The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Paul Greene’s broken left hand was in a cast until the day before the Bahamas National High School Basketball Championships began but delivered a series of gutsy performances to lead the St George’s Jaguars to the 2019 title.

Greene finished with 22 points and 17 rebounds and was named the MVP of the Jaguars’ 62-57 win over the Tabernacle Baptist Christian Academy Falcons in last night’s finale at the Jaguars’ Gymnasium.

“I know my teammates needed me, they counted on me so I knew I had to step up,” Greene said, “This was an awesome win, and awesome tournament and this success, I owe it all to God, I really don’t know what to say. I thank my teammates and our coaches, it’s all just overwhelming.”

With the win, the Jaguars became the first two-time winners of the Bahamas National High School Basketball Championships.

Also for the Jaguars, Samuel Pinder had 19 points, Shavaul Butters had eight points and nine rebounds and Theodore Grant scored eight.

Joshua Dames led the Falcons with a game high 26 points, Ethan Munroe had 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists while Romad Dean had seven points and ten rebounds.

The first quarter set the tone for the remainder of the game with three ties and six lead changes throughout. The Jaguars led by four, 11-7, after a Greene jumper, but Munroe made a three from the corner to bring the Falcons within one. Dean followed with a pair of free throws to regain a 12-11 lead for the Falcons. Tied again at 12, Munroe made a late three pointer to give the Falcons a 15-12 lead at the end of the quarter.

The Falcons built a 21-12 lead with a quick 6-0 run to open the quarter, capped by a Dames fastbreak layup. Pinder would score the next eight points for the Jaguars, including a pair of threes, to pull them within one. Munore made a runner and a free throw, followed by a Butters tip-in. Greene made a pair of late free throws and the teams took a 24 all tie into the half.

Greene scored on a jumper and finished a three point play to give the Jaguars a five point lead in the opening moments of the third. The game was tied again at 34 at the 2:13 mark when Dames made a pair at the line. He would give the Falcons the lead with his fastbreak layup on the following possession and make a another pair at the line for a 38-34 Falcons lead. Pinder scored four for the Jaguars with a reverse layup and his free throws to tie it at 38. Butters tip in would give the Jaguars a 40-39 lead headed into the fourth.

Grant’s three-pointer, got the scoring started in the fourth. After Dames would get the Falcons on the board with a three point play, Greene converted another three point play to give the Jaguars a 46-41 lead. Their lead grew to as much as nine when Greene made another three point play for a 56-47 with just under three minutes left to play. Munroe made a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to just three and after a Jaguars turnover, Dames added another to make the score 57-55. Greene responded like had all night with a reverse layup to regain the four point lead. Munroe’s floater would cut the lead to two, but Denardo Adderley missed an opportunity to tie it for the Falcons at the line when he missed both. Grant split a pair to give the Jaguars a three point lead and they forced the Falcons into a shot clock violation on the following possession.

“We made a lot of history tonight. I have a lot of coaches that make me look like I know what I’m doing. We have the best coaching staff in the country and we put a lot of blood, seat and tears into this,” Sears said, “Paul Greene is a warrior, I cannot say enough about him. We were without him, the first game of the tournament and we lost, but it shows the difference he makes for us when he is on the floor.”

Tabernacle’s path to the championship included wins over Jordan Prince William Falcons (42-28), CC Sweeting Cobras (46-38), and two wins over the top seeded Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins (40-31 and 67-55).

The Jaguars overcame an early loss in their tournament opener, but won six consecutive games to make their third appearance in the national title game. They lost the inaugural title 60-55 to the CC Sweeting Cobras and returned in 2017 with a 61-53 win over the Falcons.

St George’s lost their opening game of the tournament to Gateway Academy Eagles out of Bimini (54-47). They rebounded to score wins over the Temple Christian Suns (41-31), Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves (56-41), CI Gibson Rattlers (42-40), Sunland Baptist Stingers (52-42) and a win in the rematch against the Eagles (76-57).

The Jaguars also defeated the Falcons in the Grand Bahama Secondary Schools Athletic Association championships in a two-game sweep last month.