Braves fend off Travelers, Flyers soar past Warriors

Baldwin Braves and defending champions Flyers notched up wins in the ABBA First Division at the JSC Sports Complex on Sunday.

Braves beat Freetown Travellers 64-54 while Flyers soared past Asot Arcade Yogi Warriors to win impressively 76-44.

With utility player Lennox “Termite” McCoy leading the way with 19 points and long range shooting guard Lindsay McDonald adding 15 off the bench Braves led early and never looked back.  Both teams missed multiple shots early but by the end of the first quarter Braves held a 12-point lead 17-5 with McCoy who had seven assists controlling the play.  Travellers came out flat and paid for its tardiness as Braves, behind seven rebounds by Nechus Jones pounded the glass early.  Jones finished the game with eight points, six of which came from three offensive.  Travellers seemed to come into its own in the second quarter scoring the same number of points,15, as both teams exchanged baskets.  Braves carried its 12-point lead into the break and despite a gallant effort by Travellers, led by Raymond Dickenson with 14 points they were unable to reel in the Braves.

Former national team point guard, Teon Joseph who had 12 points hoisted two three-pointers in the third as Travellers cut the Braves lead to six at the end of the quarter.  They cut the deficit to four points early in the fourth but that as close as they would come.

The Braves rebounded well and kept the much taller Travellers at bay.

Shawn “Gizmo” Williams added 11 points for the losers but with a combined 10 of 24 shooting, most from the three-point line, poor shooting was the Travellers downfall.

In addition turnovers, 22 on the night did not help the Travellers’ cause.

After losing its opener to the defending champions, Braves have now racked up four in a row and looking for a place at the top of the standings.

Flyers faltered in its second game but with three consecutive wins, including the thumping of the Warriors, they move to 5-1 on the season.

On Sunday Keroi Lee was impressive as he lead Flyers to victory shooting 11 of 19 to finish with 25 points and 16 rebounds, 10 offensively.  Chaz Samuel had 13 points while Russell Daley and Kenya Achom chipped in with 12 points each.  Flyers dominated the boards with 60 rebounds combined on the night in contrast to just 37 rebounds by the Warriors.

“We just wanted to stay focus and take this win,” said George Hughes, coach of the defending champions.  “We knew coming in that they (Warriors) are a scrappy team so we had to be very disciplined and protect our glass and protect the ball.”  He continued, “I think that the guys kept to the game plan and we came out with the win.”

The Flyers next game will be Newfield Tapers on Thursday.

The Braves will face Akhimo on Friday before coming up against the league leaders F&G Ovals Ojays on Sunday.

ELEVATE YOUR GAME!!!!!!!