Fusionz Boutique Station Hill Cavaliers’ defeat at the hands at the hands of C.A.M Smart Assurance City United Celtics on Sunday wasn’t their biggest loss.
The Cavs’ Co-operators General Insurance BABA Premier League title aspirations were dealt a serious blow when their starting guard Gavin Phillips left the game with a possible season ending injury in a 101-98 loss at the Barbados Community College.
In the opening minutes of the game, Phillips collided with Celtics’ Renico Brewster as he tried to recover a loose ball. Phillips left the game with a shoulder injury, which was later diagnosed as being broken in two places.
Celtics (8-5), who are in the hunt for the third seed, dominated proceedings early on, holding a 25-20 lead at the end of the first quarter, which later ballooned to 10 (52-42) at the half.
Celtics, led by Joel Hunte, looked to have put the contest to bed in the third quarter.
Hunte scored seven consecutive points as part of a 17-7 Celtics’ run, which stretched their lead to 20 (69-49) with five minutes left in the quarter.
However, Station Hill’s Brandon Ruck and Deveron Knight led a fightback that reduced the deficit to just nine heading into the final period.
Stephan Ottley then came alive from behind the arc and Saeed Norville and Knight dominated the Celtics in the paint and with just under two minutes left in the game, the Cavs trailed by just three points (97-94).
Knight split one of two free throws to bring the Cavs within two, but Markhali Downie’s jumper with just under a minute remaining gave the Cavs a 100-95 advantage.
Knight scored three more free throws to bring Station Hill within two (100-98), but with 20 seconds left, Norville fouled Brewster, sending him to the line with the chance to seal the deal.
The young guard missed both free throws, but Station Hill failed to secure the rebound and Theo Greenidge of the Celtics grabbed it, causing the opposition to have to foul with less than 10 seconds on the clock.
The win put Celtics one point ahead of the Burger King Clapham Bulls for the third seed, but the Bulls have a game in hand.
Hunte finished with a team high 23 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks, Brewster added 21 points, Greenidge 19 and Anand Joseph-Thorne and Tehron King added 14 and 11 points respectively.
Knight led the Cavs with 20 points and 21 rebounds, Ruck had 18 points and five steals, Norville and Ottley had 15 points each and Darren Hunte scored 14.
In other games, Bulls defeated the NSC Combined Schools Tridents 80-55, the league-leading Pinelands bludgeoned Warrens All-Stars 96-54 and A&C Security Services Spartans fell to the Lakers 87-62.
(AS)
