Basketball: Hillman and Lewis take down powerful Warrens in overtime
THE Executive Dover Chargers have achieved what no other team has been able to do for the Barbados Amateur Basketball Association First Division Knockout and League Competition. They defeated the undefeated Pan American International Insurance Warrens Sports Club Seniors in Game 2 of the Semi-Finals series 84-81 but needed extra time to do so.
Already a game down in the series, Dover needed to rally and reproduce the effort from Game 1 and add a little bit more. Once again they came out firing and started off with an 8-2 run to begin the game. Warrens looked more aggressive on the defensive end to start but on the offensive end they were missing open looks. The duo of former National players Peter Alleyne and Zahir Motara missed numerous open jumpers from beyond the arc. Dover did not capitalize either on the slow start by Warrens, bungling simple 3 on 2 and 2 on 1 fast break opportunities. The ragged first quarter ended 13-10 in Dover’s favor.
Dover intended on showing the weakness of Warrens was their defense and with Seon Hillman on the wing and Ryan Lewis in the paint, they set about the business. Hillman smoked two jumpers from straight on beyond the arc to finish with eight points in the second quarter, he would go on to score a game high 32 points on the night. Lewis was on fire as well and hit jumper after jumper in the face of Warrens’ big man Pearson Griffith to tally ten points in the quarter. Hillman and Lewis scored 18 of Dover’s 19 points in the second. Warrens were up to the task with a team effort. Kevin Austin hit consecutive midrange shots followed by good strong plays from Griffith but it was seven straight points by Alleyne who attacked the ring and also found his range that helped Warrens rally late in the quarter. The half ended 32-29, a low-scoring half for both sides compared to Game 1 where the score was 29-28 at the end of only the first period.
Dover would come out running in the second half, bent on stretching the small lead they took into the half. Once again Hillman was a major part of the run by Dover, scoring another eight points in the third with Lewis scoring five. Warrens had plenty good looks at the basket but with some missed layups by Motara and also some costly turnovers throughout the third, the team could only muster 16 points.
The fourth would start with Warrens down 10 with 10 minutes to play in regular time. In Game 1 Warrens erased an 11-point deficit in two minutes and Dover was well aware of their scoring capabilities and weapons. Kevin Austin is sometimes seen as a secondary player to Alleyne and Motara but the former National player is far from such. With 5:11 left to play and Warrens still down ten, 64-54, Austin took control of the game, hitting jumpers from both baselines and drawing the defense into fouling him on the shots. He and Motara who had 11 in the quarter with his usual difficult shots helped Warrens cut the lead, tie the game and go up one (64-65) with 2:50 left on the clock.
Dover were not about to let another come back snatch victory out of their hands. Five quick points put them up four, 69-65 but in their celebration in retaking the lead, someone lapsed on Alleyne and his three-pointer put Warrens down one, 68-69 with 1:27 left to play. Dover were not phased, especially Lewis who realized that Griffith seemed to be carrying an injury to the knee. Three straight jumpers in Griffith’s face from the elbow saw Dover start to feel the victory in hand.
But Zahir Motara would have something to say about it. A baseline runner and a jumper from in the lane, the score was 75-72. He tried again the following possession but missed but on the scamper to get the ball out of backcourt with only 13 seconds left in regular time, Dover turnovered the ball right back into Kevin Austin’s hands, he was fouled on the shot and went to the line to drain both free throws (75-74). Dover were in a frenzy and trying to get their coach to call a timeout but he refused, the ensuing inbound once again saw Dover turn over the ball in their own paint right into the path of Motara who went up strong and was fouled with nine seconds left. He hit one of two shots to tie the game. Warrens had one more opportunity to take the win in regular time after yet another turnover by Dover with one second remaining but missed as time ran out and the game went into overtime.
Overtime saw Dover take a 9-6 advantage with the help of Lewis demanding the ball and scoring at will against Griffith. Warrens were unable to mount much of a challenge in the extra period due to Griffith having an injury to his left knee and then Alleyne pulling up with three minutes to play with cramp in his left hamstring. With two players hardly able to hobble up the court, Dover stood firm and won the game by three, 84-81.
Lewis finished the game with a season’s best 27 points for Dover. Warrens’ Alleyne had a team high 24 points, Motara had 23 while Griffith finished with 15 and Austin 13. The deciding Game 3 will be played on Sunday evening at the Barbados.