The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Senior Boys

CI Gibson Rattlers - 74

Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins - 57

Rattlers lead series 1-0

After going through the regular season undefeated, the Mystic Marlins find themselves in a familiar position that they faced in the semifinals, an upset loss in game one and facing elimination.

CI Gibson dominated the second half and outscored the Mystic Marlins by 34-22 to spark a game one win.

Rys-Shorn Strachan led the Rattlers with 21 points and 12 rebounds, Emmanuel Alexander scored 12, Jaheed Sanusi had nine and Jonathan St. Fleur scored eight.

Josha Burrows and Tyeko both led the Mystic Marlins with 14 points each, Janus Shepherd scored 12 and Michael Balfour added nine.

The Rattlers took a 57-48 lead into the fourth and led by as much as 21 in the final period.

Both teams shot the ball well from beyond the arch in the first quarter and set the tone for the remainder of the contest.

Joshua Burrows made back-to-back threes and the Mystic Marlins scored nine unanswered points to take an early 12-3 lead. Burrows again made a pull up jumper to go up 18-8.

Three point shooting kept the Rattlers in the game with threes from Chad Smith and Deangelo Oliver. Burrows again had the answer with another three for the Mystic Marlins but St. Fleur would make the sixth three in the quarter to tie the game at 21.

The Rattlers took their first lead on an Ester Pierre layup and followed with a Strachan three point play. The run continued and they built a ten point lead on a St Fleur three. Through the first two minutes of the second, they outscored the Mystic Marlins 12-2 and led 40-35 at the half.

Doris Johnson would fight back in the third to come within one, but were never able to regain the lead. A Janus Shepherd jumper and three point play, brought the Mystic Marlins within one, 43-42, but Darryo Saunders made a three from the wing to keep the Rattlers ahead. Jaheed Sanusi’s layup just beat the buzzer to give Rattlers a 57-48 lead headed into the fourth.

In the GSSSA senior division basketball championship series, one pennant winner remained undefeated while another finds itself facing elimination after a game one upset.

Senior Girls

CI Gibson Rattlers - 44

CV Bethel Stingrays - 23

Rattlers lead series 1-0

The Rattlers remained undefeated on the season and scored the most lopsided win of the evening.

Glennia Sands led three Rattlers in double figures with 14 points, Jaysline Garson scored 13 and Adalia Tucker finished with 11.

D’Shante Cooper was the lone bright spot for the Stingrays with 13 points.

The Rattlers opened the game on an 11-0 run before CV Bethel scored their first basket. They took a 20 point lead on the opening possession and of the third and eventually took a 36-11 lead into the fourth quarter.