Day 3 CBC U-16 Basketball C/Ships…. Jamaica beat Aruba, Bahamas decimate Dominica

Jul 07, 2016 Sports

Jamaican Jalen Menzies again looked dangerous but was well marked and only managed 15 points yesterday at CASH. (Sean Devers photo)

Jamaica notched their third consecutive win to deny Aruba any chance of advancing to the semis, while Bahamas destroyed Dominica to hand them their third loss as the afternoon games on day three in the 2016 of the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) U-16 Basketball Championships continued yesterday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Jamaica won 71-59, beating Aruba, who has now lost three of their four matches, while Bahamas continued their unbeaten run in their three outings as they decimated Dominica by 104 points; winning 125-21. The Bahamians has reached triple digits scores in all three of their games as they stamped their authority on this tournament, which they are highly favoured to win.
Nobody in the Dominican team got a double figure score and so soundly were they beaten that Sherquan Jno-Baptiest’s five points, which included a three-pointer, were the most points registered by a player in their team.
Bahamas looks a complete team and while nobody scored more than 20 points, seven got double-digit scores. Rica Bridgewater got a game high 20, Chosen Levarity (18), Samuel Hunter (13), Davonte Jennings (12), Kenrick Burrows (12), Christopher Johnson (11) and Alfredo Brown (10) all contributed to show that there is no ‘I’ in team.
In the opening game Jamaican Akeem Ellis opened the scoring with a basket from the paint while team mate Rousseau Joseph registered a three-pointer and Jamaica were off to their usual positive start.

Michael Williams from Bahamas goes for a layup at CASH yesterday.

However, Aruba’s leading player Lenardo Winterdal knocked in a three pointer before Andre Maduro followed suit and scored from down town.
Skillful Jamaica Jalen Menzies entertained the gathering with his flamboyant maneuvers past Aruba’s guards but the Arubans fought tooth and nail and by half time the score was 26-all after Aruba briefly enjoyed a three-point lead 25-22.
The second half also produced competitive action as Menzies was at one stage ‘doubled teamed’ and despite his speed was not allowed any room to work with.
He was fouled a few times by the aggressive Aruba team, Kenneth Maduro was eventually fouled out after picking up five personal fouls but Menzies was only allowed to score thrice from 12 shots from the paint and none of four three-points attempts landed in the hoop. He however sunk all three of his efforts from the free throw line.
Jamaica scored six unanswered points in the third period at (34-28) and ended the penultimate stanza 49-40 leading by nine, despite Winterdal and Andre Maduro hitting triples in that period.
In the final quarter Jamaica picked up the pace and enjoyed their biggest lead (16 at 62-46) in a game in which there were changes in the lead 10 times. The scores were tied on seven occasions.
Captain Samora Williams led from the front with 18 points (11 rebounds) while Ellis (16), Menzies (15) and Jabari Cunningham (14) ensured that Jamaica played as a team.
The consistent Winterdal (15) and Rusheed Heemstadat (11) were the ones from Aruba to reach a double figure score. (Sean Devers)