By Carlena Knight
A new champion will be crowned in the Antigua and Barbuda Basketball Association (ABBA) Division One playoffs as the defending champions, Flyers Basketball, were eliminated on Thursday night.
Flyers lost 2-0 in their best of three semi-finals series versus Stingerz falling 90-80 in Game 2 at the JSC Sports Complex.
Despite a 26-point effort by national player, Selassie Brathwaite and a 22-point performance from new addition, Esteban Justiz the orange men could not secure the win to push to a Game 3.
Sharife Sergeant assisted with 14 points and six rebounds while teammate Kenya Achom had 10 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
James Barbee Jr. was the leading scorer for the victors with 24 points and six assists while teammates Vivian “Boast” Destin and Keroi “Dragon” Lee contributed netting 17 and 12 points, respectively.
Former champions, F and G Trading Cuties Ovals Ojays made their return to the final for the third consecutive year after wrapping up their semi- final series 2-0 with an 88-76 win over Potters Steelers.
The feature encounter went down to the wire but it would be the Ojays who would reign supreme with Joshua Minner leading the charge with 26 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and five steals.
Bryan “Hollywood” Matthew chipped in sinking 22 points and six rebounds while skipper Marlon “Buju” Charles had 19 points and seven rebounds.
Potters’ Kareem “Macky” Edwards had 24 points and eight rebounds while teammates Benny Iko and Felix Hamilton netted 21 and 10 points.
Iko grabbed an additional 15 rebounds in a losing effort.
The best of five finals is set to shoot off on Sunday with Stingerz versus Ovals.
