It’s “Win or go home” for the No Limit Soldiers

Last Friday night, there was not one, but two potential series-clinching game 2’s in the best-of-3 National Elite Basketball League playoff semifinals. The San Pedro Tigersharks were at the UB Gymnasium in Garden City Belmopan to take on the Belmopan Point Bandits, while the Cayo Western Ballaz were in Belize City to face the Belize City No Limit Soldiers at Bird’s Isle. The Tigersharks had a 1-0 series lead, as did the No Limit Soldiers.

The No Limit Soldiers were looking to put an end to the series with a victory on Friday night, but with their season on the line, the Cayo Western Ballaz came out strong in the first half, as they led by as many as 13 points, and ended the half with a 39 to 27 advantage. But The No Limit Soldiers would not go down without a fight, as they outscored the Western Ballaz 20 to 9 in the third quarter, to bring them within a point, 48-47, before the start of the fourth and final quarter.

The 2 teams traded “blows” like prize fighters in the fourth, as the lead changed hands several times. And with just a second remaining on the game clock, and the No Limit Soldiers down by 2, Akeem Trapp of Team No Limit heaved up a 30ft. prayer that went halfway in the basket before rimming out, to give the Ballaz the 64 to 62 victory, tying the series, 1-1.

The Western Ballaz starters did all of their scoring, the No Limit bench outscoring the Ballaz reserves 32 to nothing, as only 4 Western Ballaz players even registered a point in this critical game. The Cayo squad was led by Richard Troyer with 20 points, Travis Lennan with 18, Kurt Burgess with 16, and Farron Lauriano with 10 points. The No Limit Soldiers were more balanced in their scoring, as only 2 players who saw the floor were unable to get a field goal. However, only 2 No Limit players managed to score in double figures, those being Greg Rudon with 12 points, and Elsworth Itza with 15.

Now, with the series knotted at a game apiece, the two squads will get set for the third and final game of the series, which is scheduled for this Friday in San Ignacio. It’s “win or go home;” the winner will advance to the NEBL Finals to compete for the $20,000.00 cash prize against the number 1 seeded San Pedro Tigersharks, who defeated the Belmopan Point Bandits, 78-71, on Friday night, while the loser will start their preparation for the 2015 season.