The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

While the senior and junior boys' championships have been decided, the Government Secondary Schools Sports association's senior and junior girls' title will go to a third and deciding game on Thursday.

On Tuesday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, the CC Sweeting completed a sweep of the Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves with a 62-61 thriller that was decided on the free throw line with just one second left in the game.

The defending champions Doris Johnson Mystic Marlin's stayed alive forcing a third and deciding game in the senior girls series with a 37-24 decision over the CV Bethel Stingrays to set the stage for the finale on Thursday.

It was a three-peat perfect season for the DW Davis Royals as they powered their way to a 44-36 triumph over the CH Reeves Raptors to complete a sweep of the junior boys' crown as they celebrated again

The TA Thompson Scorpions avoided elimination by stopping the HO Nash Lions' bid for a sweep of another junior girls title with a stunning 29-22 victory and will now prepare forThursday.

Here's a summary of the games played:

Cobras 62, Timberwolves 61: After Anthony Williams put CC Sweeting up 62-60 with 15 seconds remaining in the game, Kevin Thompson had a chance to at least force overtime.

But he hit the first charity shot, missed the second and the Cobras' deflected the ball out of bounds and time expired and their fans rushed on the court to celebrate.

"This is a never say die team," said Cobras' head coach Mario Bowleg. "I told them that if they stay focused, we could win the game. I told them that I was thinking about retirement after this season and I guess they wanted to make sure that we did it. I'm pleased with their effort."

Most valuable player Brandon Strachan pumped in 17 points, Marco Beckford and Cassius Turnquest both had nine; Anthon Williams seven and Christian Manace six.

Kirklyn Farrington paced Anatol Rodgers with 16; Devon Bonamy had 12 and Jason McHardy chipped in with nine.

"I could live with a performance like that," Anatol Rodgers' head coach Harcourt McCoy said. "Mario is a hell of a coach. We gave them everything and lost it on the line. But we still have Hugh Campbell and I am sure my players will remember this loss. We left it all out there on the court."

The Cobras took a slim 45-44 lead to start the fourth quarter. With three minutes and 10 seconds left, Brandon Strachan canned a three-peat and a jumper to extend the Cobras' lead to 50-46.

Every run the Timberwolves made to come within one, the Cobras' found a way to extend their margin as they held on for the win.

Anatol Rodgers went on an offensive tear for a 44-36 lead to force CC Sweeting to call a time out with about four minutes left in the third quarter. The Cobras managed to trim the deficit to 44-41 at the end of the period.

The Cobras opened up a 30-23 lead at the half as they controlled the play in the paint.

With 1:40 left in the first quarter and the score tied 12-12,, Anatol Rodgers' Kirklyn Farrington was injured and had to be helped off the court, but he came back into the game. The Cobras went on to take a 16-12 advantage at the end of the period.

CC Sweeting won game one on Monday 70-54 as Brandon Strachan came up with 22 points.

Mystic Marlins 37, Stingrays 24: Kovanique Rolle came through with 11 points, Tanea Bowleg had none and both Kristian Sands and Briontae Riley added six.

Doris Johnson got off to a slow start, going scoreless before they got on board for a 6-2 'deficit and trailed 8-4 at the end of the first break. However, they turned it around to surge to a 16-8 halftime lead and pushed their margin to 26-18 at the end of the third and stayed in control in the fourth.

"We have the heart of a champion," said Mystic Marlin's coach Kavon Spence. "This team has been through the ropes. We had a long season, but we knew we had to go out there and leave it all on the line.

CV Bethel, coached by Glenda Gilcud, got 11 points from Adiyah Johnson and five from Shanyhah Bowe in the loss.

CV Bethel won Monday's opener 36-27 as Shante Cooper scored a game high 12. Kovanique Rolle had 10 in a losing effort.

Royals 44, Raptors 36: MVP Kenvon Farrington exploded for a game high 22 points, including nine points on 2-of-2 from the three-peat line as they pulled away in the fourth quarter.

DeAngelo Faulkes added 22, including nine in the fourth as well as the Royals came from from a 24-22 deficit at the end of the third. The game was tied 10-10 after the first quarter, but the Raptors held a slim 19-18 advantage at the half.

DW Davis went to their potent full court trap defense in the fourth and they opened a 10-point lead and never looked back.

"It's been a long season. We went to Andros, won Father Marcian (Peters Invitational), we got the pennant and now the championship," said Royals' coach Mark Hanna. "I want to thank God for allowing us to be so successful again."

Hanna said he will have his Royals back in practice as of Saturday at DW Davis as they look to go for a fourth straight next year.

For CH Reeves, coached by Rashad McKenzie, Marley Major scored eight and Lavardo Kemp, Glenroy Howard and Charlotte St Just all chipped in with six.

DW Davis won game one 49-40 as Faulkes led the way with 18 and Farrington had 22. Major scored nine to lead CH Reeves.

Scorpions 29, Lions 22: Coach Donovette Scavalla got a 1-2 punch from center Shaqvonia Daxon and point guard Adina Webster as TA Thompson held off HO Nash junior girls.

Before fouling out with about one minute left in the game and her team up 29-21, Daxon had a game high 12 points, including 3-of-6 free throws in the fourth quarter as the Scorpions pulled away from a 22-18 lead for the win.

Webster added 11 points, including six in the third as they broke up a 12-12 halftime margin. The other four points for HO Nash came from Samara Achille and Nathayla Lightbourne with two each.

"I just told the girls to play TA Thompson basketball, they went out and made the adjustment and we came out with the win," Scavalla said.

She said Daxon and Webster, who is only in grade four, had an impressive performance, but that was what they did all season long. She expect the trend to continue in game three.

HO Nash, coached by Pattie Johnson, got eight from Glennia Sands and four from E Pierre.

The Lions won the opener 42-38 on Monday as Sands scored a game high 28 points.