Anthony Minott, Freelance Writer
Link-up All Stars Maurice Hanson (left) is being challenged for the ball by Portmore Flames' Dariean McKenzie during a KFC National Basketball League match at the Edgewater Community Centre basketball court on Saturday night. Link-Up All Stars won 52-45. - Anthony Minott/Freelance Photographer
Majesty Gardens' six-point (87-81) overtime win over Arnett Gardens Rockers on Saturday night at the Edgewater Community Centre, in Portmore, was not enough to get them in the KFC National Basketball League (NBL) mid-season final against St. George's Slayers.
Majesty Gardens' victory made a three-way tie between themselves, Urban Kinights and Denham Town Wizards - all having identical 8-3 win-loss records - for second spot. However, Urban Knights got the nod over Arnett and Majesty Gardens with a superior goal difference.
Majesty Gardens' assistant coach, Richard Bailey, was disappointed that his team didn't make the mid-season final but promised at better second round.
Disappointed
"I'm disappointed that we didn't go all the way, but we've had a nice season so far. We just need to work on our fitness. The three games we lost in the first round was mainly due to a lack of fitness. We will be going on the drawing board, you can expect a better second round from Majesty Gardens," Bailey promised.
Again, it was Majesty Gardens' leader, Baldom Todd, who carried his squad with a team-high 23 points. Todd got major support from Barrington Berry with 17 points and Kemar McLeish with 16.
Arnett's Vivian Spence had a game-high 29 points, with five bombs from behind the three-point arc - one of them forcing overtime with the scores level at 75-75, while Amel Campbell contributed 24 points.
In the second game of the double-header, Link-up All Stars defeated a rusty-looking Portmore Flames 52-45.
Narada Gordon
Link-up's Narada Gordon, with four, three-point buckets, led his team with 18 points, while Garfield Campbell added 10. The Flames' Kenardo Smith had a game-high 20 points and pulled down 25 rebounds, but his team lacked bite offensively. Adding to their woes, pure shooter Adrian Coote only connected on one three-point field goal attempt and finished with seven points.
Arnett Gardens' record has fallen to 6-5 at the halfway stage in the competition.
"We didn't execute as we should, we just need to work on the basics for the second round," Sharonette Mercurious, coach for Arnett Gardens Rockers said.
The mid-season final is scheduled for Saturday, August 19, inside the National Arena, at 7:00 p.m.
This is a repeat of last year's grand final where St. George's Slayers defeated Urban Knights 2-1 in the best-of-three series.
