Oilbirds earn gritty first win over Police; ‘Fato’ sparks Southside late

The inaugural Electrical Industries Group (EIG) Elite Basketball League campaign reached its mid-season break in exciting fashion at the Southern Regional Indoor Sport Arena in Pleasantville on Friday, October 9. Bottom-placed Morvant Oilbirds (1-7) secured their first win of the season with a gritty 77-67 victory over third-placed Police (4-4), while home team Southside Elite (7-1) kept pace with leaders Caledonia Clippers, also 7-1, by pulling away late to beat Spartans TT (3-5) 88-74.

Oilbirds hold their nerve for first win

The opening encounter between the Oilbirds and Police promised another close contest after the lawmen escaped with an 83-82 win in the teams’ first-round meeting. The Oilbirds led 42-37 at halftime on Friday, with the tension growing as both teams battled for control.

Tempers flared in the third quarter with the Oilbirds ahead 54-47 and just under four minutes remaining in the period. An altercation following elbow contact in the paint led to four ejections: Police’s Steve McSween and Dextroy Manswell, along with the Oilbirds’ Obel Guerra and Jose Mays. Guerra finished with 12 points, four rebounds and one steal, while McSween had eight points, four rebounds and a block.

After the officials conferred, play resumed and the Oilbirds carried a 59-51 lead into the fourth quarter. With Guerra, the league’s second-leading scorer, out of the game and three-point threat Tyrese Fields in foul trouble, Police had an opportunity to close the gap. The Oilbirds, however, continued to compete with determination and relentless energy.

With 3:48 remaining and the Oilbirds holding a slender 67-65 lead, Fields fouled out after being called for a foul on Moriba De Freitas while attempting to protect the rim. Fields believed he had made a clean block, but the decision stood. He finished with a game-high 21 points on 7-for-14 shooting and watched the closing stages from the sidelines.

Police added only two points in the final three minutes, through Mikahail Williams, who finished with 13 points and four steals. Turnovers and missed free throws undermined their comeback hopes, while the Oilbirds made the decisive plays at the other end.

Captain Jonathan Thomas, who contributed 14 points and three steals, delivered on consecutive possessions to stretch the Oilbirds’ lead to 73-67 with 1:18 remaining. Dionel Guerra, who finished with ten points and six steals, then made a deft baseline shot to push the margin to eight before the Oilbirds completed the job at the free-throw line.

Sadiki Guerra led Police with 18 points and three steals but spent a key stretch of the fourth quarter on the bench as his team’s momentum faded.

Boyd’s late burst seals Southside victory

Much was expected of 18-year-old Fatima College student William Francis when Spartans met Southside, with fans eager to see whether he could follow up his 41-point performance against the Oilbirds on October 4. Francis started slowly and encountered early foul trouble, but Spartans raced to a 27-17 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Southside responded through captain Tyrik Singh and Jason Friday, turning the game around to lead 42-37 at halftime. Singh scored 14 of his team-high 24 points in the first half and finished with 11 rebounds and three assists, while Friday contributed 14 points and four assists.

Southside outscored Spartans 21-19 in the third quarter to take a 63-56 lead into the final period. Centre Jelani “The Tank” Valley became a constant threat in the low post, finishing with 16 points and 14 rebounds.

The game remained finely poised with just under four minutes left, when a Valley turnover gave Spartans another opportunity with Southside leading 75-69. Ahkeem “Fato” Boyd then delivered the decisive burst, draining three three-pointers in quick succession to fuel an 11-2 run. In roughly two minutes, Southside had opened an 86-71 lead with 1:41 remaining.

Boyd was dissatisfied with an overall return of five makes from 20 three-point attempts, but he delivered when it mattered most. He scored 11 of Southside’s final 13 points and finished with 20 as the home team secured an 88-74 victory.

Francis scored nine points in the fourth quarter to finish with 16, a tally matched by Tristan Benjamin. Amaree Toney added 14 points after being handed a rare start, while fellow guard Zachary Julien contributed 13 points and five steals.

With Boyd and Fields showing their shooting range ahead of the three-point contest, where they will face the likes of Sadiki Guerra and the Clippers pair of Ahkeel “Smally” Boyd and Adrian Joseph, All-Star Night in Maloney on Sunday, October 18 promises another compelling showcase.