A COMBINATION of power and finesse by N’kobie Ince and Jervais Caracciolo led Holy Cross College to the Secondary Schools Basketball East Zone Under-17 title with a 36-30 win over Hillview College at the Maloney Indoor Sports Arena yesterday.

Ince, using his size and dribbling ability, finished as the game’s top scorer with 16 points. Caracciolo was solid beyond the three-point line, ending with 13 points as the pair scored 29 out of the 36 points for Holy Cross. The powerfully built Samuel Edwards tried to keep Hillview in the game with 12 points. Nathaniel Crichlow, who has a bit erratic at times, contributed nine points.

Following the match, Holy Cross coach Michael Watkins was satisfied. He told Newsday, “It was a winning performance. It was not our best performance for the season, but we did enough to win and that is the important part.”

The Holy Cross Under-17 team made amends, as the school’s Under-15 team lost to Trinity College East in that age group final on Friday. Watkins said Ince and Caracciolo were on top of their game yesterday. “Very happy...those are the two leaders on the team. They are young, but they led the team from the front. I can count on them in pressure situations to do the right thing.”

After going down early, Carrcciolo and Ince both scored as Holy Cross came back to tie the game 9-9. After Ince missed two free throws, Edwards completed a three-point play as Hillview now led 15-11. It was a close contest throughout the first half as Hillview had the edge 15-14 at the break. There continued to be little separating the teams as with 12 minutes left the game was tied 19-19.

Edwards was a handful for Holy Cross as no player could match his built, combined with his height. Caracciolo hit a three-pointer, before two more baskets put Holy Cross in front 33-24 with one minute and 36 seconds left. Hillview kept on battling, but Holy Cross held on to win the contest 36-30.

Before the final, Trinity East defeated San Juan South Secondary 37-34 in the Under-17 third-place playoff. Holy Cross and Hillview will meet again today in the Under-20 East zone final at 1.30 pm in Maloney.

The post Ince, Caracciolo star in basketball final as…Holy Cross crowned Under-17 East zone champs appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.