TIVOLI Wizards suffered two consecutive defeats in the FLOW/National Basketball League (NBL) Southern Conference competition at the National Stadium Basketball Courts last weekend.

The first for the Edward Marshall-coached Wizards, based in West Kingston, saw them going down 50-62 against Spanish Town Spartans, and on Sunday, losing to Selassie Gardens Lions 61-70. It was Tivoli’s third loss from six matches.

Last Friday, in the first quarter Tivoli led Spartans 15-10, but trailed 24-25 at half-time. The scores were even at the end of the third period, 39-39. The Spartans dominated the fourth and final quarter to win comfortably.

The principal scorers for the winners were Lynford Brown with a game-high 25 points, including five rebounds and five steals; Javon Bailey with 11 points and seven rebounds, and Damion Johnson with 10 points and five rebounds. For the losers, Deno Hibbert scored 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Andy Smith added 10 points.

In Tivoli Wizard’s game against Selassie Gardens Lions, Tivoli led 18-16 at the completion of the first period and maintained the lead in the second period to go into half-time break still leading 34-32.

Selassie Lions took over the lead and dominated the third period by outscoring the Wizards 24-12 points as they went into the third and final break with a 56-46 lead. The Wizards failed to get back on even terms with their opponents who increased their lead to win handsomely.

For Selassie Lions, Jermaine Jackson scored 22 points with 10 rebounds and four steals, and Roger Chisholm added 12 points and six steals, while for the Wizards, Andy Smith scored 18 points with seven rebounds, and Deno Hibbert sank 12 points and grabbed six rebounds.

In other matches played last weekend, Portmore Mega Flames beat Runnin’ Rebels 65-57, with quarterly scores of 23-14, 38-38, and 50-46. Jermaine Hibbert had 13 points, and 11 rebounds, and Christopher Sandcroft hit 12 points and eight rebounds for Flames, while Omari Green scored nine points for the losers.

Runnin’ Rebels made amends when they defeated the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) 68-52 points, with quarterly scores of 15-13, 27-28, and 39-44. Omari Green had a game-high 26 points, five rebounds, three steals and four assists, and Kemar McKleish added 14 points, 14 rebounds, three steals and four assists for the winners, while for the losers, Stephen Spence scored 11 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

Pembroke Hall beat St George’s Saints 75-71, with quarterly scores of 18-14, 34-31 and 46-48. The top scorers for the winners were Leighton Meeks with a game-high 23 points, Andrew Bell added 18 points, and six rebounds, Andrew Whilby shot 11 points and 17 rebounds, while for the losers, Kirk Ferguson had 18 points, 13 rebounds, four steals and five assists; Jason Bennett scored 10 points and five rebounds; Adrian Fenton scored 10 points and five rebounds, and Conroy Morgan contributed 10 points and 16 rebounds.

Majestic Gardens Legends beat St George’s Slayers 66-63, with quarterly scores of 13-14, 32-38 and 48-43. Havando Dunn had a game-high 22 points and five rebounds, and Deberoux Preston scored 13 points, while for the losers Leon Chung had a game-high 20 points and three rebounds, and Michael Rodgers netted 11 points and five rebounds.