SKNABA will see brand new Basketball Champions as Ghetto Roots and Hitters Go Down

Basseterre, St. Kitts—30th August, 2013–The Digicel SKNABA League will see a brand new champion this year as for the first time in at least 20 years there are two teams in the finals who have never won a SKNABA title. Over 1000 fans packed basketball city last evening as The Bird Rock Uprisers and the Challengers Exodus came out determined and downed the two most experienced and storied franchises in all of Basketball in the Horsford’s Ghetto Roots and the Rams Hitters.

“Not this year!”, said a confident Coach Wendell Pemberton as his Bird Rock Uprisers Basketball Team upset the defending Champions to win Game 3 of the 3 game series and earn themselves a spot in the finals .

As one commentator put it “The Bird Rock Uprisers Team sent the 2012 Champions “Newtown Horsford’s Ghetto Roots” down the bay to compete in the Independence Fishing tournament.”Ghetto Roots” gone fishing!!!”

Despite the incredible physical advantage and talent that Team Ghetto Roots possesses, the 2013 Bird Rock Uprisers seemed to be a better coached squad as Ghetto Roots interim Head Coach Kiethroy Lewis seemed unable to rise to the occasion and guide easily the most talented team in SKNABA to another finals. The Team was Coached and Managed last year by Wallis Wilkin. Wilkin however decided to concentrate on the Management of the team for this season. A decision he may want to reconsider based on the fortunes of the team for this season’s playoffs

Game 3 Final Score Bird Rock 79 – Ghetto Roots 65

Bird Rock won the best of 3 series (2 -1)

In Game 2, Challengers Exodus ‘hitt’ back hard and the fledgling Hitters who by all accounts were the surprise team in this years Final Four. After losing their first 3 or 4 games of the season many fans wrote off the multi- time champions as they seemed on their way to relegation status. However in true Hitters fashion they came roaring back in the 2nd half of the season to earn themselves a spot in the final 4.

The young Hitters won the first game of the best of 3 series by 10 points and since then the team has been playing with a lack of effort, they didn’t execute or make plays and they are definitely not as talented as the Challengers Exodus Team. Hitters turned out to be no match for the talent of the Challengers Exodus who boasts one of the oldest yet most talented players in the league in Shawn “Shabba” Forbes.

Game 3 Final Score Challengers Exodus 71 – Hitters 64

Challengers Exodus won the best of 3 series (2 -1).

The FINALS is set and there will be a New Champion. Challengers Exodus will no doubt depend on the experience and talent of Shawn “Shabba” Forbes and the dynamic brother duo of Princey Hodge and Tslyn Belboda. Bird Rock will, as they have done all season, will count on the big man from St. Pauls Nashorn Maynard. Exodus has the advantage in both experience and talent and Coach Pemberton has already boasted that if necessary he will send for his “King” Dane Rawlins. Rawlins is arguably the best player from St. Kitts-Nevis and is currently in the US playing semi-pro basketball. If Rawlins is present it will certainly change the dynamics of the finals and make it easily one of the most interesting finals ever.

THE FINALS will start on Sunday and the favourite without doubt is the Challengers Exodus Team. However, during a Finals Series it’s not about being perfect, it’s about average and percentage.

The massive turnout for the semi-finals is an indication that the finals may see larger crowds than those of last year which saw record breaking attendances for the finals.

SKNABA management has disclosed that negotiations are currently in the final stages to have the entire finals series carried live on the internet via both Audio and Video streaming. A first for the SKNABA. In 2010 one game of the finals was carried live on Video Stream. This year the association is hoping to take that to the next level with live coverage of all games.

Top Scorers

Ghetto Roots

• #11 Troy Wattley 22pts, 8 rebounds 4 from 9 free throws
  

• #4 Bolie Francis 16 pts, 11 rebounds 4 assists, 2 from 2 free throws
  

• #14 Keithly Hicks 11pts, 4rebounds, 3 assists, 4 block shots 2 from 5 free throws

Bird Rock Uprisers

• #9 Demaine Rawlins 22pts, 10 rebounds 2 assists, 1 steal 2 from 2 free throws
  

• #8 Clayton Powell 20 pts, 1 rebound, 2 assists,1steal, 2 from 4 free throws
  

• #13 Nashorn Maynard 16pts, 11rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals 3 block shots 2 from 7 free throws

RAMS Hitters

• #23 David Dowel 18pts, 10 rebounds , 3 steals, 4 block shots, 2 from 4 free throws
  

• #22 Atamba Williams 12 pts, 5 rebounds,
  

• #44 Marlon Powell 12pts, 3rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 8 from 8 free throws

iRep Challengers Exodus

• #9 Javal Hodge 14pts, 3 rebounds 6assists, 2 steals 4 from 7 free throws
  

• #22 Shawne Forbes 13 pts, 9rebounds, 4 assists,2 steals, 1 block hot 7 from 10 free throws
  

• #3 Taslyn Belboda 13pts, 1 steals 3 from 4 free throws