—missed free throws cost President’s XII game two
By Floyd Christie
The National President’s XII basketball team literally had a free shot at defeating the visiting Washington DC Jammers but missed the game-winning opportunity, Monday evening at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, in game two of the International Basketball Series for the Godwin McPherson Memorial trophy.
When the national team’s Captain Darcel Harris stepped to the free throw line with a mere one second remaining on the clock in the fourth quarter and the scores level 65-65, the buoyant supporters of the national team were brimming with confidence that the President’s XII had the game in the bag.
But Harris apparently buckled under the pressure, missing both throws from the line and sending the game into overtime which resulted in a 73-80 defeat for the President’s XII.
Looking to bounce back from a defeat in the opening game of the series, the national team somewhat elevated their game and the basketball community stepped up their support, as more patrons came out in support of the local side.
The President’s XII had to fend off a constantly attacking DC Jammers line-up and did so successfully, as they led the scoring at the end of the first three quarters. The Jammers’ however, stayed within striking distance, keeping the scores at a two-point margin for the opening periods which ended 21-19 in the first and 39-37 at the halftime buzzer.
The penultimate quarter had its fair share of thrills as the national team extended its lead but they were not allowed to stray far from their opponent’s total.
They were hauled back in when DC Jammers’ Keron McKenzie let loose two of his specialties and dropped back-to-back shots from outside the arc to level the score on 49 as the third quarter boiled down and ended with the national team mustering a 57-53 point advantage.
The closely-contested game climaxed in the fourth quarter with chants of “defence” from the supporters of the local team.
But though holding their own on the defensive end, the national team faltered on the free throw line.
As the time ticked away in the final quarter and the scores 64-62, national player Akeem ‘The Dream’ Kanhai probably wished he was dreaming as he thwarted a chance to extend his team’s meagre lead by missing critical shots from the line after benefiting from a flagrant foul.
Harris was the next to foil his free throw attempts following his buzzer-beating drive to the lane, in which he was fouled with both teams on 65 points.
Harris somewhat made amends for his final-second blunder on the line after netting a significant basket from three-point land early in the overtime period, but this was not enough for his team to assert command of the game and they went from defending a minimal lead to attempting unsuccessfully to claw back into the game at the end of overtime.
Andrew Ifill led the national team’s scoring with 19 points while Royston Siland and Harris added 15 points each.
Joseph Flegler and Mackenzie piloted the DC Jammers with 21 points apiece.
“Never doubt the heart of a champion… the DC Jammers don’t ever give up, even when apparently the game is lost” DC Jammers’ Head Coach, Michael Creppy told Stabroek Sport following the game, in relation to his team’s crunch time performance.
“Bobby did a great job,” Creppy added as he referred to the national team’s Head Coach, Robert ‘Bobby’ Cadogan and emphasized that the game “could’ve gone either way.”