Pepsi Sonics and Trinity Grid Holdings (TGH) Pacesetters will contest the final of the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) Trifecta first division tourney following semi-final wins over Colts and Republic Bank Nets on Sunday.
Played at the outdoor Burnham Basketball Court at Middle and Carmichael Streets, Pepsi Sonics fashioned the first upset of the tournament as they overcame Colts 70-66. Jason Squires led all scorers on the night with an impressive shooting display of 37 points.
He was assisted by Trevor Smith and Earl O’Neal who netted 14 ad 10 points. Nikkoloi Smith was the main scorer for the losers as he netted 18 points while Sheldon Thomas, Rayon Cummings and Dave Causway contributed 14, 11 and 10 points respectively.
The opening quarter would see Pepsi Sonics taking a 23-22 lead as Squires netted 11 points inclusive of two three point missiles. Smith would shoulder the scoring for Colts as he netted a healthy nine points in the period.
The Mandela Avenue unit would begin to extend their lead in the second period as they outscored Colts 18-16 to take a 41-38 lead into half time Squires once again led from the front with 12 points with his opposite number Smith scoring six points for Colts.
Upon the commencement of the third stanza, the momentum of the match would change sides as Colts out shot Sonics 20-7, leading for the first time in the fixture 58-49 going into the final period.
Sheldon Thomas was the primary scorer for Colts in the period as he netted eight points. Similar to the third stanza, the impetus of the matchup would change hands as Pepsi Sonics rallied to outscore Colts 21-8.
Squires would once again the architect of the Colts demise, saving his best for last with 12 points in the period. He was assisted by centre O’Neal who powered his way for five points in the period.
In the second semi-final, TGH Pacesetters blew out Republic Bank Nets 81-50 compliments of a 34-point showing by diminutive guard Travis Burnett. Assisting in the win with 12 and eight points were Joslyn Crawford and Stephon Gillis.
Drumson McCulley led the losers with 18 points while Michael Richard and Mortimer Stewart were the next best scorers with eight and five points respectively.
TGH Pacesetters would race off to a early 19-9 lead in the opening period as Burnette led the way with 12 points through layups. The introduction of McCulley in the second period would change the dynamics of the matchup as Nets outscored Pacesetters 16-14.
McCulley led the way with seven points in the period in the post. as Nets cut the deficit to eight points (33-25) going into half time. That, however, would be the closest they would get as Pacesetters outscored them 20-7 in the third period to lead 53-32.
Burnette led the assault as he recorded 11 points though fast breaks and easy layups. The lead would continue to grow in the final quarter as Pacesetters outscored Nets 28-18 led by a 10-point showing by Burnette.
Supporting with six points apiece were Crawford and Keon Haynes. McCulley was the primary scorer for Nets in the period as he netted seven points while Richards netted the same amount.
