IT was quite a tumultuous weekend in the men’s division one league as Baya survived a scare before winning, while bottom teams Beau Vallon Heat and Mont Fleuri Dawgz rekindled their season with valuable wins.
MBU Rockers had a chance to upset champions Baya, who gave a second debut to centre Baya’s Roseline (facing camera) shoots in trafficTimmy Adam after spells with the Rockers and PLS Hawks, but they self-destructed in crunch time – something they are not used to do.
With just over two minutes left on the clock, the game was on the line with Baya clinging to a two-point lead – 71-69 – until Dave Roseline tipped in his own miss with 1 minute 33 seconds (1:33) to play (73-69).
After resuming play following a time-out called by coach Alvin Alcindor, the Rockers netted one of two free-throws through Nigel ‘Jah’ Henriette with 45.7 seconds left to bring the score to 73-70, but Hendricks Denis made a fruitful trip to the stripes for Baya with 28.6 seconds to play, netting his two attempts to open his team’s lead to 75-70 after Cyril Agrippine had committed two consecutive fouls.
Henriette had the chance to cut the deficit but missed two free-throws with 13.3 seconds left before Agrippine was called for an unsportsmanlike foul on Baya’s Robert Léon with 9.7 seconds left on the clock.
Following a commotion, swingman Agrippine was hit with a technical foul and, not happy with the officials’ decision, assistant coach Paul Denis started swearing and was disqualified. Alvin Marie was next to be hit with a technical foul – his second of the game – for swearing.
Léon scored one of two free-throws for the unsportsmanlike foul, and international playmaker Giovanni Laval was six out of six from the free-throw line for the two technical and disqualifying fouls.
Léon closed the game at 84-70 with a lay-up for a game-leading 26 points to bring Baya’s unbeaten run to 11 for 22 points and first position in the 10-team standings.
As for the Rockers, who got 21 points from playmaker Nigel Sinon, this was their third defeat in 11 games for 19 points.
Current runners-up PLS Hawks made a tricky trip to Praslin on Saturday to play Praslin Warriors, who had put an end to a nine-game losing streak with a 64-58 win over RC Dynamics the weekend before.
Paced by veteran power forward Jim Domingue with 27 points, the former champions won 87-60 against the Warriors, who had Jackson Auguste and Joseph Souffe combining for 41 points.
PLS Hawks trail Baya by one point after 10 wins and a loss, while the Warriors are glued to the bottom of the table with 12 points.
Nigerian small forward Alao Solomon had the hot hands for Premium Cobras with 47 points in a 108-60 victory over RC Dynamics, who have won just three games in 11 outings.
The Cobras are tied with the Rockers on 19 points, but trail the latter after losing the first-round fixture.
Last year’s men’s division two winners Mont Fleuri Dawgz won the first and fourth quarters 21-14 and 22-13 on the way to a 10-point margin win – 77-67 – win over Anse Boileau-based Angels.
Dawgz’s coach Nigel Ah-kong, a former Premium Cobras and Seychelles playmaker, watched as his eldest son Reggie Ah-kong – the team’s playmaker and captain – scored five 3-pointers for 15 of his 24 points. Newly acquired forward Nigel Cafrine added 19 points in the Dawgz’ third win for 14 points.
With centre Steve Antat out injured, Steven Servina led the Angels in scoring with 28 points; they have now lost seven times in 11 games for 15 points.
Although he joined Premium Cobras’ Darren Lesperance, Beau Vallon Heat’s Marlon Marimba and MBU Rockers’ Brian Morel on the list of players to score six baskets from downtown in a single match this season, skipper Dan Côme came up short in his bid to propel his team Cascade Bullets to victory as Beau Vallon turned the heat on them with a 62-59 victory.
Tony ‘General’ Barbé scored 18 points to again pace Beau Vallon Heat for only their second win, bringing their points tally to 13, while Bullets are on 16.
Meanwhile, in a men’s division two encounter, AAP Brothers beat Juniors 36-34.
G. G.