Police make light work of ACS United

By Morissa Lindsay

Point guard Jare Alleyne led from the front with a game-high 21 points as Police Sports Club defeated ACS United 72-25 as the 2022 Co-operators General Insurance Barbados Amateur Basketball Association competition continued last night at Culloden Road.

It was a captain’s performance from Alleyne who accounted for a layup within ten seconds of the tip-off whistle of the referee Reco Watson, as Police dominated the first three stanzas 17-11, 41-16 and 50-19 on their way to victory in the opening game of the night. The law enforcement men were able to shop over the two-year break with the inclusion of some players from the now seemingly defunct Warriors team who were once a force to reckon with in the Premier League.

Players like the tall Jamali Holder with a contribution of 11 points as well as point guard Daniel Durant with ten were once part of the Warriors setup but now have joined forces with Police.

The other scorers on the night for Police were Shawn Clarke (14), Jamario Clarke (11) and Kevin Hinkson (five).

Unfortunately for ACS United they did not have the services of centre Shemiele Balgobin or guard Andre Springer, two of their better players but they did have captain Dwayne Cobham who tried his best to cover both ends of the court but needed a bit more support.

Thankfully for ACS United they did have big men Lumar Lord and Bernard Riley to make up for Balgobin’s absence inside the paint with Riley top scoring with nine points for ACS United.

However, Police with a very physically fit team were able to account for lots of steals and fast breaks which give them the advantage.

Police also had Jamario Clarke who is a young player but massive in structure to hold down the fort in the paint. It would have taken at least two ladders for ACS United defenders to reach Clarke with his powerfully built frame.

As early as the first quarter Police coach ‘Suzie’ Greene instructed his players to slow the intensity down as they rushed the offensive plays which was not necessary. Midway through the second stanza Police stamped their authority 31-13 and put pressure on ACS United who was forced to call timeout on several occasions.

In the third quarter, ACS United’s big man Bernard Riley scored a two-point jump shot to start the encounter after halftime. That jumper was as good as the fake and layup executed by Police point guard Shawn Clarke in the previous quarter.

Police had such a good handle on the encounter that coach Greene called one of his leading players, officer Dario Cumberbatch who had not yet arrived at Culloden and informed him that they had everything under control and therefore his services would not be needed at the scene.

In the other match played, Pinelands B continued to impress as they trounced Smartmed Pharmacy Challengers 56 – 43 (19-16, 35-23, 51-35) in a hard-fought encounter.

Anthony Maynard registered ten points and was the leading scorer for Pinelands B while Todd Bourne tallied 12 and Mark Leacock 11 were the best contributors for Challengers.

Just one match was played at Clapham because of rain and that was between Burger King Clapham Bulls A with a comprehensive 65-42 win over Bears Vets.

Led by a game-high 20 points from Simeon Maynard and a total of 11 from Romaine Lovell, the Bulls who are the reigning premier league champions took control 27-7, 33-13 and 50-28 in the first three-quarters of the match on their way to victory.

Jamar King was the pick of the Bears Vets’ offence with 13 points but it was not enough to stop the Bulls.

The rain-affected game between Station Hill Cavaliers and Burger King Clapham Bulls B will be played on another date. morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb