MONTEGO BAY, St James - Hopewell Vipers will lead the chase for a place in the mid-season final of the Western Basketball Association's Division One league as the first round comes to a close this weekend with three games.

Vipers and Granville Wolfpack lead the standings with nine points each but Granville has completed their round of games while three teams Central Flames, Sav Hawks and Montego Bay Cricket Club Knights are on eight points and are also in the hunt. Junior Avalanche and Trelawny Tornadoes are on six and five points respectively.

Sunday's lone game between Vipers and Hawks set to start at 6:00 pm at the Montego Bay Cricket Club, could decide the finalists as even if they lose, Hopewell will still get a point that would see them improve to 10 points.

On Saturday, Knight and Flames are expected to score wins over Junior Avalanche and Trelawny Tornadoes to enhance their chances of advancing to the final.

Knights who beat Flames 81-72 last weekend, will be seeking their third straight win to close out the first round while Flames will be hoping to rebound strongly.

On Sunday, Omroy Kerr scored a double-double, 25 points and 10 rebounds to lead Knights to their win over the Hanover club as they led all the way despite being outscored 12-16 in the second quarter to record their first back-to-back win.

Gavin Brown supported Kerr with 19 points while Jamoi Richards scored 15 points.

Craig Dorman scored a game high 26 points while his brother Kurt had 18 points and 11 rebounds with Julian Walker getting 14 points.

On Saturday, Sav had little problems with Junior Avalanche, winning 66-47 as Richard Chambers scored 25 points as the Westmoreland team led 26-12, 38-19 and 49-25 after the first three periods.

Kenneth Blackburn had 18 points and 11 rebounds for Sav while Errol Smith scored 12 points.

Nico Campbell and Galton Taylor each scored 13 points for Avalanche.

Granville were also back to back winners on Sunday, beating Trelawny Tornadoes 72-68 in overtime.

After trailing by one point 16-17 after the first quarter, Tornadoes jumped out to a big 34-24 lead at half time and were up 44-32 before Granville rallied in the fourth quarter to level the scores at 68-all, forcing the extra period.

Granville settled down in extra-time outscoring Tornadoes by four points 16-12 as Phillip Morrison led with 17 points while Dwayne Keane and Daniel Malcolm scored 15 points each.

William Knibb schoolboy, Jamari Hines, led Trelawny with 17 points followed by Leighton Kerr's 15, while Fitzroy Gordon scored 14 points.


By PAUL A REID, Observer writer.