Shooting guard Kerry McMillan hit four three-pointers and scored 21 points to lead Defence Force to a 98-86 victory over Valencia Heat in Friday's second match of a double-header in the JCW/Quarters Invitational Basketball League at the Southern Regional Indoor Sports Arena in Pleasantville, San Fernando.
The win pushes the army/coastguard combination unit to a 3-0 overall record to be the lone unbeaten team in Group A and sits on top of the five-team standings. A win in its final match today in the preliminary round versus Quarters United will see Defence Force advance to the semifinals with a clean slate.
McMillan paced Defence Force with 12 first-half points to help his team go into halftime with a 50-40 lead after controlling the first quarter (23-19). The soldiers/sailors team raced out to a 12-point advantage in the third session behind the effort of post player Kievan Bacquain who all of his ten points in the third quarter to have Defence Force ahead, 79-67.
Despite the contributions of trio Stefan Davis (22), Reynald Hospedales (19) and Tareeq Gentle (18), Valencia just could not catch up. The Heat did, however, match Defence Force point-for-point (19) in the fourth quarter but it was not enough as their opponent maintained its 12-point lead.
Valencia made a run to trim the deficit in the final period off Gentle, Hospedales and Orlando Mapp (14) but Defence Force responded with a run of its own and scored the final six baskets of the match, to claim the easy win.
In the earlier match, point guard Ako Pascall stepped up in the absence of its leading scorer this season shooting guard Adrian Joseph and piloted Caledonia Clippers to a 73-68 over Quarters.
Pascall top-scored with 18 points in a match which his team led at the end of each quarter, 28-16 in the first, 41-31 at the half, 52-46 in the third before sealing the narrow five-point victory.
Michael Pantin was the top performer for Quarters with 19 points while his teammates Delroy Agaro and Anton Noel added 12 and 10, respectively.
The host team will be looking to bounce back against Defence Force later when they meet at 5 pm and Valencia will look to upstage Clippers from 7 pm.
Friday Results
Clippers 73 (Ako Pascall 18, Akil Paynter 13, Kenyatta Alfred 10, Kirk Baptiste 10) vs Quarters 68 (Michael Pantin 19, Delroy Agaro 12, Anton Noel 10). Quarter scores: 1st. 28-16, 2nd. 41-31, 3rd. 52-46 (All in favour of Clippers).
Valencia Heat 86 (Stefan Davis 22, Reynald Hospedales 19, Tareeq Gentle 18, Orlando Mapp 14, Keagan Richards 12) vs Defence Force 98 (Kerry McMillan 21, Kyeon Joseph 16, Kensley Sandy 10, Kievan Bacquain 10). Quarter scores: 1st. 23-19, 2nd. 50-40, 3rd. 79-67 (All in favour of D Force).
Today's matches
Sunday
Group A
Defence Force vs Quarters, 5 pm
Valencia Heat vs Clippers, 7 pm