Wolmer's, Calabar advance to finals
published: Tuesday | February 21, 2006

Howard Walker, Staff Reporter

Adrian Blake (left), the Wolmer's captain, makes a foul as he tries to block an attempted lay-up by Romel Carter of Jamaica College during their KFC/ISSA schoolboy basketball Under-19 semi-final game at the National Stadium courts yesterday. Wolmer's won 99-78. - JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

WOLMER'S AND Calabar High advanced to the finals of the KFC/ISSA Under-19 and Under-16 school basketball competitions respectively with easy wins yesterday at the National Stadium Court.

In the Under 16 semi-finals, Calabar whipped Wolmer's 60-45 and await the winner of the Ardenne/St. George's College match-up today.

The much bigger Wolmer's team was no match for the boys from Red Hills Road as Textor Davis of Calabar had a game high 19 points and was ably assisted by Omarie Williams 17 and Anthony Lugig 14.

For the losers, Chad Williams scored 13 and Everton Jhular jumped in with 12.

Wolmer's had a five-point first quarter lead of 17-12 but trailed by one at the half, 29-28. They turned in a dismal third quarter performance, scoring only two points to end the quarter trailing by 18 and never recovered.

After the game one Calabar player was heard telling his teammate that before the game he thought it was the Wolmer's A team that was warming up beside him, in reference to their size.

In the feature Under-19 encounter, Wolmer's turned in an awesome display to dispatch Jamaica College 99-78, just missing the 100 mark by one.

Wolmer's led from the outset and were never in danger as they delighted the small gathering to some exciting basketball.

They led by 19 after the end of the first quarter, 27-8, on their way to a 44-26 half-time lead. Wolmer's had their biggest lead in the game of 25 at 57-32 to end the third quarter at 69-48.

The game was good as over with the only point of interest being whether or not they could surpass the 100 mark.

The outstanding Keanon Ceasar of Jamaica College, turned in a king-like performance of 39 points to top all scorers.

However, Kerron Caine of Wolmer's led his team admirably with 25 points and was assisted by Kavan Allen with 14 points.

Adrian Blake, captain of the Wolmer's team, said the victory was not as easy as it seemed.

"JC came out and played real good today. I commend them on that but the better team won," said the towering Blake.

"The junior team lost and that motivated us. We really wanted to bring home something to Wolmer's," he added.

Meanwhile, Jason James, coach of JC, thought his team was inferior all-round.

"Wolmer's were much more superior than us in size, strength, everything. Mentally we weren't prepared for the game and that was our downfall," said James.

"The coach can only do X and the players will have to execute," he noted.