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Hydel, Ardenne aiming to close out finals today

Published:Monday | January 17, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Hydel's Jervis Hamilton (left) dribbles while being challenged by JC's Kristova Walker, during their ISSA/KFC Southern Conference Under-19 basketball quarter-final match at the National Stadium. Hamilton, who drained the winning shot in Thursday's game one of the finals series, will again lead the Hydel charge for the title. - Ian Allen/Photographer

Robert Bailey, Gleaner Writer

Defending champions Ardenne High and Hydel, respectively, will be looking to close out their best-of-three finals of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/KFC Under-16 and Under-19 basketball competitions with a victory, when they oppose St Jago and St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS), in game two at the National Stadium Courts today.

In the opening Under-16 finals at 2:30 p.m. Ardenne will oppose St Jago, while Hydel will battle STATHS in the Under-19 matchup.

The senior final, which starts at 4p.m., is expected to be a very exciting encounter, this after Hydel's Jervis Hamilton drained a three-pointer with two seconds remaining to lead his team to a 61-59 victory over STATHS in game one.

Exciting game

Hydel last won the title in 2000 and their coach, Kurt Stewart, expects a close battle.

"I think that this is going to be a very exciting game because you saw what happened in game one and so I believe that both teams are going to put on an excellent show for the fans," said Stewart.

"I definitely believe we can close it out on Monday, but we know that it is going to be very tough for us because STATHS will be coming very hard at us," Stewart said.

"However, I think that as long as we play a disciplined game and don't let them settle, then we should be victorious," he added.

Along with Hamilton, who has been averaging 19 points per game this season, Hydel will be relying on Paul Richards and Brian Martin to lead their charge.

Confident coach

In the meantime STATHS' coach, Venreece Watson, is very confident that his team will level the series.

"We will definitely win game two on Monday," said Watson. "I think that one of the things that we have to make sure we do is to get off to a good start because in game one we started out very slowly and so we were playing catch up. For us to win this game we must get a good start."

Lamont Lindsay, who scored a team high 24 points in game one, along with Kino Elliot and Ricardo Greaves, will lead STATHS' charge for a victory.

Meanwhile Ardenne, who are seeking their third straight lien on the Under-16 trophy, won game one 35-30 last Thursday.

The Basil Barrett-coached Ardenne will rest their hopes in the hands of their top scorer, Javon Davis, along with Sheldon Sutherland, Kevin Cook and Donald Hinds.

St Jago, who are playing in their first Under-16 final, will be relying heavily on forward Kashief Clarke, as well as Andre McDonald and Hakeem Dixon.