Basketball: League championship-Hot Shots take over at the top |19 May 2006

Wednesday’s 84-31 win over inexperienced Cadettes has pushed the Anse Boileau-based team into the lead with 11 points from a maximum 12.

With a game in hand, the Stars trail Hot Shots by one point after having amassed 10. Coach Michel Malbrook’s Stars have won all their five games, while Hot Shots’ only loss in six matches has come against the defending champions.

The defeat was Cadettes’ fourth in five games and they are in fourth position with six points, the same total as third-placed Mont Fleuri who boast a superior basket difference.

With two wins and two losses in four games played, Mont Fleuri, captained by veteran Williana Dubois, will be looking for their third win on Sunday when they play former champions Bel Air this coming Sunday at the Palais des Sports.

The Bel Airians, for their part, cannot afford another loss in their bid to reclaim their League title. Hurt in their ego after their recent 38-48 loss to Hot Shots, the players of coach Robinson Boniface are sure to come out with all guns blazing to put the record straight.

In the men’s second division, Juniors have extended their unbeaten run to five games.

Coached by American Robert Smith, Juniors, boasting players like Abdel Sylla and Reggie Ah-kong, poured in 63 points against LM Chasers and conceded 59 to celebrate their fifth consecutive win in their first season in the league.

They have 10 points and sit at the top of the eight-team table, while LM Chasers are in fourth position with eight points following three wins and two defeats.

Relegated to the lowest division after losing last year’s Men division 1B playoffs to Bel Air Blazers, Mont Fleuri Dawgz collected only their second win earlier this week on a 58-49 score against LMS Youth.

The Dawgz hold sixth position with six points and LMS Youth are third with nine points.

G. G.