Catch-up games June 7 and 14; play-off starts June 21
In a direct confrontation in which first place in the women’s competition of the Surinamese Basketball Association (SBA) was at stake, defending champion De Arend delivered a major blow to arch-rival Yellow Birds on Sunday: 61-34. It was a big victory over the Yellow Birds for the second time in a row, after triumphing 74-48 on April 19. The defending champion has almost certainly secured first place by winning.
Text and image Terence Oosterwolde
A 13-0 runwhich are the second and third quarter overlapped, was the deciding factor for De Arend on Sunday evening. That turned a narrow 24-23 lead with 2:09 into the second period into a 37-23 lead with 6:13 to go in the third. Yellow Birds, which remained scoreless for six minutes and 45 seconds during the overlap, did not score until 5:26 into the third quarter his first points.
“I had a weak start. That meant that Yellow Birds could keep up with us in the first half”
The Arend coach Mitchell Zeefuik
Chiniqua Pengel, who clearly did not have her best day, missed in the last three quarters fourteen of 21 free throws. She also failed to get her goal attempts through the ring. Yet she provided a rare one highlight at Yellow Birds by one at-the-buzzer half court shot to score, ending the third period 30-46.
In the fourth quarter De Arend never slowed down for a moment. On the contrary, the team made it even more difficult for the opponent to score. Yellow Birds only managed four points in the last ten minutes – four free throws from Pengel – while the defending champions scored fifteen themselves.
Slow start
Coach Mitchell Zeefuik did not see it coming that De Arend would again win so easily against Yellow Birds, especially not the way things went after the jump ball. “In the beginning it didn’t go as expected,” he responds the True Time. “My players were still standing too much; there was no running in attack. The agreements we had made in terms of defense were also not fulfilled. Just two or three players performed that, which gave you openings.”
He continues his analysis: “I had a weak start. That allowed Yellow Birds to keep up with us in the first half. We missed seventeen free throws … in total we made 28 free throws (out of 41, … ed.) missed. And free throws can actually make a game a little easier for you, especially if you score them. But we didn’t do that, which made it a bit difficult in the first half.”
Defense picked up
At the start of the third period, Yellow Birds was completely restricted with a suffocating defense. The opponent only scored eleven points in the second half. “We defended until four, five, six seconds left shot clock and it was precisely the last seconds where Seregay (Blankendal, … ed.) scored the balls. I told my players at halftime that if they defended until they heard the whistle, they would win the match.”
He also had a hearty word with his top scorer and sub-captain Mirelva Marica. “If you stay too far away, Seregay will score. If you connect, we can help. And it was Mirelva who defended her. So I told her point-blank: ‘If you don’t defend, we are making mistakes. If you start defending, it will be easier for us.'” That message did not fall on deaf ears, as De Arend managed to completely neutralize the Yellow Birds attack after halftime.
Training visit
Yellow Birds assistant coach Chayenne Naarden admitted that her team was a shadow of its former self after halftime. “In the third and fourth quarter it just didn’t work out; neither in attack nor in defense. Assignments were not carried out and we did not score,” she said in conversation with the True Time.
The coach does not think that a bad day from Pengel has affected her team. “If you look at the first half, it wasn’t that Chiniqua was the pacesetter. It was other players who scored. So it shouldn’t be a problem if she isn’t having her day.”
Naarden acknowledges that Yellow Birds had difficulty with De Arend’s defense in the second half and actually had no answer to it. “Yes, we have to train. If you don’t train then you’re going to have this. But I assume my ladies will be at training on Tuesday so we can have an answer for the next match.”
Catch-up games
Last week competition leader Henk Rahan had the True Time stated that based on the situation after the match day of May 31, a decision would be made about the postponed matches of May 3 and 10. The two coaches appear to have different opinions about those two rounds.
Zeefuik: “To be honest… we don’t underestimate anyone, but I have SCVU and Yellow Birds again. Both times I won Yellow Birds by a wide margin. If you add up the points… Yellow Birds beat me by four points. Even if they won the last match, they will never pass me in points. So we will see – through the board of De Arend – whether we can write a letter to take away that last match day if necessary.”
He says that the next meeting is still decisive for Yellow Birds, because the team has Ballers Club Wanica (BCW) as its opponent. “If they win against BCW and I win against SCVU, then the last match day is in principle no longer necessary for me. We can then actually start the play-off immediately.”
Naarden, on the other hand, wants to play the two catch-up games normally. “Because it is actually very good towards the play-off,” she believes. “Especially how we are not yet completely stable. I think the two games will do us a bit of good.”
It is now known that the SBA has scheduled the two rounds for June 7 (De Arend-SCVU and Yellow Birds-BCW) and June 14 (SCVU-BCW and Yellow Birds-De Arend). In a letter to the four associations in which this was announced, SBA director Harold Meinzak indicated that the play-off will start on June 21.
Playoff preparation
Towards the play-off, Zeefuik will mainly tinker with De Arend’s attack. “All three teams (Yellow Birds, BCW and SCVU, … ed.) defend 2-3 zone. I have set up a lot of systems for this, where the switchover is crucial. When my players want to execute the attack I have taught them, I am in the right place,” he sounds convinced.
“In the third and fourth quarter it just didn’t work out; neither in attack nor in defense”
Yellow Birds assistant coach Chayenne Naarden
Naarden is short and direct when asked what she will focus on in the run-up to the postseason. “The defense! …Yes, the defense!” said the Yellow Birds assistant coach.
Mirelva Marica led De Arend with thirteen points, well supported by Morena Leter with twelve points. Chiniqua Pengel (one three pointer) immediately gaming high fifteen points, while Seregay Blankendal contributed twelve points.
