Adrian Frater, News EditorWestern Bureau:
The quest to decide which teams will occupy slots in the six-team Western Basketball Association (WBA) Lucozade men's championship will take centrestage at the Montego Bay Cricket Club this evening, with the playing of a crucial triple-header.
The games and the order in which they will be played are as follows: Hoopers against Granville Wolfpack in the 4p.m. curtain raiser, Avalanche versus Railway Tiger in the second game at 6p.m. and Granville Jaguars against Sav Hawks in the big 8p.m. showdown.
While all three games are naturally quite important, in terms of entertainment value, the final game between Jaguars and Hawks should be a classic. In addition to being among the competition's joint leaders, both teams have been playing excellent basketball all season.
Star-studded line-up
While Jaguars' attacks will revolve around their star-studded line-up which includes the likes of Douglas Powell, Huwayne Blake, Leroy Lawrence and Marvel Anderson, the Hawks will be banking heavily on top players Maurice Rodriques and Kareem Hibbert.
Jaguars will be defending an eight-game winning streak, while the Hawks, which can be inconsistent at times, are coming of a big 64-38 mauling of Lane Tigers, which they did last Sunday afternoon at the Montego Bay Cricket Club Courts.
In the second game, mid-season champions Avalanche, which should be still smarting from last weekend's close 67-65 loss to Avalanche, should start big favourites to crush Railway Tigers, especially if top players Cleon Morgan, Nicholas Watson and Dane Morris report in top form.
Domination
Hoopers should dominate the curtain-raiser against bottom-place Granville Wolfpack as while they have spent most of the season challenging for top place, the Granville team has been at the bottom or near the bottom since midway the first round.
The current standings in the competition, which is sponsored to the tune of $300,000, is as follows: Jaguars 19, Avalanche 19, Hoopers 19, Hawks 17, Tigers 15, Lions 14 and Wolfpack 13.
