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True champions

by Barbados Today
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Hilton Barbados Resort Warriors are double crown champions of the Barbados Amateur Basketball Association’s Second Division season after they won the league title 64-51 against Burger King Clapham Bulls at the Wildey Gymnasium last night.

The Frederick Bynoe-coached Warriors team ended the 2019 season undefeated in both the knockout and league with their outstanding eight-member team that comprised a few former national players.

From the start of play, the Warriors were in control 13-8, 32-26, 47-32 after the first three stanzas and coach Bynoe was happy with his team’s performance despite being without the services of their top big man Tyrone Alexander who is currently overseas.

Bynoe explained that Warriors with a 2-0 series win in the two-best-of-three final were forced to make a few adjustments with the absence of Alexander and credited the team especially Trevor Simmons with a contribution of 11 points, for the way he stepped up and filled that role.   

Hilton Barbados Resort Warriors have completed the Barbados Amateur Basketball Association Second Division double with a league series win over Burger King Clapham Bulls.

“Tonight we played a good team and we played a good team without our best big man Tito [Tyrone Alexander] who gone overseas. The men decided that they will fight hard tonight especially Trevor [Simmons] who turned up to play like Tito and I am very glad to see Trevor play offence tonight. The team also did well because they stick to our game plan which was to make them [Bulls] take forced shots or keep certain players out of the game, “ Bynoe said.

Former national player Corey McDonald top scored with 12 points for the Warriors, Rasheed Harte tallied ten, Ron Grant contributed nine, followed by eight points each from Richard Bennett and Akintunde Perry while top shooter Nicholas King had a quiet night with six points.

In the first quarter, the Warriors led 11-2 when Bulls with a number of missed attempts at the rim had a good run in the final moments to trail by only three [8-11] and appeared as though they were on the verge of coming back strong on offence.

Instead, they lost possession and Bennett with a lovely behind the back pass to King for the layup allowed Warriors a five-point advantage [13-8] when the opening stanza concluded.

Bulls who lost game one 87-64 a couple days ago faced a must-win situation and needed something special to get past a solid all-round Warriors team. Bulls forward Halley Franklyn registered a top score of 20 points, captain Ryan Leacock and Vincent Ifill accounted for six-points, Shane Rock added five while Kodia Leacock and Rommell Bynoe each scored four points.

Warriors continued their attack on offence in the second quarter and scored seven straight points including a three-pointer from forward Simmons before Bulls finally managed to respond compliments Rock with a three-point play.

Simmons had a good game in general and stood out with some big moves in the second quarter for Warriors as he produced a basket and one. Warriors climbed to a ten-point lead [23-13] despite Bulls doing well to successfully block and strip them of possession on a few occasions. Bulls had a good run in the final two minutes of the second period for a couple of points to cut the deficit by six [26-32] and restricted Warriors to a modest lead before halftime.

Simmons’ floater and Grant’s two-point jumper opened the penultimate quarter on a good note for Warriors who looked determined not to let Bulls force a game three.

Bulls’ bench opted to bring on Reynold Layne in place of Vincent Ifill but the 300 pound Layne was unable to trouble Warriors who through the talented Corey McDonald made it look easy. A timeout was due for Bulls down 43-30 and on resumption, Ryan Leacock muscled his way for a layup as Bulls attempted to mark man on man.

Surprisingly, Kodia Leacock, one of the most athletic players on Bulls bench came off in that crucial third quarter and Warriors with a massive 15-point [47-32] lead were one quarter away from lifting the trophy when the third quarter concluded.

Three minutes into the final quarter Warriors moved to 52-32 thanks to McDonald’s two-point shot and Rasheed Harte’s three-pointers. Bulls recorded their first points three minutes into the final quarter through the tall man Vincent Ifill feeding off a bounce pass from Ryan Leacock.

Harte, with several impressive individual scores this season and averaging over 20 points, once again showed up for the party. His play turned the contest into a one-sides affair.
Franklyn with under three minutes left to play registered two treys along with another from the solid Reynold Layne as Bulls tried to show some fight but it was all too late.

morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb

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