Knights win thriller in NBL final

Sport

BY GERALD REID Observer writer Sunday, August 18, 2013

DEFENDING champions Urban Knights came through by the skin of their teeth to beat Spanish Town Spartans 77-75 in triple overtime in Game One in the best-of-three finals in the 2013 FLOW/National Basketball League at the Stadium Courts on Friday.Knights took a 17-10 lead at the end of the first quarter, and at half-time the scores were tied at 22-22. Despite both teams missing a number of jump shots, it was evenly contested before the Knights held a slim 36-31 lead at the completion of the third quarter.It was so close from then onwards that nobody knew who would win with the Knights going up 40-34 in the fourth and final quarter, but the Spartans applied themselves nicely to cut the lead to 39-40, and from then onwards the battle was on as the pace of the game quickened.With three minutes left in the game the scores were tied at 46, 48 and at the final buzzer, the teams were locked at 50 points, forcing the first period of overtime.The Spartans went up 58-52 and looked all over a winner, but the Knights rallied strongly with Oneil Mundle scoring a three-pointer to tie the match at 58, forcing double overtime.Another five minutes of overtime was given and it was action-packed throughout as the defending champions went up 65-60 with 90 seconds remaining. However, the Spartans never allowed the Knights to pull away and they scored to level at 65 with 40 seconds left in the game.With 4.1 seconds remaining after a time-out was taken by the Spartans, the injured Javon Bailey entered the court with the Knights leading 68-65, and in the nick of time he unleashed a long-ranged shot that went inside to force the third overtime, before the Knights prevailed 77-75.Point guard Andre Murray was the Knights’ top scorer with 21 points, including nine rebounds and four steals, shooting guard Omar Barnes had 16 points and 10 rebounds, while forward Kwame Lawrene netted 13 points and eight rebounds for the Knights.The principal scorers for the Spartans were centre Adrian Forbes with 20 points, including 12 rebounds and nine blocked shots, shooting guard Lynford Brown shot 15 points and four rebounds, and guard Bailey added 12 points and seven rebounds.Game Two of the best-of-three finals will be played inside the National Arena on Tuesday starting at 7:00 pm.

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Knights win thriller in NBL final

Knights, Spartans take early lead

Sport

BY GERALD REID Observer writer Tuesday, July 23, 2013

NATIONAL champions Urban Knights and Spanish Town Spartans have taken 1-0 leads in their best-of-three semi-final matches in the 2013 Flow/National Basketball League at UTech last Saturday.The second games will be played today at the National Stadium Basketball Courts with Tivoli Wizards against Spanish Town Spartans at 6:30 pm, and Urban Knights playing Pembroke Hall at 8:15 pm.Knights went into an early 17-10 lead at the end of the first quarter, before increasing it to 36-24 at half-time.The Knights scored only 10 points in the third quarter, but Pembroke Hall could do no better than score just nine points.The national champions then pulled away in fourth and final quarter as they outscored their opponents 20-10. Dave Blackwood was the leading scorer for Knights with 14 points and four rebounds, Kwame Lawrence added 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Fernando Young netted 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds.For Pembroke Hall, Andrew Whilby scored 14 points, and a game-high 25 rebounds, and Andrew Bell added 10 points.In the other semi-finals, Spanish Town Spartans defeated Tivoli Wizards 88-68. The Spartans through Damion Johnson, Christopher Jennings and Adrian Forbes gave their team a 20-12 lead at the first quarter break.It was a runaway going for the Calvin Martin-coached Spartans in the second quarter as they scored 26 points to their opponents’ 21, for a 46-33 lead at half-time.It was 74-46 at the end of the third quarter, and though the Edward Marshall-coached Wizards had their best moment in the fourth and final quarter by outscoring Spartans 22-14 points, it was too late to close the wide margin.Johnson scored 17 points and had three rebounds, Jennings 16 points, six rebounds and four steals, Forbes with 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Spartans, while Duken Brown scored 14 points and 12 rebounds, Andy Smith added 13 points and three rebounds for the Wizards.
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Knights, Spartans take early lead

Knights, Pembroke Hall through to NBL semis

Sport

BY GERALD REID Observer writer Sunday, July 21, 2013

NATIONAL champions Urban Knights and Pembroke Hall won their respective quarter-finals at the Stadium Basketball Courts last Thursday and are through to the semi-finals of the 2013 FLOW/National Basketball League (NBL).The Knights defeated Manchester Pythons 64-44, while Pembroke Hall defeated Selassie Gardens 79-58.Action in the best-of-three semi-finals were scheduled to get under way last evening in the Dr Donald Sangster Auditorium at the University of Technology (UTech).Knights were to oppose Pembroke Hall at 6:30, while newly crowned Southern Conference champions Spanish Town Spartans were to face Tivoli Wizards at 8:15 pm.In quarter-final action last Thursday, champions Urban Knights led the Pythons 21-16 in the first quarter and at half-time led 36-23. Knights outscored their opponents 17-10 in the third quarter to lead 53-33, with each team scoring 11 points in the final quarter.Andre Murray scored 16 points and had nine rebounds, and Omar Barnes added 15 points and eight rebounds for the Knights. Earldon Smith led the scoring for Pythons with 13 points and eight rebounds.Meanwhile, in the other quarter-final knockout, Pembroke Hall trailed 11-16 in the first quarter, but outscored their opponents 26-13 in the second quarter and went on to lead 37-29 at half-time.Pembroke Hall increased their lead in the third quarter to 52-42 points before pulling away in the final quarter with a 27-16 score to come out 79-58 winners.The principal scorers for Pembroke Hall were Michael Jackson, who had a game-high 25 points and four rebounds, Leighton Meeks with 17 points and eight rebounds, and Narada Wellington with 14 points and seven rebounds.Democardo Alliman led the scoring for Selassie Gardens with 14 points and five rebounds, Roger Chisholm with 14 points, and Duraine Dean with 13 points and 14 rebounds.

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Knights, Pembroke Hall through to NBL semis