Ja, BVI reach CBC basketball final

Saturday, November 21, 2009 4:30 PM

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CMC

Sunday, July 05, 2009

TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands (CMC) - Jamaica could seal a fairytale end to their CBC Championship while Trinidad & Tobago had their dream run ended, following contrasting results in the semi-finals on Friday.

While Jamaica, who started the tournament with a surprising loss, beat Cuba 98-93 in overtime to reach the final, the previously unbeaten T&T went under to the hosts British Virgin Islands, 76-73, to miss out on a chance at the title.

Jamaica and BVI's success handed them automatic qualification for the 2010 Centrobasket Tournament.
Reaching the final would have been a relief for the Jamaicans who started the tournament earlier this week with a surprise loss to the Trinidadians.

They were led by Oritseweyinmi Efejuku who poured in a game-high 32 points with Geoffrei Silvestre getting 20 for the losers.

Cuba got off to a start, posting a 26-17 lead at the end of the first quarter thanks to accurate shooting by Yoan Luis Haití (10 points) and Georvys Elías (seven points).

Efejuku then knocked down 12 of his eventual points in a big second quarter as Jamaica pulled within two points at half-time, to be down, 40-38.

In an exciting third quarter which twisted and turned, Cuba squandered a 51-47 lead as Jamaica sparked a sensational 16-0 run to grab a 63-51 lead with 2:29 minutes left.

Within four points at 63-59 at the start of the final quarter, Cuba grabbed the lead but could not hold on and Jamaica managed to tie the scores at 87.

In overtime, Andre Smith sank a clutch three-pointer and Garfield Johns then buried two free throws to push Jamaica over the top.

T&T, meanwhile, were undone by late points as BVI produced a late charge to clinch their berth in the final.

Leading by a point in the final stages, T&T gave up baskets to Randy Michael George and Kennedy Bass to spark celebrations among the partisan fans.

T&T led 38-31 at half-time but BVI hit back strongly to tie the game at 58 with two minutes left in the third quarter.

The two sides traded blows down the stretch in the fourth quarter and the game rested on a knife's edge at 70-70 before BVI capitalised on a couple of T&T mistakes to sneak ahead.

Ian Curtis Young led T&T with 18 points with support from Julius Ashby who got 17.

For the winners, Kennedy Bass and Halstead Charles Chiverton both finished with 17 points.

Yesterday's final was scheduled for 9:00 pm Eastern Caribbean time with T&T and Cuba doing battle in the bronze medal game at 6:45 pm.

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