Basketball in Africa

IT’S anybody’s title now that women’s defending champions HotShots have dropped a point against Mont Fleuri, who inflicted a first league defeat on them this season.


With former international Williana Dubois, 41, getting a team-leading 19 points, and Patricia Mont Fleuri’s Dubois plays defence on HotShots’ Solin (foreground)Samynadin and captain Lindy Aglaé adding 10 apiece, Mont Fleuri really hurt HotShots on Saturday at Victoria Gymnasium for a 56-48 win.

Mont Fleuri won the first two quarters 19-8 and 10-5 for a 16-point (29-13) half-time lead, and although they lost the second period 27-35, they held on for a famous win after losing the first-round encounter 50-54.

The win was Mont Fleuri’s third in five games for eight points – one fewer than leaders HotShots and runners-up Anse Etoile Stars, who, despite losing 42-55 to the champions in the first-round match-up, will be looking to add to the woes of coach Philip Arissol’s team when they meet on September 19.

Clearly missing centre Tina Agathine, who chose to play volleyball on the day with defending champions Arsu – who suffered a rare second defeat in the league – HotShots were paced by international forward Myra Solin with a game-high 20 points and Jenita Toussaint added 14, including three 3-pointers.

After throwing the league wide open with their win, Mont Fleuri, coached by Tony Juliette, believe in their chances of winning the league title.

“It’s up to us to play hard in the remaining matches, especially against Anse Etoile Stars,” Dubois told Sports Nation.

The versatile Dubois, who played handball with Rybar in the morning for a 26-22 win over PLS Hurricanes Sisters, added that the title is up for grabs.

“Everything’s possible if we put our minds to it. We can beat the Stars if we play well,” added Dubois, who has represented Seychelles at five Indian Ocean Islands Games – in Mauritius in 1985 (in athletics), in 1990 in Madagascar, in Seychelles in 1993, in Reunion in 1998 (all basketball, winning the silver medal each time), and in Mauritius in 2003 (basketball).

The Mont Fleurians lost 57-67 to the Stars in the first-round encounter.
It was a good day for Mont Fleuri teams, as Mont Fleuri Dawgz put on a good show to earn a 31-point (83-52) margin win over Beau Vallon Heat in the men’s division one championship.

Aubrey ‘Spider’ Adeline had the hot hands with a game-high 25 points for the Dawgz, who had three other players – centre Jim Créa (14 points), captain Reggie Ah-kong (12) and his young brother Sergio Ah-kong (10) – scoring in double figures for the team’s fourth win in 12 games to bring their points tally to 16.

The Heat, who got 15 points from Pascal Bibi, are on 14 points after two wins and nine defeats.

A week after their self-destructing act against champions Baya in a match they could have won but lost 70-84, MBU Rockers came to their senses with a 66-57 win over Cascade Bullets.

With 15 points, captain and playmaker Nigel Sinon led two other players – Brian Morel (13 points) and Cyril Agrippine (11) – in double figures in the Rockers’ ninth win in 12 games for 21 points.

The defeat was the Bullets’ seventh in 12 outings and, like the Rockers, they had three players scoring in double digits – Dan Côme (15), Biko Biong (14) and Kenneth Sophie (10).

Diminutive shooting guard Steven Servina came up big for Angels with 33 points in an 80-71 victory against RC Dynamics, who have now conceded nine defeats in 12 games to drop into the danger zone with 15 points.

Kieren Agathine contributed 12 points and centre Steve Antat added 10 in Angels’ win, while Dynamics, who had Ronny Julius, Albert Duncan, James Joubert and Isaiah Rose fouling out, got 20 points from captain Jean-Paul Desaubin.

Meanwhile, in a men’s division two match, skipper Serge Radegonde scored 13 points to lead three other team-mates in double figures in a 71-62 win over Anse Etoile, who got 17 points from Faizal Naiken.

G. G.