Clapham Bulls take down fighting Pine

It was a literal fight to the finish as the Burger King Clapham Bulls and Pinelands came to blows towards the end of their match-up at the Barbados Community College.

Playing in the second round of the #1 Beauty Supplies and Beauty Exchange BABA Women’s League, the Bulls came to win and hand Pinelands their second loss of the season, and it showed from the very start of the contest. 

 

Janiece Clarke was taking on the defence and scored six of her 24 team high points in the first quarter, which propelled the Bulls to a 19-16 lead at the end of the quarter.

 

One can never underestimate the Pine nor can one become complacent against that side. Pinelands have the ability to score points easily in bunches. Captain Sade Clarke caught fire from behind the arc, smoking three 3-pointers in the second quarter, while the Pine’s offensive juggernaut Maria Cumberbatch had seven as well. The assault by Clarke and Cumberbatch led the Pine into the half-time break up four, 39-35.

 

However, the Bulls were not going to give up the chance to take down the mighty Pine. Makela Walcott stepped up when the second half began and started to go to work. Pinelands were unable to stop her from scoring the basketball and Walcott was ready to answer the call of her team. She scored 10 of her 18 points in the third and the Bulls retook the lead and headed into the final quarter up two. Cumberbatch for the Pine was still scoring, but the Bulls were allowing her to score and playing physical defence on the other players.

 

The battle was close throughout the game, with none of the teams more than a couple buckets ahead of the other. 

 

In the final quarter the Bulls started to pull away, despite the efforts of Clarke and Cumberbatch. Antonia Baptiste of the Bulls was playing well to finish with a season high 15 points. During one possession, she found herself tied up with Kashera Corbin from the Pine and the referees blew jump ball. The girls stayed tied up, none of them wanting to let go of the ball first. However, Corbin took it a step further and took her hand off the ball and swung at Baptiste. Baptiste responded with her own swing and the two girls started to scuffle. The benches of both teams cleared and the players ran onto the court in the effort to defend their team-mates. 

 

When the referees were able to get the players separated and the game once again under control, Corbin and Baptiste were ejected while the other players were given a warning.

 

After the scuffle, the Bulls held their nerve and stretched the lead to take the win 76-69 in one of the more exciting games of the season. It showed that the women’s division holds just as much passion as the two men’s divisions in the Barbados Amateur Basketball Association.

 

Janiece Clarke finished with 24 points and nine rebounds; Walcott 18 points with seven assists; Baptiste had 15 points; and Tracy Austin had nine points and 13 assists in the Bulls victory. 

 

The Pinelands’ score sheet as usual was filled with points from Cumberbatch and Clarke, with Tamisha Flatts out sick for the game. Cumberbatch top scored with 29 points and eight rebounds while Clarke had 24 points, seven rebounds and nine assists. 

(AS)