When champs Flyers donned their jerseys Sunday night, they knew they would have had their hands full against nemesis Baldwin Braves in the second game of a highly anticipated match up in the ABBA first division.
Flyers went into the game with enough fire power to pull off the victory once they kept the Braves shooting guard Lennox McCoy in check.
But they never counted on the return of the lanky small forward Mario Davis to the Braves line up. Davis’ all round game kept the Flyers defense constantly on their heels as he proved much more than a decoy to the in control McCoy.
Both combined for a total of 47 points as they romped to a 70-83 victory for their sixth win on the trot, putting them three points shy of leaders F&G Trading Cuties Ovals Ojays 1.
Davis scored 23 points and pulled a total of eight rebounds. He was also impeccable on defense, with five steals and rising to effect three block shots. In the meantime, floor general McCoy produced 19 points by mainly outsmarting the defense with quick drives through the key and on the break away.
The game was in the control of Flyers early behind the on target outside shooting of their star player Kareem Xavier Meade. But he was outdone by turnovers and held the ball far too many times as the defense circled. His eight turn overs are a dark blemish on his other impressive stats of 24 points and 20 rebounds and allowed Braves who were behind for the most part in the first half to level the game and eventually take control. Chipping in for Flyers was Russel Daley with 13 points.
With around three and a half minutes to go before the final whistle, Braves had opened a 16 point gap (62-78) and McCoy was jawing at his former team mates. It was over.
Both teams will be in action again at the JSC Sports Complex. Flyers 1 will come up against Global Bank Empire Hawks while Braves face the undefeated F&G Trade Cuties Ovals Ojays 1.
Meantime in the first game of Sunday’s double header, Freetown Travellers, who were being outmatched by the young and talented front court of Yorks Crushers stormed back to edge their opponents by a score of 59–57.
The go ahead basket came with seconds remaining and made it virtually impossible for Crushers to regain the lead with less than two seconds remaining for them to inbound and get a decent look for a desperation shot.
Raymond Dickenson, 18 points, and Deon ‘Harry’ Jules, 16, were the top scorers for Travellers. The Freetown team should consider themselves lucky after Crushers lost their point guard, Davidson Beazer, in a scary fall. In attempting a dunk, his feet slipped from below him and he was hit on the chin and never returned to the game. The complexion of the game changed after this and Travellers managed to stay close until the final few seconds.
The leading marksman for Crushers were Kevin Samuel, 16 points. Samuel’s 14 steals and four blocked shots worked in his team’s favour but was not enough. Jamie Harris added 11 points.
Games in ABBA’s first division continue tonight at Ovals with Idea Media Outlaws coming up against Yorks Crushers while F&G Cuties Ovals Ojays 1 meet Global Bank Empire Hawks.