GUERNSEY’S Island Games gold-medal winning squad probably did not need an incentive to beat Jersey after a two-year gap in the fixture. But the Jersey Evening Post’s pre-match headline that their women’s team was out to cause a shock fired the Guernsey girls up even more.

From the tip-off they set about Jersey in determined fashion with Liz Kerr scoring a lay-up and Lorna Brown stealing the ball to set Kath Hyman in for an easy two points.

Add a couple of back-to-back fast breaks from Tammy Greeno and the greens had taken early control of the game.

The first quarter ended with Guernsey 20-7 ahead and the predicted threat of Jersey’s Nicaraguan national player Jenni Bouteloup and the Rhonda Rebels French player Natalie Michalak had not materialised, to the delight of the greens’ coach, Chris Mountford.

Jersey began the second quarter better but an end-line play by Rochelle Vaudin, who played well in her first inter-insular, set up Greeno for another two points.

The writing was on the wall for the home side as Kerr launched a court-length pass for Lorna Brown to finish off and she in turn supplied Kerry Brown, at 15 the youngest player to represent Guernsey, to add the points that took the Sarnians into a half time 43-20 lead.

Jersey started the third quarter with a score but as Mountford repeatedly alternated the Guernsey defence Jersey were unable to cope.

Lorna Brown used her experience to rebound and her anticipation resulted in several interceptions that set Guernsey off on yet another offence.

To end the quarter, Kerr demonstrated her all-round ability with back-to-back three-pointers to send the team to the bench 65-30 ahead having won the quarter by a massive 31 points to 10.

The last quarter became less spectacular yet allowed others players more court time as Kerr was rested.

Sara Gaudion scored a couple of lay-ups, but the final shots started to miss the target as Kate Henry, Tracey Martel and Lynette Henry all tried to increase the points total.

Greeno ended the game with 23 points but it was Kerr with 21 who was awarded the MVP.

Guernsey’s juniors had been expected to play their part in a Sarnian clean sweep, but were shocked to lose 66-63.

It was expected that Richard Davey and Michael Beausire would dominate the game for the greens, but Jersey had several players to nullify any height advantage that might have been envisaged.

The Guernsey team knew that they were in for a difficult match when they found themselves 16-12 down by the end of the first quarter.

Jersey adopted a zone defence and Guernsey were shy to play the ball inside to Beausire and to penetrate the key.

Jersey embraced the same tactics with considerable success with shots raining in from everywhere except from inside the key.

Joe McKenna and MVP David Middleton were particularly profitable for Jersey who at one stage led by 16.

With less than two minutes to play it looked over as Jersey led 64-56 but two baskets from Beausire broughtthe greens within striking distance at 64 to 60, but with just 20 seconds to go Jersey called a time-out to regroup.

Desperate to regain the ball Adam Grogan was forced to foul and Jersey scored both free throws and rendered Davey’s late three-pointer meaningless.