The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Basketball Federation heads into the final weeks of its Summer of Thunder exhibition series and as teams continue to make their debut, one local team suffered their first loss since play began on August 1.

The Eastern Illinois Panthers opened play in the series Tuesday night with an 83-69 win over the PJ Stingers at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

Trae Anderson led the Panthers with 12 points, while Lucas Jones and Marshawn Blackmon each finished with 11. Able Joseph led the Stingers with 27 points and eight rebounds, Vernon Stubbs finished with 11 points and Steven Culmer Jr finished with 10.

Eastern Illinois will continue their tour 5:30pm today against IBA Elite.

The University of Texas-Arlington Mavericks will be the next visiting team when they face the Real Deal Shockers 9pm Thursday followed by a 7pm Friday matchup against the Stingers.

The pair of back-to-backs will conclude 4:30pm August 23 against the Providence Storm and 7pm August 24 against the Atlantis All-Stars.

Tuesday’s loss was the first for the Stingers after they opened with consecutive wins. Both of the Stingers’ wins came in the game’s waning moments separated by a single possession.

A controversial goaltending call on Joseph’s floater with 13.4 seconds left lifted the Stingers to a 79-77 win over the Southern Utah Thunderbirds. The Thunderbirds failed to get off a shot on their final possession.

Joseph led a shorthanded Stingers team with a game high 21 points, six rebounds and nine assists. Kemsey Sylvester posted a double double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, Devin Ferguson finished with 18 points and Tevin Hudson added 15 points and eight rebounds.

In game two, the Stingers’ Vernon Stubbs tipped home the game-winning score as time expired for a 70-68 win over the St Louis Billikens Monday night.

Joseph led the way for the Stingers with 23 points, Sylvester finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds while Culmer added 10 points.

The Billikens were lead by Milik Yarbrough with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

In what was a back-and-forth battle as both teams never seemed to keep the momentum when taking the lead.

The Stingers recorded 18 steals and forced the Billikens into 28 turnovers.

The game came down to its final possession when Joseph split a pair at the line  to tie the game at 68 and Stubbs tipped the ball home for the win to shock St Louis.

Local teams have notched four wins thus far against visiting teams which play nightly at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium in a series of triple headers.

Six games thus far have been decided by a single possession, three points or less.

“Bahamian teams have been able to hold their own. Many of the final scores have been close,” said BBF vice president Mario Bowleg. “We feel as though the competition is stiff, the foreign teams and the coaches have been pleased that they have been able to face this competition as they prepare for their seasons.”