Antigua & Barbuda kicked off their campaign in the OECS/ECCB International Netball Series on a winning note, as they made light work out of the host country Dominica in the opening match of the tournament Sunday at the Windsor Park.
The Antiguans dominated from the opening whistle and took an early lead in the opening stages of the first quarter, before the home team were able to pull things back.
Antigua jumped out to the early 7-1 advantage before Kyla Winston and Lisa James found their groove to get Dominica back into the game.
Antigua held the advantage at the end of the first quarter with a lead of 12-8. Goal Shoot Reyana Regis imposed her will on the Dominican Defenders accounting for 11 of the 12 points for Antigua. In the 2nd quarter Antigua continued to pile on the pressure and extended their lead.
Dominica continued with their struggles to contain Regis, as she dominated again in the second period as Antigua outscored the home team 17-8.
The Antiguans took a comfortable 29-15 lead into the halftime break, with Regis scoring all 17 points for Antigua in the second quarter and accounting for 28 of the team’s 29 first half points.
Antigua didn’t let up in the 3rd quarter and held Dominica to just 6 points in the 3rd period and took a 40-21 lead into the 4th and final period.
The 4th quarter was more of the same, as Antigua pressed on the advantage eventually taking the match 53-24. Reyana Regis had the hot hand converting on 46 of her 57 attempts, Amey Luke added 7 from 10 attempts. While for Dominica Lisa James made 17 of her 25 shots on goal, while Kyla Winston 6 from 10 and Melissa Williams 1 from 4 attempts.
In the other game last night, St Vincent and the Grenadines crushed St Kitts and Nevis 62-33. Mary-Ann Frederick put up a 50-point effort leading St Vincent to the easy win in their opening match. St Vincent won every quarter as they cruised to the comfortable victory.
They took the first quarter 14-9 with Frederick converting on 13 out of her 14 attempts. Frederick put up another double-digit quarter in the second period making 11 of her 13 attempts as she guided St Vincent to the 30-17 lead at the half time interval.
The 2nd half was more of the same for St Vincent, as they continued to build on their lead before taking the match 62-33.
Mary-Ann Frederick made 52 of her 60 attempts, while Shellisa Davis added 10 from 16 attempts.
Meantime for St Kitts, Rochella Challenger shot an impressive 23 from 25 attempts and Aaliyah Gordon made 9 from 19.
In the sub-Caribbean region, Barbados, Grenada and St. Vincent & the Grenadines, are the three top netball playing nations.
Dominica losing so badly to lightweight Antigua & Barbuda is an embarrassment. This is just a mirror reflection as to the state of affairs in Dominica. The trajectory is going in the wrong direction.
I’m in no way blaming the spirited young ladies. There is a malaise in this country where we easily settle for mediocrity and are satisfied with the bare minimum. Our standards are at ground level.
Here are some real life examples. No government stimulus, instead, the people are given ham and turkey and they expressed their unbridled gratitude and joy to a man who grudgingly compares himself with God.
People climbed over one another up the steps of the Financial Center, wait outside the door sometimes for hours, then Skerrit, in his own deliberately time, hand out a few dollars to the penniless supplicants.
Dominicans, Wake To Hell Up!