Former outstanding National Under 19 player Marlon Pollydore had a sterling shooting night as he planted five bombs from beyond the arc in a 30 point display which effectively accounted for the Victory Valley Royals carting off their second successive championship win, this time the final of the Linden Amateur Basketball Association’s Malta Supreme ‘March Madness’ Open basketball championship last Saturday night at the MSC hard court with a commanding 84-62 drubbing of arch rivals Half Mile Bulls at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court.
Later named the Most Valuable Player of the final, Marlon Pollydore steadied his side in the face of an opponent who had ended their 11 game run in the MSC Open Basketball league in December but this time, despite their best player Harold Adams not having the best of nights and the absence of Chris Williams and Orlando Glasgow, the Royals proved too much for the Bulls.
Without Travin ‘Babylon’ Dryden to shore up their inside game and the exit of Michael Turner, Terron Welch and company were unable to stave off the rush by the Royals to win this title after playing unbeaten in the preliminary round like the Bulls.
Adams made his impact early to put his team up 17-12 when the first quarter ended in association with young Yannick Tappin and the experienced Alwyn Rodney, giving them the guidance. Under the circumstances Adams was satisfied with the addition of another young talented player Daniel Lee also got into the act early on.
In the end Lee scored 10 points, Rodney contributing nine, Tappin eight and Akali Moore added six in the Royals triumph.
While the Bulls were able to get their way against the Royals in their last matchup, the Royals would have none of it this time around and after a 23-18 run in favour of the Linden champions to end the first half the scores were reading Royals up by ten, 40-30.
This laid the platform for the Royals to ride home to another solid win despite the subsequent third quarter exchange in their favour 13-12 and then finally 33-30, as they maintained their better showing to win 86-72.
The Bulls’ shooting guard Welch after getting seven second quarter points ended with just 13 in the game while Dillon Pellew netted 10 and Kevin Easton added seven with Emmanuel Larose and Vibert Benjamin each getting six points.
In the third place play-off game Amelia’s Ward Jets closed out the challenge from the Retrieve Raiders romping home 84-62 after leading at half time 38-32 before a 23-6 stifling run over the Raiders put the game beyond their reach. Individual scores were not available for that game.
