they literally mopped the floor with the Lodge side only allowing them to score four points in the first quarter.
Point guard Rodwell Fortune and forward Alwyn Bellamy were the offensive wrecking machines and they combined for 29 of their team’s first quarter score of 30 points while Dwayne ‘Brown Sugar’ Roberts controlled the `boards’.
In the second game Lodge/Meadowbrook was able to score freely as Charlestown had decided to rest their primary players but the scoreboard still reflected a blow out in the making at half time reading 48-22 in favor of the victors.
Fortune, who earned the alias ‘The Little Big Man’ for being all over the court, turned up the pace on the offensive end once again.
This time, he also dished out several pivotal passes, finding Roberts and Bellamy who finished strongly inside.
Going into the final period the score was 65-42 in Charlestown’s favour and things got tougher for the Lodge team when Fortune signalled “Showtime” by commencing some fancy crossover dribbles as he evaded the Lodge players which brought lots of “oohs and aahs” from the crowd.
The losers managed to add 15 points to their third-quarter score while Charlestown added 34 points to theirs.
The diminutive Fortune finished the game with 22 points, 14 of which were scored in the first quarter.
He also dished out six assists, captured four steals and grabbed nine rebounds to round off his superb performance.
Bellamy, who scored 15 points in the first-quarter, finished the game with 18 points while Nicko Fraser chipped in with 11.
Roberts was fouled out in the third quarter with eight points and nine rebounds.
Mortimer Williams and Drumson Mc Auley were the prime scorers for the Lodge side netting 14 and 13 points respectively while Fabian Johnson supported with eight.
Meanwhile, a flawless night from point guard Darcel Harris, coupled with an NBA-like performance from Andrew ‘Mr. Dunk’ Ifill, catapulted North Ruimveldt one step closer to retaining their title.
Playing against Plaisance, North showed the grit and determination of a champion team by withstanding some strong and threatening runs from the East Coast boys.
Harris dished out several no-look passes and did not make one turnover throughout the night.
He found the sure hands of Ifill who threw down several dunks in the game and Linden-based guess player Quincy Jones on many occasions.
The East Coast team’s leading players, Ryan Gullen and Stephon Gillis, however stepped up to the plate with Gillis, known for his marksman-like shooting from beyond the arc, starting like a house on fire, netting 13 points in the first half inclusive of three-three pointers.
But, excellent defence by the North team restricted him to only three more points in the second half and he ended on 16 points.
Gullen too was closely marked throughout the night but he still managed to score 17 points and grab five rebounds.
Ifill scored a charismatic 30 points, 12 of which came from downtown. He fell one rebound short of a double-double and also picked up three steals. Harris on the other hand 15 points and five steals while Jones had 12 points.
North Ruimveldt and Charlestown/ Albouystown will now clash in a best-of-three semi-final tomorrow in what promises to be an electrifying series.
