Leading by 19 and victory all but secured at the end of the third quarter in their Barbados Netball Association Premier League match on Saturday evening at the National Stadium, NCC Ballers were challenged to score 60 goals.
Already ahead of Pine Hill St Barnabas “2” 43-24, the girls needed to score 17 goals in the final 15 minutes, more than they had done in any of the previous quarters. They won the match 60-37, but took about two minutes to score the last two goals and almost missed the target.
St Barnabas scored two quick goals to start the fourth and were matching NCC Ballers shot for shot, denying them the steals they needed to get the run. Plagued by numerous turnovers and unforced errors in the midcourt throughout the game, St Barnabas frustrated NCC Ballers for a short time, but were unable to sustain the level of play.
Suddenly the goals dwindled and NCC’s Kizzy Marville, Sabreena Smith and Joyann Cooke put the squeeze on the midcourt and the score jumped from 48-28 to 59-36.
NCC scored the 60th goal and with St Barnabas on the attack, Cathyann Newton seemed to twist her ankle, losing the ball. Marville snatched it up, pumped for the fast break, but umpire Sandra Bruce-Small blew the whistle for the injury timeout and the momentum was lost.
When play resumed, NCC Ballers turned it over and St Barnabas got the final goal, but were outscored 17-12, also their most productive period. Cassandra Cutting (23/33) lacked aggression, but stepped up a notch with ten from 14 in that quarter to lead St Barnabas.
Colleen Griffith had a perfect seven from seven in that quarter and 13 from 15 for NCC.
In the first quarter, NCC’s Lydia Bishop (47 from 58) was favouring her left knee which was taped following a fall earlier in the week. She took about three shots to find her range, having to shoot over the long, outstretched hands of Cindy Alleyne, who did not back down from challenging the national shooter.
When Alleyne was moved to wing defence in the third quarter and replaced by Shakira Shorey, NCC outscored St Barnabas 15-6. Shorey and Alicia Harding didn’t combine as well and one of the shooters always seemed to be free.
In addition to having to play against a fitter team with several national players, St Barnabas were let down by their passes in centre court and into the circle. Newton, Marissa Burgess and Markayla Yearwood were hesitant, either unsure of where to put the ball or late with the pass.
Marvalene Neblett (14 from 20) played her usual game of give-and-go short passing, but that only worked for a time. St Barnabas put the ball in the air, with some success, but Chekirah Shepherd and Laverne Durant also got some interceptions and deflections.
