Amelia’s Ward Jets were crowned the 5th Brusches’ Classic basketball champions, dethroning Ravens of Georgetown 69-67 Saturday at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) Hard-Court in Linden.
While Amoniki Archibald top scored for the winners with 21 points, it was eventual final’s most valuable player (MVP) Akeem Kanhai who orchestrated the upset victory as he recorded a monumental triple-double of 17 points, 17 rebounds and 10 steals. Chipping in with 10 points was Omalli Nassy.
For the Georgetown unit, Ryan Gullen was the top shooter with 19 points while Dominique Vicente and Tyrone Hamid supported with 11 and 10 points correspondingly. With the win, Amelia’s Ward Jets walked away with the championship trophy, $200,000 and replicas.
On the individual side of the awards, Kanhai pocketed the best defensive player and most assist accolade to go with his MVP trophy. For their efforts, Ravens received $150,000, the runners-up trophy and the corresponding replicas.
The home side got off to the perfect start in the challenge for the title as they outscored the visitors 21-13 at the end of the first period.
Jets then maintained their advantage going into the half time period as both sides netted 15 points each as the second quarter ended 36-28.
The defending champs then pulled within six points of their home side, netting 15 points while restricting Jets to 13 points as the third stanza ended 49-43. Nonetheless, the home side would clinch the title in the final period, holding on in the final seconds as they were outscored 24-20.
In the third place matchup, Georgetown unit Colts overcame a 15 point half time deficit to defeat Linden unit Half Mile Bulls by a 71-61 score line. Shelroy Thomas and Dave Causway were instrumental in the come from behind win as they recorded 21 points each.
Contributing nine points in the victory was Kurt English. For the Linden unit, Dennis Niles led the way with 14 points while Keifer Tappin, Travin Dryden and Terron Welch supported with 13, 13 and 10 points correspondingly. Colts for the showing, walked away the third place accolade and $50,000.
The matchup started badly for Colts as they were outscored in the first period 19-8. Bulls then built on their lead in the second stanza, scoring 15 points while reducing their opponent to 11 points as they went into the half time interval ahead 34-19.
It then became a game of two halves as Colts began the comeback, netting a mammoth 35 points in the third stanza to Bulls 16 points to go into the final period ahead 54-50. The come-from-behind win was then completed in the period as Colts outscored Bulls 17-11.
