JACKSON’S PREMIER LEAGUE streak has finally met its end.
Station Hill are still fighting to ensure theirs doesn’t suffer the same fate.
Corey Williams had the game-tying basket with 39 seconds left in regulation before scoring the eventual go-ahead bucket in overtime, as Mpact Station Hill Cavs kept their play-off hopes alive by halting British American Insurance Jackson’s winning streak at seven games in Tuesday’s 82-80 basketball thriller at the YMCA.
The win kept the Cavs in sight of extending the league’s longest active streak of making the play-offs to eight straight seasons, as the defending champs (9-6) moved within a half-game of Jackson (9-5) for the fourth and final post-season berth.
It is an incredible turnaround after a tumultuous start to the season by Station Hill, who lost five of their first seven games and were at the bottom of the 11-team table struggling amidst a series of highly-publicised issues.
But the ship appears to have been righted after the champs rattled off seven wins in eight appearances, with their lone defeat in the last two months coming against the league-leading Warriors (11-3).
Ironically, that run was second only to that of Jackson, who hadn’t lost since a July 2 showdown against Sonics while going on a league-best seven-game tear.
This was after Jackson also floundered towards the bottom of the pack before starting their turnaround by rallying from a 14-point second-half deficit against the Cavs.
And history very nearly repeated itself after Jackson overcame a similar double-digit hole (40-30) in the second quarter to threaten to take the contest in the fourth quarter.
Jackson had actually trailed for all but the opening six minutes of the first period, but Kevin Austin hit a pair of jumpers to open the fourth quarter before six straight points from Javid Beckles put them ahead 66-63 with 7:04 remaining.
Station Hill temporarily regained the lead following two quick buckets from Jamai Puckerin and a pair of Andrew Alleyne free throws, before another of Austin’s jumpers (73-71) restored Jackson’s lead with 1:17 remaining after Peter Alleyne’s clutch triple ended the rally.
The Cavs were probably fortunate not to have lost in regulation after Andrew Alleyne missed two potential game-tying free throws, but Williams leaked out off a long rebound on the ensuing possession to tie the game on a transition layup with 39 seconds to play.
It proved to be the last points of regulation as Gavin Robinson’s floater was just off, while Puckerin couldn’t come up with the winner on a turnaround jumper at the final horn.
And Robinson only further added to his anguish on the other side of the intermission, missing an uncontested layup during an 8-3 Cavs run to start the extra period.
Station Hill led by as many as five (81-76) with 2:07 remaining until Julian Grant’s jumper ended the drought and started a menacing Jackson rally that Beckles capped with an “and-one” play that pulled them within one (83-82) with 27 seconds remaining.
However, Jackson couldn’t convert an ensuing Corey Williams turnover, as Beckles missed a short runner, while Junior Moore scored one of two free throws with four seconds left to force Peter Alleyne to go the length of the floor for a contested half-court heave at the buzzer.
Puckerin led the Cavs with 18 points and 11 rebounds, Williams also scored 18, while Peter Alleyne and Austin topscored for Jackson with 24 and 22 points, respectively.
Earlier, Jeremy Gill scored 20 points as Act II Popcorn Clapham Bulls moved into third place with a 10-4 record after thrashing Nicholls Baking Company Cougars (4-11) 82-60.
The Bulls overcame Adrian Stewart’s 21 points while leading by as many as 21 (59-38) in the third quarter, before surviving a 20-6 Cougars rally led by Kirk Holder that got the Hothersal side within seven (65-58) with 4:44 remaining.
