Keisha Hill, Staff Reporter
Scotiabank's goal keeper Viola Francis (centre) grabs a rebound ahead of General Accident's goal shooter Margaret Byfield (right), while Nadine Bryan (left) of General Accident and Scotiabank's goal defence, Naudia Brown (partly hidden) look on, during the Business House Senior League netball final at the National Indoor Sports Centre on Saturday. General Accident won 51-39. - Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer
The Business House Netball Association (BHNA) 2007 competition came to an exhilarating end on Saturday evening at the National Indoor Sports Centre. The competition, which started in June, climaxed with teams competing in the finals of the Junior, Intermediate 'A' and 'B', and the Senior 'A' and 'B' leagues.
In the Senior 'A' League final, Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) 'A' crashed with a 39-51 defeat to three-time champions General Accident.
Scotiabank had beaten General Accident three times in four meetings this season, but this time around they were no match for the strong General Accident squad. The squad included three former national players in player/coach Oberon Pitterson, Tamara Hylton and Margaret Lawrence; former national under -21 player Neekeesha Connolly, recent national invitee Kerry Brown, national player Nadine Bryan and Lasania Mattis.
The first quarter passed quickly as the pace was intense and aggressive. General Accident dominated the quarter with a 13-9 lead. In the second quarter, BNS 'A' regained form and put up an aggressive fight to remain in contention. As a result the quarter ended in an exciting 21-20 lead in favour of General Accident.
During the third quarter both teams were neck and neck with BNS Goal Shooter (GS) Suzette Desouza and General Accident Goal Attack (GA) Nadine Bryan leading the charge at either end. However, Bryan moved the game forward, giving her team a nine-point lead, 36-27, at the end of the quarter.
In the fourth quarter, General Accident increased the pressure on BNS and totally dominated to claim the Sports Plus Trophy.
Their player/coach, Pitterson, said: "Having lost the Open League and Open League rally we certainly had to refocus. We had our game plan and we executed it to the end."
She added: "We knew what BNS' strengths were and part of our plan was to cut off the channel going to the goal shooter because we knew that with her getting the ball it was like a given (that she'd score). Our plan today was to work in the centre court and we came out victorious."
Closed the court
Winston Nevers, coach of the BNS 'A' team, said: "In the mid-court we asked our players to open the court. They closed the court instead and General Accident came inside and defended us so easily."
Nevers added: "The team did not work very well together. We would have had to have had a complete game to defeat General Accident. They came today to play ... they forced us to make mistakes. We didn't have a mid-court today because they played well."
In the day's other games, Jamaica Building Development Centre (JBDC) beat Wray and Nephew 24-19 in the Junior League to take home the Cable and Wireless Trophy and $10,000, whilst runner-up Wray and Nephew received the Seprod Trophy and $8,000.
Cool Petroleum edged out NEM Insurance 33-27 to take first place in the Intermediate 'A' League. They received the Jamaica Netball Association Trophy and $15,000 whilst runner-up NEM Insurance received the Cable and Wireless Trophy and $12,000.
In the Intermediate 'B' final, Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) whopped Courts Jamaica 32-15 to take home the Life of Jamaica Trophy and $12,000. Runner-up Courts received the Bank of Nova Scotia Trophy and $9,000.
Tropicair and Air Jamaica battled to an intense 44-42 ending in the Senior 'B' League with Tropicair walking away with the NEM Insurance Company Trophy and $20,000. The runner-up, Air Jamaica, received the United General Trophy and $15,000.
The Most Valuable Player (MVP) award went to Jacqueline Ross of JBDC in the Junior League, Nicole Russell of Cool Petroleum in the Intermediate 'A' League, Vivienne Marsh of STATIN in the Intermediate 'B' League, Nadine Bryan in the Senior 'A' League, and Nerissa Gibbs of Tropicair in the Senior 'B' League.
Jasneith Harvey of Maritime copped the trophy for the Most Disciplined Player for the second year in a row. Tropicair's, Nerissa Gibbs won the award for Best Shooter between the Senior 'A' and 'B' Leagues.
