Eagles soar in GABA Division III thriller

Sonics’ boycott undermines opening night

Eagles gave the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) an ideal start to its new season when they came up trumps in the first game of the Division III League before a Pepsi Sonics’ boycott undermined Sunday night.
Eagles survived a late offensive onslaught from Melanie Patriots for a thrilling 56-54 win after heading into the final period with a healthy 12-point lead (46-34) in the first game of the 2010 season at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Glendon Sergeant scored 20 points for Eagles with Kevin Boston adding 16 points for the team that take an early jump ahead in the League. Patriots’ Floyd Arthur scored 12 points and was the only player in double figures for his team.
Eagles enjoyed solid leads throughout the game and never really looked under threat with the first quarter ending 16-10 and second period 33-20 in their favour. However, the team had defensive collapse in the crucial final period.
The collapse allowed Patriots to score 20 points compared to their 10 points in the quarter that almost proved fatal for them. It certainly could have been one of the most memorable comebacks at the Division III level in recent times.
The night took an unfortunate twist, however, when Pepsi Sonics’ Basketball Club pulled both its Division I and III teams from the GABA League, which is organised as a seeding forum for clubs at both levels in the Garden City. They were expected to play Bounty Colts in the other Division III game Sunday and Nets in the featured Division I game. However, for reasons not made official, the club opted to withdraw its teams from the League at last minute.
“I don’t know what is their reason for pulling out as yet. They have to put it [their reason] in writing. I have not seen that yet,” GABA Secretary, Robert ‘Bobby’ Cadogan told this newspaper following the ill-timed development.
“They have their own issues I guess, we will make an official pronouncement,” he stated, before adding that the GABA will keep the media posted. Pepsi Sonics pull out will most likely affect the fixtures of the both Leagues.
The Georgetown sub-association will have to reset the fixtures for upcoming games. The League was expected to continue tomorrow, however, that is now in doubt because of the reaffixing of games that included Pepsi Sonics. (Edison Jefford)