Bounty Colts are national club basketball champs
-Ifill snatches MVP award
By Clyde Pestano
Stabroek News
May 17, 2004
Defending champions Bounty Colts last Saturday night retained their national club basketball crown with a hard-fought and bruising victory over nemesis Courts Pacesetters in the final as the competition climaxed at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
A fair-sized crowd witnessed a keenly contested game by two of the best teams in the country. However, the more experienced Colts showed that they wanted to win more badly and their determination and tenacity paid off in the end.
The Colts were expected to receive $75,000 for their efforts while the runners-up were to collect $50,000.
The first period was full of drama as the defence of both teams withstood attacks and counter attacks in the opening minutes when neither team was able to score.
Colts however, were first in the scorebook but Courts rallied well and tied the game at six, this after consecutive turnovers by both teams. A time-out by Courts seemed to work against them as the Colts went on a 8-0 run on the resumption to be in the lead 14-6 with 2:47 to go in the first quarter. This `surge' did not go down well with the Pacesetters and they resorted to a more physical game resulting in frequent skirmishes with their opponents. At this point, the referees were hard-pressed to maintain order on the court and several technical fouls were blown against both teams. However, the Colts pressed on and chalked up a healthy nine-point lead by the end of that quarter.
The second quarter was the best period in the game for the Pacesetters as they countered the quick-passing game of the Colts with superb defence that won them a number of turnovers which they gladly converted. As a result they were able to tie the game at 31 on the back of a Stephan Gillis three-pointer causing their fans to go berserk with excitement in the stands.
Colts, however, held on to a slim two-point lead 36-34 as the first half ended.
The third quarter began with a dominating performance by the champs as they shot their way to a demoralizing 15-point lead at one stage 51-36. The game was all but lost to the Pacesetters as they only managed a paltry eight points to the Colts 18 to be in deficit by 12, 42-54 at the end of the third.
By this time their boisterous and noisy supporters had been silenced as they sensed their team had lost its way.
To their credit though the Pacesetters tried their best albeit valiantly to overcome the deficit in the final period. With six minutes left on the game clock they had managed to whittle down the deficit to seven, behind 55-62. However, the Colts held their nerve as they maintained a five or more points lead in the final minutes, winning by eight points, 77-69.
Kerwin Blades and Trevor Mc Leod with 15 points each led the Colts charge while MVP Andrew Ifill had a good all-round game with 13 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Captain Rondel Murphy chipped in with eight points, two rebounds and eight steals.
Murphy told Stabroek Sports after the game that their victory was a team effort. He added, "thank God for our victory." According to Murphy they won the game for their coach Philip George who he proudly proclaimed was the best coach in the country. Murphy added that only recently the Pacesetters had defeated them in a five-man competition and as a result they were hoping to achieve the same result in the final but said that that was not to be.
And Ifill, who was declared the most valuable player of the tournament with 109 points, nine assists, five blocked shots,36 rebounds and 22 steals told this newspaper simply,"we worked very hard for this; I thank my teammates!"
Ifill also took home the individual award for the player with the most steals.
Coach George proudly declared, "they worked hard and the training paid off," adding, "we were the defending champs and we wanted to preserve that, we want to remain champs for a long time to come." The coach for good measure said that they have proved once again that they are the best club team in Guyana.
For the Pacesetters Royston Siland had 14 points, Stephan Gillis 10, Mark Trotz nine and Ryan Gullen eight.
Siland also won three individual awards, most rebounds, blocked shots and best defensive player.
And in the third place play off game Kashif & Shanghai Kings demolished Amelia's Ward Jets by a massive 57 points 99-42 in a lop-sided affair.
At the end of the first period they were ahead by 10, 24-14 and at half time in the lead by 23, 47-24.
Steve Neils jr. had a game- high 30 points for the Kings and got good support from Dale Williamson 14 and Marvin Hartman 13. For the Jets Oscar Adams had 11 points, Mark Amsterdam 13 and Ewart Smith 10.
The Kings received $35,000 and a trophy for their efforts.