GBF ‘Reds’ Perreira Big 4 Basketball: Tappin helps Linden’s Victory Valley past Colts in final
Roy Spooner, at left, handing over the cheque for $300,000 to Victory Valley Royals coach Junior Rodney, as players celebrate
Victory Valley Royals upturned a first-quarter lead to bounce back and romp past Colts 77-70 when the two clubs battled it out in the Guyana Basketball Federation-planned ‘Reds’ Perreira Big 4 final, which was played on Saturday night at the Burnham Court.
Royals, the top Linden club, was down after the end of the first quarter 13-16, but, spearheaded by young Yannick Tappin, in a feisty contest took the lead when the first half ended 34-32 to secure the initiative.
They outscored Colts in the final quarter 21-17, winning 77-70, and copping the $300,000 first prize and the winners’ trophy, compliments of Roy Spooner’s IT-based transportation services, LehWeRide.
Former GBF President Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira presenting whistles, disc and books to current GBF President, Michael Singh
Tappin, later named the Most Valuable Player, scored 20 points to engineer the win, as Orlan Glasgow top scored with 22, Harold Adams 12, and Vibert Benjamin chipped in with 10.
For the Colts, Shelroy Thomas netted 22 points, Shane Webster 18, and Quacey Short 13.
Making the presentation was CEO of LehWeRide, Mr. Roy Spooner, who handed the $300,000 cheque to coach Junior Rodney of Royals, and the Champions Trophy was collected by Royals’ captain Yannick Tappin. GBF Vice President Rawle Toney presented the runner-up trophy to the Colts team.
The supporting game was won by Eagles, who got the better of Mambas 63-61, as Sherlon Gillis top scored with 24 points and Denzel Ross with 18. For the Mambas, Samuel Thompson scored 15 points and Coel Winter scored 11.
President of the GBF, Michael Singh, received on behalf of the governing body two boxes of whistles, two copies of Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira’s ‘Living My Dreams’ autobiography, and a disc containing pictures of basketball from 1961 to 1963 from the former GBF President and former sports adviser to the Minister of Sports during the 1970s.
