The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

SEVERAL of the best high school basketball players in the country took full advantage of the opportunity to showcase their skills at the third edition of the National High School Basketball Championships.

The Bahamas Basketball Federation along with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology hosted the event in Grand Bahama, which featured the top senior boys and girls and Family Island, divisions.

The Tabernacle Baptist emerged as the story and completed a dominant season by claiming the Division I title in a 59-44 win over the Jack Hayward Wildcats Monday night at the St. George's Gymnasium.

Several other athletes raised their stock in an effort to secure scholarships, set the tone for next year or simply end the season on a positive note.

The Falcons' senior point guard Desmond Butler was named the MVP after he tied for the team high with 13 points in the title game. He led the All-Tournament team selections along with fellow Falcons teammates Alfredo Brown and Regis Cooper.

Other All-Tournament selections included Dominick Bridgewater (Anatol Rodgers), Tavon Scott (CI Gibson), Derico Burrows (CI Gibson), Cornelius Clyde (St Augustine's), Mateo Taylor (Jordan Prince William), Kingcy Thompson (St. George's), Malachi McCoy (Doris Johnson) McKell Bethell (Jack Hayward).and Clevon Clarke (Jack Hayward).

Bridgewater finished as the tournament's leading scorer at 20.5 points per game and made the most field goals with 30.

He scored his tournament high of 30 in the second of the T'Wolves four games of the tournament.

Clyde was the second leading scorer at 14 points per game.

Other top scorers in the tournament included Clarke at 12.83 points per game, Cooper and CI Gibson's Terrance Storr at 12 points per game.

Martie Davis, from the Sunland Stingers, was the tournament's top rebounder with 11 rebounds per game, one of three players to average double figures in the category.

Scott grabbed 10.5 boards per game while Cooper was the lone player in the tourney to average a double double with his 10.33 rebounds per game and was also the tournament's leading shot blocker at 2.33 per game.

Burrows and Scott each averaged 1.75 blocks per game.

Butler led the tournament in assists at 3.25 per game.

Taylor was also the top free throw shooter with 20 makes from the line

Nathan Sullivan of Teleos led the tournament in steals at 4.5 per game followed by Brandon Strachan of CC Sweeting at 3.8 per game and Bethel third at at 3.17 per game.

Clarke was the top three-point shooter with 16 made field goals from beyond the arch with Andre Calvert of the T'Wolves was second with nine.

In the Senior Girls division, the Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins reclaimed national title with a win over arch rival Jordan Prince William Falcons led by an MVP performance from Briontae Riley who averaged a double double at 10.5 points and 15.5 rebounds per game.

Riley led the All-Tournament Team which also included Aaliyah Johnson (CV Bethel), Amir Thompson (Doris Johnson), Kiajah Smith (Bishop Michael Eldon), Myah Greene (Bishop Michael Eldon), Willciana Toussaint (St. George's), Jamiela Miller-Robins (St. George's), Antonicia Moultrie (SAC), Brianna Stevens (Jordan Prince William), Shaniqua Thompson (Jordan Prince William), Alkiea Rolle (Mt. Carmel) and Tatyanna Lockhart (Tabernacle)

Johnson, the Stingrays' versatile wing, was the leading scorer at 22.75 points per game, led the tournament in steals at 5.25 per game and was third in assists at 2.5 per game.

Smith of BMES scored 15.25 points per game and Rolle was third with 15 per game.

Miller-Robins was the top rebounder at 17 boards per game.

Thompson led the tournament with 3.6 assists per game. Rolle was the top shot blocker at 2.5 per game, Touissant was the top three point shooter with seven made field goals from beyond the arch.

In the Family Island division, the Gateway Eagles out of Bimini claimed their second consecutive national title.

They were led by Dencil Jones Jr who was named the tournament MVP.

Jones was a member of the All-Tournament team alongside Bradley Lightbourne (Gateway), Chester McPhee (Gateway), Oswald Meadows (Agape), Regan Roberts (Agape), Michael Adderley (Adderley), Nakajah Adderley (Patrick J Bethel), Juvens Louivious (Patrick J Bethel), Dremiko McIntosh (Patrick J Bethel), Kavano Parker (South Andros), Mannalick Smith (South Andros), Jervito Johnson (Central Eleuthera).

Meadows led the tournament in three statistical categories points, rebounds per game and free throws made.

He scored 21.83 points, grabbed 11.17 rebounds per game and made a total of 30 free throws

Jones led the tournament with 3.5 assists per game.

Lightbourne was second at 17.35 points per game and Smith third at 13.25. Lightbourne was also the leader in steals at five per game.

McPhee finished behind Meadows at 10.75 rebounds per game and was the leading shot blocker at 1.75 per game.

Agape's Roberts was the top three point shooter with 12 makes.