The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE CI Gibson Rattlers, the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association senior boys basketball champions, are the only school from New Providence to make it to Sunday’s final four of the 38th edition of the prestigious Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic.

The other three teams will come from Grand Bahama.

The Rattlers clinched their berth on Saturday at the Kendal Issacs Gymnasium with a 63-53 win over the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools’ champions, Charles W. Saunders. They will now take on the surprising Sir Jack Hayward Wildcats, who advanced to Sunday with a 54-49 decision over the BAISS runners-up, Jordan Prince Williams Falcons.

The other half of the draw will be a rematch of the Grand Bahama Secondary Schools Athletic Association’s finals between the champions, Tabernacle Falcons, and the Sunland Baptist Stingers. While the runners-up Stingers knocked out the CV Bethel Stingrays 63-39, the champions Falcons prevailed with a 60-57 defeat of the CC Sweeting Cobras.

Sunday’s final matches will begin at 6pm with Tabernacle Baptist taking on Sunland Baptist in a rematch from their Grand Bahama final and at 7pm, CI Gibson will face the surprise team, St George’s. The two winners will advance to the championship game on Monday at 8pm.

Wildcats 63, Cougars 53: Kevaro Russell exploded for a game high 27 points with four rebounds and Leon Evans had 10 points with seven assists, six rebounds and three steals as Sir Jack Hayward survived.

“They are coming together. It’s a far cry from where we were in December,” Calvin McIntosh, who is filling in for head coach Darrel Sears, said. “It’s been a tough season, but they are getting better with each game.

“I just told them that they have to buy into playing defence. Offence will win you games, but defence will win you championships once you buy into it. We were not supposed to be in the final four, but we surprised everyone.”

Treymon Wright had 17 points; Raymone Woods had 12 points with seven assists and six rebounds and Makero Brown added 10 points and 16 rebounds in the loss for the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary School's champions Charles W Saunders, who got eliminated. 

Rattlers 64, Falcons 54: Dieunel Joseph led a balanced scoring attack with 13 points with 21 rebounds and four block shots and Drexel Burnside and Gerrad Rolle both had 12 points with Rolle grabbing 13 rebounds with three blocks as CI Gibson advanced in a hard fought game.

“It was a tough win. Prince Will always play us tough. We wanted it a little more down the stretch defensively,” said CI Gibson’s coach Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnson. “We had some turnover down the stretch, so we have to take better care of the ball.

“We have to be better in the final four. But it’s a win and so we will take it. In tournament play where you win and move on, we just hope that we can continue winning, no matter how it comes.”

Condae Smith had a game high 14 points with eight rebounds and Barkley Cadet had 10 points with 12 rebounds in a losing effort for the BAISS runners up, Jordan Prince William, as they made their exit.

Stingers 63, Stingrays 39: Jordan Saunders pumped in a game high 20 points with four steals and three rebounds; Tianno Roberts had 15 points and De’Nage Kelly added 10 points with five steals and four rebounds in a blowout win for Sunland Baptist.

Jahliel Minnis had 11 points and six rebounds and Derrick Edgecombe added seven points with seven rebounds in a losing effort for CV Bethel, who got eliminated.

Falcons 60, Cobras 57: In a keenly contested match-up that went right down to the wire, Tabernacle Baptist booked their ticket to the final four as Noah Bain led a balanced attack with 14 points, four rebounds and three steals.

Aiden Miller had 11 points, five assists, four rebounds and as many steals; Joshua Williams added 10 points and six rebounds and Alex Minus contributed nine points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Jamerolston Vil poured in a game high 22 points with five rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals and blocks, but it wasn’t enough for CC Sweeting as they made their exit. Jaheim Armbrister had 14 points, five rebounds and three steals; Emmanuel Adams had 11 points and four rebounds and Calvin Thurston chipped in with 10 points, five rebounds and five steals.

Results of other games played earlier in the day are as follows:

Stingrays 54, Knights 49: Derrick Edgecombe came up with 14 points, nine rebounds, three steals and two block shots and Matallo Johnson added 13 points with two rebounds, two steals and two blocks in the win as CV Bethel stayed alive. 

Carlton Johnson scored a game high 18 points with seven rebounds and a pair of assists and steals and Jumeo Miller added 10 points with six rebounds and four steals in the loss for CR Walker as they got eliminated.

Cobras 40, GCA 37: Jason Williams produced two points with three rebounds and Calvin Thurston had 11 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in the win for CC Sweeting as they remained alive.

Sherrick Ellis had 10 points with five rebounds and three assists and Paulson Stuart also bad 10 points with three rebounds in the loss for Gateway Christian Academy as they were ousted.

Falcons 46, Wildcats 41: Kamari Minnis scored 12 points with seven rebounds and Condae Smith had 11 points and four rebounds in the win for the BAISS runners up, Jordan Prince Williams.

Desmond Hall and Marvin Culmer both had 13 points in the loss for Sir Jack Hayward.

Cougars 53, Timberwolves 37: Ramone Woods pumped in a game high 20 points with 10 rebounds, six steals and four assists and both Nakero Brown and Tenaj Strachan had 13 points each with six and four rebounds respectively in the win for the BAISS champions, Charles W. Saunders, as they stayed alive.

Kirkwood Rolle scored 15 points with seven rebounds in the loss for the GSSSA runners up, Anatol Rodgers, who got eliminated.

GCA 31, Mystic Marlins 28: Paulston Stuart scored nine points with 10 rebounds, five steals, three assists and as many blocks and Sherrick Ellis also had nine points with four rebounds in the win for Gateway Christian Academy as they stayed alive.

Bredon Williams had 10 points, three assists and a pair of rebounds and assists, while Torrien Marshall had eight points in the loss for Doris Johnson as they were ousted.

Stingrays 49, Study Hall 47: Marvince Doreley scored a game high 17 points with three rebounds three steals and two assists and Derrick Edgecombe had 14 points and four rebounds in CV Bethel's win to keep them alive.

Edwin Ferguson had a side high 15 points with 16 rebounds, five steals, four assists and three block shots and Trevor Forbes had 13 points in a losing effort for Study Hall as they were ousted.