Colts squeaked past Kobras in game three of the Jaguars conference semi-final, while the Ravens downed Kwakwani in game one of the Harpy Eagles conference final when the ‘One Guyana’ Basketball League continued on Saturday evening.
Staged at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue, the Colts defeated Kobras 77-76 to win their best of three series by a 2-1 score. Shelroy Thomas led the way with 16 points, while O’Quacey Shortt chipped in with 12 points. Adding nine and seven points apiece were Domitri Rankin and Shane Webster, respectively.
For the loser, Carlos Edwards recorded a game-high 22 points, while veteran point guard Travis Burnett supported with 15 points. Locked at 35-35 entering the halftime interval, the Colts raced ahead in the pivotal third quarter, netting 25 points while restricting Kobras to 17 points to enter the final quarter ahead at 60-52.
The Colts then held on in the final minutes to secure the win, as they were outscored 17-24. The Colts will now lock horns with the Eagles in the conference championship.
Meanwhile, the Ravens clawed past Kwakwani 70-52 to win game one of their bets on three series in the Harpy Eagles conference final. Jude Corlette was the primary scorer for the Ravens with 20 points, while Dominic Vicente and Owan Walton chipped in with 13 and 10 points apiece.
On the other side, Jamal Gilkes scored 13 points, while Royan Shortt contributed 10 points. Contributing nine and eight points apiece were Domair Gladstone and Kadeem Dover. Trailing 9-11 at the end of the first quarter, the Ravens soared ahead as they out-hustled Kwakwani 23-16 to enter the halftime break in control at 32-27.
The lead grew in the third stanza, as the Ravens recorded 19 points while restricting Kwakwani to 11 points to enter the final quartet at 51-38. The Ravens completed the lopsided result as they once again outscored Kwakwani 19-14.
The tournament, which is a collaboration between the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport (MCY&S) and G-Boats Incorporated, forms part of the National Sports Academy. The regular season featured 14 teams divided into two zones, which are the Harpy Eagles and Jaguars Conferences, respectively. The winner of the tournament will pocket $1,000,000, while the loser will receive $500,000.
