Mikiel Phillips helped Hoop Nation close out Club Enterprise in the Under-21 Division of the South Zone Basketball League on Monday, winning a deciding game three 68-59 to advance to the Big Four finals against the Point Fortin Veterans Basketball Academy (PFVBBA).
Hoop Nation and PFVBBA triumphed in their respective best-in-three semifinal series, 2-1, in matches played at the Southern Regional Indoor Sports Arena in Pleasantville, San Fernando. PFVBBA eliminated Rising Stars on Sunday with a convincing 85-65 game-three win.
Against Club Enterprise on Monday, Phillips led the way with 23 points while Josiah Marryshow and Isaac Marine netted 12 and 10, respectively, in a match which started in favour of their team. Hoop Nation controlled the first quarter, 15-11, maintaining a five-goal (33-28) advantage at halftime.
However, Club Enterprise, who forced a game three after levelling the series 90-66 on Friday after losing game one 77-56, battled back in the third period, outplaying its opponent 21-16 to tie the score at 49 heading into the fourth quarter.
The momentum of play though, shifted back in favour of Hoop Nation, who dominated the session, adding 19 to its total compared to 10 from Enterprise to claim the nine-point victory.
Hoop Nation will now face the PFVBBA in game one of the best-in-three series final starting on Friday.
The Academy’s path to the final began with a defeat in the opener, 79-74. The Point Fortin team rebounded in the second match of the series against Rising Stars to seal an 87-55 win, then closed with the 20-point win on Sunday led by a team-high 29 points from Simba Edwards. He got support on offence from Michael Bedeave (15) and Joshua Huyghue (12) to book PFVBBA’s spot in the final.
For Rising Stars, leading scorer Ariel La Rode netted a match-high 35 in an affair which was tied at 21 at the end of the first quarter until PFVBBA took over and led 40-36 at the half and 61-45 in the third before pulling away to get the comfortable win.
The U-21 final series is set to jump off Thursday at the Southwestern Regional Indoor Sports Arena in Egypt, Point Fortin, at 7 pm ahead of game one in the Championship Division final between Police and Team Elite at 8.30 pm. Both teams swept their respective semifinal series against Bronx and Advanced Genetics to compete for the title.
Admission is $20.
Results
Monday
U-21 Division (Game three)
Hoop Nation 68 (Mikiel Phillips 23, Josiah Marryshow 12, Isaac Marine 10) vs Club Enterprise 59 (Necose Moore 14, Negaste Moore 14, Jaydon Woodroffe 8). Quarter scores: 1st 15-11 (Hoop Nation); 2nd 33-28 (Hoop Nation); 3rd 49-49.
Sunday
PFVBBA 85 (Simba Edwards 29, Michael Bedeave 15, Joshua Huyghue 12) vs Rising Stars 65 (Areli La Rode 35, Nathaniel Phillip 10). Quarter scores: 1st 21-21; 2nd 40-36 (PFVBBA); 3rd 61-45 (PFVBBA).
U-21 Division (Game two)
Saturday
Rising Stars 55 (Areli La Rode 30, Khalil Jackson 7) vs PFVBBA 87 (Justin Mitchell 30, Simba Edwards 25, Joshua Huyghue 11). Quarter scores: 1st 22-4; 2nd 50-23; 3rd 76-35 (All in favour of PFVBBA).
Friday
Club Enterprise 90 (Necose Moore 30, Jaydon Woodroffe 15, Josiah Parris) vs Hoop Nation 66 (Josiah Marryshow 27, Dexion Rouse 14, Isaac Marine 9). Quarter scores:1st 20-16; 2nd 47-34; 3rd 65-50 (All in favour of Enterprise).