Elite 1 Horizon are the champions of the inaugural P.H.A.S.E 1 Elite 1 Caribbean Basketball League after defeating Elite 1 Storm 82-71 in the championship game at the National Arena in Kingston on Saturday.
In a rematch of the final preliminary round game which saw the Horizon win in a blowout on Wednesday, the Horizon once again used solid defensive effort to get the job done and end the tournament with a perfect 4-0 record.
Guard Bobby Gray was named man-of-the-match for his 26 points, four assists and four steals.
“This means everything. It’s the first one out here, so, it’s very big and I’m happy to be a part of it,” said Gray who was also named International MVP of the tournament.
“Happy that I was with a group of guys that bought in together and we won it,” he said.
The MVP award felt extra special, according to Gray.
“It means a lot man. I stopped playing basketball for a minute then I got back into it because I figured out I was coming out here. I know how much hard work I put in and now it’s all showing,” he said.
Gray’s teammate Nicholai Brown was named local MVP.
For the Storm, guard Joel Bailey led them in scoring with 23 points while also dishing out eight assists.
He put the loss down to an inability to take care of the basketball.
“Just turning over the ball the last couple minutes of the game. That cost us. We should’ve been more careful with the ball,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Elite 1 Rivers beat Elite 1 Waves 88-83 to secure third place.
Guard Patrick Robinson scored 20 points to help the Rivers exact revenge on the Waves who beat them in their final preliminary round outing on Wednesday.
Gemaal Davis led the Waves with 26 points and 10 rebounds.
Bradley Jacks is a budding journalist and an avid sports fan. His love of research and sports has led him to SportsMax.tv, a place where those passions work hand in hand to allow him to produce content.
NBA: Franz Wagner's 3-pointer with 2.5 seconds left lifts Magic, cools Lakers
Franz Wagner hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 2.5 seconds to play, and the Orlando Magic roared back to snap the Los Angeles Lakers' six-game winning streak with a 119-118 victory Thursday night.
Anthony Davis missed two free throws with 19 seconds left and then missed an 18-foot jumper at the buzzer for the Lakers, who lost to a Magic team playing without three starters in its third game in four nights.
Wagner scored 15 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter and added 11 assists for the Magic, who have won seven of eight. Jalen Suggs added 23 points, and Moritz Wagner had a season-high 19.
Davis had 39 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, while LeBron James scored 14 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter.
Los Angeles lost at home for the first time in eight games as James and Davis combined to miss four of six free throws in the final 39 seconds, leaving the door open for Orlando.
Hornets get past Pistons 123-121 in overtime
Some of the top selections in the NBA Draft over the past few years put on a show Thursday night in the Charlotte Hornets’ 123-121 overtime win against the visiting Detroit Pistons.
Brandon Miller, the second overall pick in 2023, chipped in eight of his career-high 38 points in OT, while LaMelo Ball - the No. 3 pick in 2020 - contributed 35 points, nine assists and six rebounds to help Charlotte (6-9) win its fourth straight home game.
It was the first time in franchise history that two Hornets players each scored at least 35 points in the same game.
Miller and Ball combined to hit 12 of the Hornets’ 20 made 3-pointers, with Miller establishing a personal best with eight 3s. Miller also tied a career high with four steals.
Detroit (7-10) was led by 2021 No. 1 overall selection Cade Cunningham, who had 27 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds but left with a hip injury with 48 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
Barrett scores 31, Barnes returns as Raptors defeat Timberwolves
RJ Barrett had his second straight 30-point game and former NBA Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes returned to the lineup as the Toronto Raptors defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 110-105 to post back-to-back victories for the first time this season.
Barrett scored 31 points after pouring in a season-high 39 in Monday’s 130-119 win over the Indiana Pacers that ended a seven-game losing streak for Toronto.
Wednesday’s victory improved Toronto to 4-4 at home compared to 0-8 on the road.
Barnes, the 2021-22 Rookie of the Year, was back in action for the first time since suffering a right orbital fracture on October 28 against the Denver Nuggets.
He had 17 points, six assists, three rebounds and a steal in 27 minutes.
Minnesota (8-7) failed to win a third straight game as Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels combined to score 71 of the team’s 105 points.
Dallas Mavericks star Doncic out at least one week
Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Dončić will be sidelined at least one week due to a strained right wrist, ESPN reported Thursday.
Doncic said after Dallas' 132-91 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday that he hurt his wrist in the first quarter, though he remained in the game and told reporters afterward he believed the injury to be "nothing serious."
The 2023-24 NBA MVP finalist had his wrist checked out Wednesday, according to ESPN, which revealed the strain.
Doncic is set to miss the entirety of Dallas' three-game road trip that begins with Friday's clash with the Denver Nuggets, as well as the Mavericks' next home game against the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
Doncic has missed just one of Dallas' first 15 games of this season, though his numbers are slightly down compared to his consecutive First Team All-NBA campaigns of 2022-23 and 2023-24. The five-time All-Star has shot 43.5 per cent from the field and 32.4 per cent from 3-point range while averaging 28.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.6 assists per game.
The 25-year-old averaged 33.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 8.9 assists over the course of the previous two seasons while shooting 49.1 per cent from the field and 36.5 per cent from beyond the arc.
Doncic's injury comes after the Mavericks were starting to gain traction following a sluggish start to this season. Tuesday's win was Dallas' third straight after it lost four consecutive games to fall to 5-7 over its first 12 contests.
The Mavericks are coming off a highly successful 2023-24 season in which they reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011. Dallas then made one of the offseason's more notable moves by acquiring four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson in a sign-and-trade with the Golden State Warriors.
George hyperextends knee in latest injury blow for Sixers
The Philadelphia 76ers could be without Paul George for several weeks after he suffered a hyperextended left knee during their defeat to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.
The Sixers' miserable start to the season continued as they suffered their 12th defeat in 14 games – and their fifth in a row – at FedExForum, going down 117-111.
Philadelphia fielded star trio George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey together for the first time after the latter recovered from a hamstring injury, but George was forced to exit early in the second half.
George previously missed five games of preseason after hyperextending the same knee, and head coach Nick Nurse believes he could face a similar spell on the sidelines.
"I think they said it was similar to last time, which was a bone bruise, I think," Nurse said.
"He was actually fairly close to coming back in the game, but then it kind of stiffened up as he got out a little bit more, so I decided not to, and now we got to take a look at it, make sure."
However, Nurse was more upbeat when asked if the team could rule out structural damage to George's knee, saying: "I think so."
George only managed two points, four rebounds and two assists in his 17 minutes on court, going 1-of-6 shooting.
Despite Philadelphia continuing to be hamstrung by fitness concerns, Nurse admitted they had not done enough to warrant a better result.
"Listen, it's certainly not easy," Nurse said. "Tyrese was just getting back and didn't really have a feel tonight, and Paul going out...
"It's certainly not easy but we didn't put enough together again for 48."
The Sixers have seven games in the next 14 days, starting with Friday's home encounter with the Brooklyn Nets and ending against the Orlando Magic on December 6.
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