The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER reeling off their last three games in the New Providence Basketball Association, the COB Caribs are hoping that their men’s basketball team will have as much success in their three-game series in the Florida National University’s Basketball Classic this weekend in Miami, Florida.

The team, coached by Bacchus Rolle and Lavar Johnson, will be matched against the Florida National University and the University of the Virgin Islands. The tournament was to have also included the College of Faith, but they withdrew at the last minute.

The team is scheduled to leave town today and begin the tournament 8:30pm tonight against Florida National University. They are slated to return on Thursday to play the University of the Virgin Islands at 6:30pm. After a day off on Friday, the Caribs will close out the tournament in a rematch against Florida National University at 1pm Saturday.

On Saturday night, the Caribs pulled off their biggest victory of the season when they stunned the defending champions Commonwealth Bank Giants 64-61 (see photos on page 4E) as Reuben Goodman canned a basket and Alvano Laing added a pair of free throws down the stretch to seal their third straight victory to push their record to 4-11.

“If we can get that same effort when we go away, we will be alright,” said assistant coach Johnson about the Caribs’ upset over the Giants.

Added point guard Anthony Sands: “The guys are now believing in themselves and we are playing like we should be, so we’re very confident that we will do very well on this trip.”

Before their three-game winning streak, the College of the Bahamas was right in the thick of things in the majority of the games they played. They were normally in striking distance through the first three quarters, only to fall apart late in the fourth quarter. But they have finally showed that they are capable of playing for four quarters and it was demonstrated in their last three victories.

The Caribs are hoping that their momentum will carry over in Florida before they return to continue to play in the NPBA.

On their return home, they are scheduled to face the Real Deal Shockers 9pm February 21. The feature game will be played at the DW Davis Gymnasium where the NPBA is expected to play next week as the AF Adderley Gymnasium will be occupied by the high school teams playing in the prestigious Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic.

The team is scheduled to return home on Saturday night.