The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

The St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine captured two of the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools’ basketball championship titles. The other two went to the Kingsway Academy Saints and the Queen’s College Comets.

All four series ended in a two-game sweep on Monday night at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

The Saints ruined the Big Red Machine’s bid for three titles as they marched to an impressive 43-34 in the junior girls’ series. SAC, however, made sure that they took the other two they were competing for as their junior boys held off the pesky Queen’s College Comets 45-42 and their senior girls knocked off the St John’s Giants 29-21.

The Comets came out victorious in the senior boys division with a 61-53 decision.

Saints 43, Big

Red Machine 34

After falling behind 6-0 at the end of the first quarter, Kingsway Academy rebounded as Valicia Demeritte took matters into her own hands as they went on a 16-6 spurt to go ahead 16-12 at the half.

Demeritte and the Saints continued to press in the third as they pushed ahead 29-23 at the end of the third. And even though the Big Red Machine cut the deficit to two, 34-32, with less than two minutes to go, Kingsway Academy held on for the win.

Demeritte finished with a game high 17 points, Tande Bowleg had 14 and Alana Pinder eight to lead Kingsway Academy.

“Whenever you get an opportunity to beat SAC in anything, you have to be pleased,” said Saints’ coach Randy Cunningham. “Last year they were swept, but I knew with a lot of seven graders, we would be in a better position to play them this year. “Over the summer we worked hard and we had one of few pieces and it all came together. Now that we’ve beaten them, I want them to know that next year I’m coming for the senior girls’ title. So they better watch out for Kingsway Academy.”

Dayche Stubbs was unstoppable as she had a side high 10 for SAC. Shain James had eight, Tamia Arthur six and Dionne Culmer five in a losing effort.

Big Red Machine 45,

Comets 42

Rohan Kerr came up with his only two points in the fourth quarter, but it was right in time to put SAC ahead for good, 45-41, with 15.4 seconds as they held off the late surge by Queen’s College.

The Big Red Machine had built a 14-11 lead at the end of the first quarter and they extended their lead to 22-17 at the half. At the end of the third, they were still out front, 29-24. But after falling behind 40-30 in the fourth, the Comets went on an 11-3 run as they trimmed the margin to 43-41.

Deangelo Mackey had another solid game, posting a game high 14 points, including six in the third and four in the fourth to keep SAC out front. Adrian Grant added 12 and both Kerr and Cornelius Clyde both chipped in with seven.

“On Friday, I had a shirt on that had 2010 on it. That was the last time that I won. Now I’m back,” said a proud SAC coach John Todd. “I think I cracked the shell because they have been winning since I last won.

“But once we beat them in that first game, I knew they were not able to come back. They told us after game one that the referee gave us the game. We came back today and we beat them to prove that we earned it fair and square.”

For Queen’s College, Ivoine Ingraham had 12 points, while Dylan Culmer and Kofi King had 10 apiece.

Big Red Machine 29, Giants 21: This game was about spurts and SAC came up with the best runs at the right time to stay undefeated all season long to win another senior girls title.

It started with a 6-0 run that they pushed to hold onto a 10-4 margin at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, St. John’s went on a 5-0 tear that enabled them to trail 15-10 at the half. In the third, the Giants pulled even at 15-15, but the Big Red Machine rolled out to a 22-15 advantage at the final break.

And in the fourth, whenever St. John’s was able to make a run, St. Augustine’s College had an answer as they held on for the win to complete the sweep.

Dawn Dean had a game high 11 points, Isis Wilson had nine and Taryn Butler helped out with four.

“St. John’s came out and played and they made a fight out of it, but we had to find a way to respond,” said SAC’s coach Marco Munnings.

“Whenever you get the W, it’s always a good feeling.

“But I definitely didn’t want to come back out here and play another game because in game three you never know what could happen. So I’m satisfied with the way we played. We played very well all season and this was just a culmination of what has been a great year for us.”

For St. John’s, Savannah Symonette had to work through a series of box and one and double teaming for 10 points. Tara Thompson added six.

Comets 61, Giants 53: Lerecus Armbrister was a one-man scoring machine, lighting the nets up for a game high 33 points as he ignited Queen’s College their championship win.

The Comets out-scored the Giants 13-7 in the first quarter and they extended it to 26-18 at the half. St. John’s came back on a 20-14 run in the third to cut the deficit to two, 40-38. But Queen’s College went on a final spurt of 21-15 in the fourth to seal the deal.

Armbrister had 14 points in the final period to ignite the fire.

Elliston Greenslade helped out with 11.

In a losing effort, Aaron Campbell had a side high 18 points and high jump sensation LaQuan Nairn finished with 14.