The race for the coveted Ricky “Skecky” Estwick Trophy has reached a fever pitch, as defending champions Soufrière Kings locked the three-game KFC National Basketball League Finals at a 1-1 tie after a hard-fought 47-43 victory over the Bonne Terre Blazers on Friday night at the Beausejour Gymnasium.
Nicknamed the squad from Sulphur City, the Kings delivered a masterclass in defensive intensity to set up a winner-takes-all showdown scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday at the same venue. The Blazers, who claimed the 2023 league title, had drawn first blood in the best-of-three series, securing a narrow 62-59 win in Game 1 this past Wednesday.
From the opening tip-off, Soufrière jumped out to an early advantage, anchored by a suffocating defensive game plan targeting the Blazers’ star Louison brothers, Troy and Andre. Capitalizing on a string of unforced errors from Bonne Terre — including multiple shot clock violations and eight-second turnover calls — the Kings took a 24-19 lead into the halftime break.
After the interval, the west coast side extended their momentum, stretching their lead to 15 points through disciplined offensive sets and consistent long-range shooting. Though the Blazers mounted a gritty second-half comeback, piercing Soufrière’s tight defense to trim the deficit down to just four points, they could not complete the comeback. The Kings held firm through the final minutes to lock in the critical win.
One of the standout performers for Soufrière was Sidney Didier, who bounced back from a quiet Game 1 to dominate both ends of the floor early in the contest. The versatile wing finished the night with an impressive all-around stat line of 11 points, six rebounds, six assists, and three steals. Forward Kimani Charles also delivered a balanced performance, notching eight points, six steals, five rebounds, and five assists. While Jayzee Saltibus only scored eight points, he was an unstoppable force on the glass, pulling down a remarkable 24 rebounds to secure second chances for his squad.
For the Blazers, offensive inefficiency proved to be their undoing. The squad converted just 18 of their 82 total field goal attempts throughout the game. Leading scorer Troy Louison put up 18 points, nine rebounds, and three steals, but he needed 29 shot attempts to reach that scoring total. Guard Kyanni Elwin finished with 10 points on 19 shots, while Andre Louison contributed 12 rebounds, six steals, and five assists — but only connected on three of his 17 field goal tries.
Even after two games, the two title contenders remain closely matched. Though Bonne Terre won the turnover battle 24 to 27, both squads finished with an even 53 total rebounds. When the two most recent champions meet again on Saturday, every possession will count, with the league trophy and championship glory hanging in the balance.