Daraine Luton, Freelance Writer
TIVOLI ALL-Stars exacted revenge and signalled their intention to lift the KFC-sponsored National Basketball League (NBL) title this year by beating defending champions St. George's Slayers 71-60 as the new season tipped off at the National Indoor Sports Centre.
Tivoli, beaten in last year's finals by the Slayers, had victory set up by Damion Young who shot 24 points and Duken Brown who hit 15.
Young converted 62 per cent of his free throws with a five from eight reading. He also pulled down four rebounds.
Andre Wilson and Kali McCarthy both scored 14 points for the losers.
Slayers led 17-16 at the end of the first quarter and 36-21 at half-time. However, Tivoli turned in a super third quarter, scoring 21 points to Slayers' 15, to leave the game interestingly poised at 51-51 with just one quarter to play. And as fate would have it, the Slayers cracked under pressure from Tivoli's defence and managed only nine points to Tivoli's 20 in the final quarter.
In the day's other game, promoted Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) out-shot fellow newcomers Norwood Storms 59-52 to win their first NBL game. Norwood Storms, which is a Montego Bay-based team, led for the first two quarters but ran out of steam going into the home stretch.
At the end of the first quarter Storms led 18-12. They also went to the half-time interval with the momentum, thanks to a clever lay-up from Rohan Brown who hit the basket in the quarter's dying seconds.
The JDF were able to lead 46-43 at the end of the third quarter before holding on for the seven-point win.
