Calliaqua takes Basketball title in anticlimactic fashion

Carib Calliaqua pouched the 2012 National Lotteries Authority National Basketball title last Sunday night at the New Montrose Basketball Facility.{{more}}

The anticipated cliff-hanger was not to be, as it was anticlimactic, following the forfeiture of the match by Mattafix Playaz, who refused to continue the match early in the second quarter.

The point of contention was the number of fouls committed by Playaz’ captain and coach, Orlando Fergusson.

At that juncture, the match was locked 19-19 and the best of three match series 1-1.

The match was then awarded to Calliaqua, based on the FIBA rule 20.1, which in part states that a team shall lose the game by forfeit if it refuses to play after being instructed to do so by the referee.

In defending his team’s actions, Fergusson told SEARCHLIGHT last Monday that Sunday’s outcome was a product of some of the occurrences which had transpired earlier in the season.

“On Wednesday, I wrote a letter to the association, that we did not want a certain referee to do our games, based on certain comments he made towards me and my team during a game in the regular season,” Fergusson said.

Fergusson disclosed that the referee in contention was Shem Ollivierre, who was one of the on court officials last Sunday night.

“Why should one referee do all three games, when you know that this referee has issues with my team?” Fergusson questioned.

Fergusson contended that they were not given a fair deal in Sunday’s third match, claiming that there were similar offences committed by both teams, and only his team (Playaz) was being penalized.

Fergusson said that before the competition started, he had expressed his concern about the competence of the on court officials in the country.

Zooming in on the final straw which led to his team’s forfeiture of the match, Fergusson argued that he had not committed the number of fouls as stated by the table officials.

“The first quarter, I picked up one foul and the second quarter I picked up two, so I had three fouls,” Fergusson said.

But the Playaz player/coach was vehement that he had three fouls and not four.

“The referees could not have given me as to how I had four fouls; the scorer saying one thing, the person running the clock saying another thing, and the referees did not know what call to make,” Fergusson recalled.

With the officials adamant that Fergusson was fouled out of the match, Playaz then decided not to continue.

Fergusson said that the outcome of Sunday’s match will not be allowed to be swept aside, as his management team plans to take the matter to the National Sports Council, the Executive of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Basketball Federation, as well as the print and electronic media.

Fergusson’s opposite number, Randolph Williams, summed up the premature end to the match as “unfortunate”.

“It is an incident which could have been resolved early; you have four fouls, just sit out the game,” Williams opined.

To Calliaqua’’s good, they collected the $3,000 that was at stake for the winner, and the champion’s cup.

Also Calliaqua’s Ishama Mc Ree was named the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament, as he recorded the Most Points, 247, and poured in the Most Three-Pointers, 14.

Kenroy Blugh of Advent Ballerz copped the Rookie of the Year Award, with Bequia All Stars declared the Most Disciplined Team.(RT)