Rachael King
Forward Fabrice Fisher was quite effective from behind the three-point arc in leading Police past Petro Jazz, 86-71, in the Men’s National Basketball Championships at the Maloney Indoor Sports Arena on Thursday night. It was the second match of a double-header with Detour Shak Attack claiming a 94-59 win over BTU Ballers.
Fisher hit four three-pointers in getting to a match-high 21 points in the intense encounter which the policemen held the edge throughout. Play in the first quarter was fairly balanced with Police holding a 21-19 advantage. At the halfway mark, the grey and blue pushed further ahead, to lead 44-36.
With support from point guard Adrian Joseph and post-player Phillip Alexander, who added 16 and 11, respectively, the trio kept Police out front by a nine-point (63-54) margin by the end of the third quarter. Jazz gave fight through the offensive presence of Ako Pascal, who scored a team-high 18 points, Kevin Sargeant and Michael Pantin. Both netted 10 each with Sargeant connecting two three-pointers in getting to his contribution.
Despite the loss in its final match of the preliminary rounds, Jazz finished third in the standings and will take on second-placed Shak Attack in the best of three Big Four semifinals which was scheduled to begin last night in Maloney. Game two is scheduled to take place at the Southern Regional Indoor Sports Arena (SRISA) in Pleasantville, San Fernando tomorrow. If there is a decider it will also be played at SRISA.
Shak Attack will be on a high coming off an easy 35-point victory over Ballers. Shak Attack dominated from the jump thanks to Kern George, Sheldon Christian and Kenyatta Alfred. George topped with 26 as Christan and Alfred, put in 14 and 12, respectively. Walter Peters was the best offensively for Ballers, connecting two from the three-point arc, to reach 22 in a losing effort.
The policemen will try to hold off Valencia Heat, as they look to get into the final which is carded to start on Sunday in Maloney.