The Western Union Plaisance/Vryheids Lust team became the third team to qualify for the semifinal round in the National Community Basketball League (NCBL) when they defeated Wortmanville/Werk-en-Rust 77-67 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) last Sunday evening.
Wortmanville/Werk-en-Rust seemed more in control early in the game as they displayed a well-organized system, scoring sometimes at will in the paint and making easy work of their opponents.
Playing good defense as well with a 2-3 zone defense, Wortmanville/Werk-en-Rust were able to limit the shot attempts of the Western Union side during the first two quarters of the close game that ended 37-35 at the half in favour of Wortmanville/Werk-en-Rust.
However, the tide began to change in the third quarter as the injection of Plaisance’s Nikkoloi Smith into the line-up produced a sudden impact.
Smith’s speed and quickness disrupted the system of Wortmanville/Werk-en-Rust and his agility disrupted passes when he played defence which created shots for his teammates on offense.
With Wortmanville/Werk-en-Rust star player Royston Siland fouling out in the fourth quarter with more than five minutes left in the game, Plaisance took advantage of his absence and increased their lead to walk away with the win.
Enoch Matthews was the game’s top scorer with 18 points for the East Coast team while Stephan Gillis, who was his usual hot self from beyond the arc, finished with 17 points. Smith ended with 10 points but his contributions to the win were the hustle and will that would not show up in the stats line.
Naylon Loncke had 14 points for Wortmanville/Werk-en-Rust while Jermaine Hamilton was the only other meaningful contributor in the lost game with 11 points.
Meanwhile, Georgetown Masters held on to defeat Georgetown Pioneers 62-61 in the supporting game earlier in the night.
The action was back and forth between the two teams with several lead changes during the course of the game.
However, up by six with 1:52 seconds on the clock National Coach Bobby Cadogan ignited a late run for the Pioneers but it was a little too late as he was only able to bring it within one before the game’s final buzzer sounded.
The League will now move to Linden this Thursday for the final quarterfinal match-up as Kwakwani will do battle with Western Union Central Mackenzie.
