Enoch Matthews produced an emphatic scoring performance to help Plaisance Guardians overcome Melanie Patriots 74-71 in their first division encounter during the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) Super League on the Burnham Court on Friday night.
Matthews registered a game-high 32 points to lead his team to a last gasp comeback to shock the Patriots and their phenomenal point guard Curtley English. English, who went for 19 on the night, caused all sorts of problems for the Guardians defence. Even when faced with double and triple teams, English proved himself as un-guardable even for the Guardians. English’s stylist and nippy crossover moves got him deep in the lane on several occasions and he managed to finish tough layup with both hands during Friday’s encounter. English, who was coached by the late, legendary local coach Phillip George, created high percentage shots for his teammates and dished out several assists during the encounter. The result was four other teammates managing double digit totals.
Former junior national forward Nyamebekyere Bacchus stepped up late in the game on the offensive end, taking defenders off the dribble and finishing with the quality of a seasoned first division player in this his maiden first division league.
The 19-year old forward scored 16 points, and looked to be the backup scorer that English needed to help lead the Patriots to victory. However, with just under five minutes remaining in the fourth and final quarter, Bacchus fouled out of the game.
Matthews and the Guardians had managed to put Patriots in the penalty late in the fourth quarter and decided to aggressively penetrate the lane on each possession, looking for the foul to get to the free throw line. Matthews had missed several free throws in the third quarter and early in the fourth, but during the final minutes of the game, Matthews was clutch from the charity stripe and managed to convert on a few crucial three point plays the hard way.
Marlon Chesney and Nicholas Cassius added nine points for the Guardians while John Fraser scored six points.
Matthews was the only Guardians player to score more than ten points as most of the Guardians struggled to finish easy shots and put backs from close range. Guardians were playing without their seasoned forward Rudy James who recently transferred from Ravens. Guardians trailed 14-11 after the first period, 35-26 at halftime and 48-45 at the end of the third quarter. The Guardians finally took the lead with just under three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Rayburne Bowman, who drilled a late three pointer with less than 30 seconds remaining in the game finished with 13 points, while Sherlon Legall scored 12 and Ashton Adams added ten for the Guardians.
In the other game that evening West Side Jammers narrowly defeated Buxton Heat57-54 in the third division match up. Heat players Quincy Gibson managed to score 19 points, while Quasie Newton added 11 but was not enough to help then withstand their first loss of the league.
