New Amsterdam and Wortmanville/ Werk-en-Rust exited the Mackeson National Super Wards Basketball Competition on a high note when they came out victorious in their final games on Thursday night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
In the opening game of the night, New Amsterdam went into their match-up against Kitty/Campbellville hungry for their first win of the tournament and came out successful when the game ended 75-71.
Coming out of the first quarter New Amsterdam appeared to be treading the same path as in their previous games as Kitty/Campellville were leading 27-13.
However, the determined looking New Amsterdam side came out in the second quarter and played as if they were playing for the championship trophy. In a relentless attack, they executed one of the biggest comebacks of the tournament so far. They only allowed Kitty/Campbellville, what will go down in the books as one of the lowest scores in an entire quarter – a mere two points. New Amsterdam went on to total 24 points and ended the half with an eight-point lead.
Kitty/Campbellville were not allowed many opportunities at the basket. The few they had came off the ring instead of hitting the net and New Amsterdam’s main inside man, Randy Richardson, was cleaning up the spoils as he grabbed most of the defensive boards accumulating 23 rebounds, the highest of the tournament thus far.
The Kitty/Campbellville side were not down and out just yet and they came back with a 6-0 run in the third quarter and brought the game within four points by the start of the fourth quarter. The tension was high when an argument ensued between the Kitty/Campbellville players and the officials in the fourth quarter after they were unhappy with a technical foul that was given against them.
A short while after play resumed it was anyone’s game as the scores were within five points and Kitty/Campbellville were hunting for a win as much as the New Amsterdam squad. With seconds remaining Hodayah Stewart cut New Amsterdam’s lead to two with a long range three-pointer in a last ditch attempt to win the game, but New Amsterdam managed to hold off the valiant Kitty\Campbellville offence to win by four.
Richardson added 15 points to his amazing 23 boards and was assisted by Randy Caesar’s 14. Shane Webster and Devon Bacchus shared 20 points each for Kitty/Campbellville.
To wrap up the night’s proceedings, South Ruimveldt went down to the experienced Wortmanville/Werk-en-Rust 60-51.
After trailing in the first two quarters, South Ruimveldt came back in the game and took the lead at the end of the third quarter, which closed 38-35.
However, aided by one of Travis Burnette’s many fast break lay-ups and a successful shot from downtown by Triston Lake, Wortmanville/Werk-en-Rust retained their spot ahead on the scoreboard until the end of the game.
National centre Roystan Siland sealed Wortmanville/Werk-en-Rust’s nine-point win and had fans on their feet with a high-flying one-handed jam after he took off from outside the paint on the baseline.
Lake hit some key shots for Wortmanville/Werk-en-Rust as he totalled 15 while Siland and Kurt Elias contributed 12 points apiece.
Fabian Johnson, Gavin Beeram and Yanick Wade each scored 10 points for South Ruimveldt.
