Soufriere Repeat as Basketball Kings

Soufriere Kings completed a successful title defence on Friday night at the Beausejour Gymnasium, beating Bonne Terre Blazers 74-73 in Game 2 of the KFC National Basketball League finals. The 2024 winners, Soufriere came from behind to break out the brooms and sweep the best-of-three series. 

Blazers, the 2023 winners, were down 0-1 in the series, and their attitude at the beginning of the second contest was equal to the situation. Behind Troy and Andre Louison, they were aggressive throughout the first half. Their cause was helped by the fact that Kings were cold from the line, making only five of 17 free throw attempts. 

Bonne Terre built up an 8-1 lead to start the game. Even after a series of turnovers, they still led 17-11 after the first period. Lance Lows put them up 19-11, and free throws from Andre Louison made it 21-13. Soufriere got within six, but a short jumper by Troy Louison restored the eight-point cushion at 23-15. With a minute left, Andre Lisson sliced through the lane for Blazer to give them a 31-23 lead. With the clock ticking down to zero approaching the half, Lisson again hit a long two to put Blazers up by double digits, 34-23.

Kymani Charles opened the third with a long two of his own for Soufrière, and it was pretty much back-and-forth from that point. 

But a key passage of play to close the third period handed the Kings the ascendancy. Charles drained a three to bring the men from Sulphur City within one with three minutes to play. A layup, and and-1 on a lovely give and go with Saltibus, restored parity at 39. The rebound from the resultant free throw went Soufriere’s way, and they took their first lead at 41-39 with two minutes remaining in the third. The champions went into the final break up 43-42.

The lead seesawed briefly back and forth, Troy Louison opening the last quarter with two jumpers, and Soufrière answering each time, benefitting from an and-1 on their second possession for a 48-46 lead. Lisson equalised on an inbound pass under the basket, only for Clayton Williams to reinstate the lead. 

But Blazers wouldn’t go away. They tied it at 50, and an Andre Louison bucket gave them a short-lived lead at 52-51. Jayzee Saltibus eventually got a breakaway layup after a 5-0 Blazers run to tie it at 57 with 2:30 on the clock. A leaner from Williams gave Kings a 60-59 lead, but Troy Louison tied it at the line with 42 seconds left. Soufrière got the ball with nine seconds to shoot, but they were unable to even attempt. 

Williams opened overtime with a short jumper and a steal, but Andre Louison knifed his way down the lane for a tough deuce. Kymani Charles had a steal and a basket to even things at 64. 

Back on the line with just over two minutes to go, Troy Louison made them both, only for Saltibus to earn and convert an and-1 for the Kings. On the feed from his brother, Andre Louison hit a nice jumper for the lead, but the Kings tied it right back up with a minute remaining.

Sidney Didier got one to drop with 25 seconds left, and Troy Louison replied at once for a tie at 71. Linzell Alcee stroked a three with four seconds on the clock, and a quick two from Blazers took the clock down to zero, handing Kings the one-point win, series victory, prize money of $5 000, and the Ricky Skecky Estwick Trophy.

Didier paced the Kings with 28 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Deemed the most valuable player of the finals, Saltibus had 12 points, 19 rebounds, five steals, and six assists., 12-30 from the line, 7-13 in the second half. Charles finished with 11 points, five steals, and three assists.

For the Blazers, Andre Louison recorded 20 points, eight rebounds, and seven steals. Troy managed 18 points, eight rebounds, eight steals, and eight assists. Lisson contributed eight points and 10 rebounds.