port of spain, trinidad, cmc

Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago sustained their unbeaten records by easing to comfortable victories in the Jean Pierre under 16 Caribbean Netball Championships on Sunday night.

Barbados, the title-holders, crushed Antigua & Barbuda 36-7 while perennial champions Jamaica kept up their stern challenge for this year's honours with a 51-7 demolition of lowly Grenada.

Hosts T&T ensured they remained in the hunt for the title by working their way past St Vincent & the Grenadines, 33-24. Playing at the Jean Pierre Complex in Mucurapo, Barbados and Jamaica were especially severe on their opponents. Barbados rushed to an 8-2 lead at the end of the first quarter and had extended that advantage to 20-5 at the half-time whistle. The defending champs then kept Antigua scoreless throughout the third quarter to lead 30-5, before wrapping up full points in a canter. Abeje Carrington led the winners with 21 goals from 29 attempts and got support from Shakira Boxhill, eight of nine and Denisha Corney, seven from seven attempts.

Jamaica fashioned a similar script against the Grenadians, proving stingy in defence and ruthless on attack.

Ordinary start

After an ordinary start where they led 10-4 at the end of the first quarter, the young Sunshine Girls accelerated to outscore Grenada 14-0 in the second quarter and lead 24-4 at half-time.

Finding no answer to the onslaught, Grenada continued to struggle in the third quarter and found themselves behind 35-7 at the end of that period of play. For the second time in the game, Jamaica's defence totally shut down Grenada, keeping them scoreless in the final quarter, while scoring 16 goals to complete the rout.

Christine Solomon led Jamaica with 37 from 37 attempts, while for the losers, Anisma Cape finished with six from 16.

T&T did not have things as easy but still managed to join their two major rivals in winners' row. A keen first quarter contest finished 9-5 in T&T's favour and with SVG remaining on their heels, could only muster a 16-12 lead at half-time.

The hosts continued to outplay SVG but were unable to establish any big advantage and led 25-19 at the end of the third.

They kept things steady in the final quarter, however, to seal an important victory.

Anuola Camejo finished with 18 from 22 attempts to lead T&T, while Rochel Franklyn put away 15 of 21 attempts for the losers.

In the other encounter on Sunday night, Stacey Fountain scored 29 from 35 attempts to lead Dominica to a strong 32-18 win over St Lucia.