Barbados Amateur Basketball Association 2016 First Division Knockout Champions, the Pan American International Insurance Warrens Sports Club.
WARRENS TAKE TITLE
Tue, 09/06/2016 - 12:00am
Motara paves way for WSC’s first Knockout title
By:
André Springer
Zahir Motara once again led the way to a Pan American International Insurance Warrens Sports Club (WSC) victory, but this time it was to the Barbados Amateur Basketball Association’s First Division Knockout title.
Motara has had an outstanding season, averaging over 25 points a game, but this 30-point showcase was extra special as Warrens took down the Barbados Lumber Company Lakers Sports Club, 88-62. Motara started the game slow, missing a couple looks, but his support was on hand to give Warrens a good offensive start.
Labelling former national players Peter Alleyne, Kevin Austin and Pearson Griffith as a supporting cast would be inaccurate. They could be labelled as the Warrens ‘Big Three’ with Alleyne and Austin on the wings primarily controlling the ball, while Griffith controlled the paint. They were the main sources of the offence for Warrens in the first quarter, racking up 15 of the team’s 22 points in the period. Lakers had a good start as well, playing as a team against an intimidating Warrens’ team, to score easily at times. The quarter ended 22-18 to Warrens and Lakers were in it with a chance.
The Husbands’ side had a great start, but began to falter in the next quarter. Their usual scorers, Czario Moore and Derek Browne, were unable to hit their open looks, and that does not cut it against an offensive juggernaut like Warrens. While Griffith tapped out offensively due to fatigue, Alleyne and Austin continued to score, and Motara started to find his range and started to hit shots.
They were the only scorers in the Warrens second quarter showing their skill against a tenacious Lakers’ defence. Austin and Motara hit tough jumpers over the defence, while Alleyne’s best moment was a “hang in the air” power lay-up over the outstretched hands of Lakers’ Kirt Forde.
By the half-time whistle, things were out of the Lakers’ hands and the Warrens train was rolling, up 14, 42-28.
It must be said that Lakers had signs of brilliance which made the opposition’s point guard Alleyne shake his head, and a resurgent third quarter was just what Lakers needed. They outscored Warrens 21-20 with their ‘Bigs’ turning up to the party. Andre Boadu and Matthew Moore not only stepped up the defence, but also made a huge effort offensively in the quarter.
That effort lit a flame under the wings of Czario Moore, and he started to go off. Moore scored 10 of his team-high 21 points in the third, ending the third and starting the fourth with consecutive 3-pointers. The Lakers were on a run and had cut the lead to 11 with just under a quarter to play.
As they say, that was all she wrote for the Lakers. The third was a good one for Warrens as well, with Motara facilitating two corner three’s by Alleyne, but the fourth was all Motara. He opened the period with a 3, then two minutes later hit consecutive shots two steps beyond the arc from opposite wings.
With four minutes left in the game, he recovered a loose ball and turned to back to ring to toss up an acrobatic shot, which dribbled in and sent the stands crazy. Lakers were at that point 20 points down and were losing shots from beyond that arc in an attempt to cut the deficit quickly, but the shots failed to fall. The Warrens bench was cleared, except for Motara, who stayed on the court and the two junior bench players, Corey Watson and Nicholas Grannum, were able to contribute to the victory and get their names onto the score sheet.
By the final whistle, Lakers had been demoralised and Warrens had shown why they are the only unbeaten team in both First Division competitions. Smoking 10 three-pointers in the game speaks to their shooting ability, especially when five players contributed to the total.
Motara had the game-high score of 30, Alleyne showed signs of his former self with 19, Austin finished with 14, while Griffith added 10 and Javid Beckles 9.
For the Lakers, Czario Moore earned his 21 points, playing well the whole evening at the Barbados Community College Gym, with Browne scoring 11 and the Lakers’ big men, Boadu and Moore racking up 10 and 8 respectively in a losing effort.
Congratulations must go out to the winners of the Barbados Amateur Basketball Association’s First Division Knockout Championship, the Pan American International Insurance Warrens Sports Club, grabbing their first Knockout title.