BARBADOS - netball

Barbados Netball Association’s Division 1 tournament

Thursday 20, May-2004 by Pamala Proverbs

C.O.Williams Rangers closed out the first round of the Barbados Netball Association’s Division 1 tournament unbeaten Monday, with a comprehensive 62-36 thrashing of Unique Sports Club at the Netball Stadium.

The game was scrappy, with Rangers making two significant changes to their line-up in Linda Harris at the goal shooter position and mainstay goal shooter Cheryl Squires taking up the goal defence position for Sherryann Martindale, who was out with an injury.

The two changes impacted on the team significantly, as the defensive strength of Martindale was missing at the back for Rangers. Cheryl Steel, goal attack for Unique, had one of her best games all season. Dictating the pace on the Unique’s attack, she was able to run the plays freely and pick up her best stats thus far, scoring 14 of 19 attempts.

Despite Steel’s success, her other teammates had average inputs, and Rangers led at each interval, 13-8 after the first quarter, 29-18 at half-time, and 49-29 going into the final stanza.

Rangers dominated all areas of play and the score line would have even been greater if Harris did not have the terrible shooting night that she had. At one stage she even appeared to be afraid to take shots, allowing the more competent goal attack, Olivia Walcott, to shoulder the burden.

This slowed down Rangers’ production and kept Unique in a game in which they should have been easily blown away, especially in the third quarter when Lisa Puckerin, who started at the goal defence position for Unique, was sent off for a centre pass.

Puckerin opted not to return to the court, leaving her team to finish the game with six players.

Then in the final quarter, Unique’s goal keeper, Deonna Dottin, did not return to the court and the team was forced to use substitute Nadia Ifill. Harris did not capitalise on this, shooting below 50 per cent in the final quarter to finish the game 33 of 51.

Unique have another tough game tonight against Pine Hill St Barnabas at 7 p.m. at the same venue.

Compliments of Nation News

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