Valencia Heat showed on Tuesday night that its opening win against Defence Force on Sunday was no fluke, winning game two of the best in three series semifinal, 78-68, in the Mackeson Super 10 Basketball League.
Led by Forward Fabrice Fisher, who had a quiet showing for Valencia in the opening match, bounced back to help his team to a 2-0 advantage producing a 21-point performance at the Maloney Indoor Sports Complex.
Heat came up big particularly in the final quarter against the league's reigning champion and is now in cruise control, one win away from entering its first ever final in the premier basketball league.
The Valencia-based unit led 22-12 at the end of the first quarter, but lost momentum when Army/coastguard combination team surged to level the scores at 31-31 by the end of the second.
The teams continued to trade baskets in a see-saw third period, which ended, 52-52, leading into an exciting final quarter, which Heat went on to control.
With just over five minutes to play, Heat found itself leading 61-58, following a three-point effort, before the new East Zone giant pushed ahead, 64-60 and never looked back. Heat closed off the match with a 14-8 run.
Fisher was well supported by guard Kevon Noreiga, who connected on 15 points, while forward Jeffrey Saunders and former national junior player Wayne Richards, each sank 11.
For Defence Force, national forward Steven Lewis led all scorers with 27 points, while point-guard Derrick Boxill sank 16 and captain Gerard Toney added 12 with four three-point baskets. The third and most crucial semi-final match is scheduled for Sunday at the Jean Pierre Sports Complex in Port-of-Spain.
Police drops Brian Chase to enter Women's finals
The night's opening match of the double-header resulted in Police again thrashing defending champion Brian Chase Academy (BCA), also for a 2-0 series lead in the Women's Division of the Mackeson Super 10 Basketball League, which ultimately put the former into the final with a match to spare.
Although BCA improved from its sorry display in the opening semi-final encounter, the team was clearly no match for Police, which finished the match with a 19-point, 75-46 win.
Police led 16-11 after the first quarter and increased the advantage by the end of the second period. After leading, 36-23 at the start of the third period, Police maintained control to enter the final period ahead by 26 points (57-31). BCA showed some improvement in the deciding period, but was never going to close the deficit.
Influential forward Rhonda John�Davis scored 21 points, while her teammate, forward Kielle Connelly, who recorded a season-best 30 in Police's opening 90-39 win, netted 17. Joelisa Cooper added 11, while Leslie-Ann Bacquain helped with 10.
?