Condolences

Guyana Management on the bench watching the Guyana vs Bermuda
game

Before I complete my under 16 blog post of the this year's Jean Pierre U16 Caribbean Netball Association Tournament, I would like to offer condolence to the Guyana under 16 team whose manager, Shondelle Samaroo died tragically in a traffic accident this morning.  According to reports she was also the secretary of the Guyana Netball Association.  Please remember the Guyaneese netball fraternity in your prayers.


Condolences are also extended to the immediate past president of the Barbados Netball Association Octavia Gibson and her family on the passing of her sister Barbara Reid.  Reid who lived overseas will be brought to Barbados to be buried on April 30.  The service will take place at Holy Innocents Anglican Church at 9:00 am.

Barbados Boost Goal Difference Against Dominica

Barbados Goal Attack Sheniqua Thomas on the Defence

 Cognizant that they have to boost their goal difference in the U16 Jean Pierre CNA Championship if they are to snatch this year's competition from St. Lucia, Barbados came out in the evening with guns blazing limiting Dominica to just 9 goals to their 46.

An unchanged starting line up from the morning side of Shonica Wharton (GS), Sheniqua Thomas (GA), Tia Jones (WA), Tyneisha Rowe (C), Sade Browne (WD), Sade Sargeant (GD) and Shanice Wharton (GK).

The only blunder the team made was assisted by the coach who changed the WA Tia Jones in the second quarter.  Jones has been the play maker on the attack all tournament and with her out the Barbados attack struggle to find a rhythm.  That was their weakest quarter the interval scores being 12-2, 20-5 and 35-7.

Sweet Revenge for Barbados U16 Netballers Against St. Lucia

Barbados Shooter on the Ball

 Barbados are back in the runnings to becoming this year's CNA Jean Pierre U16 Netball Champions.  As I chanted a little "I say B for Barbados" to myself in the stands, I could feel the positive energy radiating from the Barbados team for this game.  They wanted a this victory and played their hearts out from the first whistle catching the St. Lucians flat footed and taking an early 5 goal lead which the St. Lucians pull back to a decent 9 -7 to Barbados by the end of the first quarter.

Barbados led all intervals 9-7, 18-15, 26-19 to finish with a well fought 33-31.  The starting line up for Barbados was (GS) Shonica Wharton, (GA) Sheniqua Thomas, (WA) Tia Jones, (C) Tyneisha Rowe,  (WD) Sade Browne, (GD) Sade Sargeant, and (GK) Shanice Wharton.

St. Lucia fought valiantly in the final quarter but the Barbados third quarter lead was too much and at the end it was the Bajans jumping for victory.

The two top teams this year will be striving to get big scores in their final games as they seek to improve their goal averages.  In the shooting area goal shooter Wharton scored 33 0f 29 while Thomas netted 5 of 9.

St. Lucia U16 talking to coaching staff

Other morning games.  Guyana 23 Anguilla 19
Trinidad and Tobago 32 - Dominica 19
Bermuda 19 - St. Kitts 12

Barbados U16 

Barbados vs St. Vincent and the Grenadines

The second game between Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean Netball Association Jean Pierre Under 16 netball championship started slopply and both teams fumbled, threw away the ball and were generally disorganised for the first quarter of the game.  It took almost 3 minutes or more for the first team to score which turned out to be Barbados.  The first quarter score ending a mere 6-2 in favour of Barbados.

Ok folkes, I don't have the team line up tonight but I will plug in the names tomorrow so bear with me. 

It was the Barbados defences that kept them in the game as the attack got use to playing with the new goal shooter. 

Especially the goal keeper who had an outstanding game making interceptions from start to finish. 

The Barbados defences were so effective that St. Vincent were only allowed 3 goals in the 2nd quarter, the other interval scores were 18-5, and 27-9.  Barbados eventually completed a convincing comprehensive 35-15 defeat over the Vincies. 

Bermuda On A Roll Again

Bermuda is defending their title as the number 1 developmental team in the Jean Pierre Under 16 CNA Championship spendidly.  The girls are some tough cookies willing to sacrifice their bodies as they out hussel their opponents.  Tonight they solidify their chances at the title again by defeating their main challengers for the crown, home team St. Kitts.  See some glimpses of the Bermudans in an earlier game against Guyana.

Bermuda in blue, red and white on the attack against Guyana

Under16 Again

Now I know that my blog is really being read. I have had so many calls, facebook messages, emails etc. asking what is happening here in St. Kitts that I feel obliged to add something to the site. Work, study and other commitments have driven me into tired sleepy silence. After this post however some people will probably wish I had stayed away.

My first post was going to be about the Jean Pierre CNA U16 tournament here in St. Kitts and how St. Lucia doing the dog upsetting both Trinidad and Barbados and then what should pop up on my whiteberry but news about the Jamaican U16 team (the defending champions of this tournament no less) defeating Birmingham 43-10 somewhere in Jamaica. Now tell me what is wrong with that story? Netball is in a state in the Caribbean. Jamaica feel that they don’t need to play the rest of the Caribbean (well this goes way back) because we are not good enough, well hell yes we need lots of work, but this is our region and unless we stick together and constructively help each other then we as a region will never be good enough.

Bad enough that the international body has had a president from the region for the longest while and yet we are no better off. What does that say.? I understand that there are no challengers for the position internationally but why should there be when Massa can just sit back and pull puppet strings.