BVI Basketball Association Summer League

East Survive Run It Up Scare to Take Game 1 of Second-Round Playoff Series

Undefeated East continued their impressive playoff run, but they had to work for it on Friday night, escaping with a hard-fought 66-62 victory over Run It Up in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series at the Multi-Purpose Sports Complex.

The highly competitive matchup featured several lead changes before East used a strong second-half performance to secure the four-point victory and take an early advantage in the best-of-three series.

Run It Up came out firing, taking a 19-13 lead after the opening quarter behind the hot shooting of Ashield Frett, who connected on four three-pointers and finished with a team-high 20 points. East responded in the second quarter, outscoring Run It Up 19-18 to cut the deficit to 31-32 at halftime.

The momentum shifted in the third quarter as East’s balanced attack helped them take control. East outscored Run It Up 20-14 in the period to carry a 52-46 lead into the final frame. Run It Up battled until the final buzzer, but East made enough key plays down the stretch to hold on for the victory.

Jamari Dagou led East with a game-high 20 points, including three three-pointers, while Romain Minott added 14 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Cedric King contributed 11 points and eight rebounds, while Riquan Fahie stuffed the stat sheet with six points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.

East’s defensive presence was also critical, as they recorded nine steals and five blocked shots while limiting Run It Up’s opportunities in the closing minutes.

For Run It Up, Frett’s 20-point effort was supported by Rushawn Johnson, who scored 16 points, and Jamal Serrant, who finished with 15 points, nine rebounds, five assists and four steals. Akeem Titley added eight assists and six rebounds in a strong all-around performance.

Although Run It Up won the rebounding battle 50-47 and matched East with four three-pointers, East’s efficiency and ability to execute late proved to be the difference.

With the 66-62 victory, East improved their undefeated record to 7-0 and took a 1-0 lead in the second-round playoff series. Run It Up will now look to respond in Game 2 and force a decisive matchup, while East will aim to continue their perfect postseason run.