Postseason basketball is in full effect for the Cayman Islands.
The opening round of the division two playoffs in the Digicel National Men’s League comes to a close on Tuesday.
The NEC Titans and Cayman Islands Hoopsters play game three of their best-of-three series at 6:15 p.m. at Camana Bay’s Arts and Recreation Center. Titans won game one, 75-61, thanks to 22 points and 15 rebounds from Darrell Paddyfoot before Hoopsters grabbed game two, 61-58, as Naithique Jackson soared for 18 points. Titans are the third seed after a 4-3 regular season mark while Hoopsters, 2-5, were sixth.
Every other series featured two-game sweeps. Top seed Charterland took out the eighth seed Rock Hole Fire Ants, 70-49 in game one – thanks to 18 points and four 3-pointers from Jeremy Strickland – and 114-42 in game two – as Nathan Smith and Chris LeBeau combined for 48 points, seven 3-pointers, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. Charterland were a perfect 7-0 during the season while Rock Hole went 0-7.
Second seed Smoothie King, 6-1, beat seventh-ranked Juniors, 2-5, with a 54-53 score in game one – as John Paul Azul netted 16 points – before claiming game two, 67-53, thanks to 18 points and eight rebounds from Andrew Diaz. Fourth seed team Philippines, 4-3, defeated fifth-ranked 3-4 Sol Blazers, 59-53 in the opener – as Darwin Mancenido scored 20 points – and 69-52 in game two.
Second round games are slated to start on May 1. The division one playoffs begin on May 4 after the regular season wrapped up last Sunday.
News of the league postseason comes after Cayman’s national Under-16 boys team swept a select squad from the Colombian island of San Andres over Easter. Cayman won game one, 63-59 – as Juawon Ebanks nabbed 21 points and eight rebounds – and then claimed game two, 75-74, as Arin Taylor netted 18 points and six assists.
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