TT whip Barbados 44-23 for 1st handball victory

CAPTAIN Derice Biggart scored a match-high 14 goals when TT secured their first victory at the IHF North American & Caribbean (NORCA) Emerging Nations Tournament, in the Dominican Republic yesterday, with a 44-23 result over Barbados in the first play-off match.

The result meant TT will go into tomorrow’s final day with a chance to finish ninth.

Biggart scored his 14 goals from 18 attempts, while Isaiah Taitt provided support with six goals after seven shots.

Christoff Phillip (5/9), Sherwin Jackson (4/5), Joshua King (4/5), Mikail Walker (4/9), Kareem Wylie (2/2), Ronaldo Scott (2/5), Stephawn Solomon (2/5) and Joel Timothy (1/1) were the other players on target.

The team’s performance and the result showed a drastic turn-around in form, following its two heavy losses at the group stage.

TT opened its account in the tournament with a harsh 44-11 defeat to Mexico in the first Group B match. Things went from bad to worse for the Kenwin Goden-coached national team as they fell to a dreadful 55-9 loss to Martinique in their second and last Group B match, one day later. That result left TT rooted to the bottom of the group standings, and leaving a ninth place finish as the best possible outcome.

The victory is expected to give the team a much needed confidence boost as they get ready to play Dominica tomorrow.

Dominica edged St Kitts & Nevis 31-28 in yesterday only other play-off match.

The team would have been hoping for much better results as many of the players and the TT Team Handball Association gets ready to host the NORCA IHF Championships in July, a qualifying event for both the ANOC World Beach Games, San Diego, California, in October, and the Beach Handball World Championships, Pescara, Italy, in June, 2020.