– as Bulls, Pistons advance to semis
It was a fitting start to this year’s Brushches’ Basketball Classic in Linden as the two tournament favourite teams were sent packing when the event got underway on Friday at the Mackenzie Sports Club Hardcourt.
In a match that was marred by poor officiating Wismar Pistons overcame Linden’s number one team, the Victory Valley Royals 62-46 while the Glands Trucking Service (GTS) Bulls defeated the Kashif and Shanghai Kings 62-52 to advance to the semi-finals.
FIBA referee Sherwin Henry, along with Ellis Noel were the two officials presiding over the game which many fans envisaged would have been a very physical affair based on the history of the two sides.
And, from jump ball their predications came through as the Pistons and Royals wasted little time getting at each other in one of the most corporeal matches between the two in recent times.
Led by the explosive Dwayne ‘Brown Sugar’ Roberts, who is unarguably one of the country’s best power forwards, the Royals were the first to attack but the ready Pistons defense was firing on all cylinders.
The two sides were literally at each others neck and the play-on-shouts by the referee as the players from both sides began to cry out for usual fouls down below set up what would turn out to be an ugly opening night of one of Linden’s premiere tournaments.
At half time, the Royals were ahead of the fight by one point, 23-22, but it was the second half that things really begun to get out of hand.
With four minutes and 33 seconds left in the game (4:33), Henry made a foul call in favour of Royals’ Lawrence Da Costa but still, the player felt as though his call was not justifiable and landed a straight left hook to the Pistons player face in the presence of the referee. Still no technical was given.
While players from both teams were trying to get the two apart, Orlando Glasgow of Royals then found it fit to hand Pistons’ Quincy Jones a punch to the face, but this time referee Henry used the full force of his law and ejected the player.
Things calmed somewhat after that and the Pistons emerged to advance to the semi-finals.
Alisha Binue and Nevins Grenville both scored 17 points apiece for the Pistons while Roberts poured in 16 points for the Royals.
In the first game, the Kashif and Shanghai team’s long lay off from competitive basketball was evident against a hungry looking GTS Bulls line up.
The team which was one of the most dominant in the country, turned in a jaded performance as the Bulls led by captain Terrence ‘Platan’ James with 14 points along with Kurliegh Austin with 10 ceased the opportunity and advanced to the semi-finals.
Even though the Kings led 30-28 at half time, it was highly visible by the crowd at hand that the Bulls had them numbered since the customary scoring force, Marvin Heartman only shot nine, Omali Sampson – 11 and Jason Alonzo – eight.
