The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

A dominant season for the Tabernacle Baptist Falcons, where they reached nearly every possible milestone, culminated with the ultimate prize - the 2018 national title.

The Falcons defeated the Jack Hayward Wildcats 59-44 in the National High School Basketball Championships Division I finale at the St George’s Gymnasium last night.

Once again, the Falcons were powered by a dominant performance from their backcourt. Tournament MVP Desmond Butler finished with 13 points while Alfredo Brown scored 13 and shot 4-9 from beyond the arch.

Reigning Hugh Campbell MVP Joshua Dames had nine points and eight rebounds off the bench, Seandre Todd scored nine and Shyrone Kemp grabbed 17 rebounds.

Tramaine Ferguson scored nine to lead the Wildcats while McKell Bethel finished with eight.

“What a ride. I’m just so proud of these boys. They have gone on a journey like no other team I have coached and I can go on record and say that this is the No.1 team in the Bahamas,” Falcons head coach Kevin Clarke said.

“These guys are guaranteed to fight it out every night, they are going to give you their all and that’s all we can ask for. Once they do, I just tell them to let the chips fall where they may, but I think we continued to prove all year, like we did tonight, that we are the No.1 team in the country.”

Tied at four and again tied at nine, Wildcats point guard Jalen Hall went down with an early ankle injury and the Falcons led 10-9 at the end of the first.

“We normally start slow, but I tell my boys it’s not how you start it’s how you finish,” Clarke said.

“We just continue to play with a team effort and stay consistent throughout, eventually the system and our style of play will win out and it has throughout the year.”

The Falcons got two threes from Todd and Brown to pull ahead. Hall recovered briefly from his earlier injury and scored on a pull up jumper and three pointer to bring the Wildcats within two (16-14).

Butler responded with the third Tabby three of the quarter and Hall’s ankle forced him out of the game again after those five points with his team trailing 20-16.

Edward Williams scored on a fastbreak dunk, but Brown answered with a three followed by a steal and dish to Dames for a 25-18 lead. The Falcons led 25-21 at the half.

Tabernacle opened the third on an 8-2 run and a Butler layup gave them a 33-23 lead. The Wildcats offence was unable to keep pace with Hall sidelined for the remainder of the game and the Falcons took a 44-30 lead into the fourth.

They opened play with a 42-18 win over Eight Mile Rock, followed by a 29-28 win over St George’s and a 60-36 blowout win over the T’Wolves to advance to the championship.

“This season was amazing, to win every tournament but the thanksgiving tournament was quite an experience,” Butler said.

“I have to give credit to my coach, my teammates, they worked hard but this was a team effort and we did it all together. I couldn’t imagine my senior year ending any other way.”