The Kashif and Shanghai Kings retained their Trophy Stall Regulation Open basketball title defeating Amelia’s Ward Jets 66-60 Sunday evening at the Mackenzie Sports Club Hard Court in Linden.
Steve Neil Jr., led the way with 21 points and nine assists for the champions. He was assisted by eventual Most Valuable Player (MVP) Omally Sampson who scored 13 points and had 11 rebounds.
Orin Rose scored 15 points while Marvin Hartman scored 12 points and pulled down seven rebounds.
Shooting guard Kevin Joseph led the Jets with 18 points while Allister Webster scored 16 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. Shane Webster who scored 13 points, pulled in eight rebounds, had six assists and three blocked shots was adjudged the defensive player of the final. The Kings led 23-17 after the first quarter and held onto their lead going into half time with the score 38-33.
The pivotal third quarter saw the Kings outscoring the Jets 18-16 and as the fourth quarter beckoned, the score was 56-49 in the Kings’ favour.
The Jets would rally back in the final stanza as they outscored the Kings to pull within one point 59-60. However, they appeared to run out of fuel and the Kings held on to reclaim the title.
In the opening game, the Half Mile Bulls defeated Bankers Trust Falcons 64-51 but Falcons had already secured the third position. At the presentation ceremony that followed the finals, the respective trophies and replicas and medals were handed out by the Organizing Secretary of the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA) Ashton Angel Jr., Yonette Walton and Chenelle Williamson to the top finishers. The most disciplined team award went to the Block 22 Flames.
