Pacers, KG Elite advance to Momentum U23 Basketball semis

MALONEY Pacers and Coach KG Elite confirmed their spots in the Momentum Under-23 Invitational Basketball Tournament final four after securing wins in their respective Pool B matches at the Maloney Indoor Sport Arena on May 25 and 26.

Pacers made it two wins on the trot when they crushed Arouca New Age Lions 101-59, courtesy of an outstanding performance from Leshaun Alfred, who netted 42 points including three assists, 16 rebounds and four blocks. Pacers started strongly and New Age struggled to keep pace, trailing 34-12 at the end of the first quarter. In the second period, Pacers outpaced the Lions 20-14, which brought the halftime score to 54-26. And despite Lions’ Israel Sylvester notching 18 points - two assists, ten rebounds and one steal - Pacers rallied on to seal a mammoth victory.

Coach KG Elite also booked their place in the semis by defeating last year’s winners Matthew Pierre Basketball Academy 92-73. A powerful start from Elite saw them score 12 points before Matthew Pierre registered their first basket. However, the Mayaro-based Matthew Pierre club closed the gap to 21-18 by the end of the first quarter.

In the second period, Elite pulled ahead with a 29-point haul, led by Jaden Roberts (25pts), who had a standout performance including four assists, seven rebounds and five steals. The defending champions struggled, managing only nine points in response. The third quarter was more balanced, with Elite scoring 22 points and Matthew Pierre adding 21.

Despite Matthew Pierre edging Elite 25-23 in the fourth quarter, the early dominance secured Elite the win. Pacers and Elite play each other in their final group match on Sunday to determine who advances to the semi-finals as group leader and runner-up.

Meanwhile, Pool A’s two semi-finalists will be decided on June 1, their final day of preliminary round matches. In round two Pool A matches on May 4 and 5, New Chapter Academy edged Point Fortin Veterans 79-72 while Spartans defeated Royalty 113-81.

New Chapter opened up a small gap early in the first quarter but Veterans battled back to take a slender 18-21 lead into the break.

New Chapter NCA capitalised on a slight dip in the Veterans’ energy to outscore their opponents 19-14, taking a 37-35 lead by halftime.

Jovan George (20 points, ten rebounds, and two steals) provided the spark for New Chapter in the third quarter, outscoring the Veterans 20-19.

Veterans’ Jason Friday had a solid performance with 20 points, four assists, four rebounds, two steals and one block. However, a hamstring injury limited his contributions at the end of the third quarter and parts of the fourth, giving New Chapter a chance to pull away.

Additionally, needing a win to stay in the hunt for a knockout spot, Spartans dominated the first quarter with a 9-31 run. Despite Royalty increasing their scoring in the second quarter, Spartans matched their intensity to gain a healthy 40 point lead (78-38) at halftime.

Royalty fought valiantly in the third quarter, outscoring Spartans 25-15, much to the delight of their supporters. Esan Babb stood out for Royalty with 11 points, three assists, 12 rebounds, and seven steals.

In the final quarter, though, Spartans sealed their convincing win with a 20-16 performance, led by Idris Martin’s 37 points, four assists, four rebounds, and two steals.

With various outcomes still possible in Pool A, tensions will be high heading into round three. New Chapter’s two wins put them in a strong position, with a victory in their final Pool A game securing them the top spot. However, a loss could complicate their standing depending on other results. For the Veterans, a win in their next game is crucial for their advancement.

If they fail to win, they could still qualify but would rely on other results and point differentials.

If Point Fortin wins, Spartans could still qualify with a win against New Chapter by 12 or more points. Royalty could cause a major upset by clinching second place in Pool A if they beat Point Fortin by 25 points or more while hoping Spartans lose to New Chapter.

Round 3 Schedule: Matches at

June 1 - Point Fortin Veterans vs Royalty (7pm), New Chapter vs Spartans (8:30pm)

June 2 - Matthew Pierre vs New Age Lions (6:30pm), Maloney Pacers vs Coach KG Elite (8pm)