Basketball in Africa

THERE’S still no change at the top of the women’s and men’s division one league standings after another round of matches last weekend on Praslin and at the Palais des Sports.

RA Sisters 20 … HotShots 112

Women’s champions HotShots had no trouble steamrolling RA Sisters 112-20 despite losing HotShots’ Toussaint has equalled teammate Beguitta Fontaine’s season-high seven 3-pointersplaymaker Zerah Fontaine early in the second quarter after an accidental clash with veteran Lina Lestrange.
According to reports, the HotShots youngster suffered a cut to her right eye, but her absence had very little impact on the team’s play as Jenita Toussaint tied her big sister Beguitta Fontaine’s season-high seven 3-pointers for 21 of her 29 points.
Seychelles international forward Myra Solin got a game-leading 32 points, centre Tina Agathine added 22 and Beguitta Fontaine netted 16 as HotShots collected their fifth win in six games, while RA Sisters, who got eight points from skipper Katherina Morel, have just one win in six matches.

Anse Etoile Stars 74 … Juniors 13

Former champions Anse Etoile Stars were a class above the young Cadettes team, winning 74-13 on the back of 27 points from veteran captain and Seychelles international Simone Malbrook, whose 14-year-old daughter Yana Malbrook starred for the losing team and scored two points.
Recruited from RA Sisters during the mid-season transfer window, Malagasies Rakotomandimby Fahatitra and Rakotomandimby Miantratsiory got 10 points apiece in the Stars’ fifth win.

Cascade Bullets 56 … Baya 96

Player of the year Jean-Paul ‘JP’ Camille again had the hot hands with 22 points, including two three-pointers, as Baya extended their unbeaten run to 14 games.
But the champions missed reaching the century mark for the fourth consecutive game in a 40-point margin 96-56 victory over Cascade Bullets, who were without coach Grégoire Scholastique.
Dave Roseline (20 points), centre Timmy Adama, who was plagued by foul trouble (14), and Nigel Annette (12 from four 3-pointers) contributed to Baya’s win after they also beat Praslin Warriors 95-67 away the weekend before.
Kenneth Sophie and Biko Biong combined for 25 points for the Bullets, who have now lost 10 times in 14 games.

RC Dynamics 66 … PLS Hawks 82

RC Dynamics looked capable of hurting PLS Hawks until their top player Jean-Paul Desaubin fouled out with five minutes left in the fourth quarter with 21 points and was followed to the substitutes’ bench a minute later by their second-best scorer Jourdan William, who finished with 13 points.
Although Wilby Domingue tried to pick up the slack, the Hawks banked on their experience in the absence of key players like international centre Rodney Lozé, who was in the stands after the passing of his mother, and veteran power forward Jim Domingue, who coaches the RC Dynamics team. They outscored their opponents 29-19 in the fourth quarter after winning the first three on close scores of 16-14, 17-14 and 20-19.
Although coach Domingue might have enjoyed a rare Dynamics win over the Hawks, it would have put him and his Hawks teammates at a disadvantage over Baya in the head-to-head chase for the league title.
Neddy ‘Oye’ Fanchette avoided fouling out to finish with a joint game-high 21 points, while centre Barry Baron added 16 and captain Bernard Bristol netted 13 in Hawks’ 11th victory in 12 games.
Dynamics, who had won their previous match against Beau Vallon Heat on a 61-47 score, have 17 points after two victories and 13 defeats.

Mont Fleuri Dawgz 49 … Premium Cobras 96

Amadou Sylla was on fire with a game-high 25 points for Premium Cobras, who also got 24 from Nigerian Alao Solomon and 12 from captain and Seychelles power forward Dominic Pillay in a 96-49 win over Mont Fleuri Dawgz.
After beating the Bullets 83-52 the weekend before, the Cobras, whose coach Lenny ‘Bad’ Aglaé was hit with a technical foul even before the tip-off after his mistake over the players’ jersey numbers, have now won 12 games in 15 outings.
Last year’s second division winners Dawgz were led in scoring by Aubrey ‘Spider’ Adeline with 13 points, and Nigel Cafrine banked four treys for 12 points as they suffered their eighth defeat in 13 games.

Beau Vallon Heat 41 … MBU Rockers 74

Swingman Cyril Agrippine (nine points) and top scorer Brian Morel (21, including three baskets from downtown) fouled out, but MBU Rockers shut down coach Valli Ismaël’s Beau Vallon Heat 74-41.
Playmaker Nigel Sinon got 19 points and Nigel ‘Jah’ Henriette added 11 as the Rockers rebounded from their 83-114 loss to the Cobras. This was their 10th victory in 14 games for 24 points.
Finishing with 12 points, Pascal Bibi was the only player in double figures for the Heat, who are a place from bottom with 16 points (two wins and 12 defeats).

Praslin Warriors 93 … Angels 95

Centre Steve Antat showed Praslinois that big men can shoot, scoring five treys to finish with a game-high 39 points as Angels broke home team Praslin Warriors’ hearts in a 95-93 victory.
Anse Boileau-based Angels won the second and fourth quarters 33-26 and 25-20 after the Warriors tied them at 19-19 in the first and won the third 28-18.
Captain Kieren Agathine and Barry Dubignon finished with 20 points apiece for Angels, whose win was their seventh in 13 games for 20 points.
Although skipper Jackson Auguste netted 31 points, Joseph Souffe got 29 and Fabien Athanase added 16, the Warriors are still carrying the weight of the 10-team standings with 15 points after a victory and 13 defeats.

G. G.