- Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
National representative and Cedarville University's Mugabe Thomas attempts to past Dushane Whyte of Blazing Panthers in their game Thursday night at the Stadium courts. Cedarville won 75-68.
LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter
MUGABE THOMAS' emphatic left-handed jam over Duken Brown put an exclamation point on the night as he and his Cedarville University team defeated mid-season champs Blazing Panthers 75-68 in an exhibition match at the Stadium courts on Thursday night.
Thomas, who is a Jamaican and joined the Ohio-based University in 2001 on a full basketball scholarship, led his team with 22 points and put on a show in front of a host of friends and executive members of the Jamaica Basketball Association (JBA), some of whom helped secure the scholarship for him.
Panthers' coach Jason James was earlier instructing his team to foul Thomas as the clock wound down and they trailed by five.
Thomas escaped the foul attempt by Dushane Whyte, dribbled down centre court with his right hand, then switched to his left before soaring from the line in the key and flushing it over Brown.
Brown led Panthers with 17 points.
The visitors, who are on a nine-day visit to the island conducting clinics and seminars, broke out in the first quarter with a 17-5 lead in the first five minutes and maintained a double-digit gap between themselves and Panthers for most of the game.
Panthers cut the deficit several times to single digits with good play from Brown, Kirk Ferguson and Whyte. They came within three points (62-59) with 6:15 to play but then went on a turnover spree as the game slipped away from them.
TOUGH CONTEST
"We knew it would be tough," stated Cedarville's coach Patrick Estepp. "We jumped at them early in the game but we knew they would come back at us. At first, they seemed a little shocked but we knew they would adjust and get back in the game," he added.
Despite what looked like a blow-out at times with Cedarville leading by as many as 16, James said he was pleased with his team's play and that more than anything else this game was an evaluation for the play-offs which begin today.
"The intensity of this game was as high as a finals and I think it did us more good than harm. We saw where we're at and what we need to work on, which isn't much, so all we have to do is go out there and be combative and I know we'll be all right." James said.
Cedarville had four players over six feet six inches, which provided a lot of trouble for Panthers in terms of match-ups because they were not only good in the post but were prolific shooters as well.
One of those towers was 6' 10" Daniel Rose of Buckfield United, who was invited to play with the university as he is being sought after by the school for a scholarship.
Rose wasn't a force on offence but was a tower in the middle, denying everything from lay-ups to jump-shots and ended the night with eight blocks plus was a beast on the boards.
"Daniel was phenomenal tonight. I don't think we would have won the game if he didn't play. He doesn't have to score, just his presence is enough," Estepp stated.
"I liked the way he looked on the court. He was seeing the game and if we get him he'll be one of the top big men in our conference," he added.
