Close but no cigar.
Fusionz Boutique Station Hill Cavaliers came close to ending Pinelands’ unbeaten season, but some late game heroics from Rasheed Maynard helped the defending champs to a nail-biting 73-70 victory in the Co-operators General Insurance BABA Premier League on Tuesday night.
The Cavs were on course to produce the biggest upset of the season as they held a 10 point lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
However, Maynard along with Deroni Hurley helped Pinelands erase that deficit in the space of five minutes.
Maynard scored seven consecutive points, ending with a three pointer, to give Pinelands a 69-67 lead with 2:30 remaining.
A huge shot by Dwayne ‘Boo’ Kellman of the Cavs tied the game at 70 with one minute remaining, but forward Adriel Brathwaite squandered a perfect opportunity to put the Cavs ahead when he missed two free throws.
It proved to be a costly mistake as Hurley, who had been struggling for the majority of the game, hit a step back three (73-70) to the dismay of Station Hill supporters.
Hurley did not lose focus even after hitting the shot with 30 seconds on the clock. Realizing that Station Hill still had one more chance, the guard picked the pocket of Kellman on the next possession to complete the comeback win.
The victory helped Pinelands improve to 13-0 and clinched the top seed in the playoffs with one regular season game remaining.
Pinelands’ Rasheed Maynard (right) finishes this floater over the outstretched hands of the Cavaliers’ Dwayne Kellman. (Photo by ZM)
Maynard ended with a game-high 36 points, seven rebounds, seven steals and four assists. Hurley finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds and Rachad Hall added 10 points.
For the Cavs who fell to 11-3, Deveron Knight scored 17 points to go along with 13 rebounds, Brandon Ruck had 16 points and Dijon Hunte added 10 points.
The result was a tough pill to swallow for Station Hill, which led 26-20 at the end of the first quarter and 40-28 at halftime, after holding Pinelands to eight points in the second quarter.
The Cavs weren’t dealt any favours in the second half, as they first lost their captain Saeed Norville in the third quarter to a dislocated finger and Knight subsequently fouled in the final period.
Earlier, Burger King Clapham Bulls registered a lopsided 95-66 victory over Warrens All-Stars in the night’s first game.
At halftime, the Bulls’ lead was already 21, (49-28) and Clapham never took their foot off the gas. Former overseas based guard Simeon Maynard had a game high 30 points with seven rebounds and seven assists. Akeem Marsh and Kemar Benn scored 18 and 15 points respectively and guards Andrew Ifill and Rahiim Gibbons each scored 13 points.
Warrens was led by Kaliel Austin with 18 points. (AS)
