SOUTHSIDE ELITE COMPLETE ROUND ONE UNBEATEN

Southside take control

For Southside, however, the final score tells only part of the story.

Spartans came ready to challenge the league’s unbeaten leaders. William Francis established a strong presence in the key, helping his team find an early rhythm and edge the opening quarter 30–29. Southside had a contest on their hands, and Spartans had given themselves a platform to build on.

The response was decisive.

With Boyd and George taking command, Southside outscored Spartans 31–19 in the second quarter, turning a one-point deficit into a 60–49 halftime advantage. It was the stretch that changed the direction of the game.

Spartans continued to compete, matching Southside’s 32 points in a high-scoring third quarter. But keeping pace was no longer enough. The damage from the second period remained, and Southside entered the fourth with their 11-point cushion intact.

Then came the finish. Southside won the final quarter 24–15, stretching the margin to 20 and putting the seal on an unbeaten round.

Boyd finished with 32 points and George added 29, combining for 61 in a commanding offensive display. Francis led Spartans with 25, supported by Freedom Leon’s 23, but their efforts could not prevent Southside from completing a clean sweep of their five first-round opponents.

Police survive an Oilbirds fightback

The night’s opening game delivered a very different kind of drama.

TTPS, looking to bounce back from their defeat to Caledonia Clippers, appeared to be building towards a more comfortable evening against Oilbirds. They led 21–18 after the first quarter, extended the advantage to 44–36 at halftime and entered the final period ahead 63–53.

Oilbirds refused to let the game slip away.

Still chasing their first victory, Morvant produced a 29-point fourth quarter and cut a ten-point deficit to the narrowest of margins. TTPS scored 20 in reply, just enough to escape with an 83–82 win.

Mikahail Williams led TTPS with 29 points, while Randy Greenidge contributed 16 and Sadiki Guerra added 13. Obel Guerra and Tyrese Fields scored 20 apiece for Oilbirds, helping Morvant push Police to the limit in a contest that ended agonisingly short of their breakthrough.

For TTPS, it was a welcome return to the win column. For Oilbirds, it was another painful finish: five games into the campaign, they remain the only team without a victory, despite pushing Police all the way.