May 21 - 27, 2013
Sports National
TURKS AND CAICOS NEWS EXPRESS
PABA Night League Playoffs:
41
Flyers are one win from title THE once mighty Grand Turk Stallions are battered and bruised after back-to-back defeats from the defending champions, Five Cays Flyers, in the Provo Amateur Basketball Association (PABA) Night League finals. With victories on Friday and Saturday nights at the Gus Lightbourne Sports Complex, Flyers are just one win short of defending their title in the bestin-seven series. The Provo based team had won game one, before Stallions took game two. The latest results have left the series at 3-1.
SHOCKED STALLIONS The Stallions, who played to a 25-0 record prior to this series, could not stop the speed and the sharp shooting of the defending champs. Some felt that the Flyers would not defeat their opponents over the weekend since powerplayer and ace rebounder Ira Taylor was back in the lineup for the Stallions, but although Taylor was outstanding and he commanded the boards, the Flyers led by their consistent small forward Darado Fulford won 102-98 in game three before a 136-129 overtime win in game four. On Friday night Fulford, who has been outstanding the entire series, scored 24 points and grabbed six boards while D. Williams and R. Been added 17 points each. Taylor had a huge doubledouble. He scored 23 points and pulled down 22 boards, while D. Seymour scored 16 points, four assists and three steals. The Stallions had a chance to win Game four, but the Flyers’ R. Been buried a critical shot from beyond the arc to send the game into overtime at 114. The Flyers kept the momentum up for the seven point victory; Been continued to shoot, while centre Ehlo Seymour and Fulford drove to the paint for easy points. Seymour led the winners with 30 points and nine boards while Fulford added 24 points and eight boards and Been 23 points, 10 boards and three steals. Taylor was again amazing. The “big man” scored 30 points and grabbed 20 rebounds to go with three blocks and two steals. Tamurri Lightbourne also scored 30 points, while he collected five boards. D. Seymour added 17 points, five boards and five steals for the Stallions.
Flyers are one win from defending their title. Here they pose with their armband dedicated to their beloved former teammate OJ Lewis who died recently.
Small forward Darado Fulford has led the Flyers in this series.
Ira Taylor has been outstanding for the Stallions.