Relieved Smith sings Fletcher's praises

THE Yorkshire Guernsey Division Two produced another humdinger of a match as Goldridge Estate Agents narrowly beat Brock Road by two points at Beau Sejour. The lead was passed between the two teams like it was a hot potato, but it was the Robin Smith coached Goldridge that were smiling at the end when they scraped through 62-60.

It was another close game in a league that has five teams all neck and neck and with not much to choose between them.

Smith reckons the competition is great news for local basketball.

'It's fantastic,' he said.

'Apart from maybe one team, all the sides are competitive. We've had three games in a row where they have gone to two or three points.

'I love competitive games better than playing easy one or getting stuffed. To be honest, Brock Road played extremely well and deserved to win.

'We didn't play as well as we should have done.'

By the end of the first half, Smith and his men found themselves up by four points at 30-26 despite being sloppy in possession. Good defensive play saved their skin during this period.

After the break it was the start of the Ricard Fletcher show as the young Brock Road playmaker scored 12 points during the third quarter all from behind the arc. This pushed his side ahead to 47-42 a lead that grew to 60-50 with three- and-a-half minutes left on the clock.

A tactical change by Goldridge to man mark Fletcher served to shut the dangerous junior down that in turn pressurized Brock Road into committing fouls and turnovers.

Goldridge were able to catch up from the free-throw line converting four from five and with their own danger man Chris Lamb finding his range to notch up 12 points, they stole the match at the very last.

Lamb came home with 31 points while Fletcher claimed 25.

'We thought we might pull away at half time but young Ricard Fletcher was outstanding,' said Smith.

'In the end we pulled it out of the fire.'

In the only Division One game of the week, Collins Stewart One overcame their second team 81-64.

The game had seemed to be heading for a whitewash as Collins Stewart opened up a substantial lead of 49-16 close to the end of the first half.

But the second team's Dan Marriott had other ideas though, netting 11 points in the third quarter to get his side within 15, but another burst from the firsts stretched the lead to 23 points and effectively clinched the match.

Division Three saw a busy week with three matches been played out. Eventure Hornets defeated The Learning Company in a low- scoring affair 34-25, but they went on to to taste defeat themselves when they come up against Martel- Dunn who won 50-31.

In the third game Collins Stewart Three came from behind to get the better of Richmond Grammar to win 50-41.

Division Five saw RGF score 56 points to Dee-Caf Magics' 36 to take the honours.

James Sinclair-Scott led the scoring with 17 points for RGF.