There was plenty of action under the baskets at either end but Ruff House scored when it mattered most to win the game. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Ruff House secured a place in the Hon. Julian Fraser/Save the Seed National Intermediate Basketball League Championship game against Avengers with a 81-73 win in game 3 over Talk Done of the playoffs. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

The victory was laid on the foundation of slightly more composure under the basket when it mattered most. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Shamoi Dagou, who scored 20 points for Ruff House, puts a block on Kevon Lettsome who scored 14 for Talk Done. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Winston Farrington finished with 21 points for Ruff House. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Although the crowd was now on its feet shouting and waving with excitement at every play, Talk Done just couldn’t close the gap. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

With the game 3 victory, Ruff House will now face Avengers in the Championship Series.

Sunday’s “Do or Die” encounter began in bizarre fashion as even before the tip off Talk Done were given a couple of free throws following the referee calling a Technical Foul against Roger Farrington. However, Kevon Lettsome was only able to complete 1 of 2 attempts and it was Ruff House who hit the ground with more energy once the game got going.

The score had reached 11-2 in favour of Ruff House with nearly 4 minutes gone in the 1^st quarter with the likes of Ricardo Farrington, Keshawn Fahie and Shamoi Dagou scything through Talk Done’s defense to rack up the points.

Lettsome and Nicols Charles then began to pull it back for Talk Done, Charles in particular was in good form from downtown. One of his 3 pointers leveled the score at 12-12 and then heading into the last 3 minutes of the quarter he splashed another long distance effort to hand Talk Done the lead for the first time in the game at 15-14.

Unfortunately for Charles, however, as the quarter ran out his shot was picked off by Farrington who then passed to Jeremy Telamaque for a score and a 20-17 lead at the break.

The 2^nd quarter was a see-saw affair with both teams trading missed shots, fouls and the occasional score until Clint Weston leveled the game at 28-28 with 5 minutes left until half time. The scores were all square at 30-30 and then into the last two minutes Winston Farrington nailed a 3 for Ruff House and the same player was fouled attempting another 3-point jumper. He notched 2 of 3 free throws to take Ruff House into half time with a 42-38 lead.

The 3^rd quarter saw a complete turnaround in fortune for Talk Done, who first turned on the after burners to race into a 10-point lead, the biggest for either team throughout the decisive game, and then see their dominance blown away with a complete shutdown on scoring.

Weston was in the thick of the action throughout the period as he picked up a rebound from a Glenal Layne 3-point attempt to score and was also fouled in the process as the score reached 62-52 to Talk Done, but that was as good as it got for the East End outfit as Farrington pulled it back to a 9 point game with 2.26 remaining in the quarter and Talk Done unable to add any more points before the buzzer.

By the time Talk Done scored another point the game only had 7.46  left in the 4^th as that man Weston latched onto a pass from Darea Alexander to score a 2 and make it a 64-58 game.

Ruff House though sensed blood and were going all out for the kill. Dagou nailed a 3 to make it 64-61 and then a steal from Fahie, a quick pass to Dagou and a layup from Telemaque and Ruff House were back in front at 65-64 and 5 minutes still to play.

A couple of controversial foul calls gave Ruff House the chance to make it 69-66 before Lettsome put Talk Done back in the game with a couple of penetrating runs and scores, but crucially he conceded a turn over under pressure with under 3 minutes remaining to give Dagou more points and Ruff House a 3-point cushion.

Although the crowd was now on its feet shouting and waving with excitement at every play, Talk Done just couldn’t close the gap. A block by Farrington against Lettsome knocked the final stuffing out of Talk Done and fittingly it was left to Dagou to deliver the coup de grace with a couple of easy two pointers to pad the score line.

For Ruff House, Winston Farrington top scored with 21 points, Shamoi Dagou added 20, Ricardo Farrington finished with 13 along with 11 rebounds and Jeremy Telemaque scored 11.

For Talk Done, who were undone by a lack of composure and execution under the basket, Tad Martin scored 15 points with 18 rebounds, Kevon Lettsome scored 14, Clint Weston 12 with 24 rebounds and Glenal Layne 10 with 9 rebounds.