Basketball-Teams fight for survival through playoffs |04 October 2006

They finished a place before last in the eight-team standings with 18 points, the same total as sixth-placed MBU Rockers, 2005 Men’s division 1B champions.

Angels will meet Men’s division 1B runners-up Ex-Champs in the best-of-three playoffs starting Thursday.

It is to note that despite Angels being involved in the playoffs, they are one of only two teams to have defeated champions Premium Cobras in the league this year. The other team to claim the champions’ scalps are Baya who finished third, equal of points – 24 – with runners-up PLS Hawks who could not defend their title.

RC Dynamics will be relegated to the Men’s division 1B league after finishing at the bottom of the table with 17 points – three wins and 11 defeats in 14 games.

They will be replaced in the top flight by Men’s division 1B winners Pointe Larue Falcons.

Pointe Larue Falcons needed just two years to reach the top flight. It must be noted that the team disbanded in 2002 and the players regrouped to register with the Seychelles Basketball Federation (SBF) and play in structured competitions in 2005.

Pointe Larue Falcons aren’t new to top flight basketball here. Previously Falcons, they played in the country’s old first division from 1989 to 1995 before being relegated to the second division. After three years struggling in the second-tier league, Falcons won promotion to the top flight in 1998 before making the drop again in 2002. That same year, the team disbanded and it was only with the return to Seychelles of manager Nichol Gabriel that the players decided to revive the team.

No team will make an automatic drop from the Men’s division 1B to the Men’s second division because AAP Brothers were kicked out of the league after missing two games.

Therefore, Beau Vallon Heat, who lost their top flight status at the end of last season, will play Men’s second division runners-up LMS Jazz in the playoffs to avoid dropping to the lowest league.

Juniors have finished as Men’s second division champions and they will play in the Men’s division 1B league in 2007.
It is also worth noting that Anse Etoile Stars have retained the Women’s league title after beating Bel Air 49-38 in the title decider.

The following are the final standings of the three men’s leagues.

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