Spurs force Game Three in BEL finals

KINGSTON:

Manchester Spurs have grown accustomed to making a lead whenever they are challenging Kingston Hummingbirds, only to get hauled in by Kingston Humming birds down the stretch.

In Game Two of Netball Jamaica’s Berger Elite League (BEL) best-of-three finals series, however, Manchester Spurs bucked that trend and held strong down the stretch to beat Kingston Hummingbirds 57-53 and tie the series at 1-1 at the National Indoor Sports Centre (NISC) on Wednesday night.

Spurs started with a bang to claim a 17-12 lead at the end of the first quarter and extended that advantage to lead 33-24 at half-time.

As is customary, the Kingston Hummingbirds, which have won the championship for the past two seasons, rallied and trailed 40-44 at the end of the third, then came within two points down, with a minute remaining. This time, however, it was the Hummingbirds and not the Spurs who buckled.

“We had our game plan, and it’s for them to really work hard. Our team needs to push the Hummingbirds to the limit. They’re the defending champions, so we didn’t want it to be a walkover. We said, ‘Hey, if you’re that good, then you’ve got to earn it’. So everybody has to come out and play their part,” said Manchester Spurs head coach, Connie Francis.

OUTSTANDING SHOOTER

Goal shooter Gezelle Allison was outstanding, scoring 41 goals from 49 attempts to lead Manchester Spurs and claim the game’s MVP prize. Anna Kay Griffiths netted Manchester Spurs’ other goals, converting 16 of 20 tries.

At the other end, Sabrina Spence led the Hummingbirds in scoring, netting 29 goals from 34 attempts, while Hasana Williams scored 18 of 19 tries, and Shanice Beckford got six from seven.

The Hummingbirds’ ball handling was poor, especially in the first half. Head coach Winston Nevers blamed that and their offensive deficiencies on their demise.

“From the first quarter we were down by five, and it’s difficult. We’ve never started (well), we’ve never hurried on the court and (seemed) ready to play. We were just so slow in passing the ball, slow in movement, slow in getting possession of that ball and keeping it in our possession,” bemoaned Nevers, who is seeking his first BEL title, in his first season coaching a team.

Kingston Hummingbirds won Game One of the finals 59-52 on Monday night. Game Three will be played tomorrow at the NISC.