Clapham’s wait
is over for a win
By George Alleyne
It was a long time in
coming, but when the players
from Clapham took the
Barbados Amateur Basketball
Association Championship
trophy Sunday, they grabbed
it with both hands from archrivals,
Station Hill.
Clapham had dominated
the first three quarters
19-14, 39-31 and 52-43 before
trailing slightly in the final
period. Going down to the
wire in the last game of a bestof
five finals of this knockout
competition, Clapham’s
guard, Andrew Ifill, tied the
scores at 61-61 by scoring the
first of two free throws. He
missed the second free throw
but his team won ball control,
he took a pass and drained a
shot inside the paint, moving
his team to 63-61.
Station Hill’s Jamai
Puckerin then missed a
jumper and picked up an
apparent knee injury.
Following the injury timeout
Clapham’s point guard,
Rahiim Gibbons, then sunk
a jump shot, also within
the paint, for the last score
in the match with seconds
to go to register the 65-61
victory over the four-time
defending champions, at
the Barbados Community
College Court.
It has been a 13-year wait
for the Clapham players
to hoist this prestigious
Barbados trophy.
Ryan Leacock was a player
in that victorious team
13 years ago, and now he
is tasting victory again as
coach.
“It feels great to be back on
top again because basketball
is critical to the Clapham
community, and you could
see from the response of the
fans how important it is to
see Clapham basketball back
again. We have been down for
quite a few years, so it is great
to see the programme making
a turn,” coach Leacock said. Clapham players and coach (second left) celebrate. Photo by George Alleyne
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