East Rockers' Kerry 'Breeze' Thomas, defends Mystics' Devon Watts during Friday's game which the Mystics won

All Ah We tame Mystics in Big Ballers championship opener

BY DEAN GREENAWAY

The Virgin Gorda Mystics’ road to the Big Ballers basketball league championships took all of the five scheduled games and finally ended on Friday night, with an 80-70, triumph over stubborn East Rockers. All Ah We meanwhile, were well rested after sweeping the Disciples 10 days before they would meet the Mystics in the best of five series opener at the Multipurpose Sports Complex.

The fatigue from the series with the Rockers showed late in Sunday’s game, as All Ah We scored 10 points off turnovers in the final three minutes to pull out an 83-72, win over the Mystics. Coach Arnold ‘Shockers’ Collins said while his Mystics were flat, Morris Wattley had All Ah We well prepared after sweeping the Disciples. “They had more effort and energy than our team at this stage,” Collins observed. “Turnovers came basically by concentration and fatigue. It comes back to the point of having to play hard but, we’ll come back.”

Leading 68-67, All Ah We outscored the Mystics 15-5, with 3 minutes and 15 seconds left, as Nathaniel Malone scored 12 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter, most off turnovers. He also grabbed six steals. Chaurbin Smith and Eustace Freeman also forced turnovers in the fourth quarter where the game was tied six times, the last at 64-64. Smith finished with 12 points and Freeman tossed in 13 with seven rebounds. Lyle Duggins added another 12 points with six rebounds and four steals.

Gary Hillhouse led the Mystics with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Garvin Stevens finished with 14 points and pulled 12 boards while Dennis Allister finished with 13 points and seven rebounds. Trevor ‘West’ Stevens narrowly missed a double double with a game with 20 rebounds, nine points and four assists.

Wattley said his game plan was simply to harass the Mystics. “I have the tools to do it and once my guys do what they are suppose to do, I think it will work,” he said. “I know the Mysitcs had some key players missing, but once I too get my full team as well and they go out and follow instructions, I think I can go out and steal another one.”

Collins said his team has to overcome being trapped in the home court and need to concentrate on getting the ball in the front court, when the series resumes on Sunday. “Especially the guard play,” he noted. “We need to do more passing instead of dribbling. But, once we recuperate, we will be back.”

In getting to the final, the Mystics overcome an eight point deficit in the last 8 minutes 16 seconds of play, as Garvin Stevens scored eight of his 10 fourth quarter points in succession during the 80-70, victory over the Rockers.

The Mystics snatched the lead for good in the last 4:19, after Gary Hillhouse—who finished with 10 points—hit a 3-pointer that tied the game at 65-65. Stevens who had 23 points, 16 rebounds and five assists, had successive lay ups to break the tie, then made four of five free throws. While Stevens and the Mystics made 10 of their last 11 attempts from the charity stripe, the Rockers were missing six straight free throws in the last 55.3 seconds, after leading 62-56, with 8:19 left.

Dennis Allister tossed in another 15 points and nine rebounds for the Mystics. David ‘Bolo’ Lettsome had 21 points, eight rebounds and four steals for the Rockers, but joined Claude Richardson and Jahmal Rabsatt—who had 12 points and nine rebounds—in missing crucial free throws.

Rockers’ coach Louis ‘Doc’ Frett, said the game got away after losing key players in the last five minutes because of foul trouble. “I couldn’t withstand the pressure,” Frett said. “Besides, we just missed too many free throws throughout the whole series and tonight were worst. Free throws killed us man, big time.”

Collins, on the other hand, said the key to his team’s victory was simply being patient. “We got in early foul trouble, but the guys came off the bench and really worked hard,” he noted. “Garvin is one of the main men on this team and that is why we had to go to him—it was important for us to go to him early.”

Collins said they noticed early in the series that the Rockers were not a very good free throw shooting team, and they decided they send them to the line and ‘let them beat us there if they have to.’

In commending the Mystics, Frett said they are 10 good men and played stiff all night. “They don’t ease up,” he noted. “It’s not like a bench team coming in. It’s like a starting team coming in all the time and you have to keep that intensity. If you ease up, you’ll get behind.”

In an entertainment grudge match that preceded the Rockers vs Mystics’ contest, Roger Frank had 31 points in helping the Bad Boys to trim the Fryers, 76-75. Phillip Glasgow added 16 points, nine rebounds and four steals. Calvin Smith tossed in 13 points and pulled 10 boards. McKenzie Baltimore topped the Fryers with 20 points. Keith Smith poured in 18 and Duron Phillip 17.