BRIDGETOWN, CANA - JAMAICA rebounded from losses in men's and women's matches Monday night to score handsome victories at the 2000 CARICOM basketball championship yesterday.
amaica's women knocked off the US Virgin Islands 69-60, and their men whipped Antigua and Barbuda 93-66.
Jamaica's women bounced back from their loss to Barbados with a commanding win over highly regarded USVI.
After winning over defending champions Bahamas in their opening match Sunday, Jamaica were favoured to win against Barbados - who they defeated twice en route to the last championship (1998) final - but were stunned by a sterling second-half performance from the home girls on Monday night.
Yesterday morning, the Jamaicans came out refocussed and determined to resume their championship bid.
Small forward Andrea Watson, their most consistent offensive player, was in fine shooting form, connecting from all angles, to lead the way with a game high 23 points.
Forward Oberon Pitterson (12) was again a force on both ends of the floor, especially rebounding.
Jamaica's men, coming off an upset loss to Dominica, built on a 52-29 halftime advantage and completely overran Antigua and Barbuda, the former Leeward Islands champions, for their 27-point victory.
Julian Dunkley posted a team-high 20 points, including five of six three-point efforts, while Sean Plummer (12), and Andrew Bollian (12) were the other high scorers for the Jamaicans, who dominated every aspect of the game, and allowed coach Nicky Joseph to run his entire bench.
