Mighty Barrolle Chases Fourth-Straight National Basketball Division One Championship

By: W. Roland James

Paynesville: Liberia National Basketball First Division defending Champions Mighty Barrolle affectionately called the Rollers, has put up search for a fourth consecutive championship title after resurfacing in the Grand Final in this year's National Basketball First Division Championship.

The Rollers pulled a back-to-back victory over league rivals LPRC Oilers in two tense clashes in the playoffs during the week at the SKD Basketball Gymnasium in Paynesville.

The first playoff match saw defending champions Mighty Barrolle collecting a 56-42 points win over the Oilers and pushed for another victory in the second playoff match by 70-39 points to crash out LPRC Oilers on Wednesday (August 21) in the big four of the 2024 National Basketball First Division Championship playoffs.

The win has brought Mighty Barrolle into the contestation for a fourth championship, having won the title in the last three editions.

The strive for 2024 championship will ensue between the Rollers and Cestos Mogars who on the other hand outshined NPA Pythons in both first and second playoff matches with 72-68 and 84-79 points respectively to reach the final.

Cestos Mogars will be hunting to bring home their first Championship title in the First Division when they go down to the Rollers in a showpiece in the coming days to decide the 2024 LBA First Division League champions.

However, the Head Coach of Mighty Barrolle, Assad Fadel, has expressed strong optimism about his side performance in the Grand Final.

Coach Fadel described his boys as shooters with perverence and determination stating that he remains confident for the championship.

He stated: "Always the game is a fight we come and play the game with all out heart. These guys, hard work dedication and perseverance got us here and now they have to go and shine in the final".

Meanwhile, the two finalists, Mighty Barrolle and Cestos Mogars will represent Liberia in the next edition of the Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA) Club Championship which will make it the first time in many years for Liberian Basketball Clubs to participate in the competition due to a ban that was placed on the Liberia Basketball Association due leadership crisis in time past.