By Treiston Joseph
Three years, three different champions as the Bounty Colts became the latest team to write their name as champions in the history books of the ‘Road to Mecca’ National Club Basketball Championship tournament that culminated on Saturday evening at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
After the first final on March 19 between the Colts and the Retrieve Raiders ended in abandonment, the city side (Colts) came out running and gunning in the rematch from tip-off to register a 75-55 win to claim the coveted title.
Colts opened with a 15-8 run to end the first quarter. It was clear that the Colts were looking to play an up-tempo style of play which had given them the advantage over the the veteran players on the Raiders.
Raiders, however, would answer with a run of their own in the second quarter outscoring the Colts 24-14 in the second period for a 32-29 halftime lead.
The second would prove the turning point of the game as the Colts came out running while playing a stifling zone defence while shifting to a full court press midway through the quarter.
Colts defensive blitz coupled with their open court attack held the Raiders to just five points in the entire third quarter while scoring 21 of their own for a 50-37 lead heading into the final quarter.
Colts would open the lead to 20 points in the final period before a quick 7-0 run by the Raiders to cut the lead to 13 with seven minute left in the game.
Nevertheless, Raiders continued to lag and could not keep up with the Colts as the latter closed out the game with a run of their own to become the third Georgetown team to win the title.
Star guard Shelroy Thomas led the way for the Colts with 23 points and was well supported by Shane Webster and Kurt English with 11 points apiece. Stanton Rose also had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Scoring for for the Raiders came from Jason Alonzo with 11 points and Keon Cameron with 10 points. Star Raiders’ player Dwayne Roberts could only muster nine points
The presentation ceremony will take place at the Gravity Lounge on April 30 from 15:00h.
