Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter
The US Virgin Islands' Jaja Richards (right) tries to prevent Jamaica's Jerome Jordan (left) from getting off a pass to teammate Marlon Dumont (far right) in Caribbean Basketball Championships action on Wednesday night at the National Indoor Sports Centre. The US Virgin Islands won the encounter 78-75. - ANTHONY MINOTT/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
THE JAMAICAN men's and women's teams had mixed results as the second day of the 18th Caribbean Basketball Championships drew to a close at the National Indoor Sports Centre, on Wednesday night.
While the women were able to repel a stern challenge from a resilient Bajan team, eventually coming out on top 67-55. A late fourth quarter rally by the Jamaican male contingent proved to be too little too late and they went down 78-75 to a physical U.S. Virgin Islands team.
The Jamaicans could not repeat the high-wire act that saw them demolish a much smaller St. Kitts and Nevis 114-56 just a day earlier, as the much more physically gifted Virgin Islands team was an entirely different prospect. In fact, it was evident from the start that the Virgin Islands were going to be tough to cover.
The inside presence of Frank Elegar, who finished with 17 points, and sharp shooting from the outside by Kevin Sheppard, who top scored with 18 points, was always going to pose a match-up dilemma for the hosts. With 6:12 left to go in the second quarter, the Virgin Islands had opened up a 12-point lead at 24-12. However, a spirited run by Jamaica led by Mugabe Thomas who top scored for Jamaica with 17 points, saw them cut the lead to 32-28 by halft-ime.
REGAINED CONTROL
The powerful Virgin Islands team soon regained control of the game and with 6:30 left in the final quarter led by 20 points at 68-48. However, Jamaica were not done yet and much to the delight of the crowd began to use a full-court press, which allowed them to cut sharply into the lead, but eventually come up just short.
Also coming off a big win on Tuesday, the women's team recovered from a slow start to eventually open up a 50-30 lead with three minutes left to go in the third quarter. The fourth quarter saw nervous times for Jamaica though and a near 3 1/2 minute scoring drought saw their lead dwindle to just 59-52.
It took a huge three pointer from Ericka Messam, who finished with 18 points, to not only break the drought but ensure that Jamaica moved back to a 10-point lead and secure another win.
"All the teams are very competitive and on any given night it's anyone's game, once you take control of the game you have to control the entire game," said women's head coach, Rerita Essannason.
"Fatigue set in after a while, but I think the experience of Simone, Syreeta, Oberon and point guard Messam helped us establish control of the tempo of the game and emerge victorious," she said.
Oberon Pitterson top scored for Jamaica with 18 points while plucky point guard Toni Atherley had 17 points for Barbados.
"We tried way too hard to get the outside shots going. That was a mistake. We should have gone inside from the beginning, but sometimes your plans just don't work," said disappointed Barbados coach, Dwight Rouse.
"In the second half we decided to attack the basket and that is what got us back into the game," he said.
