The Tribune

By TENAJH SWEETING

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Noble Preparatory Academy’s (NPA) sixth edition of the Spring Classic Basketball tourney returned to Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium yesterday evening.

The basketball-filled day started at 4pm to get the competition underway for the varsity senior boys and girls, and the junior boys and girls. Day one featured 14 rounds of intense basketball matchups across all divisions.

Geno Bullard, president of NPA, talked about how he felt after the first day of competition at the Spring Classic tournament.

“I think it’s going very well, we got off to a rocky start but it’s levelling out so far and it’s some good games closing out today. We are just looking to close out today and start off tomorrow with some exciting basketball,” Bullard said

He added that all the teams definitely came out to play, knowing that it is the last high school tournament for the year and teams are looking to get a little payback for in-season rivalries and he is excited to see it.

Senior Division

In game one of the senior boys’ division, the NPA Spartans took down the Mt Carmel Cavaliers 45-22.

Game two saw the CR Walker Knights topple their rivals CV Bethel Stingrays to win 37-31.

The CC Sweeting Cobras prevailed in game three of the senior division after they defeated the Jordan Prince Williams Falcons by double digits to win 40-20.

Meanwhile, the Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins closed out Clement Howell High School 42-36.

For the girls, the Stingrays wrapped up the NPA senior girls after defeating them by double digits 32-16. The Knights fell in a close bout to the St John’s Giants 29-27.

In game three of the senior girls’ division, the RM Bailey Pacers forfeited their matchup against the Stingrays’ senior girls, giving them a win.

Shantelle Rolle, head coach of the Stingrays, talked about their win against NPA. “It feels very good coming out the first day playing the first game to get a win, it really feels good,” Rolle said.

Her advice to the team was to hustle hard, play defence and take care of the basketball.

Junior Division

In game one of five, the Queen’s College Comets claimed victory over the SC McPherson Sharks 25-15. Jerome Lucas, assistant coach of the junior boys, said it felt pretty good to get the first win out of the way and his advice to his team after a rocky start was to pick up the pacing and they were able to get the win.

The NPA Spartans sealed the win against the International School of Business and Entrepreneurship and Technology (ISBET) 28-20.

Van Hutchinson Jr, head coach of NPA’s junior boys, said it was a great start to the tournament for the team and they came out very aggressive and executed the plays in the right way. He added that he really wanted to see how the team would come out and play in the first game after a few scrimmages and was impressed despite having some more things to work on.

In game three of the junior boys’ division, the Giants comfortably defeated Charles W Saunders 44-12. The Falcons junior boys also took down Clement Howell by an 18-point deficit after winning their game 36-18.

In game five, the Sharks bested the IBSET junior boys team 46-31.

In the only game played in the junior girls’ division, NPA’s junior girls fell to the SJC Giants 20-14. Day two of the Noble Prep tourney continues 4pm today at the Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium.