Pine Hill St Barnabas remained on course to play for the title in the Barbados Netball Association’s Division Two competition with a 36-31 victory over C.O. Williams Rangers at the Netball Stadium last Saturday.
St Barnabas, Rangers and Banks Spurs had both lost one game and seemed destined for a three-way play-off until St Barnabas broke the deadlock. Veteran southpaw shooter Sonia Banfield scored 22 goals from 26 attempts and Latricia Busby 14 from 17.
Nekela Jordan, who had led Alleyne School to the Under-15 title earlier in the week, scored 15 from 19 while Nikita President had ten from 16 and Under-16 national Vanessa Reid-Cox six from eight. The match was a close one, tied 19-19 at half time.
With this victory, St Barnabas have one game left against COB Bathsheba and should they win that match, they will play for the divisional honours against Spurs.
St Barnabas will also play arch-rivals Rangers on Saturday for the Division 5 crown as both teams are currently unbeaten.
Several other divisions have already been decided. UWI won Division 3A and Spurs took 3B. The 13 teams in both divisions will now play off to decide the final placings.
Percy King Auto Parts Sion Hill Spartans won Division 4 without losing a match and Structural Systems Silver Raiders wrapped up the Junior Division in commanding fashion to add to their Junior Knockout crown, defeating St Barnabas “A” 23-18.
In the lone Premier League match played on Saturday, Phoenix Gems stopped a four-game losing streak with a 48-43 victory over Carlton.
National shooter Laurel Browne led Gems to the win with 39 goals from 46 attempts, while Salisha Auguste and Tricia Briggs combined for the other nine goals. The match was close in the first three quarters before Gems blew it open in the fourth.
The former Under-16 national shooting combo of Chemyne Alleyne and Shannon Hackett has had a rough time in the Premier League against more experienced defenders. But Alleyne had one of her biggest offensive nights with 39 goals from 49 attempts and Hackett chipped in the other four.
Phoenix Gems ended the season with four wins and five losses in the middle of the table, while Carlton have three wins and one draw from eight matches.
