Station Hill will play Grazettes Nets ( 1 – 1) and Spartans will play Market Hill ( 1 – 1).

I will not predict who the winners will be but i will assure you that both games will be very competitive.

However the Braves team wish the Spartans the best of luck in their game.

What was the protest about?   During a playoff game it was noticed that a player who had played a number of games in the premier division games was included.  A call was made by the Coach to Mr Garrett requesting that he investigate the number of games the player had played in that division.  He returned the call two days later confirming that the player did play in the premier division and that he had in fact played six games.   He then told me that the Club had applied for permission from the B.A.B.A and that it was granted.

The rule states that a player is allowed to play a maximum of three games in the upper division.  However on playing the fourth game he must remain in this division.  The other rule states that a player registered in an upper division cannot play in a lower division.  This player was registered in the premier division.

The above rule is the first commandment of basketball.  All the players know of this rule.  Yes every year someone breaks this rule and gets away with it.  This player has played eight of nine games in zone B of division three.  The members of the Braves believe that because of the above rule that the quarter series should be awarded to the Braves.

The Braves team then submitted a letter of protest to the B.A.B.A.  A meeting was called with both teams present.  A proposal was made to play the series over with the player who breached the rule absent.  The two teams opted to meet again with their teams and respond in two days.

The St Johns team accepted the proposal and the Braves rejected it.  A  B.A.B.A decision is now pending.

1…..Station Hill. (12/1)       2…..Warriors  (10 /3 ).    3…..Patriots  (9 /4)   .  4…..Spartans  (8/5) +40 NP.   5…..Markethill   (8/5) -1 NP   and  6…..Grazettes Nets  (8/5) -14 NP .

That mean Station Hill and Warriors will draw byes.

Patriots will play Grazettes Nets and Spartans will play Markethill in the quarter finals.

It would be good if the team can watch some of these games.

(1)  Royals.  (2)  Grazettes Nets.  (3)  Braves.  (4)  Belfield.

Zone B

(1)  Clapham Bulls. (2)  St Johns Sonics (3) Warriors  (4) Senators.

Match ups.

Royals  vs  Senators.

Clapham Bulls vs Belfield.

Checker hall Braves vs  St Johns sonics.

Grazettes Nets vs Warriors

As you can see it is going to be an entertaining series.

The young Braves will come up against a team that will give them their sternest basketball test yet. They must remember that last year in a practise game at Gall Hill they played against this team and handled their full court press quite well.  At that time we play with some members of our u21 team.  Lessons were learnt, Players have matured and one year of experience gained.  Now we meet officially for the first time, both teams seeking a finals birth.  Will this be a David and Goliath battle?

A St Johns Sonics player on hearing the news stated that the Zone A teams better be prepared to face the up tempo games of the zone B teams.  This is the general feeling of most observers.  They are  saying  that the standard of the zone A was very weak.  All predict that the four teams in finals will be zone B teams.

The end of the world has been predicted more than 1oo times and you are reading this now.  Braves, put on your game faces.  We have survived many of these predictions before.  Brush off  your uniforms, get your socks ,shoes ,ankle guards we have 2 games to play.  Remember David had no experience, no weapons and all the bets would have been on his opponent.  The same description could be applied to the young Braves lads.  I don’t have to say what the result was.  So St Johns Sonics are you prepared for David of the north who want to graduate to Intermediate?  

Lets start the war chant. Whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo St Johns Sonic we are ready for you . Come.

(1) Clapham Bulls.  (2)  St Johns Sonics. (3) Warriors    (4) Senators. 

Later today the Zone a will be finalized as Royals will play Station Hill Cavaliers at the Gym and Grazettes Nets will play Cougars at Friendship at 8pm.  The result of these games will determine the first, second and third positions in this zone.

Up to this point the teams who have made the final four of each zone are known but their positions are yet to be finalized.  In zone A the teams are, Checker Hall Braves, Royals, Belfield and Grazettes Nets.  In zone B the teams are Clapham Bulls, Warriors, St John’s Sonics and Senators.  In zone B Clapham, Warriors and St Johns have all lost one game while Senators lost three.  In zone a Braves and Grazettes Nets have lost two games, Royals have so far lost one but have two games to play and Belfield have lost three.

All four teams in zone B are experience teams who finish in these position every year.  They contain many ex nationals and retired premier league players and will start as favourites to be the teams in the finals.

The teams in zone B, with the exception of the Royals team, are less experience.  They contain a number of players who only started playing about five years ago.  They are expected however to show up and be worthy opponents.

The playoffs will be fantastic in 2010.

Demario (left) and Darren (right) both had good games

 Last night at Belfield hard courts the Checker Hall Braves basketball team played a doctor jackle and Mr Hyde type game to defeat an unbeaten Royals team by thirteen points. 

This win ensured that the Braves ended their games in the second position of their zone.  Thus securing a playoff berth for the first time  in ten years.  Their seven win and two lost  (7 – 2 ) record was their best in their nineteen year existence and this follows a year of true commitment by all of  the players.  

The first quarter was a very low scoring affair as both teams showed signs of the long Crop Over  layoff.  Missed shots, off target passes, and numerous turnovers best described this quarter. The score at the end of this quarter was 7 to Braves 7 to Royals. 

There was a marked improvement in the second quarter as both teams settled down and ran their set offenses and defences.  The Royals started to use their experience and their three-point shooters to pressure and frustrate the younger and less experienced Braves players.  However the Braves players were up to the task.  They compacted the key  area and forced Royals to shoot from the perimeter.  With this ploy the Braves took control of their defensive boards and wore down the older Royals team with some quick fast breaks. Then the Coach introduced Damian  Leacock, Demario Prescod and Darren Small to the front court which improved the perimeter offence of the team.  The quarter ended with both teams on 21 points. 

Royals was quick out the blocks in the third quarter and despite some spirited play by the Braves took control of the game.  The Braves started to wilt under the pressure, the players went away from the game plan. The defence just went to sleep allowing Royals to get second and third shots. Royals was able to get an eight point lead midway in this quarter.  This is when things suddenly was reversed.  Directly after the entry of Kwamie, Andy and Jason the defence came alive and slowly started to apply great pressure on the surprised Royals offence. They went back to what worked for them in the second quarter and totally shut down the key area and was fast enough still to pressure Paul Grimes and the Ifill brothers three-point attempts.  Damian Leacock and Demario  Prescod made sure that Braves kept the pressure up by scoring the ball at the other end of the court.  Their players lack of condition started to be seen.  Braves slowly took control of the bball game. They ended this quarter with a three point lead.  Braves 35,  Royals 32. 

The fourth quarter was all Braves as the Royals turned the game into one of deliberate fouling.  They tried everything to intimidate the youngsters and when they realize it was not working shifted their attention to the officials.  What a pity.  Braves kept their focus and kept the pressure on. Royals only managed five points in this quarter. 

The final score Royals 37,  Checker Hall Braves 50. 

Well done Braves.  Prepare for a new experience.  Congratulations on making your first playoffs.

 Why Holford Academy?  Is a question I would love answered.  This competition designed for clubs taking part in the BABA competitions.  The concept was to encourage the clubs to recruit the young players rejected by the schoolboys and youngsters who started playing after they left school to have a chance to play among the elite in their age group.  That is why the players of the combine schools are playing playing for other clubs. 

I hope this  competition is as enjoyable as that of 2008 and that more teams benefit from it as it seems this could be its finale.