Cadiz league report - UNDER 14 BOYS TIPPED TO PLAY IN GROUP 1

UNDER 14 BOYS TIPPED TO PLAY IN GROUP 1

Last weekend’s programme in the Cadiz League finally saw all our 5 teams in action, returning a 3-2 positive balance.

The u14Boys, coached by Victor Carrasco, overturned their only defeat to date, having travelled to Cadiz with only 5 players last month and losing by 44-28. They were in total control on Sunday, winning every quarter - 22-9; 25-10 in the first-half - and taking the foot off the accelerator in the second (14-10; 14-7) to just avoid the 40 points’ difference which effectively closes the scoring. Ralph Falero-Manktelow hit 33 points in just 17 minutes on court. The team play their last game in the group against Don Bosco in Rota on Sunday and, having won here by 32 points, just have to avoid losing by a larger margin to win the group and pass to the top group in Phase 2, where they will be up against the winners of the other 7 groups. The top four teams from this group go on to play the quarter-finals, together with the first 2 teams from the group of second-placed teams, and the winners of the groups of third and fourth-placed teams.

UNDER 16 BOYS LOSE THRILLER BUT WIN HEAD-TO-HEAD

Tim Azopardi’s boys were on fire in the first quarter of their match in Cadiz against Cadiz Rojo, Ben Lejeune helped himself to 17 points in GABBA’s 23-12 lead. The home team came back strongly and drew level (28-28), a minute from the break, then went 4 up before Lejeune hit a 2 and 1 to establish the 32-31 half-time scoreline. GABBA went ahead early on resumption but Cadiz Rojo reeled off a 12-points’ burst, including three 3’s to take a 9 points’ lead 48-39 in just 2 minutes, late in the third quarter. A 3 from Evan Cocklan and 2 more points from Lejeune left GABBA just 4 down (48-44) at the start of the last quarter, and 3 minutes later, they were 51-49 up. It was very even with lead changes as the end approached. The home team were 61-58 up with a minute left, Lejeune wrapped up an MVP performance with a 3 to tie the scores, but Cadiz Rojo had the last say, scoring a 2 and 1 to win by 64-61. However, GABBA’s 54-49 win at the TSH a month ago narrowly gave them the all-important head-to-head which comes into the reckoning in the event of these teams being tied on points at the end of the first phase. Lejeune’s 29 points led the scoring.

U16 GIRLS REMAIN UNBEATEN

A third win for Kira Ruiz Afrah’s girls was never in doubt after a devastating 23-4 first quarter result. The Cadiz girls enjoyed a spirited revival in the second quarter, taking it 18-11 to narrow the gap at half-time to 34-22, but it was a mirage, as GABBA hit back in the third quarter (22-6) and Yasmin Asri Sasri scored the last 6 points to record the 40 points’ difference which closes the score (73-33), three seconds before the end. Erin Doherty hit a match-high 19 points, Briella Bagu scored 14 and Daniella Martinez 13.

UNDER 14 GIRLS SETTLE IT BY HALF-TIME

Coach Andrew Teuma spurred his team on to an unassailable lead (37-9) by half-time, and eased up in the second to win their third match from four played, by 55-29.
Lily Mauro 18 and Briella Bagu 10 led the scoring.

UNDER 18 MEN HEADING FOR BOTTOM SPOT

Another defeat for the team coached by Abdul Afrah puts them at risk of finishing bottom of their four-team group, with just 1 win out of 5, precisely against these same opponents, Adesa 80, from Sanlucar de Barrameda, in GABBA’s home match, played in La Linea. There is talent in this team but they are paying the price for inconsistency and, at times lack of focus, brought about by lapses in discipline. I was not present at this match but I have received reports that the refereeing of this match was horrendously biased in favour of the home team. It is hard to deal with situations like this but, playing in this type of competition, it is not unexpected and the team, including the coaches, must deal with this and learn that nothing is gained by protesting the referees’ decisions. The final result was 81-53 and the supremely talented but temperamental Kingsley Sylvester getting a match-high 29 points.

NEXT FIXTURES

SATURDAY, 1:45 pm - GABBA U16 Girls v Montera (Los Barrios), at TSH

SUNDAY, 10:00 am - GABBA U16 Boys v Cadiz Gades, at TSH
12:00 noon - GABBA U18 Men v San Felipe Neri (Cadiz), at TSH
12:00 noon - GABBA U14 Girls v San Felipe Neri (Cadiz), at TSH
12:00 noon - San Bosco (Rota) v GABBA U14 Boys, in Rota