Basketball: Curtain-raiser competition-Hawks eliminate Angels to reach final |23 March 2012
Led by veteran power forward Jim Domingue, Hawks started the 2012 season with no major investment in the transfer market, boasting the same line-up with which they won the league title last season.
The road to the final for Hawks started with a 112- 42 preliminary round victory over second divisioners Beau Vallon Heat, before beating Baya 81-77 score in the quarterfinal.
In Wednesday’s semifinal, the boys of head coach Alix Allisop faced a tough opponent in the well-prepared Angels who had kicked MBU Rockers and SBF Cup winners Mont Fleuri Dawgz out of the competition.
At the end of the first quarter, Hawks had a slight 19-15. In the second quarter, Angels who were receiving good instructions from former player Norcy Agathine, maintained their resistance to win it 22-19 but still trailed by one point – 37-38 – at half-time.
It was in the third and fourth periods that Hawks shifted to a stronger gear, especially through their Nigerian import, Alao Solomon, to win the two quarters 25-17 and 28-20 to win the match. The final score was 91-74.
Solomon was Hawks’ leading scorer with 42 points, while Dominique Françoise had the hot hands for Angels with 27 points.
Tomorrow’s final will start at 5pm and tickets will cost R25 for adults and R10 for secondary students. Meanwhile, the women’s final between HotShots and Mont Fleuri will also take place tomorrow, starting at 3pm.
R. D.