By Carlena Knight
Fans and players of the Sandals Grande Antigua basketball team breathed a sigh of relief on Wednesday evening as the former Cool and Smooth Business Basketball league champions edged out Pointe FM by three points in overtime.
The feature encounter of the triple header evening did not disappoint the fans that flocked the JSC Sports Complex as it was a see-saw battle down the stretch, but with two pivotal free throw misses from Pointe FM’s Kelvin Pimental to win the game and stun Sandals, the victors saw a small chance to keep their perfect record intact and push it to 2-0.
Those free throw misses would come back to haunt Pointe FM as with back-to-back turnovers in the dying seconds of overtime they lost the match.
Sandals’ Devorn Benjamin led his team in scoring with 15 points. He was assisted by Coy Quinland and Keroi ‘Dragon’ Lee who both scored 14.
Lincoln Weekes added to the tally netting 11 while for the losers, Rolando Hamilton was the top scorer with 15 points.
Daniel Perez had 13 and Josue Hernandez 12.
Pointe FM are still without a win.
Meanwhile, Vendors made it 2-0 with a 53-31 smashing over Mill Reef.
Craig Massiah once again had the hot hands for the victors banking 17 points.
Errol Quallis scored 15 in a losing effort.
In the other match played that night, defending champions, Antigua and Barbuda Transport Board pushed their record to 3-0 with a 57-38 victory over a winless Fitzroy Rewinding.
Darnell Azille had nine points for the champions while Daleonte Phillip and Eric Joseph made 13 and 10 points respectively.
Games will continue on Saturday evening starting at 6:30 with Pointe FM facing Sledge O Ballers while at 7:30, Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre (SLBMC) will play ABTB.
Anjo’s Wholesale will battle Board of Education.