Potters Steelers and the Spanish Heat claimed impressive victories at the JSC Sports Complex on Sunday evening as the Best of Three Semifinals Playoffs of the Antigua and Barbuda Basketball Association Division One and Two commenced.
In the Division One headline matchup, Potters Steelers were simply too good for Da Project with 81-64 on Sunday night, establishing their championship credentials with a balanced attack and superior rebounding.
Keroi Lee recorded a double-double with a game-high 22 points and 13 rebounds. Raniq Nicholls added 16 points to the winning effort, while Kareem Edwards contributed 10 points along with 4 rebounds and 3 assists.
Despite the defeat, Terry Dawkins delivered a high quality individual performance for Da Project, leading his team with 25 points and 5 rebounds. T-Shawn Lewis recorded a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds in a full 40 minutes of action, but the team struggled to find consistent offensive rhythm.
The Steelers dominated the rebounding battle 60-47, with Cohen Desouza pulling down a game-high 14 rebounds. This advantage translated to a decisive 62-40 edge in points in the paint.
After establishing a 27-19 lead in the first quarter, the victors maintained their advantage through the second period before breaking the game open with a decisive 27-10 third quarter run that effectively sealed the victory.
In Division Two action, Spanish Heat overcame a sluggish start to defeat Navigators 91-79 in Sunday evening’s playoff opener, after falling behind 22-14 in the first quarter, Spanish Heat responded emphatically with a 28-15 second-quarter surge to take control of the contest. Their momentum continued after halftime as they outscored Navigators 26-18 in the third period to build a comfortable cushion.
Erwin Rodriguez orchestrated the Spanish Heat offense masterfully, recording a team-high 23 points while adding 4 rebounds and a game-high 9 assists in nearly 39 minutes of action.
Jesus Emmanuel provided additional scoring punch with 20 points, while Rohland Hamilton added a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Perhaps the most impressive individual performance came from Charlie Daniel, who pulled down a remarkable 21 rebounds to go with 6 points.
Ariel Quallis led the resistance for Navigators with 25 points and 13 rebounds in 35 minutes of playing time. Ryan Shepherd contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds, while De-Lornge Jules added 12 points and 6 rebounds.
The shooting disparity told the story of the game, with Spanish Heat connecting on 49% of their field goal attempts (33-of-67) compared to Navigators’ struggling 28% (26-of-90). The Heat also showcased superior three-point shooting at 37% (9-of-24) versus Navigators’ 25% (5-of-20). All four teams will battle again on Thursday evening for the second round of matches in the Playoffs.
