Tigersharks win nailbiter over Western Ballaz in Game 1 of NEBL Finals series
The inaugural National Elite Basketball League (NEBL) tournament began its championship Finals with a thrilling Game 1 yesterday at the Roman Catholic School auditorium in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, where home standing San Pedro Tigersharks came from behind in the closing seconds to clinch the 53-52 victory over the visiting Cayo Western Ballaz. The Tigersharks had led for most of the game, but with 30 seconds left on the clock, the Western Ballaz led by a single point, 52-51, when the Tigersharks took the ball upcourt, and Ashton Edwards made what proved to be the game winning shot. Roger Troyer’s attempt for the Ballaz at the other end rimmed out, and the buzzer sounded to give the Tigersharks the 53-52 win in Game 1 of the NEBL Finals.
The Tigersharks were led by Winston Pratt 14 pts 10 rebs, Jamal Kelly 10 pts, Ashton Edwards 9 pts, Darwin Leslie 6 pts 10 rebs 3 stls, and Michael Adams 8 rebs; while for the Western Ballaz, Farron Louriano contributed 20 pts 8 rebs 3 blks, Richard Troyer 12 pts 12 rebs, Travis Lennan 10 pts 7 rebs, and Kurt Burgess 8 pts 14 rebs 3 blks.
Game 2 in the best-of-3 championship series is scheduled for this Friday, June 20, at 9:00 p.m. at the Sacred Heart College Auditorium in San Ignacio, Cayo, where the hard-riding home fans will be there to cheer on their Cayo Western Ballaz against the visiting San Pedro Tigersharks.
A victory for the Ballaz would force a Game 3 on the Tigersharks’ home turf.