In basketball there are basically two types of players, the players who are seen as “wannabees”, and the players who are considered the “real deal”. Tyrone “Joka” Edwards, who plays for “Lake I Boyz”, and who grew up from behind the Lake, is from the latter group, methinks. The kid has toughness about him, that many of his peers have come to savor and admire. And last weekend was no exception, as he hit for 18 pts in his team’s 92-80 win, in game one of the best of three semi-final rounds of the 2007 Win-Belize senior basketball. He then followed that up on Sunday with a team high 24 pts, as he led his Lake I team to a 87-85 win, and, in so doing, completed the sweep over the self proclaimed “Reggae Boyz” of basketball.
With that sweep complete, the Lake I Boyz then moved on to the 2007 Finals on Tuesday last against Acros Whirlpool, which once again saw “Joka” putting up big numbers, as he scored a game high 35 pts, as his Lake I Boyz came back from a nine-point fourth quarter deficit, to edge Acros Whirlpool by the score of 89-85. Teammate Jerome “Penny” Ellis also contributed 16 pts in the win; while for Acros, it was Ronald Rivers hitting for 32 pts, with eight coming from the three-point arch, complimented by Travis Lennan’s 20 pts.
The scene is then now set for the Lake I Boyz tonight at the City Center. It is simple – with a win, they are crowned the 2007 Senior Basketball champs; with a loss, they open up the door for Acros to win the championship. The stakes are high! Any card could play… even the “Joka”.
ACROS VS THE LAKE FOR 2007 SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP, MEANS RON VS “JOKA”
As an entrée to this monster senior male encounter, the females will be taking to the court at 7:00 p.m. to decide the 2007 Win Belize Female basketball championship, being played between the two perennial female basketball powerhouses, Maria Chang “Eagles” and Advance “Flames”. The series so far has been evenly played matches, with both teams winning one apiece.
Advance “Flames”, who were (0-4) against the “Eagles” in the regular season, shocked the defending champs in game one of the best of three, by downing them by the score of 57-51 in overtime, behind Enid Dakers’ 29 pts and Lacey Rosales’ 9 pts. The “Eagles”, however, rebounded in game two, played last Sunday, beating the “Flames” by the score of 46-42, as Shirley Codd had 22 pts, and Sylvia Clarke netted 12 pts in the win.
Tonight, it’s do or die for both teams. The “Flames” will need to have big games from Enid and Lacey, and would need a third player to step up and give them some production; while for the talent laden “Eagles”, they will have to guard against their own worst enemy- complacency. It’s very hard to get up and get your adrenaline running against a team that you have defeated four out of five times for the year.