Barbados Today

Former champions Graydon Sealy had no answers for reigning under-19 basketball kings Combermere Thursday afternoon.

The lads from Waterford trounced their opposition from Paddock Road 62-26 when the National Sports Council’s Under-19 Basketball Competition continued at Waterford, St Michael.

Theo Greenidge, who was a part of the victorious team from last year and David Walkes, both top scored with 20 points each for the Combermerians who dominated proceedings over the initial three quarters 21-11, 41-13 and 62-20.

Graydon Sealy’s point guard Brandon Ruck was the only player with double figures scoring ten points and the next best tally were four points scored each by Anthony Steele, Rico Roberts and Arrio Pope.

Combermere got off to a good start in the opening quarter and were able to take a 11 points lead after the first period compliments the efforts of Greenidge and Walkes who went into the interval with ten and six points respectively.

They carried that momentum into the second quarter with Walkes leading the way with eight points and Greenidge six. While Combermere managed 20 points in that quarter, Graydon Sealy hardly made an impression on their opposition’s defence and were restricted to the two points netted by Ruck.

The visitors were down by a whopping 28 points, 41-13, at halftime as Combermere continued to rule every facet of the game at both ends of the court. The momentum did not relent in the third period with Jamon Phillips joining the fun with six points and Nicholas Hoyte finding the basket for some easy points. Graydon Sealy’s defence was not only porous but gave up quite a number of free throws as they frequently fouled.

At the start of the penultimate quarter Graydon Sealy made the same mistakes as they did in the first two quarters while increasing frustration led to quite a few errant passes and turnovers.  To make matters worse they did not pressure the ball enough and allowed Combermere to do as they pleased on offence.

Combermere noticeably took their foot off the gas in the final quarter to such an extent that they did not net a single basket while Graydon Sealy scored six. It was a display of complacency that the home side will have to guard against when they play tougher opponents.

Meanwhile in the other game played Thursday Queen’s College came from being down over two quarters to beat St Leonard’s 58-47 (9-16, 20-28, 37-35) at Richmond Gap.