NIGERIAN Michael Ohiero stepped up big time to provide the spark for Premium Cobras in their division one 75-65 league win against defending champions PLS Hawks on Sunday at the Palais des Sports to tie Baya at the top.
Not only PLS Hawks were beaten during the weekend, defending women’s champs HotShots suffered a bruising 60-66 defeat in over-time (OT) at the hands of Mont Fleuri.
Setting the pace of the game, Ohiero gave the usually tough defending Hawks fits during the match and they just could not figure out how to stop him.
The Nigerian playmaker tallied a game-leading 34 points, including three treys as Premium Cobras won the second and fourth quarters 20-12 and 26-21 in a 10-point margin 75-65 victory.
Steven Servina was the Cobras’ second best scorer with nine points in a match both teams OHIERO … Premium Cobras’ go-to guyhad a player foul out – veteran power forward Jim Domingue (PLS Hawks) and forward Amadou Sylla (Premium Cobras).
With their fourth victory, coach Guy Hall’s Premium Cobras have brought their points tally to eight – the same total as Baya who were not in action over the weekend.
Another Nigerian, Solomon Alao, who changed allegiance from Premium Cobras to PLS Hawks at the start of the season, paced his new team with 21 points and big centre Barry Baron added 17.
Coach Clifford Joubert’s Hawks have three wins and a defeat to their name for seven points.
In other action, MBU Rockers rebounded from a 43-65 loss to former champions Baya to beat last year’s second division winners Razors 60-44.
Swingman Cyril Agrippine had the hot hands for the Rockers with 17 points including three 3-pointers as his team go fourth in the standings equal on points – seven – with third-placed PLS Hawks.
Only Alex Baron scored in double digits – 10 – for Razors who have gone four games without a win, just like RA Herons who are carrying the weight of the 10-team table with just four points.
Coach Gregoire Scholastique’s RA Herons suffered a 40-97 beating at the hands of Mont Fleuri Dawgz who used the match to put an end to a three-game losing skid.
Under the leadership of coach Nigel Ah-kong, a former Premium Cobras and Seychelles playmaker, the Dawgz got a game-high 23 points from Didier Valmont and had three other plays – Aubrey Adeline, (14), Steven André (13) and Stefan Romain (11) – scoring in double figures.
After stopping a two-game losing streak with an 89-81 win over Razors, Angels returned to losing ways as they were edged 72-73 by RC Dynamics who got only their second victory in four games.
Skipper Jean-Paul Camille led Dynamics with 27 points, while Daniel Dodin finished with 24 for Angels.
In the women’s league, Mont Fleuri’s veteran small forward Tracey Hétimier tied the score at 55-55 to force OT during which they outscored defending champions HotShots 11-5 for a 66-60 first-leg win.
Centre Lindy Aglaé scored eight of her team’s 15 points in OT to finish with 17 points, which was matched by HotShots’ Jenita Toussaint who also netted two 3-pointers.
Fontaine sisters – Zerah (13) and Beguitta (12 including two treys) – combined for 25 points for HotShots, whose only victory so far has come against Juniors on an 84-34 score.
Hétimier finished with 12 points and Williana Dubois added 10 for the new leaders who boast four points after two wins in as many matches played.
Meanwhile, in the men’s bottom division, Juniors collected their third win on the trot with a 60-53 victory over Praslin Warriors to lead the eight-team standings with six points and Pointe Larue Falcons collected a 92-42 win over AAP Brothers.
G. G.