Roy Spooner at left hands over Championship Trophy to Royals’ captain Yannick Tappin
By Joe Chapman
LINDEN’s top basketball club Victory Valley Royals led by Yannick Tappin continued their top billing in Guyana when they rallied past Colts of Georgetown, 77-70, to claim the $300,000 winner’s prize and Champions Trophy in the final of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation’s organised ‘Reds’ Perreira Big 4 title Saturday night at Burnham Court in the City.
Meeting the teams before the game was the former GBF President and regionally recognised sports commentator Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira, in whose honour the tournament was held. He gave a pep talk and met the players of the two teams
Perreira also donated two sets of whistles and a disc with a collection of pictures from basketball from 1961-63 on a disc, two of his ‘Living My Dreams’ autobiography books to the GBF president, Michael Singh.
It was the Colts who galloped to take the first quarter 16 -13 as Domitre Ranking netted six of those points for the mining town lads with their transition play and quickness displaying their all round game to take the lead at half time by a bucket, 34-32, after knotting the scores 30 all with 2:15 left through Vibert Benjamin.
Then two free throws by Marlon Pollydore and a penetration by captain Yannick Tappin kept up the pressure as the Colts were outscored 21-16 in that second quarter period.
While the battle was close throughout in the closing stages of this encounter, the Royals maintained their good ball movement and crashing the boards. When the third quarter ended the Royals were still holding sway with a 56-43 advantage and with 4:15 remaining in the final stanza the Linden side was leading 73-65 and the combination of Benjamin, Tappin and Glasgow piloted the winners in the end 77-70.
Tappin who was later adjudged the Most Valuable Player netted 20 points but Glasgow led their scoring with 22 points Harold Adams steadied their game with 12 points and Vibert Benjamin added 10 for the winners.
Colts’ experienced captain Shelroy Thomas had 22 points with Shaine Webster getting 18 and Oquacey Shortt.
Mr. Roy Spooner, CEO of LehWeRide, the IT based transport services, was on hand to present to the Royals’ coach, Andre Rodney and to captain Yannick Tappin the winners and MVP Trophies.
Colts were also presented the runner-up trophy from GBF Vice President, Rawle Toney.
In the supporting game Eagles defeated Mambas 63-61 Sherlon Gillis netting 24 points and Denzel Ross 18 as Samuel Thompson had 15 and Cole Winter 11 for the Mambas.
