The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

DAWN Dean canned the biggest shot of the game as the St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine’s senior girls basketball team avoided suffering their first loss in three years as they held off the Jordan Prince Williams Falcons for a 25-23 victory.

Dean’s layup with one minute and 28 seconds left last night at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium ensured that the Big Red Machine snatched a 1-0 lead in the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools’ best-of-three championship series.

“It was a dog fight. Prince Will came out and they showed that they wanted it,” said SAC’s coach Marco Mullings. “But we came out with the W, so we can’t argue about that.”

If they are going to win their third straight title, Mullings said his Big Red Machine will have to “clean up” their play especially on their zone defence tonight.

“We can’t have a repeat performance like we did in the third quarter,” he said.

Mullings was referring to the fact that after breaking a 5-5 tie at the end of the first quarter to hold onto a slim 14-13 margin at the half, SAC watched as the Falcons surged ahead 21-18 at the end of the third.

SAC made their comeback in the fourth before Dean sealed it down the stretch in a defensive minded game.

While Dean finished with six points, Isis Wilson scored a game high 14 to lead the Big Red Machine.

Jordan Prince Williams got seven points from Briontae Riley and six from Threll Thompson in a losing effort.

“When you’re playing against the champions, you have to bring your A game,” said Falcons’ coach Terrance ‘Red Eye’ McSweeney. “If you don’t bring your A game, the W that you see early in the game can easily become the L.

“So we have to sit down and talk about some stuff tomorrow. I know the girls feel a little upset. But to God be the glory, we are here. We played them in the regular season and suffered our only loss. They are the defending champions, but we just didn’t bring our A game.”

Game two is scheduled for Wednesday and if Jordan Prince Williams doesn’t come with their A game, they could watch as St Augustine’s College hoists their third consecutive title in the air.