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Jackals Blitzed By Mavs

Jamestown’s KB Baker puts up a shot over Kentucky’s Gerald DeVaughn during Sunday’s Premier Basketball League game at the Physical Education Complex at Jamestown Community College. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

The third quarter complete, Oswinn Hines stared at the scoreboard at one end of the Physical Education Complex late Sunday afternoon, almost in disbelief.

Then, slowly — make that ever so slowly — he walked to the Jamestown bench.

The numbers told the story for Hines and his Jackals’ teammates and it was this:

Kentucky is very, very good.

Ben Vozzola poured in 25 points to lead seven players in double figures and the Mavericks rolled to an impressive, 137-92, Premier Basketball League victory before a nice crowd at the Jamestown C ommunity College gymnasium.

On the eve of his induction into the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame, Maceo Wofford, second from left, was honored at halftime of Sunday’s Premier Basketball League game between Jamestown and Kentucky at the Physical Education Complex at Jamestown Community College. Joining him, from the left, are Jackals head coach Kayla Crosby, Jamestown High School basketball coach Ben Drake and CSHOF president Randy Anderson. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

The win improved Kentucky’s record to 8-1 to remain in a first-place tie with Rochester, while the Jackals fell to 5-5, 3.5 games back.

It’s hard to envision a team in the PBL playing any better than the Mavericks, who hail from Owensboro. Since losing its opener to the Ohio Bootleggers in early January, Kentucky has ripped off eight straight wins. The Mavericks will play in Rochester this afternoon.

”They’re very good,” Jamestown coach Kayla Crosby said.

While Vozzola showed his skills from the perimeter and at the rim, he had plenty of assistance from his Kentucky teammates. Mike Crain scored 18 points, Andrew Christian had 17, Josh Johnson added 14, and Marcus Fillyaw, Gerald DeVaughn and Anthony Jackson chipped in 13 apiece.

Armed with a 35-21 lead after the first quarter, the Mavericks widened their margin to 62-45 at halftime and then blitzed the Jackals for 75 second-half points.

Meanwhile, Jamestown, which has lost five of its last seven games after starting the season 3-0, was led by Hines with 22 points. Chiza Ntirata had 17, KB Baker collected 11 and Kevin Crescenzi chipped in with 10.

Jamestown was hurt by an inordinate number of turnovers that led to easy baskets for the Mavericks.

”That’s our biggest problem,” Crosby said. ”We anticipate where teammates are cutting instead of putting it in their hands.”

While the Mavericks play today in Rochester, the Jackals are off until Saturday when they play the Chautauqua Hurricane at 7 p.m. at Brocton Central School. Jamestown returns home Sunday for a 4 p.m. tipoff against Washington, D.C.

NOTES: At halftime, the Jackals honored Jamestown native Maceo Wofford. Wofford, who be inducted into the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame tonight at the Lakewood Rod & Gun Club, played in the PBL for one season for the Erie Hurricane. Since then, he has been a big supporter of the PBL and the Jackals, in particular. Joining Crosby in the ceremony were CSHOF president Randy Anderson and Jamestown High School boys basketball coach Ben Drake. Drake coached Wofford during the 1998-99 season, the latter’s senior year at JHS.

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