O.Walk Running Rebels win Digicell 'Balling for Life' Junior champs The Orange Walk Running Rebels won the 2010 Digicell "Balling for Life" junior basketball championship with 63-60 win over the Belize Bank Junior Bulldogs at the Belize City Center on Sunday, August 1.
In Game 1 last Wednesday, Alejandro Baptist led the Belize Bank with 20pts as they squeaked by 59-58.
The Bulldogs led 19-12 in the 1st quarter and 40-24 at the half time break.
The running Rebels outscored the Bulldogs 13-6 in the 3rd quarter, but Bulldogs' Kachief Thomas added 8 pts, team captain Sherwin Garcia and Raheem Flowers added 7 pts each, and Luis Barcelona added 5 pts, 9 rebounds to keep the Bulldogs ahead 46-37 at the end of the 3rd quarter.
Randy Usher had led the Rebels with 18 game pts, while Michael Martinez scored 13pts and Jamal Harris added 11pts and grabbed 7 rebounds in the 58-59 loss.
In Game 2 on Friday night, the Rebels tied the series by running over the Bulldogs 68-52. Randy Usher led with 22pts, Roger Reneau added 11pts, Jarrel Velasquez and Jamal Harris scored 7pts each. Omar Tesecum and Michael Martinez tossed in 4 pts each.
The Bulldogs led 12-10 in the 1st quarter but Matthew Young's 17pts tied the score at 27-27 at the half. Raheem Stine and Sherwin Garcia both added 6 pts each, but the Rebels led 45-41 at the end of 3, and out-scored the Bulldogs 23-11 in money time for the 68-52 win.
In Game 3 on Sunday, Alejandro Baptist again led the Bulldogs with 26 pts. The score was tied at 12-12 at the end of the 1st quarter, but Randy Usher (23 game pts) Michael Martinez, Marcel Richards and Jarrel Velsquez gave the Rebels a 26-20 lead at the half.
Alehjandro Baptist and Kachief Thomas each drained in a long trey in the 3rd quarter and Garcia, Barcelona and Matthew Young poured in more buckets, but the Rebels continued to lead 46-40 in the 3rd quarter.
Matthew Young added 11pts and the Bulldogs outscored the Rebels 20-17 in money time as they tried to tie the score, but Jarrel Velasquez and Jamal Harris' 10pts each kept them ahead 63-60 for the win.
In the awards ceremony following the game, the Most Valuable Player trophy for the regular season was awarded to Steven Smith of Truckers, while the most points' award went to Albert Tasher of Ghetto Ballers. Matthew Young won Most Rebounds and Rebels' Rany Usher won Most Assists and playoff MVP.
The Belize Times