The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

NOT a final four, but the final three teams remain standing to decide the 2015 title for the Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic.

After a week of competition and 60 games played at the AF Adderley Gymnasium, it will be the CC Sweeting Cobras, CI Gibson Rattlers or the Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves that will raise the trophy tonight following the championship game.

The Cobras received an automatic bye to the championship game when they upset the GSSSA champions and defending Hugh Campbell champion Rattlers. With the loss, the Rattlers were relegated to face the Timberwolves in today’s semi-final.

The Timberwolves, the biggest surprise in this year’s final field, scored a major upset over the Dame Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins, the GSSSA and Hugh Campbell runners-up. CI Gibson and Anatol Rodgers will square off in the semi-finals scheduled for noon today. The winner will face the Cobras 8pm tonight at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

CC Sweeting Cobras - 72

CI Gibson Rattlers - 61

HEAD coach Mario Bowleg leads his Cobras to the title game for the third time in the past five seasons.

Adrian Thompson delivered a dominant performance when his team needed it the most to lift the Cobras to tonight’s final. Thompson finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds and six steals in the win. Corey Sands added 15 points and nine rebounds while Micahel Bethel added seven points, six rebounds and five assists.

Johnley Noel led the Rattlers with a game high 27 points and nine rebounds, while Shakwon Lewis added nine points, seven assists and five steals.

After a closely contested first half, the Cobras broke the game wide open in the third quarter when they limited the Rattlers to their only single-digit scoring period of the game and outscored them 21-9.

CI Gibson led 32-31 at the half and eventually went ahead by six points, but CC Sweeting went on a 9-0 run to take a 40-37 lead. Lewis’ layup finally stopped the Cobras’ run and brought them back within one.

Over the final 2:46, the Cobras ended the quarter on a 12-2 run. The lead grew to as much as 13, and the Cobras took a 52-41 lead headed into the fourth quarter.

The Rattlers managed to trim the deficit to just four, when Noel made a three pointer to make the score 60-56 with 4:27 left to play.

Thompson would respond with back-to-back three pointers of his own to reclaim a 10-point lead. The Cobras outscored the Rattlers 22-12 in the paint and 25-15 in points off turnovers.

Anatol Rodgers

Timberwolves - 63

Doris Johnson Mystic

Marlins - 60

THE feature game late last night may have been the most thrilling of the tournament as the final berth to the semis would not be decided until the game’s waning moments.

Dominic Bridgewater made an improbable three pointer at the buzzer to keep the Timberwolves Cinderalla story alive.

The Mystic Marlins trailed by as much as 14 in the fourth quarter and stormed all the way back to take the lead (60-58) on a pair of free throws from Game Atilus.

Brandon Williams tied the game with a pair of free throws of his own. The Mystic Marlins’ Kyle Turnquest missed a pair at the line with five seconds left to give the Timberwolves one final opportunity, which Bridgewater made to advance.

Antonio Sands led Anatol Rodgers with 16 points, Trae Davis added 12 while Bridgewater and Levonne Moxey finished with 10 points apiece. Atilus finished with 13 points and 14 rebounds, Turnquest scored a side high 16 and Dwayne Dormeus finished with 10.

Tied at six in the first quarter, the T’Wolves used a Troy Trembly layup, Bridgewater three pointer and Sands layup to take a 13-6 lead. They eventually led 18-10 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second, the Mystic Marlins’ defence sparked a comeback effort, and came within two when Kyle Turnquest’s layup made the score 20-18 with 5:21 left to play in the half.

Levonne Moxey immediately made a three pointer to push it to a two-possession game and the lead reached nine at the half (32-23).

The Mystic Marlins were never able to cut the lead below nine points in the third, setting the stage for the frantic comeback effort which fell just short in the fourth.