Mackeson ‘King of the Rim’ 3×3 Basketball Championship…Den Amstel ‘A’ to represent West Coast in Super Eight Final

Dec 11, 2014 Sports

Den Amstel ‘A’ team will represent West Coast Demerara next week Friday at

Den Amstel ‘A’, Michael Clarke (airborne) elevates against the opposing, Uitvlugt Giants in the paint for a lay-up Tuesday night at the Den Amstel Community Centre court when the Mackeson 3×3 Basketball competition continued in West Coast, Demerara.

California Square, East Ruimveldt in the Mackeson ‘King of the Rim’ 3×3 Basketball Final after bouncing away with the ‘best of the west’ title Tuesday night at Den Amstel.
Den Amstel ‘A’ forward, Michael Clarke nailed a huge jumper just outside the three-point mark, (which is counted for two points in 3×3 basketball), inside the final minute of the deciding game against Uitvlugt Giants to secure a place in the final.
Den Amstel ‘A’ beat Uitvlugt Giants 10-8, compliments of Clarke’s jumper, which broke a dead-lock heading into the final minute. Den Amstel ‘A’ had topped Group ‘B’, while Uitvlugt Giants headed Group ‘A’ when the competition moved for one night to the western half of the Demerara River at the Den Amstel Community Centre Basketball Court.
Eight teams spanning the West Coast registered to compete Tuesday night for the one place that was up for grabs for a chance to play for the $500,000 first prize or $300,000 second place purse, which will be decided at California Square next week Friday.
Den Amstel ‘A’ began their campaign negatively when Den Amstel ‘B’ edged them 7-6 on their home-court in the first round. However, Den Amstel ‘A’ rebounded to squeeze past Invictus 12-11 in extra time after regular time produced a 10-10 deadlock.
Invictus had beaten Tuschen Woodcrest 8-7 in the first round while Tuschen Woodcrest whisked past Den Amstel ‘B’ 9-8 in the second round, leaving the four teams in the group with a win and a loss. The FIBA (International Basketball Federation) rule of dividing the highest win by games played for an average was invoked to decide the two teams coming out of the group.
Den Amstel ‘A’ played Tuschen Woodcrest in the group final with the former winning 7-2 and moving forward to the West Side final. The other group was more easily decided with Uitvlugt Giants and Guyana Fire Service Training School ‘A’ setting themselves apart as the two teams to beat in the group.
Fire Service ‘A’ opened with an 8-1 thrashing of Fire Service ‘B’, while Uitvlugt Giants got past Uitvlugt Warriors 12-9. However, Uitvlugt Warriors beat Fire Service ‘A’ 5-0 in the 10-minutes game to put itself in contention in the group.
Uitvlugt Giants continued its unbeaten record in the preliminary round with a 12-4 drubbing of Fire Service ‘B’, which forced Giants into the group final. Warriors and Fire Service ‘A’ played for the other group final place with latter winning 7-6 in the end.
In the other group finals, Uitvlugt Giants beat Fire Service ‘A’ to play Den Amstel ‘A’ with the rest now being history. The Mackeson ‘King of the Rim’ 3×3 Basketball competition continues tonight at the Mackenzie Sports Club Hard Court in Linden.