The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

The Tabernacle Baptist Falcons survived what head coach Norris Bain called an “awful” performance to make a successful debut at this year’s Hugh Campbell Classic.

One of the favourites to claim this year’s tournament title, the Falcons defeated the GSSSA runners-up Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins 52-44 in the opening game at the AF Adderley Gymnasium yesterday.

Raheem Laing led three Falcons in double figures with 13 points and nine rebounds, Robert Joseph added 13 points, six rebounds and four steals, while Rashad Russell finished with 10 points, six rebounds, six assists and five steals.

Brendon Stubbs led the Mystic Marlins with a game high 14 points while Shanton Pratt added 12.

“I thank God for it, but I’m definitely not happy with our performance today,” Bain said. “A lot of times in tournaments, no matter how it comes, you have to win, survive and move on. We have the next day off, we will talk about those things, we will address those things and get those things corrected. We played well in spurts, there were sometimes when it seems like we would put it together, but then all of a sudden we would do something out of character and I was kind of disappointed in that. We were horrible taking charges, the referees were right on, it wasn’t their fault, we were not getting in position, turning the ball over for no reason. I was disappointed in the way we played. Going behind the back when you have two defenders on you, it was very unlike us.”

After taking an early 10-point lead in the first quarter, 15-5, the Falcons were outscored 13-9 in the second. They led 24-18 at the half.

Doris Johnson won another quarter when they outscored the Falcons 14-12 in the third quarter and Tabernacle clung to a 36-32 lead headed into the fourth.

The Mystic Marlins opened the final frame as the aggressors but went 1-4 from line with a possibility to tie.

Stubbs missed a pair at the line and Dwaybe Dormeus made one of two to trim the deficit, 36-33.

The Falcons would respond with a 9-0 run to put the game away, seven of which were scored by Laing.

His layup halted the Doris Johnson run and, after a basket by Rusell, Laing added another layup and successfully converted a three-point play to give his team a 43-33 lead with 4:01 left to play.

They led by as much as 12 in the fourth quarter when Melvin Elsie converted a fastbreak layup for a 45-33 advantage.

Bain said the team, which has yet to lose a game in the Bahamas for the season, may have suffered from complacency heading into the tournament.

“One of the things about young players, when they experience success they tend to get cocky, confidence is one thing but when you tend to get cocky that is what troubles me. I may have to stick a pin in their heads, I think they may have inflated heads,” he said. “But Doris Johnson is a very defensive-minded athletic team. They want to drive the ball and I want to make them shoot jumpshots. I believe we are going to see them again so we definitely have to fix that.”

As Bain successfully completed the first step in leading his school to a record seventh title, he said one of his main goals was to keep his team focused during the week and disregard the public opinion tapping them as tournament favourites.

“I didn’t sleep well because I was very concerned about the game. When you have not lost a game in the Bahamas all year and then went to Tennessee and played so well I was very concerned that our heads would be inflated and then travelling at 6am this morning. Those combinations of things, I just felt would create problems and I was right. But we will get it together. This was the most I have shouted all year, we were really out of character. There were times when I would sit back and admire my own work and maybe I got cocky so the Lord had to humble me,” he said. “I honestly do not pay attention to rankings. I just want to be number one Monday night at 11pm.”

Sunland Baptist - 62

Harbour Island - 30

THE Stingers began their quest to return to the tournament final after making back-to-back appearances in 2010 and 2011. Daniel Wright nearly finished with a triple double - 12 points, 11 steals and seven rebounds - to lead the Stingers. Andre Farquharson added 10 points while Tamais Rolle finished with eight points. Jethro and Beauchamp and Chesswell Telford each finished with eight points.

St George’s - 55

Central Eleuthera - 29

THE Jaguars made it a third consecutive win for Grand Bahamian schools in yesterday’s opening session. Kendrick Davis and Glenroy Rolle each finished with 11 points in the win while Franklyn Petion added nine. Valentino Sands led Central Eleuthera with 10 points.

• The tournament is scheduled for tip-off noon today at the AF Adderley Gymnasium.