Maloney Pacers, the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) and National Flour Mills (NFM) have advanced to the quarter-finals of the Mackeson Super 10 Basketball League knockout tournament with wins over Valencia Heat, the Ministry of Sport Schoolaz and Police, respectively.

The Maloney Indoor Sports Complex was the host venue of the four matches played on Saturday.

In the most exciting game, Police, who failed to win in their ten-match preliminary round league campaign, gave up two three-pointers, while leading 65-62 with 30 seconds to play, to lose the contest.

Police led the first quarter 19-16 and 31-29 at half-time before NFM turned a three-point deficit into a 52-49 third quarter lead, their first advantage of the match-up.

But Police regained control and displayed all the determined qualities of a team who really wanted to reverse their fortunes.

 Police guard Darren Euin put them up 62-59, only for former national youth player Kerry McMillian to level the scores at 62-all.

Centre Phillip Alexander then made a three-point play and Police were back ahead, 65-62 with the clock ticking away, but there was a defensive lapse and Flour Mills were allowed six unanswered points to steal the victory and break Police hearts yet again.

For the winners, McMillian led with 17 points and seven rebounds, guard Kerry Westfield had 16 points and nine rebounds and centre Allister Martin added 14 points and three rebounds.

For Police, Alexander finished with 22 points, ten rebounds, one block and three steals and Dayne Daniel added 16 points and three rebounds to close off the team's Super 10 season.

In another exciting finish, forward Kerry Celestine scored the final basket in the final seconds for UTT to register a 69-68 come-from-behind win over the Ministry of Sports Schoolaz in the third match of the evening.

After being put in a winning position when Nichols Pierre connected on two free-throws at 68-67, the Schoolaz defence failed them as UTT kept their season alive for another game, a quarter-final match against Defence Force tonight. 

In Saturday's other game, Maloney Pacers got past Valencia Heat 74-63.

The Super 10 League goes on a break for Carnival from February 11-23.                                                    

 

Super 10 results:

 

UTT 69 (Jeffrey Harris 14 pts, 3 rbs; Kevon Noriega 10 pts; Kern George 9 pts) vs MINISTRY OF SPORTS SCHOOLAZ 68 (Chris Paul 19 pts; Dillon Howell 15 pts, 9 rbs; Ernesto Romain 11 pts, 9 rbs)

 

MALONEY PACERS 74 (Keyon Joseph 19 pts, 13 rebs; Gerald James 18 pts, 3 rbs; Duane Virgil 14 pts, 5 rbs; Gimel Lewis 10 rbs, 9 rbs) vs VALENCIA HEAT 63 (Ronell Winter 15 pts; Fabrice Fisher 15 pts, 3 rbs; Richard Mungo 12 pts, 3 rbs, 3 stls; Marvin Haynes 10 pts, 3 rbs)

 

 Super 10 fixtures:

Today        

Courts Horizon vs Defence Force (Women), Jean Pierre Complex (JPC), 7 p.m.

Men's KO quarter-finals    

Defence Force vs UTT, JPC, 8.30 p.m.

 

Tomorrow

Diego Martin AS vs Police (W), JPC, 7 p.m.

Men's KO quarter-finals       

Clippers vs Diego Martin, JPC, 8.30 p.m.

 

Thursday

Courts Horizon vs BLINK BCA  (W), JPC, 7 p.m.     

Men's KO quarter-finals         

DSA vs NFM, JPC, 8.30 p.m.

 

Friday

EMSS vs Belmont Off Limits  (Boys 18 & Under), JPC, 6.30 p.m.

Men's KO quarter-finals                      

Petro Jazz  vs Maloney Pacers, JPC, 8.30 p.m.

 

** Top five men's teams are on a bye into the quarter-finals of the knockout

tournament