The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

The CI Gibson Rattlers showed why they are the defending champions of the Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic.

On day two of the week-long tournament at the AF Adderley Gymnasium, the Rattlers highlighted the first session by holding off the Kingsway Academy Saints for a 59-53 decision.

The other game played saw the Queen’s College Comets hand the British West Indies College Spartans, the champions from the Turks and Caicos Islands, a 42-21 pounding. The Mt Carmel Cavaliers didn’t show up to play in the other game against Abaco Central.

The games were played following the opening ceremonies by Lionel Sands, the Ministry of Education’s director. The tournament will continue today, but the Grand Bahama teams have decided to boycott so organisers are expected to adjust the schedule.

Rattlers 59, Saints 53

After blowing a 10-point lead (45-35) going into the fourth quarter, CI Gibson went on a 10-0 spurt to come from a 51-49 deficit to go back up 59-51 as they held on for the win.

“We have some talented schools, private and public and Kingsway is one of those teams. They’re long, they’re lanky, they’re athletic and they can play some good basketball,” said Rattlers’ coach Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnson.

“They dominated our big men tonight. Hats off to them, both of their big men controlled the boards and scored at will. We will have to go back to the drawing board and work on playing the kind of defence to stop teams like Kingsway as we move on deep into the tournament.”

Shakwon Lewis, who got off to a slow start as he tried to get his teammates involved, canned a couple three-pointers and finished with 18 points, seven assists, six steals and four rebounds; Johnley Noel had 10 points and both Wilbert Seraphin and Brathe Ferguson had eight.

Emmanuel Butler had a game high 25 points with seven rebounds, four steals and four assists and Calvin Tynes had 16 points with eight rebounds as they led a 1-2 power show inside for the Saints.

“We played good for the whole game. We played a good team, so we played pretty well,” said Kingsway Academy’s coach McKail McCardy. “It just seemed like in the last two minutes, we couldn’t get a call.

“But that’s how the game goes. Sometimes you get the calls and sometimes you don’t get the calls. At the end of the day, I think my boys played well. We just have some things to iron out, but we will be back.”

McCardy said whoever they meet next, they will take their frustration out on them.

Comets 42, Spartans 21

In a game that started out close in the first quarter with Queen’s College holding a slim 9-7 lead at the first break, the British West Indies College found themselves in a huge hole as they trailed 18-9 at the half.

By the end of the third, they dropped even further to 30-12 going into the third and final period. “Once we stick to the system, they look good in the game,” said Queen’s College coach Dwayne Smith. “They listened today, they did what they had to do and they executed it properly. That’s how we got the win.”

Smith said as long as they can keep it simple, they can continue their success in the tournament.

Nobody scored in double figures in the game.

The top scorers for the Comets were Dhylan Culmer and Sirmar Rolle with six apiece.

Myrohn Pereira had seven points for British West Indies College, whose coach Bahamian Keith Cox said they played as best as they could.

“That team is much better than us,” said Cox. “This is a different atmosphere for us. This is the first time that some of them have ever left the island, but I expected better play.

“We started off playing like we are capable of playing then we just stopped. I guess it was fright because we were not at home and they are young kids, so I am trying to get them to understand basketball. These children eat and sleep basketball, so you can’t come here and play around.”

As they move on in the tournament, Cox said if they can play better defence, they will be alright.

In the late session on day one Monday, the GSSSA runners-up CC Sweeting Cobras routed the BAISS champions St John’s Giants 59-27, the Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves knocked off the Temple Christian Suns 49-41 and the Dame Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins prevailed 48-34 over the Westminster Diplomats 48-34.

Cobras 59, Giants 27

Adrian Thompson scored 19 points with nine rebounds and five steals to lead CC Sweeting. Corey Sands had 11 points and Derontae Brown and Jamaal Simon both had eight. Dwight Wheatley had 14 points and 11 rebounds for St John’s. Track star LaQuan Nairn returned to his first sport and scored six points to help out.

Mystic Marlins 48, Diplomats 34

No player scored in double figures for Dame Doris Johnson, but Game Atilus scored eight points with five rebounds, Lennix Moss had seven points and five rebounds and both Deangelo Jolly and Lathaniel Bastian added six points in the win. Rashad Stubbs had a game high 16 points with 11 rebounds to pace Westminster. Adrian Mackey had six points and Grevaughn Goodman had five.

Timberwolves 49, Suns 41

Trae Davis scored 12 points, Levonne Moxey had nine and Tyrik Thurston added eight in the win for Anatol Rodgers, who led from start to finish. O’Casin Armbrister led Temple Christian with a game high 15 points, Diargo Smith had 11 points, six rebounds and four steals and Shaden Boteng added nine points, eight steals and four rebounds.