Basketball: Top-of-the-table competition-Angels, Baya and Bel Air draw first blood |03 November 2004

Angels, Baya and women's league champions Bel Air all drew first blood in the opening matches while newly-crowned SBF Cup winners, Anse Etoile Stars did not have to sweat against Hot Shots who failed to field a complete team for the encounter, meaning they were handed victory on a plate.

Hot Shots, it must be noted are having trouble in fielding centre Tina Agathine because of personal commitments and Myra Solin who is out injured.

Some of the other players, it is said, are not turning up for training, thus making it difficult to field a team.

Rumours also have it that Hot Shots might not register next year with some of their best players joining Anse Etoile Stars who will go by another name next season.

Bel Air 71 ... Mont Fleuri 50

In another women's match later on Saturday, Bel Air, who failed to grab their first SBF crown last week after falling 45-61 against bitter-rivals Anse Etoile Stars in game three of the best-of-three final, returned to winning ways with a comfortable 71-50 victory over Mont Fleuri who have to go back to the drawing board and see how they can remedy things before they get out of hand.

New recruit Caroline Adhiambo and Patricia Samynadin had the hot hands for Bel Air with a joint game-high 18 points while lanky Malagasy power forward Lalatiana Razaiarisoa was the team's only other player in double figures with 16 points.

Influential playmaker and captain-of-the-day Burtina Désir could not show her true worth with just seven points.
As for Mont Fleuri they had for top scorer, shooting sensation Christine Eulentin with 17 points while Bernadette Songor added 14 and Tracey Moustache 10. 

Angels 80 ... PLS Dynamics 70

Anse Boileau-based Angels also cruised to a convincing 80-70 win over PLS Dynamics  Saturday October 30.

Angels, who are aiming to clinch the top honours following their disappointing performance both in the League and the SBF Cup, got off to a flying start winning the first quarter 24-13 to shoot to an early 11-point lead. Despite Dynamics coming back in the game in the second quarter, Angels still managed to keep their 11 points advantage at the break after the second quarter ended 14-14.

Angels played their best basketball in the third quarter as they outscored their more illustrious opponents 21-12 for a well-earned 20-point cushion at the start of the final quarter.

Albeit PLS Dynamics' dominance in the last 10-minute spell, which they claimed 31-21, they could not prevent their wheels from falling off as Angels, under the captaincy of Steven Servina who contributed 20 points in his team's victory, had already sewn up the match.

PLS Dynamics were led in scoring by Daniel Edmond with 18 points including four 3-pointers.

Baya 70 ... Beau Vallon Heat 62

Baya, who have been tipped to lift the competition's trophy, looked on course to achieve the feat when they defeated Beau Vallon Heat 70-62 in Saturday's last game.

Baya, who are performing pretty well under the leadership of trainer Michel Malbrook, played quick and aggressive basketball to pile the pressure on Beau Vallon Heat.
 
Lively playmaker Giovanny Laval, formerly with the Heat, succeeded in getting his teammates to keep running at their opponents and score.

With all 11 players who got playing time scoring, Baya collected what was probably one of their closest wins over Beau Vallon Heat.

Baya, playing without the influential Dave Roseline had two players – Luciano Moumou and Robert Léon (formerly with PLS Hawks) in double figures.

Veteran guard Guy Hall carried Beau Vallon Heat scoring load with an impressive 22-point including six from beyond the three-point arc.

C. J.