Monday, August 21 2006

BRIDGETOWN: Trinidad and Tobago used excellent court speed and a rigid defence to beat hosts Barbados 46-40 and capture the Americas Federation of Netball Associations (AFNA) title on Saturday night.

Strong local support and a steady start by the Barbadians could not prevent victory for the unbeaten Trinidad and Tobago girls, who surged to the front in the third quarter and won by six goals at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium. The victory completed a flawless 7-0 record for TT in the tournament that qualifies the top two teams - TT and Barbados - for next year’s World Netball Championship (WNC) in Fiji. TT, currently ranked No 10 in the world, gathered maximum 14 points in the week-long tournament to win ahead of the world seventh-rated Barbadians.

“The hard work prior to the tournament paid off,” TT captain Simone Bowen-Sandy told CMC Sport.

“And we are now looking to improve our world ranking,” she added.

Barbados, missing key defender Latonia Blackman, who suffered ankle injury in Friday night’s (46-46) draw with St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), led the first two quarters.

Roared on by their expectant home fans, they led 12-10 at the first break and remained ahead 21-20 at the half. But former World Champions TT used strong and speedy centre court play and a plethora of interceptions to move ahead in the first frame after the half-time break and never relinquished the lead, even though Barbados were able to draw level at one point.

TT led 34-32 at the end of the third quarter and outscored the home side 12-8 in the last quarter to run out solid winners. Shooter Janelle Barker shot a team-high 24 goals from 36 attempts for TT while lively goal-attack Lystra Zamore sank 22 of 27.

The experienced Lydia Bishop was superb in scoring a game-high 25 goals from 27 attempts and Olivia Walcott got 15 from 18 for the Barbadians, whose coach Anna Shepherd rued the absence of their key defender.

“The loss of Latonia Blackman and playing two of the toughest games on the two last nights of the competition contributed to our loss,” Shepherd said.

Barbados still advanced to the worlds on goal difference over SVG, who ended joint second with them on 11 points.

The Barbadians finished with a 184 goal difference, significantly better than SVG, who finished at 128 in spite of a handsome 64-26 triumph over the USA in their last game Saturday night. Gailene Gordon (40/48) and Leanne Lewis (24/30) did the scoring for SVG, who led the quarters 16-4, 29-12, 49-17. Dalian McArthur (9/15) and Taneisha Morrison (14/19) were the chief scorers for the USA.

Canada beat Antigua & Barbuda 41-28 in the night’s third match to finish fourth in the championship with eight points. The North Americans trailed 7-8 at the end of the first quarter, but moved ahead to lead 18-13, 31-21 at the other breaks to register their 13-goal win.Sharon Butler (25/34) top-scored for Canada while Candacy Jones (16/22) and Seymone Parkes (12/16) got the goals for sixth-placed Antigua and Barbuda.

For the 2007 WNC from July 10-21 in Fiji next year, TT and Barbados now join the world’s top five teams — World champions New Zealand, seven-time World champions and World No. 2 Australia, Caribbean champions and World No. 3 Jamaica, World No. 4 England, and World No.5 South Africa - in the tournament. Eight other teams will contest the WNC championship after qualifying from other regional competitions in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania.

(CMC)