Calliaqua, Bequia to settle basketball score

Aycees Calliaqua United and Bequia All Stars have a score to settle when they meet in the finals of the senior men’s divisional title of the National Lotteries Authority National Basketball Tournament.{{more}}

The showdown is set for this Saturday evening June 8, at the New Montrose basketball facility.

In the two previous encounters of the teams, Bequia outscored Calliaqua in the preliminary round of the 2012 tournament, but the scores were reversed when they faced each other earlier in the 2013 edition.

However, unlike what occurred last year, when the finals were settled based on the best of three matches, this year sees a return to the one-off final.

In last year’s final, Calliaqua trumped in anticlimactic fashion, when Mattafix Playaz forfeited game three of the series, which was locked 1-1. At the point of forfeiture, the match was at 19-19.

This year, the defending champions have had a relatively smooth passage to this phase of the tournament, playing unbeaten.

Calliaqua earned the right to meet Bequia when they extinguished Smoking Aces last Thursday night at the competition’s venue.

Calliaqua outscored Smoking Aces in all quarters, 26-17, 40-27, 66- 47 and finally – 88-65.

For Calliaqua, it is their go-to man, Ishama McKree, with 28 points, who is expected to be a handful in the final.

The other half of the men’s final – Bequia All Stars outlasted Hairoun Hardcore – 78-55.

Bequia has gone one step further than last year’s showing, when they were ousted by Mattafix Playaz 82-55 in the semi-finals.

But while the men’s finalists have been determined, the team which would meet Celebrity will be known this evening, when defending champion Xpert Computer Centre Bustas play Maple in the remaining semi-final.

The third place play-offs in both the women’s and men’s divisions are slated for Thursday.(RT)